Abstract

In the spring of 2023, a colleague and I co-taught, “The Moral of the Story” (ENG/PHL 2265), for the first time, at Mount Saint Mary College, a Dominican institution located in the Hudson Valley of New York. Dr. Charles Zola, with his specialization in Philosophy, and I, in English, created this Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar with the specific goal of bridging ancient narratives of the traditional Western tradition, like The Odyssey and Gulliver’s Travels, with contemporary and global ones, like Ruta Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea and Kwame Alexander’s Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope. Thematically, what was illuminated by bridging the old with the new? Pedagogically, what was affirmed by bridging these two disciplines in a small liberal arts college catering to students in professional programs? Professionally, what was accomplished in its structure wherein every class was facilitated by two instructors from their disciplinary perspectives? What were its limitations and challenges in its first iteration? What can its next iteration account for and accomplish? This paper frames its discussion by situating “The Moral of the Story” within the current conflicting zeitgeists across the U.S., e.g., white supremacy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, as we swiftly approach the national election of 2024. This study not only hopes to affirm the role of this literary humanities course, cum critical cultural studies, in one liberal arts college and its replicability across institutions, but also hopes to reflect the importance of a humanities education.

Presenters

Marie Therese C Sulit
Professor of English/Director of the Honors Program, Division of the Humanities, Mount Saint Mary College, New York, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Literary Humanities

KEYWORDS

Interdisciplinary, Cultural Studies, Humanities, Philosophy, Literature, Identity, Diversity, Pedagogy

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