Ellie Anderson: What is justice, and who gets to decide?

What is liberty, and how do we measure it? Is war ever justified?

Should prisons be abolished? What does communism actually mean?  Should governments even exist?! Maybe, in a swirl of information, some of these questions are on your mind.

Or maybe the only question on your mind is “Who should I vote for?” Or, “What’s going to happen if that’s who people vote for?” Or, “Wait, I’m supposed to be voting?” No matter where you are in the information-vortex, we’ll meet you there. I’m Ellie Anderson. And this is Crash Course Political Theory.

I’m a Philosophy professor, and I’m obsessed with finding ways to make sense of the present by learning from the thinkers of the past. I’ve taught at colleges and universities for over a decade, and I write both for other academics and for the public. I’m also co-host of Overthink podcast and YouTube channel, where I help people understand philosophy and  how it can make sense of their everyday lives.

For the next few months, we’ll dig into ideas  that seem unshakeable—like freedom and justice, rights and democracy—but are  actually always evolving. In other words, we don’t really know, or agree, on what we mean by them. We’re constantly negotiating them — in every protest, election, and… a large percentage of TikToks.

Political theory explores concepts and  questions that have dogged humanity since we first organized ourselves into groups. And that continue to inform the biggest issues of our time, from policing and incarceration to war and inequality. It brings together Socrates, Karl Marx, Hannah Arendt, bell hooks, your grandma, and even you — to ask and try to answer questions fundamental  to who we are and what we want the world to be.

The series won’t advise you on who to vote for or what to think. But political theory can give us with the skills to sift through information that overwhelms us from all sides. To identify fears and values spiraling amid facts and evidence.

To get a better handle on the ideas  at the root of contemporary politics. And to notice patterns that can make us better informed, and more compassionate, citizens. So let’s meet back here—next week—for some calm and clarity amid the political chaos.

Thanks for watching this episode of Crash Course Political Theory which was filmed at the Basteel studio, and was made with the help of all these nice people. If you want to help keep Crash Course free for everyone,  forever, you can join our community on Patreon.