Democracy Against Itself: From Antiquity to Modernity
Course Description
How can we make sense of the global democratic crisis that dominates today’s headlines? What do the historical and political transformations of democracy, from its ancient beginnings to its modern forms, reveal about our current moment? Across the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, democratic institutions seem increasingly fragile, with widespread discontent impacting public life. Whereas the ancients related to democracy in more direct terms, its modern trajectory has been marked by paradoxes obscuring our understanding of democratic ideals.
This course traces the history of democracy from its origins in classical antiquity to its transformations with the rise of modern society. Starting with Ancient Greece, we examine the ideals and shortcoming of Athenian democracy through Aristotle’s Politics, Thucydides’ account of the Peloponnesian War, and Aristophanes’ comic critiques. We will then focus on the emergence of bourgeois democracy in the age of revolutions, with close readings of the American Declaration of Independence, Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, and key texts of the French Revolution to parse out the potential of democracy rooted in the ideals of equality and liberty. Finally, the course considers the rise and crisis of capitalist democracy, through the failed revolutions of 1848 and the emergence of mass society in the twentieth century to mark the problematic rise of nationalism and authoritarian democracy.
Academic Interest
Examining Culture and Society, Law and Politics, Social Sciences (e.g., history, psychology, sociology)
Application Materials
A complete application includes a transcript, two short essays, a letter of recommendation, writing sample, application fee, and a submitted parent confirmation. If you are seeking need-based financial aid, you must indicate that in your application before it is submitted. Please refer to the Application Instructions for complete details.
Instructor(s)
Atiya Singh
Cost
$9,300