A counterfactual is part of a thought experiment that speculates on the possible paths

Catalog description

A counterfactual is part of a thought experiment that speculates on the possible paths events could have taken. We commonly encounter counterfactuals in sweeping historical reimaginings (What if the Third Reich had won the Second World War?), but they can also help us ask critical questions about the forms of reparation and restitution owed to communities for past wrongs. A counterfactual is not an "alternative fact," Kellyanne Conway's means of distinguishing "fake news" from the Trump administration's view of reality. Nonetheless, counterfactual thinking may provide some perspective on the disinformation campaigns destabilizing governments and populations worldwide. Counterfactuals surveys this subject over three thematic blocs. The first provides historical context for counterfactual artistic practice by studying fictional and pseudonymous artists, parafictional strategies, and so on. The second focuses on reparations and restitution, with particular consideration given to the United States. The third looks at the spread of disinformation and measures taken, in the United States and beyond, to counter it. These topics are explored through lectures, readings, assignments, and online group activities.