Critical & Reflective Inquiry: Theme - The 2024 U.S. Election

As I write this course description the United States is quickly moving towards a November election that many see as the most important election in generations. But then, I started with the same sentence in my 2016 and 2020 course description. Joe Biden and Donald Trump appear to have locks on their party’s nominations, even though significant numbers of Americans prefer that neither be on the ballot. Meanwhile, third party candidates such as Cornel West and Robert Kennedy Jr. are working hard to get on the ballots in many states. With this for context (and who can predict what else will happen before this course starts in September?), this class will focus on the dynamics of the 2024 U.S. election. Students will be responsible for helping to determine many of the topics we will cover and may include historical and current consideration of such things as the role of race in American politics, voter suppression, gerrymandering, Christian conservatism, American Democratic Socialism, the role of women in the election, how money impacts elections, the politics of immigration, the politics of reproductive rights, how the war in Gaza affects the election, and others. While much of the course will focus on the presidential election, we will also consider other federal elections, and state and local elections as well.

Our primary work will be to develop and answer questions that we wish to research, sometimes as a whole class, sometimes in small groups, and sometimes individually. Students in the class will have a hand in deciding what questions we ask and will conduct the research (with my help and the help of reference librarians) to answer them. We will seek diverse viewpoints on these questions, from the political right, the left, and from international observers. I have no political agenda in teaching this course, but rather seek to help students construct well supported answers to the questions we ask. Students will develop reading and writing skills, library and internet research skills, communication and discussion skills, and skills in collaborative work. Since all these skills are necessary parts of the Fairhaven College student’s academic toolkit, we will practice them regularly in this course. I will also be very intentional about helping the students in this class feel welcomed and a part of the Fairhaven community.