American Publics

Americans worry about the quality of their civic life and fear its decline. We examine the public sphere's popular and political dimensions as well as challenges to the boundaries of American public life. Who is a citizen and thus eligible to participate? The course pays particular attention to concerns about the impact of new media--print, broadcasting, the internet. Taught simultaneously with the same course at the University of Melbourne, Australia, students will be linked digitally for discussion and collaborative writing. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors and seniors.