The History of Now

This class exposes students to the study of history for a deeper understanding of the past, present, and future.

We explore current events in a historical perspective. For Spring 2023, the class will focus on the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. With a focus on the Court’s most recent rulings, the class will examine contemporary cases and the historical forces that have shaped the Court’s decisions. Possible topics include abortion regulation, affirmative action in higher education, free speech and religious liberty, regulation of technology, and voting rights.

The class will have a round-table format, meeting for one-hour sessions each week. From time to time, we will be joined by invited speakers, including both MIT faculty and experts from the legal profession. Guest speakers may be broadcast live as a webinar for the benefit of interested members of the larger MIT community and the public.