The Black Lusophone Atlantic (in English) In this course we will examine the histories, power struggles, and cultural formations in Portuguese-speaking spaces of the African Diaspora. The Lusophone, or Portuguese-speaking world, encompasses four continents as a lasting legacy of Portuguese imperialism and the trafficking of enslaved people. Working across and against disciplines, we will critically engage with Black decolonial worldmaking in these spaces and across periods as we re-evaluate and dismantle this so-called Lusophone world and other imperialist geographies. In the process, we will examine connections between Black life in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Portugal, and more over the last six centuries; and also how Black life re-historicizes these spaces and times.

Mastodons, Mermaids, and Dioramas: Capturing Nature in America Why did 18th-century museums stuff and mount exotic and domestic animals? Why does the American Museum of Natural History still house dioramas of so-called native peoples hunting?  How has the study and staging of nature transferred into various kinds of artistic expression?  In this course we will examine the intertwining of art, science, and ecology in the United States from the 1700s to the present day. Objects of study will include museum dioramas, scientific models, artifacts and artworks collected during scientific expeditions, and the work of Walton Ford and Christy Rupp, contemporary artists whose work engages ecological issues. (not open to students who have taken FYSE 1447)

Gothic and Horror This course examines the forms and meanings of the Gothic and horror over the last 250 years in the West. How have effects of fright, terror, or awe been achieved over this span and why do audiences find such effects attractive? Our purpose will be to understand the generic structures of horror and their evolution in tandem with broader cultural changes. Course materials will include fiction, film, readings in the theory of horror, architecture, visual arts, and electronic media.

Math and Board Games Have you ever spent minutes agonizing over which move to make in a board game? Out of all the possible options, how could you possibly determine which move is best? Was there even an objectively best decision? In this course, we will explore the mathematics and underlying gameplay structures of several modern board games. In addition to playing these games during class, we’ll use math and logic to assess and quantify the value of a range of possible in-game decisions. Using formal mathematical proofs, papers, and in-class discussions, we’ll analyze the fairness and equity of strategies across a wide variety of games. We’ll finish the course by designing our own board game based on what we’ve learned!

The Ten Commandments After a grounding in the narratives of Genesis and Exodus (and an examination of those books’ understanding of the Law) we will move on to study the two versions of the Commandments—one in Exodus and one in Deuteronomy. We will then proceed to the history of interpretation of the Commandments, both as a unit unto themselves and as part of the general system of biblical law. Special attention will be paid to the differences between Rabbinic Judaism's understanding of the Decalogue (as the commandments are also known) and the various Christian understandings of the Ten Commandments. We will also look at expressions of the Decalogue in Islamic scripture and tradition.

Prepared for a Life of Meaning In this course we will explore psychology, education and sociological literature detailing the promise of higher education and opportunities to create a life of meaning. Students will contemplate the relation between the social and economic promises of higher education and corresponding ideals of a life of meaning. Students will formulate their own definitions and goals for a meaningful life. Using multidisciplinary frameworks, students will develop skills that enhance the likelihood of leading meaningful lives for themselves and their communities.

Sophomore Seminar in the Liberal Arts The current pandemic, and all the questions it brings to the fore about what we value in a college experience, make this an ideal moment to consider the meaning and purpose of your liberal arts education. At the heart of this exploration will be a question posed by physicist Arthur Zajonc: “How do we find our own authentic way to an undivided life where meaning and purpose are tightly interwoven with intellect and action, where compassion and care are infused with insight and knowledge?” We will examine how, at this pivotal moment of decision making, you can understand your college career as an act of “cultivating humanity” and how you can meaningfully challenge yourself to take ownership of your intellectual and personal development. Through interdisciplinary and multicultural exploration, drawing from education studies and philosophical, religious, and literary texts, we will engage our course questions by way of student-led discussion, written reflection, and personal, experiential learning practices. In this way we will examine how a liberal arts education might foster the cultivation of an ‘undivided’ life, “the good life”, a life well-lived.

Business Ethics Capitalism and competitive markets are often considered the most efficient system of simultaneously maximizing private wealth and public good. In the real world, however, truly competitive markets do not exist.   Imperfect markets have been made to work efficiently while protecting public good through systems of public intervention, i.e., laws and regulations, and voluntary self-restraint by business organizations in response to societal expectations. In this class we will consider the role of ethics in business, with students analyzing the process by which ethical norms and strongly held moral beliefs guide the conduct of economically driven business organizations.  Students will reflect on business managers’ responsibility to their owners, i.e., shareholders, other stakeholders, and society-at-large.

Children and Families Living with Illness: Psychological, Spiritual, and Cultural Perspectives Over the course of a lifetime, most people are confronted with their own illness or the illness of a loved one. How do children and families cope with illness? How do they make meaning of their experiences? How do their spiritual and cultural beliefs impact their care and their views on healing? We will examine developmental, psychological, cultural and spiritual issues confronting children and families living with acute, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses. We will explore the psychological and spiritual interventions provided to children & families. Writings, artwork and videotaped interviews will be used to illustrate varied perspectives on illness and healing. This course counts as elective credit towards the Psychology major. (PSYC 0105)

The Rhetorics of Death In this course we will examine a number of issues that arise once we begin to reflect on our mortality. Are we, in some sense, immortal? Would immortality be desirable? How should the knowledge that I am going to die affect the way I live my life? What is the place of grief? The goal of this course is to examine creative approaches to these questions in Literature and Philosophy. The purpose of this examination is to enable deep reflections on a meaningful life when understanding that there is an end to it. We will engage in discussions and share our writing as a means of understanding “the good life.” Student writing will emerge from discussions of course texts.

Nice for a break

Cinema and Memory Depicting the experience of memory is a challenge that filmmakers have returned to repeatedly throughout cinema’s history.  In this course, we will screen films from around the world to explore the ways in which individual and cultural memory have found expression in cinema.  We will screen narrative features, documentaries, and experimental films as we consider the various aesthetic strategies filmmakers from different periods and cultures have used to portray the complex relationships between past and present, real and imagined.

Culturally Responsive Policy and Pedagogy Building on the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy, Django Paris developed a theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy that “seeks to perpetuate and foster—to sustain linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism,” for students in schools (Paris, 2012). In this course we examine how teachers might sustain and support students in classrooms and how educational policy might better address and respond to the rich diversity in our schools and communities. This is a required course for all students seeking a Vermont teaching licensure.

American Disability Studies: History, Meanings, and Cultures In this course we will examine the history, meanings, and realities of disability in the United States. We will analyze the social, political, economic, environmental, and material factors that shape the meanings of "disability," examining changes and continuities over time. Students will draw critical attention to the connections between disability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and age in American and transnational contexts. Diverse sources, including films and television shows, music, advertising, fiction, memoirs, and material objects, encourage inter and multi-disciplinary approaches to disability. Central themes we consider include language, privilege, community, citizenship, education, medicine and technology, and representation.

Disability in Film and Television In this course we will investigate film and television representations of disability and disabled people to gain an understanding of how these reflect prominent cultural ideas across twentieth and twenty-first century US history.  Specifically, we will trace changes and continuities in the various functions of disability in film and TV, and how disabled people have used these media to express their own lived experiences. Key themes to be covered include access, stereotype, spectacle, community, and activism. Our intersectional study will involve disability, deaf, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, and age. Through readings, screenings, and engaged discussions students will gain insights into ways film and television reflect and shape the understandings of disability in American history and culture. This class includes regular screenings.

Women in U.S. Electoral Politics In this course we will explore the current and historical status of women in U.S. electoral politics, using case studies, guest speakers, hands-on campaign training, and academic and political research. Recent years have been pivotal for women in U.S. politics, with Hillary Clinton's loss in 2016, the historic 2017 Women's March, and the 2018 Year of Women. How have these events affected women in politics specifically and electoral politics generally? Can women achieve political parity with men and why does it matter? How do factors such as race, gender identity, region, and party intersect with electoral success and experience?

Ethics in Health Care This course is an introduction to the principles, virtues, and other moral norms that guide decision-making in health care.  We will focus on moral values accepted by Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and humanistic traditions, and embedded in a liberal, pluralistic society.  Popular films and numerous case studies will provide students an opportunity to develop skills in moral reasoning, in conversation with these intellectual traditions.  The health care issues we will consider include expectations for patient-physician relationships, research on human subjects, euthanasia and assisted suicide, abortion, assisted reproduction, genetic information, and access to health care resources.

Health, Food, and Poverty: Critical Frameworks for Social Change Concerns around food, health, and poverty often intersect around the world, and pose shared challenges for countries in how to address them. What frameworks might maximize social impact in addressing such complicated global concerns?  In this capstone course for students interested in privilege and poverty, global health, and food studies, we will critically examine a variety of frameworks for social impact, including solidarity, responsibility, development, aid, and entrepreneurship. Our examination of these frameworks will necessarily involve critical comparisons among the countries in which they have been employed. We will identify goals, strategies, and assumptions within each framework, as well as our role in social transformation in conjunction with other actors. Students will engage in interdisciplinary theoretical analysis and employ one or more frameworks to develop a proposal for a project on social change.  (By approval only.) 3 hrs. Sem (Comparative Politics)/

Computer Graphics Computer graphics is the study of how computers represent, manipulate, and ultimately display visual information. In this course we will focus primarily on three-dimensional graphics, touching on topics such as modeling (meshes, hierarchical models, and transformations), rendering (lighting, texturing, rasterization, and clipping), animation, and GPU programming. We will look at the mathematical foundations of these techniques as well as implementation techniques using WebGL.

Improvisational Practices In this course students will gain an embodied understanding of the practices and techniques needed to proceed to advanced improvisational work. Research into forms such as partnering, ensemble work, text, musical exercises, compositions, and scores/projects will focus on mapping the moving body in the moment. Readings, journals, and responses to video viewings and live performances contribute to the exploration of historical contexts, aesthetics, and cultural improvisations.

Easy and Valuable

Beginning Chinese An intensive continuation of CHNS 0101, this course is required of those wishing to take CHNS 0103 in the spring.  Students may anticipate learning a significant amount of new vocabulary, sentence patterns and idiomatic expressions.  Skits, oral presentations, writing assignments, and cultural activities are also part of this course.

Waves and Fourier Analysis Wave mechanics provides our most fundamental description of all known forms of matter, radiation, and their interactions. In this course we will develop the physics of oscillations and waves and the associated mathematics of Fourier series and transforms, orthogonal functions, and solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations, focusing especially on solutions of initial and boundary value problems by separation of variables in Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical coordinates. (MATH 0122; PHYS 0109 or PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111 or PHYS 0114; students may not receive credit for both PHYS 0212 and PHYS 0216) 4.

Human Geography with GIS How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results.

Biochemistry of Metabolism A living organism requires thousands of coordinated individual chemical reactions for life.  In this course we will survey the major integrated metabolic pathways of living cells and whole organisms, with particular attention to enzyme mechanisms, as well as the regulation, and integration of metabolism from the molecular to the whole organism level. The synthesis and degradation of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides are investigated, along with the mechanisms of energy flow and cell-to-cell communication.   While common metabolic processes are emphasized, unique aspects of metabolism that permit cells to function in unusual niches will also be considered.  Mechanistic and regulatory aspects of metabolic processes will be reinforced through an investigation of inborn errors and organic defects that lead to disease.

Indigenous Peoples of the Americas This course introduces students to the indigenous peoples of North and South America, from before European conquest to the present. Following a brief look at the mound-builders of North America, we will explore the connection between social stratification, religious ideology, and imperial expansion in the political economy of the Aztecs and the Incas. Ethnographies of Quechua peasants in the Peruvian Andes, Yanomami Indians in the Amazon, and Oglala Sioux in the Dakotas will show how contemporary Native Americans are dealing with the never-ending process of colonialism. How Europeans have imagined indigenous peoples has had a profound impact on how the latter defend themselves. The resulting images of authenticity and resistance have always been double-edged. The course will conclude with the debate over the reservation paradigm in the U.S.

Beginning Chinese This course is an introduction to Mandarin (guoyu or putonghua). The course begins with simple words and phrases, the pronunciation and cadences of Mandarin, romanization, Chinese characters, and simple vocabulary items, all taught in the context of practical communication. Sentence patterns and other fundamentals of speaking, reading, and writing will be taught, including both traditional characters (used everywhere before the 1950s and still used in Taiwan and Hong Kong) and simplified characters (used in China). Students should have achieved active command of more than 600 Chinese characters and more than 800 compounds by the end of the sequence CHNS 0101, CHNS 0102, and CHNS 0103.

Systems Programming Students will become intimately acquainted with the low-level software services that applications often take for granted.  Through a broad, project-based survey of core system libraries and UNIX system calls, students will explore process management, memory management, linking and loading, threading, synchronization, filesystem operations, and inter-process communication (networking).  In each area, students will build software using these building blocks, gaining an understanding of the behavior and efficiency of the tools at their disposal. Students will also gain experience building larger, more complex systems upon which applications can be built.  This course is ideal for students who wish to understand and construct the software infrastructure upon which user-level software depends. (CSCI 0202) 3 hrs. lect

Beginning Chinese This course is a continuation of the fall and winter terms with accelerated introduction of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns designed to facilitate speaking and reading. Toward the end of this semester students will read Huarshang de meiren (Lady in the Painting), a short book written entirely in Chinese.

The American Political Regime This is a course in American political and constitutional thought. The theme, taken from de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, is the problem of freedom. The first half covers the American founding up through the Civil War and the "refounding." This includes de Tocqueville, Madison's Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention, the Federalist-Anti-Federalist ratification debate, Supreme Court decisions (Marbury, McCulloch), writings of Jefferson, Calhoun, and Lincoln. The second half considers basic problems in American politics, such as race, gender, foreign policy, and education. Readings include a novel, de Tocqueville, and Supreme Court decisions (Brown, Frontiero, Roe, Casey, Grutter, Lawrence).

Deep Learning As data becomes ubiquitous and computing resources cheaper, many disciplines have turned to deep learning to solve complicated problems. While it has achieved remarkable success in a variety of "human" tasks, deep learning is often treated as a black-box. In this course, we will study deep learning from its foundations and build an intuitive understanding for why it works. Pairing lectures with labs, we will develop cutting-edge deep learning solutions to a variety of real-world problems. We will cover neural networks, convolutional networks designed for object detection, and recurrent networks used for natural language processing. We may also explore other topics including transformers, reinforcement learning, and generative adversarial networks subject to time and interest.(Not open to students who have already taken CSCI 0451.)

Good for a challenge

Constitutional Law, Adjudication and Advocacy In this course we will explore how cases are developed in the state and federal trial courts and presented on appeal in the Vermont Supreme Court.  Taught by a retired Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court and a senior status United States District Judge, the course will include both a substantive component focused primarily on United States and Vermont constitutional law and trial and appellate procedure, and an experiential component in which students will participate in a moot appellate court presentation, including submitting a written argument in a “brief” and making an oral argument to a “bench” of one or more judges.  Students will examine in depth the briefs, oral arguments and resulting decisions in two recently-decided Vermont Supreme Court cases and will attend the arguments for actual cases being heard by the Vermont Supreme Court.   Having read and discussed the briefs and issues in those cases, students will meet with one or more Justices of the Court and the lawyers who presented arguments.  Finally, students will read about and discuss “hot topics” in the United States’ legal and justice system, including methods of judicial selection, police officer liability for constitutional violations and the need to modernize state and federal constitutions.  Justices John Dooley is a retired Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court.  Judge William Sessions is a senior status Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont./

Intro to 3D Industrial Design 3D Printing and CNC machining have transformed how objects are designed, prototyped, and manufactured. In this course we will learn fundamental 3D solid modeling techniques, iterative design strategies, and a working knowledge of additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques. Every class will be hands- on and fully immersed in the high-tech tools of the industrial design process. Students will leave with a strong conceptual understanding of 3D solid modeling, printing and machining, and an independent final project.

Trees and the Urban Forest Trees play a very important, if often forgotten role, not only globally, but also locally in our towns and cities.  Wildlife habitat, pollution and storm water abatement, carbon sequestration, and energy savings, all arise from a healthy and active urban forest. In this class we will study the uses and values of the urban forest, basic tree biology and identification, arboricultural practices, planning and design, resource management, and community involvement. By using computer models to calculate factors in an urban forest setting, including carbon sequestration and pollution abatement, the class will make proposals related to Energy 2028, as well as develop a tree tour for the campus. (Not open to students who have taken BIOL 1003). This course counts as a cognate for ENVS majors with a focus in the social sciences or humanities. Tim Parsons is Middlebury College’s Landscape Horticulturist. He is a Certified Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture, a Vermont Certified Horticulturist, and holds a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont./

Interdepartmental

Immunology In this course we will explore the human immune system and how it works to protect the body from infection.  Students will be introduced to the cells and molecules of the immune system and how they work together to protect the host from foreign invaders.  We will focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate immunity before exploring the cellular and genetic principles that underlie the adaptive immune response.  Finally, we will investigate how innate and adaptive immunity work together to combat infection and how disease can arise from inadequacies in this coordinated host response.

Machine Learning Machine learning algorithms detect patterns in data and use these patterns to make decisions. This course introduces the theory and practice of machine learning. Tasks considered may include classification, regression, clustering, dimensionality reduction, text embedding, and reinforcement learning. Applications may include predictive analytics, data visualization, pattern recognition, and strategic game-playing. We will also discuss the social implications of automated decision systems. This course fulfills the Responsible Computing requirement for the Computer Science major. (Not open to students who have already taken CSCI 1051.)

Critical Conditions: Gender, Literature, and Illness (Pre-1800) In this course we will explore the literary representation of illness and pain in a range of texts from the classical period to the present day, focusing in particular on the intersection of illness with questions of gender, race, and sexuality. Beginning with Sophocles’s tragedy Women of Trachis, we will explore the classical representation of acute pain in the context of early Greek medicine, before examining medieval and early modern literary works inspired by the Black Death, including selections from Boccaccio’s Decameron. The second half of the class will focus on modernist and contemporary accounts of illness, including Virginia Woolf’s treatment of both the 1918 influenza epidemic and so-called “shell-shock” in her novel Mrs Dalloway. We will intersperse our literary readings with theoretical explorations of cure, disability, and ableism by writers such as Eli Clare, as well as work from the emerging field of narrative medicine.

The Politics of Virtual Realities How has technology changed our politics? Are those changes all for the good? In this course we will explore the political, legal, and normative implications of the Internet for liberal democracy. We start with the US Constitution and explore arguments that it cannot by itself prevent the Internet from becoming a domain of manipulation rather than of freedom. How can we uphold the ideals of liberty and equality? And, since cyberspace has no country, whose laws should govern it? Cases will include President Obama's campaign and governance strategies, Google's activities abroad, cybersecurity, virtual war, and the WikiLeaks controversy.

Fundamentals of Behavioral Neuroscience Behavioral neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field that combines approaches and knowledge from psychology, biology, and chemistry to further our understanding of human and non-human animal behavior.   In this course, you will study the interrelationships among elements of the nervous systems, co-functioning bodily systems, and behavioral output such as emotions, sex, memory, consciousness, sleep, and language.  You will be given an opportunity to  apply your knowledge from NSCI 0251 of the nervous system at the micro and macro levels and will revisit the basic concepts of behavioral genetics and psychopharmacology.  This cumulative knowledge base will serve as your foundation for advanced study of neural systems and their relative roles in progressively more complex behaviors such as basic reflexes, motivation, rational thought, neural disorders, and therapeutic efficacy.

Learn a lot

Crash Course in Systems Security In this course students will learn the theory and practice of computer systems security.  Morning lectures will be complemented by afternoon lab-sessions in which, under the close guidance of the instructor, students will complete both individual and group projects that will deepen their understanding of how (in)secure systems are implemented.  Students will learn to use industry-standard tools for performing analysis of system vulnerabilities; be introduced to the systems security research landscape; and gain an understanding of ethical, political, and financial issues surrounding systems security research.

#blessed: American Prosperity Religion  tfw the vending machine gives you two snacks instead of one #cookies #blessed. Critics allege that thinking God cares about your personal prosperity exposes the rotting core of American late capitalism. But American nationalism is also rooted in God’s providence. How should we grapple with this American ambivalence toward prosperity and religion? In this class, we will use critical media theory to understand how capitalism cultivates a diversity of religious attitudes toward prosperity. While our focus will be contemporary media from the anglophone United States, we will explore comparable instances from Brazil and other Latin American countries in translation.

Modern Poetry This course will examine the nature and achievement of the major modern poets of Britain and America during the modern period, beginning with the origins of poetic modernism in the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman. The central figures to be studied are William Butler Yeats, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Wallace Stevens, and W.H. Auden. The course will conclude with a look at some after-echoes of modernism in the work of Elizabeth Bishop and others. Two papers, one exam, with occasional oral presentations in class

Introduction to Dance This entry-level dance course introduces movement techniques, improvisation/composition, performance, experiential anatomy, and history of 20th century American modern dance. Students develop flexibility, strength, coordination, rhythm, and vocabulary in the modern idiom. Concepts of time, space, energy, and choreographic form are presented through improvisation and become the basis for a final choreographic project. Readings, research, and reflective and critical writing about dance performance round out the experience.

Apocalypse When? Reason and Revelation in the Ancient World Apocalypse: why does this word, originally meaning “revelation,” hold such power today? In this class we will investigate the origins of apocalyptic and eschatological thought in order to understand Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian ideas about the end of the world in their historical context and to see how they shape contemporary visions of the end. We will read and discuss a wide range of texts, including Hesiod, Plato, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, and Daniel and Revelation from the Bible. The ways in which globalization and political leaders have shaped apocalyptic thought from ancient times to today will be an area of particular focus.

Low Time Commitment

International and Cross Cultural Education Who gets to own knowledge?  Who can acquire it?  How do we construct advantage and disadvantage?  Comparative and international education examines the intersection of culture and education and the ways they are inextricably related through history, politics, and literature. In this course we will explore major concepts, trends, and methodologies across disciplines, focusing on the effects of globalization, the maintenance and dissolution of borders, the commodification of knowledge, the social creation of meaning, and the consequences of those constructions. We will examine global educational traditions and realities on the ground in case studies of Western and developing nations.

Licensure students need to enroll in this section and the discussion.

Medieval Bodies In this seminar we will examine how medieval European thinkers and artists theorized and visualized the body in ways that are vastly different from the ways in which the body is conceptualized today. Indeed, the “medieval body” was not a monolithic entity, but rather a shifting constellation of ideas and practices that waxed, waned, and coexisted throughout the Middle Ages. A body could be understood as an earthly body — sexed, fleshly, corruptible — as well as a heavenly and divine body, including Christ’s own. Our considerations will further contextualize representations of gendered, racialized, clerical, monstrous, animal, virginal, non-Christian, heretical, resurrected, and uncircumscribable bodies. Readings of the secondary literature will broaden readings of primary source materials, and our discussions will remain cognizant of gender-, sexuality-, race-, and performance-critical methods. There are no prerequisites for this course, but students will find it helpful to have some familiarity with either the history of art or with medieval history. 3hrs sem.

Chinatown, USA From San Francisco to New York, Honolulu to Houston, there are Chinatowns located across the United States. In this seminar we will explore the histories of these communities from the Gold Rush through the 20th century. Our discussions will be founded upon secondary scholarship such as The China-town Trunk Murder Mystery by Mary Ting Yi Lui and Mae Ngai’s The Lucky Ones, as well as primary texts like immigrant accounts, magazines and newspapers, photography, maps, and Hollywood movies. Throughout, we will engage with Chinatowns as spaces shaped by both domestic and transnational contexts, each site and its development illuminating the evolution of a globalized America. Our overarching goal is to understand local/micro history as national and international history.

Emotions Emotions inform thoughtful decisions, but also prompt knee-jerk reactions that make us appear irrational at times.  They inspire and dissuade us at both conscious and unconscious levels.  They evolved to trigger self-protective responses, but their dark side fuels self-destructive behaviors as well.  In this course we will discuss what emotions are, where they come from, how individual emotions differ, and whether or not everyone experiences emotions the same way.  We will also explore how appreciating the complexities of emotions might improve emotion regulation and interpersonal dynamics.  Topics to be considered will include biological, socio-cultural, clinical, and cognitive theories of emotion.

Literature and Culture in Contemporary China and the Sinophone World (in English translation) In this course we will study select works of acclaimed, popular, and/or controversial short fiction, spoken drama, and poetry from the People’s Republic of China and the post-1949 Sinophone world, primarily Taiwan. We will devote some attention to other forms of cultural production, including film and visual art. We will place a particular emphasis on the study of work by Chinese and Sinophone writers and artists who belong to non-Han ethnic minority groups (e.g., Tibetan, Yi, and Atayal), and we will explore possible answers to the question, “How is Chinese national and cultural identity created and contested in literature?”

The 1940s The 1940s saw enormous and often violent change: a global, destructive war; ongoing privation after the formal end of hostilities; the intensification of national liberation movements; the founding of the United Nations and the establishment of a new global economic order; the beginnings of the Cold War; new artistic expressions; and the reconfiguration of sexual and cultural mores. In this course we will begin with an overview of the global scale of the second world war and, using a comparative approach, focus on examples of individual suffering. We will then study the war’s effects in select countries around the world.

Putinism and Contemporary Russian Culture The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union was hailed in the West as a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism; for some observers the event even signaled “the end of history.” Today however it seems history is “back,” with Russia under Putin once again assuming its former role as enemy and the “other” of the West. In this course we will seek a better understanding of this apparent reversal of vectors from within Russian culture, while situating it within larger illiberal trends in world politics, by analyzing literary works, popular cinema, political theory, journalism, social media, and other forms of cultural production.

Stochastic Processes Stochastic processes are mathematical models for random phenomena evolving in time or space. This course will introduce important examples of such models, including random walk, branching processes, the Poisson process and Brownian motion. The theory of Markov chains in discrete and continuous time will be developed as a unifying theme. Depending on time available and interests of the class, applications will be selected from the following areas: queuing systems, mathematical finance (Black-Scholes options pricing), probabilistic algorithms, and Monte Carlo simulation.

Beginning Russian This course is a continuation of the approach used in RUSS 0102, but with increased emphasis on reading.

Must Take

Reconstructing Literature: Realism, Regionalism, and the American scene, 1870-1919  American literature evolved in the late 1800s as a new generation of writers portrayed a rapidly changing culture, transformed by urbanization, industrial growth, immigration, class tensions, new roles for women, shifting race relations, and demographic transformations that seemed to split the nation into city and country. While realism was an effort to describe “life as it is” and regionalism focused on the distinctive features of specific places, both modes of representation stemmed from historical forces that were reshaping the nation. Works to be covered may include fiction by William Dean Howells, Charles Chesnutt, Sarah Orne Jewett, Kate Chopin, and Theodore Dreiser.

Bilingualism in the Spanish-Speaking World What does it mean to be bilingual? In this course we will study bilingualism with a special emphasis on Spanish-speaking bilinguals in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Course topics will include social, political, linguistic, and psychological aspects of bilingualism. Special attention will be paid to societal bilingualism, language use among a group or community, individual bilingualism, how an individual’s language use changes in different contexts and throughout an individual’s lifespan, and government and educational policies throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will study texts, speech samples, and media that highlight different aspects of bilingualism. (At least two Spanish courses at the 0300 level or above, or by waiver)

Race, Rhetoric, and Protest In this course we will study the theoretical and rhetorical underpinnings of racial protest in America. We will begin by studying movements from the 1950s and 1960s, moving from bus boycotts to Black Power protests, and will build to analyzing recent protests in Ferguson, Dallas, and New York. Readings will include texts from Charles E. Morris III, Aja Martinez, Shon Meckfessel, Gwendolyn Pough, and various articles and op-eds. Students will write analyses of historical and contemporary protest, op-eds about the local culture, and syntheses on the course readings. 3 hrs. Lect

The Global Christian Tradition In this course we will study the historical development and current presence of Christianity in various regions of the world. Beginning with its origins in the Middle East, we will trace the growth and evolution of this complex tradition in the Mediterranean, Africa, western Europe, the Americas, and East Asia. Along the way, we will encounter important Christian thinkers, discover different schools of belief and practice, and focus on foundational theological themes, like the divinity of Christ, the function and authority of the church, Christian-Jewish relations, and religious perspectives on gender, race, politics, and modernity.

Beginning Italian III This course emphasizes increased control and proficiency in the language through audiovisual, conversational, and drill methods. Italian life and culture continue to be revealed through the use of realia. Short reading selections on contemporary Italy and discussions enlarge the student's view of Italian life and culture. Students continue to participate in the Italian table. (ITAL 0102 or equivalent) 6 hrs. disc./perf.; 2 hrs. screen.

Maritime Literature and Culture Writers have long found the sea to be a cause of wonder and reflection.  A mirror for some and a desert for others, the sea has influenced the imaginations of writers throughout history in vastly different ways.  In this course we will read a variety of literary works, both fiction and non-fiction, in which the sea acts as the setting, a body of symbolism, an epistemological challenge, and a reason to reflect on the human relationship to nature.  Readings will be drawn from the Bible, Homer's Odyssey, Old English Poetry, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Kipling, Conrad, Melville, Hemingway, Walcott, O'Brian, and others.

Superhero Parodies In this class we will discuss how the superhero/adventure genre in comic books was initially constructed as a mouthpiece of traditionalist nationalist values in the United States and Spain. Through the study of theories of intertextuality and postcolonial theory, students will analyze how Hispanic/Latin comic book creators from Europe and the Americas have parodied the hegemonic values that have influenced our views of economics, gender, and race with the goals of bringing diversity and inclusion in this particular graphic narrative genre.

Soccer in Latin America Why are Latin Americans so passionate about soccer? The answer to this question is a complex and multifaceted one. The history of this passion goes back to the mid-19th century when British workers were sent to Latin America to build railroads and operate railroad companies. Along with them, soccer arrived in the region. The first documented match took place in Argentina in 1867. Since then, soccer quickly spread out over Latin America to become the most popular sport — by a large margin — in nearly every country. In this course we will examine the history of soccer in Latin America and its links to politics, culture, racial issues, and gender discrimination. We will also take a look at the lives of iconic figures such as Di Stéfano, Garrincha, Pelé, Maradona, Messi, and Marta. The course is intended to finish with a soccer practice and a match against another team. 3hrs.sem.

Research in Behavioral and Experimental Economics In this seminar we will consider current research topics in behavioral and experimental economics. Although the theme for the course is likely to change from semester to semester, all students will design their own study, gather decision-making data, and write a research paper summarizing their main findings.

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Human Ecology Environmental issues are also cultural and political conflicts, between competing social groups, economic interests and cultural paradigms. This course introduces students to human ecology, the study of how our adaptations to the environment are mediated by cultural differences and political economy. Topics include: how ecological anthropology has evolved as a subdiscipline, with a focus on systems theory and political ecology; how ritually regulated societies manage resources; how rural communities deal with environmental deterioration; and how contradictions between environmental protection, economic development, and cultural values complicate so many ecological issues.

Contemporary Israel: Society, Culture and Politics In this course we will examine Israeli society and politics in a period of rapid and profound transformation.  We begin with an introductory unit on Zionism, Palestinian nationalism and the history of the state. Subsequent units examine the social, cultural and political characteristics of Israel’s main population sectors (Middle Eastern, European, Russian and Ethiopian Jews and Palestinian citizens and residents of the state) and religious groupings (Muslims and Jews, including secular, traditional, national-religious and ultra-Orthodox). The final units examine intensifying political struggles that will shape the future of Israel and the region. Topics will include the role of religion in public life; civil rights, democracy and the courts; and West Bank settlements, occupation, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

American Constitutional Law: The First Amendment This course focuses on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the first amendment freedoms of speech, press, and religion.  After starting with the philosophic foundations of these first amendment freedoms (Mill, Locke), students will read the major Supreme Court decisions concerning these rights.  Class assignments in the form of oral arguments and briefs and/or options will enable students to take the part of lawyers and judges.

Mathematical modeling An introduction into the process of developing and interpreting mathematical models within the framework of numerous applications. In this course, we will utilize discrete, continuous, and probabilistic approaches to explore applications such as population dynamics, epidemiology, and neuron activity.  Time permitting, we may also introduce the derivation of spatiotemporal models.  MATLAB will be used to implement and analyze several of these models.

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