History, Practice and Pedagogy

“This exciting collection of stimulating essays tackles the critical role of empathy in the arts with a deep historical awareness as well as with a recognition of the place of empathy in contemporary concerns about social justice. With essays that consider empathy within a wide framework of art historical writings, art theory, viewing practices, and art education, this volume will provide readers with both a comprehensive survey of the concept and a practical guide for engaging current students, teachers, and scholars.” —Jodi Cranston, Professor, Department of History of Art & Architecture, Boston University, USA “This fine, well-curated collection of essays will be of interest to anyone interested in the intersect of art and empathy. Drawing on diverse artwork and media, the volume provokes us to think anew about the various ways empathy informs the ways we make, study and experience art.” —Shari Tishman, Senior Research Associate at Harvard Project Zero, Cambridge, USA This edited volume explores the historical, practical and pedagogical possibilities for expressing and cultivating empathy through works of art. Moving into the second quarter of the twenty-first century, amidst global health crises, civic unrest, political turmoil, and persistent social inequities and injustices, this capacity to feel with and as someone or something outside of ourselves is more critical than ever. Probing the very notion of empathy, contributions address themes ranging from environmental and social justice to identity and inclusion to transdisciplinary pedagogies and practices, each with a critical eye to how works of art not only appeal to empathic sensibilities, but might play an active role in developing capacities for empathy in viewers. Susan Barahal is a Senior Lecturer at Tufts University, USA where she teaches courses on art education. Her research interests include how art facilitates and informs learning and understanding across the disciplines and content areas. Susan’s recent research explores the empathic responses that art objects evoke in viewers. She is a practicing artist and a juried member of the New England Sculptors Association. Elizabeth Pugliano is Senior Instructor of art history at the University of Colorado Denver. Her work balances art historical research on violence, combat, gender, audience, reception and cognition in medieval art with pedagogical inquiries into issues encountered in the art history classroom and innovation in teaching practice.