Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester.

Recent Supreme Court decisions have addressed and modified numerous rights and liberties once thought to be protected by the Constitution. People differ on the effect of these decisions, which is fundamentally a debate regarding the basis for the Court to entertain and decide them, and what should be the role of the Court. Some have argued that the Court’s role includes finding and protecting fundamental, constitutional rights based on an evolving understanding of the meaning of individual freedom, liberty and equality. Others argue that the role of the Court is to apply the Constitution as written, and where the Constitution is silent, or ""neutral,"" the resolution of any dispute or the extent of protection from governmental abridgment should be left to the people and their democratically elected representatives. This seminar will examine the role of the Supreme Court and the conflict between fundamental, individual, constitutional rights that should be immune from governmental interference, and the power of the people--the majority--to limit, modify and (perhaps) extinguish them. Topics we will address include individual sovereignty including reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights (including marriage equality and gender identity), privacy and morality; the elevation of the First Amendment protection of religion and speech allowing “opt-outs” from compliance with government mandates; limitations on expressions and opinions including ""hate” speech and college speech codes; and the conflict between the Constitution and the government’s efforts to regulate “speech” on the internet, including AI, virtual speech, “deepfakes” and cyber-attacks. The class will be conducted primarily using the Socratic method. We will read important historical and current Supreme Court cases, as well as political and legal commentary from across the political spectrum. The prime focus of the seminar is to encourage students to develop and defend their own views and opinions regarding the relevant topics and to enhance their critical thinking skills.

Requisites

• Students with 1-4 Terms in Attendance

Repeat Rules

Requirements class fulfills