Democracy and Its Alternatives

"Chances are, you live in a democracy. You elect representatives that swear allegiance to and abide by a written or living constitution. Your nation is one of laws, courts, and central banks. Perhaps you're even involved in politics. But what do you really know about politics--in your own country, certainly, but also around the world? What characteristics do democracies share? How do they differ? And what can alternatives to democracy--namely, authoritarianism and dictatorship--teach us about democracy itself? Democracy and Its Alternatives tackles these questions in 24 lectures designed and led by Ethan Hollander, professor of political science at Wabash College. This course is American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory rolled into one, touching on everything from Jean-Jacques Rousseau's social contract theory to Europe's sovereign debt crisis in 2007. It is an effort to understand democracy from all available angles--in theory and in practice, from ancient Greece to revolutionary America--the good and the bad, its present and its future."--Publisher's website.… (more)