Identity and Democracy

HON 392: Identity and Democracy Image by Angela Yuriko Smith from Pixabay Instructor: Dr. Matt Recla Student Hours: TTh 3:00–4:00 (or swing by!) Email: matthewrecla@boisestate.edu Class Section: TTh 9:00–10:15 HON 167 Office: ILC 201 (University Foundations) Office Phone: 208-426-4057 Course Description 'Identity' has become a primary means for engaging in public discourse. We classify according to racial, gender, religious, and political identities (among others) and use these identities to grasp complex social issues—and understand ourselves. Answers along identity lines, however, are often contentious in a liberal democratic society. For example, should certain religious traditions receive political privilege because of their historical legacy? Should greater material resources be directed toward geographic areas on the basis of a predominant racial demographic? Should people be "cancelled" on social media because they express ideas critical of a particular identity? In short, is engaging in ‘identity politics’ the best way to achieve justice and equality in a democratic society? In this course, we'll look at the ancient roots of our propensity to engage in what is now called identity politics as well as the appearance of identity in the modern context. We'll examine the potential benefits and disadvantages of identity for socio-political discourse and consider alternative ways of conceiving of ourselves and others in the globalized world of the twenty-first century. HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 1 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Course Materials Freeden, Michael. Liberalism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2015. This text provides a short and accessible introduction to liberalism, not as an American political leaning but as a set of ideas that have animated many thinkers, leaders, and countries in Europe, North America, and now the world. We’ll use the concepts in this text to compare and contrast with identity politics in order, ultimately, to imagine the best ways for our societies to progress. Lukianoff, Greg and Jonathan Haidt. The Coddling of the American Mind. New York: Penguin Press, 2018. Lukianoff and Haidt make an interesting argument that in the last 10–15 years, a number of ideas have taken hold in our society that run contrary to ancient wisdom and psychological research. These ideas have had particularly strong negative influence on college campuses. The authors describe these ideas, their results, some potential causes, and finally some possible solutions. We’ll use this text to discuss possible areas where identity politics impacts us, perhaps more than we think. Required texts are available at the bookstore or online. We’ll also be using the online program OpenMind in the first five weeks of the course. The program introduces us to the psychological underpinnings of our disagreements and gives us tools to navigate difference honestly and effectively. Learning Outcomes By the end of this course you should be able to do the following: 1. Explain liberal and identity approaches to social progress; 2. Understand evolutionary, psychological, and social underpinnings for present socio-political tensions; 3. Assess the benefits and challenges of identity politics in a liberal-democratic society; 4. Imagine practical changes for a better society that are rooted in liberal principles; 5. Charitably evaluate new information; 6. Practice goal-setting and regular self-reflection; 7. Embrace sincere conversation about complex issues across differences. Instructor and Student Expectations: Boise State University expects faculty, staff, and students will strive to uphold the Boise State University Statement of Shared Values, which includes the following: Academic Excellence ▪ Caring ▪ Citizenship ▪ Fairness Respect ▪ Responsibility ▪ Trustworthiness Building these values into our behavior helps creates a space for learning where we can all engage with challenging tasks and ideas. You should also be familiar with the standards of the HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 2 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Boise State University Student Code of Conduct. If you have concerns or see anyone in class, including me, struggling to uphold our values or code of conduct, I encourage you to share your concerns with me. My goal as a teacher is to provide you with effective tools and space to think critically about issues that affect all of us as students, citizens, and humans. I am always making adjustments to better achieve that goal. Here are some things you can expect from me to help you be successful: Be prepared for class / Actively participate in class I will teach using different tools and methods to respect a diversity of learning styles (and to keep us all from getting bored!); I will encourage viewpoint diversity in this course and encourage critical thinking and reasoning about all views presented; I will endeavor to respond to all student email inquiries promptly (24–36 hours). Respect students and the community I will encourage any perspective about the questions raised in our course that can be reasonably defended with support; I will appreciate the diversity in the subject of this course as well as in our classroom community and endeavor to promote inclusivity in the spirit of our Statement of Diversity and Inclusivity; I will always be open to (and encourage) constructive conversation about how we can make our collective experience better. Here are similar things I expect from you: Be prepared for class Check our Canvas course website and your Boise State e-mail account at least 2–3 times weekly for course updates. Expect to spend 6–7 hours per week outside of class on readings and coursework. I expect you to come to class having prepared any assigned material and ready to add to class discussion. Email: Getting a thoughtful response from me starts with a thoughtful e-mail from you. When emailing me, please put the class name and a brief description in the subject line. (Example: HON 392 Assignment Question) Start your e-mail with a greeting, be respectful and clear, and end with your name. See “Re: Your Recent Email to Your Professor” for more helpful ideas. Actively participate in class: Participate by eliminating electronic distractions (see below) and completing in-class assignments. Actively participate by regularly contributing to group discussions and projects. Attendance: I expect you to arrive on time and stay through the remainder of the class. HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 3 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Absences: You are always responsible for attending classes and making up any work from missed classes, whether your absence is university-approved, due to sickness, or personal emergency. Phones and mobile devices: Minimize distractions in the classroom to maximize learning opportunities. Unless I’ve specifically asked you to use them, please put away laptops and phones when our class begins. You can't fully participate if you're distracted! Educational Access: If you think you may need support to fully participate in this class, please contact the Educational Access Center (Lincoln Garage, 208-426-1583). All accommodations need to be approved through the EAC before being implemented. I’m happy to work with you to make this course more accessible. Respect each other and the community This class, like this university, is a community. Communities contain diverse identities and perspectives, and the most successful communities respect that diversity as a key to collective improvement. In alignment with the Boise State University’s statement of diversity and inclusivity, all community members are encouraged to contribute their perspectives and experiences. Enrich yourself and the community by listening to others and sharing your thoughts. If you feel isolated from our classroom community in some way, please let me know so that we can work together to create a welcoming space for you. Academic Integrity is a critical part of the value of Academic Excellence. Upholding academic integrity in all work provides you with the opportunity to fully engage with the material being investigated and clearly assert your evidence-based findings. For that reason, all your submitted work should represent your current ideas and efforts or be cited (including citing any material you wrote for another course); when your work does not meet this standard, it is academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty in any form may result in additional assignments to learn about academic integrity, requirements to redo or revise work, grade penalties, failure in the course, or dismissal from the major and/or the University. See the Boise State University Student Code of Conduct and academic integrity page for more details. Collaboration is allowed (and encouraged) for any and all group assignments. Course Components: My ultimate goal for this course is that we learn from each other—about the subject of the course, about thinking critically, and perhaps most importantly…about ourselves. To assist reaching that goal, you will not be graded on individual assignments in this course. Decades of research has shown that grading increases anxiety, stifles creativity, and ultimately decreases our ability to learn.1 You will receive regular feedback from me based on the course learning outcomes that—along with your own reflection—you can use to refine your knowledge and skills. In a final meeting at 1 (See “Grades can Hinder Learning” and “How to Ungrade,” or “The Case Against Grades” if you’re interested.) HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 4 HON 392: Identity and Democracy the end of the semester, we will come to agreement on the grade that best reflects your effort and learning. Here are all the components that play a role in your overall performance in the course: Assignment Due Dates Course Learning Outcome(s) Attendance Throughout course All Reading Throughout course 5, 1, 2, 3 Learning Goals Week 1 OpenMind Weeks 1–5 2, 4, 5, 6 Liberalism and Identity Case Study Week 7 1, 2, 3, 5 Mid-semester Appointment Week 7 or 8 Democracy and Identity Project Week 12 3, 4, 5, 6 Project Pitches Week 14 4, 7 Course Reflection Week 15 1, 2, 6 Final Grade Appointment* Finals Week 6 6 6 Assignment Notes: Revise and Resubmit: Though the quality of our work improves when we practice and refine our efforts, you often don't get the chance to revise your work. In this class you will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit all major assignments. Resubmissions should be completed before the next assignment is due. Individual Appointments: You’ll meet with me at least a couple times during the semester—once during the course to discuss your progress, and once at the end to determine your final grade. You can always drop by during student hours, but for your appointment you can schedule a time by clicking here. Appointments also provide you an opportunity to ask questions about course topics and get clarification on assignments (before or after submission), provide me a chance to get to know you a bit better. Let me know if your schedule conflicts with all available times. HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 5 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Course Schedule Week Tuesday Thursday I - Course Introduction 1 What do we want to learn? • Review syllabus • Read E Pluribus Unum? The Fight Over Identity Politics. and Fukuyama Replies. • Complete Learning Goals What is this course about? II - Liberalism 2 3 4 What does a ‘good’ society look like? • Read Liberalism, Ch. 1 • Complete OpenMind Lesson #1 Is there such thing as ‘human nature?’ • Complete OpenMind Lesson #2 • Read Liberalism, Ch. 2 • Peer-to-Peer Conversation #1 (in class) Why is civilization a Catch-22? • Read Liberalism, Ch. 3 • Read Escape from Evil, Introduction • Complete OpenMind Lesson #3 Are we hardwired to create binaries? • Read Liberalism, Ch. 4 • Read This is your brain on Nationalism: The Biology of Us and Them • Complete OpenMind Lesson #4 • Peer-to-Peer Conversation #2 (in class) What is justice? • Read Liberalism, Ch. 6 • Read Disputes Over DEI Depend on How You Define Fairness • Complete OpenMind Lesson #5 What are the critiques of liberalism? • Complete OpenMind Lesson #6 • Read Liberalism, Ch. 7 • Peer-to-Peer Conversation #3 (in class) III - ‘Identity Politics’ 5 What is the value of identity politics? • Complete OpenMind Lesson #7 • Read Identity politics in the Democratic Party isn’t hurting liberalism. It’s saving it. Have we made progress? • Complete OpenMind Lesson #8 • Read Against Identity Politics: The New Tribalism and the Crisis of Democracy. up to “A Need for Creed.” • Peer-to-Peer Conversation #4 (in class) HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 6 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Course Schedule Week Tuesday Thursday 6 What are the challenges of identity thinking? • Read the rest of Against Identity Politics: The New Tribalism and the Crisis of Democracy. Can there be a national identity without a nationalist identity? 7 How has gender developed as an identity? • Read Evolution is Not Relevant to Sex Differences in Humans Because I Want it That Way! Is religion a different type of identity? • Read “Is Religious Violence Inevitable?” • Take Religious Typology Quiz • Complete Liberalism and Identity Case Study 8 Is race an identity or a social fact (or What is the debate over ‘critical race theory’ both)? really about? • Read A Straightforward Primer On Critical • Read How Race is Conjured Race Theory (and Why It Matters) • Read There is No Debate over Critical Race Theory IV - Coddling the American Mind 9 How much do we need to be protected? • Midterm Assessment/Selfassessment • Read Coddling Intro, Ch. 1 When should we trust our feelings? • Read Coddling, Ch. 2 10 Is everyone either good or evil? • Read Coddling, Ch. 3 How should we define violence? • Read Coddling, Ch. 4 11 Is ‘cancel culture’ really a thing? • Read Coddling, Ch. 5 Can we achieve justice? • Read Coddling, Ch. 11 12 What are the other causes of the What are the other causes?, cont. current state of affairs? • Complete Identity and Democracy Project Read Coddling Ch. 6–10 (1 ch. for • each group) 13 How is Boise State doing? • Read BSU Chronicle article • Read Coddling Ch. 13 How could we do better? • Review IdDem Projects HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 7 HON 392: Identity and Democracy Course Schedule Week Tuesday Thursday Fall Break V - Course Wrap-Up 14 Project Pitches Project Pitches 15 How can we balance democracy and What have we learned? identity? Complete Course Reflection Finals Week - Individual Student Meetings HON 392 - Identity and Democracy - Fall 2021 - Dr. Recla 8