Summer 2024
PARR 11600 Freedom of Expression and the Politics of Social Media
Social media presents a variety of current case studies in which to examine the tensions between freedom expression, private industry, and government regulation. The tensions exhibit in elections, politics, schools, employment, and our personal lives as we and social media companies learn to navigate this new landscape. This course explores the complexities of these issues from a basis in the theory, principles, and practices of free expression and their very tangible manifestations in personal, professional, and civic contexts. Students will read classical and current texts on freedom of expression, examine case law in free speech, and explore current controversies and statements and policies of social media organizations. At the same time, students will participate in a simulation of Congressional Hearings on social media regulations. Assuming roles as Senators, journalists, lobbyists, and leaders of social media organizations, students will actively bring their learning into practice by navigating the world of social media, politics, and policies. This course is open to high school students only.
Instructors: Peter Forberg
PARR 33260: Internet Censorship and Online Speech
Information dissemination and online discourse on the Internet are subject to the algorithms and filters that operate on Internet infrastructure, from network firewalls to search engines. This course will explore the technologies that are used to control access to online speech and information, and cutting-edge technologies that can empower citizens in the face of these information controls. Students will learn about and experiment with technologies to control online discourse, ranging from firewalls that perform network traffic filtering to algorithms for content personalization and content moderation. We will also explore underlying technical trends, such as the increasing consolidation of Internet infrastructure and protocols, and the implications of consolidation for control over online discourse. Each course meeting will include a technical overview, reading discussion, and a hands-on laboratory activity.
Instructors: Nicholas Feamster
PARR 11700: The Point Program for Public Thinking Summer Workshop: The Future
The Summer Workshop provides a space for undergraduate students interested in journalism, criticism, politics, art, and nonprofit work to learn about and practice engaging the public through dialogue and writing. The theme of this year's workshop is "The Personal and the Political." Some of its central questions will be: Is it desirable to separate the personal and the political? Is it possible? How do we balance political allegiances with our intellectual, religious, and aesthetic values? Can we pursue dialogue, let alone maintain friendship and romance, across deep political disagreement? Students will address these and related questions in conversation with one another as well as with various philosophical, political, artistic, and religious traditions. For their final ssignment, they will outline a longform essay or design a project to foster public conversation about the personal and the political on their own college campuses.
Instructors: Anastasia Artemyev Berg, Jonathan Baskin
Autumn 2024
PARR 21400: Trump, Turnout and Thanksgiving Dinner: Election Discourses in a Polarized Society
At the time of increasing polarization and fears of democratic backsliding, electoral rhetoric is employed to exploit divisions, as well as to overcome them. In this course we will study the conditions of political and cultural polarization in the U.S. and analyze electoral rhetoric to identify key motifs employed by alternative campaigns. We will also discuss approaches to dealing with polarized electoral discourses advanced by civil society organizations focused on promoting democratic practices and public deliberation.
Instructors: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course focuses on your development as a confident and ethical public speaker. We will explore the tradition of deliberative rhetoric that stresses the dialogic nature of human thinking and the dynamic interaction between the speaker and their multiple audiences. Through hands-on assignments, you will learn to lay the ground for successful oral communication through identifying key components of rhetorical situations and the practice of active listening. You will develop the skills of organizing an oral presentation, crafting concise and powerful arguments, and leveraging your credibility as a community member to advance ideas you care about. You will practice delivering speeches in a variety of public contexts.
Instructors: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 22100: No Justice, No Speech! Free Speech and Palestine in the University and Beyond
Are there-or should there be-limits to free speech? What is the relationship between free speech and hate speech? Does speech deserve special kinds of protections (or limits) in the context of the university campus? In this course, we will critically engage with these questions as they relate to political organizing and political expression on (and in) Palestine. Our course will examine these foundational questions before turning to some of the sticking points in the debate over free speech and Palestine today: What is freedom of expression in Israel-Palestine, and what does it have to do with the politics of US campuses? What is BDS, and is it intended to foster or limit academic freedom? Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitic? To consider these questions, we will do critical readings of primary texts such as the BDS guidelines issued by PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) and the definition of anti-Semitism issued by the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance), as well as ethnographic and other accounts of the problem of political expression in Palestine today.
Instructors: Callie Maidhof
PARR 33260: Internet Censorship and Online Speech
Information dissemination and online discourse on the Internet are subject to the algorithms and filters that operate on Internet infrastructure, from network firewalls to search engines. This course will explore the technologies that are used to control access to online speech and information, and cutting-edge technologies that can empower citizens in the face of these information controls. Students will learn about and experiment with technologies to control online discourse, ranging from firewalls that perform network traffic filtering to algorithms for content personalization and content moderation. We will also explore underlying technical trends, such as the increasing consolidation of Internet infrastructure and protocols, and the implications of consolidation for control over online discourse. Each course meeting will include a technical overview, reading discussion, and a hands-on laboratory activity
Instructors: Nicholas Feamster
Winter 2025
PARR 21500: What's Up With These Words? (Ideology and Word Meaning)
Public intellectuals, journalists and citizens at large are having heated debates on whether to use and how to use such words and phrases as "privilege," "woke" or "illegal immigration." Partisan opinion leaders develop strategies of linking key terms, such as "critical race theory" or "global warming," to negative narratives in order to thwart constructive public dialogue on substantive issues. You may be wary of using words that would get you in trouble in the classroom, in a professional interview or in a public-facing presentation. How do you make intelligent vocabulary choices in a polarized political environment? How do you negotiate disagreement over terms? How do you manage adverse emotional reactions precipitated by a trigger word?
Instructor: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 23500: Freedom of Speech on Campus: From Milton to the Middle East
Free expression always involves strong emotions and tensions with others, who come from a different perspective. To live a full academic life, you want to be authentic. You also want to be civil and professional. What can and can't you say on campus and in the classroom? What should or shouldn't you say? How could you make a conflict more constructive, if it will exist? This course connects the philosophical foundations of free speech and free expression practices at US Universities, and explores the ongoing tensions around this issue. You will develop a thorough understanding of the issue through readings, writing and dialogue involving your peers at and outside of the University of Chicago. You will also practice the skill of moderating discussions on difficult issues that involve matters of free expression and inquiry in the academic setting. Readings will include influential philosophical texts of the Anglo-Saxon tradition (Milton, Locke, Mill, Meiklejohn, Berlin, Fish), legal cases, university declarations, as well as mass media coverage of recent events and proposed legislation. The course will begin with a classroom-based deliberation about free speech and the inclusive campus. You will then proceed to reading seminars and teamwork researching recent controversies concerning free expression at universities. You will write an essay proposing a collaborative solution to the case that you researched.
Instructor: Ekaterina Lukianova
Summer 2023
PARR 11300 Communicating Effectively: Free Expression, Civic Argument, and Public Advocacy
Communication is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public discourse: advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Through exercises, workshops, and assignments, students will study and apply theory and develop essential research, critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by preparing students to actively engage in the public sphere.
Instructors : Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11600 Freedom of Expression and the Politics of Social Media
Social media presents a variety of current case studies in which to examine the tensions between freedom expression, private industry, and government regulation. The tensions exhibit in elections, politics, schools, employment, and our personal lives as we and social media companies learn to navigate this new landscape. This course explores the complexities of these issues from a basis in the theory, principles, and practices of free expression and their very tangible manifestations in personal, professional, and civic contexts. Students will read classical and current texts on freedom of expression, examine case law in free speech, and explore current controversies and statements and policies of social media organizations. At the same time, students will participate in a simulation of Congressional Hearings on social media regulations. Assuming roles as Senators, journalists, lobbyists, and leaders of social media organizations, students will actively bring their learning into practice by navigating the world of social media, politics, and policies.
Instructors: Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11700: The Point Program for Public Thinking Summer Workshop: The Future
The Point Program for Public Thinking's Summer Workshop provides a space for undergraduate students interested in journalism, criticism, politics, art, and nonprofit work to learn about and engage in addressing a "public," most especially through public dialogue and public writing. The theme of this year's workshop is "the future," and its central questions are: How do we think about the future, especially when we cannot trust that it will be better than the present? What do we owe future generations? Do we have a duty, or even permission, to repopulate amidst threats such as climate change, global pandemics, and the rise of world-altering technologies? Students will address such questions in an open and pluralistic conversation with various philosophical, political, and religious traditions, as well as with one another. For their final assignment, they will be tasked with designing a public-facing project to encourage dialogue about the future on their own college campus.
Instructors: Jonathan Baskin
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
Public Speaking: Theory and Practice emphasizes clear, direct, and concise presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. Course assignments and exercises actively engage students in the rhetorical process of research, evidence evaluation, argument construction, audience analysis, and presentation preparation and delivery. The course includes three outside of class speaking sessions to be arranged in consultation with students.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
PARR 21900: Ethics in the Digital Age
An investigation of the applied ethics of technology in the 21st century. Fundamental debates in applied ethics are paired with recent technological case studies. Topics covered include moral dilemmas, privacy, consent, human enhancement, distributed responsibility, and technological risks. Case studies include self-driving cars, geo-engineering, Internet privacy, genetic enhancement, Twitter, autonomous warfare, nuclear war, and the Matrix. (A) (I)
Instructors: Daniel Moerner
PARR 33260: Internet Censorship and Online Speech
Information dissemination and online discourse on the Internet are subject to the algorithms and filters that operate on Internet infrastructure, from network firewalls to search engines. This course will explore the technologies that are used to control access to online speech and information, and cutting-edge technologies that can empower citizens in the face of these information controls. Students will learn about and experiment with technologies to control online discourse, ranging from firewalls that perform network traffic filtering to algorithms for content personalization and content moderation. We will also explore underlying technical trends, such as the increasing consolidation of Internet infrastructure and protocols, and the implications of consolidation for control over online discourse. Each course meeting will include a technical overview, reading discussion, and a hands-on laboratory activity.
Instructors: Nicholas Feamster
Autumn 2023
PARR 22100: No Justice, No Speech! Free Speech and Palestine in the University and Beyond
Are there-or should there be-limits to free speech? What is the relationship between free speech and hate speech? Does speech deserve special kinds of protections (or limits) in the context of the university campus? In this course, we will critically engage with these questions as they relate to political organizing and political expression on (and in) Palestine. Our course will examine these foundational questions before turning to some of the sticking points in the debate over free speech and Palestine today: What is freedom of expression in Israel-Palestine, and what does it have to do with the politics of US campuses? What is BDS, and is it intended to foster or limit academic freedom? Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitic? To consider these questions, we will do critical readings of primary texts such as the BDS guidelines issued by PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) and the definition of anti-Semitism issued by the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance), as well as ethnographic and other accounts of the problem of political expression in Palestine today.
Instructors: Callie Maidhof
Winter 2024
PARR 24500: (In)sanity on Social Media: Public Issues, Civic Literacy, Personal Agency
In this course, we start with the recognition of the influence that social media has on our personal and political lives on an everyday basis, and the complex emotional implications of this influence. The course focuses on communicative characteristics of public spaces on social media and the effects of those characteristics on political discourse in democratic societies. You will gain experience of researching dynamics of political discussions on various social media platforms, including data collection, coding and analysis. You will also have an opportunity to reflect on you own civic identity and their own current social media practices. You will discuss and write about reasons and strategies for constructive civic engagement and/or non-engagement on social media. Readings include essays on the foundational concepts of the public sphere and deliberative systems, as well as texts that analyze the infrastructure of social media, social media influence on political polarization in the United States, and case studies documenting deliberative conversations on highly controversial topics.
Instructors - Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 23500: Freedom of Speech on Campus: Ideologies, Scenarios and Modes of Discussion
Free expression always involves strong emotions and tensions with others, who come from a different perspective. To live a full academic life, you want to be authentic. You also want to be civil and professional. What can and can't you say on campus and in the classroom? What should or shouldn't you say? How could you make a conflict more constructive, if it will exist? This course connects the philosophical foundations of free speech and free expression practices at US Universities, and explores the ongoing tensions around this issue. You will develop a thorough understanding of the issue through readings, writing and dialogue involving your peers at and outside of the University of Chicago. You will also practice the skill of moderating discussions on difficult issues that involve matters of free expression and inquiry in the academic setting. Readings will include influential philosophical texts of the Anglo-Saxon tradition (Milton, Locke, Mill, Meiklejohn, Berlin, Fish), legal cases, university declarations, as well as mass media coverage of recent events and proposed legislation. The course will begin with a classroom-based deliberation about free speech and the inclusive campus. You will then proceed to reading seminars and teamwork researching recent controversies concerning free expression at universities. You will write an essay proposing a collaborative solution to the case that you researched.
Instructors: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 33260: Internet Censorship and Online Speech
Information dissemination and online discourse on the Internet are subject to the algorithms and filters that operate on Internet infrastructure, from network firewalls to search engines. This course will explore the technologies that are used to control access to online speech and information, and cutting-edge technologies that can empower citizens in the face of these information controls. Students will learn about and experiment with technologies to control online discourse, ranging from firewalls that perform network traffic filtering to algorithms for content personalization and content moderation. We will also explore underlying technical trends, such as the increasing consolidation of Internet infrastructure and protocols, and the implications of consolidation for control over online discourse. Each course meeting will include a technical overview, reading discussion, and a hands-on laboratory activity.
Instructors: Nicholas Feamster
Spring 2024
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course focuses on your development as a confident and ethical public speaker. We will explore the tradition of deliberative rhetoric that stresses the dialogic nature of human thinking and the dynamic interaction between the speaker and their multiple audiences. Through hands-on assignments, you will learn to lay the ground for successful oral communication through identifying key components of rhetorical situations and the practice of active listening. You will develop the skills of organizing an oral presentation, crafting concise and powerful arguments, and leveraging your credibility as a community member to advance ideas you care about. You will practice delivering speeches in a variety of public contexts.
Instructors: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 13700: Science Communication and Public Engagement
In the U.S. and around the world, we are seeing rising distrust in science and political polarization around science-framed issues including climate change, vaccinations, nuclear waste disposal, and the biology of sex and gender. Since the cornerstone of democratic governance is a well-informed public, increasing both public understanding of science and civic engagement with science-framed issues is critical. This course focuses on the role science communication can play in transforming disagreement and misunderstanding about science into productive public dialogue focused on problem solving. It is not just about translating complex concepts into simplified lay narratives that a particular individual or group can grasp. Through our readings, we will examine different perspectives on the relationship between scientific expertise, public understanding of science and civic life. We will work on three science communication projects focused on contentious topics that span written, oral and digital formats. We will study inclusive and adaptive strategies for relating scientific knowledge to how we live in society, for facilitating recognition and respect of disagreement rooted in lived experience and for communicating uncertainty in a constructive manner.
Instructors: Ekaterina Lukianova
PARR 20928: Through the Prism of an Intellectual Life: Thinking through conversation in the ruins of empire
What is the place of conversation in political thought? What makes such conversations generative or fulfilling? What role do conversations about politics play in connecting our present to the past and in helping us to reimagine our futures? These are some of the questions that this course hopes to explore by following along the threads of a conversation that has united the aims, hopes, and disappointments of three generations of anti-colonial thinkers in the Afro-Atlantic world. Taking the intellectual life of the Jamaican-British social theorist, Stuart Hall, as an exemplary site for this investigation, students will engage with a variety of sources-recordings, interview transcripts, memoirs, scholarship, and political writings-in an effort to piece together one strand of conversation out of which Hall's intellectual life took shape and through which he in turn shaped the intellectual lives of others. Of particular interest here is the intergenerational character of these conversations. Students will be encouraged to explore how people are shaped by intergenerational preoccupations and concerns, even as they come to take up these preoccupations in new ways that often mark a break from the past. Together, we will also examine how, in narrating their own preoccupations and intellectual lives to themselves, people lay claim to particular pasts and sketch out hoped-for futures.
Instructors: Daragh Grant
PARR 27500: Reimagining Our Future: Past, Present & Future of Campus-Neighborhood Relations
The history, current status, and future of three neighborhoods adjacent to campus (Hyde Park, Washington Park, and Woodlawn) are the focus of this ground-breaking course that could not be offered at a more pivotal time. How have these neighborhoods and their relationship with campus evolved, what is their character and current status as healthy communities, and what actionable propositions are in play or could be considered for continued revitalization and positive campus interaction? Given that change on the horizon is inevitable, how best to protect current residents from displacement or other negative consequences?
Instructors: Paul C Sereno, Christopher Skrable
PARR 33000: Reading as a Writer: Obscenities
"Obscenity" is a term for what is repulsive, abhorrent, excessive, or taboo in a society; and yet many artworks once considered to be obscene are now celebrated as landmarks of world literature, from the ancient poetry of Sappho to modern novels like Ulysses. In this course, we will study literary works that have been banned or censored as "obscene" to examine our own perspectives, attitudes, and assumptions as literary artists. How does obscenity shape our understanding of gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, or public and private speech? What are the uses of obscenity in constructing new possibilities for literary expression? Authors studied will include Toni Morrison, Tanizaki Jun'ichirÅ, Vladimir Nabokov, Hilda Hilst, and Allen Ginsburg; and we will supplement these readings with works of literary theory, psychoanalysis, and case law. Students will produce their own original poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to reimagine what is permissible-and possible-in language and society for contemporary literary artists.
Instructors: Srikanth Reddy
Summer 2022
PARR 11300: Communicating Effectively: Free Expression, Civic Argument, and Public Advocacy
Communication is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public discourse: advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Through exercises, workshops, and assignments, students will study and apply theory and develop essential research, critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by preparing students to actively engage in the public sphere.
Instructors : Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11600: Freedom of Expression and the Politics of Social Media
Social media presents a variety of current case studies in which to examine the tensions between freedom expression, private industry, and government regulation. The tensions exhibit in elections, politics, schools, employment, and our personal lives as we and social media companies learn to navigate this new landscape. This course explores the complexities of these issues from a basis in the theory, principles, and practices of free expression and their very tangible manifestations in personal, professional, and civic contexts. Students will read classical and current texts on freedom of expression, examine case law in free speech, and explore current controversies and statements and policies of social media organizations. At the same time, students will participate in a simulation of Congressional Hearings on social media regulations. Assuming roles as Senators, journalists, lobbyists, and leaders of social media organizations, students will actively bring their learning into practice by navigating the world of social media, politics, and policies.
Instructors: Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
Winter 2023
PARR 20928: Through the Prism of an Intellectual Life: Thinking through conversation in the ruins of empire
What is the place of conversation in political thought? What makes such conversations generative or fulfilling? What role do conversations about politics play in connecting our present to the past and in helping us to reimagine our futures? These are some of the questions that this course hopes to explore by following along the threads of a conversation that has united the aims, hopes, and disappointments of three generations of anti-colonial thinkers in the Afro-Atlantic world. Taking the intellectual life of the Jamaican-British social theorist, Stuart Hall, as an exemplary site for this investigation, students will engage with a variety of sources-recordings, interview transcripts, memoirs, scholarship, and political writings-in an effort to piece together one strand of conversation out of which Hall's intellectual life took shape and through which he in turn shaped the intellectual lives of others. Of particular interest here is the intergenerational character of these conversations. Students will be encouraged to explore how people are shaped by intergenerational preoccupations and concerns, even as they come to take up these preoccupations in new ways that often mark a break from the past. Together, we will also examine how, in narrating their own preoccupations and intellectual lives to themselves, people lay claim to particular pasts and sketch out hoped-for futures.
Instructor: Daragh Grant
Spring 2023
PARR 24223: Parrhesia: Fearless Speech from Socrates to Greta von Thunberg
The course will examine the long history of parrhesia, the Greek term for free and fearless speech, from ancient Athens to its current renaissance through the rediscovery by Michel Foucault. Focusing on the relation of truth and discourse, the course will consider not only the extraction of truth as a form of subjection to disciplinary power but also acts of telling truth to power as a practice of self- formation and exercise of freedom. Parrhesia implies a relation between the human self and the act of truth-telling that is suffused with interesting political, philosophical, and ethical possibilities, which students will be encouraged to explore. The course will begin by reviewing Foucault's final lectures on parrhesia and "the courage of truth." It will then examine some of the ancient Greek and Christian texts that Foucault analyzed. It will go on to consider early modern instances of parrhesia (e.g. Galileo and Descartes) and will conclude by surveying relatively recent versions (e.g. Greta von Thunberg and James Comey, JD'85), including contemporary feminist and queer practices of parrhesia. Lectures and discussions in English. No prerequisites.
Instructors: Christopher Wild
Summer 2023
PARR 11300: Communicating Effectively: Free Expression, Civic Argument, and Public Advocacy
Communication is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public discourse: advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Through exercises, workshops, and assignments, students will study and apply theory and develop essential research, critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by preparing students to actively engage in the public sphere.
Instructors : Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11600: Freedom of Expression and the Politics of Social Media
Social media presents a variety of current case studies in which to examine the tensions between freedom expression, private industry, and government regulation. The tensions exhibit in elections, politics, schools, employment, and our personal lives as we and social media companies learn to navigate this new landscape. This course explores the complexities of these issues from a basis in the theory, principles, and practices of free expression and their very tangible manifestations in personal, professional, and civic contexts. Students will read classical and current texts on freedom of expression, examine case law in free speech, and explore current controversies and statements and policies of social media organizations. At the same time, students will participate in a simulation of Congressional Hearings on social media regulations. Assuming roles as Senators, journalists, lobbyists, and leaders of social media organizations, students will actively bring their learning into practice by navigating the world of social media, politics, and policies.
Instructors: Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11700: The Point Program for Public Thinking Summer Workshop: The Future
The Point Program for Public Thinking's Summer Workshop provides a space for undergraduate students interested in journalism, criticism, politics, art, and nonprofit work to learn about and engage in addressing a "public," most especially through public dialogue and public writing. The theme of this year's workshop is "the future," and its central questions are: How do we think about the future, especially when we cannot trust that it will be better than the present? What do we owe future generations? Do we have a duty, or even permission, to repopulate amidst threats such as climate change, global pandemics, and the rise of world-altering technologies? Students will address such questions in an open and pluralistic conversation with various philosophical, political, and religious traditions, as well as with one another. For their final assignment, they will be tasked with designing a public-facing project to encourage dialogue about the future on their own college campus.
Instructors: Jonathan Baskin
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
Public Speaking: Theory and Practice emphasizes clear, direct, and concise presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. Course assignments and exercises actively engage students in the rhetorical process of research, evidence evaluation, argument construction, audience analysis, and presentation preparation and delivery. The course includes three outside of class speaking sessions to be arranged in consultation with students.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
PARR 21900: Ethics in the Digital Age
An investigation of the applied ethics of technology in the 21st century. Fundamental debates in applied ethics are paired with recent technological case studies. Topics covered include moral dilemmas, privacy, consent, human enhancement, distributed responsibility, and technological risks. Case studies include self-driving cars, geo-engineering, Internet privacy, genetic enhancement, Twitter, autonomous warfare, nuclear war, and the Matrix. (A) (I)
Instructors: Daniel Moerner
PARR 33260: Internet Censorship and Online Speech
Information dissemination and online discourse on the Internet are subject to the algorithms and filters that operate on Internet infrastructure, from network firewalls to search engines. This course will explore the technologies that are used to control access to online speech and information, and cutting-edge technologies that can empower citizens in the face of these information controls. Students will learn about and experiment with technologies to control online discourse, ranging from firewalls that perform network traffic filtering to algorithms for content personalization and content moderation. We will also explore underlying technical trends, such as the increasing consolidation of Internet infrastructure and protocols, and the implications of consolidation for control over online discourse. Each course meeting will include a technical overview, reading discussion, and a hands-on laboratory activity.
Instructors: Nicholas Feamster
Summer 2021
PARR 11300 Communicating Effectively: Free Expression, Civic Argument, and Public Advocacy
Communication is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public discourse: advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Through exercises, workshops, and assignments, students will study and apply theory and develop essential research, critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by preparing students to actively engage in the public sphere.
Instructors : Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
PARR 11600 Freedom of Expression and the Politics of Social Media
Social media presents a variety of current case studies in which to examine the tensions between freedom expression, private industry, and government regulation. The tensions exhibit in elections, politics, schools, employment, and our personal lives as we and social media companies learn to navigate this new landscape. This course explores the complexities of these issues from a basis in the theory, principles, and practices of free expression and their very tangible manifestations in personal, professional, and civic contexts. Students will read classical and current texts on freedom of expression, examine case law in free speech, and explore current controversies and statements and policies of social media organizations. At the same time, students will participate in a simulation of Congressional Hearings on social media regulations. Assuming roles as Senators, journalists, lobbyists, and leaders of social media organizations, students will actively bring their learning into practice by navigating the world of social media, politics, and policies.
Instructors : Robert Anderson, Leila Brammer
Winter 2022
PARR 14100 Rhetorics of Race and Reconciliation in South Africa: The Struggle Against Apartheid
Apartheid was an institutionalized system of racial segregation that has become infamous for the systematic nature of its racial oppression and its violence. Apartheid defined the social space of South Africa - Apartheid policies dictated people's identities, their social relations, where they lived and went to school, and whom they got to marry. This course examines the rhetorical construction of race that served as the underpinning to Apartheid segregation. In particular, students will consider the way that social space was organized and policed in South Africa in order to fulfill the fallacious logic of "separate development." Yet even as South Africa provides a crucial example of systemic racism, it is also a powerful example of successful struggle against formal policies of segregation, and this course will explore the significant international mobilization against Apartheid. The course will finish by evaluating the work of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which sought to create conditions for South Africans to confront the violent legacy of Apartheid, while also seeking to build a new nation out of South Africa's deep divisions and conflicts. Students will produce two major analysis papers for the course: one on apartheid/the anti-apartheid struggle, and another examining the efficacy of the TRC. The final assignment will be a multi-modal group project exploring connections between structural racism in South Africa and the US.
Instructors: Ryan Solomon
PARR 14800 Rhetoric and Rights: Examining the Dynamics of Legal Reasoning
As James Boyd White observes, the practice of law is intrinsically rhetorical. The meaning of law, which arises out of particular social and cultural circumstances, is both contingent and negotiated. Legal work, at its core, is therefore a dynamic process of argument and reasoning where various actors, from lawyers to judges to politicians to activists, continually seek to define and contest legal norms and principles. This course seeks to examine the rhetorical dynamics of legal arguments, both in terms of identifying legal topoi/commonplaces and doing comparative work evaluating how those topoi/commonplaces shift across cultural contexts. Students will examine how various supreme court cases focusing on basic rights issues, from freedom of speech, the right to privacy, religious rights, and more, are argued. They will also compare how those same issues are adjudicated differently by South Africa's constitutional court. Students will then translate that analytical work into supreme court briefs, where, working in groups, they will present arguments on a case of their choosing in a final moot court project. In addition to presenting briefs, students will also serve as supreme court "justices" and will write a justification for their decision on a specific case presented by their classmates. Students will also have an opportunity to interact with relevant legal experts based in Chicago and Johannesburg.
Instructors: Ryan Solomon
PARR 18100
Fearless Speech: Radicals, Revolutionaries, and Social Movements
Grounded in freedom of expression and rhetorical theory from Aristotle to Foucault, this course examines fearless speech from a variety of speakers and contexts. The primary focus of the course is speaking truth to power and the potential it holds for creating new meaning, altering discourse surrounding issues, and motivating social, political, and structural change. Engaging these questions through the lens of rhetorical theory places emphasis on how context, issues, and movements can shape and be shaped by public discourse. Particular attention to social media and contemporary social movements and their influences and they shape understanding and practice of speech and social change. Students will gain an understanding of rhetorical theory and test and refine that theory through close textual analyses of cases of courageous, contentious, and counter speech. Readings will include exemplar speech and rhetorical theory and criticism to inform and provide method for examination of the texts and the practices. Students will complete rhetorical analyses and a position paper on rhetorical theory.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
Spring 2022
PARR 14800 Rhetoric and Rights: Examining the Dynamics of Legal Reasoning
As James Boyd White observes, the practice of law is intrinsically rhetorical. The meaning of law, which arises out of particular social and cultural circumstances, is both contingent and negotiated. Legal work, at its core, is therefore a dynamic process of argument and reasoning where various actors, from lawyers to judges to politicians to activists, continually seek to define and contest legal norms and principles. This course seeks to examine the rhetorical dynamics of legal arguments, both in terms of identifying legal topoi/commonplaces and doing comparative work evaluating how those topoi/commonplaces shift across cultural contexts. Students will examine how various supreme court cases focusing on basic rights issues, from freedom of speech, the right to privacy, religious rights, and more, are argued. They will also compare how those same issues are adjudicated differently by South Africa's constitutional court. Students will then translate that analytical work into supreme court briefs, where, working in groups, they will present arguments on a case of their choosing in a final moot court project. In addition to presenting briefs, students will also serve as supreme court "justices" and will write a justification for their decision on a specific case presented by their classmates. Students will also have an opportunity to interact with relevant legal experts based in Chicago and Johannesburg.
Instructors: Ryan Solomon
PARR 14300
Traversing Borders: The Rhetoric of Immigration
Borders are not simply things - i.e. physical boundaries; rather, they are symbolic constructions that manifest in multiple forms- from language, to dress, to appearance - with the aim of distinguishing insider from outsider, those who belong from those who do not. Both the physical and symbolic borders of citizenship are proliferating, with the result that border-crossings of various kinds are becoming more dangerous. This course will examine the rhetorical construction of borders in the US and other parts of the world, including Europe and South Africa, through analysis of official documents, speeches, and news accounts. The course will also consider the way that migrant rights groups, through their activism, challenge the border logic of citizenship and seek to orient an understanding of citizenship toward a global context. The major assignments for this course will include a rhetorical analysis of relevant public discourse (speeches, social media, examples of activism) related to immigration debates in the US or abroad, as well as a public online forum that will focus on immigrant rights issues.
Instructors: Ryan Solomon
Summer 2020
PARR 11300: Communicating Effectively: Free Expression, Civic Argument, and Public Advocacy
Communication is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public discourse: advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Through exercises, workshops, and assignments, students will study and apply theory and develop essential research, critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by preparing students to actively engage in the public sphere.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Autumn 2020
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructors: Leila Brammer and Ryan Solomon
PARR 16000: Presidential Election 2020
An unprecedented Democratic primary and nomination sets the stage for the 59th U.S. Presidential election. Through a ring lecture, this course will examine the presidential campaign, election, and its immediate aftermath from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Each week, a lecture delivered by faculty and other experts will be followed by a discussion section to integrate and synthesize the lectures, course materials, the election process, relevant current events, and the evolving campaigns. Students will be responsible for readings, written analysis assignments, and preparing for and actively participating in each week's lecture and discussion.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
Winter 2021
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructors: Leila Brammer and Ryan Solomon
PARR 14300: Traversing Borders: The Rhetoric of Immigration
Borders are not simply things - i.e. physical boundaries; rather, they are symbolic constructions that manifest in multiple forms- from language, to dress, to appearance - with the aim of distinguishing insider from outsider, those who belong from those who do not. Both the physical and symbolic borders of citizenship are proliferating, with the result that border-crossings of various kinds are becoming more dangerous. This course will examine the rhetorical construction of borders in the US and other parts of the world, including Europe and South Africa, through analysis of official documents, speeches, and news accounts. The course will also consider the way that migrant rights groups, through their activism, challenge the border logic of citizenship and seek to orient an understanding of citizenship toward a global context. The major assignments for this course will include a rhetorical analysis of relevant public discourse (speeches, social media, examples of activism) related to immigration debates in the US or abroad, as well as a public online forum that will focus on immigrant rights issues.
Instructor: Ryan Solomon
PARR 16600: Political Rhetoric: Presidential Inauguration, Transition, and Legislation
Presidential transitions provide unique and particularly robust moments for ritual, transition, and potential transformation on policies and politics. Through the lens of rhetorical theory on inaugurations, political communication, and transition, this course will examine the beginning of the Biden Presidency. Students will examine inaugural addresses, symbolic rituals, speeches, legislative agenda, and executive orders and directions executed in the first few weeks of the new administration. Course readings and discussions will review and synthesize relevant theory in relationship to emerging discourse, events, and proposals. In assignments, students will utilize theory to analyze and critique discourse and legislative and political developments.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Spring 2021
PARR 13000: Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructors: Leila Brammer and Ryan Solomon
PARR 16300 Public Deliberation and Community Engagement: Chicago to the Obama White House
This course explores important decision points in Chicago history and the Obama Administration. Through deliberation theory and historical, social, and community-based research, students will understand and translate critical decisions through designing deliberative materials for use in Chicago schools and communities. Public deliberation theory explores how to inform and engage citizens in inclusive informed deliberation and collective decision making. Course readings in community deliberation, decision-making, and argument and scaffolded assignments provide the foundation for students to research, frame, and develop materials for use in the community. Students will choose their area of focus-either Chicago and/or an Obama decision-and through peer testing and review learn about a variety of civic issues and tools to navigate and facilitate effective public engagement and decision-making processes.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Summer 2019
PARR 11200: Free Expression and Community Engagement: Principles and Practice of Civic Discourse
Persuasion is foundational to the human experience and shapes our lives - personal, professional, and political. Communication skills are also highly correlated with college and professional success: critical thinking, argument, writing, perspective-taking, and research skills are all foundational to a liberal arts education and life beyond college. The objective of this course is to help students develop these essential skills through an introduction to the principles and practices of public advocacy, argument, and speaking. Over the course of three weeks, students will research, build, and present a persuasive case on a civic issue. Each day, students will learn theory and apply it to their particular issue through exercises, workshops, and assignments. The University of Chicago has long been a prominent proponent of free expression, which depends on the ability to engage in productive public discourse and on the ability to open up public space so that others can also speak freely. This course extends that tradition by providing students with the knowledge and skills to actively engage in the public sphere and to better understand and navigate the multitude of persuasive messages that they receive each day.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Autumn 2019
PARR 13000 - Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
Winter 2020
PARR 13000 - Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructors: Leila Brammer
PARR 15200
Political Rhetoric: Presidential Primary 2020
Rhetorical theory and analysis of political discourse provides a foundation for active engagement with the political rhetoric of 2020 Presidential Primary. Readings, case studies, discussions, and assignments will prepare students to examine and synchronously produce campaign communication, such as speeches, social media posts, and communication plans, in response to the events of the 2020 Presidential Primary.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Spring 2020
PARR 13000 - Public Speaking: Theory and Practice
This course emphasizes clear, concise, and effective presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to different audiences. Through the study of rhetorical theory and examination of speeches and other public discourse, the course prepares students to communicate in a variety of academic, professional, and civic contexts. In course assignments and exercises, students will conduct research, evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and present speeches to a variety of public audiences.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Winter 2019
PARR 15000: Political Rhetoric: Speeches, Campaigns, and Protests
By critically examining historical and contemporary political discourse the class will attempt to elucidate how symbolic action creates meaning and shapes political positions as well as policy decisions. Utilizing rhetorical theory, students will analyze oral, written, and digital public communication aimed at influencing social, political, legal, and religious issues and institutions. It will explore topics such as the role of power and identity in political communication, the ethical dimension of public discourse, and the concept of a free and open public sphere. Through readings, discussions, case studies, and analytical assignments, students will learn to critically examine as well as to produce effective public discourse.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
Spring 2019
PARR 13000: Academic, Professional, and Civic Speaking
This course emphasizes clear, direct, and concise presentation of complex, specialized, or controversial ideas to a variety of audiences. Through theory, exercises, and practice, this course prepares students to communicate at various levels in academic, professional, and civic contexts. This course is suitable for third and fourth-year students in the College.
Instructor: Leila Brammer
PARR 21000: Public Deliberation and Free Expression
Public deliberation theory explores how to engage citizens in inclusive, informed deliberation and collective decision-making on civic issues. In this course, students will study public deliberation theory, explore issues in free expression, and study frameworks designed to engage communities in learning about and discussing controversial issues. Drawing on what they've learned over the quarter, students will design and test frameworks to educate and engage college students in the principles and practice of free expression and open inquiry.
Instructor: Leila Brammer