COMP 345 - Museums, Memorials, and Monuments: The Representation and Politics of Memory

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

Comparative Literature

Description:

In the past 25 years, we have seen an extraordinary boom in museum, memorial and monument building around the world. In this class, we will explore what this growth means to cultural practices of memory and global politics. We will explore questions posed by leading scholars in museum and cultural studies such as: Why is there a "global rush to commemorate atrocities" (Paul Williams)? Why do we live in a "voracious museal culture" and how does this impact our ability to imagine the future (Andreas Huyssen)? We look at museum history and recent museum controversies. We will analyze debates surrounding memorials and monuments. In addition to our work on institutions, we will also read a number of novels that claim to do the work of museums (Orhan Pamuk's The Museum of Innocence) and that interrupt processes of memorialization (Amy Waldman's The Submission).

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

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