The American Regime

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

"The American Regime" will explore the deep interconnection between America's founding beliefs and the American "way of life." The first half of the course will focus on founding documents - the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and the criticisms of the Constitution by the Anti-federalists - and Alexis de Tocqueville's examination of America in Democracy in America. The second half of the course will look at various aspects of the American experience that have been subtly shaped by the deepest philosophical assumptions of the Founding, including the immigrant experience, the built environment, science and technology, culture and entertainment. There will be two 50-minute lectures weekly, and one required 50-minute discussion section.