Department of Political Science

   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          What is politics?

  Our word politics comes from the Greek politēs, "citizen", who
  would live in a polis (city, community).  The hint of violence in
  the whole thing is the Indo-European root pelē, ("high fortified place"-
  like the Acropolis above).  But the essence of political life is the shared
  evocation of the spiritual experiences of the citizens.  Or, as Aristotle
  put it, a human being is a zöön  politike, a political animal whose
  purpose is to live socially.  What holds the polis together is homonoia
  or "like-mindedness."

 

 

 

Last updated:  December 19, 2007

 


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Department Chairman: Matthew Franck
Department Secretary: Kimberly Gilbert
Department Phone: 540/831-6598 Fax: 540/831-6599