Extended Studies History course.
| Distribution Area | Prerequisites | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 course |
Winter Term information
184A: Fireside Stories:Culture & Fiction from 17th c. China
Course Time: TBD
Fees: None
Prerequisites: None
17th century China saw a great explosion of popular fiction in print, yielding a wealth of tales, most suitable for whiling away the winter gloom. In this course we will be exploring some of the bestsellers of the period, appreciating the charm of these gems from another time and place, and reflecting on the themes and techniques of storytelling. We will also use these stories as a window into this rich but uncertain age, learning about the material culture, society, ideas, and politics of the time. This course will provide an entrée into early modern East Asia and an opportunity to dig deep into a particular time and place. In addition to learning about a historical milieu, students will also have the opportunity to reflect on and practice storytelling techniques through writing and speaking exercises.
184B: Fairy Tales as History
Course Time: TBD
Fees: None
Prerequisites: None
American audiences familiar with Disney versions of classic fairy tales are unaware of the dark side of these stories. Maternal mortality, crushing poverty, the struggle to find food, high infant and child death rates, and incest are a few of the many early modern concerns that find their way into the original versions of many of our most beloved fairy tales. A study of the stories in both their original form (to see the expressions of daily misery in the early modern world), and in the movies of today (to see how we shy away from such concerns), is the object of this course. By the end of the class, students will have a better understanding of how, through careful reading and analysis, even fairy tales can be used as good primary sources for the study of history.