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A study of what it can mean to think freely and critically, given the multiple social and cultural influences on our thinking. Topics to be addressed include the political significance of critical thinking, the processes by which ideology gains cultural power, the role of emotion and imagination in both ideology and critical thinking, and the ways that popular culture (e.g., music, videos, and comedy) can serve ideology critique. Readings include works by Kant, Marx, Barthes, and theorists of popular culture, such as Aldous Huxley, Arundhati Roy, and Eduardo Galeano. Theories of ideology and ideology critique will be applied to contemporary social problems. Gen Ed Competency: Engage Diversity