American Political Thought

Catalog description

What is America and what does it mean to be (an) American? What common values unite a nation where 'give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free' and 'build that wall' are words of motivation for many? Thinking through these questions while engaging with contributors to these debates from across time and place is our goal. Along the way we will hear from voices at various beginnings, the turbulent first decades, reconstruction, the gilded age, the revolutions of the 1960s, and on into the present. Our focus will be on two sets of voices: those representing the status quo and those voices of dissent challenging that power. These contestations range from what fundamental rights to protect, to how to rectify past injustices, right up to present debates about speech on college campuses and land ownership. The class will be conducted in the spirit of critical reflection on your views of the United States, its history, and its peoples. Offered as POSC 352 and POSC 452 . Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Moral & Ethical Reasoning course.