Crash Course: Political Theory

News and Public Affairs Series / 1 Season

If you’ve ever read Lord of the Flies, you know that building a society isn’t easy. How should we organize ourselves? Who’s equipped to make decisions on behalf of the group? And what would it look like for everyone to live a good life? Crash Course Political Theory will explore the big questions about what it means to live in a democracy.

13m 2s

Are Rights Enough?: Ongoing Struggles for Recognition and Respect

S1 E13 / 14m 8s

Is recognition really enough? In our final episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll explore this concept, from its 19th-century philosophical origins to modern-day Native land acknowledgements.

Should Art Be Political?

S1 E12 / 12m 45s

Art and politics may seem like mortal enemies, but they’re more like best frenemies forever. In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we take a trip back in time to see how artists have shaped political perceptions and how politicians have tried and failed to stop them.

Is Utopia Actually Possible?

S1 E11 / 11m 4s

Is utopia just too utopian? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll explore visions of utopia from Plato to bell hooks. And we’ll investigate whether “the good place” is a good-for-nothing, impractical daydream—or a path to charting political futures.

Philosophies of Punishment & The Prison Abolition Movement

S1 E10 / 11m 1s

The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world, and people across the political spectrum are calling for a change. In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we unpack the arguments of the prison abolition movement and the history of how we got here.

Political Cosmopolitanism

S1 E9 / 13m 2s

What do we owe other people? Are we just as obligated to help someone on the other side of the world as someone who lives across the street? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll explore the pros and cons of going global versus keeping it local in today’s world of politics.

What is Feminism, and Where Does it Go From Here?

S1 E8 / 12m 2s

What does it mean to be a feminist in the 21st century? How have the movements that brought us here shaped the ways we understand feminist political theory? And, perhaps most importantly, what comes next?

A World Without Governments? Anarchism Explained

S1 E7 / 11m 41s

The word anarchy is synonymous with chaos, but what does it mean to political theorists? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we explore the theories and practices of anarchism.

Who Was Karl Marx? And Why Is Everyone Still Talking About Him?

S1 E6 / 13m 17s

To some, Marxism is the solution to all capitalism’s problems. To others, it’s a major threat to democracy. But what did Karl Marx really say about capitalism and communism, and how can that help shape our discussions today?

What does Machiavellian mean?

S1 E5 / 13m

What if a person is a good leader… and a bad person? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we unpack that idea through the lens of Machiavelli’s famous treatise, “The Prince,” and find more questions than answers.

What Are the Rules of War? Just War Theory

S1 E4 / 12m 5s

Is war ever justified, and how could we tell if it were? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we tackle Just War Theory through the lens of one of the most contentious conflicts in the past few decades: the Iraq War.

Identity Politics: The Good, The Bad, And The… Hotly Contested

S1 E3 / 11m 39s

Should our government ignore our identities or focus on them? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll explore the role identity plays in politics and government, from affirmative action to white backlash, and ask, “What is fair?”

What Does Liberalism Mean?

S1 E2 / 12m 25s

Liberty and the rights of individuals form the backbone of American politics. But what is “liberty” anyway? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we learn the fundamentals of Classical Liberalism and how 17th-century philosophers impact politics today.

Where Did Democracy Come From, and Does It Still Work?

S1 E1 / 12m 4s

A government by the people, for the people sounds like a good idea. But is democracy really all it’s cracked up to be? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll learn democracy has had its fair share of critics, past and present. And even those in favor of the idea don’t necessarily agree on what democracy should be.

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