JAN 313-01 - Craftivism: When Crafting and Activism Collide

Dates for on-campus class TBA

Level:  300-level

Course Times:  12:00pm - 2:40pm

Course Materials Fee:  $30

Instructor(s):  Porsia Tunzi   

Email:  pnt1@stmarys-ca.edu

What happens when one’s interest in handmade crafts collides with their interest in making a better world? There’s a word for that! And it’s “Craftivism.” In this Jan Term course, students will investigate the historical roots and contemporary expressions of Craftivism, as seen in examples like the AIDS Memorial Quilt, feminist embroidery collectives, and climate change protest banners. Through hands-on practice with mediums such as collage, crochet, embroidery, and zine-making, students will create original works that reflect their own commitments to social or political causes; they will also examine how fiber arts and other traditionally “domestic” crafts have been reimagined as tools for resistance and community-building. No previous crafting experience is required-only a willingness to explore creativity and craft-making as a form of social and political activism.

Prerequisites & Notes
SEM 250 or SEM 327

Credits: 3