POLT 371 - Power and American Democracy

FC SSCI

4 credits
This course examines the different ways in which political power hinders and advances the struggle for democracy in America. We begin by exploring how persistent patterns of opperssion and inquality impede the realization of democratic ideals in contemporary U.S. society. We then unpack how, in practice, different forms of political power work to reinforce or challenge these patterns. First, we discuss what many scholars call the three “faces” of power, namely, coercion, agenda-setting, and manipulation. Second, we explore forms of what some scholars call power “without a face,” including discipline, biopower, and disruption.