Crafting (Un)Ideal States: Utopias and Games of the Mind, Past and Present (FYS)
CCIV 115F
Fall 2019
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01
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Utopias are imaginary places that promise freedom, equality, and happiness. In this course, we will look at different visions of utopian living: What kinds of hope, longing, and impulses do these utopias fulfill? What kind of social critique do they imply? How can they offer freedom and happiness while built on strict programs of biological, psychological, and social engineering? When does one's utopia become another's dystopia?
We will start with ancient Greek poetry and philosophy--Homer, tragedy, Aristophanic comedy, and Plato--to trace the beginnings of utopian thinking and the promises that it makes. In the last part of the semester, we will look at how these early seeds of utopia are recast and developed in later and contemporary literature, theory, and television shows, including Thomas More's "Utopia" and Emily St. John Mandel's "Station Eleven"; selections from T. Adorno, E. Bloch, and F. Jameson; and select episodes from "Black Mirror." |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA CLAS |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
| Instructor(s): Visvardi,Eirene Times: .M.W... 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: DWNY100; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 4 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 1 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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