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SOST 200

SOST 200 is an interdisciplinary course that also counts for Gen Ed Humanities credit. In the course, students explore the diverse history of the South and examples of its art, music, foodways, literature and film, and cultural traditions. You’ll also undertake an in-depth research project on a topic of your choice. HONS 172 is the Honors College equivalent to this course. SOST 241, Interpreting Southern Literature and Cultures, meets the same requirement, studying multiple forms of Southern culture with a special focus on literature.

Dr. Adam Jordan, Education is teaching SOST 200 online in Summer 2023.  Dr. Jordan was formerly a faculty member at the University of North Georgia, where he focused on disability perspectives in the South and Appalachia. The summer course will be offered in an online format, so it should fit anyone’s schedule and location.

photo of Adam JordanDr. Jordan is the co-founder of the All Y’all Social Justice Collective, a non-profit focused on justice-oriented professional experiences for teachers. His research and activism has focused on anti-racist teaching, reconceptualizing Southern and Appalachian identities, and mentally healthy schooling environments. He grew up in North Georgia and has a deep personal understanding of the diversity of Southern cultures as well as the many aspects of the South that are in need of repair. In a recent column for the The Mouth of the South, Dr. Jordan invited readers to send in their perspectives on the South.
“The South we know is filled with folks that argue over their grits, their gravy, their biscuits, their tofu, and their shakshuka.  It is a place where people wrestle with the legacy of this place, a legacy rooted in pain and oppression, while simultaneously embracing the proud points of our collective heritages.  So too must the stories that show up on these pages.  Please, share your voices.”
Learn more about Dr. Jordan in this blog post. Students in Rate My Professor called Dr. Jordan “the most woke professor” they’ve had. Don’t miss this chance to study the South with such a great professor.

SOST 200 was taught in Spring 2021 by Dr. Barry Stiefel (Historic Preservation & Urban Studies), in Spring 2022 by Bryan Walter (Affiliate Faculty, Southern Studies) and by Michele Moore (English, Southern Studies, Medical Humanities).

Honors Intro to Southern Studies was taught in S 2020, F 2021, and S 2023 by Dr. Eichelberger and in F 2020 by Dr. Scott Peeples (English).

In earlier years, it was taught in in Fall 2018 by Dr. Julia Eichelberger (English), F 2019 by Dr. Eichelberger and in taught in Spring 2019 by Dr. Tammy Ingram (History), in Spring 2020  by History professor Hayden Smith.

In addition to being a required course for the Southern Studies minor, the course also counts towards the Gen Ed Humanities requirement and will count for the new Race, Equity, and Inclusion requirement.

Be prepared for experiential learning, readings and mini-lectures on Southern history and culture, lots of critical analysis (in writing, discussion, & multimedia), and in-depth independent research on a project of your choice.

Highlights of the Fall 2018 class included multiple trips to C of C’s Special Collections, a curator-led tour of the photography exhibit Southbound, a lesson in singing spirituals from Ann Caldwell, and a biscuit-making lesson by Southern cookbook author and chef Nathalie Dupree.

Southbound photography in the Halsey Gallery

 

 

Ann Caldwell teaching polyrhythms

Students practice a ring shout

Biscuits with Nathalie Dupree

Students also enjoyed presentations from guest faculty Karen Gilmore, who discussed the Anson Street burial project, Jean Everett, who shared a lecture on the longleaf pine forest’s ecosystem, Joe Kelly who discussed his book Marooned, and Dale Rosengarten who discussed some of her research on sweetgrass basketry and on Jewish history in South Carolina. The semester ended with each student giving short presentations on their research on a wide range of topics (debutantes, Boone Hall plantation, the movie Song of the South, the Coastal Conservation League, etc).

Students receiving a guided tour of the Southbound exhibit in Spring 2019

In Spring 2019, Dr. Ingram’s class also enjoyed special field trips and guest appearances in addition to discussing the history of the region and assigned readings showcasing a cross-section of cultural traditions from the South.

Cristina Rae Butler discusses ironworking at the American College of Building Arts

Students experienced a private tour of the Southbound exhibit, a walking tour of the history of LGBTQ Charleston led by Harlan Greene, and a visit to The American College of Building Arts where students are learning historic building and preservation techniques in brickwork, iron, woodworking, and more. Dr. Ingram’s students conducted individual research projects of their own; topics included the meaning of Southern natural landscapes,  residential segregation in Charleston, and the history of the mint julep.

Harlan Greene discusses LGBTQ history in Charleston

Harlan Greene takes students inside St. Michael’s church

 

 

 

 

STUDY (v.) 1. To apply oneself to the acquisition of knowledge. 2. To take under consideration; to think about. 3. To have any interest in or concern for. Often used in negative constructions: I AIN'T STUDYING YOU = I’m not paying attention to you, I don’t care about you; I AIN'T GONNA STUDY WAR NO MORE = I will not practice warfare any more. [According to the Dictionary of American Regional English, this usage has occurred often in the South.]
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