Harvard University plays its trump card

[misanthrope]

Last edited Wed May 28, 2025, 12:29 AM - Edit history (1)

In response to the attacks from the Trump administration, Harvard University is offering free online courses in U.S. civics, the Constitution and how to recognize dictatorship.

https://pll.harvard.edu/subject/government

Scroll down, and you will see the free courses. Enroll if you want, but most importantly, spread word. This is invaluable not just for educating citizens but for summoning good will and support for the university in its fight.

EDIT TO ADD: Many of these classes were offered previous to Harvard's entanglement with Trump. There appears to be no class specifically named for recognizing autocracy.

[malaise]

1. Brilliant

Rec

[Irish_Dem]

2. They should also offer a course on how to recognize a psychopath, symptoms, behavior, treatment options, etc.

[chicoescuela]

8. 100% agree. That might sting a little too

[Irish_Dem]

14. A entire Abnormal Psychology seminar could be taught just using Trump and his crime syndicate members as examples.

[erronis]

17. Might as well add some historical figures such as Pol Pot, Stalin, etc. just for reference.

[Irish_Dem]

23. Most kids don't know who these people are.

I would use more modern figures, the serial killers, famous mob bosses, TV and movie figures, celebrities, etc.

[erronis]

24. And that's why history repeats itself. Especially in societies that try to erase the past.

Here we are, again.

[Irish_Dem]

26. The goal of the class is to teach psychology, not history.

Last edited Sat May 24, 2025, 07:53 PM - Edit history (1)

To produce clinicians.

Most psych majors will be horrified to see psychopaths running the country.

[Klondike Kat]

54. That may be true, but it wouln't hurt them to know

History is full of tyrants.

[ananda]

34. Weelll...

IMO, can psychopathy really be treated?

I would think that they would have to be separated
from the rest of human society.

Also, I cannot imagine a psychopath even taking
this course.

IOW, I really see the offering of this course as a
dig at Republicans, the great majority of which
are indeed psychopaths.

[markie]

3. excellent!

good time to brush up

[hlthe2b]

4. Nice!

[C_U_L8R]

5. I want 'How to rid yourself of a tyrant 101"

[Nevilledog]

6. K & R

My 78 yo mother-in-law is coming for a 6 week stay. While we generally agree on social and political issues, she has several friends that are Fox viewing morons. She never feels like she's strong enough to fight back when they spout their lies, but I'm hoping she'll gain some confidence to state her position if we do some of these courses together. I'll let you know.

[Pisces]

7. I love it!

[Paladin]

9. Well done, Harvard! (nt)

[walkingman]

10. OMG (as they say 😁) this is the perfect link for me to send

to my friends and family that are Trumpers! They will totally flip out and probably never speak to me again.

Something like -

"Ok, I'm sending you this....free online courses at Harvard University, just in case you have forgotten your civics class in HS or College. We all need a refresher from time to time. Hope you are doing well - this administration is making me sick at my stomach. ☮ "

[ChazInAz]

29. Civics class!

I was talking with one of my housemates last night, a beautiful young British lady who's studying for her citizenship exam. We agreed that most Americans younger than I am (75) wouldn't be able to pass it.

[EverHopeful]

51. Something like 30 years ago I was helping a friend study for her citizenship test

and was embarrassed by how much I'd forgotten in such a relatively short time away from HS civics classes.

Definitely time for me to sign up for these classes.

[misanthrope]

43. Another idea

Send it to them and tie it in with approaching 250th anniversary of the nation in 13 months. Tell them you thought it would be a great way for everyone to celebrate our rights as Americans that the Founding Fathers risked so much for and that we need to preserve. Frame it as both fun, beneficial and patriotic. Don't work in any digs at the POTUS, that way they could be more prone to take you up on it.

[walkingman]

65. Great idea - you are correct.

[Biophilic]

11. Ok, Harvard, you obviously have some pretty smart people there.

Good for you.

[MadameButterfly]

46. They are f'ing around with the smartest people in the world

If it weren't so serious I'd be making popcorn.

Maybe I'll make the popcorn anyway.

[UpInArms]

12. I enrolled!

Thank you … thank you … thank you!

ETA

Have been sharing this madly and gladly!

[MadameButterfly]

47. Oh, I don't have time but man, a course from Harvard

how cool that would be!

Maybe I sign up and bail before the exams

[Hekate]

13. Great plan! Thanks, Harvard!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. We had to take civics when I was in High School and I am glad that Harvard is offering these courses

[spanone]

16. Brilliant

[TygrBright]

18. Now if only [Redacted] and the entire regime would sign up and take them... n/r

[orangecrush]

19. BRAVO

[liberalla]

20. YESSSSssssss !!!!! What a great idea!

Thank you Harvard!

[a kennedy]

21. DAMN RIGHT, OR SHOULD I SAY DAMN LEFT......

Seriously. This is awesome.

[Ms. Toad]

22. It is not "in response to the attacks." Harvard has been offering these free courses for years.

I took free online courses from Harvard close to 2 decades ago, and several of the civics courses on the page you linked to were offered in 2023 (according to the Wayback machine).

[misanthrope]

44. I heard the same thing you said also mentioned today and others noted

that some of the courses pertaining to what I mentioned up top were made free just in the last few days.

[Ms. Toad]

45. They were listed as free on the site 2 years ago.

At least as near as I can tell from your description of the courses. (https://pll.harvard.edu/subject/government" target="_blank">Here's the page from two years ago in March) And Harvard has participated in offering free courses through EdX since 2012.

[TnDem]

53. Ms. Toad is correct once again

I took a free course called "Justice" over five years ago.

[usonian]

25. John Harvard approves.

Or as The Lampoon put it: "Johnny on the pot"

Compare. Our Dicktater all sore-ass over Mexican toilet paper.

[elleng]

27. 'courses in U.S. civics, the Constitution and how to recognize dictatorship'

[aggiesal]

28. I found the free Constitution course, ...

https://pll.harvard.edu/course/american-government-constitutional-foundations

but I could not find the Dictatorship course.

[synni]

30. Oh, snap!

"How to recognize dictatorship!" Beautiful!

[Mr. Jinx]

31. Sharing far and wide.

Good for Harvard on this.

[wblffmike]

32. Credit

He will try to take credit for educating people about government.

[Tanuki]

33. Thank you for posting this important and valuable resource!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

35. Great news! Thank you and thank Harvard. It begins to fill a large hole in US education! . . . nt

[marybourg]

36. I signed up and already did the first class. tRump will hate it!

He is mentioned for his Muslim exclusion order. True and unbiased statements about the history of slavery and the Civil Rights movement are featured. FDR, LBJ, Obama and Biden ( read the transcript as it scrolls down. At one point Obama was substituted for Biden) are shown in a positive light.

[boonecreek]

37. We had civics in 8th grade.

Had to pass a Constitution test to graduate. IIRC we had to ace it.
I'm definitely taking a couple of these. Thanks for posting.

[dchill]

38. That's a very good thing to do. Very good! 👍

[underpants]

39. Awesome. Thanks

[Scalded Nun]

40. Given the attacks by Trump and the support of those attacks from the right, I believe

Harvard should consider rescinding all degrees from those GOPers involved.

Rescind on the basis of lack of ethical standards and their refusal to honor, support and defend our constitution.

Every law school in this country should pull those degrees. They are an embarrassment to the schools from where they graduated.


Just like the ABA should revoke law licenses from all lawyers in the Trump administration, including the Attorney General and FBI director (if he has one). That is assuming the ABA can do that. I do not know for certain, but if they can, they should.

[SunSeeker]

41. K & R & Bookmarked!

[czarjak]

42. I read once...

EDUCATION’S PURPOSE IS TO REPLACE AN EMPTY MIND WITH AN OPEN ONE

[Journeyman]

48. K & R . . .

and thanks for the links.

[Cha]

49. Touch Harvard!

Mahalo, misanthrope

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

50. Awesome idea!

If only we can get those who most need it to participate.

[calimary]

61. THIS!!!

A lot of closed minds out there, though.

[mdbl]

52. K&R

[frogstar0]

55. If you take it you can put on you resume....

"Enrolled at Harvard University" "Taken classes from Harvard." etc

[Prairie_Seagull]

56. If one is a grandparent or parent of a highschooler. Or really smart middle schooler

please get them involved at least with the civics stuff. We all know how lacking this is in our current system. For me, I had a great civics teacher in high school. Probably responsible for much that I am.

IMO

[panfluteman]

57. Leadership and Character in Uncertain Times - You Hear That, Donnie?

[hamsterjill]

58. Shared on my social media!

Thanks for the link and information.

[twodogsbarking]

59. Great link. When I see what they offer I understand why Trump is going after them.

Last edited Sun May 25, 2025, 03:33 PM - Edit history (1)

[twodogsbarking]

60. Now Trump will have their internet access cut in the interests of national security.

If he follows his game plan.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

62. Harvard is offering free courses Trump's Idiots could benefit from

Link to tweet

[tornado34jh]

63. I admit I wasn't the best student at civics back then (2004-2009, around that time), but then again, I learn differently

Although they are still good as a basic reference, most of what I know wasn't from textbooks because they change every year and it doesn't always reflect what is actually going on, although I was in a good school system nonetheless (Fairfax County in Virginia). Most of my learning I did on my own, research, going to museums, visiting other countries to see how they compare, that sort of thing. I was good at history, especially world history. But again, you can learn it all you want, but if you don't put it into practice, as evident from what we have now, then it is meaningless. Of course, world history is a big thing to understand. One the big reasons we are in this mess is because we haven't learned anything when a government like this occurs in other countries. That's why they are after higher education, because it is one of the only ways we can learn from it and develop critical thinking. All dictatorships want a dumb population so that they can easily control them. It happened in Nazi Germany, and we're quickly following its lead.

[Evolve Dammit]

64. It appears as if some have a deadline to complete next month. Looks like they have been available since 2024?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3465916