First-Year Seminar: Paying Attention: The Art of Documentary

Attention fuels our curiosity, deepens our empathy, and invites us to step outside of ourselves. Re-presenting what we pay attention to is the art and practice of documentary. We will use video/sound, photography, and creative writing to document and then represent the people, behaviors, environments, and living species that co-exist alongside us. Students will strengthen their attention-paying capacities, develop research skills, and learn how to refine their chosen methods of documentation. Class discussion, readings, film screenings, creative assignments, site visits, and in-class exercises will provide an opportunity to experiment, ask questions, and collaborate with peers.