Environmental Science A03 - Festivals: Creative Chaos and Extraordinary Order

Institution:

Wheaton College - Massachusetts

Subject:

Description:

Festivity can bring people together in cooperation, provoke conflict, preserve tradition, and inspire innovation, often simultaneously. Festivals are commonly filled with extraordinary behavior that is traditional, while providing socially sanctioned spaces in which what is otherwise forbidden is often encouraged. This seminar will examine the enormous variety of festive behavior in which people participate around the world, including famous massive religious celebrations in South America, such as Carnival, and less well known festivities, such as the Burning Man Arts festival in the dessert of Nevada and Providence's Waterfire. We will explore what these extraordinary occasions tell us about what it is to be human in the places in which they are celebrated, and what they have in common despite their tremendous diversity. Students will conduct field research on festivals in which they can participate, as well as others through ethnographies, literature, the professor's research and film. (Bruce Owens)

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wheatoncollege.edu

Phone Number:

(508) 285-7722

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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