Democratic Institutions under Stress

This course will explore the core principles of constitutional democracy, beginning with a close reading of the US founding documents, and proceeding through the key institutions, from citizenship and elections to the branches of government, the role of the military and a free press. We will alternate between a discussion of history and text and consideration of contemporary topics in the US and around the world. The course will stress the inherent tensions and guardrails in democracy that protect individual and minority rights while allowing for orderly governance and security, and some of the challenges that exist today in both mature and emerging democracies