FYS 7 Authoritarianism and Globalization
Three decades after Francis Fukuyama famously proclaimed the "End of History," global capitalism is in crisis, political authoritarianism remains viable, and democracy is increasingly under threat around the world. Publics in established democracies are rejecting globalization and supporting authoritarian populism, while many dictators have embraced the hyper-mobility of capital, free trade, and modern information technology. These developments raise a number of questions, which we will explore in the course. What is the relationship between globalization and authoritarianism? How do authoritarian regimes navigate today’s highly globalized world economy? How should we understand the rise of populist movements in the rich world? The major goal of the seminar is to encourage first-year students to develop writing and research skills while reflecting on these important questions in the context of the latest research in the social sciences.
Prerequisite
Open only to first year frosh