Below you will find examples of the kinds of classes commonly offered in the Humanities and Sciences Department. The curriculum is inquiry-based so course topics may change over time at the discretion of the department.

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE / WRITING

Expository Writing

3 Credits
In this composition course, students will write in various genres for diverse audiences while exploring the course theme, participatory culture. According to media scholar Henry Jenkins, in a participatory culture, the public are not only consumers, but also producers of cultural content, a possibility facilitated by current affordances of the web. Flickr and YouTube, for instance, have made it easier to share creative expressions while wikis, discussion forums, and consumer reviews have facilitated collaborative knowledge sharing and increased possibilities for civic engagement. These cultural forms, however, also bear ethical challenges, such as media objectivity and intellectual property rights, that are worth examining as both a means of developing critical thinking skills and exploring the contemporary cultural contexts that inspire artistic response and expression. Viewing these cultural forms as scenes of writing will also grant students opportunities to develop their understanding of rhetoric and genre and thereby grow as expository writers. Satisfies 3 credits of College Writing Requirement or HS Electives

Digital Writing

3 Credits
In Digital Writing we’ll explore the intersection between digital environments and the professional writing life of an artist. Digital culture has altered how artists may publicly express and promote themselves. But the choices represented by online self-publishing via Tumblr, Facebook, or Kickstarter present new challenges for writers. How can we use brief posts to create polished prose rather than perfunctory leetspeak? How do we use video, visual, and textual content to promote our work to potential audiences who we’ve never met? This course is designed for all skill levels from students who are adept in digital mediums to those who are new to digital writing and software. Writers can expect to dabble in a variety of online writing environments and to engage in a substantive self-directed online writing project. Students should expect to not only write but also read and discuss how digital mediums affect our relationships, communication, and culture.

Integrated Studies

6 Credits Fall & 6 Credits Spring
Integrated Studies is the Humanities and Sciences Department’s foundation program for first-year students, fulfilling the first twelve credits of their general education requirements for the BFA degree. This two-semester course provides entering students with an introduction to college learning through explorations in the humanities and sciences. Integrated Studies courses fulfill the College writing requirement and create a foundation for future study by assisting students with the development of college-level skills, particularly in reading, writing, research, critical thinking, and communication. The Integrated Studies curriculum offers students the choice of a range of thematic topics which are explored while practicing and developing these skills. Satisfies 3 credits of College Writing Requirement

Research Writing

3 Credits
Students in Research Writing will plan and implement a semester-long individual project with the purpose of understanding the communities and identities we inhabit. By situating a research question in the context of a community of people, students will be able to blend google, database, and library research with fieldwork: interviews, observations, and collecting and analyzing written and visual documents. The semester-long process will involve the writing of a proposal, summary and synthesis of both colloquial and scholarly perspectives, analysis of documents collected from communities, and descriptions of interviews and observations. As a final product, students will write a multi-draft paper presenting their discoveries. Students should expect to be challenged to investigate multiple perspectives (including their own), hone their skills at synthesizing various types of sources, and revise their writings to fit their chosen audience and purpose. Satisfies 3 credits of College Writing Requirement or HS Electives

HUMANITIES

Intro Creative Writing

3 Credits
What distinguishes poetry from prose? Prose fiction from nonfiction? How do the genres intersect, overlap? In this class, we’ll engage in ways of generating, working with, and thinking about writing in these genres, experimenting with each and exploring the boundaries that separate and connect them. Plan on writing a lot and reading maybe more (examples of the genres and writing about them). NOTE: This course does not satisfy College Writing Requirement.

Creative Non-Fiction

3 Credits
In this course, we will consider the relationship between fiction and non-fiction and the more conscious use of aesthetics in “creative” writing. We will read and analyze different forms of creative nonfiction including memoir, personal narrative, new journalism and the essay. We will work on a variety of short writing assignments over the course of the semester, developing the skills common to all of these forms. One or two longer projects will be developed, drafted and revised by the end of the semester. NOTE: This course does not satisfy College Writing Requirement.

Experiments in Writing

3 credits
We will investigate a number of questions: What distinguishes poetry from prose? Prose fiction from nonfiction? How do the genres intersect, overlap? Are the distinctions helpful? (Having a sense of where you’re going can, often, help you determine the best way to get there.) But can the distinctions also be impediments? (Becoming too fixed on the destination sometimes means missing what occurs along the way.) We’ll engage in ways of generating, working with, and thinking about writing. We’ll explore language as material and its relationship to meaning, how language sometimes comes before or leads to rather than only being a ‘container’ or ‘vehicle’ for meaning. Possible directions include interdisciplinary collaborations, both within and outside of the class. We will also read and consider works that play with language in various ways, from the conventional to the ‘experimental.’ NOTE: This course does not satisfy College Writing Requirement.

Engaging Literature

3 Credits
We will study the ways that diverse writers portray human experience in their fiction, poetry, and literary non-fiction. Through discussion, writing, lectures, and creative processes, we will explore the ways in which language shapes and reflects socio-economic, cultural, philosophical and historical experiences and values, as well as aesthetic ones. We will explore how readers read, enjoy, understand, analyze, and grapple with literature’s themes, forms, structures, and images. Readings engage diverse perspectives on race, class, gender, nationality, and sexuality. You will practice responding to literature in diverse ways: speaking, listening, writing, and multimedia creative responses. You will practice giving and receiving constructive feedback to writing-in-process and in conference with the instructor.

Unsettling Literature

3 Credits
The title of this course is meant to describe both our task (to “unsettle” our assumptions about literature) and our object of study (literature that “unsettles” us and makes us uncomfortable). We’ll engage texts from the twentieth century, which often seem difficult to read because writers and artists were wrestling with what literature really is and who gets to say so. While we may be tempted to hunt for “the moral of the story,” it’s very likely missing. If we search for “deeper meaning,” we’ll likely be disappointed. If we’re after a surefooted conclusion or a resolution, we’d best turn back now. But the experience can help us ask questions about what literature does: it can help us think, or it can itself become a way of thinking. Writers may include William Carlos Williams, A. R. Ammons, Leslie Marmon Silko, David Treuer, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, and others.

Science Friction

3 Credits
Science Friction will be based mainly on Philip K. Dick and the SF of the 1960s and 70s and its contribution to contemporary culture. Dick is the man behind the books behind the films Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and A Scanner Darkly. We will watch these films and read the work behind them, and also the alternative future book, The Man in the High Castle, which considers a future in which the Nazis won WWII. We will also look at some of his nonfiction work, which defines science fiction as “the distinct new idea,” a “conceptual dislocation within a society.” Dick was one of the first to suggest the idea that reality can itself be a fiction. For contrast, we will also read an even stranger contemporary of his, Samuel R. Delany, and some of the short stories in Trouble on Triton and perhaps the short novel, Nova.

Performance Art: History & Theory

3 Credits
This course is based on lectures and readings in the history and theory of performance art. The objective of the course is to acquaint the student with the historical record of production and theory in such a way that he or she will not only be informed of the fundamental principles with which to both produce and evaluate performance art, but also be conversant with contemporary issues and intellectual foundations which are developing toward a comprehensive theory of performance art. During the last three weeks of the course students will present brief performances.

Comparative Religions

3 Credits
What is religion? Most of us assume we know the answer. This course will challenge our views of world religions by taking the “insider’s perspective”—that is, seeing others as they see themselves; we will explore religious worldviews from the framework of a “plurality of truths” existing side by side. The class will discuss the historical development of major world religions, emphasizing the cultural context within which they emerge and change. Topics will also include the interconnectedness of art and religion, (Bharata Natyam dance in Hinduism, Koan and Haiku in Zen Buddhism, and Shaker architecture and interior design in 19th century America), the emergence of crisis religions (Native American Ghost Dance religion), the question of cults, as well as the role of religion in current world issues. We will ultimately attempt to discover the worldviews that shape ourselves—as individuals, artists and members of a global community.

World Mythology: Creation Stories

3 Credits
This course focuses on stories about the creation of the universe, on what these stories say about place of humans in it, and on how mythological traditions develop and evolve. We start with the stories of creation found in ancient Greece, Egypt, the Near East and India, then turn to those from Africa, the Far East, and the Americas, and finally compare and contrast these traditions with some of the modern scientific, rational attempts to explain creation. We’ll read selections from the original texts of many cultures, including the compelling and provocative writings of Charles Darwin himself. This is a class in comparative mythologies. Why do some myths succeed and take hold of the collective mind? Students will have the opportunity to do research into areas of special interest to them.

The New World Border

3 Credits
This is an introductory interdisciplinary course (arts, humanities, and social sciences) that will teach you strategies for doing close readings of literary texts and for analyzing them via class discussion and short written pieces. Our readings will focus on the concept of the frontier or border, and specifically of the U.S.-Mexican border, as a determining factor in American culture, through a close reading and written analysis of short stories, novels, poetry, performance pieces, film and political comics about cross-cultural encounters. Authors to be read will include Gloria Anzaldúa, Sandra Cisneros, Américo Paredes, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Lalo Alcaraz.

Hollywood, History, and Literature

3 credits
If we learn history from movies, what are we learning? Is our understanding of the past different or deeper when we read books and enroll in history courses? And what is the difference between reading Moby Dick and watching Gregory Peck portray Captain Ahab? Are we more or less enlightened by reading “The Three Hundred,”

Gates of Fire, or Herodotus? This course is a study of our learning experiences with print and film. What are the powers and limits of these media when the subject is history? How and what do we learn from historical narratives, historical novels, and historical documentaries? In this course we will experience together how each of these presents the same time and place in history, and we will discuss what and how we have learned. We will share the ideas of authors and actors who examine the same topics and the same questions. Each student will chose a historical subject to experience through film and print, and we will share what we learn and conclude.

War and the Politics of Memory

3 Credits
How have modern wars been remembered? Was World War I simply a grievous waste of life? Was World War II a “good” war? This class ponders such questions and delves into the politics of commemorating modern global conflicts from a cultural, political, and transnational perspective. We will look at a wide variety of sources including architecture, statuary, texts, photographs, graphic narrative, posters, music and film. The course moves chronologically, opening with a study of World War I and closing with the current “war on terror.” As a capstone to the course, students will design a war memorial that allows them to express civic responsibility as well as to demonstrate a strong understanding of course materials and themes.

Art & Social Justice

3 Credits
Around the world, contemporary artists are creating dynamic, effective strategies that embody a renewed understanding of civic and community engagement. Art & Social Justice takes an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural approach to survey major international trends. We will consider how artists reflect on their relationships to self, society and the natural world to become civically engaged in manifesting social change. Students will investigate artists’ practices in their historical, critical, ethical and social/political contexts; generate plans for their own community projects; and interrogate the ethical implications of art initiatives in the realm of social justice.

Existentialism

3 Credits
The choices we make in life determine whom we become. That is one of the key concepts of existentialism. Because we are alone in the world, and, ultimately, responsible for ourselves, understanding our condition is essential. Thinkers from Kierkegaard to Sartre will help shed light on how it is that we are alone in the world, and what we should do once we realize this.

Creation of Self

3 Credits
This course explores evolving understanding of the psychological experience from the 17th and 18th centuries. The role of empiricist philosophy, the rise of a skeptical view of psychological self-understanding, the possibility of a coherent, harmonious, and integrated self, and the seemingly limitless reservoir of ambiguity that lies at the heart of any attempt to understand what really motivates human beings will be topics touched upon.

Ethics and Values

3 Credits
How did it come to be that the very ethical foundations that had successfully served Western civilization for centuries gradually slip into confusion and disagreements? We will be looking for ways of responding to this question, as well as how, starting in 16th century, major thinkers have tried to respond and remedy this deepening morass.

Medieval Philosophy

3 Credits
With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Church was the vanguard of reason and faith. The degree to which the Church was successful in marrying these two methods of thought is the focus of this course.

History: Western Political Thought

3 Credits
Three questions drive this course: What is the nature of humanity? How do we, as individuals, relate and fit in with society? What are the fundamental dynamics of change? We will be looking for responses to these questions starting in antiquity up to the twentieth century.

18th Century Intellectual History

3 Credits
An examination of the transition from dogmatic learning to that of empirical investigation, this course focuses on the period that was dominated by the “scientific revolution” and the reintroduction of skepticism. Thinkers such as Descartes, Pascal, Newton, and Rousseau, as well as concepts of materialism and naturalism, will be introduced.

Three Philosophical Problems

3 Credits
While considering three great and abiding philosophical problems (the problem of knowledge, the problem of conduct, and the problem of governance), we will examine the ideas of a select group of thinkers, and how those ideas have changed (and can change) the way we think about the world and ourselves. The course introduces the student to broader cultural and historical conditions that gave rise to these ideas over the past two thousand five hundred years.

Applied Ethics

3 Credits
In this course we will seek to both understand who we are as human beings, as well as how we might best organize our lives to live a life that is meaningful. We will start with Socrates’ adage that “the unexamined life is not worth living” so that we may evaluate our individual lives, as well as see how our life fits within the context of the world around us.

Culture of the Blues

3 Credits
This course explores the blues as a musical and literary form, using cultural history and musicology to define their origin and context and using literature (including drama, poetry and fiction) to gauge their impact. Is there something we can call a “blues culture”? Listening, viewing, reading, research and writing are the main elements of the course, as are active participation, discussion and the exchange of ideas across the arts.

SCIENCE

Life & Art by the Numbers

3 Credits
Our subject is the quantification of reality and its language: numbers. We will survey the history, from the Pythagorean Theorem in ancient Greece, to double-entry bookkeeping in the Renaissance, to today’s string theory. We will also learn about the practical meaning of numbers in your life, and their role in paying off loans, improving your credit rating, or staying healthy. Together we will discuss relevant books, articles, and videos, share some fun and timeless problems and puzzles, and experience the satisfaction and wisdom derived from recording numbers over time and discovering their patterns.

Humans & the Changing Biosphere

3 Credits
In ways that matter to our species, the world is changing more rapidly than ever before. Population growth, technological change, resource consumption, and pollution are causing unprecedented planetary-scale changes; at the same time, natural factors continue to exert their own influence. Our ability to understand how Earth’s biosphere functions and what drives global environmental change will affect humanity’s future: whether we survive, whether we thrive, and what kind of world we will inhabit. In this course, we’ll survey what is known about the biosphere and its role within an interconnected Earth system. Then, using case studies, we’ll examine how the biosphere and human civilization are affecting one another via climate change, land-use change, and ecosystem degradation. Interactive lectures, readings, discussions, and computer activities will help you learn relevant concepts and information. You’ll also be exposed to “systems thinking” principles, which can help in understanding ideas that seem illogical (e.g., “Why do we think we can predict climate change when we can’t accurately forecast next week’s weather?”) Desired student outcomes include increased awareness of global-scale consequences of human activities and ability to make informed decisions about environmental problems confronting citizens of the planet.

Science of Water

3 Credits
Students will explore their connection to water and discover how their choices impact local and global ecosystems. This course lays a strong foundation in ecological principles and provides opportunities for students to apply their learning to a community outreach project. The composition of this class will include readings, lectures, discussion, field trips, and scientific inquiry. Small group discussion will enable students to work together to answer the questions posed in the course. Short writing assignments, student presentations, field experience, and reflective essays will be used to evaluate student learning.

Physics: Bodies in Motion

3 Credits
This course will cover physical laws and principles that govern motion in application to the motion of a human body. It will cover mechanics of accelerated linear and rotational motion; it will look at how forces act to change a body’s equilibrium, and at the nature of these forces. Additional topics include basic anatomy and neural control of motion.

Ecology of the Pacific Northwest

3 Credits
This course will survey principles of modern ecology: the study of how organisms interact with each other and with their physical environments. We’ll focus on the Pacific Northwest with special attention to Puget Sound. Ecology is distinct from environmentalism, but it informs our decisions regarding environmental protection, natural resource management, and environmental justice, as well as related societal issues such as food and water security, health, land use planning, and government spending. Through lecture, reading, discussion, and field study, we will explore ecological patterns, processes, and functions, considering the influence of factors such as physical environment, competition and cooperation, evolution and adaptation, people, and time. Along the way, you’ll become more familiar with iconic Pacific Northwest species and ecosystems such as temperate rain forests, the Pacific coast, mountain forests, and salmon streams. While some classes will meet on campus, on several occasions students should be prepared to meet 30 minutes before class in order to travel via van to our field site at a Seattle park; we will return by the end of the scheduled class time. Also, students will be required to participate in approximately eight hours of field trips outside of class time. Several half- and full-day weekend options will be offered.

Food, Environment & Public Health

3 credits
Where does our food come from? Why do we eat what we eat? This course will explore physical and biological factors affecting human diet choices, concentrating on “big-picture” influences on food supply. Using this information, students will become better able to make decisions about food in line with their own values and biological needs by considering not just personal nutrition, but also the impacts of food production on public health and environment. We will look at environmental histories of food plants and animals from an ecological perspective, drawing to a lesser extent on evolutionary biology, genetics, and geography. We will also survey ideas from nutrition, public health, demography, toxicology, and biotechnology in order to explore connections between the modern food system, human health, and population. Throughout the course, we will consider impacts of humankind’s food systems on other organisms and on life-support functions provided by Earth’s environment and ecosystems.

This is Your Art on Drugs

3 Credits
Cigarettes, alcohol, pot… all the famous artists use them, right? (Not to mention harder drugs.) Do artists need drugs for inspiration? In this class we’ll look at what happens to your art, and your brain, on drugs. Do they hurt, help, or do a little of both? We’ll find out, once we examine biological pathways, genetics, pharmacology, psychological theories of addiction, and profiles and work of famous artists. Since we just banned smoking at Cornish, our questions will be particularly applicable, and we’ll practice some anthropological fieldwork principles to see how the smoking restrictions work on campus. Our texts will be essays, research papers, works of art, films, and exhibit notes like Under the Volcano, Bodyworlds, and the Johns Hopkins backlogs.

Sustainability Science

3 Credits
A key trait distinguishing humans from other life forms is our ability to anticipate and plan for a range of possible futures. However, as our planetary presence becomes ever more significant, the magnitude of our impacts and the pace at which we experience changing conditions are increasing. Sustainability science helps us understand what is happening and develop the skills, knowledge base, infrastructure, and motivation to meet the needs of present and future generations. In class, we will examine global life support systems from the perspectives of various scientific disciplines. You’ll receive a combination of theoretical grounding in sustainability science and experience with practically applying what you’ve learned. We’ll look at human dimensions of environmental change from individual to planetary scales while assessing effects of personal lifestyle choices, campus and municipal practices, and national and international policies and programs. We’ll explore connections between environmental, social, and economic sustainability, and debate the importance of individual vs. community responsibility and action.

Genes: The Smallest Piece of You

3 Credits
What makes you ‘you’–is it your genes or something else? In this course we’ll examine how much influence genes have over your life, and how genes are changing the world around us. We’ll look at how inheritance works, and at public policies and principles of bioethics that emerge from our understanding of genetics. The class will encounter a variety of essays, fiction excerpts, movies, and case studies. We’ll learn about public policy, and we’ll ask questions like, Should we clone ourselves? Should we get rid of traits we don’t like, such as depression? What might happen then?

Visualizing the Natural World

3 Credits
Illustrations, be they graphs, drawings or 3-D visualizations, are windows into science. Scientists observe the natural world, collect data, and create these visual representations — the scientific illustration. “How we know what we know” can be approached by examining these visual data. In this course we will explore how scientific information is obtained, and how it is represented—beginning with the hand drawings of deep sea life obtained from samples dredged from the seafloor during the Challenger Expeditions of the 1800’s, the microscopic world revealed by electron microscopy, and changes in atmospheric temperature and CO2 content through time. We will read and discuss current news media and science writing, and explore the intersection of science and policy, particularly as it pertains to climate change. The course will include short, daily problems, weekly discussions, biweekly quizzes, homework, guest speakers and projects.

SOCIAL SCIENCE The Concept of Power

3 Credits
“Power” is a concept we all use in our common discourses and it is undeniably one of the central concerns of those who study political, economic, and social phenomena, but there is much less consensus concerning what the word “power” actually means. In what way is power different from violence? Is there a difference between political power and other forms power, like economic power? Who (if anyone) has power, and how does it operate? This course invites students to seek their own answers to these questions, both through the consideration of different conceptualizations of power as they operate in texts by Karl Marx, Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, and James Scott, and through the analysis of selected contemporary events.

The Psychology of the Artistic Self

3 Credits
As the world around us becomes more connected through technology and at the same time more diverse, we often find ourselves reflecting on what it means to simply “be” in a pluralistic society. This course will examine how we develop as individuals and artists in today’s global and diverse society. Through a survey of developmental theories we will examine cognitive, moral and racial identity development and how art intersects and influences developmental stages. Readings will include chapters from The Creative Soul: Art and the Quest for Wholeness (Staples) and Racial & Ethnic Identity: Psychological Development & Creative Expression (Griffith), as well as Piaget, Erikson, Sue & Sue, and Cross. Through in-class discussions, journaling, and a final reflection project this class will contemplate how one as an artist and an individual develops and contributes to the various communities s/he lives in and moves through.

Medicine, Illness, and Culture

3 Credits
Medical anthropology is a focus within the field of cultural anthropology that is concerned with the comparative study of culture, health, illness, and healing practices. Throughout the semester, we will explore a variety of ways in which people perceive and interpret health and illness, as well as seek and deliver care within the United States. By examining medicine and illness through an interdisciplinary perspective, we will begin to understand the perspective that medicine, illness, wellness, and healing are inextricably bound up with cultural norms, beliefs and values. The goal of the course is to understand the basic framework of medicine, illness and healing (both mainstream and alternative systems) and provide an introduction to the variety of work accomplished in this field.

Where in the World is the U.S.A.?

3 Credits
Manifest Destiny, the Peace Corps, Guantanamo Bay, even a can of Coca-Cola illustrate how the United States has extended well beyond its borders. This course considers the past and present relationship between the United States and the rest of the world. We will take up questions of empire, ex-patriot artists, immigration, and globalization. In addition to considering the projection of American power abroad, with the help of literature, the arts, and politics we will discuss how this changing place in the globe effects the domestic nation.

Us and Them

3 Credits
Who are we? How do we think about them? Drawing on perspectives from political science, sociology and anthropology, this course will investigate a variety of approaches social scientists use to address questions about how we identify ourselves vis-à-vis others. How do political, social and cultural influences contribute to the categories and dichotomies we use to define our world? Concepts we will examine include stigma, stereotypes, race, racism and privilege. By considering a diverse range of contexts from the local to the international, we will aim to better understand the processes of inclusion and exclusion that determine whether somebody is “one of us” or “one of them.”

In Disguise

3 Credits
Jews have converted to Christianity to avoid persecution. Men have dressed as women; women have dressed as men. Blacks have passed as white; gays have passed as straight. Many of us have altered our accents or wardrobes, revised our biographies, straightened our hair or changed its color. Why do we sometimes mask or hide aspects of our identities? Are these acts of disguising ourselves efforts to subvert power or avoid oppression? Are they acts of resistance? When we take on altered identities, are we truly in disguise? This course will address these questions through perspectives drawn from political science, sociology and law. We will consider topics such as hidden transcripts, conversion, passing and covering. James Scott, Erving Goffman and Kenji Yoshino are among the scholars whose work we will investigate.

Forever Jung: Art & Archetypes

3 Credits
Who was Carl Jung, what are archetypes, and what do they have to do with art? These questions and more will guide this class as we examine the life and works of Jung, the concept of archetypes, how they appear in art, and how they appear in the developing artist. We will study archetypes such as the Shadow, Anima/Animus, The Great Mother, The Great Father, The Trickster, The Hero and more. Students will research and identify examples from known works of art, as well as from their own artistic endeavors. Through readings, in-class discussions and assignments, and reflection papers, students will develop a basic understanding of the influence of the collective unconsciousness and individuation. The final project for this class will be the students’ development of their own archetype and how it guides their work. May alternatively satisfy Humanities requirement.

Citizenship and Politics Today

3 Credits
This course will examine current political events through the lens of citizenship. What does it mean to be a citizen in the United States today? How is this similar to or different from what it means to be a citizen in other parts of the world? What is the difference between being a citizen and not being a citizen? We will consider different approaches to citizenship social scientists have developed and discuss how they relate to current events ranging from the U.S. presidential election to international politics. We will also examine how our own daily lives are affected by concepts of citizenship and by the changing political context in which we live.

Taboo! Manners, Morals and Civility

3 Credits
What does it mean to be polite? What does it mean to be rude? Who decides what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior? How do we interpret and internalize these social norms? How do we, as citizens, students and artists, critique them? This course will consider cross-cultural perspectives on expectations for everyday social conduct. We will investigate topics such as how we eat, what we talk about, how close we stand to each other, which rules we follow and which rules we don’t. How are manners and morals related to culture, politics and society? How are they connected to notions of what it means to be civilized? How do manners and morals differ by country? How have they changed over the course of history? Most importantly, perhaps, what can we learn about ourselves by taking a second look at our own taboos?

Environment, Consumption & Culture

3 Credits
The impacts of American consumption are linked to environmental problems and increased social inequality on a global scale. At the 1992 Earth Summit, countries of the global South gained enough political power to bring Northern over-consumption to the forefront of the global environmental agenda. However, in the United States and other Northern countries, sustainable consumption initiatives have not lived up to the expectations of the 1992 Earth Summit. This course will examine some of the reasons why issues of consumption have been difficult to address. As a class, we will investigate why we consume the way we do, the environmental and social impacts of consumption, and examine possibilities for change. This course will be a holistic and interdisciplinary survey of the study of consumption. At the end of this course you will have an understanding of consumption theory, issues, and practices.

The Politics of Silence

3 Credits
In our daily lives we tend to focus on what is said and what we hear. We pay less attention to the significance of silence. This course will investigate the multiple meanings of silence in contemporary societies. When is silence privileged and when is it denigrated? What do we tend to be silent about? What does it mean to silence others or to be silenced? How do we evaluate being silent in relation to speaking out or being loud? We will consider these questions in relation to topics ranging from communication styles to domination and resistance to forms of artistic expression. Our cross-cultural investigation of silence will aim to enrich our own understandings of silence and the roles it plays in our lives.

Racial Identity Development

3 Credits
Race is a topic some would prefer not to discuss; it can be a constant source of discomfort if not outright conflict. Some would argue that race is merely an imposed construct that is obsolete in our post-racial society. Others would say that although we’ve come a long way, we have much further to go. Either way, we would be hard pressed to ignore how racial identity impacts the way we see and experience our world and how others perceive us. This class will explore the concept of race in America, its history, the impact that race has on our society, and how each of us begin to develop a racial identity. Through readings on the topic and through exploring our own lived experiences we will examine the impact that race has on each us and how we live with others.

Narcoculture in Mexico and Beyond

3 Credits
The spread of narcocultura (socio-cultural phenomena with origins in the drug-trafficking industry) has revealed its growing legitimacy as an alternative source of income in the context of shrinking economic opportunities and the proliferation of government corruption and complicity with the illicit trade. This course will also reveal the socio-cultural, systemic, and global nature of the trade. The myriad themes will be explored via its literary and cinematic manifestations, supplemented with scholarly articles and readings from the humanities and social sciences. At the end of the class students will be able to analytically discuss various elements of narcocultura. May alternatively satisfy Humanities requirement.

Media and the American Character

3 Credits
How do we and others define the American character and where do our perceptions about the character of any group come from? Many argue that we learn about ourselves and others through mediated messages that sometimes miss the mark in accuracy and fairness. Stereotypes abound in our media messages as practitioners take shortcuts or use portrayals that often exploit in order to entertain. Through readings and viewing of selected cultural products including literature, art, films, advertising, television, and others in the print and electronic media, students will define the American character and in the process, challenge their own assumptions of groups, races, and nationalities, and how those assumptions are formed. Students will explore cross-cultural concepts, learn methods of analysis, and

practice critical thinking in this seminar. May alternatively satisfy Humanities requirement.

Past, Present & Future of Work

3 Credits
In mineshafts, studio spaces, homes, and fast food restaurants, many people work for a living. But the conditions and meaning of that labor have changed over time. This course examines labor and work from the advent of the industrial revolution to what many consider to be our post-industrial future. Along the way, we will consider a variety of topics, including work as a lived-experience and cultural concept, workers’ attempts to control their labor power, and intellectuals’ comments about the working class. We will take a broad perspective that includes leisure, non-wage work, and artistic production in our analysis. A wide range of materials, drawn from the like of Karl Marx, Charlie Chaplin, feminism, and the workers themselves, will provide context for your own explorations of the working world.

Working Together

3 credits
Success stories in our society usually depict an individual acting alone who is able to make a fortune for themselves or enact social change. However, the success stories of people and communities coming together to build something substantial (collective action) are arguably more important, but less understood. This class will focus on the second story—people working together. We will examine the role of groups of people creating and managing sustainable businesses, organizations, and resources drawing from fields such as anthropology, geography, political science, sociology, and business. We will ask the following questions: Under what conditions do people work successfully together to reach a common goal? What are the differences between private businesses, public corporations, collectives and cooperatives? What are the opportunities for increased equity and environmental sustainability? What are the challenges to success? How are collective and cooperative organizing both enabled and challenged by our current social and economic structures?

Gender, Sex and Society

3 credits
This course will develop an understanding of the ways in which gender and sexuality is formed and performed within the context of biological and cultural identity. We will examine the relationship between personal identity and biological identity within and outside of categories such as feminine/masculine, gay/straight, and male/female. Specifically, we will look at the performance and production of gender and sexuality within science and culture to form an historical context by which to situate the current progress of queer politics and gender identity. Additionally, we will examine the role of new technology in relation to forming and reforming gender, such as cyberfeminism and reproductive and transgender science.

DIRECTED STUDIES

Directed Studies Seminar

3 Credits
In this course, students learn how to design, revise, research, and manage an individual project from inception to completion. Each student researches a topic of his or her own choosing as part of an inquiry seminar. Students work both individually and collaboratively during the semester, conducting research on their own and providing each other with feedback throughout the process, under the guidance of the instructor. The course involves writing, reading, and discussion relevant to the processes of inquiry and project development. Directed Studies Seminar creates opportunities for students to strengthen critical thinking, written and oral communication, and skills associated with successful problem-based inquiry. It is also an opportunity for students to integrate their studies in the liberal arts with their chosen disciplines. May be taken in Junior or Senior year. Application and Instructor’s permission required prior to registration. Satisfies HS Elective.