The Decline of the Public Sphere

In the spring of 2008, Dr. Steven Dandaneau, Associate Provost and Director of the Chancellor's Honors & Haslam Scholars Program and Associate Professor of Sociology, taught a UH 267 course entitled, The Decline of the Public Sphere. The class addressed the decline of civic engagement and opportunities for meaningful democratic citizenship, with a particular focus on the United States and current trends.  

Students in the course worked in teams to produce ten original documentary films, read classics in the field as well as the most significant current literature, viewed four contemporary films on collegiate life in the U.S., and were treated to guest lectures by Provost Robert C. Holub, Professor Harry F. Dahms of the Department of Sociology, Dr. Nissa Dahlin-Brown of the Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy, Dr. Tammy Kahrig of the Student Success Center, and Michelle Brannen of The Studio. Additionally, the class participated in a field experience organized by Dr. Robert F. Kronick of the Department of Counselor Education that brought the students to Knoxville's Inskip Elementary School.

The student-filmed, directed, and produced documentaries have been posted on YouTube, and can be viewed below.

Group 1: Big Orange Silence   
Group 2: Decline of Civic Engagement   
Group 3: Exploring the Public Sphere in UT's Classrooms 
Group 4:  Education and Community Involvement   
Group 5: Altruism
Group 6: Genetically Modified Food in the Public Sphere
Group 7: VOLcanic Activity
Group 8: From High School to College: The Liminal Experience?
Group 9: Sudoku, Crossword and the Crime Log
Group 10: Unmasking the Public Sphere