History and Culture Lecture Series
By Alex Brown
No. Subject Title Contents
Western Culture
1. The Greeks and Romans History/culture from 500BC to 500AD
2. Middle Ages/ Renaissance European History /culture from
476AD to 1450
476AD to 1450
3. Renaissance to 18th century Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific revolution, Enlightenment, Neo-classicism, Napoleon and after.
4. The 19th century Industrial Revolution, Empires & colonies, urbanization, Capitalism, urban squalor, inventions, railways, steam, factories.
5. The Early 20th century WWI Bauhaus, Depression, WWII,
American hegemony
6. The 20th Century Post war, Cold War, international modern, post-modernism, consumerism and media, international conflict, globalization
Indian, Chinese and Japanese Cultures
1. Indian Culture (1) Indus valley origins,
dynasties, religions, castes
2. Indian Culture (2) Indian art and design
3. Chinese Culture (1) Origins, society, religion, people
4. Chinese Culture (2) Chinese art and design
5. Japanese Culture (1) Origins, religion, classes, influences,
Zen Buddhist
6. Japanese Culture (2) Tea, calligraphy, ceramics, haiku, war,
Meiji, westernization
7. Islamic Culture (5) Religion, history, influences, art,
design, till 15th century
design, till 15th century
SOUTH EAST ASIA
1. Southeast Asia in general Geography, people, cultural
influences,
influences,
2. Thailand History, religion, art, architecture, design
3. Indonesia History, architecture, art, design, drama
4. Malaysia History, races, arts, crafts, dance, batik.
5. Singapore History, Raffles, immigration, war,
peranakan
6. Sing/Malay history/ Culture History, peoples, Indian/Chinese
nfluence, Malay Empires
7. Sing/Malay History/ Culture Art and culture, architecture, wayang, textiles, dance, Raffles
MODERN POPULAR CULTURE
1. The Fifties Post-WWII, American/culture/art/music
/lifestyle
2. The Sixties Pop culture, crises, Vietnam, hippies,
music, fashion, style
3. The Seventies Pop, crises, fashion, wars, style, music, punk, technology
4. The Eighties Recession, riots, social change, end of cold war, fashion
5. The Nineties
6. Modern Culture and Design Style, modernism, postmodernism,
graphics, fashion
7 Style and Design Style, definitions, movements, design,
decoration, society
READING MODERN PRODUCTS
1. Style Image and Function Appropriate image, associations,
decoration, meaning
2 Pre-Industrial Design Craft, artist, industry, mass production, utility, 1851 exhibition, Colt handgun, steam ships
3 Sources of Modern Design Early moderns, arts crafts, art nouveau, rationalism, industry
4 The Modern Movement Industrialization, machine age, Bauhaus
philosophy, design
5 Modern American Design American industrial design, art deco,
streamline products
6 Image & Function Appropriate image/function, design
process, innovation, ideas
7 Creating the unfamiliar Innovation design process, from familiar
to unfamiliar strange
8. Design Trends Styles Postwar design, style, fashion, modern,
postmodern ideas
MODERN ART
1. Glossary of Art & Design Art, cultural movements, definitions,
descriptions
2. Modern Art History/evolution of all modern art
movements from 1850s
3. Power of Art & Design Art as propaganda, power, ideology,
fashion
4. Graphics Advertizing and graphics, consumerism,
TV and Movies
5. Movies Hollywood, history, studios,
independents and organization
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND CURRENT AFFAIRS
1. Regional conflicts Korea, Vietnam, Iran-Iraq, Middle
East, Latin America
2. Ideologies Capitalism, Communisms,
Religious and Regional
3. Economic Development Asian emergence from WWII, growth
and culture
4. Technology Developments Space, Internet, Medicine, Media,
Transport
5. Cultural developments Influences and exchanges, lifestyles,
media and TV.