Course Schedule

PAH 150B4 – Friendship: Life's Fundamental Bond

Making and having friends is a central aspect of everyday life in all human societies. Friendship is one of the deepest pleasures of life and has always been central to human existence. What does it mean to be a friend? What roles do friendships play in our own development? How do we befriend those across the race, ethnicity, gender, and orientation spectrums? What happens when a friendship turns sour? What is the effect of friendship--good and bad--on our mental health? Friendship is regarded as crucial to living a good life. But how does friendship make our lives better? Do all friendships make our lives better? What sorts of interactions are necessary for maintaining valuable friendships? This course addresses these questions and examines the ideology and practice of friendship. Situating the subject in the modern digital era, the course also examines the possibilities and challenges of technology and social media on our friendships. It examines friendship as a communicative phenomenon and explores the ways in which friendships are created, sustained, managed, produced, and reproduced. This course teaches that nurturing old and new friendships is a ritual, a necessity, and one of the most worthwhile things we can do in life.