Grinnell-in-Washington, D.C.

HUM 295: Walking Washington: Civil Resistance and National Attractions
(Steve Andrews), 4 credits, prerequisites: none. In this course, two essays by Henry David Thoreau, "Walking" (1862) and "Resistance to Civil Government" (1849), will provide a framework for exploring the importance of walking and staying put as techniques for understanding place and expressing political views. Utilizing District of Columbia sites ranging from national museums to national monuments, we will discuss ways in which the State presents itself to visitors. We will also examine the ways in which various interest groups have critiqued specific national policies in relation to their own political agendas by marching and standing still on behalf of their principles.