Talking Politics: Creating a Course for Incoming Freshman on Political Discourse

Abstract

Efforts to teach civic engagement address not only students’ political knowledge but also their skills and dispositions. Although the scholarship of teaching and learning has explored the role of political discussion in the pre-college classroom extensively, attention to the topic at the college-level has been limited. Given the challenges campuses currently face regarding freedom of expression, there is value in featuring political discussion in college instruction. In this paper, we share our experiences in creating and piloting a one-credit course for incoming freshmen entitled “Talking Politics: Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable”. Learning objectives, course content, and assessment tools are outlined as well as our plans to enhance future iterations. We hold that learning to “talk politics” with those who disagree with us is a core democratic skill and that this course offers a promising approach to imparting this skill.