POL3235W

This course considers the nature of contemporary democracy and the role that members of the political community do, can, and should play. While approaches in teaching the class vary, students can expect to read historical and contemporary texts, see films and videos, to approach questions about the nature of democracy, justifications for democracy, and challenges faced by contemporary democracy as it relates to racial inequality, immigration, gender inequality, and ecological crises. Topics will include: the centrality of social movements for democracies; deliberative and participatory democracy; as well as questions about how members of political communities can best participate in democratic life to address structural inequalities. Students will write a longer essay that allows them to demonstrate their capacities to understand and explain complex ideas and to make a theoretically compelling argument, using appropriate supporting evidence.

prereq: Suggested prerequisite 1201