Art of the Political Essay

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

A reading- and writing-intensive seminar examining the form, style, and arguments of classic essays on political life from the eighteenth century to the present day. By the end of the course, students will have read some of the most influential and artful essays on politics ever written (in English) and will have gained knowledge of the form, sources, and rhetorical styles of such authors as Thomas Paine, Hannah Arendt, George Orwell, and Joan Didion. Students should have an interest in the intersection of the social sciences and the humanities, and should be prepared for serious engagement with challenging texts. Students in this course have gone on to careers in journalism, policy analysis, and related fields. A key component of a successful seminar is the willingness of students to engage with the assignments and to bring their own well-informed thoughts and points of view to the group discussion. Multiple short writing assignments will be due throughout the semester.