FALL 2009 SEMINARS

Seminars are small classes — limited to 15 students — that fulfill general education requirements. Many of the seminars involve activities in New York City. Seminars are an excellent way to connect with peers and faculty in a relaxed and friendly setting.

ANTHROPOLOGY

1. ANTH 14F, sec. 01: Why Chimps Don't Drive Ferraris (BH) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 2:15-4:10 p.m., Anna Feuerbach

Society is defined by the relationship between people and products, whether Wiis or stone tools. The aim of this course is to understand how our things influence our view of the world. Students take a broad anthropological approach, together with history, art, science, business and marketing, to provide a holistic understanding of commodities, from their conception, through production, to their distribution, use, and eventual disposal. Students learn how to think independently, solve problems creatively, argue for and support their points of view, and develop an understanding of how a single decision has a multitude of consequences.

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ART HISTORY

2. AH 14F, sec. 01: Great Artists in Great NYC Museums (AA) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 2:20-3:45 p.m., Claire Lindgren

New York City museums house some of the finest collections of art in the world. Here, the works of great artists are accessible to the visitor. For example, Picasso's and Monet's greatest works are on view at The Museum of Modern Art, and Rembrandt's, Goya's, and El Greco's masterpieces are part of the extensive collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Guggenheim Museum is itself an example of an abstract architectural composition functioning as an exhibition gallery. This course will study specific artists such as Picasso and Goya and then make appropriate field trips to see their works "in the flesh," so to speak. If a "blockbuster" show is mounted by a museum, we will try to study and attend that exhibition as well. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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ASTRONOMY

3. ASTR 14F, sec. 01 and sec. 01L: Our Solar System: From the Ancient Greeks to Interstellar Life (NS) (3 s.h.) Lecture, T, 2:20-4:10 p.m., Lab, TH, 2:20-4:10 p.m., Brett Bochner

In this survey of our solar system, we discuss the evolution of ideas about the nature of our world, and the structure of our cosmos . from visions of an Earth-centered universe, to the modern view of Earth as a small, blue dot in the vast Milky Way galaxy. This seminar covers the sun, the planets, their moons, and the small wandering asteroids and plutoids orbiting in the empty places of the solar system. We also learn about planets orbiting other stars in other solar systems, and consider the possibility of extraterrestrial life in all these places, far beyond the boundaries of our home on Earth.

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COMPUTER SCIENCE

4. CSC 14F, sec. 01: Real-World Applications of Wireless Sensor Networks: Challenges and Opportunities (MC) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 8:25-9:40 a.m., Habib Ammari

Wireless sensor networks have received significant attention because of their important roles in many conveniences in our lives. They have become cost effective and viable solutions to a wide range of applications, such as tracking patients and doctors in a hospital, forest-fire detection, intruder detection in office buildings, and tracking of military troops and vehicles. This course targets students interested in background material on this emerging networking technology. It focuses on the description of the main component of wireless sensor networks, namely sensors, and their inherent characteristics. In addition, it shows how sensors can be linked together in a wireless sensor network for various real-life applications. This course has both lecture and lab sessions.

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DRAMA

5. DRAM 14F, sec. A: Broadway (and More)! (AA) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 4-5:55 p.m., Maureen McFeely and WSC 01, sec. FZ: Composition (3 s.h.) M/W/F, 12:50-1:45 p.m., Patricia Navarra

Tourists sometimes think that theater in New York City means Broadway and nothing else. But New York City also boasts hundreds of exciting off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions each season. This seminar ventures beyond the classroom to explore the rich variety of these stage offerings. By seeking good theater in all its guises — on Broadway and off, commercial and not-for-profit — we will come to understand what makes New York the theater capital of the world. NOTE: Students in this course should try to clear their calendars on Thursday afternoons (after this class).

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DRAMA BLOCK COURSE

Understanding the Craft of Theater: Skill, Inspiration and Spontaneity (AA) (4 s.h.) M/T/W/TH, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Peter Sander

A seminar on the paradox of the creative process.

Using the multifaceted disciplines of theater (acting, playwriting, directing and designing), the course will explore the relationship between skill (control and understanding) and inspiration (free and expressive intuition). We'll read works by Emerson, Herrigel, Pirandello, and Stanislavsky, among others. We'll also analyze contrasts between stage and film versions of the same play and attend theater productions at Hofstra and in New York City. Practical application and theater attendance will be expected. No previous experience in drama activity is required. This course is one of a set of four block courses that complete your fall schedule of 16 credits.

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ECONOMICS

6. ECO 14F, sec. 01: Urban/Suburban: The Political Economy of Urbanization (BH) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 9:50-11:05 a.m., Massoud Fazeli

Why do most Americans live in cities? Why have our cities and their suburbs developed as they have? How are American cities different from European ones? Why have some less-developed countries experienced "over-urbanization?" What accounts for the growth of "sunbelt" cities in the western and southern United States? Why did many great American cities experience decay in the aftermath of World War II, and what has caused the recent revitalization and gentrification of some of those cities? Why did a suburban center such as Long Island grow, and what are the consequences of this impressive growth to the population density and economic activities? This course offers a historical and socioeconomic approach to the emergence of urban and suburban communities with an emphasis on New York City and Long Island.

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7. ECO 14F, sec. 02: Reading Karl Marx in the Capitalist Meltdown (BH) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 12:50-1:45 p.m., Conrad Herold

The works of Karl Marx remain a foundational source in the social sciences and humanities. Marx builds upon the classical British political economists (Adam Smith, David Ricardo) and develops an analysis of capitalism that seeks to understand the forces leading to its transcendence. We will study Marx's work from the perspective of the present, focusing on his most important three-volume work, Capital. In particular, we'll work through Volume I, where Marx develops an analysis of how capital exploits workers, and then focus on the sections of Volume III, where Marx analyzes the role of finance and financial crisis. We'll develop a thorough Marxian understanding of the current financial and economic crisis. The course will include a class trip to the seventh international Rethinking Marxism conference, titled New Marxian Times, at University of Massachusetts Amherst. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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8. ECO 14F, sec. 03: The Economy: Growth and Crisis (BH) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:35-11 a.m., Thomas DelGiudice

The course explores the evolution of basic economic institutions and how they affect the middle class, i.e., its growth and squeeze. The changing market structures, the rise of the corporation, capital/labor relations, financial and monetary institutions, and government regulatory and economic policies will be explored in a historical perspective. Emphasis will be on creating context for the most recent cycle of prosperity and crisis. Students will learn some basic economics, but the focus will be primarily on historical readings, essays and papers.

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9. ECO 14F, sec. 04: Freakonomics (BH) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 12:10-2:05 p.m., Bhaswati Sengupta

If crack dealers make a lot of money, why do many of them live with their mothers? Is there cheating in the Sumo Wrestling Federation in Japan? What is the economic rationale for joining an urban, rural or suburban gang? This course is structured in the spirit of the book Freakonomics. Students will develop a short list of core micro-economic concepts and present them in multiple real-world contexts. By the semester's end, students learn that economics is not limited to textbooks; rather, the material imprisoned between the covers jumps out almost everywhere.

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ENGLISH

10. ENGL 14F, sec. 01: Gender Trouble in Shakespeare's England (LT) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Craig Rustici

Men dressed as women, women dressed as men, Amazon queens, formerly virile warriors made effeminate by desire, a woman ruling over sea captains and generals — Shakespeare confronted or imagined all these challenges to the neat opposition between masculine and feminine genders. We investigate plays and poems (e.g., Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra) in which Shakespeare explores conventional gender boundaries. For example, we consider how Queen Elizabeth's roles as "supreme governor" of church and state compelled English writers to rethink their ideas about women's abilities and how the transvestite pickpocket Mary Frith became a London celebrity. Gender bending occurred long before such modern creations as Shakespeare in Love and The Crying Game. Course includes trips to Shakespeare productions in New York City. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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11. ENGL 14F, sec. 02: The Powers of Darkness: British Literature and the Modern Gothic Film (LT) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:10 a.m.-12:35 p.m., Irene Fizer

Why do we enjoy reading literature and seeing films that provoke sensations of fear and dread? Do confrontations between living beings and the living dead — such as ghosts, speaking skulls, and corpses arisen from the grave — purify the world of evil or leave an irreparable experience of trauma? And why does doomed romantic love emerge within an atmosphere of overwhelming loss? In this course, we will juxtapose a series of texts published during the first 50 years of the gothic tradition with a selection of modern films. Our texts may include, among others: The Castle of Otranto; Matthew Lewis' notorious novel The Monk; Jane Austen's bitingly satiric gothic thriller Northanger Abbey; and Mary Shelley's unparalleled monster taleFrankenstein. The modern gothic films that we will screen and analyze may include, among others: Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, Wes Craven's Red Eye, and D. J. Caruso's Disturbia. In addition, as part of our analysis of the haunted house, we will subject ourselves to the scream-inducing thrills of Blood Manor, during a Halloween night in New York City.

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12. ENGL 14F, sec. 03: Classic Fairy Tales in English and American Literature (LT) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 11:10 a.m.-12:35 p.m., Scott Harshbarger

In the classic fairy tales of Perrault, Andersen, Wilde, and the Brothers Grimm, we encounter not only murderous stepmothers, abandoned children, and avenging woodsmen, but also love-struck beasts, wily girls in red hoods and triumphant mermaids. This course investigates the many social, historical, and psychological meanings of classic fairy tales and their modern adaptations. We examine the role fairy tales play in child development and in shaping, or challenging, cultural values. We also consider the various literary qualities that help to account for the remarkable staying power of these strangely enchanting stories. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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13. ENGL 14F, sec. 04: Black Science Fiction in Literature and Film (LT) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 2:20-3:45 p.m., Jennifer Henton

Science fiction began as comic strips for young boys in between the world wars, but it has since gained enormous popularity and literary status in the 21st century. A growing contribution of work from African Americans has surfaced alongside this trend. In this class, students will investigate the way science fiction's imagined worlds enable authors of African descended peoples to challenge racial and cultural norms. Students will work primarily with literary texts from African American authors, but we will also study other forms of science fiction, such as television shows and films.

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14. ENGL 14F, sec. A: Global Culture/Global Citizens (LT) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 4:30-6:25 p.m., Amrohini Sahay

"Globalization" is said to be radically changing the world, in part by producing a new "global culture" that goes beyond the old "national cultures" of the modern period, and a new "global identity." In this seminar we will try to bring the debate over globalism into focus. We will read short stories and look at new visual and other cultural forms and practices from films to food/eating (for example, "fusion" food). We will ask questions such as: do we now live in a world in which shared "lifestyles," "tastes," and consumption patterns (for example, wearing blue jeans and eating McDonald's burgers) have become dominant in defining people's identities? How important are "ethnicity" and "national culture" today? Or, by contrast, are people's identities shaped primarily not by culture (whether old or new), but by where they fit in the economic relations of society (class)? Is globalization inevitable? Beneficial? And who is the "global citizen"?

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ENGLISH LITERATURE BLOCK COURSE

American Modernism (LT) (4 s.h.) M/T/W/TH, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Dana Brand

In this course, we'll examine American Modernism: a literary and artistic movement that tried, between 1920 and 1960, to develop new ways of writing, looking, and living appropriate to the new realities of the American 20th century. We'll read works by authors such as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, Faulkner, Ellison, Nabokov, Ginsberg, and Kerouac, and we'll consider films, art, music, advertising, and popular culture that represent the landscape, tempo and complexities of national identity in "the American century." In New York City, which was thought to embody the energy and style of modern America more than just about any other place in this period, we'll explore the art, architecture, words, and design that changed forever the way the world looks and feels. This is a Place & Identity course. This course is one of a set of four block courses that will complete your fall schedule of 16 credits.

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FINE ARTS

15. FA 14F, sec. 01: Graphic Design Inspirations (CP) (3 s.h.) M/W, 1-2:50 p.m., Beth Ocko

Design history provides a wealth of inspiration to contemporary graphic designers. In this introduction to graphic design, we look at 20th-century avant-garde movements and their influence on graphic design. Examples also provide the basis for our class projects in logo, poster, book cover and motion graphics design. Among the movements to be included are Art Nouveau, Vienna Workshop, De Stijl, Russian Constructivism and Futurism. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Adobe graphics software. NOTE: This course is subject to a lab fee.

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16. FA 14F, sec. A: Art Is Really Dangerous (AA) (3 s.h.) M/W, 4:30-5:55 p.m., Laurie Fendrich

Many people think that art is harmless, that it is a form of entertainment — but, in fact, art is powerful and dangerous. The class begins with Leonardo da Vinci, who argued that images have more impact than words. We then read Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who concludes that art threatens human happiness, and de Tocqueville, who believed that art and democracy are enemies. We read a famous 19thcentury short story about the tragic condition of the modern artist and a selection of 20th-century essays in art criticism that studies the impact of mass culture on the arts. We finish by studying the role of the fine arts in contemporary American society and by analyzing a film about artistic temperament by Woody Allen. Students will travel to art museums and galleries in New York City.

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GEOLOGY

17. GEOL 14F, sec. 01 and 01L: Field Geology of New York City and Long Island (NS) (3 s.h.) Lecture, M/W, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Lab, M, 2:10-4 p.m. (six lab meetings, then three one-day field trips on selected weekends), Charles Merguerian

Public health, public transportation, water works, and environmental protection — all these affect our daily lives, and all depend on the subjects of geology and engineering. This seminar is conducted in a lecture and field trip format, and involves travel to various sites around New York City and Long Island. We will see first-hand how science connects with public policy. Students will learn to look at large-scale issues of public concern in New York City and Long Island through the lens of the field geologist. Open to science and non-science students; no prerequisite.

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18. GEOL 14F, sec. 02 and 02L: Dinosaurs of the Mesozoic (NS) (3 s.h.) Lecture, M/W, 12:50-1:45 p.m., Lab, T, 2:20-4:10 p.m., J Bret Bennington

Dinosaurs and related "ruling reptiles" were the dominant animals on Earth during the 180 million years of the Mesozoic Era. Recently, there has been a renaissance in dinosaur paleontology, which has resulted in a wealth of new fossils and new insights into the nature and evolution of dinosaurs and other animals that first evolved in the Mesozoic Era (birds, placental mammals, modern reptiles and amphibians). In addition, the study of plate tectonics has shown that the Mesozoic was also a time of great geological change around the globe. Drawing on the latest geological and paleontological research, this course presents the scientific detective work that geologists and paleontologists use to reconstruct the Mesozoic world. Course includes trips to museums in New York City.

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19. GEOL 14F, sec. 03 and 03L: Global Warming and Climate Change (NS) (3 s.h.) Lecture, M/W, 1:55-2:50 p.m., Lab, TH, 10:10 a.m.-noon, Christa Farmer

Humans have raised Earth's atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, at least 30 percent higher than any level seen in the past 400,000 years. What are the likely outcomes of this increase? This course surveys Earth's atmosphere, ocean and land surface processes as they regulate the climate system, with a particular focus on how we humans affect the carbon cycle. A brief survey of Earth's climate history places the recent climate record in context as we assess the possible ramifications of climate change. Will sea level rise significantly? If so, how fast? Will hurricane intensity or frequency increase or decrease? Will global temperatures keep getting hotter? Will some areas cool? What will happen to rainfall? Will there be more droughts and flooding?

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HISTORY

20. HIST 14F, sec. 01: Anime . World War II and the Arrival of the Atomic Age Through Action and Animation Films, Ghosts, Monsters and Superhumans (HP) (4 s.h.) M/W, 9-11 a.m., Yuki Terazawa

This seminar explores memories of the Pacific Theater battles of World War II and fear of future nuclear catastrophes represented in action and animation films. We examine the fantasies and fears of war shaped by the experiences of the Pacific War and the coming of the Atomic Age. In other words, focusing mostly on the United States and Japan, students investigate a cultural history of ghosts, monsters and superhumans represented in post-World War II films. The films we review may include: Grave of the Fireflies, Black Rain (directed by Shohei Imamura), Hiroshima Mon Amour, The Atomic Cafe, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, The Iron Giant, and a series of Godzilla movies.

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21. HIST 14F, sec. 02: NY Raw (HP) (3 s.h.) M/W, 2:55-4:20 p.m., John Munz

This course focuses on the underside of urban experience in the period 1790-1950 and includes an investigation of topics such as prostitution, criminal enterprises and organizations (from the ethnic street gangs of the 19th century to the era of organized crime), drug and saloon cultures, manifestations of alternative sexualities, street life and tenement communities, the urban poor and structures for their control/relief, and the emergence of the hustler/con man/grifter. We make several trips to New York City to visit the present location of the Five Points district as well as other notorious, historically important sites.

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22. HIST 14F, sec. 03: Fantastic Worlds: Science Fiction, History, and Technological Transformation (HP) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 10:05 a.m.-noon, Louis Kern

This course uses science fiction literature to explore the transition from late-modern to post-modern culture. It will offer a history of science fiction writing from its origins in the 19th century to the present. Readings will range from Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward, 2000-1887 (1888) and Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889), to the work of cyber-punks Rudy Rucker and William Gibson, and popular writers Greg Bear and Octavia Butler. A key concern of the course will be the incertitude of the survival or the prospective evolution of human values in response to overwhelming technological change. Themes addressed in the course will include: time and space travel; the hollow earth; the impact of technology on the organization of social, economic, political and cultural life; imagined contacts and interaction with aliens and their cultures; AI, androids, and robots; virtual and artificial reality; human evolution, body modification, and mutants; and parallel and alternative universes.

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23. HIST 14F, sec. A: Baseball in America (HP) (5 s.h.) T/TH, 4:30-6:25 p.m., John Staudt

Baseball has played a central role in American culture for almost 200 years. The game's events and characters reflect critical issues confronted in the larger society. How have people absorbed and participated in the game of baseball? We explore how the game paralleled the growth of the United States from an agrarian society through industrialization and into the 21st century. Topics include: the origins of baseball and its development as a business; its role in national segregation and integration policies; topics of gender, regional identity and immigration; and economic issues such as the disparity between rich and poor teams, and labor-management issues. Finally, the course touches on great moments in baseball history, such as Satchel Paige's strikeout of Josh Gibson, Bobby Thompson's "shot heard 'round the world" and "the catch" by Willie Mays. The course includes travel to night games at Yankee Stadium and CitiField and to several of the local minor league ballparks. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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HISTORY BLOCK COURSE

Hard Times: Choices for Cities in Crisis (HP) (4 s.h.) M/T/W/TH, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Carolyn Eisenberg

New York City is now faced with its most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1929-41. In this class, we will employ historical and other social science methodologies to analyze the dimensions of the current crisis. We will begin with a historical exploration of governmental responses during that earlier period. Through reading and field work, we will try to gauge the dimensions of the current situation. We will want to consider the levels of unemployment and their impact on social services — including housing, health care and education. How are the lives of people being affected? How are community groups attempting to protect their interests? And what steps are being taken at the local, state and federal level to improve the situation? We will also pay attention to the military budget and how its size is shaping governmental action. This course is one of a set of four block courses that will complete your fall schedule of 16 credits.

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IRISH STUDIES

24. WSC 14F, sec. 01: The Irish in New York (CP) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Patricia Navarra

This is a writing course that takes Irish and Irish American music, film and politics as its topic. We will consider the influence of the Irish on American culture, see connections between the Irish American experience and other immigrant groups, and engage in an area of ethnic studies in which connections can be made between Woodside and Hollywood, the Rockaways and rock 'n' roll. The class will take a variety of trips around New York City, perhaps including the Tenement Museum, Glucksman Ireland House, Irish Repertory Theatre, The Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Woodside, Lower East Side tours, "Irish New York," Ellis Island, and music, lectures, performances and readings as scheduled. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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JEWISH STUDIES

25. JWST 14F, sec. 01: God and Anger Management (HP) (3 s.h.) M/F, 11:15 a.m.-12:40 p.m., Joshua Pederson

The Bible presents God in different ways — as angry, as loving, as destroyer, as creator, as friend, and as fiend. In this class we will explore how biblical ideas about God are shaped by the places within which they were told and the various peoples who told them. We will examine some famous accounts within the Bible, such as God's creation of the world and the calamitous flood, with parallel Mesopotamian and Canaanite versions.

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LABOR STUDIES

26. LABR 14F, sec. 01: NYC's Underground Economy (BH) (4 s.h.) M/W, 2:45- 4:40 p.m., Gregory DeFreitas

Finance, fashion, publishing, communications and the arts — New York City is famous as a world leader in these and other fields. Far less well known are the people and economic forces, both legal and illegal, who built New York. How did the city transform itself from the nation's manufacturing center into today's post-industrial global metropolis? Why does New York now have more extreme income inequality than any other part of the country? How does that affect the opportunities of young people to attain the American Dream? How are record numbers of new immigrants remaking the metropolitan area's visible and shadow economies? This seminar introduces students to diverse perspectives on these and related questions, and examines contemporary and historical research on a number of controversial topics. These may include: class conflict and upward mobility, racial and ethnic group relations, access to education and health care, immigration's job impacts, labor organizing, worker-management relations, and government economic policies.

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MARTIAL ARTS

27. PESP 32, sec. F80: The Peaceful Warrior: The Martial Art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan (2 s.h.) M/F, 9:35-11 a.m., Joseph Bubenas

This smooth-flowing form of exercise was developed over the course of centuries to promote physical and mental health, longevity and stamina. T'ai chi ch'uan aims at exercising the internal organs (as well as musculature), while helping to circulate qi (vital energy) and blood. T'ai chi offer a way to return the body to physiological equilibrium, reduce stress and heighten awareness and concentration, all while gaining flexibility, strength and refinement of movement. T'ai chi is a martial arts exercise that can be practiced alone or with others. Loose-fitting clothing and comfortable sneakers are suggested. There is no required text.

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MATHEMATICS

28. MATH 14F, sec. 01: Zero and Much More (MC) (3 s.h.) M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Silvia Silberger

This course surveys the history of mathematics as it follows the history of the mathematical world's acceptance of the number zero. Students will find that key mathematical topics such as imaginary numbers, concepts of infinity, the Cartesian plane, derivatives and integrals, and some more modern concepts all can be illuminated through their relationship to zero. Students in this course should have an interest in philosophy and mathematics, a reasonably strong algebra background, and an understanding of the real number system.

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MUSIC

29. MUS 14F, sec. 01: Turn Down the Music! An iPod Makeover! (AA) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 12:45-2:10 p.m., Cynthia Bell

Music is a means for expressing our thoughts and feelings through the medium of sound. But how does one make music? What has inspired people through the ages to hit drums, hum a tune, or conduct an orchestra? This course explores music as a form of social and cultural expression as found in diverse musical traditions of the world. We will listen to music, read about music, think about music, talk about music, and make some music. We will radically expand your thinking process about music. We will probably not listen to music that you already know and love, as found on your iPod. Instead, we will practice critical listening skills, learn to think broadly about what making music means and why it is significant in human life, explore traditions and transformations behind the creation of music, and understand why loud music is not necessarily better music. This course will include guest appearances by musical artists, and field trips to sites in New York City, including the rare instrument collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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PHILOSOPHY

30. PHI 14F, sec. 01: God, Freedom, and Evil (HP) (3 s.h.) M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Harold Skulsky

If God is all-powerful, why does he not prevent evil? Are we human beings free not to choose evil? Are we free at all? Is God free? Is evil real or an illusion? What political system is most effective for creatures like us in creating a free and tolerant society? In this course students will think and write about these and related questions. This territory is mapped out with prophetic clarity by the great maverick philosopher Baruch Spinoza. The course will focus on his writings. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Zarb School of Business ethics requirement.

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31. PHI 14F, sec. 02: Law and Public Policy (HP) (4 s.h.) M/W, 2:45-4:40 p.m., Amy Baehr

In this seminar, students investigate the nature of the American legal system and the role of law in American society. The course takes up positions such as libertarianism, liberalism, republicanism, conservatism and postmodernism. We use this material to explore topics such as increased penalties for hate crimes, physician-assisted suicide, the legal standing of animals and the environment, gay marriage, church and state, and the rights of disabled people. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Zarb School of Business ethics requirement.

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32. PHI 14F, sec. 03: Philosophy Through Film (HP) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 12:10-2:05 p.m., Amy Karofsky

In this course, students will explore some significant philosophical problems, using contemporary movies. By considering the themes and content of films like The Matrix, I Robot, Total Recall, Memento, and Blade Runner, students will be introduced to philosophical issues such as personal identity, free will and determinism, the mind/body problem, our knowledge of the world and our place in it. In addition to the movies, students will also read works from philosophers such as Plato, Descartes and Hume, and some contemporary thinkers. Students will be taught skills in critical thinking and philosophical method and analysis. This course has no prerequisites. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Zarb School of Business ethics requirement.

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33. PHI 14F, sec. 04: Philosophy Through Theater: Imagination and Insight (HP) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 2:15-4:10 p.m., John McGuire

Are we free and in control of our own lives, or are we the playthings of fate? Are truth and love valuable beyond measure, or dangerous and destructive? Does life have meaning, or is it absurd? Stage plays explore these kinds of philosophical themes. In this course we will read plays by Shakespeare, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, and Beckett, and we will read philosophical commentaries by Aristotle, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Cavell; the commentaries will enrich your understanding of the plays and of the issues they raise. Seeing a performance of a play will also enrich your understanding of it, so we will make at least one trip to the theater during the semester.

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34. PHI 14F, sec. A: Philosophy and Literature (HP) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 4:30-5:55 p.m., Mark McEvoy

Literature and fiction raise intriguing philosophical questions: Why do we care what happens to Harry Potter? Why do we feel sad when Gandalf from Lord of the Rings dies? Since fiction is just made up, how can it teach us anything true? Does a work of literature mean what its author intends? If so, what happens when the author forgets what he meant by a poem (as Dylan Thomas claimed to have done)? Does it mean nothing? In this course, we will examine these and other questions. The course will thus be an introduction to the philosophy of literature. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Zarb School of Business ethics requirement.

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PHILOSOPHY BLOCK COURSE

The Philosopher's Journey: Beyond Tolerance to Reason (HP) M/T/W/TH, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Joseph Marino

Philosophy is not simply a "study about" the ideas of past or current thinkers; it's a vital process that questions, in a critical but constructive way, the manner in which we understand our lives and the ways we go about conducting ourselves within human communities. Our interdisciplinary exploration of philosophical thought will begin with a discussion of the historical origins of philosophy through the work of Plato and Aristotle and then focus on human personhood against the background of selected moral issues. We'll consider problems such as terrorism, torture, genocide, and individual responses to personal and communal moral dilemmas. Additional readings will include selections from Sartre, Buber, Frankl and Ilibagiza. We'll also reflect on these issues by drawing on works of literature and film, and through field trips. This course is one of a set of four block courses that will complete your fall schedule of 16 credits.

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PHYSICS

35. PHYS 14F, sec. 01: Modern Introduction to Physics (NS) (5 s.h.) Lecture, T/TH, 9:10-11 a.m., Lab, PHYS 011B, sec. FA, M, 2:55-5:45 p.m., or sec. FB, TH, 2:20-5:10 p.m., Gregory Levine

This course will serve 1) as an introduction to Newtonian mechanics, covering the laws of motion, energy and momentum, and 2) as an introduction to the modern understanding of space-time geometry and quantum mechanics, which replace Newtonian mechanics and gravity. Examples of space-time geometry will be drawn from expanding universe cosmology, black hole physics and time dilation effects, which underlie the familiar global positioning system (GPS). Topics include energy quantization in atoms, the uncertainty principle and quantum tunneling. This course covers material comparable to PHYS 11A and serves as a prerequisite for PHYS 12A. Students considering a major or minor in physics are urged to take this course rather than PHYS 11A. Prerequisites: Analytic Geometry and Calculus and a substantial high school physics course (e.g., honors or AP). NOTE: No credit for this course and PHYS 11A.

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POLITICAL SCIENCE

36. PSC 14F, sec. 01: Who Made Your MP3 Player? A Look at the Asian Century (BH) (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 1:20-2:35 p.m., Takashi Kanatsu and Georgina Martorella

Many people are already referring to the 21st century as "The Asian Century." Many of the products we take for granted are designed or manufactured in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Why don't they come from France, Brazil or Canada? When your grandmother was your age, were her parents driving a Japanese automobile? Why not? The Asian countries are developing so rapidly that it is difficult to keep track. In this seminar, we begin by finding out the country of origin of various consumer products. Then we explore the politics and economics of Asia, asking how and why they have industrialized so quickly. You will come to understand the secret histories and the international contexts that have produced some of your favorite items. Your MP3 player will become more than just a tool for music and movies. It will symbolize the massive political, economic and cultural changes occurring before our very eyes. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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PSYCHOLOGY

37. PSY 14F, sec. 01: The Social Psychology of Everyday Life (BH) (4 s.h.) M/F, 11:15 a.m.-1:10 p.m., Gabrielle McDonaugh

This seminar introduces students to a wide array of issues in the field of social psychology, with applications focused on our everyday lives. We take up questions such as, Does violence in music and movies promote violent behavior? What factors promote, versus inhibit, helping someone in need or disobeying a morally questionable command from an authority figure? How objective is the media in presenting the news? Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this course places a special focus on the profound impact of stereotypes, prejudice, racism and sexism on our everyday lives. Examples of related questions include: How does race impact treatment in the justice system? Are women less gifted in math and science than men?

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38. PSY 14F, sec. 02: My Freshman Year: Psychological Change in College (BH) (5 s.h.) M/W, 2:45-4:40 p.m., Stavros Valenti

College is often the most radical change experienced in the first two decades of life. Think of your own life up until now: The food ... the people you meet several times a day ... where you work, study, play or sleep. At college, most or all of these will be different. How do these changes affect how you think, feel and behave? Will you emerge from college a wiser version of yourself, or will you become a different person altogether? What makes for the highest satisfaction with the college experience? In this seminar, students will learn how to approach questions like these from the point of view of a research psychologist. As a group, we will generate our own hypotheses, design our own research studies, collect data, and determine if the data support or contradict our initial predictions. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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39. PSY 14F, sec. 03: Psychology Through Film and Literature (BH) (3 s.h.) M/W, 2:55-4:20 p.m., Lola Nouryan

This course provides a basic understanding of psychological disorder through film and literature. By studying the work of selected writers, directors and filmmakers, we will investigate the basis of "abnormal" behavior. Our goal is to understand mental illness and its treatment. To that end, we will examine the ways in which writers and filmmakers portray character, communication, and perceptual experience.

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40. PSY 14F, sec. 04: The Resilient Child: Early Experience and Later Life (BH) (5 s.h.) T/TH, 2:15-4:10 p.m., Brian Cox

To what extent do experiences in childhood affect who we become as adults? Can we overcome a bad start? How are our personalities formed by learning, temperament, and the events of lives caught up in history and cultural change? In this seminar on developmental psychology, we will begin by examining our beliefs about children's natures in the past and present. Then we will examine the scientific evidence ranging from case studies to extraordinary longitudinal studies of children's development that have lasted for as long as 50 years. The course will conclude with a discussion of adult "identity crises" and how we explain the process to ourselves in biography and autobiography. As the philosopher Kierkegaard has said: "Life is lived forward, but understood backward." This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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RELIGION

41. RELI 14F, sec. 01: Yoga, Psychology and South Asian Religions (CC) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 10:05 a.m.-noon, Balbinder Bhogal

Are there religious, psychological or "yogic" states of mind that transcend time, place, and language? Within the Indian context, the answer is often, "yes!" Various Indic traditions refer to what they call the most complete state of a perfected mind. In the Sikh tradition, this state of mind (chauta-pad) gains a new, political dimension, forcing a connection between the so-called private mental state and a sociopolitical self that has responsibilities to others. This course is an exploration of this theme of the extraordinary state as it relates to the traditions of South Asian religions, psychology and yoga.

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42. RELI 14F, sec. A: Better Living Through Buddhism: Spirituality and Self-Help (CC) (3 s.h.) M/W, 4:30-5:55 p.m., Joshua Schapiro

What do religious communities suggest that their members do to improve themselves? What does self-improvement lead to? This seminar inquires into some of the practices for self-improvement that religious communities have developed over the past 2,500 years, from Ancient Greeks to Chinese Taoists to Tibetan Buddhists. We will study ideas about how religious practitioners should conduct their sexual lives, what they should eat in order to live super-long lives, how they should meditate, and why they might want to do rituals in burial grounds. After visiting the "self-help" section of a local bookstore, we will also discuss some contemporary American ideas about self-improvement. In each case, we will think about how these communities understand what a human being is capable of and how their ideas line up with our own unexamined assumptions about human possibility.

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SOCIOLOGY

43. SOC 14F, sec. 01: House, Home and Society (BH) (4 s.h.) T/TH, 12:45-2:10 p.m., Gail Satler

What do our homes say about us as individuals and as a society? This course offers a sociological analysis of the changing notion of home through an overview of housing types as they exist and as they have been imagined. Various conceptions of family and household types as they intersect with housing options in our country and in other parts of the world will be explored. Examining the similarities, differences and evolving notions of home will provide a framework with which to consider what housing reflects about our social priorities, values and norms. This course includes one semester hour of instruction in library research methods.

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TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY

44. TPP 14F, sec. 01 and 01L: The Science, Ethics and Politics of Stem Cell Research (NS) (4 s.h.) M/W, 9:05-11:05 a.m., Sina Rabbany

Stem cells have become front page news. Why all the fuss? We explore the biology of stem cells, their potential uses in medicine and some of the challenges facing stem cell research from self-renewal through clinical applications. We then focus on the various types of stem cells, including their isolation, growth and potential in regenerative medicine. The moral, religious and policy concerns surrounding this intensely debated area of science are also covered. This is a science distribution course for non-scientists.

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WRITING STUDIES AND COMPOSITION

45. WSC 14F, sec. 02: How Writers Break the Rules — and Why (CP) (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:10 a.m.-12:35 p.m., Ronald Janssen

Have you ever wondered why so many of the writers you read don't seem to follow all those rules you worked so hard to learn in English class? In this course, we will review those rules with a critical mind and examine a range of essays that part company with all apparent norms of writing. Readings will include a couple of traditional essay models and a variety of exploratory, experimental and hybrid examples, as well as visual essays. We will examine how the alternative forms work and why the writers felt a need to create them. Our goal, through reading, discussion and writing, will be to reformulate the old rules to make our own writing possible and effective for the purposes and readers we have targeted.