Political Discourse in the Twenty-first Century

4 credits · Undergraduate

This course situates the civil discourse of democracy in the larger context of political discourse in general. It does so at two levels: one that is academic and philosophical, and another that is personal and experiential. The course offers content for both reflection and practice. The course explains why democracy is currently in the crisis it is in, what the central role of civil/political discourse is in the context of democratic governance, and how the revival and expansion of civil/political discourse is essential to the project of restoring trust in democratic institutions. The course is international and comparative, drawing on an array of examples of world political systems, societies, and cultures, including the US.