PSCI 321 – Making Up Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli, Florence-born author of The Prince, is the mastermind of the global political game, the founder of political science who understood how to manipulate human affairs to achieve any desired end.  Though he never put it on paper, the famous maxim that °the ends justify the means° is attributed to him.  But do they? and does he really mean it?  For him, politics is the realm of appearances, the place for inventing ideas and identities, the theatre of dissimulation–where truth is subjected to power, power is mingled with lies, and propaganda both written and visual is the principal tool of power.  It would appear that Machiavelli is the original evil genius, and his name In adjectival form is used to describe any self-serving dictator.  On closer inspection, however, perhaps Messer Niccolò is less ruthless than usually portrayed. His work raises important issues of morality in politics and provides lessons about how best to govern–if you know how to interpret them.  This course will examine those Issues and lessons, and analyze the multifarious, high and low-brow reactions to the 500-year-old Prince, one of the most influential works of political theory and practice ever written. This course will take full advantage of being taught in Machiavelli’s hometown and will evoke the environment of his life and career, from his office in the Palazzo Vecchio, to his countryside villa in San Casciano and his tomb in the church of Santa Croce, as well as the artworks depicting both him and the lessons he offers to the rulers of Florence. We will also “play” with many levels of “pop culture” including Machiavelli’s presence in the videogame Assassin’s Creed In order to discern the man and his Ideas from the myth.

Course Objectives

Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. 1. Identify the key political strategies devised by Machiavelli to achieve a desired outcome;
   2. Evaluate the truth-value of political and social propaganda to discern its real, as opposed to apparent, consequences or intentions;
   3. Analyze critical terms and interpretive methodologies relevant to studying the legacy of a world-historical figure, Including the evaluation of primary and secondary texts;
   4. Apply theoretical and historical frameworks to contemporary political issues