HNRS-271 | Race & Ethnicity in Art of the U.S.

Full Title: Race & Ethnicity in Art of the U.S.

Topic Description:

How have perceptions of race and ethnicity shaped the art of the United States? In turn, how have these works of art influenced society? While we often speak of the United States as a “melting pot,” art can help us pay closer attention to the continuing diverse strains of ethnic and racial identities that make up the population in the United States. Through art, architecture, and the human-built environment, we can see evidence of how individuals across the nation’s history have understood, represented, constructed, and contested ideas about race and ethnicity. Students in this class will gain deeper understanding of the changing conceptions of race and ethnicity in this country and the rich artistic traditions that have developed through the convergence of cultures in the United States. Finally, we will consider the techniques that artists have used to challenge—and potentially transform—ideas about race and ethnicity

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: March 2020