The American Character.

Catalog description

The question of "American character" has defined - and divided - the nation from its inception. This course examines whether there exists a core set of American virtues, or whether American identity is something more contested, constructed through inclusion and exclusion. Through debate and deliberation, we'll explore how competing answers in works of philosophy, literature, and film shape citizenship: who belongs, who decides, and what responsibilities come with membership in the American civic community.