A reader sent along this idea: 12 “required” books for science majors (via Pleiotropy). That spurred me to make a quick list of 12 “required” books for political science majors.
The books are supposed to be non-technical, but insightful. Following the lead of the original science post, I’ve limited myself to non-fiction book (though a book on “required” fiction books will have to follow shortly, of course!), though I’ve not relied heavily on academic authors. They’re in no particular order.
1. Franklin Foer, How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
2. Patrick Symes, Chasing Che: A Motorcycle Journey in Search of the Guevarra Legend
3. Emma Larkin, Finding George Orwell in Burma
4. Jamaica Kinkaid, A Small Place
5. Fareed Zakaria, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad
6. Robert Dahl, After the Revolution? Authority in the Good Society
7. Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
8. Vali Nasr, The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam will Shape the Future
9. Parag Khana, The Second World: How Emerging Powers are Redefining Global Competition in the Twenty-First Century
10. Jack Snyder, From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict
11. Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom
12. Ian Buruma & Avishai Margalit, Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of Its Enemies
I’m sure others could develop a better list (some of these books have been too pressing on my mind lately, so they may push other ideas out). And I certainly over-emphasize some areas (the third world), while neglecting others (the US & Europe). But each book has some interesting nuggets to digest.
I feel like your list is more 12 "really interesting new" books for political science majors rather than "required." Rather than reading about Orwell, I would recommend Orwell. Or classic stuff like Tocqueville. Even for Dahl I would probably take Polyarchy, which I actually just brought home because I need to reread a part of it for something I am doing. To each his/her own.
As for fiction, someday I will teach a course on comparative politics using only crime/detective fiction.
@gbweeks: Yes, I think you're right. I wanted to pick relatively recent "pop" books that weren't pitched at an academic audience. But certainly some of your suggestions are spot on. For the Spanish Civil War, for example, Orwell's memoir Homage to Catalonia is phenomenal.
For Democracy, I would recommend Dahl's On Democracy (short, accessible, but still packed). Or Charles Tilly's Democracy.
But some day I want to teach a course using only science fiction!
Funny you mention it--I was assigned Homage to Catalonia in an undergrad poli sci class.
I liked "Carnage and Culture" by Victor Davis Hanson.
Halberstam's "The Best & the Brightest" is an eye-opener on the role of unelected political advisers.
Do Poli Sci students today still have to read Frantz Fannon's "The Wretched of the Earth" like I did? I'm hoping not...
I completely agree with #1 and #2 is on my list...the rest, I'm sad to admit I haven't heard of, but will check out in the near future! :)
@Gil: I've never heard of the book you mentioned. So I'll say not.
@Irina: Thanks. Yeah, some of these are odd little books.