Course Catalog Humanities/Cultural Studies
Censorship, Art + The Law HCS 386
CIA: Our Creative Continuum HCS 388X
Topics in 20th-C US History HCS 390X
This course will cover the history of censorship in America. We will begin with the language of the First Amendment. We will then study the evolution of the definition of obscenity starting with the Comstack Laws and moving through the current Supreme Court test for determining whether an expression is obscene. We will look at the laws surrounding child pornography as well as hate speech and art that incites violence. For each of these categories of expression, we will discuss anecdotal applications of the First Amendment using artists such as Mapplethorpe, Serrano, Ligon, Zimmerman, Scott, Diana and Finley. While the primary focus of the class will be on government action, we will also look at examples of self censorship by the entertainment industry and public galleries. Finally, we will finish with an overview of the Patriot Act, its current applications and its implications for our future freedom of expression. The question underlying all of the historical context, anecdotal applications and the current law is why do we censor? Are there ever legitimate justifications for censorship and if so, how do we, as a society, draw those lines? In addressing these issues, we will study in depth the feminist anti-pornography movement, excerpts from Susan Sontag’s On Photography, and the outcry over music lyrics post-Columbine. 3 credits.
Students will acquire a working knowledge of the history of the Cleveland Institute of Art—with an emphasis on the diversity of accomplishment among both historical and current CIA faculty and alumni—and will consider whether and, if so, how this information supports their own developing artistic identity and their membership in the CIA community, a “creative continuum” now spanning 130 years (1882-2012). Understanding the history of our school will involve some amount of attention to the history of Cleveland (especially post-1860) and its location in Northeast Ohio, as well as the school’s proximity to the Cleveland Museum of Art and other cultural institutions, once the school came to University Circle in 1905. The impact of major 20th-century events like the World Wars and the Great Depression on the school and its community will also be considered. May be applied as Creative Writing Concentration course. 3 credits.
As the title suggests, this is an entry-level survey course in modern American history, covering the period roughly from the end of Reconstruction to the late 20th century. In this course we will follow a chronological continuum. We will emphasize political, economic, cultural and social history. We will look at those in positions of power and those groups in society trying to acquire rights and power. In 15 weeks, we will be progressing from the period of steam engines and the American frontier to rock ‘n roll and the Apollo moon landing—a vast amount of material. The choice of what to include and what to leave out is entirely subjective, and class feedback on those decisions is encouraged. Issues of international importance will be discussed, in some cases in depth, but the main emphasis of the course will be on the domestic transformation. 3 credits.
From the Front Row: Cinema + Critical Writing HCS 389
A course on how visual artists (and some composers) use sound in their works. Works discussed in class will include “stand alone” works of sound art, musique concrete, sound sculptures, installation works (using sound as a main component), radio art, film, and internet-based works. Students will be expected to identify differing qualities of sound, and there will be regular listening and reading assignments for each class. Students will also be given written assignments, and will have to compose a work of sound art or sound sculpture as a final project. May be applied as Visual Culture Emphasis course. 3 credits.
Cinematic Landscapes of Asia HCS 387X This course is to explore contemporary films of Asia, focusing on India, China (Taiwan + Hong Kong), + Japan. The films serve as a window of global understanding in culture. Through assigned films, political, social, literary and visual aspects of these nations will be stressed in this course. Mini-lectures will also be provided occasionally to prepare the students in understanding the historical and cultural references in the contexts of contemporary Asian films. For writing assignments, each student is encouraged to self-express and self-identify through viewing the films and sophisticate responses in their writings/ reports/critics of the films. The class is divided into two components: film viewing and discussion/lectures. 3 credits.
Does writing about a film mean something different from writing other things? What is cinematic representation? Cinema is a cultural phenomenon but what do we mean when we say such a thing? Is film a language? What is critical theory? The aim of the seminar is to encourage undergraduate students interested in cinema to develop better written and verbal skills within the context of a broader field of cinema studies. Students will debate the essence of cinema and acquire a framework for understanding its formal qualities. In the process, they will learn to experience film as a visual language, explore its similarities to other arts, and analyze its relation to critical dialogue. FROM THE FRONT ROW; Cinema and An Approach to Critical Writing is divided into three sections or thematic discussions with each section intended to follow one another to provide a cumulative sense of the field of study. Some cross-reference is required to initiate debate and discussion. May be applied as Creative Writing Concentration course. 3 credits.
Sound Art + New Media HCS 411
Liberal Arts classes can be found in the Course listing section of this catalog under: ACD: Art/Craft/Design History+Theory HCS: Humanities/Cultural Studies LLC: Literature, Language + Composition SNS: Science + Natural Studies
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