ARTH 310(S) American Agricultural History (Same as Environmental Studies 310) (W)
An exploration, in seminar format, of the historical aspects of the production of food and fibre, concentrating on
the North American experience but preceded by anthropological and other evidence from both the New and Old
Worlds. Behind this subject's inclusion within the purview of art history lies the fact that agriculturists are the largest-scale "designers" of the surface of the earth, especially where crops are grown. The evolution of rural settlements; the development of forest, range, and crop land uses; the relationship of technology to rural societies; and the nurturing of rurality, especially in its pastoral guise. Particular emphasis on the spatial attributes of different agricultural regimes, as well as their depiction in the visual arts.
Format: lecture/discussion. Evaluation will be based on: weekly essays, half of them advancing an agricultural history of a topic of one's own choosing; designated note-taking; and participation in class.
No prerequisites, though ArtH 201 recommended. Enrollment limit: 11 (expected: 11). Preference to American Studies, Art, and Environmental Studies majors.
Does not satisfy the art history seminar requirement.
Hour: SATTERTHWAITE