Mad Men

For seven seasons, AMC’s Mad Men captivated audiences with the story of Don Draper, an advertising executive whose personal and professional successes and failures took viewers on a roller coaster ride through America’s tumultuous 1960s. More than just a television show about one of advertising’s "bad boys," the series investigates the principles of the American regime, exploring whether or not the American Dream is a sustainable vision of human flourishing and happiness. This collection of essays investigates the show’s engagement with the philosophic and political foundations of American democracy.

Sara MacDonald is professor in the Great Books Program at St. Thomas University. Andrew Moore is associate professor and director of the Great Books Program at St. Thomas University.

Chapter 1: Mad Men and the End of History Chapter 2: Don Draper's Life, His Liberty, and His Need for Happiness Chapter 3: Mad Men's Selective Nostalgia and Uncertain Progress Chapter 4: Mastering the Infinite: Mad Men's Poetic Modernity Chapter 5: "Just Like a Man Does": Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Autonomy in Mad Men Chapter 6: Mad Men's Tell-Tale Heart of Racism Chapter 7: Dante and Don Draper Share a Coke Chapter 8: Between Past and Future: Promises and Forgiveness in Mad Men