Since the foundation of the first university in Bologna nearly a thousand years ago, universities have become a quintessential component of Western culture. In this class, we will consider a number of case studies from the rich history of the “University,” considering both how universities use empirical methods to create knowledge and raising empirical questions about concept of the university itself. Questions include: What roles have universities played in different societies? How does the structure of the institution reflect its presumptions? How do universities create, preserve, and disseminate knowledge? What is academic freedom, and why is it considered essential for discovering and telling the truth? And how should we, students and teachers of the twenty-first century, interpret its legacy?