Lost and Found in the Nineteenth Century (HIS2142.02)

Eileen Scully

This is an immersion in “portraiture,” a unique methodology that “seeks to unveil the universal truths and resonant stories that lie in the specifics and complexity of everyday life.” Using online materials, including historical newspapers, censuses and vital records, we will draw up a list of people to “look for,” such as runaway slaves, absconding debtors, eloping spouses, and so on. Through “portraiture” as both a tool and outcome of our research, we will compile and craft profiles and narratives of individuals who in their own time were lost, exiled, or on the run.


Learning Outcomes:
Students will fully engage Bennington's core capacities (Inquire, Research, Create, Engage, and Communicate), as we work to:
1. Generate tentative observations based upon identified facts and intuitive insights
2. Identify and integrate key elements within and across particular historical moments
3. Successfully collaborate with others on a range of activities
4. Craft plausible, engaging, fact-driven narratives about individuals in the past
5. Transform self-constructed, fact-driven narratives into media-based productions (such as podcasts)


Delivery Method: Remotely accessible
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
M/Th 6:30PM-8:20PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 20
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years

Categories: All courses , History , Remotely Accessible , Updates
Tags: