The literature on civic engagement in higher education is rich with examples of courses and programs that promote the development of students as engaged citizens in our democracy. However, few of them involve the arts. This fact is unfortunate because all forms of engagement with the arts is an important and effective means of achieving our civic…

In Detroit, the creative impulse to work in and around sites of ruin presents both aesthetic and ethical dilemmas. Creative practices that make use of ruined sites in the city are controversial to the extent that they present aesthetically attractive representations of real, unresolved social and environmental problems. This article examines the…

The artwork created by David Hammons titled "The Door," is a glass in wood door that shows the words "Admissions Office" on it in reverse. There is a black shadow image of a person peering in. This powerful statement of inequality reflected the frustration of African-Americans trying to get into colleges and universities during…