DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

Catalog description

Historical consciousness course (H).What was the American Democratic experiment like in the 1830s? What is it like today? What has changed, and why? These are just some of the questions this course will seek to answer by exploring deeply the many social science hypotheses and predictions made by the French Aristocrat Alexis De Tocqueville in his classic work "Democracy in America". Not only is Tocqueville's account of American democracy one of the most important works in the science of politics, but his observations on such matters as the role of religion in a democracy, American race relations, the impact of democracy on family and gender relations, the insidious rise of American materialism and an industrial aristocracy, and the eternal tension between equality and liberty in a democracy make him one of the most versatile social scientists ever. By investigating Tocqueville's classic work, students become much more acquainted with the pros and cons of America's particular form of democracy.Faculty: R. BRAKE