IDST 385 Turning Points: Self-Transformation

Various authors define turning points as "major transformations in views about the self, identity, or the meaning of life." Psychologists associate turning points with transitions and stages of human development defined and explored by authors such as Erik Erikson, while philosophers examine turning points in terms of the human condition, and according to how death defines the meaning of our lives. Retirement or loss of a job, the end of a love affair, reaching the "golden years" (maturity) or learning that one (or a family member) has a fatal disease are all examples of challenges that often result in critical turning points throughout life. As an interdisciplinary course, we will explore turning points illustrated in works of classical literature and contemporary films, as well as through the application of various philosophical, psychological, and literary perspectives that focus on moments of self-transformation.