First-Year Seminar (105-6-27)
Topic
Through the Looking Glass: Intersections of Identi
Instructors
Michele Nicole Zugnoni
Meeting Info
University Hall 312: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
As you begin your first year in college, you'll encounter many different experiences that may lead you to ask the legendary questions: Who am I? and Who do I want to become? Identity forms an important part of our development, both inside university and outside academia. While we may assume one identity within the university, we may assume an entirely different identity within friend groups or within our families. The intersectionality of identity plays a pivotal role in shaping our world view. It's also important to consider within the academic setting, as you begin to connect with others from different backgrounds who will form the basis of your peer and academic support and learning groups over the next four years. This class will explore the shaping of identity. You will have the opportunity to explore your own identities, both within university and outside academia. You will also explore how others shape their identities. Of particular emphasis will be the intersectionality of identity. We will consider elements such as sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and race. Emphasis will be placed on identity-shaping phenomena such as life experiences, socialization within communities and families, and popular culture. Together, we will come to a deeper understanding of identity. The culminating project of the class will be a "first-quarter-of-college identity" time capsule. At the end of your fourth year at Northwestern, Professor Zugnoni will send you your time capsule by email so that you can revisit your first days of the university experience.
Class Materials (Required)
Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza, by Gloria Anzaldúa (ISBN-13: 9781879960855)
Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God and Race, by Clay Cane (ISBN-13: 9781627782180)
Mixed: Multiracial College Students Tell their Life Stories, Edited by Andrew Garrod, Robert Kilkenny, and Christina Gómez (ISBN-13 9780801479144)
Class Attributes
WCAS First-Year Seminar
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for First Year & Sophomore only
Add Consent: Department Consent Required
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required