Course Sections | Registrar

ART-204-01=HSP-270-01 This course will explore the art and architecture of the great civilizations of Mesoamerica and the Andean region of South America from around 1500 BC until the arrival of Europeans in the New World. Similarities and distinctions in such aspects as urban planning, architecture, monumental sculpture, and portable arts will be explored among the great cultures of the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Aztec, Nazca, Moche, and Inca.

Do you enjoy sketching or drawing? In this course, you will not only develop your drawing skills but bring your drawings to life with animation. Using Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, students will learn effective ways to animate their drawings and explore their ideas. Through a series of prompts, the class will create short animations that explore various drawing media such as graphite, charcoal, and ink. Experimentation, aesthetic sensibilities, and creating unique, original visual images will be stressed in every animation. Some projects may also incorporate the use of digital scanners to include original textures, materials, and objects. This class does not focus on traditional hand-drawn animation methods of creating multiple drawn frames to produce the illusion of movement (it's much easier and less time-consuming than that. You only have to draw something once to animate it.) No previous drawing or software experience is required.

ENG-171-01=ASI-112-01 From Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball to Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul, manga and anime have earned a reputation for being globally influential mediums of literature and entertainment. Manga storytellers often use their works to interrogate complex themes, issues, and queries of humanity, technology, gender, race, existential beliefs, and culture. Likewise, anime adaptations make use of cinematic visual storytelling to expand on the source material of manga stories with voice acting and music to increase the thematic depth and audience immersion. This course will feature a wide selection of manga and anime and consider what can be learned from understanding their narrative dimensions. Texts will range from Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon to Haikyuu, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Tokyo Ghoul. The material for the course will be read/viewed in translation, so it is not necessary to know Japanese to take this course.

2nd Half Semester Course In the heart, it's intention; coming forth in words, it's poetry." So says the "Preface" to the Book of Songs, the ancient classic of Chinese poetry. In this course, we will read selections (in English) from the Book of Songs, and later poets like Li Bo [Li Bai], Du Fu, and Wang Wei. We will study how Chinese poets use image and metaphor to convey their distinctive ideas about nature, religion, and human life. On occasion, we will also read Chinese poems alongside selected English-language poems, comparing their techniques and aims. Absolutely no knowledge of Chinese is required. This section of REL-296 can apply as an elective for the Asian Studies minor. Fulfills LFA or HPR.

PSC-240-01=ASI-277-01=PPE-238-01 Trade politics are a complex nexus of domestic and international politics, economic conditions, global and regional institutions, business interests, and civil society. This course aims to provide an understanding of trade politics in the Asia-Pacific region - the largest market and manufacturing base in the world. The course introduces the latest developments in the Pacific Rim by reviewing cutting-edge research. The first half of the course covers trade policy preferences of Asia-Pacific countries, intraregional and extra-regional free trade agreements, and the political implications of Asia-Pacific's key position in the global supply chain. Specifically, we will analyze trade politics between Australia, China, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, and the United States. The second half of the course focuses on the politics of multinational corporations, foreign direct investment, trade in services, and digital trade. We will then examine the impacts of global trade on Asia-Pacific's labor rights, development, and environment. There are no prerequisites for this class as we will go over the trade models throughout the semester if needed.

PSC-214-01=HIS-240-01=BLS-280-01 This course offers an in-depth look at the African American civil rights movement and its significance to the political development of the United States. Topics will include the organizations and campaigns that comprised this historic social movement; the mobilization and experiences of individual civil rights movement participants; the impact of the civil rights movement on public policy; and contemporary social movement efforts to mitigate racial inequality. Particular attention will be paid throughout the course to the role college students played in the civil rights movement.

2nd half Semester Course This course aims to provide students with an understanding of analytical instrument design and rapid prototyping utilizing desktop fabrication technologies. Students will gain hands-on experience with computer-aided design (CAD), 3D printing, and electronic circuits required for constructing an instrument for chemical analysis. Practical application of instrumental design principles, figures of merit determination, statistical methods, and iterative prototyping strategies will be explored. In addition, students will engage with the primary research literature and connect instrumental analysis activities to prominent chemical principles from previous coursework. This course will emphasize critical thinking, creative problem solving, quantitative data analysis, and scientific communication skills through maintaining a detailed laboratory notebook, a cumulative research report, weekly technical discussions, and an oral presentation. This course does not count towards the major if CHE487 or CHE488 is also taken. Enrollment is by instructor permission.

CLA-105-01=HIS-200-01 This is a survey course of Greek political, military, cultural, and literary history from the end of the Bronze Age (ca. 1100 B.C.) to the time of Alexander the Great (4th century B.C.). A thematic focus will be the origins, evolution, and problems of the most important Greek political-social-cultural structure, the polis, or "city-state."

REL-290-01=CLA-111-01 1st Half Semester Course In this half semester course, we will go on a little 'Tour of Hell', so to speak, and explore a wide array of underworld conceptions in ancient Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian sources. Why? Ideas about death, the underworld, an afterlife in general, are all historical not timeless, and exploring that history allows us to engage our own ideas about death more actively. In our time, we keep death at a firm distance, isolating it into the clinical space. It is the domain of professionals. For the ancients, death was part of life and there is a substantial ancient literary tradition of 'descending' to visit the underworld; to observe, search, behold, and, sometimes, to escape. The theologies and social histories of hell are dynamic and shifting and we aim to trace that dynamism in order to gain understanding of the history and power of hellish ideas. In addition to classroom discussions, expect to visit a cemetery, a morgue, and an epic trick-or-treat event. (Can be taken along with REL 290-02, "Afterlife," or independently).

REL-290-02=CLA-111-02 2nd Half Semester Course Conceptions of afterlife frequently govern our 'now'-life, providing it with meaning and an overarching logic. Yet, we rarely pause to consider where our ideas about the afterlife come from, not to mention the historical events, social histories, and philosophies that gave rise to views of the afterlife now held to be obvious and timeless. There was a time 'before' heaven above, resurrection of the body, the immortality of the soul, and even angels. How do conceptions of the afterlife emerge, and what is the range of those conceptions in the Jewish, Roman, and Christian traditions? Moreover, how do these traditions mutually inform one another? This course will detail ancient ideas about the afterlife in a wide array of textual and archeological tradition in conversation with our contemporary world. Will our technology change our afterlife? (Can be taken along with REL 290-01, "Death," or independently).

CLA-113-01=HIS-210-01 1st half semester course. It's election season! You and your Roman friends are running a campaign for the highest office in the land - consul. But what does it take to win an election in the Roman Republic? Endorsements, bribes, getting the gods on your side? In this class, we not only learn the ins and outs of Roman elections but also how politicians worked the system to gain power and influence. We explore how social networking functioned in Ancient Rome, what role religion played, how much violence went on, and, of course, how ancient elections compare to those we hold today. You will be exploring all of this as you and your team of partisans run your own in-class campaign for political office.

CLA-113-02=HIS-210-02 2nd half semester course. Writing is arguably the greatest human invention. It allows us to communicate thoughts and feelings across time and space, preserve and build treasuries of knowledge, and give expression to highly complex ideas. Without it, humans would have no way of efficiently governing large and complex societies, no recorded history, no sacred texts, etc. In this class, we explore the origin and evolution of this remarkable technology, examining the similarities and differences between various ancient writing systems and their latest descendants, from computer code to emojis. Along the way, we'll play with scripts by creating our own ciphers, exploring the strange world of alphabetic mysticism, and even using Wabash's collection of 4000-year-old cuneiform tablets to make our own clay replicas.

ENG-109-01=GEN-171-01=GHL-177-01 How do writers and filmmakers portray the sick and those who live around them? We will read, watch, and discuss creative depictions of the Black Death, AIDS, and Covid 19 as well as texts about mental health. How have societies around the world classified sickness and how have they treated bodies and minds that are unwell? We will read The Plague by Albert Camus, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga, The Kissing Bug by Daisy Hernández, and stories and poems from Southern Africa as well as China. We will also watch and discuss movies and TV series, including Angels in America and The Last of Us.

ENG-171-01=ASI-112-01 From Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball to Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul, manga and anime have earned a reputation for being globally influential mediums of literature and entertainment. Manga storytellers often use their works to interrogate complex themes, issues, and queries of humanity, technology, gender, race, existential beliefs, and culture. Likewise, anime adaptations make use of cinematic visual storytelling to expand on the source material of manga stories with voice acting and music to increase the thematic depth and audience immersion. This course will feature a wide selection of manga and anime and consider what can be learned from understanding their narrative dimensions. Texts will range from Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon to Haikyuu, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Tokyo Ghoul. The material for the course will be read/viewed in translation, so it is not necessary to know Japanese to take this course.

FRE-277-01=ENG-270-01 Inspired by the American Revolution and the founding of an independent American republic, French revolutionaries built their model of a new state upon the principals of freedom (la liberté), equality (l'égalité), and fraternity (la fraternité). But, as in the United States, these enshrined ideals have been far from the realities of common experience. Through political treatises, essays, works of literature, and film, this course will trace the paradoxes and contradictions that emerge as the ideal of fraternité clashes with oppressive regimes, economic disparity, misogyny, colonialism, xenophobia, homophobia, and racism. A guiding question in this course will be how works of literature centered on questions of social justice lend themselves so well to the screen and stage, and we will end with a look at the prevalence of social justice themes in contemporary film. We will also consider the ways in which American and French ideals of fraternity harmonize or clash with each other. Authors and film directors include Voltaire, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Emile Zola, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Ladj Ly. This course will be taught in English, and we will use English translations of French texts. Those taking the course for credit towards the French major or minor will be expected to do the readings and written assignments in French.

FRE-277-01=ENG-270-01 Inspired by the American Revolution and the founding of an independent American republic, French revolutionaries built their model of a new state upon the principals of freedom (la liberté), equality (l'égalité), and fraternity (la fraternité). But, as in the United States, these enshrined ideals have been far from the realities of common experience. Through political treatises, essays, works of literature, and film, this course will trace the paradoxes and contradictions that emerge as the ideal of fraternité clashes with oppressive regimes, economic disparity, misogyny, colonialism, xenophobia, homophobia, and racism. A guiding question in this course will be how works of literature centered on questions of social justice lend themselves so well to the screen and stage, and we will end with a look at the prevalence of social justice themes in contemporary film. We will also consider the ways in which American and French ideals of fraternity harmonize or clash with each other. Authors and film directors include Voltaire, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Emile Zola, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Ladj Ly. This course will be taught in English, and we will use English translations of French texts. Those taking the course for credit towards the French major or minor will be expected to do the readings and written assignments in French.

ENG-109-01=GEN-171-01=GHL-177-01 How do writers and filmmakers portray the sick and those who live around them? We will read, watch, and discuss creative depictions of the Black Death, AIDS, and Covid 19 as well as texts about mental health. How have societies around the world classified sickness and how have they treated bodies and minds that are unwell? We will read The Plague by Albert Camus, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga, The Kissing Bug by Daisy Hernández, and stories and poems from Southern Africa as well as China. We will also watch and discuss movies and TV series, including Angels in America and The Last of Us.

ENG-109-01=GEN-171-01=GHL-177-01 How do writers and filmmakers portray the sick and those who live around them? We will read, watch, and discuss creative depictions of the Black Death, AIDS, and Covid 19 as well as texts about mental health. How have societies around the world classified sickness and how have they treated bodies and minds that are unwell? We will read The Plague by Albert Camus, Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga, The Kissing Bug by Daisy Hernández, and stories and poems from Southern Africa as well as China. We will also watch and discuss movies and TV series, including Angels in America and The Last of Us.

HIS-200-02=GHL-219-01 What is a drug? This course examines the history of drugs in society by first asking what a drug or intoxicant might be. The class will then consider how different societies have accepted or rejected drugs based on their usefulness or danger to the social order. We will examine changing cultural attitudes toward drugs, the rise of modern drug regulation, and the development of the pharmaceutical drug. For example, why did drinking coffee and tea become an accepted activity, but smoking opium was increasingly frowned upon during the nineteenth century? Why did Viagra become medically acceptable but mercury fell out of favor to treat disease in the 20th century? Key topics will include: The growth and regulation of the opium trade in the 19th century The cultural, economic, and social factors shaping alcohol policies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries The medicalization of drug use and the development of the pharmaceutical industry The impact of drug regulation and the emergence of the global war on drugs in the 20th century The historical interpretations of Cannabis, Alcohol (Tequila, Absinthe), Meth, Viagra, Chocolate, etc. This course is suitable for all students interested in history, drugs, sociology, and public health! By the end of the course, students will have developed critical thinking and analytical skills to better understand the historical relationships between drugs and society. There is no immersion trip associated with this course, but to be blunt, students will have a daily dose of reading and discussion in addition to short assignments and two exams.

CLA-105-01=HIS-200-01 This is a survey course of Greek political, military, cultural, and literary history from the end of the Bronze Age (ca. 1100 B.C.) to the time of Alexander the Great (4th century B.C.). A thematic focus will be the origins, evolution, and problems of the most important Greek political-social-cultural structure, the polis, or "city-state."

HIS-200-02=GHL-219-01 What is a drug? This course examines the history of drugs in society by first asking what a drug or intoxicant might be. The class will then consider how different societies have accepted or rejected drugs based on their usefulness or danger to the social order. We will examine changing cultural attitudes toward drugs, the rise of modern drug regulation, and the development of the pharmaceutical drug. For example, why did drinking coffee and tea become an accepted activity, but smoking opium was increasingly frowned upon during the nineteenth century? Why did Viagra become medically acceptable but mercury fell out of favor to treat disease in the 20th century? Key topics will include: The growth and regulation of the opium trade in the 19th century The cultural, economic, and social factors shaping alcohol policies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries The medicalization of drug use and the development of the pharmaceutical industry The impact of drug regulation and the emergence of the global war on drugs in the 20th century The historical interpretations of Cannabis, Alcohol (Tequila, Absinthe), Meth, Viagra, Chocolate, etc. This course is suitable for all students interested in history, drugs, sociology, and public health! By the end of the course, students will have developed critical thinking and analytical skills to better understand the historical relationships between drugs and society. There is no immersion trip associated with this course, but to be blunt, students will have a daily dose of reading and discussion in addition to short assignments and two exams.

MUS-205-01=HIS-200-03 The rise of European art music from religious and folk traditions; Gregorian chant and early polyphonic genres; the growth of polyphony in mass, motet, and madrigal; early instrumental music; European genres of the 17th and 18th centuries: opera, oratorio, cantata, concerto, suite, sonata, keyboard music. Some emphasis on the music of J.S. Bach.

CLA-113-01=HIS-210-01 1st Half Semester Course. It's election season! You and your Roman friends are running a campaign for the highest office in the land - consul. But what does it take to win an election in the Roman Republic? Endorsements, bribes, getting the gods on your side? In this class, we not only learn the ins and outs of Roman elections but also how politicians worked the system to gain power and influence. We explore how social networking functioned in Ancient Rome, what role religion played, how much violence went on, and, of course, how ancient elections compare to those we hold today. You will be exploring all of this as you and your team of partisans run your own in-class campaign for political office.

CLA-113-02=HIS-210-02 2nd half semester course. Writing is arguably the greatest human invention. It allows us to communicate thoughts and feelings across time and space, preserve and build treasuries of knowledge, and give expression to highly complex ideas. Without it, humans would have no way of efficiently governing large and complex societies, no recorded history, no sacred texts, etc. In this class, we explore the origin and evolution of this remarkable technology, examining the similarities and differences between various ancient writing systems and their latest descendants, from computer code to emojis. Along the way, we'll play with scripts by creating our own ciphers, exploring the strange world of alphabetic mysticism, and even using Wabash's collection of 4000-year-old cuneiform tablets to make our own clay replicas.

This course examines evolving constructions of masculinity in Europe from the mid-16th century to the present day, covering historical transformations, ideologies, and representations of masculinity within the European. Class begins by examining the traditional ideals of masculinity prevalent in the 16th century and expectations placed on men to craft families and fortunes. We then move to an exploration of how social, political, and economic changes during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution impacted masculine identities and the expectations placed on men. Students will investigate how masculinity was shaped by medicine, nationalism, imperialism, and revolution, as well as by shifts in labor patterns and family structures. Moving deeper into the 19th century, we will face down challenges brought by feminist movements, as well as the impact of scientific developments on understandings of sex and gender. Themes such as the "cult of domesticity," militarism, and colonial masculinity will be explored. In medicine we will discuss the importance of men's health to a national audience. Readings for the tumultuous 20th century, examine the impact of two World Wars, totalitarian regimes, and rapid social changes on masculine identities. Topics include the rise of fascism (Nazism) and its glorification of hyper-masculinity, the effects of mass media on shaping masculine ideals, and the challenges to traditional masculinity posed by post-war reconstructions. In the contemporary era, the course analyzes the ongoing transformations of masculinity in response to the introduction of condoms and "the pill", globalization, neoliberalism, and changing gender norms. Finally, students will explore new representations of masculinity, including those in LGBTQ+ communities, in hegemonic masculinity, and the influence of consumer culture and digital technologies on men. Students will explore a combination of primary sources and scholarly readings. Classes will consist of discussion and lecture. Throughout, we will explore how masculinity has been constructed, contested, and renegotiated to shape societies and the power dynamics in the modern human experience.

PSC-214-01=HIS-240-01=BLS-280-01 This course offers an in-depth look at the African American civil rights movement and its significance to the political development of the United States. Topics will include the organizations and campaigns that comprised this historic social movement; the mobilization and experiences of individual civil rights movement participants; the impact of the civil rights movement on public policy; and contemporary social movement efforts to mitigate racial inequality. Particular attention will be paid throughout the course to the role college students played in the civil rights movement.

How has the Internet changed what we know about the past? In this hands-on course, we'll answer that question by focusing on the history of immigration in the US. We'll roll up our sleeves and collaboratively play (and sometimes fail) with digital technology, interrogating search engines and AI chatbots, exploring digital archives, and looking under the hoods of mapping, textual analysis, and network visualization projects. Throughout, we'll think about the methodological implications of doing immigration history online, including the ethical challenges of sharing immigrants' stories and reducing human lives to data. We'll conclude the semester with a Web-based, student-designed, group research project related to the history of immigration. No experience in computer science, digital media, immigration studies, or history required, although an interest in at least one of these is recommended!

SPA-312-02=HSP-250-01 2nd Half Semester Course The history of baseball in the Caribbean is rich and deeply intertwined with the region's culture, social dynamics, and historical events. "The Dominican Republic" is a half semester course (2nd half) and will give students the chance to study the literature, culture, and history of the Caribbean through the lens of Baseball. The language of instruction will be English.

How has the Internet changed what we know about the past? In this hands-on course, we'll answer that question by focusing on the history of immigration in the US. We'll roll up our sleeves and collaboratively play (and sometimes fail) with digital technology, interrogating search engines and AI chatbots, exploring digital archives, and looking under the hoods of mapping, textual analysis, and network visualization projects. Throughout, we'll think about the methodological implications of doing immigration history online, including the ethical challenges of sharing immigrants' stories and reducing human lives to data. We'll conclude the semester with a Web-based, student-designed, group research project related to the history of immigration. No experience in computer science, digital media, immigration studies, or history required, although an interest in at least one of these is recommended!

ART-204-01=HSP-270-01 This course will explore the art and architecture of the great civilizations of Mesoamerica and the Andean region of South America from around 1500 BC until the arrival of Europeans in the New World. Similarities and distinctions in such aspects as urban planning, architecture, monumental sculpture, and portable arts will be explored among the great cultures of the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Aztec, Nazca, Moche, and Inca.

MUS-205-01=HIS-200-03 The rise of European art music from religious and folk traditions; Gregorian chant and early polyphonic genres; the growth of polyphony in mass, motet, and madrigal; early instrumental music; European genres of the 17th and 18th centuries: opera, oratorio, cantata, concerto, suite, sonata, keyboard music. Some emphasis on the music of J.S. Bach.

Could a computer genuinely think? Are we in a simulation? Is there a God? Are we free to choose how we will act in the world? What do we owe to one another, and to ourselves? Is it really a good idea to think critically, or should we trust what experts tell us? Could a banana duct-taped to a wall really be a work of art? How would you go about answering these questions? Philosophers think through these questions, and many others, by developing and critiquing arguments for possible answers to them. This course will serve as an introduction to philosophy via an in-depth study of philosophical arguments such as these. In the course, you will learn to use argument-mapping software to clearly and precisely articulate the structure of philosophical arguments so that you can understand and evaluate them more effectively. In addition to introducing you to some fascinating philosophical topics, this course will greatly improve your skills in reading and writing texts (including articles and papers for other classes!) that contain arguments.

Here are some things that I take myself to know. The world around me is real, and not merely a simulation. The universe is billions of years old, and did not come into existence five minutes ago. Antarctica is a continent, but the Arctic is not. There are 211 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives. The sun will rise tomorrow. But how do I know those things? What reliable information can I really have about the world around me? These questions are made particularly pressing by the existence of philosophical skepticism, according to which it is impossible for us to know what the world around us is actually like. Despite skepticism's absurd appearance, it is of enduring interest because of the power of the arguments in favor of it. Thus, to study skepticism, we will direct most of our attention to the careful study of arguments. The arguments we study will come from classic and contemporary philosophical works, and we will study them by using software called MindMup to map their structure. This will put us in a position to understand and evaluate these skeptical arguments, with an eye toward determining how we can have knowledge of the world around us.

PSC-240-01=ASI-277-01=PPE-238-01 Trade politics are a complex nexus of domestic and international politics, economic conditions, global and regional institutions, business interests, and civil society. This course aims to provide an understanding of trade politics in the Asia-Pacific region - the largest market and manufacturing base in the world. The course introduces the latest developments in the Pacific Rim by reviewing cutting-edge research. The first half of the course covers trade policy preferences of Asia-Pacific countries, intraregional and extra-regional free trade agreements, and the political implications of Asia-Pacific's key position in the global supply chain. Specifically, we will analyze trade politics between Australia, China, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, and the United States. The second half of the course focuses on the politics of multinational corporations, foreign direct investment, trade in services, and digital trade. We will then examine the impacts of global trade on Asia-Pacific's labor rights, development, and environment. There are no prerequisites for this class as we will go over the trade models throughout the semester if needed.

PSC-220-01=PPE-238-02 Most conflicts today take place within states - either between governments and civilians or among different groups in the country. This course combines theories from international relations and comparative politics to examine a broad range of topics related to political violence. We will discuss various forms of domestic conflicts, including antigovernment protests, riots, state repression, civil war, terrorism, coups, electoral violence, and conflict-related sexual violence. We will also investigate the aftermath of conflicts and international interventions in these conflicts. This class is not a history class or a class on current events; instead, the focus will be on understanding the interests of important actors in political conflicts and the arenas in which these actors interact. At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to: (1) evaluate scientific explanations and key concepts of political violence and nonviolence; (2) explain the causes and consequences of various forms of internal conflicts; (3) understand how the international community deals with the conflicts; (4) apply theoretical approaches to analyze current events and make predictions about future developments; and (5) express ideas in a professional way on several topics and write an original paper.

PSC-214-01=HIS-240-01=BLS-280-01 This course offers an in-depth look at the African American civil rights movement and its significance to the political development of the United States. Topics will include the organizations and campaigns that comprised this historic social movement; the mobilization and experiences of individual civil rights movement participants; the impact of the civil rights movement on public policy; and contemporary social movement efforts to mitigate racial inequality. Particular attention will be paid throughout the course to the role college students played in the civil rights movement.

PSC-220-01=PPE-238-02 Most conflicts today take place within states - either between governments and civilians or among different groups in the country. This course combines theories from international relations and comparative politics to examine a broad range of topics related to political violence. We will discuss various forms of domestic conflicts, including antigovernment protests, riots, state repression, civil war, terrorism, coups, electoral violence, and conflict-related sexual violence. We will also investigate the aftermath of conflicts and international interventions in these conflicts. This class is not a history class or a class on current events; instead, the focus will be on understanding the interests of important actors in political conflicts and the arenas in which these actors interact. At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to: (1) evaluate scientific explanations and key concepts of political violence and nonviolence; (2) explain the causes and consequences of various forms of internal conflicts; (3) understand how the international community deals with the conflicts; (4) apply theoretical approaches to analyze current events and make predictions about future developments; and (5) express ideas in a professional way on several topics and write an original paper.

PSC-240-01=ASI-277-01=PPE-238-01 Trade politics are a complex nexus of domestic and international politics, economic conditions, global and regional institutions, business interests, and civil society. This course aims to provide an understanding of trade politics in the Asia-Pacific region - the largest market and manufacturing base in the world. The course introduces the latest developments in the Pacific Rim by reviewing cutting-edge research. The first half of the course covers trade policy preferences of Asia-Pacific countries, intraregional and extra-regional free trade agreements, and the political implications of Asia-Pacific's key position in the global supply chain. Specifically, we will analyze trade politics between Australia, China, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, and the United States. The second half of the course focuses on the politics of multinational corporations, foreign direct investment, trade in services, and digital trade. We will then examine the impacts of global trade on Asia-Pacific's labor rights, development, and environment. There are no prerequisites for this class as we will go over the trade models throughout the semester if needed.

2nd Half Semester Course Mindfulness has become increasingly popular in programs to help support health and wellness. Studies of mindfulness programs have focused on a range of potential benefits, from stress reduction and managing blood pressure, to helping with substance abuse and sleep quality. In this course, we focus on the psychology of stress and focus on developing mindfulness through practices drawn from Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), adapted for the college classroom. We will also consider how mindfulness today (which is often presented as set of secular tools) has roots in several contemplative traditions. Class activities will focus heavily on active participation in components MBSR and application of mindfulness to our daily life.

First-Half semster course. Can religious beliefs by adequately analyzed or explained by cognitive science? If so, how and to what extent? If not, why not? These are the questions that this course will address. The relatively new field of cognitive science is the scientific study of the human mind, drawing on fields like psychology, anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and neuroscience. The course has 3 parts. First, we'll read what some cognitive scientists have to say about religion, e.g. Pascal Boyer, Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. Second, we'll read some philosophical and theological critiques of these ideas. Third, in light of these critiques, we'll consider their adequacy to the task of analyzing or explaining religious beliefs.

This discussion course examines the nature and contours of religion in the U.S. today and in recent decades. The American religious atmosphere is undergoing significant changes, from the diminishment of denominationalism and associated religious identities, to individualized bespoke spirituality and the substantial recent growth of "nones" (people with no declared religious affiliation). We will situate such changes historically, but our main focus will be analyzing the current landscape and its meaning for collective and individual religiosity, as well as for American culture and society generally. We will cover a diverse range of religious expressions, from more traditional to newer forms of religiosity.

REL-290-01=CLA-111-01 1st Half Semester Course In this half semester course, we will go on a little 'Tour of Hell', so to speak, and explore a wide array of underworld conceptions in ancient Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian sources. Why? Ideas about death, the underworld, an afterlife in general, are all historical not timeless, and exploring that history allows us to engage our own ideas about death more actively. In our time, we keep death at a firm distance, isolating it into the clinical space. It is the domain of professionals. For the ancients, death was part of life and there is a substantial ancient literary tradition of 'descending' to visit the underworld; to observe, search, behold, and, sometimes, to escape. The theologies and social histories of hell are dynamic and shifting and we aim to trace that dynamism in order to gain understanding of the history and power of hellish ideas. In addition to classroom discussions, expect to visit a cemetery, a morgue, and an epic trick-or-treat event. (Can be taken along with REL 290-02, "Afterlife," or independently).

REL-290-02=CLA-111-02 2nd Half Semester Course Conceptions of afterlife frequently govern our 'now'-life, providing it with meaning and an overarching logic. Yet, we rarely pause to consider where our ideas about the afterlife come from, not to mention the historical events, social histories, and philosophies that gave rise to views of the afterlife now held to be obvious and timeless. There was a time 'before' heaven above, resurrection of the body, the immortality of the soul, and even angels. How do conceptions of the afterlife emerge, and what is the range of those conceptions in the Jewish, Roman, and Christian traditions? Moreover, how do these traditions mutually inform one another? This course will detail ancient ideas about the afterlife in a wide array of textual and archeological tradition in conversation with our contemporary world. Will our technology change our afterlife? (Can be taken along with REL 290-01, "Death," or independently).

2nd Half Semester Course In the heart, it's intention; coming forth in words, it's poetry." So says the "Preface" to the Book of Songs, the ancient classic of Chinese poetry. In this course, we will read selections (in English) from the Book of Songs, and later poets like Li Bo [Li Bai], Du Fu, and Wang Wei. We will study how Chinese poets use image and metaphor to convey their distinctive ideas about nature, religion, and human life. On occasion, we will also read Chinese poems alongside selected English-language poems, comparing their techniques and aims. Absolutely no knowledge of Chinese is required. This section of REL-296 can apply as an elective for the Asian Studies minor. Fulfills LFA or HPR.