Global Arc

Mind games, thought experiments (think of Zeno's Paradox), and dream narratives are ways of expressing an imagined possibility in order to reveal something hitherto obscured by the seemingly obvious. Their epistemological value is thus as important as their aesthetic structure is intriguing. In a survey from Plato's parable of the cave to 19th century prose fiction, this course will examine the narrative and rhetorical techniques these experimental genres employ to convey a kind of knowledge that can be gained only by means of fiction and the imagination.

Seminar addresses R. M. Rilke's literary work around a central question in modernist cultural production. If the conditions of human existence in modernity have rendered the category of experience itself problematic, what possibilities remain for the production and reception of works of art? Close study of the work of artists whose practices informed Rilke's writing (Rodin, Cézanne), as well as readings in philosophy (Simmel, Heidegger) address questions concerning the phenomena of modernity and modern culture and the ways in which artists, writers, and philosophers attempted to come to terms with them in 20th-cent. Europe.

What are we to make of art that presents itself in opposition to culture? German art of the 20th century compels us to reckon with that question. The first part of this course will do so through close readings of literary and philosophical texts from Nietzsche to Beckett. Our approach to reading will be collaborative and experimental. The second part of the course will pursue a case study of the multimedia art of Hanne Darboven (1941-2009), which we will explore in person at Dia in New York City, in the collections of the Art Museum and Marquand Library, and in conversation with contemporary artists to whom Darboven's work has been important.

The aim of this course is to track and understand the structural and architectural engineering leadership of Italy in the context of social-political-economic circumstances. The course studies various structure of Italy in three distinct time frames: creativity in structural and architectural engineering during the classical and medieval period, vaulted reinforced concrete structures of the 1900s, and modern times of lightweight structures and advanced technologies. In all parts of the course, calculations are made to examine the structural integrity. The course is open to all majors, no prerequisites.

We'll be based in Galway, a university town in the western part of the country with a rich tradition of Irish folk culture and performance. In addition to reading canonical and avant-garde drama from the 20th and 21st centuries, and studying and experiencing local theatre and performance, students will study the Irish language and will participate in performance-based community service activities. Daily seminars and performance workshops will be supplemented by frequent evenings of theatre-going. Performance experience is not necessary to enroll in this seminar.

The seminar begins with ancient civilizations and ends with Turkey in the twenty first century. It provides an analysis of change and continuity in Turkish society with a strong focus on history. Emphasis will also be on major cultural transformations. Students read at least one book on a major subject to be discussed in the course.

For most of history, political regimes have glorified their past. Only recently do we seem to observe a new form of political legitimacy: governments acknowledge misdeeds in the past, leaders officially apologize, and atonement is literally set in stone through monuments and museums. Germany is often seen as a prime example of the trend and has even been held up as a model for `dealing with a difficult past'. This seminar examines the German case in order to address the following questions: is there an ethical obligation to remember the past?Do collective memories remain tied to nation-states, or can memory practices transcend them?

This course traces the birth and spread of the ghetto as a social form and as an idea throughout world history. We begin with the first Jewish residential zone in a European city, the Jewish quarter of pre-Christian Rome, and end with what some prominent observers are calling a paradigmatic ghetto of the 21st century: Gaza. As we trace the spread and evolution of the ghetto concept, we explore how the social form emerged in different historical moments and what people inside and outside have made of the experience.

This Global Seminar explores Zen practice and its religious connections to monastic life and its secular links to Japanese arts. Studies of the essential aspects of Japanese History, the mechanics of East Asian writing systems, and Mahâyâna Buddhism will be complemented by opportunities in Kyoto to practice Zen meditation. Students will visit many sites around Kyoto, including Nanzenji, Shôkokuji, and Daitokuji temples. Attending a daily class in the elements of the Japanese language is required.

This course will study language and history through the lens of a regional collection of fairy tales, and will allow students to develop a working knowledge of the richly collaborative process through which musical theater is created. We'll learn how artists interpret, adapt, and create work, as well as give feedback to the creative development process. By working closely with professionals, students will also gain valuable experience in the craft of musical theater writing - learning some of the basic principles of form we well as how to shape songs and musicalized scenes for maximum storytelling clarity and effectiveness.