Critical Review
Write a critical review on this journal article:
Lay Williams, David. 2009.’’ “Hobbes and Terrorism’’. Critical Inquiry 21(1), 91-108. (It will be provided)
The article should analyze and critically evaluate the structure, content and clarity of the argumentation, what the purpose of the article is and how well it is fulfilled as well as if and how the article engages with counter-arguments. You can also discuss the practical-political relevance of the arguments presented. Critical review abstracts from the content of the article to analyze the aim and focal point of the argumentation and the course, component parts and coherence/quality of the argumentation presented by the author(s) to reflect on its achievements and shortcomings. A critical review should situate the article in the wider literature on a topic, theory or thinker and reflect on whether a new trajecory is (successfully or not) explored, a particular side of a debate affirmed or a particular point criticized or subverted. The evaluative analysis is the most important part of your critical review and should be longer than the summary (approximately 1/3 summary to 2/3 analysis).
- Make the components of your evaluation explicit – e.g. use of primary sources, consideration of counter-examples, coherence of arguments.
- Examine the course of the argumentation: is it coherent and convincing or are explanations or support from literature or examples missing.
- Analyze whether all arguments are equally convincing
- Ask whether the overall argumentation achieves the aim of the article as set out in the beginning
- Examine the relationship of an article to the primary source(s) it draws on – how is Locke read by the author?
- Take a look at how the article deals with counter-arguments and alternative views: does the author acknowledge that Locke’s concept of toleration can be understood differently, for example as illustrated by x’s article “…”? Does the author’s endorsement of Locke’s concept of toleration address Spinoza’s concept of tolertion?
