Competencies

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:

• Differentiate the various perspectives of the humanities in relation to a topic
• Examine how the humanities influence understanding of one’s self-identity
• Explain how the humanities shape the relationship between the self and society

Overview

As you navigate your academic and professional careers, you will encounter many different perspectives and cultures. Whether it’s business, governmental relations, graphic design, or cooking, all fields lead back to human beings. In this course you have learned how the humanities teach us not only about each other but about ourselves. Creative works allow us to make sense of our own identities as well as the world around us. They can serve as an entry point for understanding complicated topics.

Scenario

You would like to get more involved within your community and decide to join one of three local organizations. One organization is focused on mental health, another addresses diversity, and the third addresses activism.

Each of the organizations is designing a multimedia presentation to be shown at a community forum. They would like you, as a new member, to select two creative works for the presentation to communicate the organization’s focus (mental health, diversity, or activism).

Directions

For this project, you will choose one of the three topics (diversity, mental health, or activism) and view the topic through different creative works that represent the visual, literary, or performing arts subject areas of the humanities. First, you must identify two creative works associated with your topic. The creative works must be from two different humanities subject areas. These creative works can be selected from a list of works located in the HUM 102 Project Resources document. Alternatively, you may choose to select two creative works not included in the provided list with instructor approval. Humanities subject areas you may choose from include the following:

• Visual art (paintings, photographs, sculpture, architecture, drawing, film)
• Performing Arts (theater, dance, music, opera)
• Literature (novels, poems, scripts for plays, short stories, song lyrics)

Then, you will complete the Project Template. The first two parts of the template are related to the given scenario. Parts One and Two involve describing the two creative works you selected that represent your chosen topic (diversity, mental health, or activism). The third part of the template involves a reflection unrelated to the scenario in which you will reflect on how the humanities in general influence self-identity.

Specifically, you must address the following:

Part One: Choose the Creative Works

In this section, you will specify which topic you have chosen and the two creative works that you have chosen. You will use the two creative works to compare various subject areas of the humanities in relation to your chosen topic. Address the following criteria in Part One.

1. Describe the two creative works. In your description make sure you include the following:
   1. Your chosen topic (mental health, diversity, or activism)
   2. The names of the chosen creative works
   3. The subject area of the humanities they fall under (visual, literary, or performing arts)
2. Describe how the chosen creative works can be used to understand the topic.
   1. How do the different humanities subject areas (visual, literary, performing arts) approach the topic?
3. Describe the value of the diverse perspectives demonstrated in the chosen creative works.
   1. What are examples of diverse perspectives represented in the creative works?
   2. What do these diverse perspectives add to the work?
4. Describe potential biases and assumptions present in the creative works in relation to the topic.

Part Two: Self and Society

In this section, you will use the two creative works you chose to demonstrate how the humanities shape the relationship between self and society regarding your topic. Address the following criteria in Part Two.

1. Describe how the creative works create meaning surrounding the topic.
   1. How do the creative works help the audience make sense of the topic?
   2. How do the creative works help the audience make sense of society in relation to the topic?
2. Describe how the creative works have impacted society’s perception of the topic.
3. Describe how the creative works might be perceived by different groups of people.
   1. How might different generations or cultures perceive the creative works differently?
4. Explain how the creative works influence the development of empathy regarding the topic.
   1. Do the creative works encourage the development of empathy? Why or why not?
5. Explain how the creative works encourage critical thinking regarding the topic.

Part Three: Identity and the Humanities

In this section, you will reflect on how the humanities influence understanding of self-identity. Address the following criteria in Part Three.

1. Describe the relationship between the humanities and self-identity.
   1. How do creative works impact the way people view themselves?
2. Describe sociocultural factors that influence identity construction.
   1. How do sociocultural factors, such as ethnicity, race, religion, and sexuality, influence one’s identity?
3. Explain how different humanities subject areas can be used to understand one’s identity.
   1. Consider the relationship between the different humanities subject areas (literary, visual, and performing arts) and identity.
4. Explain how diverse perspectives influence self-concept.
   1. Consider examples of diverse perspectives discussed in this course.
   2. Consider one to three perspectives other than your own that influence self-concept.