Teaching Tactic: Role Playing Religious Voices at a Judy Chicago-Inspired Dinner Party

Like many professors I know, I am always looking for end-of term activities to help students show off what they have learned in a low stress format. 

At the end of the semester, we stage a Judy Chicago-inspired dinner party, complete with student art, delicious food, and role playing. Judy Chicago's dinner party project at the Brooklyn Museum is a groundbreaking work of feminist art that celebrates the achievements of women throughout history. The installation consists of a massive triangular table set with 39 place settings, each representing a different notable woman from history or mythology. Each place setting incorporates a unique ceramic plate, embroidered placemat, and cup. 

Students design their own place settings inspired by a figure we studied in class and come to class dressed in costume, if they choose. We collaborate also on a playlist and menu, which I provide. I also provide dinner party topics, and students speak in the voices of their chosen figure. 

This dinner party works especially well in a methodology class, where folks like Mary Daly, Clifford Geertz, and Judith Butler all show up to dinner and converse. I can also see it working well in a theology class or history class. 

I will provide a handout or a link that show examples of Chicago's work and student work inspired by it. I promise to keep to the time limit, so that I can also learn from others in this roundtable.