Democracy & Dissent Course

Coming in Spring 2024!

This course will offer all Upper School students the opportunity to explore areas of law, rhetoric, and the foundations of democracy. During the Spring semester of 2024, BWL will collaborate with Professor Alexandra Natapoff from Harvard Law School to explore how dissent and disagreement have led to social progress. The students will study and analyze some of the more well-known Supreme Court cases, and will have the opportunity to discuss them with various guest instructors, including prominent New York City lawyers.

The course expands on BWL’s Constructive Dialogue Initiative, a school-wide initiative that focuses on creating conditions for students to engage one another in diplomatic dialogue, particularly if there is disagreement present. Indeed, the course is designed to explore why disagreement is healthy for our democracy and how we can better understand different perspectives. The course also offers students an educational experience that broadens their understanding of constructive debate, giving them an opportunity to use the skills and strategies of Constructive Dialogue.