London Semester

This course will present a broad chronological survey of the art and architectural histories provided by London museums, galleries, and monuments. By studying works of art on site in such museums as the British Museum, the National Gallery of Art, Tate Britain, and Tate Modern and experiencing architectural landmarks such as Westminster Cathedral and the Tower of London, students will become familiar with both the general history of art and architecture and the specific significance of these histories in London.

A discussion and analysis of current issues in British politics, with emphasis on the impact these issues have on the functioning and development of the British political system. Such topics as the roles of Parliament, cabinet government, the Prime Minister, political parties and interest groups are explored within the context of the modern, developed political system. Outside speakers and field trips are an integral part of this course.

An overview of the evolution of British media and its relationship with society in the U.K. The course explores how political, cultural, commercial, regulatory, and editorial issues shape the media manufactured and consumed in Britain. Will include study of the BBC, other broadcasting and entertainment entities, British newspapers and magazines, advertising, and British cinema. Guest speakers from these industries and several field trips will be part of the course.

Under the premise that all theatre has a political dimension and works its influence on audiences both overtly and subversively, this course is designed to take advantage of the huge variety of productions available in London venues (not necessarily conventional theatre spaces), with a focus on the political questions they raise for twenty-first century audiences. Because the 1960s saw big changes on the theatrical scene in Britain it is taken as a starting point, and we see what we can of the playwrights who helped form our present day theatre through the twentieth century. Because it does not operate in a vacuum, appropriate plays may be chosen from other periods and cultures that address crucial global, social and political issues.

For this course, we shall become London flaneurs, walking the street and interpreting the signs of the city as if it were text. We shall read a range of 19th and 20th century writing, including classics such as Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, and lesser known works. Through Amy Levy (Reuben Sachs), Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway) and Jean Rhys (Good Morning, Midnight) we can explore the changing role of women in the metropolis. In Alexander Baron’s The Lowlife we can glimpse the East End’s historic importance as a home to refugees and see how it turned into Bangla Town in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane. In Conrad we find London as the center of Empire and in the work of Sam Selvon and Monica Ali we have examples of how the Empire has written back. By paying close attention to both text and context, we shall achieve a lively appreciation of the works in and of themselves and as part of the cultural life of London.

Introduces the field of urban anthropology in the context of London, UK with reference to London as a capital city and its relationship to: the global world; some neighbouring European cities; Britain as a nation; its inner and outer London suburbs. The course will examine London as a global and local ethnographic site, including a look at its past history that has facilitated London’s continuing capital city status. We will examine the social anthropology of London in terms of urban processes and their impacts, thinking about regeneration and gentrification, income, housing, food insecurity, austerity, and the challenges of identity in the multicultural context that London represents. We will consider key issues about London’s environmental anthropology, for example, the impacts of air pollution on vulnerable groups and whether policies to ‘green’ London are evenly distributed.