Mansbridge Clip 3

Instructional Themes: Eliciting participation; Using humor; using student prework to structure discussion; deepening students' understanding of theoretical concepts; encouraging students to respond to one another's thinking; encouraging a willingness to get it wrong; asking questions; linking student comments; changing opinions; knowing your students; scaffolding; affirming students

Profiled: Jane Mansbridge, Charles F. Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Value, teaches "Democratic Theory" to ~30 students at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Clip Length: 7 minutes, 49 seconds (28:04-35:53)

Clip Context:

• “Democratic Theory,” a graduate course at the Harvard Kennedy School with approximately 30 students enrolled.
• This course is a survey of philosophical writings on democracy through the ages. Mansbridge brings would-be esoteric texts to life through inclusive and rigorous discussions while equipping students to think critically about democracy.
• This clip comes about 28 minutes into the 65-minute class session as Mansbridge invites students to participate based on their course pre-work (which she has already read).