Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: WHERE IS UTOPIA? A BIG QUESTIONS COURSE

Department: Humanities Division

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: Where is utopia? Thomas More’s original coinage, suggesting both “good place” and “no place,” might give little cause for hope, but that hasn’t stopped visionaries, scientists, artists and scholars from seeking it out over the years. It might be in our past, or just ahead. We might be there now, if only we knew how to look: under the pavement, we might find the beach. Or utopia might be off our planet entirely. Ideals shape societies; scientific research, architecture, city planning and cultural production all attest to the hopes and values that spawned them. But as we consider the fallout of past utopian efforts, corollary questions present themselves: do we even want to find utopia? Does every “perfect” society imply a dystopian counterpart? Who is utopia for, and who is excluded? This course will explore utopia through the work of scientists, architects, artists and art movements. Classes will fall into three categories: lectures and reading discussions; field trips; and group art projects. These latter Learning Lab projects will encourage students to work together and apply the readings, discussions and artistic precedents towards their own visions of utopia.