Brown University’s Choices Program has just released the final lesson in their updated unit on Confronting Genocide: Never Again? as a free online lesson. This new lesson includes a new video series featuring RISD Museum curator Kate Irvin:
Fashion as Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory
In “Fashion as Cultural Heritage and Historical Memory“, students assess and understand the value of fashion as a source for studying history and culture. Students learn to analyze a fashion piece as an historical object and then view a slideshow of past and present OvaHerero fashion styles from Namibia. Students consider the role of fashion as a political or cultural statement and then sketch their own fashion piece using symbolism. Although the lesson is part of the full Choices unit Confronting Genocide, you do not need the unit to complete this lesson.
The video series features Kate Irvin, Curator and Head of the Department of Costume and Textiles at the RISD Museum. The videos discuss textiles and fashion and how to analyze them in light of history and current events.
To view the lesson plan and videos, click this link.
