Reading responses and other short assignments

For Thursday, 1/22/09:

  • How would you describe the "ideological lens" through which you will be looking at the material of this course? Because of this "lens," what did you find most surprising in the Lowney reading (pp. 1-14)? (one or two paragraphs)
  • How do Glick and al-Asad focus on the concept of cultural "encounter" differently? similarly? (one paragraph)

For Thursday, 1/29/09:

For Tuesday, 2/3/09

  • How, according to the Bloom reading, to the mosque and church towers that developed in early medieval Spain illustrate the ideas of "resistance" and "appropriation" resulting from cultural encounter? (one or two paragraphs)

For Tuesday, 2/17/09:

  • In the Prado-Vilar article (which I assigned for 2/10/09, and would like you to revisit for this assignment), the author spends a good deal of time discussing the Pyxis of al-Mughira, as an example of how figural decoration on caliphal ivory caskets can be interpreted as messages about status and power. I will divide you into four groups, and assign each group one of the four major "scenes" from the pyxis (click here for images of the Pyxis of al-Mughira). On Tuesday, 2/17, each group member should come to class prepared to talk about issues of "meaning" and "interpretation" of their particular "scene" (make sure you jot down ideas to share).
    • 1st image: Leah Arpadi, Jamie Barrette, Frieda Becker, Rachel Bondra
    • 2nd image: Seth Davidson, Brendan Haggerty, Brie Hurd, Abby Jamiel
    • 3rd image: Jennifer Konerman, Ben Kraus, Agnes Kvasz, Noel O'Donnell
    • 4th image: Sam Sadovnic, Richie Shallcross, Talya Shulman, Samantha Strock, Charles Woodard

Due on Tuesday, 3/3/09

  • On Tuesday, February 24th, I will be showing you the first part of the film "Cities of Light." Based on what you saw, respond to these two questions:
    • How would you evaluate the particular "ideological lens" through which the film views and presents its material? Provide specific evidence in support of your argument?
    • On balance, does the film portray the impacts of "encounter" as ultimately enriching for the cultures involved, or ultimately destructive? Again, provide specific evidence in support of your argument.

 

Research project

  • For a description of the research project, click here (pdf) (due in various stages; the final paper is due Monday, May 4, 2009)
    • For the "Guidelines for Preparing Written Material in Art History, click here (pdf)

In-class assignments