IDS-300: Arts, Artifacts & Culture-Europe

An introduction to the culture and the social life of the peoples of continental Europe based upon a study of the arts and artifacts they produced. This course places special emphasis on the countries students visit while studying in Continental Europe. Terms are defined broadly, looking at literary, visual and musical arts as well as dance; architecture of both private and public spaces; and artifacts of all kinds. Focus will be on folk as well as high culture; ancient as well as modern times; and traditional as well as avant-garde modes. Students examine expressions that are secular as well as religious; utilitarian as well as purely ornamental; and communal as well as personal. To facilitate students' observations of local culture, the spoken languages of the countries being visited will be studied.