TOCQUEVILLE’S DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA: A CLASSIC FOR OUR TIME

Coordinators: Sandy Kessler, Ellie Schaffer

Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (1835;1840) is considered one of the greatest commentaries ever written on American life.

In our class, we shall examine those parts of the Democracy that are most relevant to America today. Topics to be considered include Tocqueville’s views on our national character, the role of religion in our national life, the greatest threats to our freedom, the resources we have to preserve our freedom, and the tasks of statesmanship. We shall also examine those parts of the Democracy where Tocqueville’s analysis of America seems to have fallen short.

A WEEK / WEDNESDAY / 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

See the timely Next Week at Quest documents for class details

Other Classes:

JAZZ AT NOON
WORLD OF THEATER
THE SCARLET LETTER
THE GREAT GATSBY
MEXICO: SOUTH OF OUR BORDER
HISTORY OF MEDICINE
THEATER TALKBACK
SOCIAL EVENTS
FOOD: BEYOND JUST CALORIES
TONI MORRISON: THE LEGEND
INVISIBLE MAN BY RALPH ELLISON
SIXTIES
ELIZABETH GASKELL
WEEK IN PARIS
CREATIVE WORKSHOP
EMILY DICKINSON CIRCLE
SYMPOSIUM
RUSSIAN GEOGRAPHY
CONTEMPORARY BRITISH CULTURE
AUSTRALIA – THE LAND DOWN UNDER
HUCKLEBERRY FINN
AGING
FASCINATING ISLANDS
BLACK WOMEN’S VOICES
THE NOBEL PRIZES
READING EDITH WHARTON
WOMEN IN GREEK DRAMA
THE NEAR EAST
HISTORY OF GERMANY
A PASSAGE TO INDIA
INDIE FILMS
SLAVERY’S ROLE IN U.S. CAPITALISTIST DEVELOPMENT
RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
READING THE RABBIS
RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
MYTHOLOGY
LITERARY HEROINES
HOWARDS END
HOUSE OF MIRTH
FABULOUS FIFTIES
COMEDY CENTRAL
READING BLACK LIVES
BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES
MOZART’S WOMEN
ANTISEMITISM: PAST, PRESENT, FACTS, MYTHS
AFRICAN CONTINENT
PRESENTER’S SHOWCASE
INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
ACTING CLASS
LAW & ORDER
POINT OF VIEW
MODERN OPERA
MOVERS & SHAKERS
SOCRATES AND THE PROBLEM OF PHILOSOPHY
GREAT CONVERSATIONS
ORAL INTERPRETATION OF POETRY

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