Description

“It is about who we are, it is about what we believe, what we stand for as Americans… this war is for the soul of America,” said Pat Buchanan of ideological conflicts during the 1992 presidential election. As the United States appears more polarized than ever following Trump’s second presidential victory, this course aims to establish the origins, evolution, and ramifications of culture wars in order to understand the ongoing social divide raging in the country. Through the exploration of key topics such as abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, educational bans, and gun control, students will question how and why ideological conflicts dominate modern political and social discourse. By engaging with diverse perspectives and current applications, students will develop critical thinking tools to analyze the motivations behind these battles and navigate the complex intersections of politics, culture, and ideology with nuance and intellectual rigor.