Making Sense of Current Events
Spring, 2020
Course website.

I. Introduction
--Approach – Critical Examination
--Suggestions for Proceeding
--Goals and Expectations

II. Impeachment
--Constitutional issues
--Statutory issues
--Philosophical issues

III. Immigration
--History of North America
--Genocide
--Assimilation

IV. Voting and Elections
--The Representation Problem
--Structuring Methods of Choosing
--Corruption in Elections

V. Poverty
--Causes of poverty
--The Wealth Gap
--Charity and Greed

VI. Climate Change
--Consumerism and Pollution
--Political ignorance
--Demagogery


Online Resources


Christof Koch, “What is Consciousness” --from Scientific American, June 1, 2018

Nathan J. Robinson, “How to Avoid Swallowing War Propaganda” --from Current Affairs, January 20, 2020

Nathan J. Robinson, “Lessons From Chomsky” --from Current Affairs, December 7, 2020

Brian Resnik, “9 Essential Lessons From Psychology to Understand the Trump Era” --from Vox, January 10, 2019

Steven Davies, “The Great Realignment: Understanding Politics Today” --from Cato-Unbound, December 10, 2018

Kirsten Weir, “Politics is Personal” – November, 2019 --from The American Psychological Association, November 1, 2019

Neil Farquahar, "Playing on Kansas City Radio" -Radio Sputnik - New York Times, February 13, 2020

"The State of Civics Education" --from the Center for Amerian Progress (February 21, 2018)

Phillip Rucker, "Something Has to Be Done: Trump's Quest to Rewrite History of the Russia Probe"
--from The Washington Post, February 16, 2020

"Goodbye Sweet Norms" --How Trump is Assuming Dictatorial Power --from On the Media, February 15, 2020

Thamas B. Edsall, "The Audacity of Hate" --from The New York Times, February 19, 2020

Lesley Stahl's Report of  Interview With Donald Trump  May 23, 2018 - [Video]