I am designing a one time January term intensive course. The theme is ecomodding and the highway in American culture. I'm wondering about readings, movies, and modding/driving projects you all might recommend for undergraduate students in the Liberal Arts (history and anthropology). The purpose of my universities January term courses is both study and practical applications of study. I'd love to have them work on modding a car, but liability could kill such an idea when the Dean gets ahold of it. Maybe my car and a buddies Metro/Swift could as demos.
Here is a segment from the Top Gear program I want to use to help frame the question about pathways through American culture that will promote more widespread ecomodding:
Technical intro:
Significant portions of Hucho
Books and films:
Two Lane Blacktop (movie)
On the Road (novel)
Thelma and Louise (movie)
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (book)
I could probably try to elaborate, and I'm not sure about Thelma and Louise, and I think some good stuff on Chicano car culture here in SOuthern Cali is in order. But I want your suggestions... what would you want to show, to read, to share, to design, with liberal arts students interested in environmentalism but without much in the way of technical know-how?
james