Humanities and Fine Arts 101 - Traversing Differences: Local
Spring
2026
02
4.00
Jacquelyn Southern
M W 4:00PM 5:15PM
UMass Amherst
79060
Herter Hall room 201
jsouthern@umass.edu
This is a small discussion-based, interdisciplinary course that focuses on reading transformative texts drawn from the US context. You will read fiction and poetry alongside works of philosophy, history, politics, and sociology that describe, model, and examine the complexities of human experience. This course is designed to "transcend" individual majors, bringing students from across campus into shared conversation, helping you develop and practice skills for success in college, career, and life. Engaging deeply and imaginatively with multiple perspectives on human rights, the environment, science, and the arts, you and your peers will reflect on how to navigate the world as ethical human beings. By exploring these potentially life-changing works, you will develop new understandings of how they inspire new and liberating approaches to expression, selfhood, and community. (Gen. Ed. AL, DU)
20 seats reserved for freshmen/sophomores, 5 seats open for juniors/seniors