Kingsborough Community College



Kingsborough Community College

The City University of New York

Ms. Sottile, Instructor

Modern Humanities-Arts & Ideas-Course Syllabus

Course Description: The exploration of literature, drama, art, film, music and poetry in the 20th century in historical context, illustrating the continuity and paradoxes of culture.

Explanation: Study of the Humanities gives students a chance to examine and discover a cultural identity. The study of literature, drama, art, film, music and poetry can lead to the discovery of meaning in life beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, realities and practicalities of human endeavors.

Course Objectives: At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. become acquainted with the human tradition as expressed in its literature, drama, art, music, film and poetry;

2. become familiar with seminal modern ideas and theories as expressed through the humanities;

3. examine underlying assumptions about the humanities and develop “ways of seeing” or perceiving them;

4. think critically about the humanities by looking outward at the world and formulating thoughtful and informed ideas about it; and

5. understand themselves as persons whose identities are shaped through participation in a wider community and longer history.

COURSE OUTLINE:

A. Introduction

1. the nature of the humanities/the creative process

2. why study the humanities

3. historical contexts/20th century paradigms & paradoxes

4. overview of selected images and artifacts of 20th century western culture

B. Themes of 20th Century Humanities & Culture

1. The role of nature/technology

2. power/freedom/control/war

3. dreams/alienation

4. hero/anti-hero

5. the individual in society

6. the future

C. Testing and Evaluation Criteria

1. Individual and group presentations on 20th century images, objects, ideas or texts

2. Short papers examining 20th century images, objects, ideas or texts

3. Quizzes

4. Essay based mid-term and final exam

D. Reading Selections—pending availability

The Shock of the New-Robert Hughes

The Humanistic Tradition-Gloria K. Fiero

White Noise-Don DeLillo

The Stranger-Albert Camus

Zoo Story-Edward Albee

True West-Sam Shepard

Rhinoceros-Eugene Ionesco

Death of a Salesman-Arthur Miller

Christ in Concrete-Pietro di DiNato

Blues People-Amiri Baraka

Selected 20th Century poetry by Auden, Yeats, Neruda, Rukeyser, Rich, Eliot, Stevens, etc.

E. Music CDs will be provided

Selections from various jazz and blues composers and performers (Ellington, Basie, Armstrong, Holiday, Vaughn, Fitzgerald, Coltrane, Gillespie, Davis, Rollins, Coleman, Gershwin, Parker)

Selections from various classical composers and performers-(Debussy, Copeland, Stravinsky)

F. Visual Arts-paintings and sculptures viewed from internet and/or slides (Cezanne, Cassatt, Renoir, Monet, Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Leger, Duchamp, Ernst, Dali, deChirico, Kandinsky, Klee, Brancusi, Braque, Rousseau, Gauging, Seurat, Magritte, Pollack, Chagall, O’Keefe, Chicago, and Kahlo)

G. Films-TBA pending availability

H. Grading Policy-It is expected you will meet all requirements and hand in all assignments on their designated due dates. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade. Please be advised all attendance policies as outlined by the contract you sign along with KCC will be adhered to.

Quizzes/Mid-term/Final-50%

Oral Presentations, Papers/Projects-25%

Homework-15%

Participation/Attendance-10%

**In the event of class being canceled, I will email you; so check your email and Google Classroom every day prior to attending class.

I. Office Hours-Should you require a conference for any reason, please make an appointment to speak via Google Meets before class at 2:00 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. If that is not convenient, we will fix a time that is.

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