POP 2351: Participation in a Democracy: What Can I Do to Make a Difference?

Monday, Apr 13 2020, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Contact:
Monday, Apr 13 2020 9:00 AM Monday, Apr 13 2020 10:00 AM America/New_York POP 2351: Participation in a Democracy: What Can I Do to Make a Difference? OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | In this moment of history, where the U.S. democracy feels threatened and democracies around the world are under stress, this seven-week class will invite a conversation about how we as citizens can fulfill our obligation to participate in a democracy in order to make it work. Class held on Zoom. Bennington College

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | In this moment of history, where the U.S. democracy feels threatened and democracies around the world are under stress, this seven-week class will invite a conversation about how we as citizens can fulfill our obligation to participate in a democracy in order to make it work. A series of guests will visit with us virtually each week to help us address the tenets of a democracy and to understand what we can do to keep this system of governance working.
Instructors: VT Senator Brian Campion and CAPA Director Susan Sgorbati

This class is open to the public.
To register, please email capa@bennington.edu by Thursday, 4/9 at 4:00 PM.
We will email you on Friday with a link to join the class, which begins Monday, 4/13 at 9:00 AM.

Guest Speakers:

April 13 | The Office of the Vermont Attorney General
April 20 | State Representative Kevin Christie on his public life
April 27 | Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos on the elections
May 4 | Attorney David Silver on the rule of law
May 11 | Kevin McCallum on the role of journalism
May 18 | Local legislators and select board members on how to become involved locally

Details:

Class meets on Mondays, 9:00 to 10:00 AM, beginning April 13

Zoom invitation will be sent each week on Fridays when you register

Students are required to submit final paper; members of our community are welcome to submit a paper to bcampion@bennington.edu and sgorbati@bennington.edu

Please read Larry Diamond’s What is Democracy prior to the first class.

Final project: Where in your life, culture, country do you see democracy threatened or under particular stress? Up until now, how have you participated in that structure or not and what would you do to those structures to improve democratic goals?

Final Grades and Evaluation: Students are expected to come to class prepared, ie: have researched the guest and his/her role in government and are prepared to participate in discussions. Final essays should reflect both an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the democracy you are assessing, your role—present and future—in that democracy, as well as an understanding and assessment of the ideas put forth in the various class discussion.