This course will explore some of the artists, collectives, and cultural organizations in countries that have faced political and social upheaval since 2020. With a special emphasis on contemporary art and photography, students will learn about artistic responses to events in the United States, India, Cuba, Afghanistan, Myanmar and elsewhere. How have artists working through this time sought to teach history, resist repressive regimes, create new narratives, and develop broader social inclusion? Have their approaches been successful? By what measure? The course will consider what kinds of impact might an artist expect to make, and examine the sorts of limitations they face. Readings will be drawn from a range of sources including scholarship, critical essays, and international reporting. The class will include visits from working artists and field trips to New York museums.