Course Descriptions Spring 2010

• Core Courses
• Honors 264 Core 4
• Junior Year Honors
• Area Distribution Requirements

Core Courses

Honors 162: Myth, Faith, and Belief (Lucas)

This course includes an overview of Western Civilization from the Ancient World to the present. The text and some lecture will provide the narrative basis for the course but the main focus will be on the use of documents and class discussion. The emphasis will be on the theme of Myth, Faith and Belief. It will include such topics as: the religious and philosophical legacy of the Ancient World; beliefs about the image and nature of women; and, modern “belief systems” including such ideas as those of Freud, Marx and Hitler.

Honors 162: Western History, Literature, Art, and Music (Dufour)

In addition to providing an overview of critical themes and events in Western History, this section will emphasize the cultural history of Western Europe. Many of our readings and class discussions will focus on the literary, artistic, and particularly the musical expressions of western culture both on their own terms, and as a way of understanding how we can learn about history from non-traditional, creative sources.

Honors 162: Science and Technology (Hughes)

From the construction of the great pyramids of Egypt to the recent unraveling of the mysteries of the human genetic code, science and technology has been intricately intertwined with other major areas of the human experience, including religion, culture and politics. Using the lens of science, technology and medicine, participants in this discussion-based course will investigate the major themes in Western History. Questions to be addressed could include: How does technology impact the expansion and decline of western societies? Did the West's science, technology and medicine determine the patterns of western contact with other peoples and the rise of imperialism? Can science and religion co-exist, and have they done so in the past? Has science and technology been more significant as a catalyst for war and destruction, or for positive human growth? Our vigorous discussions will be based upon careful analysis of historical readings, films and fiction selected to illuminate the themes of science and technology.

Honors 162: Politics and Government (Espinosa)

Western Civilization will be examined through the lens of the “great men and some women” who wrote political and/or social commentary documents that highlight various eras in history.  This will include authors such as Plato, Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Mill, Marx, Freud and Sartre, whose famous works will be read in their entirety or in part.  These readings will be done in conjunction with a text book that takes primarily an intellectual history approach to covering Western Civilization.

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Honors 264 Core 4

Honors 264: The State of the World's Children (Smith)

This course will survey the impact of cultural identify and heritage upon the health and well-being of children around the world. The impact of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and the United Nations World Summit for children in 1990 will serve as the basis for examining the history of child exploitation and the necessary global effort to halt that exploitation. Specific attention will center on legislative landmarks dealing with the rights of the child and the associated universal responsibility to respect and protect those rights. This course will survey global issues of child labor, children in war, uprooted children, child abuse, children and media among other topics. Conversely, positive issues will center on basic educational needs, educating children for peace, and specific concerns related to health, safety and nutrition of children and adolescents.

Honors 264: Politics and Popular Culture: Global Perspectives (Brophy-Baerman)

Whether or not you are interested in politics, politics is not something you can avoid. Sure, you can turn off the news; you can ignore political campaigns and talk shows, too. But, if you listen to music, watch TV, play video games, enjoy movies, surf the Net, or read for fun… you are not actually escaping politics, even if you think you are! Indeed, politics-which is all about how societies determine who gets what (how beliefs and resources will be "distributed")-is everywhere, everyday, and usually, not particularly obvious. How is popular culture connected to politics? That which entertains us also helps to shape and reinforce our political culture, the collective set of beliefs, values and attitudes citizens share about how their government should operate. Different nations have different political cultures and examining popular culture in both Western and non-Western societies can aid in our understanding of political outcomes in various governmental systems.

Honors 264: Women's Stories Across Cultures (Schapiro)

This course will study contemporary narratives by women, in both literature and film, from various Western and non-Western cultures. The thematic emphasis will be on woman as negotiator—as subject and actor—rather than merely victim or object of patriarchal oppression. We will look at the myriad ways women across cultures negotiate various conflicting claims, such as the pull towards family, tradition, and security vs. the desire for independence, freedom, and autonomy. The narrative form itself will be looked at as a means of constructing an identity, of discovering the story of one's self. Focusing on women's struggles for identity and agency within a global context, the course will compare women's diverse strategies of finding and telling their stories.

Requirements will include frequent informal response writing, two critical papers, and a take-home final exam.

Junior Year Honors:

Honors 351-01: Research Colloquium (Hughes)

One of the most rewarding aspects of collegiate study is the opportunity to conduct advanced research in your field. In preparation for conducting research and writing a senior honors thesis in their respective departments, students from a variety of disciplines explore strategies for the research and writing of advanced scholarly work. In the class, participants join together on a collaborative interdisciplinary research project of their own design. Students work sequentially on identifying a topic and key research question(s), finding relevant literature and preparing a scholarly review, locating key sources and/or materials, selecting appropriate methods/approaches, and participating in the final presentation of their findings at a class conference.

Area Distribution Requirements:

Mathematics 139H: Contemporary Topics (Sparks)

This course introduces assorted topics in contemporary real world mathematics, with the idea of improving mathematical literacy and appreciation along with teaching certain specific areas of mathematical knowledge. Topics to be covered include election theory, distribution of power in the house of representatives, the traveling salesman problem, networks, and some home finance (which includes a way to show how we should all quite easily be able to retire as millionaires).

SOC 207H: Crime and Criminal Justice (Harrison)

This is an introduction to crime, delinquency, and the criminal justice system with a focus on theory and data analysis. The nature, extent, causes of crime, and forms of criminal expression are examined.