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 features a broad examination of the field of digital humanities, its methods, and its relationship to various careers alongside a specific engagement with narrative storytelling and digital civic journalism. In this course, students gain a deeper impression of how digital tools are used in humanistic forms of expression and research, and they have the opportunity to create narrative artifacts and stories that engage with their communities or are identified as relevant to their individual contexts. Through this exploration, creation, and reflection, students will gain exposure to a variety of storytelling techniques that help them hone their oral and written skill sets, while exploring the relevant connections f the digital humanities to potential career paths. Pre-requisite(s): ENG 101, equivalent or with approval by the Department Chair. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course is an interdisciplinary study of mass incarceration in the modern world. Using interpretive analyses of history, literature, philosophy, and other humanistic disciplines, students will examine, explore, and debate the role of the modern nation-state in establishing and maintaining carceral systems. This will include the historical role of state-sponsored police and the experiences of people imprisoned. Students develop an understanding of mass incarceration and state-sponsored policing through case studies from the United States and comparative global contexts. They will engage with a variety of media, including content created by and about incarcerated people. In so doing, students will consider the community impact of these carceral systems. The course uses a variety of student-centered activities, close readings of texts, in-class debates, and reflection. Pre-requisite(s): ENG 101, equivalent or with approval of Department Chair. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course is an examination of the role of work in in society and the ethical implications of its organizational patterns. Students will engage with a variety of texts that serve to historically ground the rise of the division of labor, its disparate effects on individuals and communities, and the ethical dilemmas raised in changing patterns of domestic and global economic activity. In doing so, students will develop their own views on work’s relationship to civic life and democracy, evaluating and deliberating on ideas and proposals discussed in class. They will do this while reflecting on work experiences they or community members have had, and they will relate these and other ethnographic narratives discussed to their own professional goals. Pre-requisite(s): ENG 101 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

This course is designed for students participating in the Humanities Minor to complete their research or internship requirement. Students will spend a term further exploring a theme or topic from their humanities courses or a relevant question or topic pertinent to their professional interests. Working independently with the guidance of an instructor, students will conduct original research, incorporating at least two humanistic fields or exemplars. This will culminate in the production of a summative work presented in a public forum. Pre-requisite(s): 15 HUM credit hours or exception made by department chair. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours