“Of Play and Prudery” is a cultural history course on public entertainment and censorship politics in Chicago from the Late Nineteenth Century to the Mid-Twentieth Century. This course is intended to introduce casual and lifelong learners to cultural history and to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the history of Chicago. Students will learn about patterns of life, leisure, and cultural politics in the Windy City and draw comparisons to the shifting culture and identity of Chicago in the present, while also learning how to use tools of Public History to research and share historical knowledge with a public audience.

Three sessions. $170/ $153.

Led by Lucas Bensley.