TOPICS: DEMOCRACY: THEORY AND PRACTICE in Fall 2025 (PL3091A)

Democracy, which means government by, for, and of the people, is an intriguing idea that raises many questions: Who belongs to the people? What is the will of the people? Who can speak in the name of the people? In this course we discuss classic and contemporary theories and practices of democracy, ranging from direct democracy in ancient Athens to African consensual democracy and transnational democracy. We also pay attention to critiques and challenges of democracy, emerging from, e.g., Confucian thought and digitized publics.