Semester:
Offered:
How can we understand and make progress on disagreements about matters of economic and racial justice that are divisive to the point of making societies fall apart?
Which is more just: capitalism or socialism? And how does that question intersect with racial justice? Capitalism has long reigned as the ideological solution to organizing society, but it is also clear that the pursuit of seemingly boundless material gain for some comes at the expense of others. The US and other countries have seen growing discontent around an ever-widening gap between rich and poor, and around the racial dimensions of that situation. Socialism addresses this wealth gap, but has a complex relationship with racial justice, and has had a checkered past around the world. So what is the answer? In this course, you will reflect on social justice in industrial societies over the last 250 years and grapple with potential answers to questions of economic justice, covering classics in the field while also paying special attention to often neglected African-American thinkers.