How We Feel about Politics

Thomas P. Miller
Fall 2016
THURSDAYS |  
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
September 29 - December 8, 2016. No class on November 24.
Course Format: Hybrid
Location: Main Campus
Tuition: $150

This course steps back from polls and punditry to reflect on broader historical developments. It considers women in politics, divisions between rich and poor, and ethnic minorities becoming the new majority. To deepen our analyses, we will consider writings on politics and ethics, including some that shaped the founding of the republic as well as recent research on political cognition and moral imagination. That research has brought us back to Hume’s view that “reason is a slave of the passions,” something abundantly apparent in the current campaign. Stepping back from the attack ads, we will reflect on the rhetorical dynamics of American politics, including ongoing shifts in the principal parties, the role of debates as tests of character, the evolution of media and advertising, and other factors that shape how we feel about politics.

Required Reading

You do not need to purchase any texts. All the readings for this course are available from the links in the syllabus. Closer to the beginning of the course the instructor will be creating a webpage with easy to print versions of these readings. Students enrolled in this course will get access to this webpage when it is completed.

Meet Your Instructor

Professor Emeritus

THOMAS P. MILLER is a Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on rhetoric, higher education, and leadership, particularly the coalitional leadership of early-career faculty and new-majority students. His history of college English received a national book award from the Modern Language Association, and he has received awards for his teaching, mentoring, leadership, and advocacy for shared governance as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the UA.

Location

POETRY CENTER
Dorothy Rubel Room
1508 E Helen
Tucson, AZ 85721
United States

Located on the SE corner of Helen Street and Vine Avenue, one block north of Speedway and three blocks west of Campbell Ave.

Street map image of Poetry Center

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