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BGS 392 -- Seminar in Humanities (online)

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Week 2 -- Introduction to the Humanities:  A Chicago Montage of Text and Image

This Week at a Glance

Introducing the Humanities -- Art, Myth, Symbol, Story

Getting a handle on what exactly makes up the broad area of inquiry and scholarly we call the "humanities" is a bit like trying to collect a definitive sample of water from Lake Michigan:  you dip and dip, again and again, yet with every sample you discover something new and different about what you're trying to describe.  We can cut to the chase with a short definition of the humanities:  the study and appreciation of human creativity and cultural production, particularly the whole range of the fine and folk arts.  But for a more in-depth, nuanced explanation and introduction, work through the Introduction to the Humanities presentation linked above (also located in 392 Resources on our Bb site).  An interactive experience developed by Professors Gary Wolfe and Amanda Putnam here in Roosevelt's BGS program, this website will give you a good sense of the range and variety of humanistic inquiry, with a special emphasis on the role of myth, symbol, and story in human expression--from works of folk and fine art to the use of ordinary objects and rituals in our daily lives.  All of it's grist for the humanities scholar's mill.  I recommend you pay closer attention to screens 1-13, but the entire lecture is worthwhile and intriguing.  Most people really dig the stuff about urban legends at the end!   

Text and Image -- A Chicago Montage

The other reading assignments for this week are intended to work as a sort of multimedia collage of word, image, and hypertext that depict past and present visions of our city, Chicago.  The short selections from the Smokestacks and Skyscrapers (SS) anthology provide different textual snapshots of Chicago life and history--from the little-known writings of Father Jacque Marquette to the 19th century speech of Potawatami chief Medea to the 20th century writings of muckraker Upton Sinclair and tough guy/writer Nelson Algren.  The resulting mixture is a colorful and varied tapestry of Chicago images and ideas.  

Secondary readings to accompany these selections are the websites on the Great Chicago Fire (which, along with the World's Fair of 1893, is one of the key defining moments in Chicago history and self-image) and the current face of Chicago presented to the world--the City of Chicago homepage.  Both of these sites are extensive and deep in content, and I don't mean for you to work through them in their entirety--just surf around a bit and note the kinds of things that catch your eye; maybe explore one small section of the site in greater detail.  The Chicago Fire website is more obviously an appropriate subject for our reflection and analysis; but why the official website of the city?  Just like everyday symbols (like those layers of messages and images on our paper currency) and urban legends, the image and narratives presented by our city leaders constitute a version of the city as it currently is . . . or, perhaps more accurately, the City as We Wish It Would Be . . . or then again, maybe it's the City Mayor Daley Would Like the World to Believe In.  A humanities scholar looking at the city's official website might ask, what are the values, facts, and stories presented here, and which are absent?  What kind of city does Chicago aspire to be, and what evidence is presented that it is living up to that vision?  What role to the arts and humanities play in defining the identity and character of Chicago?

Once you've had a look at this week's readings, head over to the Discussion Board and check out the Forum for Week 2 -- have fun! 

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Last Updated:  12 February 2005