PUBPOL 590S | Instructor: Chris Coome
Is civil discourse possible without civil society? Can a society coming apart pull itself together? For many Americans, our time is riven by increasing loneliness, isolation, and political dysfunction. Civil society may hold the key. This course will introduce students to the development of civil society from its classical articulation to its modern, lived reality. Along the way, students will be introduced to major figures in the articulation of civil society, such as Ferdinand Tönnies and Robert Putnam; as well as the importance of intermediary and voluntary organizations in our society.
Recent Semesters
2026 Spring Term