POLITICS 383
Dissent in American Political Thought
Professor David Gutterman
dgutterm@willamette.edu
MW12:50-2:20, Eaton 412
Course Description
Some (mostly citizens of the United States, of course) have called the last 100 years,
the “American Century.” The rise of the nation in global power over the course of
the 20th century is clear and dramatic. However, the title “American Century” can
be perceived as conveying a cohesiveness that obscures the profound expressions of
dissent in the 20th century United States. Rather than simple consensus, this was a
century of debate and division. From the Anarchists to the KKK, the
Fundamentalists to the Feminists, the Labor Unionists to the Libertarians, the
Militia Movements to the Yippies, this “American Century” was also marked by
economic struggle, racial unrest, and “culture wars.”
In this course, we will be examining such expressions of dissent in 20th and 21st
century American political thought. Our exploration will be guided by the following
questions: What is political dissent? What forms can dissent take? What accounts
for the presence and absence of political dissent? What makes dissent successful?
What is the relationship between dissent and democratic citizenship?
Course Readings
The readings for this course are available through WISE or through links available
on the syllabus. I also want to note that there will be additional readings assigned
that are not yet on the syllabus; these readings will be announced in class. There is
one required book (available at the Willamette bookstore): The Fire Next Time by
James Baldwin.
Course Requirements
This is a seminar class, not a lecture course. Indeed, more than most
seminars, our goal is to make this class a student-centered seminar. Not only will
we be meeting as a large group, we will also be working in small groups of six
people throughout the semester. In these small group settings students will be
asked to take on different roles in the discussion, including the role of facilitator
and note taker. The goals here are not just to provide more intimate discussion
settings, but also to develop communication skills. In addition, students will be
asked to make presentations both individually and as a part of a group of three
people.
The reading assignments for this course are rigorous and challenging. You
are required to thoughtfully read every assignment. When I say that you are
required to read, I do not mean that you should mechanically scan every page, but
that you should grapple with the ideas. Mark up your text, read with a pen and
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paper, and write down ideas, questions, quotations, and points of confusion or
contention. Read for comprehension rather than completion, pondering every idea
rather than looking at every word. This means that you may need to read a section,
think about it, read it again, write about it, discuss it, and then read it again. So,
“do the reading” means “engage yourself with the ideas of the texts.”
The reading load will be quite heavy at times. To stay afloat, plan for a
sufficient amount of time to complete the assignment, and read aggressively.
Remember to make use of your resources. Come to my office hours and form
reading groups with your classmates.
Reading in this way will assist you in the second requirement: Your regular
attendance, careful preparation, and active participation are essential. Unexcused
absences from class will have serious and significant detrimental effects on your
final grade. Come prepared to participate by doing the reading, reflecting upon the
course material, and bringing to class issues, questions, and passages for
discussion. Moreover, class participation does not simply entail speaking, but also
listening in an engaged and respectful manner to the thoughts of your classmates.
One more note about reading and participation: Throughout the semester, I
will be distributing additional articles, essays, poems, biblical passages, and other
texts for us to read and discuss. I will also be sending out links to websites,
screening short videos, and podcasts. These additional readings are not listed on
the schedule of events below, but will be designed to complement the major reading
assignments, pick up on themes from our class discussions, and keep us in touch
with ongoing developments in American political culture. These supplemental texts
and resources will contribute to the dynamism of the class, and let me add that you
are each strongly encouraged to suggest texts and resources that we can discuss as
a class.
Writing/Presentation Assignments:
There are three writing assignments in this course, each quite different in nature
and scope.
1. The first writing assignment is an op-ed essay (1200-1500 words) in which you
will be asked to choose and issue and write an essay that inspires readers to take
political action. This assignment will be due on February 17, 2008.
2. The second assignment is a group project. I will be dividing the class into groups
of three people. Each group will be assigned a different case of political dissent (e.g.
PETA, Greenpeace/Earth Liberation Front, the Tea Party movement, the anti-War
movement, the anti-globalization movement, Operation Rescue). Each group will be
responsible for collectively studying the motivation, structure, narratives, and
success/failure of the case of political dissent and present their findings to the class.
3. In addition each student will complete a final project that will culminate in the
composition of a major paper and a presentation of your analysis in class. There are
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two options for completing this final project and each option will be weighed
equally.
Option 1: Choose an illustration of political dissent in the United
States. Topics might include the Free Speech movement, the anti-nuclear
movement, the anti-capital punishment movement, the Catholic League, etc.
Develop a research question that picks up on themes and questions from the
course and compose a 20+ page research paper in which you examine and
analyze this question.
Over the course of the semester, you will be submitting drafts of your
research that will be graded. You will also be sharing the results of your
research with other students in class throughout the semester.
Option 2: Develop a Community Engagement project. Choose an
organization that engages in political dissent. Organizations might include
local churches, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Oregon Right to Life,
Planned Parenthood, CAUSA, Stand for Children, Basic Rights Oregon, etc.
Develop a Community Engagement Agreement with a supervisor at this
organization and me. Dedicate 20-25 hours of service work to this
organization over the course of the semester. Keep a regular (at least biweekly) journal that you will be sharing with the class in which you reflect on
the work you are doing and the themes we are exploring in class. (I will be
giving you guidelines for these journals.) These journals will be a key part of
your grade for the project. Compose an 8+ page “reflective essay” in which
you engage in sustained consideration of a particular theme we have
addressed in class and how your understanding of this theme was enhanced
by your service-learning experience.
** Note: A penalty of 1/3 grade per day will be imposed on assignments submitted
late (one day’s lateness would reduce a B+ to a B). I generally do not grant
extensions, but if extraordinary circumstances arise, please consult with me as soon
as possible -- and certainly prior to the due date of the paper.
*** Another note: I fully appreciate that students like fast and thorough comments
on their writing assignments. Unfortunately “fast” and “thorough” do not often go
together well. I will strive to return your final papers in a timely fashion. As a
general rule, you should receive your papers back within two weeks of turning them
in.
**** Of Special Note: I take plagiarism very seriously. Plagiarism takes many
forms, but the common denominator is presenting someone else’s words or ideas as
your own. If you have any doubts about what constitutes plagiarism, I encourage
you both to err on the side of caution and to seek advice from me or from the
Writing Center. Students found guilty of plagiarism will receive a zero for the
assignment AND WILL BE REPORTED TO THE DEAN.
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****** Statement Concerning Disabilities: Students with documented disabilities
who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the
instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of
evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no
later than the first week of the term.
Grading
Op-ed Essay #1
Case Study group project
Service Learning/Political Controversy Research Presentation/Paper
Class Participation
20%
20%
40%
20%
Total
100%
Schedule of Events
This schedule is subject to change – especially with the addition of relevant readings.
ON BEING AN AMERICAN: Conformity and Individualism
M 1/18:
Introduction
Walt Whitman, “Song of the Open Road,” 1852. http://www.bartleby.com/142/82.html
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Beyond Vietnam/A Time to Break Silence,” 1967.
W 1/20:
Alexis de Tocqueville, excerpts from Democracy in America, 1848.
Vol. 1, Ch. 15, “Unlimited Power Of The Majority In The United States, And Its
Consequences.” http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/1_ch15.htm
Vol. 2, Ch. 1, “Why Democratic Nations Show a more Ardent and Enduring Love
of Equality than of Liberty.”
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/ch2_01.htm
Vol. 2, Ch. 2, “Of Individualism in Democratic Countries.”
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/ch2_02.htm
M 1/25:
H.L. Mencken, “On Being an American,” 1922.
Michael Walzer, “What Does it Mean to be an American?” 2004.
W 1/27:
Michael Walzer, “The Obligation to Disobey.” Ethics, Vol. 77, No. 3, 1967, 163-175
Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790, excerpts.
M 2/1:
Francesca Polletta, It Was Like a Fever: Storytelling in Protest and Politics, 2006
Chapter 1, pp. 1-31.
W 2/3:
Francesca Polletta, It Was Like a Fever: Storytelling in Protest and Politics, 2006
Chapter 2, pp. 32-52.
M 2/8:
Mother Jones, Speech to militant coal miners, Charleston, WV, Aug. 15, 1912.
Mother Jones, The March of the Mill Children, 1925.
http://www.marxists.org/subject/women/authors/jones/ch10.htm
W 2/10:
Eugene Debs, Speech at the founding convention of IWW, 1905.
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<http://www.marxists.org/archive/debs/works/1905/iwwfound.htm>.
Eugene Debs, Anti-war speech at Canton, OH, 1918:
<http://www.marxists.org/archive/debs/works/1918/canton.htm>
Eugene Debs, Essay on Jesus, 1914:
<http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/spusa/1914/0300-debsjesussupreme.pdf>
Eugene Debs, “Winning a World,” 1905.
http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/spusa/1905/1100-debswinningaworld.pdf
M 2/15:
A. Mitchell Palmer, “The Case Against the 'Reds.'” 1920 .
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/hist409/palmer.html
Emma Goldman, “Patriotism: A Menace to Liberty.” 1917
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Writings/Anarchism/patriotism.html
Emma Goldman, “Speech to the Jury,” 1917.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/emmagoldmanjuryaddress.htm
Emma Goldman, “Anarchism: What It Really Stands For,” 1910.
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/goldman/works/1910s/anarchism.htm
W 2/17:
What Have We Learned So Far?
M 2/22:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham City Jail,” 1963.
Nelson Mandela, “Statement from the Dock,” Rivonia Trial, Pretoria Supreme
Court, April 20, 1964. http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/rivonia.html
W 2/24:
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time, 1963.
M 3/1:
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time 1963.
W 3/3:
Film: Freedom on My Mind.
Letters From Mississippi and other writings from Freedom Summer, 1964.
Jinny Glass, Diary from Freedom Summer, 1964.
Lawrence Guyot, An Oral History of Mississippi, 1964.
M 3/8:
Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” 1964.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxballotorbullet.htm
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), “The Basis of
Black Power,” 1966.
Black Panther Party, “Platform and Program” October 1966.
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111bppp.html
W 3/10:
Group Presentations
M 3/15:
Group Presentations
W 3/17:
Allen Ginsberg, “America.” 1956
Film: Berkeley in the Sixties
M 3/22:
Spring Break
W 3/24:
Spring Break
M 3/29:
Students for a Democratic Society, “Port Huron Statement,” 1962
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http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/
Primary/Manifestos/SDS_Port_Huron.html
W 3/31:
“Wives and Lovers,” Burt Bacharach/Frank Sinatra, 1963.
National Organization for Women “Statement of Purpose” 1966.
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111now.html
The Redstocking Manifesto, 1969.
Combahee River Collective, “A Black Feminist Statement,” 1977.
M 4/5:
Audre Lorde, “The Masters Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s
House,” 1979.
Minnie Bruce Pratt, “Identity: Skin Blood Heart,” 1980.
W 4/7:
Paul Hill, “Defending the Defenseless,” 2002.
M 4/12:
TBA
W 4/14:
Presentations
M 4/19:
Presentations
W 4/21:
SSRD
M 4/26:
Presentations
W 4/28:
Presentations
M 5/3:
Presentations
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