History 397EH - ST-Paradise Postponed:Am Utop

America never became a utopia, but it was not for want of trying. This course will look at American quests for perfection and the various religious, industrial, ideological, and lifestyle models upon which utopian plans were built. We will analyze visions, power distribution, ideology, and the strengths, weaknesses, and legacies of social experiments from the 19th century to the present. This is a readings symposium whose workload is commensurate with a four-credit honors course. It involves critical reading, group discussion, individual student projects, and short papers. Several classic works on utopianism will be sampled, but the bulk of reading will center on American utopias and dystopias.

Open to Seniors, Juniors & Sophomores only.