American Democracy: How We Got Here and Where We’re Going – clip

Austin Sarat / Amherst College

From the January 6 attack on the Capitol to the widespread belief that the presidential election was “stolen,” our once proud democratic traditions are threatened in ways they have never been before. This course will look closely at our current political situation and examine the factors that have led us here. We will consider the unique history that produced America’s politics and consider what virtues and values democracy presupposes and cultivates. The course will conclude with thoughts on how we can rescue and reform democracy and refresh it for the 21st century.