We understand our identities, our behavior, and our social groups through the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. The broadest identity any of us claims is a national identity; the largest social group any of us participates in is a national one. This national identity is shaped by a set of shared values; we learn these values and see them in action through our collective narratives. Our individual identities highly influence how we adhere to and interpret these narratives and values, as well as the ways we believe they should be expressed by everyone who shares our national identity. As we well know, that shared expression does not often occur. This course is an opportunity to think through how to put our values into action as artists, designers, critical thinkers, and activists. Your creative talents give you a unique role in society for creating, revising, and circulating collective narratives. In this course, as a foundation to giving you the tools to fulfil this role, we will ask these essential questions: Whose story is being told? How are these stories being told and by whom? Whose stories are being excluded? And how might we change these stories to reflect our personal values and lives? The course is structured around 3 Units which examine key concepts for how and why we tell, retell, share, or reject collective narratives about our national values. Each unit will ask you how, as artists, activists, or bystanders, we make or find meaning within these narratives, and what power you might have to create new ones.

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