Is American Democracy Broken? Perspectives and Debates

A Structured Look at a Contested Question

Produced as part of the Faculty Project — "Best Professors Teaching the World" — this course steps back from headline-driven debate to examine the structural pressures facing American democracy today.

Who It's For

Anyone interested in political science, current affairs, or civic literacy, regardless of prior background, will find the course accessible — it's framed as an overview of competing perspectives rather than a single argument.

What's Covered

• Legislative gridlock and the erosion of public trust in government
• Campaign finance and the role of anonymous donations in negative campaigning
• War powers and the balance between the executive and legislative branches
• The politics of deficit spending
• The proper policy-making role of the courts

Rather than settling the question in its title, the course lays out the fault lines — protest movements on both the left and right, rising deficits, distrust — and equips you to reason through them yourself.