1/2 CREDIT
To ensure a flourishing democracy, citizens must possess the capacity and willingness to communicate and share ideas amongst themselves, within their communities, and with their governmental representatives. While freedom of speech constitutes a fundamental requirement for a healthy democracy, it alone is insufficient. The practice of meaningful discussion, aimed at comprehending information and evaluating options to arrive at decisions, is what we refer to as “deliberation.” Deliberating on civic matters involves consideration into opposing opinions, resolving challenging questions, and accepting majority decisions while respecting dissenting voices. In this course, you will acquire the skills and techniques essential for effective deliberation. You will do so while engaging in thoughtful discussions about complex public issues to make well-informed decisions. Over the span of several weeks, students will participate in live deliberations encompassing topics such as cyberbullying, crime and punishment, freedom of expression, juvenile justice, voting, violence in video games, youth curfews, global climate change, parental liability, and globalization.
