Course Catalog

CIV 301 Perennial Problems in Civic Thought

Examine civic conflicts and controversies, with a view to understanding their root causes. Explore readings from classic and contemporary texts on political theory, ethics, and practice.

CIV 302 Truth and Persuasion

Examine what humans can know, how they reason, what thinking is, and how humans communicate to persuade others. Discuss readings in logic, epistemology, and rhetoric including classical writers such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian as well as modern and contemporary thinkers and leaders, with emphasis on case studies of effective persuasion.

CIV 302C Classics of Social and Political Thought

Explore the origins of social scientific thought in the history of political philosophy and trace the development of one or more of the social sciences in modern times. Focus on fundamental ideas about human nature, civil society, and politics through reading such authors as Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Freud. Only one of the following may be counted: CTI 302, CIV 302C

CIV 303J Origins of American Institutions

Examine the roots of American institutions and practices from ancient times (Greek city-states, the Mosaic law, Roman politics), medieval practices and institutions, English constitutional history (Magna Carta, Glorious Revolution), and the Enlightenment (Locke, Montesquieu, Sydney). Discuss the American colonial experiment in self-government. Explore the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitutional convention.

CIV 303K Democracy and Capitalism

Examine classical liberal thought as it relates to political and economic liberty. Investigate how classical liberal ideas about political and economic liberty influence the modern development of democracy and capitalism. Explore potential tensions between democracy and capitalism. Study empirical evidence and classic writings on relationship between democracy, capitalism, and human flourishing.

CIV 304 Foundations of Research Methods for Civics

Introduction to statistical methods used in civics with emphasis on concepts and applications. Utilize a variety of real data to discuss key concepts, such as sampling distributions and basic data analyses.

CIV 305 Excellence of Character: The Virtues

Investigate the nature, grounds, and consequences of moral excellence in political communities. Discuss close reading of classical texts (such as Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Cicero, Aquinas), contemporary philosophical analysis (such as Foot, Anscombe, MacIntyre), results of scientific research, and reflections on history, biography, and literature (such as Shakespeare, Austen). Focus on application to contemporary problems.

CIV 309 Topics in Civics

CIV 310K Ethics and Leadership in Ancient Greek Drama

Study selected plays of Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, Aristophanes, and others with a focus on themes of virtue, justice, and leadership qualities.

CIV 310L Ethics and Leadership in Shakespeare’s Drama

Study selected plays of Shakespeare, focusing on themes virtue, justice, and leadership qualities.

CIV 310K Ethics and Leadership in Ancient Greek Drama

Study selected plays of Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, Aristophanes, and others with a focus on themes of virtue, justice, and leadership qualities.

CIV 312P Constitutional Principles: Core Texts

Close readings from primary texts that have shaped or that reflect deeply upon American democracy, including the Declaration of Independence, The Federalist Papers, and Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. Only one of the following may be counted: GOV 312P, CIV 312P

CIV 313 Civic Leadership: Global Perspectives

Discuss classic and contemporary texts on civic leadership from a range of cultures and periods, including different ways of understanding, organizing, and leading in civic life.

CIV 320 Constitutionalism: Ancient and Modern

Examine the ancient and medieval origins of modern constitutionalism. Explore the works of authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Machiavelli, Montaigne, Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Gibbon, Hamilton, Madison, Tocqueville, Thoreau, Marx, Mill, Arendt, Berlin, Rawls, and Nozick.

CIV 121 Topics in Constitutional History and Principles Research

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

CIV 321J Economics and Constitutionalism

Investigate economic growth as a function of constitutions that protect the rule of law and well-defined property rights. Examine social and economic outcomes under different rules. Explore constitutional disputes over economic issues such as taxation, eminent domain, labor law, and regulation. Consider how different constitutional arrangements affect economic well-being.

CIV 122 Topics in Western Civilization Research