Course Description
Summary
The idea of democracy is rooted in the preconception that citizens of modern or modernizing nations often face competing positions on economic, political and sociocultural issues. There are two ways such challenges can be addressed: authoritarianism and democracy. Authoritarians claim that leaders know the answers to all questions and the citizens must obey the leaders 鈥 whether general secretary, generalissimo, representative of divine power, or president. Democrats accept pluralism and peaceful transfer of power, and rely on popular sovereignty, open debate, compromise, political equality and majority rule to seek answers.
Absolutist perspectives, whether secular or metaphysical, threaten democracy. For a democratic nation can function only if it has a generally accepted (not imposed) set of rules. Today, globalization and technological advance颅ment, when combined with economic inequality and the appeal of simplistic answers of anti-Enlightenment, populist leaders are a threat to the common set of rules necessary for civil behavior in a democratic society. Identity politics -- rooted in racial, ethnic or religious affiliations -- pose another threat to civility and democratic norms by dividing citizens into (friendly) 鈥減eople like us鈥 and (hostile) 鈥減eople not like us鈥. The purpose of this course is to examine the causes and consequences of this situation both in America and abroad, with special focus on the Middle East.
This course will be held as a weekend intensive, over the weekend of November 1, 2, 3rd.
November 1: 7:00pm-10:00pm
November 2nd 3rd: 9:00am-12:00pm
