Teaching Social Contract Theory with a Short Story
Published: Jan 4, 2021
Contributor: Jennet Kirkpatrick
License: CC BY NC SA 4.0 license – Allows revisions and additions but forbids commercial use.
Centered around a captivating short story by Ursula Le Guin, this resource focuses on consent, dissent, and timely issues such as COVID-19 and freedom of movement. It offers a complete teaching guide for one or more classes on the social contract. My “toolbox” of pedagogical products includes lecture material, a classroom exercise, learning objectives, and innovative adaptations for real-time virtual classrooms.
For more on how to teach the social contract using “Omelas,” check out my article “Literary Devices: Teaching Social Contract Theory with a Short Story” in The Journal of Political Science Education.
If you use this material, please give me feedback at jennetk @ asu.edu. I appreciate it!