ARTH 3720 - Art and Identity

Goals: The topic of the course is how Art has been used historically and is used today to construct identity. The course relies on the theories of nationalism, community, and cultural artifact put forth by Gellner, Anderson, Hobsbawm and others.

Content: Each of four specific topic areas examined in this course (identity at personal, communal, national, and cultural levels) will involve class lecture on art historical aspects and guest speakers from Hamline and from the larger Twin Cities community. Each topic will also involve a community service project. Students will be assigned into groups (4-5 students in each of 4 groups). Each group will address one of the topic areas and each student within that group will perform at least 20 hours of community service in that topic area (project at a specific location will be arranged by Instructor with a particular organization). At the end of the semester each group will give an in-class presentation of its community service work in the context of the class topic and material. In addition, students at the 3000 level will write a research paper on an art historical topic related to the theme of the class.

Taught: Alternate years

Prerequisites: ARTH 1200 and ARTH 1210

Credits: 4 credits