What is the purpose of education? Should the university prepare students for the job market or emphasize the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake? Is knowledge a value in itself? This course explores these questions, among others, while concentrating on the German idea of Bildung. It introduces students to the classical idea of education and self-formation by reading a wide range of texts from German philosophy, intellectual history, and literature. Furthermore, the course traces the history of this idea by exploring how Bildung informs contemporary literary works and film. Emphasis will be on issues of class, race, and gender.

What is the purpose of education? Should the university prepare students for different careers, or emphasize the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake? Is knowledge a value in itself? This course explores these questions, among others, while concentrating on the German idea of Bildung. It introduces students to the classic idea of education and self-formation by reading a wide range of texts from philosophy, intellectual history, and literature. The course also traces how the idea of self-formation informs contemporary literary works and film. Emphasis will be on issues of class, race, and gender.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills