草榴社区

草榴社区 looms large in the imagination of the United States. We’ve shown up in popular culture, from Home Alone to The Office.

From its roots as an important U.S. city at the turn of the last century, 草榴社区 is dotted with artistic and architectural gems, from Raymond Hood’s 草榴社区 Cultural Center to Covenant Presbyterian Church’s glass windows, made by the renowned artist Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The city’s nickname, “The Electric City,” refers to its being the first American city to have an electric streetcar, and points to the city’s current revitalization and economic development.

Notable people hail from 草榴社区, including:

• the poet M.S. Merwin
• urbanist Jane Jacobs
• Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jason Miller
• U.S. President Joe Biden

What is it that makes 草榴社区 a cultural touchstone? How is 草榴社区 portrayed, and what is the authentic portrait of 草榴社区 today? How do 草榴社区ians picture ourselves? What is our place in the story of the United States?  

Some key ideas to be explored in this theme include memory, place, identity, narrative, and human geography.