DSPO 25A04 - Equality and diversity in the United States

The topic of this multidisciplinary seminar is equality, discrimination, affirmative action, and multiculturalism, considered within the context of the U.S. experience. That context is characterized by three features that Alexis de Tocqueville famously identified: the ‘passion for equality’, the salience of racial divisions, and the juridicialization of politics. The main focus will be on race and ethnicity, although gender and religion will also be considered. The seminar will rely on history; law (through an analysis of some of the key Supreme Court decisions); political science (considering race-conscious policies such as affirmative action); and political philosophy (discussing theories of social justice and equality, notably those of John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin, and Michael Walzer).

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Grades will be determined based on an in-class presentation and of a paper on a topic or book to be selected by the student and approved by the instructor (maximum: 5,000 words). Extra points based on the quality of in-class participation may also be added.