Deliberation

Instructor: Shawn Parry-Giles

How do we change our politics, save democracy, and move beyond the “us vs. them” culture that divides us? This course begins with the premise that how we talk to one another and debate controversial issues can promote the public good or erode it in irreparable ways. Students in each class session will put principles of public dialogue into practice as they learn deliberative theories and skills that can help save democracy. Class readings will turn to historical case studies to frame the most controversial political issues we face today.

GenEd: SCIS, DSHU
Offered in: Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022
Required/Optional: Required

Instructor: Doug Lombardi

Contemporary challenges—such as climate change, food, energy and water security, and deadly virus transmission—demand that people think critically. These challenges are often complex and interrelated; for example, society’s increasing demand for energy contributes to human-induced climate change, which in turn, limits freshwater and food supplies, and which in turn, could contribute to the worldwide spread of disease. While many societal challenges are seriously impacting local, regional and global communities, an increasing availability of information has contributed to what many call a “Post-Truth Era,” where emotions and personal beliefs override scientifically valid evidence and explanations. We will consider the institutional use of post-truth as a form of information weaponization. This course asks how information weaponization impacts the evaluation of valid lines of evidence and explanations. How do we evaluate and what is needed to improve individuals’ evaluations of claims in the post-truth era? Combatting mythological and unproductive thinking in the face of current change requires increased digital literacy. We will learn enhanced reasoning, evaluation skills, and critical thinking.

GenEd: DSHS
Offered in: Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022
Required/Optional: Optional

Instructor: Rob Chiles

This seminar invites students to deliberate about the historical roots of the policies and politics of public education in the United States. We will study how ideas about merit, democracy, and equity (or lack thereof) have shaped decisions about what public education should offer and to whom. We will look to alternative traditions of learning and study how these traditions have challenged and complemented public education. As we explore theories and practices of the past and present, students will learn to articulate and advocate for their own priorities in public higher education as 21st-century citizens of UMD. This course uses project based pedagogy. Students will create a proposal for teaching a facet of American History (Pedagogical Design Project) and engage in peer critique (presentation Q&A) to hone their critical skills. 

GenEd: DSHU
Offered in: Fall 2021, Spring 2022
Required/Optional: Optional