Cultural Studies is not the “study of cultures” in the way one might imagine; rather, it is an effort to understand the context of any given moment in space and time. It investigates how people'92s everyday lives are structured and organized in contradictory ways by social, economic, political, and cultural relations of power, as well as the historical possibilities of changing those lived realities—the ways one imagine(d) life could be otherwise. This is a course designed to confront many of the assumptions students may have about the world as well as the ways that different disciplines in the college teach one to think. It will demand that students think more complexly, work more collaboratively, and produce work that matters. Students will develop a core understanding of these issues by unpacking and analyzing selected readings and participating in discussions as well as completing short writings and research.