Special Topics in the Humanities (370-6-22)

Topic

Imagining Repair

Instructors

Sofia Sanchez

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-430: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

Who shapes collective memory, and why does it matter? In an era of fake news, artificial intelligence, and deep political divisions, this course asks not only what we remember about the past, but how those memories are produced, circulated, and contested. We will explore how artists, activists, and communities in Chicago and across Latin America use art and storytelling to respond to histories of violence, inequality, and injustice. Through performances, photography, literature, and film, we will study creative responses to issues such as police violence, dictatorship, and social inequality. Materials approach these topics from both institutional perspectives (such as museums, memorials, and official narratives) and community-based forms of memory-making grounded in lived experience and collective action. The course pays special attention to how cultural work imagines reparations not only as legal or financial solutions, but also as ethical, emotional, and creative ways of repairing harm. We will also spend time thinking about public space as a site where memory is debated and reimagined, inviting students to reflect on how history and memory shape their everyday surroundings.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 250-0, SPANISH 251-0, SPANISH 260-0, or SPANISH 261-0.

Evaluation Method

All assignment instructions and deadlines will be shared on Canvas. This course values active
participation and creative thinking. No prior experience with theory or art-making is required;
what matters most is your engagement with the course and your willingness to reflect,
experiment, and take intellectual risks.

Class Materials (Required)

All course materials will be available on Canvas.

Class Notes

This course is conducted primarily in Spanish and is intended for students with prior coursework in Spanish. Students are expected to actively participate in discussion and complete readings and written work in Spanish.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area