Anger, Fear, Domination: Dark Passions and the Power of Political Speech




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ClassGraphic In 1991, with the fall of Soviet Communism and the apartheid regime in South Africa, it seemed that liberal democracy had triumphed almost everywhere; as one commentator put it, the “end of history” was at hand. Only three decades later, it is all too clear that history did not end; rather, liberal democracy is endangered. How did this happen? In Anger, Fear, Domination: Dark Passions and the Power of Political Speech (Yale University Press, 2025), respected political commentator William A. Galston observes that liberalism imagines a form of politics based on rationality and civility. Lately, our darker passions—anger, resentment, fear, humiliation, hatred, and the desire to dominate—have come to play a leading role in our politics, and our politics have been much the worse for it. Galston analyzes the threat these darker passions pose to liberal democracy. He examines each of the major dark passions—anger, fear, and the desire to dominate—in detail. He explores how a new generation of demagogues has made use of these passions to advance their agenda. We will read and discuss how Galston advances an agenda for a new political rhetoric to address these darker passions and defend liberal democracy.
 

Class Details

4 Session(s)
Weekly - Wed

Location
Virtual - Any Location

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$0.00

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Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
1/21/2026 - 2/11/2026 Weekly - Wed 09:30 AM - 11:45 AM N/A, Virtual - Any Location  Map James Smith  ; Bill Barker 

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