Visual artists see the world in unexpected ways and therefore can offer innovative insights into the life of society. American artists exemplify this interest in the quirky, the hidden corners, and the oblique aspects of both great historical events and everyday existence. This class examines the development of American visual arts as expressed in paintings, photographs, prints and other visual media that concern the political and social life of America from the late 19th century through contemporary times. The class takes a diverse view of sources and perspectives, including all dimensions of American society and the ways in which the full range of American artists – from Mary Cassatt to Jackson Pollock to Kara Walker – both idealize and criticize the nation’s history.

This course is organized around the concepts of freedom and liberty. Through readings of primary sources, discussions, projects, film, poetry, art, music and research tasks students will explore the meanings, contradictions, manifestations and complexities of these two fundamental American ideals. What is freedom? How does one distinguish it from liberty? How has the meaning changed over the course of the history of the U.S.? Where has it been restricted? How have individuals and groups sought it? When has it been restricted, and who has the power to restrict it? Students address these questions in a series of case studies, while at the same time dedicating a significant amount of coursework to developing essential academic skills. These skills include improving reading comprehension, expanding vocabulary, analyzing sources, evaluating evidence and practicing research and writing skills. 

The focus of the class is to explore the style and influence of one culture on another from the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans in the ancient world to the interactive and globalized world of painting, sculpture, architecture and photography in the 21st century. There will be weekly visits to either Soho or Chelsea art galleries and day trips: the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Course requirements are a gallery log in which the student records their responses to the art and a paper and presentation on either an artist or art movement of their choice.

In this new course, students delve into some of the key ways people’s bodies have been politicized. The class investigates the social and political meanings attributed to embodied concepts like un/desirability, body size, parenthood, dis/ability, femininity, masculinity, and gender nonconformity. Students analyze policies that have attempted to police how we look, if, when and how we reproduce, and the extent to which we can express ourselves in the ways we choose. These include recent attempts at limiting bodily autonomy through anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, family leave policies, and medical limitations for trans youth, and more.

How has China’s rise changed the world of the twenty-first century? And what are the forces and factors that shape its global behavior? Is China’s rise an opportunity? Is China a threat? What does China want? What will China do? The modern society and state emerging in China bears the imprint of China's historical experience, its patterns of philosophy and religion, and its social and political thought. The first days of the course are dedicated to providing historical perspective. The class then uses several lenses to explore how economic factors, geopolitical influences, nationalism, and the international system shape China and its relations with the world. The goal is to understand China’s growing role in the world in its impact on the twenty-­first century.

Throughout human history, religions have functioned as an axis of power. Religions have been used to inspire stunning acts of love and peace-building, as well as to justify tremendous violence and conflict. Yet the religious underpinnings of daily life in the modern world are largely misunderstood or unacknowledged. Students of religion attempt to understand the religious underpinnings of daily life around the world. The class begins with an examination of religion as a concept that is fundamentally contested and contextualized across geography, history, and culture. Students then examine Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in context, gaining an understanding of the core teachings and histories in conversation with the ways that these religions negotiate the complexities of modern life. Through examination of so-called “major” religions, indigenous and place-based religions, and new religious movements, students seek to reveal the high stakes of defining religion.

Throughout US history, the notions of free speech, freedom of and from religion, freedom to publish, and freedom to protest have been contested in schools. This course examines how the rights of students and teachers in and out of school have been conceptualized and contested through elections, government policy, and the courts. Recent actions at school board meetings, book bannings, and laws limiting what can be taught in public schools highlight the evolution of the first amendment in schools. In addition to deepening understanding of the history of first amendment freedoms in school, students examine ongoing controversies such as critical race theory, curriculum development, and social media’s relationship to free speech in school.

So much inequality exists in the access and delivery of healthcare in the United States. The global pandemic exacerbated and exposed much of the existing inequities in our healthcare system.  In this course, students learn about how the healthcare system is organized and delivered. The class thinks about the government’s responsibility in ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all Americans - both in the past as well as today. Students engage in conversations about current challenges to the healthcare system and envision alternative policies that policy makers can enact in order to ensure wider access to healthcare. The course places special emphasis on the Affordable Care Act, COVID, reproductive rights, and other health-related current events.

According to the ACLU, as of January 30th, over 380 anti-LGBTQ bills have been proposed in American legislatures IN 2024 ALONE. This course provides students with an opportunity to understand the mechanisms of political change by exploring the expansion and contraction of LGBTQ Rights in America. From the grassroots actions of Stonewall and Act-Up, to the Court decisions legalizing gay marriage, to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Law, to the many states’ attempts to define, and re-define “gender”- students discuss the ways in which activists and politicians have used the structures of American government to forward their agendas. The complex interplay of individuals, organizations, political leaders, the Courts, and religious groups is essential to mapping the future of equal rights for LGBT Americans.

The overturn of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 has led to delays in healthcare for millions of women and pregnant people across the US. Yet even before the Dobbs decision, reproductive rights and bodily autonomy were far from guaranteed for all. In this course, students trace the history of abortion bans and protections in US history, with special attention to how restrictions and bans have disproportionately impacted Black, indigenous, poor, rural, and LGBTQ+ communities. With an eye to the principles of reproductive justice - the right of all people to have children, not have children, and to raise the children they have in safe and sustainable communities - this course allows us to confront the current realities of reproductive rights and what they reveal about the functioning of the US government.

This course provides an introduction to Environmental Politics and Policy. Students explore the rise of the modern environmental movement and the evolution of environmental legislation and regulation in the U.S. In addition, the class examines how the working class and communities of color have historically borne the brunt of environmental inequalities in the United States, suffering disproportionately from the effects of pollution, resource depletion, limited access to shared resources, and exposure to environmental hazards. In addition, students try to understand why environmentalism and climate change have become partisan issues. The course ends with a focus on the Biden administration's record on the environment and the impact of policies on the climate crisis.

It is no exaggeration to state that the outcome of November's election will mark the course of the future of this country, and this planet. This course is designed to provide students with the content knowledge, discussion skills, and critical understanding that are necessary for them to navigate the months leading up to decision 2024 and beyond. The class explores the fundamentals of the American Electoral process in conjunction with the history of voting rights to help students understand the complexity, contradiction, challenges, and fragility of the American democratic system.  Besides covering the Electoral College, political ideology, voting practice and requirements, redistricting, and gerrymandering, the class closely follows the election news cycle.  Students track competitive congressional races and assist in the design and presentation of Democracy Day 2024.

This newly-developed course delves into the many ways that societies aim to classify, discriminate, and dehumanize groups of people, in order to subjugate them. By looking at both the United States (i.e. slavery, Jim Crow) and around the world (i.e. the Jewish Holocaust, the Indian caste system, etc.) we investigate how racialization is connected to various kinds of oppressions. Students are asked to choose a society to research in-depth and create a multimedia presentation at the end of the course. Take this course if you are interested in understanding why and how societies are raced and classified in the ways they are and, ultimately, imagine ways we can work across the division and toward solidarity.

This course will explore the vibrant, dynamic, and often scandalous political and artistic scene of Greenwich Village in the early 20th century, where residents joined forces to fight for a better world. Socialites and socialists, artists, writers, and activists flocked to this neighborhood - which was notorious far beyond the borders of the City. Our school is right in the heart of this historic square mile where some of the most extraordinary men and women in American history shared ideas, created art, called for strikes, “invented” modern feminism, and literally changed the course of history. This reading-intensive course will use the neighborhood, the LREI archives, and a wide selection of sources and resources to help us understand this transformative moment in time, the role and history of the school, and the way that the streets you walk on every day were the stages for some of the most powerful voices of the 20th century.

Come and learn about one of the most important and influential international social justice movements of the 20th century! In this course students explore the history of Southern Africa in the modern era, from the decline and fall of the Zulu Empire to the creation of the democratic nation-state of South Africa. Along the way students learn about: the Zulu Kingdom; settler colonialism and the impact of the British Empire; the creation of the Apartheid state; the anti-Apartheid movement (e.g., the ANC, the Black Consciousness Movement, the armed resistance movement, the trade union movement, the student movement, the international boycott and divestment movement); the establishment of the parliamentary democracy in 1994; and the conditions of political, social, economic, and cultural life in South Africa during the last three decades of majority rule. Students use a variety of primary, secondary, and multi-media sources to construct a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of this history.

This class traces current understandings of race in the United States beginning with 15th century Portuguese explorers, through colonial Puritan origins, slavery, Civil Rights, and beyond. Students apply a sociological lens and think critically about the many ways that racist policies inform society (i.e. laws, health and housing policies, schooling, etc.). This course challenges commonly-held notions of what race in the US is and, ultimately, how to go about resisting racism in daily lives and the world, more broadly. The course relies on Ibram Kendi’s work Stamped From the Beginning as well as the works of sociologists including WEB DuBois, William Julius Wilson, Douglas Massey, and Joe Feagin.

In this course students learn about the history of our “nation of immigrants” by investigating the causes and consequences of the three major waves of US immigration.  Students engage with a variety of texts, political cartoons, news articles, and other materials in order to compare and contrast the waves of immigration.  The class analyzes the various pathways different groups of immigrants have taken and are still taking to secure their spot along our social hierarchy.  Additionally, because of immigration’s place in many Americans’ fears of invasion and takeover, the class spends time learning about and interrogating various immigration policies from recent years.

Grab your passport and hop into the time machine!  In this course, students explore  the evolution, triumphs, and tribulations of urban centers throughout history and across the globe.  From the ancient streets of Babylon to the towering skyscrapers of modern Shanghai, students investigate the tapestry of urban life, diverse cultures, monumental achievements, and transformative movements that have shaped cities over millennia.  The class examines key themes such as urban planning, social dynamics, technological advancements, and cultural exchange, drawing connections between historical events and contemporary urban challenges. From the rise of ancient empires to the industrial revolution and beyond, students develop critical thinking skills as they interpret historical data, engage in informed research and evaluate differing perspectives on urban development.  Using the book Metropolis: A History of the City, Humankind’s Greatest Invention as our guide, students uncover the secrets, stories, and significance of the world's greatest cities, including Rome, Baghdad, Lagos, Tenochtitlan,  Paris and of course, New York - through thought-provoking discussions, immersive activities, reflective journaling and photography.

This class focuses first on the three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students read about and discuss the similarities and differences between these three mid eastern monotheistic religions. Next, the class focuses on 20th and 21st century Mid Eastern politics and history: specifically, on both the religious and political differences between the Shiite Iranians and the Sunni Saudi Arabians. A central part of this curriculum is a review of the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the continual and ongoing antagonism in '56, '68 and '73 etc. between the Palestinian people and their regional Arab allies and the Israelis. Also, students both read and talk about current events in the Mid East - the violent civil conflict that is tearing apart Syria, the continual migration of Syrian people towards Europe, the rise of ISIS and the terrorism employed by both al-Qaeda and ISIS jihadi extremists. Lastly, students read the great Mid Eastern literary epic 1001 Nights. They sail the seven seas with Sinbad the Sailor, and follow Aladdin in his magical rise from an impoverished adolescence to an imperial marriage to a beautiful Princess.

The best historians tell a compelling story. The best podcasts are both educational AND entertaining- and in this class students have the opportunity to both learn from some of the best history podcasts and produce their own based on history-related topics of their choice. While listening to engaging stories produced by The Memory Palace, Uncivil, The Last Archive, and Radiolab (among others), students not only learn about historical figures and events - they also absorb how vivid language, building tension, expressive delivery, and audio effects can enhance storytelling. Students learn to conduct research and interviews, record, edit, and produce. This class is for independent learners who like to dive deep into complex topics, and who want to create work to share with the school community and beyond!

According to the 2020 census, 16% of children in the United States are growing up in poverty. How is this possible in one of the richest countries in the world? Using Matthew Desmond’s Poverty, By America as the baseline text, students explore the historical and present-day prevalence of poverty in our society. Topics such as redlining, the housing & homelessness crisis, rural vs. urban poverty, the racial wealth gap, the role of schooling in class inequality, and more are explored in depth.

In this course students engage with a variety of sociological texts and other materials to investigate the role that race, social class, gender, disability, and other other identifiers play in the kind of education one receives in the United States. The course culminates in a student-designed sociological study where they pursue answers to original research questions about some part of LREI student life. This is a research- and discussion-intensive course.  Students learn how to craft research questions and hypotheses as well as how to employ qualitative and quantitative research methods.  If you have ever wondered why there are so many different kinds of educational experiences in the United States, then this is the class for you. 

This interdisciplinary humanities course focuses on the history,  art, architecture, philosophy, religion, and science in Europe (primarily Italy) from 1350-1700. With an emphasis on primary sources, and art history, students engage deeply with ideas in both written and visual languages.  Using the lens of the life of Caterina Sforza as presented in her biography The Tigress of Forli, students  explore the ideas that emerged during the European Renaissance, and pay particular attention to questions of gender and power.  The class reads excerpts from Galileo, Machiavelli, Isotta Nogarola, and Martin Luther - among many others. The final assessment takes place in the galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

From guns to gay marriage, abortion to GPS tracking, Voter ID laws to affirmative action - in the past two years, the United States Supreme Court has tackled some of the most controversial issues in American society. In this class, students not only investigate pressing and relevant Constitutional topics, they learn how a case makes it through the Federal system, the criteria used for judicial decision-making, and the profound impact of Court decisions on our daily lives.  Most importantly, students explore the impact that the political system, and the ideology of individual judges have on the daily lives of citizens. The course culminates in a series of mock trials where students serve as both judge and attorneys. In an age where the Supreme Court seems to be as divided as the rest of America - this course allows students to explore the judicial system in all its complexity.

What role should the United States play in the world? From the first days of the republic, people in the United States have debated how to balance priorities at home with their country’s involvement in international affairs. Today, the United States is considering its domestic needs and reassessing its international relationships. An array of economic, political, and social transformations are taking place both at home and abroad. For example, how should the United States address climate change? Nuclear weapons? Poverty and inequality? Consensus about how to address these issues is hard to achieve. Nevertheless, a healthy democracy requires debate and discussion about the values and policies that shape the United States’ place in the world. The U.S. Role in a Changing World helps students identify global issues, assess national priorities, and decide for themselves the role the United States should play in the world.

This course examines international human rights with a focus on the history of human rights, the complexities of enforcing human rights standards, and their intersection with democracy. The course begins by examining the postwar emergence of civil and political human rights, the development of social and economic human rights, and the more recent articulation of collective and group human rights. It also explores the normative justifications for enforcing human rights beyond the bounds of national sovereignty and the challenges to these justifications under the forces of globalization. This class draws heavily on current events as avenues for exploration of human rights and their challenges.

The Making of the Modern World: The 9th grade history curriculum begins with the dawn of civilization and ends with a look into our future. During the first trimester, students explore the power of collective learning and the emergence and spread of civilization. In the second trimester, the focus moves to the dawn of the modern age, analyzing the roles of capitalism and the industrial revolution in the creation of a new global society. In the third trimester students focus on the 20th century: global conflict, globalization, and humanity's impact on the environment. The class asks: is a sustainable global community possible? Throughout the year, analytical writing and research skills are emphasized. Ultimately, this course should enable students to understand the development of our global society, as well as the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century.