Political Science Political Conversations: Pursuing the Common Good in America Professor: Doug Harris It is through political conversations that we affirm and rediscover who we are as a community. American political history has been propelled, reshaped, and refined by a series of conversations and conflicts. This introductory course in American politics examines key documents, speeches, debates, letters, and literature from the Founding period to the present. Analyzing the political uses of language, we will explore the forms and consequences of political discourse. Moreover, we will seek to strengthen our capacity to engage in the rhetorical arts of citizenship: writing, debating, and deliberating politics. Douglas B. Harris earned his Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University. He is an associate professor in the political science department and faculty co-director for the Living/Learning Initiative. He has published several scholarly articles on Congress, political parties, public opinion, and political communications. Co-author of The Austin-Boston Connection: Fifty Years of House Democratic Leadership, he is currently completing a second book, The Public Speakership, which examines rhetorical and media leadership in Congress. | |