Summer 2013
Descriptions pertain only to the Summer term and are taken from the 2012-2013 Graduate Catalog
MLS 505 Aesthetics & Politics of Art
This course is framed by the question "when does art/artistic representation have ethical impact?" It examines how aesthetic criteria for judging artworks might or might not overlap with ethical criteria. We will explore the work and life of Leni Riefensthal; cultural imperialist tendencies of glossy tourist-art-books about impoverished locations; the Bauhaus movement ; representational versus non-representational art; the "Warhol effect" of blurring art and everyday consumer goods; handmade artifacts versus mechanical reproductions; and the theme of "moral imagination through arts" of philosopher Martha Nussbaum and others.
MLS 514M John Stuart Mill
This course will introduce students to John Stuart Mill, the most influential British philosopher and political thinker of the 19th century. Known for his fervent defense of a liberal view of society and culture, Mill drew from empiricism and utilitarianism to justify a conception of human progress and freedom that has profoundly shaped not only theory, but also institutional building and constitutional design across the globe. Distinctively, Mill incorporated in his thought elements of the classic Aristotelian tradition, with its emphasis on personal excellence, which explains his fascinating revision of utilitarian philosophy. This course will explore the complexity of Mill’s legacy by focusing on some of his most celebrated works including On Liberty, On Utilitarianism, On the Subjection of Women, and Considerations on Representative Government.
MLS 553M: The Great Gatsby
This course offers an in-depth exploration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most critically acclaimed novel. We will examine biographical and cultural relevance, but most importantly, our goal will be to establish literary qualities within The Great Gatsby making it worthy to be called an American literary masterwork.
