Life in a Dish: an Introduction to Cellular Biology
- All levels
- 21 and older
- $315
- Online Classroom
- 12 hours over 4 sessions
Thankfully we have 8 other Lecture Classes for you to choose from. Check our top choices below or see all classes for more options.
Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom
In this thought-provoking course from the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, you'll explore the core principles of biotechnology and the ethical, political, and economic implications of manipulating biological matter. Uncover the exciting possibilities and real constraints that shape the future of bioengineering today!
Apr 9th
6:30–9:30pm EDT
Meets 4 Times
Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom
Explore a radical vision of the future where nature and technology align, challenging the pessimistic outlook on climate change. Immerse yourself in the art, theory, and speculative fiction of solarpunk to reimagine a world of decommodified energy and human liberation. Join us on this intellectual journey towards a harmonious coexistence of technology, nature, and human life.
Apr 14th
2–5pm EDT
Meets 4 Times
Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom
Delve into the depths of human emotions and the complexities of the mind with a comprehensive exploration of psychoanalysis. Gain insights into the intricate workings of the psyche through this captivating course.
Apr 14th
2–5pm EDT
Meets 4 Times
Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom
Explore Russian and Soviet avant-gardes during the first three decades of the 20th century. Discover how artists grappled with finding "communistic expression of material structures" and the shifting status of the arts in the early Soviet state. Dive into the works of Kazimir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Sergei Eisenstein, and more.
Apr 17th
6:30–9:30pm EDT
Meets 4 Times
Brooklyn Institute for Social Research @ Online Classroom
Delve into the transformative insights of Saidiya Hartman's groundbreaking works on Black life and history. Join us at the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research as we explore Hartman's profound reimagining of freedom, agency, and the legacy of the Atlantic slave trade. Engage with critical questions on power, labor, and race in the postmodern era through an examination of Hartman's influential texts alongside other prominent scholars in the field.
Apr 29th
6:30–9:30pm EDT
Meets 4 Times
When Robert Hooke discovered the cell in 1665, modern science acquired an enduring metaphor: the cell as the building block of life. Since then, cell theory has evolved three central tenets: the cell is the basic unit of life, all living organisms are composed of cells, and all cells come from other cells. But cells themselves have also come to be thought of in terms exceeding, if not opposed to, the biological: cellular biology is premised on our ability to culture cells outside of the living body, which has transformed our conception of them into a technology, sparking debates about how and whether we can, or should, intervene in our own cellular processes and provoking new uncertainty as to when exactly life begins. Beyond even all of this are still other, social and historical images derived from cellular biology—including the cell as a microcosm of the world in all its complexity, from which an argument for harmonious human social relations has evolved, and the proposition that cells are “events which progressively unfold themselves” and ought therefore “be studied like history.” How can we understand, on the one hand, the human cell as both biological fact and technological instrument? And what are we to make, on the other, of cellular structures and processes as metaphors and analogies of human social life?
In this course, we will explore the various identities of cells—as biological units, as technologies, and as ways of thinking about human history and social relations. Reading widely, from empirical scientific literature on cell biology to science writing, history of science, and theories of the cell, including works by Lewis Thomas, Hannah Landecker, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Rebecca Skloot, Ana Soto and Carlos Sonnenschein, Ruha Benjamin, Jane Maienschein, and others, we will ask: how have the discoveries of cellular biology been applied in medical research, and to what end? What political and social imperatives shape the study and application of cellular biology? To what extent are cells useful or viable as metaphors for social and historical life? And, with a view to recent discoveries, how does cellular biology today attempt to answer the question, what is life?
This course is available for "remote" learning and will be available to anyone with access to an internet device with a microphone (this includes most models of computers, tablets). Classes will take place with a "Live" instructor at the date/times listed below.
Upon registration, the instructor will send along additional information about how to log-on and participate in the class.
In any event where a customer wants to cancel their enrollment and is eligible for a full refund, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from the refund amount.
People who viewed this class also viewed the following classes
Get quick answers from CourseHorse and past students.
The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research was established in 2011 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Its mission is to extend liberal arts education and research far beyond the borders of the traditional university, supporting community education needs and opening up new possibilities for scholarship in the...
Read more about Brooklyn Institute for Social Research
This school has been carefully vetted by CourseHorse and is a verified Online educator.
Booking this class for a group? Find great private group events
More in Life Skills
Get special date and rate options for your group. Submit the form below and we'll get back to you within 2 business hours with pricing and availability.