Social Science and History (SSHIS) courses develop students' critical thinking skills through the study of history and the social sciences (e.g. sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology, geography), as well as through contemporary interdisciplines that draw heavily on these fields (e.g. feminist and queer studies, media studies, urban studies, ethnic studies). Subject matter in these courses contributes to students' cultural literacy while instructional materials and classroom assignments introduce basic research problems and techniques.Section Description:Students wishing to register for this course need to first obtain instructor approval by emailing the instructor (instructor emails are listed with a more detailed program description in portal: cca.edu/abroad). Once a student is approved, registration must be done in person at the Student Records Office on either campus. European Design Capitals: Past and Present offers a taste of the history and culture of three of Europe's most important design centers: London, Amsterdam, and Milan. Each of these cities provides links to the history and present practice of industrial design. We visit museums, manufacturers, design studios, and relevant historical and cultural sites. In London, we consider the 19th century industrial revolution to the critical design present. In Amsterdam, with a day trip to Utrecht, we discover an entire society that supports design in all its guises from the practical to the conceptual and is one of the most successful cycling environments in the world. In Milan, we learn about post WWII recovery, the Milan Furniture Fair, and the 1980s Memphis design movement and visit studios of the Italian masters. Every step of the way we situate the movements, methods, and materials within the historical, cultural, and geographic settings from which they emerged.Although specifically designed for Industrial Design students with its focus on design history, this program is equally valuable for other disciplines, such as Furniture, Architecture, Interior Design, Visual Studies, Graduate Design MFA - or for any student interested in understanding how geography, history and culture influence the design of the graphics, objects, systems and structures of our built environment at every scale.

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