- CC 201 EV Christ College SymposiumCC 205 Word and ImageCC 215 The Christian TraditionCC 300 AX American Identity: Contesting VoicesCC 300 B Comedy on StageCC 300 CX Medical MissionsCC 300 DX Political Ideologies CC 325 AX World ChristianityCC 325 BX Environment, Faith & JusticeCC 325 CX Environmental History of the American WestCC 325 DX American HomeCC 375 A The Scholar in SocietyCC 455 EV Inquiry in the Liberal ArtsCC 499 Senior Colloquium
- CC 325 DX AMERICAN HOME
CC 325 DX American Home Cr. 3-4 Ms. Buggeln
MWF 11:50-12:40 (Cross-listed with ART-311-AX)
Our homes reflect our most basic values and shape our lives. In this course we will think about four centuries of American homes as shelters, "machines for living in" and reflections and transmitters of core beliefs. What do houses tell us about the place of individuals and the meaning of family, neighborhood, and nation? Today, with the residential dreams of so many Americans threatened by foreclosure, we are reminded once again of the critical importance of house and home to our sense of independence and well-being.
We will look at iconic American homes, such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, and also visit our own backyard, the residential streets of Valparaiso. Students will acquire the basic tools necessary to “read” and interpret houses: knowledge of architectural styles, interior finishes, and furnishings as they changed over time. But ultimately, our goal will be to use these skills to address larger historical questions. For example, how can plantation architecture help us understand a social system based on slavery? What does the nineteenth-century middle-class home teach us about gender relations and domesticity in Victorian America? How do suburbs define notions of community? What can we learn about modern America by studying gated communities, or apartment complexes, or housing projects? Addressing these and other questions will enable us to use material culture evidence--the history and fabric of the American home--to better understand American society past and present.
Students will read a variety of books and articles that examine architecture, interiors, and neighborhoods, primarily from a social history perspective. Key books will include Witold Rybczynski, Home: A Short History of an Idea; Clifford E. Clark, Jr., The American Family Home 1800-1960; Andrew Ross, The Celebration Chronicles: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Property Value in Disney’s New Town; and Dolores Hayden, Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth, 1820-2000. Course requirements will include a take-home midterm exam and a 10-15 page research paper. In addition, students will make a contribution to our class project: a study of the McIntyre Court neighborhood on the VU campus.
No prior knowledge of architecture or design is required.