NEH Enduring Questions Course on "What Is Human Flourishing?"

FAIN: AQ-50928-13

Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5200)
Dini Metro-Roland (Project Director: September 2012 to July 2016)
Jeffrey Jones (Co Project Director: January 2014 to July 2016)

The development of an undergraduate honors course by two faculty members to explore the question, What is human flourishing?

This course is an invitation to explore the rich and multifaceted history and nature of the question What is human flourishing? Drawing from the disciplines of philosophy, history, literature and the social sciences, we introduce students to conceptions, visions and conditions of human flourishing, its changing nature across many periods of Western history, and its manifold expressions in contemporary life. An essential component of this course is making connections between the tradition of human flourishing and its practice in the local community. In addition to attending classes, students will participate in a series of site visits to various intentional communities, organizations, art exhibits, musical performances and speaking events, and listen to organizers and artists talk about conceptions of human flourishing and efforts to bring their visions to fruition.

Media Coverage

Love Who You ART Winner: Amber Browning (Media Coverage)
Publication: Kalamazoo Pride Resource Center
Date: 9/16/2015
Abstract: One of my students, Amber Browning, created an art piece for my "Human Flourishing and the Pursuit of Happiness" course (funded with an NEH Enduring Questions grant.) After completion of the course, she submitted the piece and won first prize in the "Love Who You ART" contest sponsored by Kalamazoo Pride. The art work depicts her vision of human flourishing.
URL: http://http://www.kglrc.org/2015/09/love-who-you-art-winner-amber-browning/