Knowing Washington. What do you know about Washington, DC? What do people in Washington DC – residents, political actors, visitors – know? This course will explore our city through various reflections of these two questions, bringing them together while separating the imaginary city that various communities know about from the very real circuits of information that make Washington the vital national and global nexus that it is. Our analysis will include readings, films, online material, and visits to key sites where knowledge of different kinds about the city is mediated to various audiences. By thinking hard about who is communicating what to whom in various Washington DC circuits, the course will provide you with a richer understanding of what goes on in Washington, and improve your ability to act in an informed way as a denizen of Washington, and of the nation. Our investigations will connect to student internships and the professor’s own research into knowledge systems along the way.