Freud remarked that his case histories read like short stories, and it was this intersection of genres that allowed him to arrive at an understanding of the suffering of his patients. The reading and writing of case histories, whether legal, medical, or psychological, give us access to the way narrative forms come to structure and determine our lives. The case history proceeds on two registers--a written text that also includes its own interpretation, its own reading--which gives it a special connection to the study of literature and literary interpretation.

The aim of this course will be the comparative study of four ancient epics from India, Greece, Israel, and Italy. The core readings will comprise: the Ramayana, the Odyssey, the David Story, and the Aeneid. Each text will be considered both in its own historical and cultural context and in the larger shared context of bronze age epic, myth, and literature.

Dance in the Community: This course is designed for students interested in merging social activism, performing arts and teaching. It teaches students to use movement, dance and theatre in settings such as senior centers, schools, prisons, and youth recreation centers. In studio sessions, students will learn how to construct classes and dance exchanges or events for community sites.

We are currently living through a new golden age of photobooks. The last few years have seen an explosion of renewed interest in the artistic and narrative possibilities of this form. We will explore this resurgence within the context of the history of photography and photobooks, paying special attention to the changes in technology that have allowed for the growth of small press/DYI publishing and studying examples of notable works that have recently emerged.

This is a course where we look to grow collectively into a dynamic performance ensemble. Our work culminates in a final concert at the end of the semester. Full attendance is crucial to the work of this class. Within the ensemble, each student will be encouraged to develop her or his skills as an interpretive musician and as an improvising soloist. All instruments, including voice, are welcome. We look to engage a pan-stylistic, pan-historical, celebratory approach to the African-American musical continuum.

El Anatsui, Hannah Hoch, Gabriel Orozco, William Pope L., Yinka Shonibare, Ghada Amer, Wangechi Mutu, Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor, David Hammons. Since the 1960s, the variety of an increasing choice of media has created more diverse working fields for artists. While this may make it easier for more artists to find areas of expression, it may also be more difficult for students to map their own artistic language. This course is designed for students who are starting to develop their own personality as artists.

Given powerful developments in scientific technology, probability, astrology, theology, and philosophy during the European Renaissance, ideas about what controlled events in the world were the source of deep and unresolved controversy. Were events ranging from unforeseen personal tragedies to economic investments to imperial rises and falls guided by chance or by an all-seeing God? Did supernatural forces exist, and if so, what form did they take? How was it possible to discern the difference between luck and God's will?

This course explores how art and architecture have profoundly shaped visual experiences and shifting understandings of past and present. Featuring different case studies, our class includes work with original objects, site visits, and writings about art.

Using a range of conventional and unconventional materials and artistic approaches students with a solid foundation in drawing will create experimental work with the aim of pushing boundaries and discovering new territory. Students will receive prompts to work in class and develop projects, will be expected to keep sketchbooks and work approximately 8 hours per week outside of class.

Words and pictures are, we know, different beasts. Yet theories of literature and of the image often rely on a common set of ideas -- about the nature of representation or figuration, or about the power of fiction and imagination. This course will explore the many intersections and tensions between literary and visual paradigms. We will be particularly interested in the different status accorded texts and images with respect to epistemological and ideological questions. How do verbal and visual understandings of mimesis, deception, and revelation differ?