COURSE DESCRIPTION: What makes ancient Rome a vibrant place of contemporary exploration? Rome is one of the oldest living cities, and its claim to be “caput mundi,” continues to resonate today. Who fabricates Rome? Where is the line between handmade and virtual? This course explores the people, crafts, and living traditions that constitute Rome now. We will study maker practice in Rome, from artisanal realities to virtual simulation. Students will unlock their potential as archivists of contemporary Rome, gaining access and agency in the culture of this city. With the eye of documentarian, the care of the curator, the perspective of the historian, and the creativity of the artist, students will gain skills in cataloguing Rome today. The course is an exploration in individual narrative, with students gaining confidence in their own power to inflect the city in real time, according to their personal vocational or study interests, even if they are newcomers to the Eternal City Whether taking the form of essays, performances, actions, or visual records, each student will develop a project with potential public engagement possibilities, by the end of the semester. The author’s voice will be emphasized, with a focus on position, framing, and editing. The notion of civic and public good will be explored. In addition to developing writing, photo-editing, and social media skills, an emphasis on process, from proposal to project will be a focus of the course.