Material Things In The Digital Age

This course will introduce students to the major issues in the field of material culture studies by tying material culture theory to urgent contemporary debates, such as: What should replace the many Confederate monuments that have been removed from public spaces? How should museums reckon with legacies of racism? Why do things matter in an era that is increasingly online? As material culture is an interdisciplinary field, the seminar will incorporate readings from history, gender studies, science and technology studies, Indigenous studies, anthropology, ethnic studies, philosophy, art history, and other fields. The course may take field trips to museums and collections in New Jersey and New York; if these excursions are not possible, the course will make use of the extensive collections of digitized objects that are available online. Students will complete individual final research projects focused on a single object, culminating in a seminar paper and formal presentation.