GOVT 1109

GOVT 1109

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

Disagreement is at the heart of the university and at the heart of democracies. In universities, scholars in every discipline engage in disagreement every day, from the nature of the outer reaches of the galaxy, to the value and meaning of different works of literature, to the ideal forms of government. Similarly, democracies confront disagreement as often as they do agreement: for example, how should wealth be distributed? How do we balance rights with responsibilities? How fast should speed limits be? Effective scholars and effective citizens alike need to wrestle with how to disagree. This course addresses this challenge head on. First, it will expose students to compelling points of disagreement in the academy, crossing the physical sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. Students will observe and engage with leading academics debating questions and issues like “There is life on other planets”, “We do not need to read Shakespeare”, or “Progress is an overrated concept.” These debates will be held live on campus, giving students a chance to experience them collectively, and then engaging in a moderated discussion about them afterwards. Second, students will undertake seminar discussions about these topics, and then complete various writing assignments that engage with the questions in the debates. This will happen under the supervision of a faculty member, who can engage students in the material from their own disciplinary perspective. Third, students will complete a set of common writing assignments online that are also linked into the course content, further reinforcing both their instruction in writing and their appreciation of the importance of disagreement.


Last 4 Terms Offered 2026SP

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Syllabi: none
  •   Seven Week - First.  Choose one lecture and one discussion.

  • 1 Credit Sat/Unsat

  • 10329 GOVT 1109   LEC 001

    • W
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Loewen, P

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10330 GOVT 1109   DIS 201

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10331 GOVT 1109   DIS 202

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10332 GOVT 1109   DIS 203

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Loewen, P

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10333 GOVT 1109   DIS 204

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10334 GOVT 1109   DIS 205

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10335 GOVT 1109   DIS 206

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10336 GOVT 1109   DIS 207

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10337 GOVT 1109   DIS 208

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10338 GOVT 1109   DIS 209

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10339 GOVT 1109   DIS 210

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10340 GOVT 1109   DIS 211

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10341 GOVT 1109   DIS 212

    • R
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10342 GOVT 1109   DIS 213

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10343 GOVT 1109   DIS 214

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10344 GOVT 1109   DIS 215

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10345 GOVT 1109   DIS 216

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10346 GOVT 1109   DIS 217

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10347 GOVT 1109   DIS 218

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10348 GOVT 1109   DIS 219

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person

  • 10349 GOVT 1109   DIS 220

    • F
    • Aug 24 - Oct 9, 2026
    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: In Person