Studies in 19th-Century Art (450-0-1)

Topic

Visual Language of Protest

Instructors

Rebecca Zorach

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-319: Fri 2:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

This graduate seminar examines themes and case studies in the visual language of protest from the early 19th century to the late 20th century with a focus on print culture, graphic arts, photography, film, and performance, with case studies chosen from local (Chicago-area), national, and international contexts. Activist themes could include abolition, labor organizing, revolution and decolonization, the Black Arts Movement and the Black Panthers, Indigenous, feminist, queer, antiwar, environmental, and anti-police violence movements. We will bear in mind relationships to conventional "fine arts" and discuss theories of collective action, violence, and communication. For those seeking a "breadth" credit in the nineteenth century, the topic of your final paper and your discussion leading day must fall primarily between 1789 and 1914; other students may choose to write on contemporary topics outside the chronological scope of the class. Assessments include participation in discussion, miscellaneous short writing prompts, a final research paper with a proposal and a partial draft, leading class for one session and presenting on the final paper topic. Students are invited to contribute ideas about specific case studies and historical and geographic areas of interest.