CLASS HIGHLIGHTS The Tufts Experimental College, or ExCollege, is a department that offers innovative elective courses to every undergrad student. ExCollege classes can be taught by Tufts undergraduate and graduate students, Boston area professionals, and more. They cover a wide range of topics, connecting nontraditional studies with academic disciplines. As you’re thinking about finding common ground and friendship at Tufts, consider these courses that explore the nuances of relationships and community, all of which are being offered in the fall of 2021.
EXP-0022 Crafting Community Taught by Rebecca Aberle, a PhD Candidate in the Department of English, Crafting Community asks, “What can craft teach us, and how can it help us take care of others and our environment?” Throughout the course, students will explore the origins of food and clothing, learn about systems of knowledge that challenge contemporary Western epistemology, and create a new community of knowledge built on interconnection and responsibility to the planet. The class uses texts primarily written by women to recenter frequently overlooked knowledge and practice, and will be combined with hands-on experience with certain crafts, particularly fiber crafts. The readings, discussions, and activities are all woven together through the interconnection of stories, craft, and community and their importance in taking care of each other and the environment. EXP-0001-F Snapshots in the Internet Age: From Family Albums to Instagram Sarah Pollman ’07, ’14, a Tufts alum who creates visual art guided by principles drawn from art history, critical theory, and psychology, is teaching this course that aims to examine the relationship between the images saved to our camera roles, current politics, and culture. Looking specifically at vernacular photos online in the age of the internet,
where so much of interpersonal relationship is founded and displayed, students will analyze the power of images, their communicative roles in systems of distribution and display, and their historical power. The course uses both critical theory, visual anthropology, and visual arts, to examine the casual photograph’s evolving meaning through shifting time periods and technologies while drawing on ideas from films, field trips to exhibitions, visiting critics, and reading discussions. EXP-0014-F The Business of Video Games The video game industry is a constantly evolving space that delights billions of people around the world. In fact, the games industry now generates more annual revenue than film and sports combined. How did the video game industry become such a juggernaut? Who are the key players in this space? How does a game go from an idea to being played by millions worldwide? What broader impact does the video game industry have on society as a whole? Students will explore these questions and the industry while learning the fundamentals of business. Double Jumbo Zach Zager ’17, ’18, has played games his entire life and is excited to teach this course. Key topics will include marketing, fundraising, management, innovation, and working in the games industry.
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