Most RC courses are open to LS&A students and may be used to meet distribution requirements.
Residential College students are given priority in all Residential College courses during the pre-registration and registration periods, and from wait lists. RC courses which fulfill specific Residential College graduation requirement are reserved for RC students only (e.g., RC language courses).
Wait lists of Residential College courses are maintained in the Residential College Counseling Office, 134 Tyler, East Quad.
When a course fills, students should contact the RC Counseling
Office (747-4359) to be placed on a wait list if one is being
maintained.
334. Special Topics. (4). (Excl).
Section 001 – Earth-centered Children in the Virtual Age.
Can literature substitute in any way for exposure to natural sites
and time spent caring for growing plants and animals? Can reading
develop ecological traditions, the understanding that earth must
be shared? As our sense of endangered nature on this shrinking
planet becomes acute, children are our last frontier. As environmental
educators, adults must consider what kind of heroes, myths and tales sustain a life-affirming ethic in a technological and synthetic
age. This course examines the history of environmental juvenile
literature from its eighteenth century origins to today's "living
books." Learning about children's creative relations with
outdoor space and living things is essential at a time when adults
design and determine not only the books children read but also the places they inhabit. Believing that readings substituted too
easily for direct experience, Rousseau banished books from the
life of Emile – his model student – until he was over 12. What
would he make of watching vegetables tour a computer screen? Less than 2% of Americans now live in the country, and a quarter of the next generation will be born in urban slums, never seeing the land where their food is grown or landscapes dominated by
other species. Yet children's literature has remained heavily
pastoral. In a period of global urbanization and the accelerating
abandonment of our young, what do such books tell us about the
development of ecological awareness. In studying urban pastorals, classics of worldbuilding, tales of solo survival, environmental
autobiographies and national fables, we will consider what stories
and experiences transcend adult guilt and inspire the sharing
and preservation of global resources. In addition to writings
by educators, literary critics, ecological philosophers, developmental
psychologists, and naturalists, readings will be drawn from such
writers as J.J. Rousseau, Daniel Defoe, George MacDonald, Walt
Whitman, Rudyard Kipling, C.G. Jung, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Edith Cobb, Felice Holman, Gary Paulsen, Lynn Cherry, Chris van Allsberg, Jean Craighead George, Annie
Dillard, and Paula Fox. (Goodenough)
Section 002 – Language and Computing: Principles and Practice. Recent public attention to the World Wide Web has thrust one tip of the informational iceberg into prominence; but there are many others as well. The Web has achieved its current status by the refiguration of the computer as an instrument of communication, in addition to its roles in writing, figuring, drawing, and storing information. All of these activities are based, figuratively and practically, on the human institution of Language. This class will focus on the mythological, historical, social, and technical aspects of this phenomenon. Topics studied include: the nature, history, and social conventions of the Internet; the technology of literacy (fonts, wordprocessing, Usenet, e-mail, etc.); access to and distribution of information; artificial intelligence and natural language processing; user interface design; regular expressions and searching strategies; market forces involved in the computing world; English as a world language; differences among spoken, written, and electronic communication; metaphors we compute by. Assignments include class participation, analytic writing assignments, participation in a course conference and in class discussions, creation of a Web page, and a term project. (Lawler)
Intensive language courses meet in lecture and discussion twice a day four days a week. The language programs have language lunch tables, coffee hours, and other social events. There is a language laboratory in the College, and the language teachers are available for counseling and additional help. If a student begins a new language, proficiency is usually attained in one year through the Residential College program.
Core 190, 191, 194 Intensive French, German, Spanish I. The goal of this course is to provide the student with a basic but solid knowledge of grammatical structures and syntax, a functional vocabulary, familiarity with intonation patterns and native pronunciation, and practice in speaking and writing. Upon completion of this course, the student can understand simple written texts or short spoken passages without the aid of a dictionary, and can carry on a short, elementary conversation.
Core 290, 291, 294 Intensive French, German, Spanish II. The goal of this course is to expand vocabulary and to master grammatical structures and syntax to the level of competency required to pass a proficiency exam. This entails developing the ability to communicate with some ease with a native speaker, in spoken and written language. Students must be able to understand the content of texts and lectures of a non-technical nature, and of general (non-literary) interest.
293/Russian 203. Intensive Second Year Russian. Core 193 or Russian 102. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Russian 201 or 202. (8). (LR).
See Russian 203. (A. Makin)
320. Seminaire en franÁais. Proficiency
test. (4). (Excl). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – Women in French-speaking Countries. Together
we will look at the issues that women face in French-speaking
countries. What problems are shared by women in similar societies?
What aspects are specifically linked to the economic and social
structure of a given country? Is gender an overriding factor whatever the society? We will use French contemporary documents (articles;
visual documents) in order to familiarize ourselves with areas
such as: literacy, education, work, pregnancy, sexuality, and social status. The theoretical articles to be read will be in
French or in English. The areas that we will look at are sometimes
considered as controversial. Thus, students will have the opportunity
to increase their rhetorical knowledge in French and to work on
how to choose convincing examples, how to organize them in a logical
way, and how to take into account differing opinions. Towards the end of the term, part of the students' responsibility will
be to carry out their own research on a topic of interest to them
and to turn in an extended essay on that topic. All discussions, readings (with the exception of some theoretical texts), writings
and oral presentations will be in French. Presence is compulsory.
Equal emphasis is given to oral and written work. (Belloni)
Section 002 – "Les Miroirs Du Moi": The Study of the Self Through Diaries and Autobiographies. Do you keep a diary? Have you ever? Are you an aficionado of autobiographical works? Have you ever wondered what is meant by the term the self, what it really is and how one may apprehend it and speak about it? In this seminar, we will study the diary and the autobiography, the two literary genres whose object is unequivocally the self, its quest, discovery, or affirmation. The reading of Montaigne and Descartes will highlight the birth of individualism and subjectivity which the 16th and 17th centuries witnessed, and will lead us to the 18th century, when formal writings of the self began to flourish, as in, for instance, Jean Jacques Rousseau. Using works from the 18th to the 20th centuries, we will initially establish the specificity of the diary and of the autobiography as literary genres. We will then examine the different problems emerging as one undertakes the project of portraying oneself. As we question the intentions and the results of the writer's project, as well as the reliability of the narrator, we will attempt to define the concept of the self – what it is, how or whether it can be apprehended and fully expressed, and so forth. Our discussion, enriched by conceptions of the self developed in the philosophical and psychological fields, will encourage us to formulate our own conception of the self. Students will be asked to write short essays on the readings as well as to keep a diary. Active participation in class discussions is expected. Readings will include excerpts from diaries and autobiographies by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Benjamin Constant, Stendhal, RenÈ de Chateaubriand, George Sand, Marcel Proust, Simone de Beauvoir, Andre Gide, Michel Leiris, Nathalie Sarraute and MarguÈrite Duras, to name a few. (Butler-Borruat)
Section 003 – Existentialism: The Human Condition and the Absurd. Far from being a doctrine, Existentialism is fundamentally a philosophical tendency. Born of a reaction against Hegelian rationalism, the different existentialist tendencies come together in the rehabilitation of freedom, subjectivity and individual existence. In this course, we will attempt, through our readings, to discern the characteristics of various existentialist concepts. After a brief survey of the precursors and the "founders" of existentialism, we will focus on two members of what has been called the Philosophical School of Paris, namely Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. The study of Albert Camus' conception of the human condition and the absurd will lead us to the "ThÈ,tre de l'Absurde" which we will approach through plays by Samuel Beckett. Concepts such as, among others, suicide, "engagement", and the Other will be emphasized according to student interests. Students will be asked to write short essays on the readings and to participate actively in class discussions. Assigned works: Jean-Paul Sartre, L'Existentialisme est un humanisme, La NausÈe (excerpts), Les Mouches, Le Mur; Albert Camus, Le Myth de Sisyphe (excerpts), Caligula, L'tranger; Simone de Beauvoir, Les Bouches inutiles, excerpts from Le Sang des autres and from Tous les hommes sont mortels; Samuel Beckett, En attendant Godot. Film: Luis Puenzo, La Peste. Audio-visual materials: Sartre par lui-mÍme, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus: A Self-Portrait. (Butler-Borruat)
321. Readings in German. Proficiency test.
(4). (Excl). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – The Romantic Experience is the title of this seminar.
We will ask: How did the German Romantics interpret the human
experience? We will seek answers by sampling some of their more
representative expressions in prose, poetry, drama, song cycles, opera and paintings. Among others, we will study works by Novalis, Heine, Kleist, Wagner, and Goethe as we reinforce our ability
to read, write, and speak German. Students will keep a literary
journal in which they will write all responses, essays, notes, commentary and sketches, so as to generate a romantic work of their own in German. This will replace the traditional topic papers.
(Paslick)
Section 002 – German Theatre Production. (Shier)
324. Readings in Spanish. Proficiency
test. (4). (Excl). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – The New Song Movement: Music, History. and Poetry.
The New Song Movement constitutes an integral part of the social, political, and artistic changes that took place in Latin America
during the second half of the sixties and beginning of the seventies.
The movement attempted to offer a musical alternative which had
as an objective to facilitate research and to incorporate authentic
folklore. It also attempts to confer to songs an expressive, artistic, and poetic content which reflects more accurately the Latin American
reality. "A song without a well-defined message is not a
poem, much less a song," says Patricio Manns, a member of the movement. The movement attempts to broaden the utilization
of instruments, introducing a variety of wind, string, and percussion
instruments to a wide audience. In the case of Chile, in particular, the New Song movement became a powerful voice of the social and political reality of the times and is considered part of the evolving
process of the country. Similar circumstances in other Latin American
countries made the Chilean New Song Movement an integral part
of a vast continental movement. The focus of this class will concentrate
on two aspects that this movement exhibited in Chile: (1) the
creation and production of long pieces generally known as CANTOS
or CANTATAS. These pieces present a fruitful encounter between
music of a classic tradition and popular/folkloric music. Some
are based on historical events or have taken a poetic text and adapted them to music; (2) the connection between music and poetry, or music and history. Some of these pieces are based on texts
of Pablo Neruda or Gabriela Mistral, two of the country's well-known
poets; others are based on specific historical events, or on a
specific life-story, like the case of Violeta Parra's life in Canto a Una Semilla. The class will present the following
pieces: The Cantata of Santa Maria de Iquique, Luis Advis, text and music, Interpreters: QUILAPAYUN Group; CANTO GENERAL/GENERAL
SONG Pablo Neruda, text; Music APARCOA; Canto a Una Semilla,
Music and text, Luis Advis; Song to a Seed, Interpreters, INTI ILLIMANI group; CORDILLERA, Text, Gabriela Mistral, Music, Barroco Andino group; The Heights of Machu Pichu, Text, Pablo Neruda, Music, Los Jaivas; Cantata de Los Derechos Humanos,
Text, Esteban Gumuccio; Cantata de Human Rights, Music, Alejandro Guarello group Ortiga. (Moya-Raggio)
Section 002 – Mujeres Latinoamericanas del Siglo XX (Latin American Women in the 20th Century). The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the presence and activity of Latin American Women throughout the 20th century from a perspective that will take into account differences of race and class. The starting point will be the conventional definitions of Machismo and Marianismo existing in Latin America. Our discussions will revolve around: (a) education, access to the labor force, and artistic manifestations; (b) the construction of sexuality and of conventional relationships among men and women, as well as health and reproduction; (c) political activism in dictatorial as well as democratic governments; (d) participation in the economic development of family and community. We will use literary texts, essays, music, documentaries and film in order to study different chronological and geographical contexts. Students will write four papers of 3-6 pages, a creative final project and a journal of personal reactions to the material covered in class. (Lopez-Cotin)
Section 003 – Sabatisma en Chapas: [[questiondown]]Guerrillo Psmoderna o Indigenismo? (Koreck)
Section 004 – Lecturas y Lectores de la Novela Moderna Espanolas. En la clase se analizaran tres novelas espanolas pertenecientes a las epocas de entreguerras, postguerra y restauracion democratica. La lectura de estas obras estara guiada por un material teorico que se debe leer en casa y se comentara en clase. El objetivo del curso es familiarizar a los alumnos con las tecnicas e instrumentos narrativos utilizados en la novela moderna espanola a lo largo de este siglo, de manera que la comprension de los textos vaya mas alla de los contenidos puramente, para centrarse en los elementos formales y en como estos configuran unos modelos que ayudan a transmitir un mensaje determinado. Requisitos: (1) tres trabajos escritos de tres a cinco paginas, uno para cada una de las novelas; (2) una presentacion oral de quince a veinte minutos en la que se analicen y comenten los elementos formales de un fragmento de narracion seleccionado individualmente por el alumno; 3) los alumnos deberan responder periodicamente a unos cuestionarios basados en la comprension de las acciones, circunstancias – argumento - de cada una de las novelas. (Iglesias)
Section 005 – Modalidades del Arte y la Literatura Espanolas: del Realismo al Surrealismo (Modes in Spanish Art and Literature: From Realism to Surrealism). Este curso sera una introduccion a las corrientes artisticas y literarias en Espana desde finales del siglo XIX a los anos 30 de nuestro siglo. Se enfocaran los "ismos" mas conocidos de este perfodo (Realismo, Simbolismo, Cubismo, Futurismo, Creacionismo, Ultrafsmo, Dada, Surrealismo, etc.) y se estudiaran la relacion entre la literatura y el arte, la paplabra y la imagen respectivamente. Los estudiantes leeran novelas, poesia y manifiestos ejemplares de los varios movimientos, ademas de ver pintura, collage, escultura y film de Picasso, Gris, Dalf, Miro y otros artistas notables para reconstruir el dialogo que existio entre las artes. (von Fabrice)
370/French 370. Advanced
Proficiency in French. RC Core 320 or French 235.
(3). (Excl).
Advanced Proficiency in French is especially – but not exclusively
- designed for students who intend to study in France or in a
French-speaking country with a Junior Year Abroad program (such
as the Michigan Junior Year in Aix-en-Provence Program). This
course focuses on the development of the four language skills
complemented by a rich cultural component which will prepare students
socially and intellectually for living and studying in France.
Emphasis will be placed on modern France and current events. Speaking
skills will be developed in informal and formal contexts. Directed
as well as open-ended practice of oral production will activate
a wide range of functional expressions. Formal discourse such
as "l'exposÈ" will also be practiced. Students
will be initiated into writing formats and styles customary in
French universities. The techniques practiced, namely the French
"dissertation," "contraction de texte," and "commentaire composÈ" will emphasize how to write
introductions, conclusions, paragraphs, and texts with logical
development through the use of cohesive devices, precise and accurate
wording, and syntax. Training in reading intricate current newspaper
prose and aural comprehension of lectures with note-taking will
be included. Final exam with two parts: (1) Oral exam: a short
"exposè" and a brief conversation; (2) Written
exam: a written French-style essay (dissertation"). (Butler-Borruat)
268. Introduction to Visual Thinking: Adventures in Creativity. (4). (Excl). Laboratory fee ($25) required.
This is a studio course designed to develop and enhance visual thinking skills, flexible problem-solving strategies, and creativity. No previous art training is necessary. There will be daily activities designed to overcome perceptual and conceptual blocks and nurture creative strategies. Four longer 3-D projects will give students the opportunity to put these strategies into practice. Slides, lectures, readings, and discussions about the creative process will supplement studio work. Cooperative learning in groups will be emphasized. Students will keep a comprehensive notebook of sketches and ideas, plus a daily log making explicit the creative strategies they use for a given problem. Major projects are equivalent to written exams. Readings include Robert von Oech, A Kick in the Seat of the Pants (Harper and Row, 1986), plus selected articles on visual thinking and creativity. (Savageau)
285. Photography. (4). (Excl). Materials fee ($100).
This course introduces students to the medium of photography from the perspective of the artist. It includes an overview of photography's role in the arts, the development of an understanding of visual literacy and self-expression as they relate to the photographic medium and the development of basic technical skills in black and white and color photography. A visual emphasis is maintained in both presentation and course work, and the student works with the medium towards a goal of personal expression. There will be a studio fee. (Hannum)
287. Printmaking. (4). (Excl). Materials fee ($50).
Developing an understanding of the art and history of printmaking through lectures, demonstrations, practical studio experience, and individual and group discussions. The course will focus on creating original prints, exploring images, visual ideas, and the possibilities of self-expression. Emphasis will be placed on linoleum cut, wood block, and screenprinting techniques. Field trips to area museums and gallery exhibitions will be part of the class experience. Approximately eight projects will be assigned. A sketchbook/notebook is required. Class attendance is mandatory, as is lab time spent outside the scheduled class period. There will be a studio lab fee. (Cressman)
288. Introduction to Drawing. (4). (Excl). Laboratory fee ($35) required.
This course will explore traditional and contemporary approaches to drawing. Emphasis will be on the eye (seeing) and the hand (doing). Basic techniques and methods will be covered including work with still-life, the figure and the imagination. Class attendance is MANDATORY as well as course work outside the scheduled class time. (Cressman)
289. Ceramics. (4). (Excl). Materials fee ($85).
This course presents basic problems in forming clay, throwing
and handbuilding techniques, testing, preparing and applying glazes, stacking and firing kilns, and operating a ceramics studio. Students
are required to learn the complete ceramic process, and the assumption
of studio responsibilities and regular class attendance are mandatory.
The theory, practice, and history of ceramics are integral parts
of this study and are used to encourage individual sensitivity
to the material. There will be a studio fee. (Lee)
257. Visual Sources. (4). (HU).
The purpose of this course is to develop and sharpen the students' skills of visual analysis by examining the world of images in which we live and discussing the process of perception. In order to better understand the "language" of images, we will analyze selected examples of painting, sculpture, the graphic arts, architecture, film, and dance. The works studied will not necessarily be considered in chronological order, and we will not restrict ourselves to those works that are labeled "great" by art historians and critics. We will include images of popular and commercial art both from the past and the present. In the course, the unique methods and materials used in creating a work of art will be discussed. (In the case of painting, for example, we will consider the difference between oil, fresco, and water color.) But we will not be concerned with form and materials alone. Images will be studied not only in terms of form, but content, and the relationship between art and audience. How does the visual artist (or advertiser) convey certain moods and/or messages through the arrangement and juxtaposition of forms? What is the impact and effect of the visual environment on our psychological state? (Campus architecture and students' living spaces will be studied in this regard.) How do visual artists convey certain cultural beliefs and attitudes in their arrangement and presentation of images? In the final section of the course we will consider the display of art in public spaces – including museums and galleries - and the sometimes controversial issues that have surrounded the showing and funding of art in the United States. In conjunction with this and other aspects of the course, museum and gallery visits are planned, involving the study of objects at close hand and discussions with museum and gallery personnel. There will be several short papers and students will be asked to keep a journal of their ideas about the visual arts that they encounter in their day to day experiences or in which they are especially interested. Readings may include works by John Berger, Rudolph Arnheim, Joshua Taylor, Kendall Walton, T.J. Clark, Erwin Panofsky, Linda Nochlin, Tamar Garb, and Carol Duncan. (GennÈ)
260/Dance 220. The Art of Dance: An Introduction to
American and European Dance History, Aesthetics, and Criticism.
(3). (HU).
Section 001 – An Introduction to American and European Dance History, Aesthetics, and Criticism. This course is an introduction
to the study of dance history, aesthetics, and criticism. What
is dance? How can we analyze it in terms of form and content?
What is the role of the dancer and choreographer? How can we distinguish
different styles of dance? What role does it play in the society
which produces it? These questions will be addressed in relation
to a basic survey of American and European dance, concentrating
primarily on nineteenth and twentieth century dance forms. Among the topics considered will be ballet, jazz dance, modern and postmodern
dance, and dance in films. Among the choreographers and dancers
studied will be Marius Petipa, Mikhail Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Bronislava Nijinska, George Balanchine, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St.
Denis, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Fred Astaire, Bill Robinson, John
Bubbles, Gene Kelly, Bob Fosse, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, and Michael Jackson. A special class on Paul Taylor will take advantage
of the revival of his masterwork, Esplanade, which will
be performed by the University Dance Company this term. There
will be viewing assignments of videotapes of the dances studied, and written texts will include Selma Jeanne Cohen's Dance
as a Theatre Art, Deborah Jowitt's Time and the Dancing
Image and Susan Au's Dance and Ballet. We will also
read some dance critics and theorists including Gautier, Levinson, Martin, and Croce. No prerequisites. (GennÈ)
311. Intellectual Currents
of the Renaissance. Sophomore standing or permission
of instructor. (4). (HU).
Section 001 – Rabelais. This course will be devoted to a
close reading and analysis of the five books of Rabelais, called Gargantua and Pantagruel. In our analysis, we will address
problems of narrative structure ("story" and "discourse"), narrative space (symbolic versus illusionistic), and the myths
of authorship, originality, and literary genealogy that are both
embodied in and problematized by this work. We will also explore
Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance constructions of madness (ecstasy, folly, melancholia) in order to see to what extent they have determined
Rabelais' text. The construction of madness is linked, in Rabelais'
time with the paradoxes of learning: can the ignorant be learned?
Are the learned really fools, or worse, madmen? Finally, the questions
about madness, learning, and education are contextualized by one
of the major theological disputes of the Reformation period: the
problem of free will. If human destiny is determined, what good
is free will? Can it exist? And if there is no free will, what
good is learning? Why pursue the educational reforms so dear to the hearts of the reformers? Because this course is interdisciplinary, we will compare Rabelais' text with selected works by four Renaissance
painters: Bosch, Titian, Brueghel, and D¸rer. How does narrative
unfold in visual space? What sorts of narratives or visions are
made possible by the invention of one-point perspective? What
is necessarily excluded by this space? What is the connection
between vision and madness? Finally, is vision free, or simply
assailed and dominated by the object of sight? Finally, we will
probe these works for evidence of a significant contradiction:
as both exponents and critiques of humanism, as simultaneously
promulgating and undermining the Renaissance myth of rebirth.
Texts: Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel (five books);
Plato, The Symposium; Thomas de Cantimpre, The Life of Christina
Mirabilis; The Little Flowers of St. Francis; (Sowers)
318. Critical Approaches to Literature. (4).
(HU).
Section 001 – Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Literature and the Visual Arts: Freud and Lacan. Freudian psychoanalytic theory has in recent years undergone withering criticism. It no
longer enjoys the prestige and the power it once assumed; few
retain confidence in its explanatory capability. Some would argue that it is defunct, of no further value – a failed "thought
experiment." Is there anything in the theory that can be
salvaged? This course will take a critical, but respectful view
of the Freudian text. We will address, in particular, the problem
of the psychoanalytic interpretation of literature and the visual
arts. We will base our study on selected works by Sigmund Freud
and his most creative recent interpreter, Jacques Lacan. Beginning
with two important case histories, The Wolf Man and Dora,
we will derive a method of interpreting literary texts and visual
images from Freud's method of dream analysis. We will go on to
explore the opening out of the psychic landscape onto the historical
implied in Freud's theory of the death instinct and its relation
to sexuality. Finally, we will address the contribution of Freudian
psychoanalysis to contemporary critical theory, especially the
work of Jacques Lacan. In what way is the human being constituted
by language? What is the relation between language and the unconscious?
Does a text or an image have an unconscious? How do we know? If
it does, how can we disclose its presence, discover the direction
of its warp? Can Psychoanalytic theory enable us to find a common
ground between literature and the visual arts? Can we discover
in the halting voice and in the marked hand a deep link between the vision and the word? Syllabus: D.H. Lawrence, The Prussian
Officer; Sigmund Freud, The Wolf Man; Ivan Turgenev, First Love; Freud, Leonardo da Vinci and a Memory
of his Childhood; Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria; Beyond the Pleasure Principle: Edvard Munch and Giorgio de Chirico, paintings: Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights;
Jacques Lacan, Speech and Language in Psychoanalysis;
Mary Kelly, The Post-partum Document. (Sowers)
319. Topics in Film. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of nine credits.
Section 001 – Writing Film Criticism. This course aims to help students write informed, illuminating, and stylistically engaging film criticism. Contemporary, often current films will be our subject; various types of critical writing in popular and academic criticism will be our models. (H. Cohen)
Section 002 – Films of Bob Fosse: Creative Cultural Criticism. The method of auteur criticism, (despite harsh attacks that cults of sometimes unworthy personality are encouraged) is actually an indispensable tool for analyzing and uncovering numerous extended and defining characteristics in the work of a single author. Certainly, not every filmmaker deserves detailed decipherment of thematic motifs, choices of characterizations, representation of society, mise-en-scËne, style, and so on. However, Bob Fosse's outstanding and original body of work (Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Lenny, All That Jazz, Star 80) in film, as well as his theatrical, television, and performance achievements, clearly justify in-depth auteur analysis. As an artist, Fosse grappled with complex personal and cultural dilemmas that remain, for many, unresolved today. Since his death in 1987, Fosse's work has remained a subject of attention, with a major retrospective of his artistic career occurring in New York in 1994. His themes of gender and class differences, artist as deviant, free speech vs. cultural repression, and the right to live and die as one chooses, still hold currency and defy simple, reductive answers; very importantly, Fosse's extreme control over all aspects of his creatively post-modern exploration of psychological and cultural time and space rarely finds its equal among contemporary filmmakers. Perhaps Fosse's determination to reveal "truth", and at the same time remain commercially compelling for audiences, emerges as his most distinguished accomplishment. The course requires papers on each of the five films, with a long analytic paper at the end of the course. Particular emphasis is placed upon course discussions and students' individual presentation and discussion of their ideas as expressed in their analytic essays. (Morris)
333. Art and Culture. (4). (Excl).
Section 001 – Images of Indonesian Women in Literature and Music.
The aim of this course is to investigate the role of women in
modern Indonesian society as seen in selected literary and musical
traditions. How are women perceived and treated? The artistic
traditions we will investigate reveal that women in Indonesia
are by turns, deified, marginalized, denigrated, and empowered.
The literary works (all in translation) under examination will
include Letters of a Javanese Princess, a series of essays
in the form of letters by the early twentieth century nationalist
and feminist R. A. Kartini; This Earth of Mankind, a
novel about women in early twentieth century Java by Pramoedya
Ananta Toer, said to be "Indonesia's greatest novelist;"
"Bawuk," a short story by Umar Kayam; Memoirs of
an Indo Woman: Twentieth-Century Life in the East Indies and Abroad
by Marguerite Schenkhuizen. We will examine the role of women
in the following musical traditions: the music of the Central
Javanese gamelan (an ensemble of drums and gongs, in
which women play a central role in an otherwise exclusively male
tradition), the sacred court bedhaya dance (in which
women are seen as goddesses), tayuban and taledhek
traditions (street singer/dancer traditions in which women are
connected to fertility, chthonic power and prostitution), and a wayang kulit or shadow puppet drama called Srikandi
Dances Lengger. Students are not expected to have any prior
knowledge of Asia, women's studies or music. Since ideal male
and female ways of walking, sitting, and interacting are extremely
evident in the world of gamelan and will have direct
experience with Javanese ways of dressing and moving. There will
be several short papers and oral presentations and students will
be expected to keep a log of their ideas about gender relations
in Indonesia. (Pratt-Walton)
344. Tradition and Invention: Aspects of the Arts in 18th Century Europe. Sophomore standing. (3). (HU).
The eighteenth century started with a dilemma; and it ended
with a revolution. Throughout the period it had been revolving
at a furious pace in a series of cartwheels...The dilemma was
political, philosophic and artistic...
(Levey, Rococo to Revolution)
A dynamic and complex era with surprising parallels to our own, the age of reason and wit, sensibility and feeling, was also a century of escapist fantasy, biting satire and feelings of outrage in the face of modernity's overwhelming challenges. It was a time of shifting wealth and changing mores, of theatrical, musical, artistic and literary talent, inspired by social philosophers and patronized by aristocrats and the rising merchant classes. Through it all, principles of "Truth" and "Nature" were being transformed by a new consciousness of history that signaled dissatisfaction with the present and impelled change. With frequent references to assigned readings, we will consider selected works of art and architecture to discover values and preoccupations, desire and fears inherent in the visual forms of a culturally brilliant, exceedingly social, and deeply divided century. Our consideration of architecture will include Borromini's legacy of the fervent Catholic Baroque in German and Austria, Juvarra's princely palaces, the free invention of French and Venetian Rococo, the ordered taste of English Palladianism, visionary building types, nostalgic and radical Neo-classicism. Through art works which might include Watteau's elegant and other-worldly fÍtes-galantes, the aulic mythological frescoes of Giambattista Tiepolo, the varied and richly allusive cityscapes of Canaletto, Hogarth's sharply satirical "modern history paintings," Ceruti's unflinching portraits of the homeless, or David's morally charged lessons from Roman antiquity, we will examine shifting definitions of official power, personal pleasure, the social contract, the nature of faith, the role of women, the construction of family, the meaning of childhood – issues as compelling then as they are today. To further immerse ourselves in the lively intricacies of the century of Enlightenment, we might retrace the Grand Tour, explore the Academic hierarchical categories (history subjects, portraiture, landscape, still life and genre) re-enact a Salon, pour over published personal correspondence, review essays on human rights, listen to music, visit a museum, read a novel, stage a play...In the spirit of the 18th century, a flexible seminar format united individual and collaborative effort (slide lectures, group discussions, informal oral presentations, a midterm and final research paper). (Hennessey)
475/Chinese 475/Phil. 475/Asian Studies 475/Hist. of Art 487. The Arts and Letters of China. (4). (HU).
See Chinese 475. (Feuerwerker)
317. The Writings of Latinas. A course
in women's studies or Latina/o studies. (4). (HU).
Section 001 – Texts of the Borderlands. This course brings
to the forefront the abundant literary production of Latinas in the United States. The core of the work will comprise reading
and discussion of works (essays, poems, narrative fiction) of the Chicana writers, as well as women writers from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Among the authors to be studied are Julia Alvarez, Sandra Cisneros, Cristina Garcia, Judith Ortiz Coffer, Gloria Anzalda, Helena Maria
Viramontes, Elena Castedo, and Alicia Partnoy. Films and visual
art by Latinas will supplement the literature in the course. The
works selected are richly textured, filled with cultural content, and embued with nostalgic evocation of what has been lost. Representing
a broad range of Latina experience, they confront such issues
as colonial domination and political and/or economic exile. All
of the texts relate to the history of the Americas, and address the position of women within their own cultural/ethnic/racial
group as well as within a dominant culture. Students will be expected
to keep a journal of their reactions to the works read or viewed
and to write three substantial papers which reflect their ability
in critical reading of the texts. They will also prepare and deliver
seminar presentations on selected poetry in the course. Tentative
readings: Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies
(Chapel Hill: Algonguin Books of Chapel Hill, 1994); Anzalda, Gloria. Borderlands/LaFrontera (San Francisco: Aunt Lute
Book Company, 1987); Castedo, Elena, Paradise*; Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street (New York: Vintage
Books, 1989); Coffer, Judith Ortiz, Silent Dancing (Houston:
Arte Publico Press, 1990); Garcia, Cristina, Dreaming in Cuban*
(New York: Ballantine Books, 1992); Partnoy, Alicia, The Little
School (Pittsburgh: Cleis Press, 1986). *In English and in
Spanish. (Moya-Raggio)
340. Four Interdisciplinary Studies in 19th and 20th Century Intellectual History: Psychoanalysis, Mysticism, Nihilism and Marxism. Junior/senior standing, or permission of instructor. (4). (HU).
This course will compare and contrast the presentation of several ideas that have fundamentally redefined western man's concept of himself in the last 100 years as reflected in four different disciplines (political science, philosophy, theology, and psychology) and three literary genres (drama, novel, and short story). These ideas center upon the rise of the totalitarian state, the emergence of "psychological man," and the destruction of the concept of God as well as of all absolute value systems. How do the styles of each discipline and genre differ according to the writer's aim and intended effect upon the reader? Can we isolate and describe the particular techniques (discursive and metaphoric) used, respectively, by the political scientist, philosopher, theologian, and psychologist to explain and convince? In particular, how does literature as a genre differ from the four other disciplines in its function as a "living laboratory" for the exploration of and experimentation with new visions of the self and society? (a) Literature and Psychology: Psychoanalysis in the Short Story. Theories of psychosexual development and the father-son conflict. Texts by Freud, Kafka. (b) Literature and Theology: The Irrational in the Novel. Man's religious, mystical impulse in conflict with the logic of science and the demands of rational self-interest. Texts by Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky. (c) Literature and Philosophy: Existentialism in the Novel. Nihilism and the concomitant destruction of Christian morality and the Western concept of self. Texts by Nietzsche, Sartre. (d) Literature and Political Science: Communism and the Drama. The ethics and psychology of communist revolution and terrorism. Texts by Marx, Lenin, Brecht, Sartre. Two examinations and one term paper required. (Peters)
410. Upperclass Literature Seminar. (4).
(HU). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – Fathers and Sons. It has been argued that it
has become increasingly difficult for boys to learn from men how
to become men (one writer has argued that the responsibility for this initiation has fallen to older men). We will read novels (e.g., Chaim Potok's The Chosen, Saul Bellow's Seize the Day, Richard Russo's The Risk Pool),
short stories (e.g., Ernest Hemingway's "Indian
Camp," "The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife,"), "comic"
books (Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale), plays (e.g., Arthur Miller's The Death of a Salesman,
Eugene O'Neill's A Long Days Journey Into Night), poems (e.g., Ken Mikolowski's "michael/alternatives"), and autobiographies (Philip Roth's Patrimony), and see
films (Pat Conroy's The Great Santini) that deal with the initiation process and with various sorts – some harmonious, some troubled – of father-son relationships. For purposes of comparison, we will also read at least one work that deals with a mother-daughter
relationship. Students will write two papers, a midterm and final
exam. Films will be viewed at night. (H. Cohen)
452/Russian 452. Survey of Russian Literature. A knowledge of Russian is not required. (3). (HU).
See Russian 452. (M. Makin)
220. Narration. Permission of instructor. (4). (Excl).
Suggested assignment: 1250 words of prose fiction every two weeks. Rewriting is emphasized. The class meets as a group up to two hours per week. Collections of short fiction by established writers are read. Every student meets privately with the instructor each week. (Hecht)
221. The Writing of Poetry. Permission of instructor. (4). (Excl).
The amount of poetry each student is required to submit is determined by the instructor. The class meets three hours per week as a group. In addition, each student receives private criticism from the instructor every week. Contemporary poetry is read and discussed in class for style. Students are organized into small groups that meet weekly. (Mikolowski)
242. Creative Adaptation: Fact Into Fantasy. Completion
of the Introductory Composition requirement. (4). (Excl).
Section 001 – Creative Non-Fiction. Creative non-fiction
is information-based writing for general audiences. Freelance
writers, journalists and technical writers are assigned to write, translate, interpret, or edit texts which explain or describe
specialized subjects in ordinary language that non-specialists
can understand. These assignments can range from advertisements
and news reports, to articles aimed at more sophisticated readers
in periodicals such as The New Yorker. Even semi-specialized
publications such as Scientific American, Car and Driver,
and the New England Journal of Medicine use non-technical
language which informed amateurs as well as professionals can
comprehend. In classical literature, works such as The Odyssey, Macbeth, The Aeneid, and The Divine Comedy were
inspired by historical events and figures. Gettysburg, Joy
Luck Club, and Age of Innocence are recent films
which were adapted from historical or literary sources. Aladdin
and Beauty and the Beast and many other Disney animated
feature films are adaptations from literary sources. TV docu-dramas
have been created about figures in the news, such as Amy Fisher
and Jessica DeBoer. Biographies, autobiographies, translations, and musical adaptations as well as many non-fiction children's
books are, in fact, blendings of fact and fantasy. All professions
reward good communication skills. One's ability to understand, synthesize, and communicate facts to others is as necessary to
a doctor as it is to a writer. With this in mind, students should
find "Creative Non-Fiction," with its combination of the challenge of research and the pleasure of self-expression, to be a valuable elective. Projects students will pursue will
include adaptations from one medium to another; translations from
one language to another or bilingual texts; science/math/history
for children; personal essays/interviews/oral history; autobiographical
fiction, poetry, or drama; folklore/oral traditions into fiction, picture books, animation. Students will complete either one long
(25-30 page) project or three short papers (10-15 pages each)
on a related theme. Two drafts will be required. (Balducci)
320. Advanced Narration. Hums. 220 and permission of instructor. (4). (Excl).
This course is designed for writers of longer fiction who can benefit from instruction and peer feedback. Three 15-20 page short stories or three 20-25 page segments of longer works are due at evenly spaced intervals during the term. Everyone in the class reads everything submitted. The class meets three times a term, as a workshop, to discuss everyone's work. Each student meets with the instructor each week for private discussion of work both completed and in progress. Enrollment is limited to a maximum of six students, usually students who have completed Narration and/or Tutorials. Permission of instructor is required. (Hecht)
322. Advanced Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults. Hums. 222 and permission of instructor. (4). (Excl).
Advanced Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults is an informal seminar designed to build upon skills and themes developed in RC Humanities 222 "Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults." The casual setting of the seminar is intended to encourage interaction and collaboration among students. Weekly paper swaps allow students to become familiar with the writing styles and interests of others in the course. Support and suggestions, as well as collaborations (when feasible) are encouraged. Students are expected to support their theories with articles, books, scripts, and other material. (Balducci)
Hums 325, 326, 425, 426 Creative Writing Tutorials. Tutorials provide an opportunity for students who want to write, no matter how sophisticated their work, to have their efforts recognized with constructive criticism and academic credit. Reading may or may not be assigned, depending upon the background needs of the individual student. Tutorial students meet privately with the instructor each week. Permission of instructor is required. (Hecht, Mikolowski, Balducci, Carrigan)
280/English 245/Theatre 211. Introduction to Drama and Theatre. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in RC Hums. 281. (4). (HU).
See Theatre and Drama 211. (Cardullo)
481. Play Production Seminar. (4). (Excl).
Section 001 – Brecht. This course is built around the research
and rehearsal towards production of a major play. Students will
learn the dramaturgical background of the playwright and the world
of the play. They will have the opportunity to have an extended
rehearsal process over the course of the term resulting in a fully
realized workshop production in the RC Auditorium. The emphasis
will be on building an ensemble process in rehearsal and developing the students skills as actors and students of drama. There will
be opportunities for students to work on the process as directors
and designers as well as actors. Plays under consideration are the parable plays of Bertolt Brecht: The Good Woman of Setzuan
and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Admission to the course
is by interview or audition. Signups will be posted in mid-November
on the door of 114 Tyler in East Quadrangle. (Walsh/Mendeloff)
485. Special Drama Topics. Sophomore standing.
(1-2). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. May be repeated
for a total of 4 credits.
Section 001 – Carnival in Caribbean Drama. (1 credit). Survey
of Caribbean Carnival performance traditions – masquerade (Mas'), steel band (Pan), Calypso and stick-fighting – chiefly from Trinidad, and their reflection in a selection of contemporary Caribbean
plays. Particular attention will be paid to the plays of Derek
Walcott. (Walsh)
Section 002 – Workshop In Women's Drama. (1 credit). This is a one-credit workshop course offered in conjunction with Theatre 330.001. It is open to those student enrolled in Theater 330 who want an opportunity to put into practice the skills they are learning in that course. Permission of instructor is required. (Mendeloff)
250. Chamber Music. (1). (Excl). Offered
mandatory credit/no credit.
Section 001 – Instrumental: Small Chamber Orchestra and Small
Ensembles. (1 credit).
Section 002 – Instrumental: Small Chamber Orchestra and Small
Ensembles. (1 credit). (Permission of instructor only.)
No audition is required. All students who are interested in participating
in instrumental ensembles can enroll for one or two hours of credit.
Ensembles have included: mixed ensembles of strings and winds;
brass quintet and intermediate recorder; string quartet; woodwind
quintet, and some other duos and trios, including piano and harpsichord.
Requirements for one credit consist of participation in two ensembles;
for two credits one must participate in the large ensemble and two smaller ones. Responsibilities include three to four hours
of rehearsal time per week and participation in one or more concerts
per term, if appropriate. No audition required. Course may be
used to fulfill the Residential College's Arts Practicum Requirement.
(Barna)
252. Topics in Music. (4). (HU).
Section 001 – Musical Experimentation in Twentieth Century America.
This course is designed to introduce ideas and concepts associated
with a specifically American artistic aesthetic which fostered
a unique environment for avant-garde experimentation and innovation
in various currents of popular, jazz, and art music. Among composers
to be considered are John Cage, Harry Partch, Steve Reich, Robert
Ashley, Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Carla Bley, Frank Zappa, Philip Glass, Charles Mingus, George Russell, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, and many others. Topics to be covered will include
instrumental innovations, indeterminacy and chance, systems of
notation, minimalism, performance art and mixed media, experimental
jazz, and other contemporary issues. (Beal)
253. Choral Ensemble. (1). (Excl). Offered
mandatory credit/no credit.
Section 001 – Women's Choral Ensemble. Group rehearses twice
weekly and prepares a thematic concert of music from the vast
Women's Chorus Repertoire. Vocal skills, sight singing, and basic
musicianship are stressed. No prerequisites, but a commitment
to the group and a dedication to musical growth within the term
are required. No audition necessary. (Kiesling)
Section 002 – Mixed Choral Ensemble. Four-part works
from a variety of musical styles are rehearsed and prepared for
performance in concert. Meets twice weekly. Vocal skills, sight
singing, musicianship, and ensemble singing are stressed. No prerequisites, but a commitment to the group and musical growth within the term
are required. No audition necessary. (Kiesling)
222. Quantitatively Speaking. (4). (Excl). (QR/1).
What is "quantitative reasoning" and how does such reasoning differ in form and content from other types of reasoning? This course is neither a traditional math course nor the usual statistics course, but deals with both areas. This course, intended for first- and second-year students, will include a rigorous and critical introduction to various modes of quantitative reasoning, all the while maintaining an accessibility for students in all fields. The majority of topics, however, will be drawn from the Social Sciences. There are no formal prerequisites for this course, but students should have completed at least three years of high school mathematics. We will begin with a discussion of what is typically meant by "quantitative reasoning," and then focus on how such reasoning is implemented (sometimes appropriately, sometimes not). One of the main goals of the course is to learn "basic survival skills" for today's number-intensive world: how to critique conclusions drawn from a survey, a graph, a table of numbers, etc. We will learn about the nature and meaning of opinion polls, and explore the vast literature on gender and ethnic differences. We will read Gould's The Mismeasure of Man, and Herrnstein and Murray's recently debated book, The Bell Curve. Requirements will include regular, extensive reading assignments from texts and course pack. In addition, students will be expected to: (1) participate fully in class discussions; (2) maintain an annotated journal of articles, graphs, etc., collected from newspapers, magazines, and other sources that present responsible and irresponsible uses of quantitative information; (3) write occasional, brief papers; and (4) complete two research projects. As a class, we will conduct and analyze a survey. Each student will be required to produce a formal write-up of the entire procedure. For an individual project, each student will select a topic of interest to him/her for further study. (Burkam)
240. Big Questions for a Small Planet. (4). (Excl).
This course is an introduction to environmental studies. We begin with a survey of the environmental state of the world in 1997, including the health of physical systems such as climate and water, of the biodiversity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and of humans and their habitations. We will then review the physical and biological processes that make earth a life-support system for human activities. We will examine the origins of essential resources and review the policy and economics of resource use. We will survey how people live in terms of resource consumption, how patterns of resource consumption have changed over time, and how they vary among contemporary cultures. Linking all of these themes will be the outlook for a sustainable future and its relationship to the size of the human population and the quality of life, the continuation of other species, and the integrity of physical systems. In addition, we will evaluate how the values, priorities, and behaviors of people in different cultures influence sustainability. There will be 6-8 guest speakers in lecture. This course is intended both for students who will choose to pursue environmental studies as a concentration and for those who are interested in the general subject but will pursue a different concentration. In lectures, students will become familiar with the factual content of current environmental dilemmas at the global and local scales, the interdisciplinary nature of all these dilemmas, and the mixture of information, analysis, and values needed to solve these problems. In discussion sections, students will gain experience in presenting and refining their viewpoints, in solving problems through individual and group activities, and in writing several kinds of papers. The significance of the course is to demonstrate that we are all contributing to environmental problems and to illuminate how each of us can contribute to solutions. (Badgley)
310/WS 312. Gender and Science. An introductory course in natural science, engineering, social sciences or women's studies. (4). (N.Excl).
This course introduces students to the complex relationship between gender and science, and emphasizes both pragmatic and theoretical approaches. Students will approach the study of the institution of science by examining the history of women's participation in the sciences and the social and cultural factors that have contributed to their underrepresentation. The course is intended for students who are interested in the enterprise and processes of science, in women's experiences in science-related fields, and in the difficulties and contributions of the "outsider" experience. We will study the lives of individual scientists, the history and patterns of women's education and participation in the sciences, and the influence of societal values on the direction and outcomes of scientific research. Students will gain an understanding of the ways in which the institution of science affects the condition of women both within science and within the larger culture. The course is open to all students, and will be of particular interest to those who are planning to work in science-related fields. Readings will include selections from P.G. Abir-am and D. Outram's Uneasy Careers and Intimate Lives: Women in Science, A. Fausto-Sterling's Myths of Gender, E.F. Keller's Gender and Science, M.W. Rossiter's Women Scientists in America, S. Harding's Whose Science, Whose Knowledge?, L. Schiebinger's The Mind Has No Sex?, and others. Evaluations will be based on several short papers, a midterm essay exam, a research paper/project, and class participation. (Sloat)
350. Special Topics. (1). (Excl). Offered
mandatory credit/no credit. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.
Section 001 – The Mind and the Brain. Are they (a) the same, (b) different, (c) both a and b. Can the mind – every subtle emotion, every complex thought – be fully explained by biology (the brain)?
Or is mind simply a byproduct of the brain's activity with its
source, ultimately, a mystery? This mini-course will review selected
clinical and experimental evidence from the history of neuropsychology
and behavioral neurology that points to locations in the brain
for specific kinds of mental activity (e.g., expressive
language, spatial reasoning, attraction, aggression, and others).
It will also review exciting recent evidence on the complex functioning
of networks of brain areas, of individual brain cells, and of
subcellular components that appears to directly support complex
processes such as the formation of specific memories, attention, mood, etc. By focusing on visible points of connection
between mind and brain, we hope to show both the remarkable progress
which has been made by neuroscience in the understanding of brain-mind
connections as well as the chasm which still and may always exist
between the subjective experience of a thought and our understanding
of the grain state coincident with it. This course is designed
to be accessible to students with little science background while
providing more advanced students with readings from professional
journals that expand upon and deepen the material covered in class.
Readings for the course will include selections from the following
sources: Sigmund Freud, Project for a Scientific Psychology;
Oliver Sacks, The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat; Science, Journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science;
Scientific American magazine; Robert H. Wilkins, Neurosurgical
Classics. (Evans)
Section 002 – Preparing for the New Millennium. The
Class of 2000, as the first class of the next millennium, will
graduate into a world characterized by an extraordinary degree
and pace of change. This minicourse will examine the various forces
changing our society and its institutions, e.g., social diversity, internationalization, the digital age, global change, the limits
on resources. It will then consider the implications for planning
and preparing for life in this brave, new world, with a particular
focus on the nature of a college education. Readings will be broad-based
and may include such titles as Neuromancer and The
Diamond Age. (Duderstadt)
270. New Biotechnology: Scientific, Social and Historical Perspectives. High school biology or permission of instructor. (4). (N.Excl). (BS).
This course examines the development of genetic engineering and other biogenetic technologies that provide powerful methods for intervening in the genetic constitution of living things. It asks some of the questions that the scientific community asked itself when these techniques were invented in several California laboratories in the early 1970's: what principles should guide assessment of a new form of technology in the face of varying technical opinion about its implications? Should scientific research be controlled? What should be the roles of technical experts and the wider public in policy making? Where should decisions be made? And who should decide such matters? How these issues have been addressed are central themes of the course. The principal goal of the course is to develop a broad historical perspective on the emergence and development of a new field of scientific achievement, the contexts in which the field is evolving, the terms of development, and the social and ethical issues associated with the development and application. This term the course will address three principal issues that have produced extensive debate both locally and globally: the patenting of life forms; the release of genetically engineered plants and microbes into the environment; military application of biotechnology. Readings: David Suzuki, Genethics (Harvard University Press, 1989). (Wright)
415/Environ. Studies 415. Science and Politics. One college-level science course. (4). (Excl). (BS).
The power of modern science to intervene in natural processes
and to redirect them for human purposes has generated major social
and ethical problems and continues to do so. This course examines the social response to the types of problems that have emerged
since World War II and explores in particular the questions of the roles and responsibilities of scientists, the producers of the knowledge and techniques that form the basis of this new social
power. A complicating factor is that the nature of scientific
inquiry itself is currently being debated, with positions ranging
from claims that science merely discovers the natural world (traditional
empiricism) to claims that science also shapes and constructs the object of its inquiry (social constructivism). The course
will begin by examining these positions and their implications
for the roles and responsibilities of scientists. The military
sponsorship of physics after World War II will be used as a case
study that exemplifies these social and philosophical issues in
a particularly acute manner. The second part of the course will
examine the recent history of policies for the promotion and control
of science in the United States. In particular, we will examine the organization and funding of American science, support for
research and development by the military, and regulatory policy
in the 1980s and 1990s. The final part of the course will examine
social and ethical issues associated with the development of science
and technology, especially issues associated with environmental
impacts. (Wright)
Note to Senior concentrators in the Social Science Program: Under the requirements for the Social Science concentration, all seniors
must write a graduating essay for which they will receive two
credits. They MUST, therefore, register for two credits under
RC Core 410 Senior Project during Winter Term. Students will then
receive regular guidance and feedback from the faculty. To register, you will need an override from Charlie Bright and a letter of
permission from the RC Counseling Office.
241. Democratization in Brazil, Russia, and South Africa: Three Case Studies. (4). (SS).
The most dramatic – and least expected – events of the last decade have been the collapse of authoritarian regimes in the Soviet Union, South Africa, and Latin America and the opening of electoral democracy to people who had never been allowed to choose their representatives or whose political rights had been cut off. This course offers a comparative examination of the democratization or redemocratization processes of the 1980s and 1990s in their historical, political, and economic context. The focus is on three case studies – Brazil, South Africa, and Russia – and in each case, we will study the historical trajectories that gave rise to authoritarian regimes, the bases on which such regimes maintained power, the crises which shattered their control, the ways in which democratic forces mobilized themselves, and the possibilities and constraints within emerging regimes in which formal democracy coexists with unequal access to political and economic resources. The course will include examination of theories about political structure and its relation to global examination processes and will introduce the perspectives of different social science disciplines. Writing assignments will give students a chance to study cases in more depth and to compare political processes in different parts of the world. The goal of this course is to take a problem that is very much in the news and bring students to an appreciation of the importance of a deeper examination of political issues, informed by the perspectives of different social science disciplines and a range of theoretical approaches. The course will offer students the opportunity to explore issues of paramount importance in today's world, to appreciate the regional and local contexts in which political change takes place, and to begin to appreciate the complexity of global processes. (Caulfield/Cooper)
290. Social Science Basic Seminar. (4). (Excl).
This seminar is designed for students at the sophomore level or above who are seriously considering a Social Science major in the Residential College. The seminar is a requirement in the Social Science Program; its purpose is to prepare students to pursue a concentration program in Social Science in the RC. Seminar sessions will introduce students to the RC Social Science faculty and upper-level Social Science majors, and discussion will center on how to turn general interests into problems that can be investigated systematically. Early on, students will begin working on their own with guidance from faculty and upper-level students whose interests complement theirs in order to complete the principal goal of the seminar: designing a coherent, indivualized program of study for the Social Science major. (Green)
295. Quantitative Approaches to Social Science Questions. High school algebra. (4). (Excl).
Students in this course learn to formulate questions from a social science perspective, and then to seek answers to those questions using a variety of quantitative methods. This is very much a hands-on course: students don't just learn statistical formulas, they use them with real-world data to explore the relationships among many relevant and interesting concepts. Each student, working closely with the instructor, designs and completes an empirical research project exploring a topic of their own selection. Learning the language of statistics and empirical social science, and becoming adept at the logic of quantitative reasoning are major objectives of this course. This course has two simultaneous components. On the one hand, students become competent in the use of several basic statistical methods through traditional means: lectures, textbook, computer manual, homework problems, and extensive in-class exercises. At the same time, as their skills and understanding develop, they select a general topic area, formulate a question, translate it into a data collection instrument (survey or use of previously published data) and prepare these data for computer analysis. The final two weeks of the course take on a workshop format, with students analyzing their data and preparing it for presentation as an academic poster. Students often find that this opportunity to use statistical techniques in their own work draws together all the material in the course, giving them a new level of understanding and mastery. The major emphasis on the practice of social science research is the feature which distinguishes this course from other statistics courses on campus. Students have weekly homework assignments requiring the use of a calculator and the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The instructor provides extensive feedback and individualized teaching with the homework problems. Students' evaluations are based on participation in the classroom exercises, homework, a mastery-exam, and their final project. Students whose homework is up-to-date have the option to re-take the exam to demonstrate adequate mastery of the course material. (Bogue)
306. Environmental History
and Third World Development. (3). (SS).
Section 001 – Environmental History and the Natural World.
Domestication of major ecosystems of the tropics and subtropics
since 1500. Exploitation of natural resources and indigenous cultures
by colonial regimes and local elites, linked with the global economy.
Environmental change under post-independence governments, corporate
capitalism, and the subsistence demands of rising populations.
The environmental demands of affluent consumer cultures. The rise
of modern systems of tropical resource conservation and wildlife
protection. We will survey major patterns of ecological change
in the modern world, and the forces which have caused them. We
will focus primarily on the tropical world, and the long-term
impact of colonialism and the global economy on tropical natural
resources. We will consider how the accelerating domestication
of a formerly wild planet has depleted genetic resources and cultural
diversity in the name of science and progress. We will study the
environmental impacts of consumer cultures and accelerating population, as two aspects of north/south relations. In the process we will
discover various systems of resource management which have been
relatively sustainable. An hour's discussion each week will give
us the chance to examine the issues and materials critically, and relate them to our broader concerns as world citizens at the
turn of the millennium. Cost:2 WL:4 (Tucker)
360. Social Science Junior Seminar. Upperclass
standing. (4). (Excl). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – Society and the Environment. Together we will
investigate the interplay between society, human behavior, and the biophysical environment. We attempt to accomplish two related
objectives: (1) a better understanding of how society functions
and of how humans behave by looking at our interactions with nature, natural resources, and the larger biophysical environment; and (2) a better understanding of our present environmental situation
and futures by investigating the forces that shape our society.
This is an introductory, overview course in environmental sociology
designed primarily for upper-level undergraduates. No formal course
work in sociology or other social sciences or environmental sciences
is required, but students may find helpful a background in these
areas. Topics discussed include sociological theory and the environment;
environmental values, beliefs, and behavior; the environmental
movement and protests; environmental discrimination and justice, the role of organization in both creating and managing environmental
problems; economics, public policy and the environment; the limits
to growth debate; and possible society-environment futures. Weekly
discussion of assigned material will be an integral part of the
course. Discussion of current events will be encouraged. (Brechin)
Section 002 – Grassroots Development in a Global Context. What does "development" really mean in the Third World? Do people need Western education? Business know-how? Provision of basic services? Gender equality? A national consciousness? Something to believe in? Liberation? To just be left alone? In this course we will look at how different definitions of "the problem" drive different solutions proposed by governments, aid agencies, religious groups and grassroots organizations. Besides posing some heavy questions, this course will give you an idea of what it's really like to work in the field of international "development," either at home or abroad. Be prepared for lively discussion, a deep, personal examination of your own beliefs and values, lots of writing – and lots of help with your writing. Some previous courses in economics, political science, third world area studies and/or lived experience will be very helpful, though not required. The instructor is a writer for Peace Corps and has been involved in international development in Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific and in training programs for foreign nationals in the U.S. (Fox)
Section 003 – Poverty and the Organization of Health Care. This will be a working seminar, helping gather information and providing assistance, as requested, to help a low-income neighborhood coalition in Detroit find ways to get health services to neighborhood residents who now lack health insurance. To provide needed background for this research project, the seminar will examine the American health care system, its relation to the larger economy, and the nature of the problems that have to be solved if the working poor and the unemployed are to get the health services they need. Our work will be part of a larger effort to create a demonstration model for breaking through the present impasse in health policy, so that the poor get services they need. (M. Heirich)
Section 004 – Contemporary Social and Cultural Theory. In this course, we shall examine major developments in social and cultural theory from the 1920s to the present. We shall give primary emphasis to current debates concerning post-structuralism, cultural Marxism, feminism and post-modernism, but we shall also contextualize these debates by looking at earlier developments such as existentialism, structural-functionalism, and structuralism. The class will combine a certain amount of lecturing with discussion, both of which will be organized around the careful reading of required texts. Students will be asked to keep reading notes and to write a final paper. (The course forms part of a two-term sequence that began in Fall Term with a class taught by Prof. Burbank on social and cultural theory in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is perfectly acceptable for students to take the present course without having taken the other.) (Rouse)
460. Social Science Senior Seminar. Senior
standing. (4). (Excl). May be repeated for credit.
Section 001 – Why Did the Soviet Union Collapse? The goal
of this course is to develop historical explanations for the "collapse"
of the USSR in 1991. We will examine a number of types of analyses
and sources: biographies, memoirs, newspapers, films, TV programs.
Students will develop hypotheses, research strategies, source
bases, and narratives, both collectively and individually. A knowledge
of Russian is preferred, but not required. (Burbank)
Section 002 – American Imperialism Across the Pacific: The Michigan Connection. From the mid-nineteenth century the United States began to expand its western borders across the Pacific eventually acquiring by 1900 Midway, American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Wake, and the Philippines and, after World War II, Micronesia. With the acquisition of these overseas possessions "American imperialism" became the subject of intense debate. This debate has not abated. For example, U.S. intervention in Vietnam rekindled analogies to U.S. involvement in the Philippines and expanded the debate on American imperialism. This seminar will study the expansion of the United States across the Pacific. In particular, the U.S. acquisition of the Philippines and attempts at "benevolent assimilation" of the Filipinos in the face of Filipino resistance will be examined. This seminar offers students the opportunity to do original research on the history of U.S. colonial rule over the Philippines through the utilization of the Philippines collection found at the Bentley Historical Library. Students will research and write a 20-30 page paper examining the Michigan connection to the Philippines from 1898 to 1946 and beyond. Students may also develop research on related aspects of the Michigan connection to American imperialism across the Pacific. Additional primary sources may be found at the Clements Library and the Ford Library. (Nomura)
Section 003 – The History of Detroit. This is a four-credit research seminar in which students will read about the history of Detroit as well as write it. Students in this course will obtain a comprehensive understanding of major events, personalities, and working class organizations in the Motor City during the post-war period through books, periodicals, films and field trips. Students will also learn about historical research as a method, will evaluate the methodological and analytical strengths and weaknesses of assigned material, and will write a final primary research paper on an organization of event in Detroit that they have chosen. This course is being offered as one of several seminars meeting the research requirement of the RC Social Science Program. It is intended primarily for juniors and seniors in the Social Science Program, but it is open to all students – inside and outside the RC – who are interested in participating in the research and writing project. (H. Thompson)
Section 004 – The History of the Residential College. In this course we will undertake collectively to write, for the first time, a history of the Residential College. We will research the whole story, beginning with the germination of the idea for an experimental residential college among several University of Michigan faculty in the 1960s and continuing up to the present, and we will write up our findings in the form of a narrative account that will be made available to RC students, alums and friends in time for the RC's thirtieth anniversary reunion in October 1997. To compile the necessary information we will use as sources (1) documents and records produced by the RC over the years, (2) books, magazine articles and newspaper stories relating to the RC, (3) interviews with people who have played a major role in the RC as faculty or staff members, and (4) correspondence and interviews with RC alums and friends. Each participant in the class will focus on a different part of the story, taking responsibility for gathering needed information (using all the kinds of sources available) and for drafting the corresponding section of the narrative. All members of the group will assist one another in the research and will provide feedback and suggestions for improving the quality of the written work. This course is being offered as one of several seminars meeting the research requirement of the RC Social Science Program. It is intended primarily for juniors and seniors in the Social Science Program, but it is open to all students – inside and outside the RC – who are interested in participating in the research and writing project. (Weisskopf)
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