TOYS ARE U.S.: AMERICA AT PLAY

Catalog description

This course will investigate the history, theory, and design of “play” in America – how we have thought about the role of fun, imagination, and amusement as serious and worthwhile pursuits. Philosophers and historians, sociologists and cultural theorists, health professionals and educators, legislators and corporations have all engaged a vigorous debate about the nature of “play” - its benefits and its dangers – in cultural and human development. Alongside these ideas and their evolution, we will consider how artists, designers, engineers, and marketers have shaped and “sold” them to us. We will examine toys and games as the material embodiment of our attitudes about work and play, and as the site for exploring the social implications of design and material culture. Prerequisite: Completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)