Democracy in America with Kevin Walker
"In America, I saw more than America… I sought the image of democracy itself, with its inclinations, its character, its prejudices, and its passions. I wanted to know democracy, if only to know at least what we must hope or fear from it." —Alexis de Tocqueville
Time & Location
LOCATION
Online
DAY OF THE WEEK
Thursday
TIME OF DAY
Evening
About:
Democracy in America with Kevin Walker
This is an 11-meeting virtual class using the Zoom platform.
Thursdays, Sept 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Nov 7, 14
5-6 pm CT
About this class:
The author of one of the most important books on American democracy, Alexis de Tocqueville, observed that the world was moving toward democracy as if guided by the hand of God. This could be good news or bad news: would nations end up with stable constitutions like the United States, or would they fall into violence and instability like he witnessed in France? How might Americans continue to make the best use of democracy, and avoid its dangers? To answer that question, Tocqueville came to the United States to study our political institutions and ways of life, and he published his findings in his book, Democracy in America, in 1835. This course is a study of Tocqueville's major observations, warnings, and hopes for our country, and it considers what guidance he offers for maintaining our national life.
Instructor bio:
Kevin Walker is an Assistant Professor of Politics at the University of Mary. He received his PhD from Claremont Graduate University in California and has taught politics and history for 22 years at different colleges.
HND Value Statement
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or Humanities North Dakota. However, in an increasingly polarized world, we at Humanities North Dakota believe that being open-minded is necessary to thinking critically and rationally. Therefore, our programs and classes reflect our own open-mindedness in the inquiry, seeking, and acquiring of scholars to speak at our events and teach classes for our Public University. To that end, we encourage our participants to join us in stepping outside our comfort zones and considering other perspectives and ideas by being open-minded while attending HND events featuring scholars who hold a variety of opinions, some being opposite of our own held beliefs.
Humanities North Dakota classes and events are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities