GOV 493I IDENTITY AND ITS DISCONTENTS
The Politics of Identity and its Discontents
The term "identity politics" has become a hallmark of current political discourse, broadly used by academics, politicians, and the public. The term itself has come to stand in for a wide variety of political approaches at times including civil rights, multiculturalism, LGBTQ+ rights, DEI, ethnic nationalism, critical race theory, intersectionality, and feminism among many others. This course explores the rise of identity as a mode of politics, particularly in the 20th and 21st century US context and interrogates its theoretical proponents and detractors. Through examining the political mobilization of identity across a range of groups including race, gender, sexuality, and nationalism, this course traces the potential and pitfalls of this particular form of politics for advancing the political causes of its advocates. Questions explored include: What is identity? How have categories like race, class, gender, and sexuality shaped politics? What explains the predominance of identity politics in the current moment? How does identity politics shape current US politics? Is identity politics a tool of liberation or domination? among many others.
Prerequisite
GOV 111 or permission of the instructor.
Enrollment Limit
Enrollment limited to 16 students.
Attributes
MOIE, W