Ithaca College

The course focuses on the following ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, feminism, and democratic socialism. 

Course Description

Why do people often accept, and even embrace, social and political conditions that seem to run counter to their own interests? How is it possible that we sometimes support forms of domination with our ways of behaving and thinking without intending or even realizing it? One answer to these questions refers us to the notion of ideology. On one definition, ideologies are more or less coherent systems of practices and beliefs that shape how individuals relate to their social reality in ways that distort their understanding of what is wrong with that reality and thereby contribute to its reproduction. A more positive definition of ideology tells us that an ideology is simply a comprehensive system of ideas that explains social conditions and provides a program for social and political action. Keeping this in mind, for this particular iteration of the course we will focus on the following ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, feminism, and democratic socialism. 

We will read selections from the following texts:

Ortega y Gasset, The Revolt of the Masses

Kate Manne, Down Girl

Angela Davis, Women, Race, Class

Talal Asad, On Suicide Bombing

Martin Hagglund, This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom

POLT 14200-03  CRN 43574

ICC Theme Power and Justice, Social Sciences and Humanities perspective