This course offers an introduction to and critical appraisal of Immanuel Kant's political philosophy. Despite the enormous influence which Kant's moral philosophy has exerted on debates in contemporary political theory, his political philosophy has until recently been largely ignored. This is now changing: Kant's political philosophy is beginning to be studied in its own right. Such study shows that his political thinking is distinctive within the tradition of European political thought and from much contemporary political theory. The impact of Kant's thought upon the latter must, therefore, be re-assessed. Through close reading and analysis of the primary texts, this course introduces students to Kant's distinctive approach to political thinking. 

The core text will be the Doctrine of Right (Part 1 of The Metaphysics of Morals). The course will also draw on Kant’s other works, including his celebrated essay, 'On Perpetual Peace'; and his less well known, but no less important essay 'On the Common Saying: "This may be true in theory, but does it work in Practice".' The analytic and substantive focus will be on three interrelated themes: Kant's idea of freedom as an idea of reason; his account and justification of individual property rights and related conception of state authority; and his international and cosmopolitan conception of right. The philosophical focus will be on Kant's own political thinking, although we shall compare and contrast Kant's position with other – historical and contemporary – positions wherever appropriate.