79-189 Democracy and History: Thinking Beyond the Self
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
We hear a lot that democracy is under assault in many countries. Do you think it is worth defending? If so, why and how would you do it? If not, why not and what political system would you replace it with? What is democracy anyway? It has been called both the best and worst form of government. Either way, as almost all countries in the world claim to be a democracy, chances are you come from one of them. In essence, living in a democracy means thinking beyond the self and from the perspectives of other people. It means looking for facts but being open to different interpretations. And it means taking responsibility to think critically and independently. These traits are also necessary for understanding history. This course will train you in the skillset and mindset of a historian so you can act democratically. You will learn to tell historical facts from opinions and to see from various angles. The course will also push you to think for yourself and to argue for your own position. These skills of thinking historically are useful not just for school or work but are also indispensable to a democratic society. Democracy is chosen as the course theme because it is a feature that sets humans apart from other organisms. Knowing the history of democracy is thus knowing what it means to be human, which is the purpose of the humanities. Through role play exercises, we will try to change the fate of the Roman Republic, French Revolution, Weimar Germany, and modern Japan. For the final project, we will hold a constitutional convention to design our own government. At the end of our journey, you will have gained a basic appreciation of the philosophical appeal and practical challenges of democracy, so that you will be able to decide for yourself what role it should play in your life and vice versa. This course meets the Dietrich Gen Ed "Humanities" requirement. PS: None of the content of this course was generated with AI.
Prerequisites: none listed
Offered: Fall 2026
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