ARTS 352 - Coffeehouses and Teahouses: A Global History

Semester Offered: Second Semester
Full Course
Credits: 4 credits
Attribute: 4HU, CD

From Ottoman coffeehouses to Japanese teahouses to Parisian cafes, the collective consumption of substances like coffee, tea, and tobacco has long created distinctive material cultures, artworks, and architectural spaces. In this course, we trace the dissemination of these stimulants across the globe from the sixteenth century onward. We will examine the material context of the substances in different scales, ranging from utensils to interior spaces and broader urban landscapes. Routes of transfer will be explored along with the development of new forms of sociability, material objects, and architectural types such as coffeehouses, teahouses, and smoking rooms.

Enrollment Limit: 30
Instructor: F. Emami