What is politics? What are some of the underlying forces which produce political conflict? What makes an issue "political"? This course will consider a variety of responses to these questions through active reflection upon several case studies from around the world. We will also contrast those cases with literary and philosophical perspectives. Among the important themes to be explored will be the nature of power, the question of truth, the relationship between politics and personal identity, the state and its citizens, and the ethical dilemmas of political life. The class is almost entirely discussion based.