L&S Curricular Connections

What is the purpose of education? Should the university prepare students for different careers, or emphasize the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake? Is knowledge a value in itself? This course explores these questions, among others, while concentrating on the German idea of Bildung. It introduces students to the classic idea of education and self-formation by reading a wide range of texts from philosophy, intellectual history, and literature. The course also traces how the idea of self-formation informs contemporary literary works and film. Emphasis will be on issues of class, race, and gender.