Description
Among many political theorists - especially in the US - John Dewey (1859-1952) is known not only as one of the most important pioneers of pragmatism, but also as someone with a specific "vision of radical democracy" (Bernstein). In the German discussion, in comparison, his work has been somewhat neglected. With this in mind, the seminar attempts to provide students with an initial, in-depth overview of Dewey's political philosophy. We will focus in particular on his idea of “democracy as a way of life” (instead of ‚just‘ a form of government) and his theoretical reflections on education that correspond with it.
For this purpose we will mainly read (large parts of) Dewey’s 1916 book Democracy and Education, supplemented by a number of essays relevant in this context (e.g. “The Ethics of Democracy” or “Democracy is Radical”). At two points during the semester (once in the middle and once at the end) we will also take a step back from the primary text in order to gain a sense of the (diverse) reception of Dewey on the basis of selected secondary texts.
The aim of this seminar is twofold: It takes to understand Dewey’s views and contextualize them in light of the philosophical and political debates of his time, while on the other hand also asks about the (potential) relevance of his democratic theory for today.
Requirements
Prior knowledge of Dewey's philosophy is not required. Basic knowledge of political theory and/or the history of ideas is not a formal prerequisite, but certainly helpful. What is required in any case is the willingness to read (and discuss) complex theoretical texts (in English) thoroughly on a regular basis.
- Lehrende/r: Tobias Albrecht