Hopes, Dreams, Fears

Throughout the semester I would like to gain a deeper understanding of how our current political parties started, how they have evolved through some of the major crises we have faced, and how they reached their states. Particularly interesting is how the Republican Party began in the 1850s as a northern, somewhat liberal alternative to the more rural, conservative, slave-driven, southern Democratic Party. And then in just more than 150 years the parties have basically swapped positions. The Republicans are strong in the South and rural parts of the country and certainly adhere to a more conservative ideology (although they have given up on the whole slavery thing) than their predominantly northern, liberal, urban, Democratic counterparts.

I am also interested in learning more about the modern culture war. Is it going to maintain steam during these serious times? Or is this just a product of peacetime and lethargy? I've extensively studied 20th Century American History and noticed that during times of serious crisis (e.g. Great Depression and World War II) cultural issues such as sex, abortion, religion, etc. take a metaphorical back seat on the back pages. Also, with a new president that campaigned on directly ending the "baby boomer psychodrama" will these issues remain prominent? Our previous two presidents (and many of the voices in the various political parties) have staggered through the last several decades fighting the same battles over and over and over again. As someone who finds these arguments stale, I am relieved when I talk to conservative friends that are strictly pro-life, but who's views are shaped by other "moral" issues (e.g. poverty, education, etc.). I also exhale when I talk to liberal friends who care more about economic development and trade and the uses of soft power in foreign affairs rather than what form of sex education should be taught in public schools. It seems to me that society is calling a truce to the a culture war that is now being fought primarily on the vocal fringes of red and blue. For example abortion and other hot-button social issues were barely discussed during this past election, except by some of those crazy commenters that belligerently ramble at the end of blogs and online articles. Maybe I am wrong and in a decade or two after the current issues fade, social issues will forcefully return to the conversation.

Those are my hopes and dreams. I don't really have any fears for this class (except maybe rekindling the culture war).

Now about me. I am a post baccalaureate student seeking a teaching license in broad-field social studies (hence why I am taking this class). I graduated with a degree in History from UW-Oshkosh in 2005. I lived in Chicago and got bored working in the "real world." So my wife and I moved to Kenosha (ick, no offense anyone from Kenosha) and I came to UWM. Baseball (the New York Mets), Books (Studs Terkel's oral histories are some my favorite takes on the 20th Century), Jazz (Miles Davis and John Coltrane), Food (Italian), and Booze (Beer and Wine) are some of my favorite pastimes.

Good luck this semester...