Democracy, Freedom, Justice, and the Law–known to Stanford OHSers as DFRL–was the first class taught at Stanford OHS in 2006. Two decades later, it remains the flagship course of the Core curriculum.
Taken by students during their junior year, DFRL asks students to engage with philosophical questions about political institutions. With readings that range from Thomas Hobbes to Jürgen Habermas, students explore how disagreement and debate are built into the structure of democratic societies. They examine theories of political representation and consider the ways in which political thinkers have accounted for human nature and psychology.
The overarching goal of DFRL has always been to cultivate intellectual traits that foster good citizenship. In their readings and in class discussion, students are encouraged to take competing views seriously. Twice per year, every student in DFRL gets the chance to lead class discussion. One goal of this activity is to give special thought to how we can go about navigating disagreement in careful and respectful ways. As part of the Core curriculum, DFRL prepares students to engage with the larger world thoughtfully, gaining a clearer understanding of the reasons supporting their own worldview and those of other people.