ANT204: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
The science of culture focuses on the learned behavior of the human species. Cross cultural comparisons of a variety of human behaviors provide insights to the question of what it means to be human. Satisfies General Studies Social Science Requirement.
ANT206: Food and Culture
What do humans eat and why? We will explore both the biological and cultural reasons for human food choice. As omnivores we evolved into a species that is not only capable of, but also needing to eat a wide variety of foods. Culturally, we have developed certain desires for particular foods over others and have identified ourselves based on the foods we eat; this has even produced differences in food choices based on social status. Finally, new food production and processing capabilities of the modern industrial world have thrown open the floodgates, allowing us both to overeat and overspecialize in certain food types. This course will examine the extremely complex interplay of all these forces on the foods we eat and the resulting health and ecological effects.
ANT270: People of the World
This course will examine the way people live from around the world. This will be accomplished through ethnographies and films. All forces which may have combined to produce a particular way of life will be incorporated in the analysis. These will include ecology, history, politics, economics, etc. The groups selected for analysis will be predominantly of non-western origins. Students should emerge with a broader and more sophisticated understanding of humans and their cultural diversity and universality.
ANT285: Human Animal
What are humans and how did we get to be the way we are? How do we live? What makes us act the way we do? Are we moral? How do we affect other species and the world around us? These are the questions we shall investigate in this course, and to answer them we will take an interdisciplinary approach drawing on the disciplines from both the natural and social sciences to provide insights into the heart and soul of the human species. This course is offered through the Degree Start Program (DSP) and fulfills a social science requirement as well as a language/cultural requirement.
ART101: Drawing
A sequence of experiences and discussions intended to expand the student’s awareness of the visual world and of the special language of visual communication through drawing. The use of materials such as a brush and ink, pencil and collage will be stressed. This course is offered through the Degree Start Program (DSP) and fulfills a Fine Art requirement.
CHE103: Intro to Forensic Science
This is a science lecture and laboratory course in general basic forensic science that will be taught at a level and manner that will allow the student to easily understand and observe some of the basic physical, chemical and biological science used in forensic science. The lecture topics are selected from those most generally encountered issues and considered of importance to the forensic scientist. Lectures will be selected from the following: evidence documentation and recovery, fingerprints and impressions, body fluids, DNA analysis, toxicology, firearms, fires, explosions, conduct in court. The laboratory will introduce the student to the basic operations that are used during investigations in applied forensics.
CHI183 Chinese Language, Film and Culture:
An introduction to Chinese language, history and culture through a study of contemporary film. The course will focus on Chinese language and Chinese culture as well as modern China’s struggle to reconstruct its cultural and social identity through a study of contemporary Chinese films. These films provide a vivid depiction of China’s past, its cultural traditions and its struggle to adapt to the modern world.
DIG 315Web Design:
This class integrates Macromedia Flash MX with other applications resulting in web- based design and entertainment for online distribution. This course is intended to aid students in the development of their work within a professional standard emphasizing the concept of form and function. Students are taught appropriate history, aesthetic philosophy and key applications through class lecture and studio projects. They are expected to consider these concerns while formulating their work. In-class critiques and individual instruction will be used to refine student work.
ECO201: History of Economic Ideas
A survey of the major schools of economic thought from the 17th century to the present. Mercantilist, Physiocratic, Classical, Marxist, Neoclassical, Keynesian, Neo-Marxist, and Modern conventional economic theories will be examined.
ENG101: Composition
A study of the fundamentals of effective written expression, with emphasis upon student writing. Required of first-year students who need the advantage of greater competency in writing skills.
ENG102: Writing About Literature
A course designed to improve writing skills, to stimulate an appreciation of the various literary genres, and to demonstrate the relationship of reading and writing. Assignments and projects will provide the foundations for critical analysis.
ENG235: Native American Literature
This course introduces students to contemporary Native American literature drawn from a variety of U.S. regions and produced in a variety of forms: short stories, poetry, essays, and novels. Emphasis will be placed on the cultural context from which this literature is drawn as well as the historical significance. Students will read writers such as Erdrich, Dorris, Alexie, Harjo, and Silko.
ENG235: Fantasy in Literature
From fables to science fiction, fantasy is a conscious breaking free from reality, sometimes merely to delight the reader but often to provide a comment on the real world. In this course, we will examine the main branches of fantastic literature in order to understand the conventions associated with each as well as the connections that exist among them. Readings will include a wide range of short stories and such works as Shelley's Frankenstein, Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Tolkien's The Hobbit, and Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles.
ENG235: Madness begets Madness
It has been said of modern American author Kurt Vonnegut that he "...creates a magic that makes pornography seem like plumbing, violence likelove making, guilt like child's-play." What he also does is take the novel apart from the inside, and question all of the ideas and values (about life and writing) we take for granted. In this course we'll be reading, discussing, and dissecting some of Vonnegut's most popular and most controversial prose, including Slaughterhouse Five and Cat's Cradle. This course is offered through the Degree Start Program (DSP) and will be offered at the Reading location. This course will fulfill a Humanities requirement.
ENG235 Contemporary American Literature
Contemporary American Literature examines the work of major writers from 1950 to the present, including Toni Morrison,
John Updike, Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, etc. Students will be challenged to approach various literary forms in new ways and to appreciate the works as artistic creations as well as social and philosophic statements.
ENG235: Cultural Utopian Literature
Perfect happiness may be an elusive phenomenon, but writers have long speculated about how it could be achieved. In this course, we will read a wide range of works devoted to descriptions of what a utopian world in different cultures might be like. And, through an examination of the mutations of the utopian dream through the centuries and different regions of the world, we will perhaps be better able to understand the intellectual tradition that has formed our own world.
ENG 235: Utopian Literature
Perfect happiness may be an elusive phenomenon, but writers have long speculated about how it could be achieved. In this course, we will read a wide range of works devoted to descriptions of what a utopian world might be like. And, through an examination of the mutations of the utopian dream through the centuries, we will perhaps be better able to understand the intellectual tradition that has formed our own world.
ENG 235: Art & History on Film
A survey of a diverse range of cinema from its origins in 1895 to recent examples. During each session the class will see and discuss (analyze both formally and thematically) a feature length film. Developing the student's ability to critically view, discuss and write about (thereby enriching her/his experience of) the art of film, is the goal of this course.
ENG235 American Humorous Literature
In this course, we will systematically investigate the rich variety of modern American humor by focusing on basic types of symbolic characters and by examining the large patterns and intentions of American comic literature. We will look at major themes to see how the writers reflect and attempt to influence contemporary cultural and political issues. And, of course, we will share a few chuckles. Readings will include a variety of genres: poetry, short fiction, comic sketches, and novels. We will read the works in chronological order to see the development of literary trends, subject matter, point of view, and social concerns. Writing assignments will involve analysis of literary devices and styles.
ENG235: FILM & LITERATURE: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
This course will be an in-depth study of films by Alfred Hitchcock made during what most critics consider his “golden years”. We will start by reviewing the language of narrative cinema (primarily investigating montage and mise-en-scene with examples from early cinema and the British period of Hitchcock productions) and how it resembles and how it differs from the language of narrative fiction and poetry. This will be followed by a series of in-class, scene-by-scene analysis of seven Hitchcock masterpieces: Shadow of a Doubt; Notorious; Rear Window; Vertigo; Psycho; The Birds; Marnie.. Students will work on two additional Hitchcock films (out-of-class) as the basis of two short critical papers (one of them a comparison of the film with the novel upon which it was based). Course will be taught by Prof. Gary Adlestein who is a member of the English and Art Departments and is also a practicing film and video artist.
ENG235: EXPERIMENTAL LITERATURE
This course will study modern and contemporary authors who defy conventional story standards with non-traditional forms. Potential authors to be covered include Barthelme, Coover, Kincaid, Boyle and Barth. The class will explore how these experimental stories will achieve end results similar to conventional pieces. This course fulfills a humanities requirement.
ENG235 HARLEM RENAISSANCE
The Harlem Renaissance was a remarkable period of art, music, literature and politics in theAfrican American community. A result of the Great Migration and a major part of The Jazz Age of the 1920s, the Renaissance--and the art and freedom it stood for--spread internationally and inspired (or, in some cases, angered) mainstream America and future generations. We will look at political thinkers (some of whom pre-date the period) such as Booker T Washington,Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois; we'll look at art and music of the period; and mostly, we'll look at some the literature of the Renaissance, including the poetry of Langston Hughes and the novels of Zora Neal Hurston and Jean Toomer. We will attempt to draw our own conclusions about what may well be the most prolific literary, musical and artistic moment in American history--and, perhaps, the most singularly American moment.
ENG235 – THE ART OF THE SHORT STORY
The short story is a compact yet complete literary experience. It is a rewarding form of fiction for the contemporary reader whose busy schedule might not accommodate the reading of novels and drama. This course will focus on American and British writers, though a sampling of translated works will also be included in the reading list. We will also read several examples of literary criticism of the work, and students will be expected to write one essay per week on an assigned topic in analysis.John Updike, Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck, Margaret Atwood, Yukio Mishima, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Luigi Pirandello and others are among the writers whose work will be studied.
ENG 235-- Speculative Fiction: Imagining New Worlds
This course investigates how speculative fiction (utopic/dystopic literature, science fiction, and fantasy) imagines new worlds while it critiques our contemporary and historical world. Readings discuss social, political, medical, gender-related and environmental concerns. Authors include Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Margaret Atwood and Aldous Huxley, among others. We will read short stories and one novel, and we will also study similar themes in film and music. Students will write weekly reading reflections and two essays, and will give a media-based presentation.
HIS101: Early Civilizations
This course is meant to familiarize you with several of the ancient civilizations that contributed to the formation of the Western and Middle Eastern worlds. We will focus primarily on the societies that developed around the Mediterranean Sea, including the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman. Throughout the course, our concern will be with the rise and fall of major empires and their social hierarchies; the emergence and decline of religious cultures; and the ways in which political, cultural, and social phenomena of the ancient world still affect our lives today.
HIS141: East Asia to 1800
This course aims to provide a broad overview of the pre-modern histories of China and Japan, focusing on their institutional and cultural interaction, and their influence on the cultures of Korea and Vietnam. Subjects to be explored range from the early development of Chinese philosophy and statecraft to the development of the distinctive warrior ethic in Japan, from the elaboration of official court culture to the emergence of popular cultural forms. Throughout the course, we will consider how Western images of East Asia have shaped our understanding of its civilizations.
HIS142 East Asia from 1800 to the Present
This course examines East Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries with special emphasis on China and Japan. The course includes the opening of East Asia by the Western powers; the modernization process; Japan’s rise to major power status; the Chinese Republican revolution; Japanese imperialism; the War in the Pacific; the Communist take-over of mainland China; the Korean War; Japan’s post-war reconstruction; the Chinese Cultural revolution; the post-Mao era; and Japan’s importance in the Western economy.
HIS151 The Origins of American Civilization
The new societies that emerged in North America in the 17th and 18th centuries were the products of a much broader process of migration, cultural encounter, conquest and exchange that began to accelerate in the Atlantic world after the Columbian voyages of the 1490s. As it turned out, some of these societies also formed the origins of the United States as a nation and the seeds of many of the institutions and impulses of American life. This course explores the colonial and revolutionary periods from both these perspectives.
HIS152 The United States in the Nineteenth Century
The 19th century in the United States, as in many other regions of the world, was a period of fundamental and astonishingly rapid social and economic change. A capitalist world system, in which the American economy played an increasingly important role, implicated more and more people in a planetary web of market relations. Over the same period the process of industrialization altered the material bases of production and consumption with profound implications for the nature of work, the structure of families and people’s perceptions of time. In every aspect of human endeavor – politics, business, science, literature, the arts, sexuality and gender relations, child rearing – individuals, groups, and institutions struggled to adapt and to make sense of these changes. Our task in this course is to pose and to begin to answer a series of questions about these changes and these responses.
HIS153 United States Since World War I
The major themes of 20th century America are examined – political and economic changes, technological advances, new social patterns, the impact of sports and leisure, and problems of injustice and social breakdown. The continuity of these developments is contrasted with changes that were forced upon the U.S. by specific events – stock market collapse, depression, war, ’60s trauma and Reagan conservatism.
HIS 183: Social History of Medicine in the U.S
This course offers an introduction to the history of medicine in the United States from the colonial period to the present. It will address themes such as the emergence of the medical profession, the rise of the hospital, the relationship between medicine, science and politics, the role of medicine in defining and interpreting bodies, health, and disease, the relationship between race, gender and medicine, and medicine as a social authority using specific examples from each period. Students will explore these themes through historical documents, secondary sources, and a historical monograph.
HIS183: American Revolution
HIS283: Women in History
In this course, we will explore the ways in which society shapes our notion of what it means to be a "woman" and how women design and create their own lives. Our objective is to develop an understanding of women's experiences in such areas as family, relationships, work and politics. Throughout the course, we will explore how women of different races, classes, ethnicities and sexual orientations raise questions about their experiences and come into conflict with and make alliances with other women. The course is designed to provide students with an overview of important themes and events. We will begin in the colonial period and end in the present day. Course goals include: identifying the dynamic of historical continuity and change within U.S. women's history, identifying and explaining movements that have contributed to changing women's status throughout U.S. history, explaining the role of American institutions in defining women's roles in American society and differentiating between primary and secondary sources.
HIS283: Intro to Women’s Studies
Women’s Studies employs an interdisciplinary set of tools for analyzing women’s experiences. The subject studies the ways that sex and gender manifest themselves in social, political and cultural contexts. This course does not only consider differences between women and men, but it also explores differences among women. The readings and discussions are designed to position race, class, sexuality and other aspects of identity in relation to gender. Discussing the relationship among these categories, we will analyze how and when they function within our society.
IDS 234Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
This course explores what could be the single greatest event in human history, contact with other intelligent life in the Universe. Technology has advanced enough to make this a realistic possibility. The areas of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, language, sociology, religion and others are involved in understanding the problems in contacting other intelligences. The students will be expected to read about the many facets of the problem, write essays expressing their views of the problem and do a presentation on one of the many parts of the problem.
IDS283 Banned Books
The history of the use of literature in education at all levels is one fraught with challenges from many sides of the political, religious and cultural spectrum, and for various (and sometimes surprising) reasons. Literature remains the most controversial of our educational tools. In this class, we will examine that history and that literature, from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to The Buffalo Tree, with an eye toward better interpreting the literature, and understanding and responding to the various controversies ignited by that literature. Please note that, given the topic of this class, we will be reading and discussing many controversial subjects openly, particularly sexual/gender issues, religion, race, and violence. An open mind and the ability to discuss controversial issues is a prerequisite for this class!
IDS 283
Science in Literature
This course is designed to provide insights into how the process of scientific discovery actually worked through exploration of several literary works. A second purpose of this course is to encourage "scientific literacy" in general.
IDS283: Construction of Nature – Man vs Environment
This course engages with the historical discourses and practices that humans have employed in interaction with their environments in order to shed light on our contemporary context. We will discuss perspectives from the Ancient World, including Western understandings of a hierarchical "chain of being" placing humans above all other forms of life, as well as ancient Chinese and Native American perspectives. From the Modern era, we will examine how conceptions of "nature", culture, and technology interact, using case studies from the South Pacific to illuminate how these discourses are manifested in human practice. Lastly, we will look at Postmodern critiques of human-and technology-centered approaches to the environment and the implications of these perspectives for the further development of "environmental ethics" in the face of environmental change.
IDS283: American Indian
This course is an overview of American Indian History. A thematic and topical analysis will be developed within a larger chronological framework. The broad nature of the course and our limited time frame means, however, that this class cannot be a comprehensive investigation of the historic American Indian experience in every place and in every era. Rather, emphasis will be placed on those topics which were instrumental in shaping the contemporary conditions and experiences.
IDS291: The Space Program
This course will provide you with an overview of the history and politics of the space program. While our focus will be on the American space experience, we shall frame this effort in the context of the global interest in space. Topics will include the astronautical pioneers of the turn of the century, the popular fascination with the moon, the German rocket program up to and during World War II, the moon race, the European path to space, and space business.
LAS 201: Salsa, Samba, and Santana: The World of Latin Music
Latin music is a rapidly rising phenomenon. This course will explore the roots and evolution of Latin musical styles from their origins in the Catholic cultures of southwestern Europe and its mixing with Native American and African cultures in the colonial Americas beginning in the 15th century. Our main focus will be the urban popular musical styles that emerge in the late 19th century, and which develop into the famous regional styles of Argentine tango, Brazilian samba, Cuban son and salsa, Dominican merengue, Mexican rancheros and baladas, and many others, over the course of the 20th century. We will also consider the roles the Latin regions have had in other styles such as jazz, classical music, rock and roll, and rap. We will assess the varying degrees of success Latin sounds are having in the major world musical markets today.
LAS 215: US and Latin America
The great Latin American “liberator,” Simón Bolívar, commented that “The United States seems destined to plague us with miseries in the name of liberty.” This course examines the historical development of the relationship between Latin America and the United States from Latin American independence to the present, concentrating mostly on the 20th century. We will examine specific historical examples, including the Spanish-American War, the Panama Canal, the occupation of Haiti, the Cuban Revolution, and the drug wars in Colombia. We examine how this relationship developed in specific historical contexts, such as the Cold War, and discuss how the historic relationship and the present day context impact relations between Latin America and the U.S. today.
LAS224: Colonial Latin America
This survey course examines Latin American history from the time of Columbus’s first voyages to the end of the nineteenth century. The course will discuss the contact between and mixtures of diverse peoples in the Americas, especially the pre-Columbian populations, the Spanish and Portuguese, and the Africans brought forcibly to the Americas as slave laborers. We will cover period of conquest, the colonial period, the wars of independence, and the first decades of nation building in Latin America in order to build a foundation in Latin American history. The course will examine political, economic, social, and cultural factors and how they played off one another throughout the four hundred year period under study. The readings will be a combination of primary texts and scholarly works on Latin American history, and we will also use film to explore parts of this history. The course format will be a combination of lecture and discussion.
LAS 225: Introduction to Latin American Studies
This course introduces students to the many aspects of that region of the world known as Latin America. The course is interdisciplinary in nature in order to give students a more complete and unified picture of how the many aspects of cultural, economic, social, and political life in Latin America come together to explain what is generally meant by the phrases “Latin America” and “Latin American.” The course explores native civilizations, historical evolution, political systems and institutions, cultural and artistic movements, social structures, regional economic/development issues, and many other topics such as drug trafficking, the environment and gender studies.
LAS228: Revolutionaries and Dictators
In the 20th century, Latin American nations experienced cycles of revolutions, democracies and dictatorships. Revolutions have taken the form not only of familiar guerrilla-based insurrections, but also right-wing military coups. This course examines this cycle of revolution, democracy and dictators by looking at several of the key revolutionary movements and some of the long dictatorships that have shaped Latin America during that century. Specifically, it examines the Mexican Revolution (1910-present), the Cuban Revolution (1959-present), and the Zapatista struggle (1994-present), and the political situations that preceded or followed these revolutions. It also looks at some of the right-wing coups and populist movements, specifically examining cases in Argentina and Chile. Finally, students discuss if revolution remains a viable way to promote change in Latin America in the 21st century.
LAS232: Latin America Film and Music
This course is an introduction to Latin American culture through the perspectives of music and cinema. Latin America is a very complex culture region as it is built on diverse overlays of cultural traditions, including Amerindian, African and European and it is divided between two main languages, Spanish and Portuguese with numerous other languages also spoken. Students are introduced to methods of film music analysis and aspects of Latin American Culture.
LAS235: Latin American Poetry
This course focuses on major authors, major literary forms, or significant intellectual issues in Latin American and Caribbean literature. Non-English works will be read in translation. May be repeated with a new topic. Recent topics include “Women Writers of the Caribbean” and “Latin American Poetry.”
LAS 259: Religious Traditions in Latin America
This course examines the many religious traditions that co-exist in the diverse region we know as Latin America. Specifically, the course discusses Catholicism, including Liberation Theology, Indigenous religious traditions that have survived and African traditions that have continued to thrive throughout Latin America. The course emphasizes how these traditions often adapted and blended together to form what we know as syncretic traditions. Finally, the course examines the growing influence of Pentacostalism in Latin America.
LAS283: The U.S.-Mexico Borderlands
This course is designed as an overview of the U.S.- Mexico border from the early 19th century to the present. Through a variety of disciplines and medias (art, photography, film, literature, history, cultural studies), the course explores issues of race, language, gender, identity, politics and class in the borderlands. We will begin by tracing the formation of frontier identities, considering the conflicts and cooperation that influenced them. We will then consider the historical and social factors that transformed the region from an isolated frontier to a delineated, patrolled border zone and transnational crossroads. Finally, students discuss contemporary issues on the border such as immigration and drug trafficking.
LAS283 Cuba-US Relations
Over the last 50 years, the United States and Cuba have experienced a series of dramatic events; the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. embargo, Elián González, and Guantánamo Bay are just a few of many contentious issues that have shaped present day relations. However, the relationship has not always been so bitter. Politically, economically, and culturally, the fates of the U.S. and Cuba have been intimately linked since colonial times. This course will examine the historical development of the U.S.-Cuban relationship from the colonial period to the present. The readings will be a combination of primary texts and scholarly works on U.S.-Cuban history, politics, and culture, and we will also view several films to explore the nature of U.S.-Cuban relations.
MUS120: Music Appreciation: Intro to Western Music
This course offers an overview of Western classical musical styles, with an emphasis on the symphonic repertory and music by well-known composers such as Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky. Other genres including opera, chamber music, the art song, and church music, will also be explored. We will focus on developing basic musical vocabulary and listening skills, skills that will also be applicable to listening to and thinking about popular musical styles. The connections between music and social context will also be discussed. Concert attendance and listening assignments will be part of the course experience.
MUS122: Music in World Cultures: An Introduction
A grand tour of the musical styles of the world’s large culture regions: sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Islamic world, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, East Asia, Amerindia and the Western world. Students are introduced to basic musical concepts with emphasis on understanding musical instrument types and their characteristic sounds. Students listen to recordings of ancient and medieval folk music types of traditional rural communities (work songs, harvest songs, lullabies); the art music of the aristocratic courts (including the South Asian raga and the Western symphony); and the modern musical styles emerging in the contemporary urban and electronic age, from Chinese rock to African rap. Film viewings help students link the diverse musical sounds with social contexts. A visit from a world musician is planned each semester.
MUS 125: All That Jazz
This course will cover jazz history from its obscure origins in the post-Civil War period to the present. The focus will be on important instrumentalists and vocalists of the 20th century, and how they helped to create the different jazz and jazz-related styles, among these: ragtime, blues, hot jazz, Dixieland, swing, bebop, cool jazz, free jazz, and jazz fusion. Among the key performers and composers to be discussed will be Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett. Basic concepts of jazz performance and various jazz styles will be explored through independent research, listening and discussion. When possible, field trips to live jazz performances will be incorporated.
MUS 126: Music and the Cinema
An introduction to the role of music in cinema, with emphasis on North American films between the 1930s and the present. Students will learn how music aids in the creation of mood, atmosphere, and characterization in films. Special topics include music in the silent film era, musicals, science fiction and horror films, the role of women as subjects and creators in modern cinema, music in the avant-garde and experimental cinema, popular music, rock, and rap in film soundtracks, and music in selected non-Western film industries. Films to be discussed include classics such as Star Wars, The Godfather, and Casablanca, as well as popular recent releases.
MUS 202: Music of Black Africa and the Diaspora
A survey of the music of black Africa, from its ancient origins in the songs and dances of hunter-gatherers to the emergence of contemporary styles of Afro-pop. Extensions and variations of black African musical styles carried to other parts of the world, particularly into the Americas during the period of the Atlantic slave trade will also be discussed. Topics include the music of the griots (praise singers/historians), Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean styles such as samba and reggae, the modern pop sounds of soukous and mbalax, the spread of rap, and music in contemporary African cinema. Class lectures will cover social-historical issues as well as guided listening and discussions of musical structure, lyrics, choreographic and scenic adjuncts, and performance contexts.
PHI101: Introduction to Philosophy
Primary attention will be given to basic questions such as the nature of the self, freedom of the will, and the basis for moral and religious belief. The aim is to increase the student’s awareness of some intellectual and practical dilemmas of modern life.
PHI150: Legal Reasoning
How does a judge analyze and resolve a legal dispute? Can we predict what a court will decide in a particular case? In this course, we will seek answers to such questions by examining how legal rules and principles are formulated, interpreted and applied, and exploring what constitutes a good, i.e. valid or strong, legal argument. We will further consider the role of precedent and the use of analogies in legal analysis as well as the influence of public policy on law. Extensive use of examples from recent legal controversies and classic judicial opinions will be made. By the end of the course, students should have developed the skills not only to evaluate the legal reasoning of lawyers and judges but also to construct their own well-reasoned, persuasive legal arguments. The course will be valuable for students interested in pursuing a career in a law-related field but is intended for any student seeking a better understanding of the process by which legal problems are solved in our society.
PHI 203: Ethics
A study of the nature, origin, and development of ethical theories from a historical perspective and their relevance to some significant problems in contemporary life. Special attention is given to the exploration of enduring moral concerns, such as moral relativism, the place of reason in ethics, egoism and altruism, and the nature of moral responsibility.
PHI 204: Contemporary Moral Problems
A philosophical examination of current problems in key areas of society. These problems may include abortion, nuclear war, capital punishment, and famine relief, among others. A strong effort will be made to show the link between these contemporary problems and traditional ethical reasoning and theories, thus enabling the student to formulate moral judgments from a sound philosophical position.
POS 101: American Government
This introductory course presents the dynamics of American politics and government. Such factors as public opinion, interest groups, political parties, mass media, Congress, the Presidency, the bureaucracy, and the courts are analyzed. The national level of American government is emphasized in this course.
POS283: Politics And Film
This course will be a survey of American political ideas and institutions through the medium of film. The course will cover each of the main topics in the study of American government and will use a film to explore the topic.
PSY 100: Introduction to Psychology
Primary attention will be given to basic questions such as the nature of the self, freedom of the will, and the basis for moral and religious belief. The aim is to increase the student’s awareness of some intellectual and practical dilemmas of modern life.
PSY206: Psychology of Gender
The purpose of this course is to examine the variety of ways in which one can construe issues of gender. Students are exposed to models of understanding gender from psychological, political, economic, and industrial perspective. The contents of this course compel students to conduct a personal examination of their own belief systems as they critically explore the dynamics of gender in American society. This course is offered through the Degree Start Program (DSP) and will be offered at the Reading location. This course will fulfill a Social Science or Interdisciplinary requirement.
REL152 Religions of India, China and Japan
A study of the major living religions and spiritual practices of India, China and Japan. The emphasis is on the origins and development of such traditions as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Confucianism and Taoism. The impact that these traditions have had upon culture and how they have dealt with issues of spiritual meaning and formation is emphasized.
REL210: Japan on Film
This course gives students the opportunity to interact with Asian cultural experience through the study of Asian films. Films include those made within Japan and also Western films made about Japan. Students are asked to explore the possible layers of meaning in these films, including Japanese cultural life, character development, religious and philosophical influences, symbolism and cinematic vision. The class includes both the viewing and discussion of each film to facilitate a deep exploration of interpretation and critique.
REL 243: Jesus in Literature and Film
The figure of Jesus of Nazareth is a fascinating one to believers and non-believers alike. Yet the gospel accounts of his life and ministry leave many questions unanswered. The course will explore some of the portrayals of Jesus in modern literature and film, sampling such artists as Nikos Kazantzakis and Pier Paolo Passolini. No prior knowledge of the New Testament is expected.
REL278: Death and Dying
This course will examine the beliefs and practices associated with death in three major types of world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. The meaning of death in each tradition and its relation to myths, symbols, and rituals of the sacred will be explored in depth. The course will also incorporate field trips and personal reflections to encourage students to reflect upon how their own attitudes towards death may be culturally conditioned.
SPA 101: Elementary Spanish I
The mastery of patterns of speech essential to understanding, speaking, and reading simple Spanish. Tapes are used extensively to aid the student in comprehension and speaking of the language, and students are encouraged to speak Spanish from the first day of class.
SPA 102: Elementary Spanish II
Continuation of Elementary Spanish I
SPI134: Wine and Cheese a Natural Science
You’re throwing a dinner party: You’ve selected the menu and the guest list, set the table just so, and the dining room is awash in candlelight and brightened by flowers. Perhaps you’re musing about what music to play and considering what conversation your guests will enjoy. You’ve attended to every detail. And SPIJ-34 allows you to explore the science that underpins the success of the entire affair. In this course students will foster an appreciation of how the natural sciences affect daily life using common items as illustrations. Students will examine objects such as wine and cheese, candles, tablecloths, silverware, candles, flowers, MP3 players, transforming their perspective from end-users to informed individuals. Lecture will focus on examples of theory and experiment in a range of fields within the natural sciences, and the connection between natural sciences and other areas explored in the General Studies curriculum. Laboratory work and field trips will be dedicated to investigating the phenomena discussed during lecture using an inquiry-based approach.
SPI142: East Asian History and Lit Since 1800
This course examines East Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries with special emphasis on China and Japan. The course will view the growth and effect literature played in a historical context.
SPI 183: Family Life Cycle: Challenges that await
This course will explore stages of the family life cycle and address family response to illness at each stage. Review of sociological perspective of the family, family life stages, chronic illness, psychological illness and family response will be discussed.
SPI 183: Diversity in a Multicultural Environment
Living in a multicultural environment is no longer an option for individuals and groups. This course examines select areas in which individuals from various cultures are brought together, thus creating positive and negative consequences. We will examine the U.S. government attempts in re-educating Native Americans, the assimilation issues of various Hispanic groups into our society, and the effects of gender, religion, age and sexual orientation within a macro-culture. This course will enable us to better understand how our beliefs and behaviors impact our response to living in a pluralistic.
SPI183 African Civilizations
This course is an introduction to the historical and contemporary civilizations on the African continent, largely concerned with what is today sub-Saharan Africa. We begin from the debate over the evidence for the origins of the human species in eastern Africa and the development of communal and political state systems in the course of the ancient and medieval periods. We will also consider the history of African civilizations during the last several centuries, with attention to the Atlantic slave trade, European colonialism, the struggles for independence, and contemporary life in the modern African states. The course is structured to allow the student to comprehend sub-Saharan Africa in broad historical perspective. Students will understand the variety and depth of human social and cultural traditions in Africa.
SPI183: Ancient Civilization
This survey of the Antiquity considers the development and interaction of cultures in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In so doing, it includes not just political developments but also the history of everyday life from religious traditions to the status of women and children.
SPI 203: Science in the Modern World
This course is designed to enable students to develop an appreciation for how science works through the study of select topics in the natural sciences. Specific topics will change each time the course is taught, but will be drawn from areas of study throughout the natural and physical sciences. Sample topics are likely to include: current developments in animal behavior, genetics, nutrition, the environment, health and medicine, and applications of physics. Topics are addressed in a way that enables students to construct a framework of key scientific concepts and make connections to human life through consideration of the applications of basic scientific principles. In the laboratory, students become involved in the process of doing science, by working in small research teams to design and implement lab exercises aimed at answering specific questions, which also provides the opportunity to develop an appreciation for how science works.
SPI 230: Jewish-American Literature and Film
This course explores the Jewish experience in America from the end of the 19th century until today. Through the media of literature and film, the course explores: the immigrant experience, the move toward assimilation, the reaction to the Holocaust, and the return to (a modern form of) tradition. The goal and objective of the course is to gain an understanding of the development of Jewish-American literature since the great migration of the 1880s, and to show how this literature reflected the issues faced by Jewish immigrants as they became part of American society. In addition, the works studied raise issues related to all ethnic groups in America, as well to fundamental American values such as freedom, equality, justice, opportunity and family. General studies humanities-literature credit.
SPI232: Holocaust in Literature and Film
This course approaches the Holocaust by examining the challenges and problems encountered in trying to imagine and represent its horror through the media of literature and film. It treats a broad range of issues, including the politics of memory, the value of testimony, the problems of witnessing, the weight of history, and the ethics of representation. The goal and objective of the course is to gain an understanding of important issues relating to the Holocaust, as they have been addressed in literature and film. General studies humanities-literature credit.
SPI283: Aviation in Politics, Culture and Society
Taking a chronological approach, this course proposes to examine how aviation has come to affect the modern world in several realms. Tod do so, we will examine the development of early aeronautics and the role of the Wright brothers in making the first controlled flight; the impact of air power on the popular mind; the development and impact of strategic bombing as a concept; the parallel tracks to heavier-than-air aviation; the development of the image of the pilot-hero; the democratization of air transport through wide-bodied aircraft and deregulation, and the successes, failures and prospects for international cooperation. Though the United States will be our primary realm of focus, we will use examples from other nations to understand the impact of aviation in everyday life. |
