ETHICS 203S · also POLSCI 208S, PUBPOL 202S
Civil Discourse In An Age of Political Polarization
Suzanne J. Wasiolek, Christopher John Coome
Description from DukeHub
Americans today live in a time of deep political polarization, intellectual isolation, and intense partisanship. We rarely have genuine and open interactions with those with whom we disagree; when we do, we often do so on the assumption that they are not just wrong but are irrational and immoral. This class aims to explore this phenomenon in its sociological, political, ethical, and psychological dimensions. What are the causes, costs, and remedies of our polarization? Can friendships exist across ideological divides? Students are asked to openly discuss controversial political topics, while attempting to cultivate intellectual virtues and build a community of trust amid disagreement.
Skills
No skill passed the confidence bar. Weak matches go to review instead of this page: an AI pass that has to quote the description, then a person.
AI-resilient: 2 of 5
- No: Physical, lab or field work
- No: Live work with people
- Yes: Judgment someone is accountable for · "ethical"
- No: A craft you practice with your hands or body
- Yes: Small, in-person format · seminar, 18 seats per section
The checks lean on Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025), which found generative AI applies least to physical work and hands-on work with people. A signal, not a promise. How the score works
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