Course Listings

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.

ENG-350-01=ART-210-01 "What tales might those pictures tell," the poet Walt Whitman once asked, "if their mute lips had the power of speech?" In English 350/ART 210, we'll explore how writers and artists have answered that question in the years since photography's invention in 1839. Nothing before photography had so accurately represented the natural world. How would the talkative text respond to the silent image? How does literature compete with photography's beauty and presumed factuality? And is it helpful, in answering these questions, to remember photography's etymology-writing with light? This semester, we'll read from the 19th century to the 21st, looking at poems, essays, stories, and criticism that respond to photography. We'll look at photographs and photobooks. We'll consider various ways that photography and literature intersect, including author photos, illustrations, captions, photo albums, and sequential art. Writers and photographers will include: Walt Whitman, James Agee, Carrie Mae Weems, Walker Evans, Natasha Trethewey, Duane Michals, Emily Dickinson, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, and others. We'll ground ourselves with Susan Sontag's On Photography. We'll learn from Roland Barthes that all photographers are "agents of death" (Camera Lucida). Projects include analyzing images from Wabash's archives and class presentations on new photographers.

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.

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.

Second half semester course. The design of new proteins is a challenging and scientifically useful endeavor. Current and potential applications are exciting, ranging from improved enzymes for biotechnological production of chemicals like biofuel, to the design of research tools like biosensors and drugs that act as inhibitors or highly specialized vaccines. This course will cover topics such as force-fields for energy calculations, Monte-Carlo sampling, directed evolution, and de novo protein design. The course will investigate protein design through primary literature readings and hands on computational design using cutting-edge software.

2nd Half Semester Course This course is designed as an introduction to the many applications of computational chemistry. The background theory of theories and basis sets will be discussed so that the proper method for each chemical topic can be chosen. Students will learn about the different types of calculations and what information can be obtained from them. The focus of the course will be to showcase how to use computational chemistry to solve chemical problems. Students will run calculations to answer chemical questions.

1st Half Semester Course This senior capstone course will challenge students with an application of fundamental concepts from earlier coursework, particularly computational modeling, to the topic of molecular machines. With potential applications in drug delivery and molecular electronics to development of "nanocars", molecular machines are an emerging field. The first artificial molecular machine was synthesized in 1994 and the 2016 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Stoddart, Sauvage, and Feringa for their work with molecular machines. In-depth exploration will connect overarching themes in the major and provide a powerful launching point for written comprehensive exam preparation. Critical engagement with the primary literature and diverse modes of oral and written presentation will be emphasized. This one-half credit course is required of all chemistry majors and meets twice each week for the first half of the semester.

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).

Students in this course will develop experience with a wide range of practical computational tools used in working with big data and will work in a team to address a real-world data science project with a corporate partner. Topics include R programming, Unix, bash, regular expressions, SQL, XML, and various tools for data visualization. Our student team will be connected to a corporate partner through the Purdue University Data Mine network, and we will engage directly with the partner to address a real-world industry problem. Enrollment in this course is by instructor permission. Minimum Prerequisite: completion of at least one of CSC-241, CSC-242, or CSC-243 with a C- or better. Interested students should complete Dr. Westphal's questionnaire at https://forms.office.com/r/vhU0XUpGsJ for permission to enroll.

ECO-277-01=PPE-258-01 Behavioral Economics, a relatively new field in economic theory, attempts to bridge the divide between the classical microeconomic model and what we observe in the real world. In this class, we will explore concepts like mental accounting (or why my bank account never seems to have as much money in it as I remember), hyperbolic discounting (or why I keep hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock), reciprocity (or why I charge less to people I know better), and prospect theory (or why I weigh my fear of getting a C on an exam much more than my joy of getting an A on it), among other topics.

ECO-358-01=HSP-277-01=PPE-358-01 This interdisciplinary course focuses on many asspects of Inequality and Growth in Latin America and will include an immersion trip component to Costa Rica. Among the main goals for the course are the following: develop understanding of the economic situation on the continent and in the particular courntry, use economic theories and data to explore racial and income discrimination (and discrimination more broadly) in Latin America, and developing understanding of a tight conection between economic growth and inequality outcomes. Developing an understanding of the historical background will serve as a starting point to examine economic policies and realities related to few basic economic concepts, such as inflation, poverty, stabilization, and debt. The region has experienced a variety of interesting economic conditions from monetary union to tequila effect, from rapid growth to poor growth in resource riche environments. Therefore, it lends itself well for a variety of country case studies as they relate to economic theories. In addition to broader overview, we will spend substantial time studying exchange rate experience of Argentina and data sources available for information on these countries. Some knowledge of Spanish and Economica/PPE will be adventagous for students in this class.

With an eye toward issues of equity and justice within and across public schools and their communities in rural, suburban, and urban settings, students in this course will explore the various elements of historical, cultural, economic, social, and political influences that shape public education in the U.S. For example, students will be introduced to the ways in which socioeconomic (poverty/wealth) diversity and sociocultural (racial/ethnic) diversity within schools and communities characterize public schools in different settings. As part of an investigation into how public schools function in rural, suburban, and urban communities, the class will focus on the ways in which community dynamics can exacerbate inequities at the same time provide support and resources for a more just and equitable public school experience. Students will study how different school districts within urban, rural, and suburban communities characterized by distinctive demographics also have different needs and resources, which determine schools' unique curricular and programmatic offerings. For example, case studies of school districts will enable students to consider questions such as: what are relevant vocational program options for suburban and urban schools? And how do agricultural education programs in rural schools serve those communities? Students will also consider how achievement data and socio-economic data across the three different school and community settings lead us to questions of equity and justice. In addition to course texts (including academic books and articles, case studies, documentaries, and podcasts), school/community field trips, guest speakers, and a variety of assignments will further enable students to rethink the range of opportunities and challenges that are uniquely characteristic of public schools and communities in rural, suburban, and urban settings.

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.

ENG-350-01=ART-210-01 "What tales might those pictures tell," the poet Walt Whitman once asked, "if their mute lips had the power of speech?" In English 350/ART 210, we'll explore how writers and artists have answered that question in the years since photography's invention in 1839. Nothing before photography had so accurately represented the natural world. How would the talkative text respond to the silent image? How does literature compete with photography's beauty and presumed factuality? And is it helpful, in answering these questions, to remember photography's etymology-writing with light? This semester, we'll read from the 19th century to the 21st, looking at poems, essays, stories, and criticism that respond to photography. We'll look at photographs and photobooks. We'll consider various ways that photography and literature intersect, including author photos, illustrations, captions, photo albums, and sequential art. Writers and photographers will include: Walt Whitman, James Agee, Carrie Mae Weems, Walker Evans, Natasha Trethewey, Duane Michals, Emily Dickinson, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, and others. We'll ground ourselves with Susan Sontag's On Photography. We'll learn from Roland Barthes that all photographers are "agents of death" (Camera Lucida). Projects include analyzing images from Wabash's archives and class presentations on new photographers.

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.

When faced with life's hardships, many ancient people turned to magic in the hope of influencing the world around them. For some, magic offered an expedient solution to a meddlesome rival, a sore throat, or a broken heart. For others, it offered an avenue for transcending this world altogether. This course examines the widespread and diverse practice of magic in the ancient world, from the times of Homer to the early days of Christianity. We will read and discuss actual ancient curse text, love charms, protective amulets, magical recipe books, and much more.

In the ancient world, music was thought to be a divine language, the breath of the gods. This language was accessible through instruments played in obedience to the mathematical laws that govern the cosmos as whole. Music was less our creation than a part of nature itself, awaiting our discovery. Though our Spotify playlists lack this rich enchantment, we generally recognize the unique and perhaps transcendent affect music has upon us. If music is more than vibrations, what is that 'more'? In this course we will study music from a variety of disciplinary perspectives: psychology, philosophy, history, economy, and biography. What happens to our brains when we listen to music? How does music shape and give substance to our memories? How is music currently made and monetized? Did the invention of headphones give music new capabilities to shape our self-conceptions? How might we listen to music differently?

"Here we are now / entertain us" We look back at the1990s today with a deep sense of nostalgia for a seemingly-simpler time: AOL! Tamagotchis! Brick-sized Cell Phones! By today's standards, it feels like a period of relative peace and security in the United States, one situated between two momentous collapses: The Berlin Wall in 1989 (which effectively ended the Soviet Union and the bipolar world order) and The World Trade Center in 2001 (which began the Global War on Terror and led to the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan). It was a time that cultural critic Chuck Klosterman has recently described as "a period when the world was starting to go crazy, but not so crazy that it was unmanageable or irreparable." Many of the issues we grapple with today can be seen in their nascent forms in the 1990s. The impeachment of Bill Clinton, the scorched-earth tactics of Newt Gingrich, and populist rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh pre-sage our fractious, tribalist politics. Domestic terrorism commanded the newly-minted "24-hour news cycles" following the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. The mass shooting at Columbine High School ignited a nation-wide debate about gun control and mental health before the carnage of Virginia Tech, Parkland, and Sandy Hook. The complexity of race relations in America were underscored by the O.J. Simpson trial, Rodney King verdict, the L.A. Riots, and the rise of hip hop as a dominant popular musical form. The 90s were a period of optimism about a technological future when the analog gave way to the digital, and the internet existed before social media. At the same time novels (Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, Primary Colors by Joe Klein/Anonymous), films (Pulp Fiction, Clerks, Kids), and music (gangsta rap, grunge, electronica) saw characters and artists grappling with knee-jerk cynicism, systemic poverty and racism, fear, apathy, and the construction of identity and reality. In this class, we will examine the last decade of the twentieth century as a historical period, filled with portents of the challenges seen in the first decades of the twenty-first.

Are you prepared to defend against the sinister forces that will try to manipulate your thoughts and actions? In arenas such as social media, advertising, and election campaigns, you will face a variety of dark rhetorical arts from disinformation and propaganda to demagoguery and trolling. This course will study the strategies and tactics of these dark arts and equip you with practical tools to defend against them. We will also consider the ethical principles of public discourse that we can employ in our own lives.

What makes a hero? For thousands of years, epic poetry provided a vehicle for ancient societies to explore essential human questions, such as the nature of heroism, the obligations of individuals to their communities, and the balance between free will and fate. Over the course of the semester, we will read Homer's Iliad, the oldest epic poem from Ancient Greece and one of the most famous literary depictions of warfare ever recorded. By following the trials and tribulations of the Greeks and Trojans in their ninth year at war, we will grapple with questions of honor, justice, gender, and memory that continue to reverberate in modern literature and culture.

Why do we tell stories? Heroes and villains make storytelling entertaining and compelling. In this course, we will consider what makes a hero and why its antagonist, the villain, is so necessary. Our readings and discussions will be grounded in fiction and history, learning from storytellers about admirable heroes and their terrible adversaries, taking us on a journey from mythology to Marvel, knights to detectives, DC to Disney, historical wars, Wabash, fantasy, and the outer space realm of science fiction. Throughout the semester, we will utilize campus resources to explore and reflect on the meaning of heroes and villains.

Americans seem more divided than ever before. Increasingly, we disagree not only about the issues but also basic facts. Our disagreements have even led to violence, including after our last Presidential election. Why are we so divided? Can we unite? Could we draw upon our Founders' wisdom to help answer these questions? The Founders' experience may seem irrelevant because they were much more successful. After all, they defeated the world's mightiest empire, established the first successful large-scale democracy, and ensured a level of liberty previously unknown. But the Founders were also real people with serious faults. As one historian describes them, "they could write like angels and scheme like demons." For example, the Founders largely dodged the issue of slavery, subjected Native Americans to what would become a form of genocide, and at times attacked one another as ferociously as today's political leaders. Indeed, efforts to decide our first two-party Presidential election in 1800 between Founders John Adams and Thomas Jefferson almost turned into a riot. By treating the Founders as real people and drawing on their dramatic experiences, we will try to learn how we can unite, or at least disagree more productively, about the issues that divide us so deeply today.

It seems that everyone wants to be a "success," that everyone wants to be "happy." But what is success? And what is it that makes people happy? In this class we will explore our own and others' definitions of success (and failure) and consider how our beliefs about happiness converge (or not) with people's lived experiences. We will talk to members of the Wabash community: faculty, staff, and other students; read from a variety of genres (fiction and non-fiction books, philosophical essays, scientific papers, etc.); and write a lot, in the service of summarizing information, analyzing texts, and expressing our own experiences and thoughts. As we work, we will keep an eye on how we can pursue goals that matter, for both ourselves and others, and can create a better way of being in the world, maybe by thinking less about being happy.

Dante Alighieri's La Divina Commedia (in English, The Divine Comedy) is a three-volume epic poem about a pilgrim named "Dante" who finds himself lost in the middle of his life. He embarks on a journey to find-what, exactly? . Revenge . Himself . His first love . Home . Salvation . God Each of these answers is correct, yet none is sufficient. The Divine Comedy is a pilgrimage narrative, and, like all pilgrimage narratives, the ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment is attainable only through physical travel. With Dante, then, we will hike through hell, purgatory, and heaven-but also deep into the world of Medieval Christianity and Medieval Florence, learning something about the people, places, beliefs, and questions that moved the spiritual seekers of the middle ages.

The gathering of hundreds or thousands of people has occurred for all sorts of reasons over the past two centuries: to cheer a football team, to demand justice, to worship a religion or a pop star. In this course, we'll think about the causes and effects of crowds in modern history. We'll focus on a few cases from around the world, exploring crowds' contradictory aims, complex behaviors, and impact on social belonging. Why are some crowds celebrated while others are denounced as "mobs"? For whom is the crowd liberating-a chance to resist oppression, build community, or escape the daily grind-and for whom is the crowd repressive-a violent misrepresentation of "the people"? We'll learn from historians, scientists, journalists, and our own Wabash experiences what crowds can teach us about human society and how to improve it.

Philosophy, or the love of wisdom, begins when people wonder. It begins when, instead of looking at things from a practical perspective, we wonder about why things are the way they are and not some way different. Most cultures have asked these kinds of questions and have offered systematic explanations to try to answer them. In this course, we will consider questions regarding the nature of reality, what it means to live a good life, and what should be our human relation with the world from the perspective of different philosophical traditions from around the world. We will cover Confucianism, Buddhism, Bantu philosophy, Greek philosophy, and indigenous philosophies from the Americas. The course aims to cultivate students' sense of wonder by considering the way things could be from different world perspectives.

The undead have once again shambled into a prominent place in popular culture and contemporary fiction. This course will focus on the origins and evolution of the undead in folklore, literature, popular art, games, and film. Students will explore several readings and films that portray the undead in a variety of ways. We will uncover how undead fiction addresses the mystique, power, and fear associated with the supernatural, science, authority, disease, morality, sex, and violence. Critical discussion of these fictional works will reveal a great deal about ourselves and the hopes and fears of society. The course will challenge students to dig deep and use their "braaaaaainsss" as they tackle engaging stories about zombies, vampires, ghouls, etc. Course assignments and activities are aimed to help students develop critical reading, writing, discussion, and oral presentation skills that are essential to success at Wabash College. As a final assignment, students will work to craft original short stories that will be compiled into a publication to share with classmates.

Imagine you've created a machine that is able to make an exact, physical copy of any object. However, the process of making the copy requires that the machine destroys the original. So, if you put your phone in and turn on the machine, the phone is instantly vaporized. But, in another compartment you find an exact duplicate of your device. Such a machine would be quite interesting, but we might imagine that it has little practical value. However, what happens if you step into the machine, and turn it on? You are instantly (and, let's assume painlessly!) vaporized, and out of the second compartment steps your exact duplicate. Who is this duplicate? Does he think he is you? If he does, then are you actually dead? What if the machine malfunctions and you are not vaporized: are you and your duplicate both "you"? If you then kill your duplicate, was there in fact a murder? What if he kills you? In this class, we will take these types of thought experiments seriously, and use them to look carefully at the problem of self, and what it means to be a person. Through works of science fiction, philosophical thought experiments, and stories about the lives of humans with brain damage, we will try to locate our "I", our sense of self. We will also look at how gender, sexuality and other characteristics impact our personal identity. Finally, we will look beyond our own selves to examine other kinds of persons, such as aliens, artificial intelligences and genetically modified humans, who we might share the world with someday. Some of the texts we will read include Brok's Into the Silent Land, selections from philosophical approaches to the self, and a number of science fiction short stories and novels (such as The Mote in God's Eye and Ancillary Justice), and watch several films in the course, including The Thirteenth Floor. Throughout the course, we will look at the state of current research, to better assess which science fiction futures are likely to become reality in our lifetimes.

What will the world look like when you're 30 years old? 50? 100? Will the current nation-states still exist? Will you be able to vote in free elections? Own property? What world will the people in 802,701 inhabit? Will there be people on our planet in 1000 years? Writers and filmmakers have been asking and creatively answering such questions for a long time. We will read what they have to say and analyze the social, historical, and political contexts for such themes as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, alien invasion, climate change, pandemics, and fascism. We will read speculative fiction and graphic novels by H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, Margaret Atwood, and others, and we will watch movies, including Cloud Atlas and Interstellar. After that, you will write a script for your own speculative film or podcast about the year 3000.

Have you ever been asked to define leadership? Are you already a recognized leader or aspiring to be one? Part of the Wabash College mission statement is to educate its students to lead effectively. This course explores what it means to lead effectively at Wabash and beyond. Using various leadership theories and frameworks, students will study exemplary leaders (including Wabash alumni and friends of the College) in education, sports, government, business, religion, and more. Students will complete personal inventories as they develop their own leadership philosophy. The course will provide students with practical leadership opportunities within the Wabash and local Crawfordsville community. As students complete the course, they will be better prepared to lead and serve others at Wabash, in their profession, and community.

This tutorial will explore the evolution of nuclear technologies, from the discovery of fission to the current day. We will explore the changing views of these technologies, through film, literature, and the developing science related to these technologies. Special attention will be paid to impacts in energy, weapons, and medicine. Students will also develop skills in interpreting and presenting scientific data. Students are expected to develop an understanding the processes of scientific inquiry, and the impact that science can or cannot have on public policy.

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.

Heimat, Krimi, Wald In this course, students will explore the literary representation and cultural history of topics that seem especially or uniquely German. We will begin with the Wald, or forest, and the role that it played in Early German Romanticism in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The Wald serves as an important artistic locus for lyric poetry but also for music, narrative, and visual art. We will then turn to the genre of the Kriminalgeschichte or Krimi and the outsize position that it has long occupied in popular German culture. In particular, we will consider the Krimi as a means of negotiating a post-war, multiethnic German identity. Finally, we will examine the curious concept of Heimat, a word that we render in English as "homeland" but that Germans will tell you is essentially untranslatable. We'll read Nora Krug's excellent graphic novel and family memoir Heimat as a window onto the entanglement of homeland, history, and personal identity. Through each topic, we will focus on both the critical analysis of literary works and the examination of broader cultural concepts (e.g., Kultur vs. Natur, Kollektivschuld, Assimilation vs. Integration, Vergangenheitsbearbeitung).

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.

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!

This seminar explores Nazi Germany through the Sonderweg (special path) thesis. Developed by historians, the controversial Sonderweg thesis asserts that Germany followed a unique trajectory of political and economic development in the 19th and early 20th centuries distinct from Western Europe, setting the stage for Nazism. The course begins by tracing the origins and core arguments of the Sonderweg thesis, examining how historians have characterized Imperial and Weimar Germany as deviating from Western norms of capitalist democracy and rule of law. It then explores scholarly debates around the validity of the idea that Germany had a "special path" divergent from the West. Students in the course will analyze primary sources and historical works that support and contradict the Sonderweg interpretation to address some of the following questions. What were the unique factors that gave rise to Hitler's movement? To what extent did Nazi ideology and institutions have indigenous roots? Why did Nazi rule culminate in unprecedented genocide? Did modern communications support the rise of Nazism? Was warfare inevitable? Through discussion, students will arrive at their own conclusions about the roots of Nazism and Germany's departure from or continuity with European norms. Finally, they will reflect on the legacy of the Sonderweg thesis for historians' current understanding of German and European history. This seminar focuses on debate and discussion, culminating in a short research paper on some aspect of the "special path" interpretation of German history.

From The Bachelor, November 22, 1957: "John Banghart, Sig councilman and one-man committee on the jukebox situation, reported that the Campus Center Board decided to try to get a replacement for the nickelodeon recently removed for lack of profit. The replacement, if obtained, would require a dime per play and would contain only "screened" records (classical, semi-classical, jazz, popular-"no rock 'n roll" )." Rock and Roll hit the airwaves of American in the mid-1950s as Bill Haley and the Comets, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry rocked the post-war teenage generation. Did Wabash College resist the wave? In this research seminar, with extensive work in the Wabash Archives, we will study both the history of popular music from 1955 to the 1970s and how it manifested on campus as well as on the airwaves and television set. Our focus is not only developments in the music but also social and cultural changes in the US, particularly in terms of race. How did this play out on the national stage--and in Crawfordsville, Indiana?

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 Caribbeaan 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.

ECO-358-01=HSP-277-01=PPE-358-01 This interdisciplinary course focuses on many asspects of Inequality and Growth in Latin America and will include an immersion trip component to Costa Rica. Among the main goals for the course are the following: develop understanding of the economic situation on the continent and in the particular courntry, use economic theories and data to explore racial and income discrimination (and discrimination more broadly) in Latin America, and developing understanding of a tight conection between economic growth and inequality outcomes. Developing an understanding of the historical background will serve as a starting point to examine economic policies and realities related to few basic economic concepts, such as inflation, poverty, stabilization, and debt. The region has experienced a variety of interesting economic conditions from monetary union to tequila effect, from rapid growth to poor growth in resource riche environments. Therefore, it lends itself well for a variety of country case studies as they relate to economic theories. In addition to broader overview, we will spend substantial time studying exchange rate experience of Argentina and data sources available for information on these countries. Some knowledge of Spanish and Economica/PPE will be adventagous for students in this class.

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.

PHI-319-01=PPE-329-01 This course will focus on the legitimacy of social institutions, or what makes social institutions just or unjust. The problem of legitimacy becomes particularly important for modern philosophers who conceive of the social world as historically contingent, which means that it could have been otherwise. This means that nothing justifies us in preferring our present social arrangements to any other social arrangements. Moreover, since social institutions involve power relations, then there seems to be no source of legitimacy that would make these power relations just as opposed to arbitrary and unjust. The course will focus on how we legitimize social institutions as well as on the norms that serve to criticize power relations as just or unjust. The course will take the form of an in-depth study of 19th and 20th century social and political philosophers. We will particularly focus on the work of G.W.F. Hegel and Karl Marx from the 19th century, and Michel Foucault and Enrique Dussel from the 20th century. These philosophers will help us raise questions regarding rights and the state, punishment, science and power, as well as globalization and colonialism.

David Hume (1711-1776) was a central figure in the "Scottish Enlightenment" of the 18th century, and stands today as one of the most important and influential thinkers in the Western philosophical tradition. Hume produced groundbreaking new approaches in many areas of philosophical inquiry, including knowledge, morality, and the relationship between philosophy and science. While many of his arguments were, and are, disturbing to established systems of thought, the eloquence and intellectual integrity with which he made those arguments is beyond reproach. In this course, we will study some of Hume's central contributions to epistemology, ethics, and the study of human behavior by close and careful examination of his most important philosophical works, A Treatise of Human Nature and Enquiries Concerning Human Understanding and Concerning the Principles of Morals. This course is required for senior philosophy majors, but is open to other students.

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.

ECO-277-01=PPE-258-01 Behavioral Economics, a relatively new field in economic theory, attempts to bridge the divide between the classical microeconomic model and what we observe in the real world. In this class, we will explore concepts like mental accounting (or why my bank account never seems to have as much money in it as I remember), hyperbolic discounting (or why I keep hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock), reciprocity (or why I charge less to people I know better), and prospect theory (or why I weigh my fear of getting a C on an exam much more than my joy of getting an A on it), among other topics.

The Marginal Revolution (late 19th century) was a critical moment in the history of economic thought. For the first time, professional economic theorists developed and possessed a consistent theory to explain and understand the machinations of rational decision makers, market dynamics and the pricing system. Since then, the related fields of microeconomic theory and applied political economy have expanded and developed a variety of theoretical insights along-side real and historic applications including but not limited to: an advanced model of consumer behavior, an industrial organizational model of firms, a framework for understanding international trade, business cycles, positive political economy and developmental economics. Students will read and gain a working understanding of the historical context and intellectual substance of the marginal revolution, as well as they will survey and apply insights from subsequent applications and debates.

PHI-319-01=PPE-329-01 This course will focus on the legitimacy of social institutions, or what makes social institutions just or unjust. The problem of legitimacy becomes particularly important for modern philosophers who conceive of the social world as historically contingent, which means that it could have been otherwise. This means that nothing justifies us in preferring our present social arrangements to any other social arrangements. Moreover, since social institutions involve power relations, then there seems to be no source of legitimacy that would make these power relations just as opposed to arbitrary and unjust. The course will focus on how we legitimize social institutions as well as on the norms that serve to criticize power relations as just or unjust. The course will take the form of an in-depth study of 19th and 20th century social and political philosophers. We will particularly focus on the work of G.W.F. Hegel and Karl Marx from the 19th century, and Michel Foucault and Enrique Dussel from the 20th century. These philosophers will help us raise questions regarding rights and the state, punishment, science and power, as well as globalization and colonialism.

ECO-358-01=HSP-277-01=PPE-358-01 This interdisciplinary course focuses on many asspects of Inequality and Growth in Latin America and will include an immersion trip component to Costa Rica. Among the main goals for the course are the following: develop understanding of the economic situation on the continent and in the particular courntry, use economic theories and data to explore racial and income discrimination (and discrimination more broadly) in Latin America, and developing understanding of a tight conection between economic growth and inequality outcomes. Developing an understanding of the historical background will serve as a starting point to examine economic policies and realities related to few basic economic concepts, such as inflation, poverty, stabilization, and debt. The region has experienced a variety of interesting economic conditions from monetary union to tequila effect, from rapid growth to poor growth in resource riche environments. Therefore, it lends itself well for a variety of country case studies as they relate to economic theories. In addition to broader overview, we will spend substantial time studying exchange rate experience of Argentina and data sources available for information on these countries. Some knowledge of Spanish and Economica/PPE will be adventagous for students in this class.

For months - if not years - before elections, commercial pollsters, campaign strategists, and academic survey researchers constantly query population samples in order to get a handle on what the American public thinks about issues, candidates, and campaign developments. This course takes a peek behind the curtain to examine how public opinion polls are conducted, the challenges pollsters face in their efforts to accurately measure the attitudes and beliefs of large populations, best practices for media reporting on poll results, and the relationship between public opinion polling and democracy. Students will follow 2024 election polling in real time, conduct an exit poll, and promote polling literacy within the campus and local communities.

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.

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 Caribbeaan through the lens of Baseball. The language of instruction will be English.

Interested in creating your own unique performance piece? Want to build an interactive game to baffle your friends? In this course, students will learn and practice theater devising methods such as Moment Work and Viewpoints to build a performance of their own creation. Students will also work together to create an immersive, theater-themed Escape Room using ideas from gaming and devising to construct and solve their own mysteries.