Time Schedule:
Michael Forman
TIBCUS 260
Tacoma Campus
Considers major issues and traditions in American thinking about democracy, citizenship, membership, and justice. Focuses on works by important thinkers from the Founding to the twentieth century. Includes conflicting visions and tensions associated with the demands of newly rising social groups, and American identities.
Class description
The focus will be on the changing notions of freedom, democracy, citizenship, individuality, and justice, with some attention paid to sources and paths not taken. We will look at some points of crisis –the ratification of the Constitution, the Civil War and long term class, race, and gender tensions – to examine how ideas in conflict shape conceptions of what it means “to be an American,� what it means to say that “we are free,� what it means to say that “we are equal,� and what it means to speak of “America’s place in the world.�
Student learning goals
identify, interpret, and criticize the principal works in American political theory
recognize and discuss the major analytical and normative categories that inform American political thinking
reconstruct and participate in historic and on-going debates
General method of instruction
Lecture and discussion
Recommended preparation
none
Class assignments and grading
In-class essay tests, multiple choice quiz, participation
