ART 250 - Art, History, and Global Citizenship in Paris

This course studies Paris–its history, art history, and present society–in order to better understand the creation of national identities and the place of “outsiders” in those national identities. We focus our examination on the city of Paris: heart of the French Revolution; birthplace of universalism; capital of a global imperial power of subjects and citizens; where women were denied suffrage until 1945; Catholic by tradition, secular by law, and largely Muslim in practice; a cosmopolitan city home to people from around the world; refuge for Americans seeking intellectual and cultural freedom; a place where those of North African heritage are largely segregated to the outskirts of the city. As we examine the complexity of French national identity and the place of “outsiders” in that identity through history, art, and experience, students will also gain insights into the same questions we wrestle with in the American context. Who is American; who belongs? Sometimes it helps to examine another community to better understand our own.

Credits: 3
Terms Offered: Summer
Attributes: Arts and Humanities II (AH2), Historical Perspectives (HST)