Patterson Hall, Room 140
Prof. Anna Brzyski
Office: Fine Arts 303A
Phone: 859 388-9899 (no calls after 10:00 pm)
E-mail: anna.brzyski@uky.edu
Website: www.uky.edu/~abrzy2
Course Assistant: Emily Hikes
E-mail: emily.hikes@gmail.com
Description:
This introductory, seminar format course introduces students to thinking critically about various aspects of their visual environment from architectural complexes to individual buildings, from graphic novels and cartoons to films and works of art, from still photos to streaming video. Although the main focus of the course is contemporary American visual culture, we will explore other cultures and other time periods considering the subtle and not so subtle effects of effects of globalization on our lives, beliefs, consuming, and viewing habits.
Course objectives:
By the end of the semester, the students enrolled in the course will develop:
- a nuanced understanding of the concept of visual culture across
- a set of critical viewing, writing, and reading skills
- a command of basic vocabulary appropriate to discussion of different sectors of contemporary visual culture
- an understanding of key concepts such as power, identity, gender, race, class, globalism, desire, consumerism, etc.
Course textbooks:
Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright, Practices of Looking. An Introduction to Visual Culture (Oxford University Press, 2001)
Art Spiegelman, Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History (Pantheon, 1986)
Useful things to have: digital camera
Student responsibilities:
1. Attendance: Is mandatory and necessary to pass the course. Unexcused absences will significantly affect the final grade. 3 unexcused absences will result in automatic failure of the course.
NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. Participation: Students are required to come prepared to actively participate in the scheduled discussions. They must be ready to discuss their assignments with the class on the due dates.
3. Seven Assignments: see individual assignments for details and due dates.
4. Two Field trips:
Sat. Sept. 27 Field Trip to Cincinnati: Center for Contemporary Art & IKEA
Sat. Oct. 11 Field Trip to Frankfurt
5. Communication with the Instructor
As a student, it is your responsibility to notify me if you will have to miss a class or an assignment due date. Please let me know as soon as possible if you anticipate any scheduling problems, are having trouble understanding the course material, or working on an assignment. The best way to get in touch is through e-mail or by phone. I urge you to do so on regular basis!
6. Academic Integrity Part II of Student Rights and Responsibilities (available online at http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/ part2.html) states that all academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by students to their instructors or other academic supervisors, is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. In cases where students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their work, they are obliged to consult their instructors on the matter before submission. If a student is found to engage in plagiarism, he or she will automatically fail the course.
Final Grade:
A is for excellent work. This means mastery of the course material, excellence in execution and expression of various assignments (all completed conscientiously, skillfully, and on time), perfect attendance (no unexcused absences), and consistency in class participation and preparedness.
B is for good work. This means demonstrating good knowledge of the course material, completing all assignments proficiently, on time, and well above average, and consistent attendance, active class participation and good preparedness.
C is for average work. This means demonstrating basic knowledge of the course material; assignments are decently done; most work is finished, classes have been attended.
D is for poor work. This means poor attendance, being routinely unprepared, below par work on the assignments, non-participation in class.
E is for failing work. This means poor attendance (3 or more unexcused absences), very poor work, being routinely unprepared, non-participation in class, missing the field-trips, or blatant plagiarism.
(Guidelines adopted from a syllabus developed by Suketu Bhavsar for the UK Honors Proseminar)
This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to accommodate instructional and/or student needs. All changes will be posted on the course website. The course website offers the most accurate and most current information.