Thinking Democratically

The "Thinking Democratically" section and its accompanying resources and activities is meant to stimulate student thought about what it means to be a part of a democracy. Through the materials provided on this page, the class is encouraged to build upon political science experts' definitions of a variety of political ideologies and synthesize their own opinions on the role of democracy around the world during the 20th and 21st centuries. The activities and discussions from this section are meant to be truly democratic in nature, with student input being a priority.

Resources are scaffolded and include:

• An introductory PowerPoint lesson on different forms of democracies with two corresponding worksheet activities:
  • Defining Democracy
• Worksheets that allow students to understand the expansive definitions of different political ideologies:
  • What is a Liberal Democracy?
  • Why is Populism not Consistent with Liberal Democracy?
  • How Should we Define Fascism Today?
  • Illiberal Democracy and the Middle East
  • Socialism, Capitalism, and Social Democracy: A Primer
• Primary source excerpts and worksheets of arguments for and against democracy promotion in the 21st century:
  • Does the 2003 American Invasion of Iraq Qualify as a “Just War”?
  • Should the U.S. Have Invaded Iraq in 2003 for the Purpose of Democracy Promotion?
  • How Should the U.S. Address Authoritarian States in the post-Arab Spring World?
• Excerpts, resources, and questions that can be used for a Socratic Seminar and/or for students to write a paper on the theme of democracy promotion:
  • Should Democracy Promotion Still Be a U.S. Foreign Policy Priority?
• International Student Essay Contest (2018):
  • Is it important to live in a democracy?