POLI 232 - The Politics of Private and Public

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

This course examines the political significance of public and private in the contemporary US. Theoretical arguments as well as specific issues and contexts within which debates about public and private unfold are analyzed. Of particular thematic concern is, the privatization of governmental responsibilities and the “public” and “private” rights claims of individuals and communities. Among the issues studied are privatization of the US military and prisons, gated and other “private” communities and their relationship to the larger political communities within which they exist, intellectual property and the public domain, and the “privacy” of personal decisions. Ms. Villmoare.

Prerequisite(s): Freshmen may take a 200-level course only with the permission of the instructor, which usually requires satisfactory completion of an introductory course. For sophomores, juniors, and seniors, an introductory course is recommended but not required.