Creativity in Context

1 Unit · Undergraduate

This course explores an intriguing problem in social scientific analysis: the production of new ideas and practices as well as the reputations of their creators: How do communication flows in social and cultural contexts affect creative output and innovations? How do professional communities collectively determine when ideas are original, instead of misguided or infeasible? How does this compare across the media, the arts, or the economy? Students will be acquainted with key approaches to creativity and innovation in sociology, communication studies, organizational analysis, urban studies, and economics. Through weekly assignments, students also will build important skills to develop an independent creative research project and gain insights for their future creative professional work. The course will involve brief lectures, student presentations, discussions, small group activities, and a collective interview with a creative expert.