The Kennedy Era

Catalog description

More than 50 years after its tragic end, the presidency of John F. Kennedy continues to be the focus of scholars, educators, biographers, journalists, politicians, advertisers, students, and citizens of the nation and the world. Why should a mere thousand-day presidency continue to attract such universal attention? Through the lenses of imagery, symbolism, media, leadership theory, and public policy, this course will explore the strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures of the 35th president of the United States. By examining JFK's biography, career, rhetoric, and policies, including on the Cold War, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, the Peace Corps, civil rights, the space race, and the arts, students will gain both knowledge of and perspective on the Camelot era.