SOCI 377: Art and Society

SOCI 377-001: Art and Society
(Spring 2018)

04:30 PM to 05:45 PM TR

Lecture Hall 2

Section Information for Spring 2018

What is art?  Is it part of everyday life, or something apart?  Is it just a business, or an expression of the transcendent?   Is it liberating or mystifying?   What does art mean?  What makes art good?  Is artistic genius natural?  Is artistic taste?  How is art affected by the media age?  How do revolutions in art come about?

These are among the questions we will explore together in this course.  Along the way, we will read texts by scholars of communication, philosophy, art history, literary criticism, and anthropology, as well as sociology.   We will examine processes of producing, distributing, consuming, and judging art in its societal contexts.  We will attend films, musical performances, and museum exhibitions.   In reflecting on art and society, we will also be reflecting on ourselves.

This course has been approved as a "synthesis course," which satisfies one of the general education requirements for graduation.  It also counts towards the major in Film and Video Studies.

 

Tags:

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces the many ways in which art reflects social tendencies, comments on social problems, and contributes to discussions about a wide range of social issues. Students attend theatrical performances and visit exhibition spaces on campus, and learn to analyze what they experience through both aesthetic and sociological approaches. Explores contemporary issues such as debates about artistic freedom and public morality, commercialization of art, and relationship between cultural and social hierarchies. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Synthesis
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of ARTH.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.