College Seminar (101-7-28)

Topic

Animals in the Archives

Instructors

Lydia Barnett
847/491-7421
Harris Hall - Room 305

Meeting Info

Willard Hall B72: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

Topic: Animals in the Archives

What happens when we include animals in the way we tell history? How can history help us understand the way we relate to animals today? Together we will learn and discuss the variety of ways that humans have conceptualized their relationships with non-human animals in different cultures and different moments in time: as pets, workers, property, food, commodities, test subjects, memes, pests, zoo animals, conservation targets, and companions of all stripes.

This course is also a workshop where you will acquire the basic research methods of history and ethnography. Students will conduct field research on campus and in Chicago as well as historical research in local archives in order to discover and interrogate human-animal relationships past and present. The course culminates in a research project on animals in Northwestern's history using the visual and documentary records held in Northwestern University Archives.

Registration Requirements

First years only

Learning Objectives

Goals for this topic: Acquire historical knowledge and build the skills of historical and cultural analysis. Learn to identify and analyze the cultural values that influence how humans treat (other) animals. Gain hands-on research experience in archives and in the field. Build practical experience collecting and analyzing data and using it to craft evidence-based arguments. Master the basic research methods of History, the humanities, and the social sciences. Get to know Northwestern, Evanston, and the greater Chicago area by walking through them and researching their history. Learn to see the world around you as shaped by social and historical forces. Learn to see history not as something dead and gone but something that actively shapes the present. Goals for all college seminars: Strengthen skills in academic writing, reading, critical thinking, and oral expression. Communicate effectively and respectfully. Learn what college is and what skills you will need to help you succeed. Learn how and when to ask for help and what resources are in place to help you succeed. Become a better learner but also a producer of new knowledge, with rigor and integrity.

Evaluation Method

Field journal

Class Notes

History Major Concentration(s): Americas, Global
History Minor Concentration(s): United States, Science and Technology, Environment

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration. Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required