Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description

Minority Rights in a Majority Driven Democracy

Instructor(s): Chris Kopec, Management and Business

When the "majority rules," what happens to the rights of the non-majority? Students in this seminar explore how minority rights are protected (or not) in a majority-run democracy. We will examine the history, law, public policy, and popular opinion regarding three specific issues: the right of gays to marry; the rights of the religious (of varying faiths) to practice their faith freely; and the role of affirmative action in our culture. Students will read and analyze cases and legal briefs, perform debates, give oral presentations, and write both analytic and persuasive papers.