This course examines how emotions shape and are shaped by political life. From fear and anger to hope and joy, emotions influence how individuals and societies understand justice, power, and identity. The course invites students to explore major theories of emotion and differing understandings of the relationship between passion and reason, considering how emotional life intersects with political judgment and collective action.
Through historical and contemporary perspectives, students analyze how emotions are mobilized to sustain or contest political regimes, inspire social movements, and construct social hierarchies. The course questions both the marginalization and the overstatement of affect’s role in politics, while reflecting on its creative dimensions within the conflicts that animate democratic life.
Spring 2026
The phrase “failure to communicate” became iconic in American English from the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke,” in which Paul Newman played a convict who refuses to listen or follow orders. The film raised questions about the multiple ways we understand “failure to communicate” and its consequences. Is it sometimes a decision to resist a presumption, a premise, an interpretation, an argument, a directive from authority? Is it at other times simply a mechanical failure? This course examines “failure to communicate” in multiple cultural areas, among them literature, romance, politics, show business, law, science, war, psychology, philosophy, business, religion, humor and education.
Spring 2026
This course explores the foundational role of biology in various health professions, including careers as physicians, nurses, physician assistants, health policy experts, basic science research, social scientists, and health entrepreneurs. The course delves into the broader factors influencing health outcomes, such as politics, systemic racism, bias, social determinants of health, the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of underrepresentation in healthcare.