WesMaps - Wesleyan University Catalog 2023-2024       Summer Session       Winter Session       Home       Archive       Search
CS92PROD
Great Books Unbound: Self and Other (FYS)
COL 150F
Fall 2023
Section: 01   02   03  

Where, how, and why do we draw the boundaries of self and other? In this course, we will discover, analyze, and debate how texts from antiquity to the present have generated and questioned ideas of me and you, us and them: from Shakespeare's tale of love's language ("Romeo and Juliet"), to Descartes's philosophical account of the self as a thinking substance ("Meditations") to Natalie Zemon-Davis's account of self-fashioning, identity theft, and love ("The Return of Martin Guerre"), to Shelley's story of monstrosity and belonging ("Frankenstein").

This course equips students to unbind influential texts from their traditional readings using the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach of the College of Letters. This course combines small FYS discussion sections with weekly mini-lectures by three professors from different disciplines (philosophy, literature, history), along with occasional writing workshops. Designed as a gateway course to any of the core humanities disciplines, Great Books Unbound is not a prerequisite for a College of Letters major, but students considering the major are strongly encouraged to enroll.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA COL
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode: Credit/Unsatisfactory
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Requirement for: None
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on DEC-26-2024
Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email ? Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459