Culture and Identity: St. Louis Boundaries and Borders

AMERICAN CULTURE STUDIES 330D

St. Louis is widely reputed to be a region defined by its boundaries and borders: north side vs. south side; the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers; the city/county border; boundaries within and between school districts; boundaries between neighborhoods, municipalities, parishes, tax districts, wards, and ZIP codes; and boundaries defined by the region's streets and highways. These physical and spatial boundaries often demarcate divisions between people, particularly along the dimensions of race, social class or economic status. In this class, we will examine a variety of the borders and boundaries that shape and define the St. Louis region, investigating their origins, and interrogating whether and how the distinction between fenced-off corners and the wider setting helps us to understand those boundaries-or whether that distinction reflects an outdated set of concerns and thereby limits our vision about the city and what it can be.
Course Attributes: EN H; BU Hum; BU BA; AS HUM; FA HUM; AR HUM; FA CPSC

Section 01

Culture and Identity:
INSTRUCTOR: Bartzel
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