AMST 1240 - Democracy and Its Discontents: Political Traditions in the United States

(crosslisted)
(also HIST 1240) (HA-AS)

Summer. 3 credits.

N. Salvatore.

An examination of democracy and its critics. The course explores the evolution of democracy in America, focusing on some of the dramatic and important episodes in American history. It considers the struggles over the emancipation of slaves in the 19th century and expanded rights for women and working people in the 20th century, free-speech issues, the civil-rights movement, religious-based critiques of American culture, and conservative critiques of American liberalism. The course serves as an investigation of the ways in which political expression takes forms in modern American culture. In addition to lectures, the course features several afternoon programs that include guest lecturers and hands-on instruction in how to use the modern electronic research library. (HI)