The term “autocracy” has been flung about countless times in the past year, as has the term “fascism.” Yet, both terms have been employed pejoratively, rather than accurately, more often than not – an invective thrown at the opposing political side. While “autocracy” and “fascism” do not mean the same thing, they are powerful words and evoke fear in many of us because they are being used to describe the current state of our nation. Is it all just fearmongering? Is it perhaps a prescient warning that we should pay close attention to? Drawing from one of the most well-known collapses of modern democracy, the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi State, and carefully comparing the causes of that collapse with the actions and policies of the current U.S. administration, this class explores the fragility of democracy and if, in fact, the United States is stumbling towards autocracy, without even fully understanding what that means.

Wednesday, February 18 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
In person and simulcast