American Slavery, American Freedom

In this course we will explore the antagonism and entanglement of slavery and freedom, the two most powerful ideas in American political thought, with a focus on the period from the Declaration of Independence to the Progressive Era. Readings will draw on a range of genres including, judicial decisions, imaginative literature, presidential addresses, canonical works of political theory. Special emphasis will be placed on the writings of African Americans and on the genre of autobiography, as one in which the classic American negotiation between slavery and freedom is often performed with particular poignancy in the course of an individual life. (Political Theory) 3 hrs. lect.