First-Year Seminars 110TA - Thinking With Animals

From the ancient world to the present day, animals have been captive to the demands of human exceptionalism. Evolutionary theorists, along with critical thinkers from a growing number of disciplines, have interrogated the human-animal binary, asking difficult and provocative questions about the nature of life and the politics of being. In this course, first- year students will explore these issues from a variety of perspectives, revisiting their own assumptions and experiences as they discover works of art and literature that engage directly with animal presence and absence. Special attention will be paid to the discourse of species as it intersects with other forms of difference.

Mount Holyoke first-year students only, by placement.