Semester Specific Course
Descriptions
SPRING 2010
AFRICAN STUDIES
AFS 148 A: East
African Dance and Culture
This full unit course is designed to pursue
an introductory level of specific ethnic dance forms of east Africa. These
include the Mijikenda, Luo,
Kikuyu, Pokomo, Luhya, Maasai, Kamba of Kenya, Haya of Tanzania and Baganda of
Uganda among others. The dance cultures will be introduced from theoretical and
aesthetic perspectives based upon historical material and video clips. Students
will do theoretical and practicum quizzes within the semester. The final exam
will be a performance of one dance with drumming and singing to be performed by
all the students. Students registering this course should be ready to dance
vigorously!
On completion of the course, students
should be able to
·
Understand and appreciate basic cultural practices of East African
people.
·
To acquire the basic principles of African choreography
·
Appreciate dance as an art form and a means of communication
·
Understand the historical and cultural expression of dance in east
Africa
·
Understand dance as embodied knowledge.
·
Perform an African dance on a stage.
AFS
248A/SOC 248A: SPTP-Making of Modern Africa
Being at the center of the Atlantic
complex, Africa has always been part of the modern world. At the same time,
Africa is imagined as a perpetual late-arrival to the modern condition. As much
as the two positions appear to be contradictory and mutually exclusive, it is
important to see them as two sides of the coin. It is Africa’s position in the
origin of the modern world that also turns it into a permanent new comer. Conversely,
it is the congenital infantilism of Africa that underscores its relational
locus in the genesis of the modernity.
Based on this underlying dilemma, this course follows the historical
trajectory of the making of modern Africa. The course examines 19th century
notions such as: Mission of Civilization, the White Man’s Burden, 20th century
programs such as Development, Modernization, Dependency and 21st century ideals
of Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law and Transparency.
AFS 248B/FR 248A: SEM- Wo/manhood
and Nation-Building
What roles do African men and women
play in the making and unmaking of the nation? How does the personal overlap
with the political and the national? Through a close examination of Francophone
African novels and films, this course explores the connection between manhood,
womanhood and nation. We will look at Africans as individuals and collective
groups and discuss the extent to which their roles and relationships in the
family and in the community shape the nation’s destiny. In our discussions we
will take into account the categories of gender, class, and sexuality, and the
cultural and historical contexts into which different actors play. The texts to
be studied are: Mariama Ba’s
So Long A Letter (1981), Calixthe Beyala’s
The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me (1996), and Malika Mokeddem’s Of Dreams and Assassins (2000). The films are Adama Drabo’s Taffe
Fanga (Skirt Power) (1997) and Ousmane
Sembène’s Xala (The Curse)
(1975).
AFS 348 A/ANTH 348 A: SPTP-Popular Culture in Africa
This course focuses on the many
different forms of “popular culture” such as songs, plays, films, and
paintings, produced and circulated by amateur and professional artists,
musicians, actors, and directors in Africa. We will study these productions as
forms of entertainment and artistic expression, but more importantly as efforts
to make sense of the world, offer critical commentaries, construct social
identities, and take political action. In addition to developing a theoretical
understanding of popular culture, we will address themes such as gender,
ethnicity and nationality, wealth and power, globalization, protest and
resistance, and war. Prerequisite ANTH 102 or ANTH 225 or AFS 101 or
permission of instructor.
ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH
248/ ASIA 248A: SPTP-Ancient India
This course explores the rich past of
the South Asian subcontinent by examining the archaeology and early history of
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh from its cultural beginnings up to
the first centuries AD. We will investigate the earliest physical
evidence for human settlement on the subcontinent, the origins of agriculture
and urban life, and the growth of religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Christianity. The course also covers the Indus Valley civilization, the
Vedic period, the states and cities of the Indo-Gangetic
plain, the rise of the Mauryan Empire, and the
ancient maritime trade between South India and the Roman Empire.
ANTH 304 A: Language, Culture and Society
Ever notice that some people talk
funny? Ever feel confused when someone thinks you talk funny? Why does everyone
but you have an accent? And what’s really wrong, with, like, saying “like” like
that? This course examines social and cultural aspects of language use, misuse
and abuse, concentrating on issues such as ethnicity, social class, gender and
power in language access and use patterns both across cultures and within the
United States, and examines different genres of language performance (jokes,
gossip, cursing behavior, proverbs, etc.) as linguistic vehicles of social
control. Prerequisite: ANTH 102 or 205 or permission of the instructor.
ANTH 348 A/AFS 348 A: SPTP-Popular Culture in Africa
This course focuses on the many
different forms of “popular culture” such as songs, plays, films, and
paintings, produced and circulated by amateur and professional artists,
musicians, actors, and directors in Africa. We will study these productions as
forms of entertainment and artistic expression, but more importantly as efforts
to make sense of the world, offer critical commentaries, construct social
identities, and take political action. In addition to developing a theoretical
understanding of popular culture, we will address themes such as gender,
ethnicity and nationality, wealth and power, globalization, protest and resistance,
and war. Prerequisite ANTH 102 or ANTH 225 or AFS 101 or
permission of instructor.
ANTH 365 A: Forensic Anthropology
How can bones help forensic scientists
identify long-dead people? What is the role of forensic anthropologists in mass
disaster and human rights investigations? Do shows such as “Bones” and “CSI”
accurately reflect the role of forensic investigators? Through hands on
experience, students will learn how forensic anthropologists use skeletal
materials and biological principles to recover, identify and evaluate human
skeletal remains. By the end of the course, students will have basic knowledge
of the history and goals of forensic anthropology, human osteology,
and an awareness of issues relating to the search, discovery and recovery of
human skeletal remains. Prerequisite ANTH 290 or permission of the
instructor.
ARAB
no course
descriptions this semester
ASIAN STUDIES
ASIA 212/FA 212 A: Icons-Islamic
Architecture
This course critically examines the past and
contemporary reception of an icon of Islamic architecture – the Taj Mahal – in art, politics, and
society. Since its construction as a tomb of an influential empress in 17th
century India, the Taj has become an object of
fantasy for 18th century European travelers, model for British colonial
architecture, major tourist attraction, and source of inspiration for visual
artists and art collectors, the advertisement industry, film makers and
musicians all over the world. Today its site is heavily contested by religious
and political groups with competing interests, archeologists, and
conservationists. After studying the synthesis of styles and techniques
contained in this exceptional monument, we will use the Taj
to discuss the political role of monuments in general and to think about gender
roles in Islam, the place of Islam in contemporary India, effects of tourism
and pollution, and issues of cultural heritage and identity.
ASIA
234A/LTRN234A/FILM 234A: Chinese
Literature and Film.
This
course provides an overview of Chinese literature and film. The first half of
this course surveys traditional Chinese literature with a focus on masterpieces
in the golden age of various genres, such as poetry in the Tang, lyric in the
Song, drama in the Yuan, and fiction in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The second
half introduces modern Chinese literature with a focus on film, including the
representative works by well known writers Lu Xun, Ba Jin, and famous film directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Wang Xiaoshuai, and others. This course aims at enhancing
students’ interests and skills in reading and analysis of Chinese literature
and film, and it also seeks to improve students’ understanding of the history,
society, and culture of China. All works are read in English translation. Also offered through Literature in (English) Translation, Film
Studies, and Asian Studies.
ASIA 248A/ANTH
248 A: SPTP-Ancient India
This
course explores the rich past of the South Asian subcontinent by examining the
archaeology and early history of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
from its cultural beginnings up to the first centuries AD. We will
investigate the earliest physical evidence for human settlement on the
subcontinent, the origins of agriculture and urban life, and the growth of
religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. The course also
covers the Indus Valley civilization, the Vedic period, the states and cities
of the Indo-Gangetic plain, the rise of the Mauryan Empire, and the ancient maritime trade between
South India and the Roman Empire.
ASIA248C/SOC248C:
SPTP- China's Market Transition
The
last two decades of the 20th century brought about unprecedented political and
economic changes to the former communist countries of Eastern and Central
Europe and China. The magnitude of these changes is extraordinary, affecting
close to a fourth of the Earth’s land area and one out of every four people on
the planet. Although traditionally not referred to as developing countries,
China and those former communist countries have undoubtedly embarked on the
path of capitalist market development, with economic and political changes
affecting their societies in the most profound ways. This course will focus on
China’s transformation from a planned economy to a more market-oriented
economy, and examine the changes in the social fabrics in tandem with the
economic transition. We will also compare China with the former communist
countries in Eastern and Central Europe. Specifically, we will look at some of
the theories of market reforms formulated by sociologists, examine the process
of privatizing formerly state-owned enterprises, and discuss the role of
entrepreneurs and social networks. We will also address the effect the reforms
have had on social classes, genders and ethnic minorities.
ASIA 247
D/GNDR 247D/ FILM 247 D: SPTP-Gender in East and West
Often
we can learn the most about our own culture by comparing it to another culture,
and this is certainly true when we study women and men. Although a couple of countries in East Asia
have approached the U.S and Europe in economic development, the East and West
tend to have different gender relations. Through a careful examination of
popular cultures—primarily films—this course will compare modern gender relations
in selected eastern and western countries, with an emphasis on Japan and the
U.S. Tracing the historical development of gender construction, we will analyze
how gender is constructed/reconstructed through cultural representation.We
will examine such questions as: How does cultural representation work to
construct gender? How do representation,
nationalism and gender identity work to reinforce each other in each culture?
And how have women’s movements contested and changed these gender identities?
ASIA
282A/ REL 282 A: Indian Epics
To convey the foundational importance
of India‘s two best-known epics, the scholar A.K. Ramanujan
once remarked, ―In India and Southeast Asia, on one ever reads the Ramayana
or the Mahabharata for the first time. The stories are there, always
already‘.‖ In order to
understand their significance in South Asisa and
beyond, and to appreciate their richness and depth, this class will examine the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana in their classical Sanskrit versions
(abridged and translated!) as well as in oral, vernacular, performed and
artistic versions. It will also consider several other South Asian epics, such
as the tales of Pabuji and Palnadu.
ASIA 290A/ GOVT 290A: SEM- Asian Politics
Asia
is currently one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the world.
This course looks at Asia through the lens of international political economy,
region building, the colonial experience, encounters with the “west,” and
regime orientation (democratic or authoritarian), to make sense of this vast
and diverse area. In frequently moving between framework and individual country
case(s), this course aims to provide students with historical and analytical
frameworks to better understand Asia as a region and its role within the global
context. An equally important aim is to provide the conceptual and
organizational tools necessary for students to appreciate good research and to
begin practicing the craft themselves.
ASIA
319A/ FA 319A: Gender Issues in Asian Art
This
upper level, seminar-style course explores gender issues in relationship to the
visual arts in Asia. In class students discuss, and debate about, art
historical literature that applies feminist theories to interpret historical
examples of Asian art and contemporary Asian art in global contexts. Major
themes include: the representation of gender relations in art, architecture,
and film, the influence of gender constructs on the making and viewing of art,
changing roles of women in society, and the relationship of gender, art, and
religion. No pass/fail option available
ASIA 322A/
GOVT 322A: Govt & Politics People Republic
of China
This
course is designed to be a comprehensive introduction to the politics of the
People’s Republic of China. The course first introduces the student to the
political geography of China, its current perceived status in the international
community, and essential background history for understanding Chinese politics
today. Next, it investigates the nuts and bolts of contemporary Chinese
institutions to get a good feel for how the Chinese conceptualize and practice
politics. Finally, the course examines important issues and trends facing China
at present. Throughout the course, contemporary vignette pieces will be offered
both to stimulate students’ thinking for a research project and to connect
theoretical frameworks presented in class to current problems facing China. The
fundamental objective of this course is to provide students with a basic
fluency in the politics of China.
ASIA 333A/ REL
333 A: Goddesses
Over
the past 20 years, a vast scholarly literature dealing with feminine deities
has appeared. Some of these studies examine evidence from the so-called Great
Traditions and focus on literary materials. Others are concerned with pre- or
non-literate evidence, particularly archaeology. At times, these studies
converge with feminist or New Age spirituality. This seminar consists of a
critical reading of major selections from this literature, student reports and
research into allied topics. It is a course that seeks to survey this
relatively new dimension to the study of religion.
BIOLOGY
BIOL 247C/D:
SPTP- Animal Biodiversity w/Lab
Many
conservation efforts focus on preservation and restoration of animal populations.
To do this effectively, scientists need to understand how the animals feed,
reproduce, and interact with the other species (especially humans) and their
environment. This course will cover these and other issues for the vast
majority of animal taxonomic groups (invertebrates), which are especially
important to the natural function of coral reefs and rainforests, and which
influence human agriculture, fisheries, and medical issues.
BIOL 248B:
SPTP- Food From the Sea
Throughout
history human populations and cultures have been shaped by their use of
finfish, shellfish, and seaweeds from the marine biome. What species have been
exploited, how has this changed over time, and can these marine resources be
used in a sustainable way to feed the growing global population? This course
will explore these larger questions as it uncovers (a) the biodiversity and
ecology of marine fishery organisms (whales, fish, squid, clams, etc.), (b) the
impacts of human predation on these organisms, (c) efforts to aquaculture and
conserve certain seafood species, (d) health issues related to seafoods, and (d) seafood marketing. This seminar course
will be based largely on class discussions and projects will explore
sustainable uses of marine and even freshwater species.
BIOL 335 A/B:
Winter Ecology
This
field intensive course will examine animals, plants, and fungi in winter. We will study physiological, behavioral, and
morphological adaptations that permit survival during our coldest season. In our studies of organismal
resistance to the cold we will not forget migration and hibernation
options. We will practice the
identification of common trees, mosses, and lichens. We will also track common mammals in order to
study winter nests, burrows, and behavior.
Animal energetics and the coniferous tree
advantage will be discussed. We will
review local and regional climate data and measure several microclimates under
snow, ice, and soil as well as microhabitat abiotic
nutrient profiles relevant to winter adaptations. Footnote: Students must have sufficient
winter clothes for extended study in the cold and snow. Course pre-requisites include BIO 101 + 102 +
BIO 221. Lunch will be eaten in the
field. Students have been able to
receive prepackaged lunches from Dining Services on their meal cards.
BIOCHEMISTRY
no descriptions this semester.
CANADIAN
STUDIES
no descriptions this semester.
CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
no descriptions this semester.
CHEMISTRY
no
descriptions this semester.
CHINESE
no descriptions this semester.
COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING
no descriptions this semester.
COMPUTER SCIENCE
no
descriptions this semester.
ECONOMICS
no descriptions this semester.
EDUCATION
no descriptions this semester.
ENGLISH
ENG 247 A/FILM
247 A: SPTP- Writing About World Cinema
In
this writing seminar, we will write on the multi-faceted aspects of cinematic
art (theme, character, plot, and film technique), using film masterworks as our
primary “texts.” We will explore the
films of such international directors as Bergman, Hitchcock, Kieslowski,
Kurosawa, and Sturges, in the context of honing
analytical skills through rigorous argumentation. Particular goals for the course include an
expanded appreciation for the history and techniques of film, an understanding
of the fundamentals of film explication and critique, and the ability to apply
concepts and terms associated with film.
ENG 247 B:
SPTP- Reporting for the Web
This
class will meet once a week for a three-hour session with the goal to produce
an update for an existing news website (www.TheHillNews.org). Our meetings in the course of a semester will
consist of two equally important parts: the theoretical and the practical. In the first five weeks of the semester, we
will discuss the mission of the journalist in a democratic society. Students will also learn how to compose basic
types of stories in a style particular to new (as well as existing) media, with
an emphasis on accuracy, clarity, and efficiency. In the next ten weeks, we will practice and
refine those skills in an atmosphere closely resembling the real conditions in
a cyber-era newsroom: covering real events of local, state, national and
international importance as they unfold in real time, and all this under the
pressure of real deadlines. Each week,
different students will take responsibility for the production of our newscast
while reporters assigned to cover particular stories will interview persons
with expertise in relevant fields. We
will take into consideration the positions of nationally-recognized
authorities, yet we will subsequently contrast them with the views of our own
available sources here at St. Lawrence.
The result will be a complex mosaic of socially-relevant events which
will be properly localized in order to make them relevant for our own
Laurentian community.
ENG 347 A:
SPTP-Memoir: Fact, Truth and Memory
The
memoir has always been one of the most popular forms of writing; everyone loves
to read a good personal story, and most people have a least a few good ones to
tell, too. But what makes a story,
however good and compelling, worthy of becoming a memoir? How can you transform your own unique
experience into a tale that will resonate with others? How can you use techniques like voice,
narrative arc, chronology and perspective to draw a reader into the world
you’re creating, and keep them there?
And what kinds of liberties can and can’t you take in re-creating a
world that ceased to exist long ago?
Students will explore these questions – and the often subtle differences
between fact, truth, and memory – in the course of writing their own short
memoir pieces, and perhaps, as the semester progresses, even venturing into
autobiographical fiction. Admission by permission of instructor only.
ENG 450A: SYE-
Stories of Globalization, Migration, Families and Food
Narratives
of family and food, often referred to as culinary autobiographies, have much to
tell us about patterns of migration, social class and ethnicity, gender,
assimilation and resistance. While we certainly want to engage specific aspects
of the authors’ lives and food habits, our primary task is to consider the ways
in which immigration has changed or “corrupted” what Ray calls “Anglo-Saxon
conceptions of the world.” In addition to the culinary autobiographies, we
shall read pertinent criticism of the genre, on globalization and on place and
space in American culture.
Students
will lead discussions of texts, conduct ongoing research and present oral and
written summaries of critical essays, pose challenging questions and engage in
healthy debate and discussion. As a final project, students will either write a
research essay on a relevant topic, or write their own culinary narratives, a
work of creative nonfiction that reveals significant familial (genealogical)
and critical research.
ENG 450B:
SYE-The Art of the Novella
Combining
the expansiveness of the novel with the compression of shorter fiction, the
novella is a rich and flexible narrative form. We will spend the first part of
the term reading classic and contemporary examples by authors such as Chopin,
Kafka, and Millhauser. We will use these examples, as
well as writings on fictional techniques and in-class exercises, to explore the
craft of designing longer narratives. In the second part of the term, you will
apply your reading and writing practice by composing a series of linked short
pieces that, revised and edited together, will result
in either a complete novella or a substantial critical essay on one of the
novellas studied during the term. You will submit this final project to a
journal for possible publication. Peer review of work in progress--through
small group workshops and individual conferences--will be an important
component in this course. This course is an appropriate SYE for majors in
either the literature or writing concentrations.
ENG 450C SYE:
The Essay Collection
This
course will examine the modern phenomenon of the collection of literary
essays. Students will read several
collections closely, looking at issues of arrangement and relationship and
asking questions about how collections cohere and how the essays within them
"speak" to one another and share concerns and obsessions. Students will consider advantages to the
collection over the more commercially-viable book-length memoir, and will also
be asked to consider forging a collection of their own existing nonfiction work
as final project.
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
ENVS 247A:
SPTP-Sustainable House ESP
This
class is a problem/project based learning class, focusing on the Ecological
Sustainability Landscape (ESL) property maintained by the Environmental Studies
Department. Students are introduced an
underlying problem statement which will drive the problem solving approach for
the semester. The class will establish a residential-scale budget based on St.
Lawrence County census statistics, and undertake a comprehensive assessment of
the ESL property from numerous sustainability perspectives. The culmination of the course involves the
implementation of the project that can quantitatively be shown to have the
greatest impact on the overall sustainability of the house, and an assessment
of the success of the solution. Each semester,
the efforts of prior classes will be incorporated in to the assessment of the
property, resulting in an additive effort to transition the old farmhouse and
surrounding property into a more sustainable residential landscape.
ENVS 421A:
SYE-Directed Readings, Ecosystem-Based Management
Over
the past four decades, environmental management has undergone significant
shifts in philosophy and practice. Conserving natural resources was once
considered the province of technical experts applying scientific knowledge;
current practice seeks to involve community members and stakeholders in
adaptive process that seeks to achieve interlinked ecological and social goals.
This course will examine the theory and practice of adaptive and collaborative
management frameworks for addressing environmental problems related to
conservation and ecological restoration. Course research will seek to identify
issues in the Adirondacks that may be better managed through an ecosystem–based
approach.
FILM AND REPRESENTATION STUDIES
FILM
247AA: SPTP-
Documentary Filmmaking w/Lab
In this course
you get to go in two directions at once:
you will study style and technique in the documentary film, and you will
make a short documentary film. In
looking at documentary films, we will discuss questions of truth and value as
they come into play for filmmakers and filmgoers. In making documentary films, we will consider
how to collect and represent different truths and values. Films for study will span the history of
filmmaking, but will mostly be English-language films. Readings will range from reviews of films to
essays on theory and method in visual anthropology.
FILM 234A/ASIA 234A/LTRN234A: Chinese Literature and Film.
This course
provides an overview of Chinese literature and film. The first half of this
course surveys traditional Chinese literature with a focus on masterpieces in
the golden age of various genres, such as poetry in the Tang, lyric in the
Song, drama in the Yuan, and fiction in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The second
half introduces modern Chinese literature with a focus on film, including the
representative works by well known writers Lu Xun, Ba Jin, and famous film directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Wang Xiaoshuai, and others. This course aims at enhancing
students’ interests and skills in reading and analysis of Chinese literature
and film, and it also seeks to improve students’ understanding of the history,
society, and culture of China. All works are read in English translation. Also offered through Literature in (English) Translation, Film
Studies, and Asian Studies.
FILM 247 D/ GNDR 247D/ ASIA 247 D: SPTP-Gender
East and West
Often we can
learn the most about our own culture by comparing it to another culture, and
this is certainly true when we study women and men. Although a couple of countries in East Asia
have approached the U.S and Europe in economic development, the East and West
tend to have different gender relations. Through a careful examination of
popular cultures—primarily films—this course will compare modern gender relations
in selected eastern and western countries, with an emphasis on Japan and the
U.S. Tracing the historical development of gender construction, we will analyze
how gender is constructed/reconstructed through cultural representation. We will examine such questions as: How does
cultural representation work to construct gender? How do representation, nationalism and gender
identity work to reinforce each other in each culture? And how have women’s
movements contested and changed these gender identities?
FILM 347B: SPTP-Cinema of Disaffection
Representing
the social/human condition has been a theoretical concern for film theorists,
filmmakers, and film critics. On the one hand, filmmakers draw heavily on
film’s photographic ability to capture the social conditions of a character’s
‘reality’ and thus create empathy towards that character. On the other hand,
filmmakers manipulate the real through editing, special effects and narrative
to produce films that allow audiences to satisfy their own desires and
fantasies through voyeurism and identification. Blending a discussion of
cinematic forms and sociological concerns this course will look at how the
human condition is represented in both filmmaking and film criticism. It will
look at how film depicts human suffering, alienation, and exploitation, and the
social conditions that produce them, as well as the possibilities for
transcendence. The course will focus on transnational cinema thatexplores the lives of disaffected persons. We shall
look at films by Scorsese, Campion, Godard, Tamahori,
Herzog, Meirelles, Lee, Lynch, Ki-duk
Kim, Wong Kar-Wai and others.
FILM 348 A: SPTP-White Guy Flicks.
“Chick flick”
is a derisively-defined genre of films, a grouping that assumes that the movies
within it are similarly-structured, probably melodramatic, and somewhat
predictable in their celebrations of the protagonists’ nuanced sensibilities in
a world otherwise devoid of feelings.
This class will concentrate on a little known counter-genre, the White
Guy Flick: that is, upon a number of very great 20th century films
that are, in their own ways, similarly-structured, incontestably melodramatic,
and somewhat predictable in their celebrations of the protagonists’ toughness and
resiliency in the face of a meaningless universe. Directors to be studied include Chaplin,
Welles, Fellini, Hitchcock, DiSica, Reed, Ford,
Bergman, Scorsese, Altman, Kubrick, Coppola, Boorman,
Cimino, Allen, Fincher, Ramis,
Coen, and Tarantino.
Although the course is thematically organized, it will also assume that
students bring a sophisticated knowledge of film technique as one of the
essentials to the understanding the films’ affirmative projections of ideal
(and sometimes less-than-ideal) maleness.
FINE ARTS
FA
212 A/ASIA 212A: Icons-Islamic Architecture
This course critically examines the past and contemporary
reception of an icon of Islamic architecture – the Taj
Mahal – in art, politics, and society. Since its
construction as a tomb of an influential empress in 17th century India, the Taj has become an object of fantasy for 18th century
European travelers, model for British colonial architecture, major tourist
attraction, and source of inspiration for visual artists and art collectors,
the advertisement industry, film makers and musicians all over the world. Today
its site is heavily contested by religious and political groups with competing
interests, archeologists, and conservationists. After studying the synthesis of
styles and techniques contained in this exceptional monument, we will use the Taj to discuss the political role of monuments in general
and to think about gender roles in Islam, the place of Islam in contemporary
India, effects of tourism and pollution, and issues of cultural heritage and
identity.
FA 248 A: Experimental Vessels
Primarily a
course exploring the creative and sculptural possibilities of hand built and
wheel thrown vessels, this course will also explore the narrative and pictorial
effects achieved through the manipulation of the vessel's surface via glazing,
carving, drawing and other methods. A very high productivity rate will expected
from students in this class. Prerequisite: FA 121 or permission.
FA 319/ASIA
319A: Gender Issues in Asian Art
This upper
level, seminar-style course explores gender issues in relationship to the
visual arts in Asia. In class students discuss, and debate about, art
historical literature that applies feminist theories to interpret historical
examples of Asian art and contemporary Asian art in global contexts. Major
themes include: the representation of gender relations in art, architecture,
and film, the influence of gender constructs on the making and viewing of art,
changing roles of women in society, and the relationship of gender, art, and
religion. No pass/fail option available
FRANCOPHONE
STUDIES
FR 248A/ AFS 248B: SEM- Wo/manhood and Nation-Building
What
roles do African men and women play in the making and unmaking of the nation?
How does the personal overlap with the political and the national? Through a
close examination of Francophone African novels and films, this course explores
the connection between manhood, womanhood and nation. We will look at Africans
as individuals and collective groups and discuss the extent to which their
roles and relationships in the family and in the community shape the nation’s
destiny. In our discussions we will take into account the categories of gender,
class, and sexuality, and the cultural and historical contexts into which
different actors play. The texts to be studied are: Mariama
Ba’s So Long A Letter (1981), Calixthe
Beyala’s The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me (1996), and Malika Mokeddem’s Of Dreams and
Assassins (2000). The films are Adama Drabo’s Taffe Fanga
(Skirt Power) (1997) and Ousmane Sembène’s
Xala (The Curse) (1975).
FR 426 A : Aventures et Mésaventures des Africains en Europe
Malgré une forte médiatisation et une profusion de récits sur les conditions infernales des immigrés Africains, l’Europe continue
d’être un pôle d’attraction. Quelles sont les différentes
raisons qui poussent les Africains
à aller en Europe? Comment survivent-ils
les dures réalités de l’immigration? Est-il plus difficile pour un homme ou pour une
femme de vivre en exil? Pourquoi
l’Europe persiste à être un mythe
dans la période postcoloniale? Ce cours se propose de réfléchir sur ces questions en étudiant les romans suivants: Un nègre
à Paris (1959) de Bernard Dadié, Bleu, blanc, rouge (1998) d’Alain Mabanckou, et La préférence nationale, et autres nouvelles (2001) de Fatou Diome. Nous regarderons également les films suivants: La
Noire de (1966) d’Ousmane Sembène, Pièces d’identité (1998) de Mweze Ngangura, et Après l’océan (2008) d’ Éliane de Latour. Nous analyserons les principales causes qui expliquent
les fantasmes d’un Eldorado européen,
les défis que les Africains doivent relever pendant leur traversée du “désert” et les caractéristiques de leur
transformation identitaire. Nous mettrons
en relief les perspectives des auteurs par rapport au
contexte historique de leurs productions littéraires et cinématiques.
GENDER
AND SEXUALITY STUDIES
GNDR 247 D/ ASIA 247 D/ FILM 247 D/: SPTP-Gender
East and West
Often we can
learn the most about our own culture by comparing it to another culture, and this
is certainly true when we study women and men.
Although a couple of countries in East Asia have approached the U.S and
Europe in economic development, the East and West tend to have different gender
relations. Through a careful examination of popular cultures—primarily
films—this course will compare modern gender relations in selected eastern and
western countries, with an emphasis on Japan and the U.S. Tracing the
historical development of gender construction, we will analyze how gender is
constructed/reconstructed through cultural representation. We will examine such questions as: How does
cultural representation work to construct gender? How do representation, nationalism and gender
identity work to reinforce each other in each culture? And how have women’s
movements contested and changed these gender identities?
GNDR 248A Money, Marriage, Family and the Law
This course begins with some basic education on the
management of personal money matters throughout one's life and various legal
considerations including the potential use and abuse of bankruptcy proceedings.
We then learn about issues of sexuality, sexually transmitted disease and
cohabitation with related legal considerations. The focus then turns to
marriage, family and parenting plus the legal issues of separation,
dissolution/divorce, child custody and the many legal disputes that may emerge
in the course of those situations. Consideration will be given to the
importance of life. Disability and health insurance as well
as estate planning. In this process we look at banking,
investments, the necessity of having a will.
GNDR 348C Gender Studies, Sexual Diversity and the
Law
The
class begins with the play SPRINGTIME AWAKENING about the journey of a young
couple as they discover nature on a path that lead to disaster as the result of
ignorance in matters of sexuality. The focus then turns to the abortion
cases leading up to the landmark 1973 opinion by Justice Blackman with a 7 - 2
majority in ROE vs.WADE establishing a right to
privacy as well as the cases that followed and are still to come. The focus
then shifts to issues of sexual diversity and another landmark decision in
LAWRENCE vs. TEXAS that reasserts the right to privacy. The course concludes
with a look at the same-sex marriage issues and cases.
GNDR 352 A: Transnational Feminist Activism
This course
will examine social, economic, political and cultural projects throughout the
world organized by women to address the concerns of women. We investigate
specific groups that identify themselves as feminist as well as the various
feminisms that define them. Equally important for our study are those groups
that reject or challenge the label of feminism as a Western and therefore,
imperialist or neo-imperialist ideology and present alternatives for women’s
collective action. Finally, we will explore the possibilities and practices of
transnational or women’s global activism. To that end, you will each
participate in a community-based learning project with a local organization
engaged in feminist activism. Prerequisite: GNDR 201.
GEOLOGY
no descriptions this semester.
GERMAN
STUDIES
GER 201A: Advanced German
This course is
intended to make the transitions from intermediate German to a more advanced level
of competency in the basic language skills: oral comprehension and expression,
writing and reading comprehension , vocabulary
building. It is intended for students
who have completed German 104 or who have excelled in German 103 at St.
Lawrence as well as for students who have successfully completed the
intermediate level of high school German.
Students will work with a variety of short literary and other cultural
texts of varying degrees of difficulty, as well as with two films covering a
range of primarily twentieth century topics and themes. This work will be accompanied by a review of
some of the more complex aspects of German grammar.
GLOBAL
STUDIES
GS218 A: Cities and Globalization
Cities play a critical site for reflecting and
embodying the myriad and complex processes of globalization, challenging the nation-state’s
role in circumscribing people’s life and activities. A small number of cities,
known as ‘global cities,’ serve as the
control points for the organization of new forms of economic, political and social geographies associated
with global processes. Other large ‘world’ cities in both the developed and the
developing world are incorporated into the global urban system through the economic, cultural and political power they
exercise at different scales – local,
national, transnational, regional, and global. The objective of this course is to
critically understand and relationship between cities and globalization, and to
appreciate cities as sites and spaces of struggle and contestations associated
with processes of globalization. Though interactive discussions of books,
articles, films, case studies from
different parts of the world, the course will explore the following themes:
globalization and urbanism; migration and labor markets; representations,
identities, bodies and cultures; and governance, democracy and citizenship in
cities. Students will undertake a
detailed study of a selected and approved city; write a research paper and give
and oral presentation to the class.
*NOTE: "* This course has a required
travel component to Toronto - April 22-25th. The university will cover room,
board and intercultural events for this travel component. Students will pay for
travel to the site (approximately $100). Students on financial aid may apply to
the Center for International and Intercultural Studies (CIIS) preferably at the
time of fall registration or at the latest before the second meeting of the
course. Applicants must provide a copy of their financial aid award notification.
International students who enroll in this course and need a visa to travel to
Canada must apply for a Canadian visa preferably over the Winter Break, and no later than second week of
classes, as it can take up to four to six weeks to get a visa"
GS 248 A/ HIST 248 A: SPTP-The Ottoman Empire and
the Early Modern World
This course
examines the rise and development of the Ottoman Empire from its origins in
early 14th Century Anatolia to the end of the 18th Century. In addition to tracing the development of
political and military institutions, this course will explore changing social
relations, with particular attention to the role of women and non-Muslim
populations in Ottoman society. A
particular emphasis of this course will be the relation of the Ottoman Empire
to wider global trends and its diplomatic, military, and cultural interactions
with Europe.
GS 347 A: SPTP-Global Public Goods: Exploring
Solutions for the 21st Century
This course is
primarily for upper level students from any department who want to explore
possible solutions to problems that are global in nature: disease and health
care crises, financial crises, the effects of ecological destruction, ageing
and social security challenges, state and non-state actor violence, and
migration to mention only a few issue areas. It recognizes and taps into
increasing attempts to initiate, coordinate and execute solutions to problems
that many understand as being not just local in origin and implication, but
also connected with other sites, across the world. Framing issues in the
language of global interests, the metaphor of "public goods" is an
approach to seek commonalities with an eye towards action, and in this sense
the objective of the course is for students to be familiar not just with
crucial issues, but also how to approach them so that forms of cooperation can
be worked on and achieved. PREQUISTE: GS 101 or Instructor's
permission.
GS 347B/ PCA 312A: SPTP-Democracy and the Public
Sphere: From Athens to Philadelphia and Beyond
How does the social reality of a modern global megalopolis connect with the
democratic ideals of republican Rome, Renaissance Venice, the early modern
London, republican Paris and Philadelphia? Each one of the above-mentioned
cities dominated the republican imagination of the Western world at some point
in history and consequently may well serve us as a study case. We
will explore the ways public life reflected a contemporary ideal of a
well-ordered society. We will analyze the evolving technologies of
communication which supported such systems internally and at the same time
connected them to the larger webs of global communication networks. We
will explore urban geographies of each of the cities above in the hope that
their landscapes may reveal something also about the character of their
inhabitants. This interdisciplinary class is designed to meet requirements of
the fields of communications studies, global studies, history, political
economy and urban geography.
GOVERNMENT
GOVT 270 A: The Financial Crash of 2008
The deep
recession of 2008 is the largest economic collapse since the 1929-1933 Great
Depression. In this course we will examine the roots of the recession, the
extent of its impact, the failures of investments and commercial banks and the
attempts by the Bush and Obama Administrations to cope with the extensive
damage to the economy, financial institutions and the American public. Students will examine these issues through
oral class reports and research papers through the perspective of political
economy.
GOVT 290A/ ASIA 290A: SEM- Asian Politics
Asia is
currently one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the world. This
course looks at Asia through the lens of international political economy,
region building, the colonial experience, encounters with the “west,” and
regime orientation (democratic or authoritarian), to make sense of this vast
and diverse area. In frequently moving between framework and individual country
case(s), this course aims to provide students with historical and analytical
frameworks to better understand Asia as a region and its role within the global
context. An equally important aim is to provide the conceptual and
organizational tools necessary for students to appreciate good research and to
begin practicing the craft themselves.
GOVT 322A/ASIA 322A: Govt & Politics People Republic of China
This course is
designed to be a comprehensive introduction to the politics of the People’s
Republic of China. The course first introduces the student to the political
geography of China, its current perceived status in the international
community, and essential background history for understanding Chinese politics
today. Next, it investigates the nuts and bolts of contemporary Chinese
institutions to get a good feel for how the Chinese conceptualize and practice
politics. Finally, the course examines important issues and trends facing China
at present. Throughout the course, contemporary vignette pieces will be offered
both to stimulate students’ thinking for a research project and to connect
theoretical frameworks presented in class to current problems facing China. The
fundamental objective of this course is to provide students with a basic
fluency in the politics of China.
HISTORY
HIST148 A/GS 148A: SPTP-The Formation of the
Modern Middle East, 1500 – Present
This course
will examines the changing nature of Middle Eastern societies in the modern
era. Topics to be addressed will include Ottoman and Safavid
institutions, Imperialism and the Eastern Question, the development of nation
states, the role of non-Muslims in Middle Eastern societies, the Cold War,
Pan-Arabism, the Arab – Israeli conflict, Women’s Rights and the headscarf
issue, and the development of Political Islam.Texts
will include academic works, fiction, and film.
HIST 248 A/GS 248 A: SPTP-The Ottoman Empire and
the Early Modern World
This course
examines the rise and development of the Ottoman Empire from its origins in
early 14th Century Anatolia to the end of the 18th Century. In addition to tracing the development of
political and military institutions, this course will explore changing social
relations, with particular attention to the role of women and non-Muslim
populations in Ottoman society. A
particular emphasis of this course will be the relation of the Ottoman Empire
to wider global trends and its diplomatic, military, and cultural interactions
with Europe.
HIST 299 B: SEM- Gender and Sexualities in
European History
This course is
a pro-seminar designed to introduce the methodologies of the discipline of
History. This particular section uses
the works of scholars who study the historical constructions of gender and
sexualities in modern European history from the period of the Enlightenment
through Nazi Germany to the crisis of national identity in post-colonial
Europe. We will utilize the various
tools of historians, such as document analysis, critical reviews and
particularly historiography as means of evaluating this subject and your
comprehension of it.
HIST 299 C: SEM-World War I
This seminar
offers students an opportunity to learn about and practice the tools of the
historian’s craft. It is geared toward history majors and minors, for whom it
is a requirement, though the subject matter may also interest non-historians.
Through an in-depth investigation of historical scholarship, we will explore
the Great War’s causes, its course, and its effects on soldiers and civilians,
men and women, workers, intellectuals, and artists. This cataclysmic war
shattered the European political, social, and cultural systems of the
nineteenth century, giving birth to the tumult and upheaval that defined the
twentieth century. In learning about the war, we will focus on areas of
scholarly debate, concerning such issues as responsibility for the war’s
outbreak, its role in transforming gender norms and relations, its influence on
modernist art, and its relation to the growth of anti-colonial movements. Students’ work over the semester will culminate in a paper that
engages with historians’ understandings of one specific facet of the war.
HIST 348 A: Palestine and the Arab-Israeli
Conflict
This class
explores the development of two competing nationalism movements, Israeli and
Palestinian, from their roots in the nineteenth century to the present day.
Beyond gaining an understanding of the development of “the conflict,” this
course will pay particular attention to the development of both Israeli and
Palestinian identities and societies. Other key considerations will be the
interaction between politics and history and an examination of some of the key historiographical debates in the field, including the wars
of 1948 and 1967, the peace process, and the “authenticity” of national
constructions and nationalist claims. Texts will include secondary and primary
source readings, novels, and films.
HIST 474 A:
SYE-The United States in World War II
In this
advanced and intense reading and research seminar for senior history majors and
minors, we will examine social, cultural, political, and military aspects of
the United States in World War II, including women and gender (masculinity as
well as femininity), racism and race relations, children's participation in the
war effort, the internment of Japanese Americans, the ethics of strategic
bombing, and the decision to use nuclear weapons. The ultimate goal of this seminar is for each
student to produce a substantial original research paper, using a combination
of primary and scholarly secondary sources, on a specific aspect of the history
of U.S. involvement in World War II. In
addition, you will complete a number of assignments along the way. We will spend the first few weeks of the course
reading (rather extensively) and discussing the assigned course texts. This will give everyone a common grounding in
the basic history of the United States in the war. You’ll spend the remainder of the semester
developing your own focused project.
Even though you’ll put the bulk of your energies toward this project,
you also will give attention to the projects of other students in this
course. This will entail a) close
reading of the work of other students, and b) attendance at and engagement with
presentations by all your classmates
HIST474
B: SEM - Civil War
A course primarily
for history majors and minors, this seminar addresses the complex and
fascinating business of “doing” Civil War history. Rather than following a
singular narrative of the Civil War, the course explores how historians
approach the war and allows students to pursue their own interests. Initially,
we will address major issues around the phenomenon of the war including the
allure of the war for Americans, what constitutes the “war” itself, what caused
the war, and why the South lost and why the North won. We’ll do some common
readings on these subjects. The bulk of the semester will be devoted to the
process of researching and writing a lengthy paper. We’ll work on crafting a
topic, finding appropriate primary and secondary sources, writing a historiography,
doing the research and writing the paper itself, and presenting your research
in panels as historians do at professional conferences.
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION
LTRN234A/FILM 234A/ ASIA 234A/: Chinese Literature and Film. This course
provides an overview of Chinese literature and film. The first half of this
course surveys traditional Chinese literature with a focus on masterpieces in
the golden age of various genres, such as poetry in the Tang, lyric in the
Song, drama in the Yuan, and fiction in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The second
half introduces modern Chinese literature with a focus on film, including the
representative works by well known writers Lu Xun, Ba Jin, and famous film directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Wang Xiaoshuai, and others. This course aims at enhancing
students’ interests and skills in reading and analysis of Chinese literature
and film, and it also seeks to improve students’ understanding of the history,
society, and culture of China. All works are read in English translation. Also offered through Literature in (English) Translation, Film
Studies, and Asian Studies.
MATHEMATICS
no descriptions this semester.
MUSIC
MUS
245 A:
Musics of Eastern Europe.
In this course, we examine and analyze
the music of a region where social and political life has changed dramatically
and frequently during the last 150 years. From the revolutions of 1848 to the
post-communist struggles of the 1990s, music and musicians often have been
drawn into debates about national and regional identities. We proceed from the
assumption that notions of identity and difference are evident not only in
discourse about musical practices, but also in musical sound itself. This
course was previously listed in the course catalog as MUS 345.
MUS 330 A:
“Isn’t it Romantic?” Songs for Theatre, Songs for Salon (with travel)
This course
explores songs from New York City’s “Tin Pan Alley” — to be selected from such
songwriters as the Gershwins, Richard Rodgers and
Irving Berlin — and songs from earlier times and places, such as Franz Schubert
in early 19th-century Vienna or Thomas Campion in Elizabethan England. Primary
focus is on the music and the lyrics, but we also study the social and cultural
contexts of these songs. Some required concerts and video screenings outside of
class time. Prerequisite: Music 100/101, 200/201, or permission of the
instructor. This course was previously listed in the course catalog as MUS 230.
This course has an optional travel component to New York City
5-8 March (Fri.-Mon. of spring vacation). The university will cover room, board
and intercultural events for this travel component. The Music Department will
provide bus transportation to NYC; students will pay for travel from the city.
In addition, students will pay $35 toward their ticket to a musical theatre
show in NYC.
NEUROSCIENCE
no descriptions this semester.
NON
DEPARTMENTAL
no descriptions this semester.
OUTDOOR
STUDIES
no descriptions this semester.
PEACE
STUDIES
PEAC 347A/ PHIL 347A: Philosophy of Peace
In this course we explore the meanings of terms such as peace, justice,
conflict, violence, pacifism, conscientious objection, and civil disobedience,
and we will consider the relationships among these terms. We will also
consider questions such as: Is it possible to create a truly just
world? Is it possible to respond to serious conflict or oppression
nonviolently? Is the use of violent force ever justified? Is a
"just war" possible? We will read classic works by
philosophers and others on these topics. Pre-requisite: PEAC 100/PHIL 120:
Introduction to Peace Studies, or permission of the instructor.
PERFORMANCE
AND COMMUNCATION ARTS
PCA 212A Intro to Mass Media:
According to industry estimates, today's adults
spend more than half their waking lives with the media - more time than they
spend sleeping. Some form of mass media
touches you every day - economically, socially and culturally. The mass media can affect the way you vote
and the way you spend your money.
Sometimes the mass media influence the way you eat, talk, work, study
and relax. This is the impact of mass
media on American society. Today's
American society has inherited the wisdom and mistakes of the people who work
in the mass media industries and the society that regulates and consumes what
the mass media produce.
PCA 312A/GS 347B: SPTP-Democracy and the Public
Sphere: From Athens to Philadelphia and Beyond
How does the social reality of a modern global megalopolis connect with the
democratic ideals of republican Rome, Renaissance Venice, the early modern
London, republican Paris and Philadelphia? Each one of the above-mentioned
cities dominated the republican imagination of the Western world at some point
in history and consequently may well serve us as a study case. We
will explore the ways public life reflected a contemporary ideal of a
well-ordered society. We will analyze the evolving technologies of
communication which supported such systems internally and at the same time connected
them to the larger webs of global communication networks. We will explore
urban geographies of each of the cities above in the hope that their landscapes
may reveal something also about the character of their inhabitants.This
interdisciplinary class is designed to meet requirements of the fields of
communications studies, global studies, history, political economy and urban
geography.
PCA 313A: SPTP-Dramaturgy: The Old and the New
In
contemporary theatre practice, a dramaturg is someone
who functions variously as an ally and assistant for the playwright, the
director, the actors, and the audience.
Typically, the dramaturg contributes research
and provides additional perspective(s) to make a theatre production as
powerful, moving, and successful as it can be.
Diverse models for the dramaturg abound: Joel
Schechter sees the ideal dramaturg as someone
“actively involved in the cultural and political affairs of the day,” Geoffrey
S. Proehl describes the dramaturg
as a “midwife assisting at the birth of a new work of art,” and Martin Esslin envisions the dramaturg as
“a kind of court jester, licensed to be as rude as possible.” In this course, students will have the
opportunity to try on many of these roles.
Students will function as new-play dramaturgs
who aid this semester’s playwriting students, and will also contribute
dramaturgy to the department’s spring mainstage
production. Other major units will
include how theatre companies select production seasons; the politics and
practice of adaptations and altering a playwright’s script; and the careful
research and creative thinking necessary to stage plays from hundreds and even
thousands of years ago so as to teach and to please audiences today.
PCA 313B: SPTP-The History of Popular
Entertainment
In this survey
of popular entertainments through the centuries, we’ll examine the history and
reception of many different Western performance forms that have delighted
audiences, even though critics, scholars, and conventional theatre
practitioners have disparaged them. Two
texts will guide our initial thinking about the divide between “art” and
“popular entertainment”: Steven Johnson’s Everything
Bad is Good for You and Lawrence Levine’s Highbrow/Lowbrow: The Emergence of Cultural
Hierarchy in America. Among other
topics, we’ll examine ancient Roman paratheatrical
entertainments (such as gladiatorial combat and staged sea battles), Italy’s
commedia dell’arte (which began during the
Renaissance), and the circus, vaudeville, and minstrel shows of nineteenth and
twentieth century America. Even as we
look backwards through history, we’ll continue to address the popular
entertainment forms, styles, and venues of today, evaluating the utility of
analogies between (for example) Roman chariot racing and NASCAR, vaudeville and
YouTube, and melodramas and Melrose Place.
PCA
313D/E Theatre for Youth w/CBL (.5 credit)
Students will explore the use of
theatre games and acting exercises in order to teach basic acting and
educational skills to local elementary school children. Skills include physicalization,
vocalization, imagination, public speaking, concentration, problem-solving,
collaboration, listening and characterization.
PCA 317A: Performing Poetry
“Milktongue, goatfoot, and twinbird are the words that poet Donald Hall uses to
describe what the voicing and embodying of poetry feels like to him. It is something with taste and texture in our
mouths, something we feel in our bodies, something
that sings and chants and fills the world with sight and sound. In this course we’ll be focusing on the
performance of various poetic forms; traditional fixed forms, open verse,
concrete poems, found poems, and others. We’ll keep adding to Hall’s list of
ways to describe just what happens when poetry returns to its roots in the oral
tradition. Together, we'll read, write about, and perform a number of poems and
in the process, we'll examine the intersections of
contemporary poetic theory and performance theory.
PHILOSOPHY
PHIL 247A: SPTP – American Philosophy
This course examines
the great movements of American Philosophy: Transcendentalism, Pragmatism, and
Process Thought. Special attention will
be given to C. S. Peirce and A. N. Whitehead.
The class will entail a global, multicultural dimension via the attempts
of many Process thinkers to explain non-Western thought in terms of Whitehead's
philosophy.
PHIL 347A/ PEAC 347A: Philosophy of Peace
In this course we explore the meanings of terms such as peace, justice,
conflict, violence, pacifism, conscientious objection, and civil disobedience,
and we will consider the relationships among these terms. We will also
consider questions such as: Is it possible to create a truly just
world? Is it possible to respond to serious conflict or oppression
nonviolently? Is the use of violent force ever justified? Is a
"just war" possible? We will read classic works by philosophers and
others on these topics. Pre-requisite: PEAC 100/PHIL 120: Introduction to Peace
Studies, or permission of the instructor.
PHIL 347B: SPTP – Aesthetics
This course
examines the basic categories and arguments related to the philosophical study
of value and beauty. Special attention
will be given to the Whiteheadian theory of value,
and historical examples from the arts both Western and Non-Western will be
investigated.
PHYSICS
No descriptions this semester
PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 256 A: Health Psychology
Health
psychology is an applied field devoted to understanding psychological
influences on health and illness in our society. This course examines a variety
of social and behavioral factors that affect our physical well being, including
the impact of life stress on the immune system, the influence of personality
factors on specific illnesses and the relationship between doctor -patient
interactions and adherence to medical advice. Other topics include
obesity, heart disease, stress management and behavioral therapy.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or 101
RELIGIOUS
STUDIES
REL
282A/ ASIA 282A: Indian Epics
To convey the foundational importance
of India‘s two best-known epics, the scholar A.K. Ramanujan
once remarked, ―In India and Southeast Asia, on one ever reads the Ramayana
or the Mahabharata for the first time. The stories are there, ‗always
already‘.‖ In order to
understand their significance in South Asisa and
beyond, and to appreciate their richness and depth, this class will examine the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana in their classical Sanskrit versions
(abridged and translated!) as well as in oral, vernacular, performed and
artistic versions. It will also consider several other South Asian epics, such
as the tales of Pabuji and Palnadu.
SOCIOLOGY
SOC 248A/ AFS 248A: SPTP-Making of Modern Africa
Being at the
center of the Atlantic complex, Africa has always been part of the modern
world. At the same time, Africa is imagined as a perpetual late-arrival to the
modern condition. As much as the two positions appear to be contradictory and
mutually exclusive, it is important to see them as two sides of the coin. It is
Africa’s position in the origin of the modern world that also turns it into a
permanent new comer. Conversely, it is the congenital infantilism of Africa
that underscores its relational locus in the genesis of the modernity. Based on this underlying dilemma, this course
follows the historical trajectory of the making of modern Africa. The course
examines 19th century notions such as: Mission of Civilization, the White Man’s
Burden, 20th century programs such as Development, Modernization, Dependency
and 21st century ideals of Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law and
Transparency.
SOC 248B:
SPTP-Ecological Societies
This course
examines societies that have been ecologically sustainable as well as smaller
scale models and attempts at creating sustainable societies. What makes societies sustainable? What insights can we gain from these
societies? What conflicts are there
between sustainable societies and unsustainable ones? Through the examination of these questions we
will develop an understanding of how the world can build toward an
environmentally sustainable future.
SOC248C/ASIA248C: SPTP-China's Market Transition
The last two
decades of the 20th century brought about unprecedented political and economic
changes to the former communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe and
China. The magnitude of these changes is extraordinary, affecting close to a
fourth of the Earth’s land area and one out of every four people on the planet.
Although traditionally not referred to as developing countries, China and those
former communist countries have undoubtedly embarked on the path of capitalist
market development, with economic and political changes affecting their
societies in the most profound ways. This course will focus on China’s
transformation from a planned economy to a more market-oriented economy, and
examine the changes in the social fabrics in tandem with the economic
transition. We will also compare China with the former communist countries in
Eastern and Central Europe. Specifically, we will look at some of the theories
of market reforms formulated by sociologists, examine the process of
privatizing formerly state-owned enterprises, and discuss the role of
entrepreneurs and social networks. We will also address the effect the reforms
have had on social classes, genders and ethnic minorities.
SOC 248D: SPTP-Women’s Health and Aging
This course
will examine current issues related to the health and aging experiences of
women in America and around the world.
Special emphasis will be placed on the challenges women face as they
experience various life transitions. A
historical overview of women’s health and aging and theoretical frameworks used
to understand the issues women face as they age will be presented. The social, historical, demographic,
psychological, cultural, political, and health factors related to women’s aging
process will be discussed. Additional
topics include the changing perceptions of women’s aging, body image and
ageism, employment and retirement, caretaking and social support, housing and
long term care, widowhood, and death.
The implications of changing demographic characteristics of the aging
population in the United States will be considered especially with regard to
the consequences for women.
SOC 348A:
SPTP-Strategies of Social Protest
Much of the
progressive social change achieved in the U.S. in the 20th Century was a direct
result of the legal and extralegal protest activities conducted by social
movement organizations. This course explores the social origins and impacts of
20th century social movements with an eye toward examining their lessons and
legacies for contemporary protest movements. Through an analysis of resource
mobilization capacity, issue framing, ideology, power analysis, strategic and
tactical choices, organizational structure, leadership and rhetoric, as well as
political opportunity structure, the course seeks to illuminate how and why
these movements formed, why they chose the courses of action that they did, and
how power holders and social institutions responded. The U.S. labor, civil
rights, women's rights, and American Indian movements will serve as case
studies for our analyses.
SOC 348B:
Health Care Systems Around the World
This seminar
will examine a variety of health care systems, ideologies, and philosophies
from a number of cultures and countries.
We will read about, discuss, and consider a range of examples from the
highly bureaucratic and expensive one in the United States to indigenous
African health care. We will learn how
to examine and compare social policies in different countries, and discuss
differential impacts of such systems. As well as considering the specific
health care systems of individual societies, we will also take into consideration health issues
and approaches which are more global in scope.
SOC 348C: Organizational Sociology in a Global
Economy
Organizations
are an important component of the modern world and our daily lives. We deal
with them everyday, in one way or another. This
course will familiarize advanced undergraduates with major themes in the
sociological study of organizations. It will offer a critical examination of
different theoretical approaches, and apply them to the analysis of social reality. Course material is geared toward
students’ application of theories to different forms of organizations and to
current events. Some of the questions that will be addressed are: Why do
organizations exist? How are organizations managed? How do organizations affect
our lives? Are organizations interrelated? How are they tied to the larger
social context? How have organizations changed over time and across different
cultures?
ESTUDIOS HISPáNICOS (SPANISH STUDIES)
SPAN 448A
Colonial Andean Discourses:
domination and Resistance in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries Peru.
This course
will study early modern Andean historic, geographic and travel accounts and the
historical context that produced them.
Through important works of Colonial Latin American literature, dealing
particularly with the Inca empire and the Viceroyalty of Peru as entities of
power, participants will examine the European, Mestizo
and Indigenous perspectives of the writers on European conquests and
colonization; race, gender, and class dynamics, and the visual and written
representations of the other; Catholic Christianity and extirpation of
idolatry, and the forms of agricultural and labor exploitation introduced by
European conquerors. The course includes a required travel component to Peru
over the spring recess, providing students with a unique opportunity to visit
sites of historical importance where the contact and conflict of Inca and
Spanish cultures, following the trauma of the conquest, are still
palpable. Evaluation will be based on
three short papers and a final essay.
This
course has a required travel component to Lima and Cusco, Peru, from March 6,to March 13. The university will cover room, board and
intercultural events for this travel component.
Students will pay for travel to the site (approximately $750.00 for New
York / Lima/ New York and approximately $268.00 for Lima /Cusco/ Lima). Students on financial aid may apply to the
Center for International and Intercultural Studies preferably at the time of
fall registration or at the latest before the second meeting of the course.
Applicants must provide a copy of their financial aid award notification.
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
no course
descriptions this semester