Purpose
As our title indicates, we will attempt to unsettle the assumption that--at least under the conditions of travel--lives are simply private and places are simply public. Our course of inquiry, and recurrent touchstone for both the spring and the summer, is based on the proposition that space is a medium of connectivity, rather than functioning as a void or negative space to be filled. Urban space in particular binds people together, and serves as the means by which the private realm and the public sphere co-exist: both private and public are essentially social formations. Rather than seeing privacy and publicity as mutually exclusive, then, we will look at the ways they inform each other, both in Seattle and in Amsterdam. Pedagogically, we will do this by engaging a series of methodological exercises, ranging from the close reading of space, and objects within it; to examining some means of reading space as articulated in sociological and cultural studies contexts. Throughout, we will highlight and explore the observer's role in those proceedings--whether the observer is a critic, a participant, urban ethnographer or social anthropologist. The point is to provide the student with insight into the critical practice of means by which one accesses public citizens and reads for traces of private life.
Our program incorporates social science and humanities research with the exploration of digital data-gathering devices and e-Research techniques. To this end, the Virtual Knowledge Studio (VKS) will play a key role in co-developing methodologies and collaborative analytical techniques that will inform the execution of student research projects. The research projects, as well as the coursework at the University of Amsterdam, will retain a contextual grounding within the unique setting of Amsterdam. Experts from UvA will provide instruction on contemporary social issues within these broad topic areas while the UW instructors will facilitate student research projects and provide instruction on broader notions of knowledge production in research.
Partnerships
Learning partners will include the University of Washington Undergraduate Honors Program, The Virtual Knowledge Studio (VKS), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) International School for Humanities and Social Sciences.
Credit
Students will receive 15 credits of Honors Civilization credits: 3 credits in spring (pre departure seminar) and 12 credits in summer quarter 2009. Participating graduate students will coordinate the allocation of credits with their advisers. The culmination of this study will be student presentations at the University of Amsterdam. (Alternative credit may be available to non-Honors undergraduates; this must be arranged in advance with your departmental advisers) .
Amsterdam: Summer 2009
July 24 - August 22 (program dates may vary slightly)
Summer 2009 | Honors Civilization | 12 credits
(+3 credit preparatory Spring seminar '08) = 15 credits
Application Deadline February 15, 2009
- Apply online through Catalyst (for UW students)
- Apply online through [Catalyst (for external, non-UW students)
- Note for students from other universities: Please contact Julie Villegas (villegas@u.washington.edu) to apply. In addition, the Spring Seminar portion of this program will be conducted through on-line coursework.
For more information, visit the website of the Honors program of the University of Washington or Honor's in Amsterdam wiki.