The Grand Tour Then and Now

3 Credits

Interdisciplinary course that delves into the historical importance and contemporary relevance of the Grand Tour--a transformative expedition undertaken by young adults from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Through a comprehensive and critical exploration of this pivotal period in travel history, coupled with a multi-perspective examination of modern study abroad experiences, students will gain profound insights into the realms of Critical Reception Studies, Early Modern and Modern European History, but also the evolution of travel and the complexities of Coming of Age as a literary and artistic trope and a deeply personal experience. Students will be enabled to look at their experience of studying abroad against the backdrop of a rich and complex cultural history of what it meant to step into the realm of adulthood.