Thesis Seminar Examines Utopian Theory and Art as Catalysts for Sustainable Futures

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Sandy Litchfield

Sandy Litchfield, an associate professor in the Department of Architecture at UMass Amherst, will teach a yearlong thesis seminar exploring the history of utopian theory through the analysis of art, literature, and theory. This honors seminar is divided into two courses (four credits each) and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00–2:15 p.m. in the John W. Olver Design Building.

The class is designed around the idea of futuring, which is “a creative and informed act of the imagination, which involves projecting and prototyping scenic models for change.”

The first semester will focus on researching utopian theories and frameworks that allow individuals to envision a sustainable and enlightened future. Students will be tasked with considering the dissonance between dream and reality, fiction and function, and idealism and totalitarianism.  Students will be tasked with considering the dissonance between dream and reality, fiction and function, and idealism and totalitarianism. The semester is designed to be very interdisciplinary and flexible for each student. The semester will also explore social concerns of different eras, such as economic, aesthetic, technical, and environmental issues.

The second semester will focus on each student’s thesis project based on the research they completed in the first semester. The thesis projects will be in the form of a creative portfolio and will be supplemented with a written component that documents the project. The portfolio could consist of art, design, architecture, time-based media, built work, or creative writing. All students will also prepare a presentation poster in anticipation of inclusion in the Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference.

The course structure includes assigned readings, short response papers, discussions, and peer reviews. In the fall semester, students will present three possible thesis ideas, conduct preliminary research, compile a bibliography, and complete a semester-long writing portfolio. The final presentation will showcase their developed ideas.

Litchfield expressed that this course is designed to encourage students to explore their interests deeply, and they have the freedom to explore utopian topics in any realm of thought. 

“This is going to be a really exciting exploration into future studies and thinking about how we want to be involved in the visioning of future society. It will involve a lot of research and creative thinking.”

If you are interested in enrolling in this course and exploring the idea of futuring, please email Litchfield stating your reason for interest in the course and provide a one-page writing sample. You can contact her at slitchfi [at] umass [dot] edu (slitchfi[at]umass[dot]edu).