76-426 Critical University Studies
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
People often call the university the ivory tower. But more than 80 of young Americans attend college and, alongside health care, it is the major social institution of our time. Moreover, depictions of college run through contemporary fiction and film, so it is a major part of our cultural imagination. This course will examine the fiction, film, and other cultural portraits of higher education alongside its history and theory. In particular, it will explore a new field called critical university studies, that analyzes the current conditions of higher ed and advocates for better ways to fulfill its public mission. Fiction might include Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Stoner, and The Ask films might include Nutty Professor, Revenge of the Nerds, and Accepted and theory and history will range from Kant and Jefferson up to recent critiques by Christopher Newfield, Marc Bousquet, and Tressie Cottom.
Prerequisites: 76-101 or 76-102 or (76-106 and 76-107) or (76-106 and 76-108) or (76-107 and 76-108)
Courseweave needs JavaScript to show sections, workloads and planning tools.