Texts & Ideas

Course Structure

A menu of three-hour courses to be taken from the first year onward.

Learning Objectives

  • To critically reflect on the history, legacy, and social construction of influential texts and ideas  
  • To comprehend complex texts and ideas through regular practice engaging with, comparing, and interpreting them 
  • To express themselves effectively across relevant mediums and modalities (e.g., papers, discussions, presentations, podcasts, websites, blog posts, etc.) 

Learning Outcomes used for Assessment

  • Students will engage in reading, writing, and discussion about important ideas drawn from the study of important texts—including literary texts, dramatic texts, sacred texts, historical texts, philosophical texts, and scientific texts.
  • Students will develop capacities for argument, interpretation, and aesthetic appreciation through engagement with these texts and ideas.

Alternative Ways to Fulfill the TI Requirement

All students must fulfill the TI requirement. Most do so by taking a designated TI course at Butler. There are, however, alternative ways to satisfy the requirement. For more, see the Core Operating Manual linked to the Core Curriculum Menu on the side of this page.

Text & Ideas Faculty Spotlight

Lavender McKittrick-Sweitzer
TI 242-PL – “Marginalized in America”

Person with a dog on the beach

Through deep engagement with the theory and narratives of scholars from historically marginalized communities, we work together to understand how oppression is perpetuated in the US. Students learn how to reflect on these issues and become empowered to affect change in a pluralistic society. One of my favorite readings in the course, bell hooks’ “Theory as Liberatory Practice” demonstrates how theorizing can be politically liberatory when it emerges out of personal reflection. I love teaching this course because I continue to learn from students how I can best advocate for and empower them, while also gaining renewed hope from their passion and energy for building a more just world.