Rapture, Los Santos, Diamond City, The Citadel—why have so many of the past decade's greatest video games used beautifully realized cities to explore themes of economic inequality and racial division? What can virtual cities teach us about Los Angeles, Detroit, or New Haven? Using Bioshock Infinite's Columbia as a guiding example, we'll look at how video games interpret what it's like to live in a diverse, interconnected space and ask whether games can accurately reflect the world we live in (spoilers: they totally can!).

It’s July 2nd, 1881. President James Garfield strolls into the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, accompanied only by his friend, James Blaine. Suddenly, a shot rings out. Garfield crumples to the floor, severely wounded. Standing over him is Charles Guiteau, believing God wanted him to assassinate the president. As the 20th President lay on his deathbed over the next few months, the United States grappled with issues of national security, insanity, and modern medicine. A new political era rose with the sun the morning after Garfield’s death. We’ll explore this little-known drama of national loss, discovering how hurt pride, egotism, and recklessness can change the course of history.

Ever wonder what it's like to fight a pistol duel from a hot air balloon? Or how a vice president got away with killing Alexander Hamilton without so much as a $10 fine? In this class, we'll trace the practice of dueling from its medieval origins to its gradual decline after Hamilton's death. We'll focus especially on dueling's role in defining masculinity, its various incarnations across cultures, and famous/strange duels using swords, billiard balls, and maybe even pork sausages!

It’s July 2nd, 1881. President James Garfield strolls into the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, accompanied only by his friend, James Blaine. Suddenly, a shot rings out. Garfield crumples to the floor severely wounded. Standing over him is Charles Guiteau, believing God wanted him to assassinate the president. As the 20th President lay on his deathbed over the next few months, the United States grappled with issues of national security, insanity, and modern medicine. A new political era rose with the sun the morning after Garfield’s death. We’ll explore this little-known drama of national loss, discovering how hurt pride, egotism, and recklessness can change the course of history.

What makes one video game character forever memorable, but another a dud? How do you create a Mario, Lara Croft, or Master Chief? We'll explore how to craft meaningful fictional characters in general, then focus on the particular challenges of making game characters that need to be both fun to play with and interesting to think about. You'll also have the chance to flesh out your own character ideas! Our emphasis will be on how to write a great character, but we'll also touch on the visual aspects of character development.

Rapture, Los Santos, Diamond City, The Citadel—all metropolises of unimaginable decadence and pervasive poverty. Why have so many of the past decade's greatest games used beautifully-realized cities to explore themes of economic inequality and racial hierarchy? What can virtual cities teach us about the socio-economic landscapes of Los Angeles, Detroit, or New Haven? Using Bioshock Infinite's Columbia as a guiding example, we'll take a look at how video games interpret what it's like to live in a diverse, interconnected space and ask whether games can accurately reflect the world we live in (spoilers: they totally can!).

It's July 2nd, 1881. Having settled into the presidency after winning the election of 1880 by just 2,000 votes, President James Garfield strolls into the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, ready for a leisurely train ride to New Jersey. In a time before the Secret Service protected presidents, Garfield is accompanied only by his friend, Secretary of State James G. Blaine. Out of nowhere, a shot rings out. President Garfield crumples to the floor, severely wounded. Standing over him is Charles Guiteau, a disgruntled job-seeker proclaiming his divine right to end the president's life. Over the next few months, as the nation's 20th President lay in his deathbed, the United States grappled with issues as diverse and complex as national security, the insanity defense, and modern medical practice. By the time Garfield finally died in a New Jersey beach house three months after being shot, the United States faced a new political era. We will explore the context and consequences of this little-known narrative of national loss, discovering how hurt pride, egotism, and recklessness can change the course of history.

Rapture, Los Santos, Diamond City, The Citadel—all metropolises of unimaginable decadence and pervasive poverty. Why have so many of the past decade's greatest games used beautifully-realized cities to explore themes of economic inequality and racial hierarchy? What can virtual cities teach us about the socio-economic landscapes of Los Angeles, Detroit, or New Haven? We'll take a look at how games like Bioshock, GTA V, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution interpret what it's like to live in a diverse, interconnected space and ask whether games can accurately reflect the world we live in (spoilers: they totally can!).