SYLLABUS
Introduction to the Humanities II
Hum A212 section 602 - Fall 2009
THEME: A study of a given historical period or periods with reference to art, literature, philosophy, and music.
Course
Description:
 | Asks how the humanistic tradition is relevant to a person trying to understand the world, in Anchorage, at the start of the 21st century. |
| Explores major methods of contemporary humanistic criticism and major trends in the humanistic tradition. |
| Investigates how aesthetic products reflect specific world views. |
| Examines the creation and evaluation of works of art in social and historical contexts. |
| Introduces techniques of humanistic inquiry and examples of art criticism. |
| Considers how the humanistic tradition is related to the arts and culture of the contemporary U.S.A. |
Prerequisites/Assumed Knowledge:
English 111, Hum
211, and a Fine Arts GER are strongly recommended as preparation for this
course. This is a writing and reading intensive course which explores multiple
artistic media. It is primarily designed for students preparing for the Bachelor
of Liberal Studies Program and students preparing for the BA in Elementary Education.
TEXTS:
Art History's History (2nd Edition) by Vernon Hyde Minor (Paperback - Jul 14, 2000) (AHH)
Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (4th Edition) by Charles E. Bressler (Paperback - Jul 26, 2006) (LC)
Arts and Culture, Combined Volume (3rd Edition) by Janetta Rebold Benton and Robert DiYanni (AC)
Course grades are based on:
Writing
Assignments
- 50% - nine essays showing an understanding of the materials covered in class
and the assigned readings in response to questions, each with a minimum of 300
words,
25%
of the grade will be based on a term
project.
Attendance -15%.
Dialogue -10%.
CLASS: Hours: M 5:30P – 8:15P Room ADM 142
OFFICE: Administration and Humanities Building Room 261 see my Current Schedule.
Phone: 786-4458 (office), 694-1023 (home). The best way to get a message to me is via e-mail. Please feel free to call my home phone. My web page is located at http://afwsj.uaa.alaska.edu and my e-mail address is AFWSJ@UAA.ALASKA.EDU. Please become familiar with the links from this syllabus to lecture notes and other sources for many of the topics we will discuss.
August 24:
This lecture includes an introduction to the course and description of course requirements. We will discuss: the purpose of studying the Humanities and the theories used to study them.
AC - 1. Dawn of Culture
LC - 1. Defining Criticism, Theory, and Literature
This lecture concerns a review of the dawn of culture and a first look at theory.
AC - 2. Ancient Egypt,
AHH - Introduction and 1. The Academy
August 31:
This lecture continues with a look at theory applied to the ancients.
AC - 3. Aegean Culture and Early Greece,
LC - 2. A Historical Survey of Literary Criticism
This lecture continues with a look at Ancient Greek and Early Christian Theory.
AC - 4. Classical and Hellenistic Greece,
AHH - 2. What is Art?
September 7: No class for Labor Day Holiday.
September 14:
This lecture continues considering Ancient Greek and Early Christian Theory.
AC - 5. Roman Civilization,
LC - 3. New Criticism
First Written Assignment due.
This lecture will look at the theory called "New Criticism".
AC - 6. Judaism, Early Christianity, and Byzantine Civilization,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 96
September 21:
Term paper topics due.
This lecture will look at the theories up to and including Kant.
AC - 7. Islamic Civilization,
LC - 4. Reader - Response Criticism
This lecture will look at the theory of Reader Response Criticism as well as discuss Judaic and Islamic narratives.
AC - 8. Indian Civilization,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 101
September 28:
This lecture will look at the theories up to and including Hegel.
AC - 9. Early Chinese and Japanese Civilizations,
LC 5. Structuralism (Modernity and Postmodernism)
Second Written Assignment due.
This lecture will begin to look at the theories following Hegel. Structuralism.
AC - 10. Early Civilizations of the Americas and Africa,
LC - 5. Deconstruction (Modernity and Postmodernism)
Term paper thesis statement and outline due.
October 5:
This lecture will continue a look at Structuralism and Deconstruction.
AC - 11. Early Middle Ages and the Romanesque,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 124
This lecture will continue a look at Modernism.
AC - 12. Gothic and Late Middle Ages,
LC - 6. Psychoanalytic Criticism
"Final" term paper topic and tentative bibliography due.
October 12:
This lecture will continue a look at psychological interpretations.
AC - 13. The Renaissance and Mannerism in Italy,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 149
Third Written Assignment due.
This lecture will look at Formalism, Sociological, and Marxist Perspectives.
AC - 14. The Renaissance in Northern Europe,
LC - 7. Feminism
Term paper first rough draft due.
October 19:
This lecture will look at Feminism.
AC - 15. The Baroque Age,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 184
This lecture will look at the Semiotic.
Term paper groups present initial concerns.
AC - 16. The Eighteenth Century,
LC - 8. Marxism
Term paper second rough draft due.
October 26:
This lecture will look at Marxism again.
AC - 17. Romanticism and Realism,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 214
This lecture will look at Romanticism.
Fourth Written Assignment due.
AC - 18. Belle Époque: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism,
LC - 9. Cultural Poetics or New Historicism
Term paper discussion groups assigned, third draft due. This draft will be shared with group.
November 2:
This lecture will look at Belle Époque: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
AC - 19. Chinese Civilization After the Fifteenth Century,
AHH - 3. The Emergence of Method and Modernism in Art History to p. 222
This lecture will look at local art in the context of the text and we will discuss the usefulness of the text AHH.
Fifth Written Assignment due.
Term paper groups readdress concerns.
November 9:
This lecture continues a look at local art in the context of the text.
AC - 21. Age of Anxiety: World War I and After,
This lecture continues a discussion on the value of the texts, course, and future readings.
AC - 20. Japanese Civilization After the Fifteenth Century,
LC - 10. Cultural Studies
AC - 22. Modern Africa and Latin America,
For class read the excerpt from "Truth and Tolerance" posted on Blackboard.
Sixth Written Assignment due.
November 16:
Seventh Written Assignment due.
AC - 23. Age of Affluence: World War II and After.
November 23:
For class read the excerpt from: "The Collapse of the Fact / Value Dichotomy" posted on Blackboard.
November 30: Student Survey are done on line. Please remember to do a survey for this class to help me make the class better for the next group!
Eighth Written Assignment due.
AC - 24. Diversity in Contemporary Life,
Term Paper due.
December 9: Final meeting is Wednesday from 4:00 P - 6:45 P in room SSB 250.
Ninth Written Assignment due.
This syllabus may be adjusted at any time to meet the class or instructor’s requirements upon one week’s notice to students.