HUM - Humanities

This course serves as a foundational introduction to aesthetics: theories of aesthetic judgment, the relationship between artistic productions and politics, the way art has been used in both propaganda and protest, and how we judge the value of artistic production in various media. Students develop interpretative frameworks to judge and interpret art, paying close attention to the ways art both uncovers and troubles our notions of power, inequality, and domination. They do this through a variety of student-centered activities, close readings of texts, in-class debates, and through exposure to and reflection on seminal artistic productions. Pre-requisite(s): ART 101 or equivalent. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course is an interdisciplinary study of the history and culture of Chicago, from the First Nations to present day. Using a topical rather than chronological approach, ?A People's History of Chicago? blends social and cultural history with analysis of art, architecture, and literature. Students will consider the history of Chicago through the experiences of ordinary people of all races and backgrounds who lived and worked there. How did Chicago go from a minor outpost on the frontier of the young United States to a major metropolis? What social and cultural conditions inspired Chicago's great artists, writers, and activists, and how did those individuals drive the events that define the city's past? What made Chicago into a cradle of progressivism, home to racial and social justice movements that have inspired the nation and the world? These questions and many others will inform our study of the ?City of Big Shoulders.? Pre-requisite(s): ENG 101 or equivalent, HIS 103 or equivalent; or with approval by the Department Chair. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course serves as a foundational introduction to some of the central features of human existence: the meaning and value of life. Students will engage with the following fundamental questions: What is the meaning of life (and death)? What is the value of life? Is death a bad thing? What aspects of our of the living world. Students will apply related philosophical theories to humanistic exemplars from history, art, and literature. They do this through a variety of student-centered activities, close readings of texts, in-class debates, and by reflecting on their own experiences and encounters with life and death. Pre-requisite(s): ENG 101, equivalent or with approval by the Department Chair. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours