Authoritarianism is not just a political system, it’s also a psychological and social phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the roots and relevance of authoritarianism, examining traits of the authoritarian personality (such as conventionalism), its links to prejudice and fear, and the ongoing debate about both right-wing and left-wing forms. We'll consider where authoritarian tendencies come from, childhood experiences or more recent influences, and how they relate to our moral sense, beliefs, and motivations. We'll also examine how group dynamics, identity, obedience, and power shape submission or resistance to authority. Finally, we’ll look at how today’s cultural forces, polarization, mistrust, misinformation, inequality, and rapid change, may be fueling authoritarianism, and we’ll discuss possible responses to help protect and strengthen democratic values. This program is being presented with limited enrollment to foster discussion.

LECTURES: 

1. The History and Nature of the Authoritarian Personality Syndrome 

2. The Deep Structure of Authoritarianism: Where it comes from, and what it means to us 

3. The Social Psychology of Authoritarianism

4. Authoritarianism in Contemporary Culture

Kevin Lanning, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology and data science at Florida Atlantic University's Wilkes Honors College. His research focuses on personality measurement and computational social science, with expertise in the social psychology of U.S. presidential elections, and he teaches political psychology during election cycles.