An interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exploration of the book, with a focus on technologies of writing and the reproduction of writing. The course takes a thematic approach, as a way to explore, through specific examples, the diverse ways in which societies and communities, in different periods and environments, have developed and transmitted cultures of writing, recording, reproducing, disseminating and reading texts. Among the themes that we shall explore in the course are cultures of writing, the materiality and aesthetics of the book, texts and paratexts, beginnings and endings of books, ornamentation, illumination, illustration or the lack of illustration, strategies developed to facilitate reading, the reproduction, dissemination and reception of books, the classification, storage and retrieval of books, the collecting and curation of books, and the circulation, suppression and censorship of books. Drawn from various cultural, religious and linguistic contexts, our examples may include texts written in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Persian, Ethiopian, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and modern European languages.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 16

Prerequisites: None.

Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video

Typical Periods Offered: Fall

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall

Notes: