Sample Theme

Title of Theme
Utopia, Imaginaries, Techno-Futurisms, and Rights

Brief rationale for this Theme for committee review

This theme focuses on past and present portrayals of the future, as imagined by architects, authors, bioethicists, scientists, community organizers, philosophers, and artists, especially those that are idealistic in nature. Courses in this theme are connected by big picture questions like: What could or should society look and be like? What kind of futures do we imagine, and how do those imaginings reflect our hopes, fears, and pasts? What sorts of technologies and infrastructures will we create and use, and how do these reflect or incorporate our values? How have past attempts to imagine or sketch future societies, cities, and technologies led to reproduced inequalities — or not? How do we ensure inclusivity, reparative justice, and both personal and collective rights while creating these futures? While these questions are discussed in many courses, they are foundational to those in this theme.

Student-facing description of the Theme for catalog copy

Past and present portrayals of an ideal or utopian future, as imagined by architects, authors, bioethicists, scientists, community organizers, philosophers, and artists. The theme wrestles with the idea that while imagination can be a liberatory practice, it might also lead to entrenched injustices.

Course Number and Title  TOIs  Rationale for Inclusion
AMST/ENGL 3267/W Race and the Scientific Imagination TOI-3,
TOI-5
The course looks at relationship between science/technology and race, both in the past and future, including "reparations and reimagining."
AMST/ENGL 2276W American Utopian and Dystopian Literature TOI-2, TOI-5 Through literature, this course addresses foundational ideas about utopia as a motivating cultural force in America.
HRTS/ENGR 2300 Engineering for Human Rights TOI-3, TOI-4 Engineers have been central to many utopian communities. This course focuses on engineering ethics, morality, human rights, values, and inclusionary processes, this course gets to heart of how those who might plan utopia and think they know best should grapple with these concepts.
PHIL 1109 Global Existentialism TOI-2, TOI-5 While this course does not focus directly on utopia, it provides a foundation of the human condition that motivates many of the dreamers we study. The course focuses on "what it means to exist, to be human, to live meaningful choices, to live as embodiments of freedom"
PHIL/HRTS 2170W Bioethics and Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspective TOI-2, TOI-3 The course examines links between human rights/ethics and biotech advances. Advances in technology have been at the heart of many utopian communities and ideals, and studying these advances from the perspective of ethics and human rights is critical
URBN 1600 Cities of Imagination TOI-1, TOI-3 The course studies past and present planned utopian communities & explores inclusion, equity, process, etc.