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 Visualizing Cultures  posted by  duggu   on 12/9/2007  Add Courseware to favorites Add To Favorites  
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Abstract/Syllabus:

Dower, John, and Shigeru Miyagawa, 21F.027J Visualizing Cultures, Spring 2008. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu  (Accessed 09 Jul, 2010). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

American warship, ca. 1854, Color woodblock print.

 

 

 

American warship, ca. 1854, Color woodblock print. (Print courtesy of Nagasaki Prefecture.)

Highlights of this Course

Click here to read an introduction to the Visualizing Cultures program.

Click here to read statements from MIT President Susan Hockfield, Chancellor Phillip L. Clay and Professors John Dower and Shigeru Miyagawa regarding the recent events surrounding Visualizing Cultures.

This course offers an amazing collection of images and commentary about Commodore Perry and the opening of Japan. The units section contains: the Core Exhibit, a wealth of rarely seen graphics from both sides of this historic encounter interwoven with an original text by John W. Dower; the Interactive Black Ship Scroll, a reconstruction of a 30-foot-long Japanese scroll; Visual Narratives that reinterpret the text; and the Traveling Exhibition that was inspired by this course.

Visualizing Cultures looks at "cultures" in the broadest sense, including cultures of war, racism, nationalism, propaganda and atrocity that we must confront squarely if we are ever to create a better world. In no way does MIT or the faculty working on the project endorse any of the atrocities depicted.

Course Description

In this new course, students will study how images have been used to shape the identity of peoples and cultures. A prototype digital project looking at American and Japanese graphics depicting the opening of Japan to the outside world in the 1850s will be used as a case study to introduce the conceptual and practical issues involved in "visualizing cultures". The major course requirement will be creation and presentation of a project involving visualized cultures.
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Staff

Instructors:
Professor John Dower
Professor Shigeru Miyagawa

Course Meeting Times

Lectures:
One session / week
3 hours / session

Level

Undergraduate

 

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Syllabus

 

Description

In this new course, students will study how visual images shape the identity of peoples and cultures. A prototype digital project looking at American and Japanese graphics depicting the opening of Japan to the outside world by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 and 1854 will be used as a case study to introduce the conceptual and practical issues involved in “visualizing cultures.” Guest lecturers will include professionals engaged in various aspects of collecting, analyzing, and presenting graphic images. The major course requirement will be creation and presentation of a project involving visualized cultures.

Course requirements and grade

The major course requirement is an individual project on some aspect of “visualizing cultures,” due at the end of the semester. Additionally, students (1) will prepare a small module on “Perry and Japan, 1853-1854,” based on the Image Archive prepared for this course, and (2) will present a preliminary survey of visual resources in an area of particular interest, ideally related to their chosen course project. Students will discuss their projects individually with both instructors as the course progresses. All work must be turned in on time. Attendance at the weekly seminars is mandatory. If you must be absent, contact the instructors ahead of time.

Grade:

Perry module (due Feb. 25): 15%
Presentation of a small “visualizing cultures” primer (due March 4): 15%
Class participation: 10%
Final Project (due May 13): 60%

Reading materials

Will be assigned in class.

Calendar

 
WEEK # TOPICS KEY DATES
1 Introduction to the course. Discussion of topics and available resources.  
2

“Perry” I

Assignments: Foster Rhea Dulles, Yankees and Samurai (1965), chs. 1-5. Study the Core Exhibit and Image Archive for “Perry.”

  
3

“Perry” II

Assignment: Design a concise “visualizing cultures” scroll based on the Perry materials. The class will focus on critiquing a model scroll prepared by the instructors.

  
4

Student presentations

Assignment: Explore what sorts of visual materials of a historical nature are available, and come to class with a brief report/presentation on promising materials, ideally appropriate for a course project.

  
5 Curating a museum exhibit: Anne Morse, Japanese Curator, Boston Museum of Fine Arts  
6

OpenCourseWare (OCW): Technical, pedagogical, and legal issues

Assignment: OCW readings to be given out in class.

  
7

StarFestival: Visualizing a Personal Journey

Readings: Media, Education and the Market Place: Video lectures related to StarFestival

  
8

Producing a TV Documentary: a lecture by Autin Hoyt, senior executive producer of documentaries, WGBH/PBS.

Homework: View Mr. Hoyt's recent documentary, "Chicago"

  
9 Images in a widely circulating periodical: Harper’s Magazine. John MacArthur, President and Publisher, Harpers  
10 Images in a widely circulating periodical continued.  
11 Student presentations  
12 Student presentations Final Project Due



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