Global Arc

A studio course in which formal problems are raised and explored through a range of materials. The central focus is on analysis and exploration of the nature of sculptural space. One four-hour studio class. Prerequisites: 221 or 222 and instructor's permission.

This seminar examines the radical possibilities of collaboration as fundamentally a process of radical composition through which collaborators bridge different modalities of creative expression - textual composition, artistic composition, speculative composition, among others - that span multiple media, forms and practices. By modeling and exploring collaboration as radical composition, this course seeks to reframe it as more that a dynamic of participation and coordination, and to recognize it as a generative methodology for producing critical scholarly and creative work.

A script is only the beginning. Then come the interesting decisions: the actors, the visual style, and the sound design. In this class, each student will be given one segment of a script which they can interpret in any way they choose. Will your part be done as a film noir? A musical? Will it be shot in black and white? Acted in the nude? Reimagined as a documentary? At the end of the term, all the segments will be strung together to make a complete film--a surprising collage of everyone

With roots in political art and community activism, publicly engaged art inserts itself into specific public contexts in a direct engagement with communities and its audience - often with the hope for social change. It endeavors to make social structures as art rather than objects. This class will investigate public art today through readings, case studies, and creating projects that engage the spaces on and around campus. What kinds of societal questions can art pose while still being art? In what ways can forms of collaboration and audience participation be part of artistic practice? Can art provoke social change?

This class is equal parts screening, filmmaking, discussion, and artistic critique. We will watch, discuss, and dissect works by artists and filmmakers from across the globe that use personal form and distinct techniques to communicate idiosyncratically. Readings will explore contemporary notions of time and cinema while screenings prioritize nonfiction and fiction works (as well as art pieces) that have mainstream audience potential. Students will use video cameras to complete assignments that will expand their filmic language as they work over the semester toward the completion of a short film that employs a singular structure.

This seminar will explore the idea of color through a wide range of scientific, philosophical and aesthetic theories. While the eyes of normally sighted human beings render color in roughly the same manner, our reactions and ability to "see" color vary. Far from being a fixed entity, color is a deeply personal and psychological component of human perception and art. In addition to readings, presentations, and discussions, students will be required to keep two kinds of color diaries-one using portable watercolors and another using language-to chronicle their color perceptions, as well as write a paper on an artwork they encounter on campus.

An examination of the central texts and abiding issues of the theory of cinema. Properties of the shot as a unit of film construction and its relationship to the space of reality are analyzed. Different kinds of film structures and their theoretical underpinnings are studied.

Continuation of SWA 101. Emphasis is on increasing proficiency in reading and listening comprehension, speaking, and writing. Cultural contexts of the East African societies where Swahili is spoken are incorporated in classroom activities in order to enhance communication and cultural proficiency. Prerequisite: SWA 101. Four classes.

This is a continuation of Swahili 101T and enhances communicative skills acquired in Elementary Swahili I, with an emphasis on writing, reading, comprehension, and conversation. Classroom and small group activities enhance already introduced skills in speaking, writing, listening, and reading; all geared to take advantage of day-to-day, out-of-class interactions with locals in Dar es Salaam. Learners are expected to perform basic interactions with locals, to comprehend basic spoken and written texts, and to write a 1-page essay in Kiswahili on activities and experiences in Tanzania.

Intensive Beginning Swahili is a 6-week summer abroad course for students who have no prior proficiency in Swahili language. The course is taught in Kiswahili and focuses on acquiring novice-level skills to perform basic communication functions in the culture of Swahili speakers. Instruction is through in-class and experiential activities that enhance the skills of observing, listening, reading, writing, and speaking about what learners encounter on a day-to-day basis. Students who complete SWA 103 in Kenya will be able to test out of SWA 101 and SWA 102 and eligible to enroll in SWA 105 when they return to campus in the fall.