Arts and Advocacy Applied Minor (AM)
As art and political theorist Murray Edelman writes, “Art is the fountainhead from which political discourse, beliefs about politics, and consequent actions ultimately spring. … Art should be recognized as a major and integral part of the transaction that engenders political behavior.”
The goal of the arts and advocacy applied minor (AM) is to deepen and enlarge students’ ability to think about the relationship between art and political discourse.
Program details
Pursuing an applied minor in arts and advocacy will deepen your ability to tell stories and practice the skills of moral imagination in the work of social justice. You will also practice skills in creative expression and show how to apply these skills in social justice venues.
Applied minors (AMs) are distinctive programs allowing you to personalize your education and to help you make direct connections between academic interests and co-curricular activities.
Courses
You must complete a total of five courses, including the following course:
- POLS 292 FCNL Spring Lobby Weekend
and four of the following courses:
- THEA 230 Applied Theatre: Acting
- THEA 370 Directing
- THEA 386 Devised Theatre
- ENG 321 Introduction to Creative Writing
- ENG 353 Topics in Peace and Justice
- ENG 386 Reading and Writing Short Fiction
- ENG 387 Reading and Writing Poetry
- ART 235 Photography I
- ART 335 Photography II
- POLS 111 Introduction to Politics
- Other courses to be considered by petition
Co-curricular activity
You must complete one of the following co-curricular activities:
- Forum Theatre Project – 20 hours or more
- Story Collection and Sharing (Story Corps) – extension of Devised Theatre – 20 hours or more
- Earlham Word staff – 20 hours or more]
- Model UN – 20 hours or more
- Twenty hours volunteering with an advocacy group
- Other experiences to be considered by petition
Culminating experience
You must complete one of the following experiences:
- A brief paper or guided responses (e.g. an artist’s statement about the intersection of arts and advocacy)
- A portfolio of works or writing emphasizing the intersection of arts and advocacy
NOTE: Whichever option you choose, you will present your work in a forum such as InternFest or the Celebration of Learning. You will refer to or demonstrate visual, performing or creative arts in this presentation and will link this artistic expression to advocacy on a specific issue. The presentation will reflect on the impact of this use of the arts.
Our faculty
Faculty in the Departments of Politics, Theatre Arts, English and Art provide a diverse range of perspectives on the function of the arts in society and how they can positively influence individuals, community building and political discourse.
Have questions?
Learn more about declaring your interest in an applied minor and find answers to other questions you may not even know you have.