In the course, we couple theoretical readings with case studies. Our challenging and rewarding goal in this course is to learn how and why to communicate with greater insight and understanding across differences.
Along with many advances in our country and world, we also face crises with inescapable ethical dimensions where communication plays a key role. Communication can contribute to aggravating and to resolving most crises, creating an urgent need for us to understand the art and the ethics of communication. How can we responsibly use our powers of communication, personhood, and citizenship to deal constructively with crises?
Faculty: Dr. Amy Gutmann and Dean Banet-Weiser
In the course, we couple theoretical readings with case studies. Our challenging and rewarding goal in this course is to learn how and why to communicate with greater insight and understanding across differences.
Fall 2026
Cooperative altruism is the intention to benefit sentient beings and work together to accomplish this. Students in this interdisciplinary course will collectively explore cooperative altruism, both in theory and in practice. By engaging with a variety of approaches and perspectives — from microeconomics and experimental psychology to contemplative sciences and North American indigenous philosophy — each student will develop a robust vocabulary to support their capacity to learn about and practice cooperative altruism in dialogue.
Fall 2026