HIST 331B Fashion and Society Since 1500
Fashion is a text for society that communicates about the individual, even if fashion constantly creates a tension between uniformity and individuality. It is a social construction of what is regarded as appropriate. As with any aspect of human behavior so fundamental, there are many ways to examine the phenomenon of human dress. In this course we will focus on the discourse in which social, economic, political, cultural ideas are expressed through the medium of clothing. One of the main topics is the development of modern styles of fashion in Europe and what impact these had on the rest of the world, particularly in the context of colonialism and the rise of a global textile industry.
Cross Listed Courses
HIST 331B &
HIST 531B