The New School
Curriculum Disruption: October 12-18, 2017
The New School began its anniversary preparation by calling for a curriculum disruption, October 12-18, 2017, on the topic of “<3/5’s: How inequality makes us weak.”
Led by Professors Fullilove, Morrish, Sember, and Wiley, this disruption provided an opportunity to the faculty, staff and students to put aside “work as usual” to look at the 400 years of inequality from the perspective of all our courses, programs and projects.
Here are some examples of the many kinds of activities that took place over that week:
Stefania de Kenessey, The Human Voice, Eugene Lang College
We read (and listened to a performance by an African-American singer of) the alternative 1844 abolitionist version of the national anthem -- the students then wrote (and sang) their own updated versions.
Shannon Mattern, Maps as Media, Media Studies
We discussed the history of indigenous mapping and explored various contemporary attempts to de-colonialize cartography.
Robert Montgomery, Writing for Musicians, Mannes
We discussed how music and songs affected the march of civil rights through our history, and ended up viewing some 20th and 21st century protest songs. Then the students were asked to note what kind of protest songs they might like to write or hear today. Here is a list of their themes: Against the govt. telling women what to do with their bodies, gun control, race and gender equality, inspired by the recent Women's March, Police brutality, Wars, using snare drums for gunshot evocation, social media, especially in South Korea, College tuition/debt, ("America over all”) U.S, competitiveness, Government acknowledging U.S. shortcomings, Imperialism and profit-maximizing capitalism. Two interesting older and modern protest songs against prejudice using biting humor were compared: "Short People" by Randy Newman and "The Ginger Song" by Taboo. The students considered the slant approach of these two songs to the issue very effective, though more direct tougher songs also woke.
Michael Park, Foundations of Organizational Change, Milano
In studying organizational "resistance" we explored how different responses to this labeling of behavior can disrupt patterns of inequality and return the practice of organization development to its roots focused on social change.
Margaret Samu, Masterpieces of Art in New York, Parsons
On October 18th the day's theme was Problems of Canonization and Marginalization. Students examined how art outside the European tradition is consistently left off the list of canonical masterpieces. We discussed how entire categories of art and design can be excluded from "greatness" because of the race, gender, geography, or identity of the artist or culture that produced them. This is intended to help students understand the structural issues behind an object's status as masterpiece.
Led by Professors Fullilove, Morrish, Sember, and Wiley, this disruption provided an opportunity to the faculty, staff and students to put aside “work as usual” to look at the 400 years of inequality from the perspective of all our courses, programs and projects.
Here are some examples of the many kinds of activities that took place over that week:
Stefania de Kenessey, The Human Voice, Eugene Lang College
We read (and listened to a performance by an African-American singer of) the alternative 1844 abolitionist version of the national anthem -- the students then wrote (and sang) their own updated versions.
Shannon Mattern, Maps as Media, Media Studies
We discussed the history of indigenous mapping and explored various contemporary attempts to de-colonialize cartography.
Robert Montgomery, Writing for Musicians, Mannes
We discussed how music and songs affected the march of civil rights through our history, and ended up viewing some 20th and 21st century protest songs. Then the students were asked to note what kind of protest songs they might like to write or hear today. Here is a list of their themes: Against the govt. telling women what to do with their bodies, gun control, race and gender equality, inspired by the recent Women's March, Police brutality, Wars, using snare drums for gunshot evocation, social media, especially in South Korea, College tuition/debt, ("America over all”) U.S, competitiveness, Government acknowledging U.S. shortcomings, Imperialism and profit-maximizing capitalism. Two interesting older and modern protest songs against prejudice using biting humor were compared: "Short People" by Randy Newman and "The Ginger Song" by Taboo. The students considered the slant approach of these two songs to the issue very effective, though more direct tougher songs also woke.
Michael Park, Foundations of Organizational Change, Milano
In studying organizational "resistance" we explored how different responses to this labeling of behavior can disrupt patterns of inequality and return the practice of organization development to its roots focused on social change.
Margaret Samu, Masterpieces of Art in New York, Parsons
On October 18th the day's theme was Problems of Canonization and Marginalization. Students examined how art outside the European tradition is consistently left off the list of canonical masterpieces. We discussed how entire categories of art and design can be excluded from "greatness" because of the race, gender, geography, or identity of the artist or culture that produced them. This is intended to help students understand the structural issues behind an object's status as masterpiece.