Humanities 155: Global Humanities

Spring 2006

More on Final Project

The Final Project is worth a total of 200 points. You may complete this assignment in one of two ways:

You may complete this assignment in one of several ways:

§ a written report (about 5-7 pages, plus notes)

§ a pictorial essay, using prints of visual sources

§ a web site

In any of these cases, the project should deal with a religious, philosophical or literary text, a work of art, film, or other cultural product from one group or country in one of the cultures that we have been studying. You build on your in-class report for this project, using the same subject matter but treating it in greater depth.

Written Report

The report should concentrate on one specific item or group of items (an oral/written text, a work of visual art—including carvings, masks, etc., a performance of piece of music, or another visual, written or oral text) from one nationality or ethnic group within the various cultures we have been studying.

The report should do the following:

a. Describe the object(s) in detail. Give its name or title, the person or group who created it, and its approximate date. Describe the material from which it is made, and explain why it was made.

b. Explain the purpose or function of the object(s). Is it meant to be an integral part of the lives and rituals of the society from which it comes or is it meant to stand apart as a work of “art”? What features or details of the work allow it to function in this way?

c. Analyze how this object achieves its purpose. You might, for example, explain how an African mask has been used within a particular ritual or celebration, how a Polynesian song or chant is structured for its particular purpose, or how the layout of a Mayan city illustrates the beliefs and practices of the Maya. If you are dealing with a more contemporary work of art, you might discuss how an author has tried to address a particular issue or problem through a novel or group of short stories or poems, how an artist has incorporated visual elements unique to his or her culture into a painting, sculpture or other art form, or how a musician has attempted to capture elements of traditional song or dance for purposes of artistic pleasure or popular entertainment. This should be the largest part of the paper.

d. Finally, conclude by discussing the kinds of themes and issues that are suggested by this work. What does this work say about the culture as a whole? What connections, if any, does it have to similar concerns in other cultures?

Pictorial Essay:

See the description of the written report option, above. The difference is that this project will be presented largely through photographs or other images that present your subject matter through visual presentation. This could be mounted on a poster, compiled in a notebook, or assembled on a webpage or PowerPoint. The images should be accompanied by captions that guide in the viewer in knowing what to look for and how to understand this topic.

The pictorial essay must be accompanied by a written explanation of two to three pages. The explanation should include a description of why you are interested in this particular topic, how you found the images that you are using, and what you expect the viewer to learn or understand from this project.

Web Site:

The purpose of the web site should be to introduce the user to your topic, and provide him or her with the interactive resources needed to understand it. There should be appealing visual elements that will make the material easy to read, links that will open pages and web sites that will aid the viewer and links to resources for further study. The links section should include your discussion of which of these links are the most or least useful and why you think so.

As always, let me know if you have questions!

The projects are due by the final exam period:

Friday, May 12, 10:15 am.