Art and Activism: Manifestos, Revolutions, and the Avant-gardes

Discussion-based seminar and survey of the literature of manifestos and their role in revolutionary and avant-garde traditions of thought from the mid-19th century to the present. Topics covered include: connections between literary forms and political activism; history of modern revolutionary movements and their impacts on intellectual and artistic production; contemporary developments in manifesto writing in a global context. Sample movements include Communism, Surrealism, Anti-Fascism, Black Power, Feminism, Environmentalism. Final project: students undertake an independent research project and write their own manifestos on a topic of their choosing. Taught entirely in English.