Kursinformation

The course provides an examination of the role played by social movements in the American political system. It analyzes the organization, goals, strategy, and tactics employed by past and contemporary American social movements with a focus on protest and other extraordinary forms of political participation. Social movements are studied to better understand their interaction with political institutions, public policy, and American political culture. The following movements are representative of those that may be covered in this course, though not all may be addressed in full:

 

Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s)

Black Power Movement (mid-1960s–1970s)

LGBTQ+ Rights Movement (1950s-present)

Women’s Liberation Movement / Second-wave Feminism (1960s–1980s)

Environmental Movement (1960s-present)

Anti-Vietnam War Movement (late 1960s–early 1970s)

Disability Rights Movement (1970s-present)

Christian Right / Religious Conservative Movement (1970s–present)

Global Justice / Anti-Globalization Movement (late 1990s–2000s)

Black Lives Matter (2013-present)

#MeToo Movement (2017–present)

Climate Justice Movement / Youth Climate Activism (early 2000s-present)

 

Course Themes and Goals

·      To ask if social movements and extraordinary politics are beneficial or detrimental to American democracy

·      To investigate what protest—or its absence—tells us about the institutions and practices of American government and politics

·       To explore a wide range of movements, both past and present

·       To examine many of the major approaches to the study of social movements and nontraditional political behavior

·       To assess the impacts social movements may make on both politics and public policy

 Course Format

There will be a variety of techniques used in the class to convey information and analyze ideas including lectures and group discussions on course material.