This course draws on critical theories of race and representation to interrogate complex and sometimes vexing notions of race, ethnicity, visuality, surveillance, authorship, identity and appropriation in the historical context of the twentieth century in the United States. Courses are organized around case studies of individual artists, objects, and historical figures and address a wide range of media, including including Thomas Dewing’s tonalist paintings, baby albums, Yun Gee’s paintings of San Francisco, the art of the Harlem Renaissance, Murals, photographs of WWII Japanese American internment, civil rights movement posters, and conceptual art by the collective ASCO.

This course fulfills the following Major requirements: Geographical areas (C) and Chronological period (III).