INTR250R — 250 Years of Protest
This course examines social/political protest in the United States. When does a protest qualify as civil disobedience? Are some protests that go beyond civil disobedience morally justified? Students will be exposed to a wide diversity of subject matter and perspectives by exploring the spectrum of protest tactics from picketing and petitioning, through civil disobedience and radical activism. Examples include the Boston Tea Party, anti-war protests, PETA, anthem kneeling. Using the lenses of philosophy, literature, political science, and journalism, students will analyze such examples of protest and how the media covered them. Ultimately, students will apply theory from classic civil disobedience literature and moral philosophy to determine which ones are morally justified.