Twenty-five years ago, the legal scholar Cass Sunstein argued for a focus on “a useable past.” By this he meant “elements in history that can be brought fruitfully to bear on current problems.”1
For this essay, explain which one of the assigned readings (the readings from historians, not the annotation documents) from units 3 through 5 is most useful for understanding our contemporary world.
A successful essay will do more than simply summarize the main points of the reading chosen (though this is important), it will also argue how and why it is useful for thinking though our contemporary moment. While you may refer to non-assigned texts or other readings from the course as needed, make sure your focus is on the assigned reading you have chosen.
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