Overview:

Several professors have been or are considering doing work related to walking and desire lines in their courses. We've determined that there's a terrific opportunity to bring together students from across the university through an unusual cross-disciplinary network of faculty members and coursework.

Walk & Squawk is structuring a series of workshops which culminate in an end-of-term discussion and sharing/exhibit of student explorations of walking and desire lines. The workshops will include intimate foundation sessions for individual classes followed by one or two larger, cross-disciplinary sessions for multiple classes.

The development and implementation of this innovative, cross-disciplinary course collaboration will be a primary agenda item for our November 7th meeting and we would like to finalize participation by December 1st. (4pm @ the Arts at Michigan office)

These workshops are linked with attendance at a performance and participation in two humanities events that are part of the Walking Project residency.

Footprints: Walking Through Time (April 8, 1:30-3 pm, University of Michigan)

Two-Footed Creatures: Anthropologist Laura Mac Latchy looks at evolution, bipedalism and walking

On Foot: A History of Walking: Historian and author Joseph Amato looks at walking as a way to understand power and human relationships, past and present.

With Walking Project company members. In collaboration with Arts at Michigan.

Talking & Walking: a public conversation (April 9, 1-4 pm, downtown Detroit YMCA)

Through research and discussions with artists, community partners and students, the walking project has explored biology, urban planning, politics, class, race and religion. The conversation becomes public for an afternoon, co-led by students, scholars and artists working on the project. As part of this convening, we’ll take a walk with On Foot author Joseph Amato, exploring the place of walking in his Detroit childhood.

The walk and conversation will be followed by a 5pm performance and special post-show discussion for UofM students and faculty. Arts at Michigan’s Culture Bus will provide transportation and ticket subsidies for the university community.

Potential Partners/Interested Participants:

Hannah Smotrich (School of Art and Design)

advanced design seminar - walking, desire lines, mapping themes (undergrad)

Larry Gant (School of Social Work)

urban policy and community practice courses (grad)

Kelly Quinn (Urban Planning and CAAS)

- gender, race and the built environment (urban planning, grad)

- visual culture/public culture (CAAS, undergrad)

A query dear walking colleagues: I am contemplating how to incorporate this possibilities offered by this project and the facilities of the University's newly established Detroit Center into my course offerings for Winter. Any suggestions or thoughts? Will other faculty be using the Detroit Center with their walks and mapping?

Kate Mendeloff (RC Drama)

independent/community-based arts students (undergrad)

Keith Taylor (English)

currently doing work about walking in an advanced poetry class, which will be publishing a book of walking poems at the end of this semester (undergrad)

Karl Eric Longstreth (Map Library)

space, place and landscape seminar (grad)

Nancy Lautenbach (Arts at Michigan)

UROP students (undergrad)

bookmaking workshop (undergrad)

Nancy is also the contact for arts-related funding opportunities through the Course Connections and Student Minigrant programs