Hurricane Katrina and the Social Contract

Students examine John Locke’s theory of the social contract by interpreting whether
or not the government fulfilled its obligations to the people of New Orleans in
the context of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The heated national debate over the
government’s handling of the disaster, along with the allegations of underlying
racism and classicism, provides an appropriate focus for grappling with Locke’s
notions of the state of nature, natural rights, purpose of government, and
legitimacy of state authority. As we approach the fifth anniversary of the
disaster, students will engage in the debate over the government’s role in
Katrina and argue whether or not the natural disaster constitutes a violation of
the social contract.