Over the last 3 weeks, we have observed the praise that Schmitt heaped on Hobbes. However, Schmitt’s ‘The Leviathan in the State Theory of Thomas Hobbes’ demonstrates not only Schmitt’s own significantly more authoritarian political theory but also puts Schmitt’s antisemitism on full display. This week, we will examine Schmitt’s critique of the distinction between private and public spheres. We will also examine his understanding of organic political unity. Through this, we will explore the political theoretical ideas Schmitt believes has stripped the state of sovereignty and how his argument relates to antisemitic tropes and imagery.

Handout: docs.google.com/document/d/1vj-hv7aZtW6qVi3O0HIS_FfIZXQmfOyGll2pomCLiYk/edit?usp=sharing