Assignments by Date

Be sure to read and review the module for each class (available from the main course webpage)

Jan 20: Introduction

  • John Inazu, “Learning to Disagree in the University”

Jan 22: Who Are You? (Discussion Sections)

  • Three-minute introductions

Jan 25: Where You're From

  • David Brooks, “How the Ivy League Broke America,” The Atlantic (December 2024)

  • Lyn Wilkins, “Understanding the Rural Experience,” Student Life (October 6, 2025)

Jan 27: Where You Are

  • Andrew Delbanco, “What is College For?” Continuing Higher Education Review, Vol. 76 (2012)

  • Stanley Fish, Save the World on Your Own Time (Introduction & Chapter 1)

Jan 29: NO CLASS

Week of Jan 25-29: Interviews

  • Initial interview with Teaching Assistant

  • 1-2 page reflection on the interview experience

Feb 1: The Fact of Pluralism

  • John Inazu, Confident Pluralism, Preface and Introduction

Feb 3: Responding to Pluralism

  • Eboo Patel, We Need to Build (Chapters 13 and 17)

Feb 5: Discussion Sections

  • Write and submit 1-2 pages reflecting on the week’s readings (Inazu and Patel) and whether you are more optimistic or pessimistic about the future after reading them

Feb 8: How Things Are Going

  • Gabe Fleisher, “Could There Be a Third Party for Moderates?” Wake Up to Politics (June 17, 2026)

  • John Inazu, “Why ‘Moderate’ and ‘Centrist’ Are Usually the Wrong Labels,” Some Assembly Required (October 21, 2022)

Feb 10: Why This is So Hard

  • Yoni Appelbaum, “Americans Aren’t Practicing Democracy Anymore,” The Atlantic (October 2018)

  • Mike Nelson, “Condemning a Nazi Tattoo Shouldn’t be This Hard,” The Atlantic (May 29, 2026)

  • Kurt Gray, Outraged (Introduction and Chapter 1)

Feb 12: Discussion Sections

  • Spend 30 minutes reviewing the Deepest Beliefs Lab and write 1-2 pages of your impressions and questions

Feb 15: How to Think About Thinking

  • Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Prologue and Chapter 1

Feb 17: Traditions and Social Practices

  • Assignment: Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapters 14 and 15

Feb 19: Discussion Sections

Feb 22: Social Media

  • Nicholas Carr, Superbloom, Chapters 5-6

Feb 24: News and Information

  • TBD

Feb 26: Discussion Sections

Mar 1: Institutions and Expertise

  • TBD

Mar 3: Cancel Culture

  • TBD

Mar 5: First Exam (in Discussion Sections)

Mar 8: How to Talk About Talking

  • Rachel Wahl, Keeping Our Enemies Closer (Chapters 1 and 2)

Mar 10: The Possibilities and Limits of Dialogue

  • Rachel Wahl, Keeping Our Enemies Closer (Conclusion)

Mar 12: Peer-to-Peer Interviews (Discussion Sections)

Week of Mar 15-19: Spring Break

Mar 22: The First Amendment

  • United States Constitution, Amendment I

Mar 24: Words and Context: Free Speech

  • John Inazu, Confident Pluralism (Chapter 6)

Mar 26: Discussion Sections

Mar 29: Belonging and Excluding: Freedom of Association

  • John Inazu, Confident Pluralism (Chapter 2)

Mar 31: Church and State: Free Exercise and Establishment

  • John Inazu, Confident Pluralism (Chapter 1)

Apr 2: Discussion Sections

Apr 5: Universities and Classrooms

  • Sigal Ben-Porath, Cancel Wars (Chapter 5)

  • Yascha Mounk, “The Real Chill on Campus,” The Atlantic (June 16, 2022)

  • Eboo Patel, We Need to Build (Chapter 4)

Apr 7: Campus Protests

  • Conor Friedersdorf, “Campus Protest Encampments Are Unethical,” The Atlantic (December 16, 2024)

  • Xochitl Gonzalez, “Students Yelled at Me. I’m Fine.” The Atlantic (April 1, 2025)

  • Washington University Board of Trustees, “Ad Hoc Committee on University Policies and Guidelines Governing On-Campus Protests and Demonstrations” (March 7, 2025)

Apr 9: Discussion Sections

Apr 12: Case Study: Punishment

  • United States v. Gementera

  • John Inazu, Learning to Disagree (August and September Chapters)

Apr 14: Case Study: Self-Defense

  • State v. Norman (Norman I)

  • Norman v. State (Norman II)

  • John Inazu, Learning to Disagree (October Chapter)

Apr 16: Discussion Sections

Apr 19: Case Study: Religious Exemptions

  • United States v. Kuch

  • Reynolds v. United States

  • John Inazu, Learning to Disagree (January Chapter)

Apr 21: Case Study: Public Education

  • Mahmoud v. Taylor

  • Mozert v. Hawkins

  • John Inazu, Learning to Disagree (February Chapter)

Apr 23: Discussion Sections

Apr 26: Next Steps

  • Eboo Patel, We Need to Build (Chapter 21 and Conclusion)

  • John Inazu, “Life Together in the University,” Some Assembly Required (May 28, 2026)

Apr 28: Second Exam

  • Multiple choice questions about the readings since Spring Break

Apr 30: Discussion Sections

May 3: Final Thoughts

  • John Inazu, Learning to Disagree (May Chapter and Epilogue)

May 6-12: Interviews

  • Final interview with Teaching Assistant (during exam week)

  • 1-2 page reflection on the course