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Institute of American Civics

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Courses

Undergraduate Courses

IAC 101 Engaging Civically

Rights and duties of citizenship; modes of citizen engagement in public affairs; the role of civil discourse in democratic debate. This is a prerequisite for the Public Affairs Major.

IAC 102 Visions of America

Exploring the differing perspectives on core American ideals and values, including liberty, equality, justice, and democracy.

IAC 201 Construction and Reconstruction of the American Republic

An examination of the philosophical, legal, cultural, and historical foundations of the American Revolution, the framing of the Constitution, the establishment of the new republic, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.

IAC 202 Civil Society and the State

The role culture plays in the relationship between society and the state. Using an international perspective, students will interact with a wide variety of cultures throughout the world in order to investigate whether cultural norms and social capital are necessary for producing and sustaining democratic political systems.

IAC 203 Constitutional Foundations

Examination of how policy challenges are addressed through the American constitutional framework. Emphasis on case studies. This is a prerequisite for the Public Affairs Major.

IAC 301 Acting Democratically

Examination of how public policy is made in an advanced democratic system. This is a core course for the Public Affairs Major.

IAC 305 Democracy in America (3)

Exploration of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, focusing on democracy and aristocracy, the tension between liberty and equality, the passion for individualism, the power of public opinion and the tyranny of the majority, and the temptations of “soft-despotism” with applications to contemporary American political and social life.

IAC 311 Might and Right Among Nations

Investigating the ongoing tension between the national interest and national ideals in formulating American security and diplomatic strategies.

IAC 313 War and Peace

Analyzing the causes, ethics, strategy, and experiences of war, as well as how wars are concluded and peace restored.

IAC 321 American Political Economy and Citizenship (3)

Treatment of the philosophical and theoretical relationship between politics and economics. Explores arguments for or against a capitalist system, the development of the American economic system, and its role in shaping the character of individuals and the meaning of citizenship.

IAC 355 Cases of American Public Leadership (3)

Examination of key leaders in American public life. Cases focus on individual characteristics of leaders including their background, leadership style, and rhetoric as well as social context such as public sentiment to understand how leaders promote different concepts of citizenship.

IAC 401 The Art of the Possible

Conflict, communication, consensus building, and compromise in public policymaking. Emphasis on case studies. Co-convenes with IAC 502. This is a prerequisite for the Public Affairs Major.

IAC 406 Constitutional Interpretation

Exploring ways in which the Constitution can be understood and applied to contemporary issues. Perspectives examined will include originalism, textualism, pragmatism, and “living constitutionalism.”

IAC 410 Special Topics in American Civics

Topics vary to address current issues or areas of interest.

IAC 412 Philosophical Origins of American Ideologies

Examination of philosophical influences on modern American political ideologies.

IAC 413 The Military in American Democracy

Constitutional and statutory underpinnings of the military establishment, civilian control of the military, the role of military leadership in policy making, changing roles for the military, policies regarding military service, interagency cooperation, military effectiveness, and operational challenges.

IAC 414 Roots of American Public Policy (3)

Covers the development of U.S. national domestic public policy from the Great Depression to today. Examines public policy outputs as a product of inputs of ideas, events, politics, and policymakers with a special focus on the New Deal, the Great Society, the Reagan Revolution, and the Obama era.

IAC 421 Modernization and Its Discontents (3)

Exploration of the political and social consequences of modernization in democracies, investigates what the government’s role in markets and education should be, how it should promote economic well-being and manage socioeconomic disparities, and to what extent it should regulate the marketplace of ideas.

IAC 441 Politics, Law, and Moral Character (3)

Investigates how classical, medieval, modern, American, and contemporary political thinkers understand the role of moral virtues in civic life. Explores the ethical foundations of law and politics focusing on the interaction of individual character and political order.

IAC 442 Religion, Liberty, and the Law (3)

Examines the relationship between religion, liberty, and law in the U.S. context. Focuses on historical analysis of the U.S. Founding and how religious liberty and church-state relations have changed over time. This course is crosslisted with REST 442.

Law and Policy Concentration

The Public Affairs major has a concentration in Law and Policy in partnership with the College of Law. This concentration gives students the opportunity to explore the intersection of public policy and law, with a focus on the American legal system.  

IAC 302 American Legal System

An overview of the structure of the legal system and the functions of key institutions and actors within that system.

IAC 303 Legal Research and Writing

An introduction to the methodology of legal research and the practice of writing legal briefs and memoranda.

IAC 404 Crime, Law, and Justice

An overview of substantive and procedural criminal law and the operations of the criminal justice system with emphasis on the courts.

IAC 405 Civil Law and Justice

An introduction to civil law, including torts, contracts, property, and family law, and the adjunction of civil cases.

Professional Development Courses

IAC 493 Independent Study

Individualized study of issues and/or processes in civics. Registration Permission: Consent of Instructor.

IAC 494 Internship

Approved internships and other professional opportunities.

IAC 495 Special Topics in American Civics

Seminar addressing an area of study or current issue within the field of civics.

Graduate Courses

IAC 501 Ethical Leadership in Public Affairs

Approaches to common ethical challenges in public affairs and the mechanisms required to ensure accountability, transparency, and responsibility. This is a required course for the Master of Public Policy and Master of Public Administration. 

IAC 504 The Art of the Possible

Conflict, communication, consensus building, and compromise in public policymaking. Emphasis on case studies.

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Institute of American Civics

1640 Cumberland Avenue
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-3340
Phone: 865-974-0931
Fax: 865-974-3889
Email: civics@utk.edu

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
865-974-1000

The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.

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