Skip to Main Content

Course Sections | Registrar

Back to Course List

Title: The Courts and Democracy
Course Section Number: HIS-240-03
Department: History
Description: Both federal and Georgia officials are currently prosecuting President Trump in court for seeking to interfere with the 2020 election results. And prior to January 6, 2021, President Trump and his supporters filed over 80 lawsuits in court seeking to set aside the 2020 election. Why are people on both sides of the political divide trying to get courts to decide disputes about elections? Are unelected judges qualified to supervise elections? Or should we trust those who must win elections to supervise them? Can courts help resolve the issues that have made some Americans distrust election results? Should courts set aside efforts by both political parties to draw election districts to gain more seats than they could win without such manipulation? Are laws that require photo id, that make it a crime to give food and water to those waiting in line to vote, or that strictly limit who can gather up absentee ballots intended to discriminate against minority and poor voters? Do they have that effect? Or are these laws necessary to prevent voter fraud? May we limit how much corporations and wealthy individuals contribute to campaigns, or would that violate First Amendment freedom of speech? In this course we will debate whether courts or elected officials should answer these types of questions. And we will explore how that debate has helped shape the last sixty years of American history. HIS-240-03=PSC-213-01=PPE-235-01
Credits: 1.00
Start Date: January 15, 2024
End Date: May 4, 2024
Meeting Information:
01/16/2024-05/02/2024 Lecture Tuesday, Thursday 09:45AM - 11:00AM, Baxter Hall, Room 212
Faculty: Himsel, Scott

Course Status & Cross-Listings

Cross-list Group Capacity: 20
Cross-list Group Student Count: 17
Calculated Course Status: OPEN
Section Name/Title Status Dept. Capacity Enrolled/
Available/
Waitlist
Back to Top