Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America
January 17, 18, 19, 2003
*Galt
House, Louisville
The fourth annual CFI Faculty Colloquium will take place January 17, 18, 19, 2003 at the Galt House in Louisville. Entitled Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, it will be led by Jon Enriquez from the Department of History and will address some of the enduring questions raised by Tocqueville. Participants will be provided with a copy of Democracy in America and will be expected to read the book prior to the first session.
Schedule
Participants are required to attend all events. Both the Water Poet and the Anchor Room are located on the third floor of Galt House Tower. Only participants will be allowed to attend all events.
Friday
- 4:00-5:00 p.m. - Arrive at Galt House/Refreshments/Registration - Pick up additional information - Water Poet Room
- 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Session One - Introduction: Tocqueville as scholar. This session will deal with broad topics like methodology, critical reception, liberalism, and general impressions and effects of the work. No particular readings are especially relevant. - Water Poet
- 6:30 -8:00 p.m. - Dinner - Anchor Room
- 8:00 p.m. - Reception in the Lobby Bar
Saturday
- 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Breakfast - Anchor Room
- 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. - Session Two - Factors promoting democracy. This discussion will center around those factors cited by Tocqueville as distinctive in promoting democracy in America. For this session, then, you will want to focus on those passages related to "social structure" (and its relationship to English social structure), "sovereignty," "the township," "self-interest well understood," "freedom," "equality of conditions," "associations," "the virtue available in democracy." -Water Poet
- 11:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Break - Anchor Room
- 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Session Three - Threats to democracy. This session will deal with the problems facing democracy in America as identified by Tocqueville. We will call on the readings related to such subjects as "tyranny of the majority," "despotism," "egalitarianism," and "individualism." - Water Poet
- 1:30- 2:30 p.m. - Lunch - Anchor Room
- 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. - Free Time
- 4:00 - 4:30 p.m.- Reception -Anchor Room
- 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Session Four - Mores. This session will center on what Tocqueville sees as the effects of democracy on America, particularly on intellectual life. The key readings will be those relating to "religion," "philosophy," "arts" and "literature," "love of well-being," "sensitivity," and "girls" and "women." - Water Poet
- 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Dinner in Revolving Flagship Restaurant
- 9:30 p.m.- Reception in the Lobby Bar
Sunday
- 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. - Brunch - Anchor Room
- 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Session Five - Catch up and review. We will continue any promising unfinished conversations, and then reexamine our overview questions. Again, no particular readings.- Water Poet