Restricted to first semester first year students in the College of Arts and Humanities.

We will explore the cultural, artistic, and humanitarian significance of the 1985 charity single "We Are the World." Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and performed by an unprecedented ensemble of major American artists, the song served as a powerful artistic response to the Ethiopian famine. We will situate "We Are the World" within broader conversations about celebrity activism, media spectacle, and the role of the arts in global humanitarian efforts. Students will consider how the song reflects the political and cultural climate of the 1980s, especially in relation to race, power, and global inequality. Drawing from disciplines such as musicology, history, cultural studies, literature, foreign policy, and ethics, the class invites students to think critically abouthow popular culture can inspire collective action and social awareness.