In this class students will survey a range of issues related to the arts in education, including philosophical and theoretical issues, justifications and approaches to the arts in schools, the role of the arts in communities, as well as contemporary media and popular culture. The course will have a broad and interdisciplinary focus and will introduce students to relevant frameworks for conceptualizing a wide range of artistic practices in various educational contexts both within and beyond schools. From a consideration of various rationales for the inclusion of the arts in general education to the educational experiences of artists themselves, the course will seek to bridge the distance between contemporary arts and cultural theory and the integration of the arts in education through curriculum implementation and research.