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Hewlett Grant 2003 - 2004 Classes |
Spring 2004
Economics 101S Issues in Microeconomics.
This course introduces students to the study of economics using the issue of inequality as a primary focus of analysis. We will use the analytical tools of economics to answer such questions as: Why does inequality exist? Is inequality good or bad? How do race and gender influence one's place in the income distribution? Although the course will focus on the analysis of inequality, students who take this course will learn basic economic principles and analytical techniques that will prepare them to take future courses in economics.Topics covered include the price system as a mechanism for determining which goods will be produced and which inputs employed; profit-maximizing behavior of firms under differing competitive conditions; pricing of factors of production and income distribution; taxation, discriminatory pricing and government regulation; theory of comparative advantage applied to international trade. Proseminar. Not open to students who have taken 110. Owen.
Government 112S Comparative Politics.
Introduction to the study of non-American national political systems, emphasizing authority, legitimacy and processes of state- and nation- building. Comparison of alternate forms of political development in selected Western and non-Western countries. The course will focus on the role of race, ethnicity, class and gender in the constitution and exercise of power in various political systems around the world. Writing-intensive. Open to junior and senior non-majors with consent of instructor only. Orvis.Philosophy 235S Environmental Ethics.
The central theme of this course is the appropriate relation of humans to the environment. Specific topics include ways of conceptualizing nature, the ethical, religious, and social sources of the environmental crisis, our moral duties to non-human organisms, and the ethical dimensions of the human population explosion. The goal is to help you to arrive at your own reasoned views on these subjects, and to think about the consequences of everyday actions, both personal and political. (Writing-intensive.) Maximum enrollment, 20. Doran.Sophomore Seminar 215S Race Matters.
The course will assess whether, how much, and why race influences education, economic trends, politics and culture. Special attention to general intellectual and cultural trends, as well as to the hard politics of welfare reform, affirmative action, the criminal justice system, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the ways in which race informs and shapes such policies and politics. May count toward concentration in Africana studies. Franklin, Sharpley-Whiting and Haley.Soph Sem 285F,S 1968: Year of Protest.
1968 was a year ripe with the possibility for change. What led up to this rebellious period in the United States and the world? What have been the consequences and the legacy of 1968? This cluster of courses will consider these and other questions by looking at the Civil Rights, anti-War, and student movements, and the sexual revolution. We will investigate primary and secondary materials from media, popular culture (TV, film and rock 'n roll), art and literature, as well as political and psychological theory. Each section will have a different focus, with varied formats for the final project.Soph Sem 285-06S 1968: Is Paris Burning?
In May 1968, France experienced the biggest mass movement in its history: violent student demonstrations preceded a general labor strike by some nine million people from all sectors of employment. Social and political unrest certainly characterized the moment, but the “events of May” also challenged existing forms of knowledge and the very nature of language. Explores the social and political history of post-war France and concurrent developments in literature and film. Key issues will be the student rebellion, the workers’ strikes, intellectual life, sexuality and representation. Prerequisite, French 200 or consent of instructor. Taught in French. May count toward a concentration in French. Morgan.
Fall 2003:
Classics 320F The Romans on Film.
Critical examination of films such as Spartacus, Julius Caesar, The Last Temptation of Christ, Ben Hur, I Claudius, Fellini Satyricon, The Fall of the Roman Empire and Gladiator. Readings from ancient writers such as Plutarch, Tacitus and Suetonius, as well as from selected modern sources. Prerequisite, one course in Latin, Greek or Classical Studies. Not open to students who have taken Classical Studies 230. Rubino.Comp Lit/Japanese 263F Deconstructing Orientalism: Representations of Japan in Popular Culture.
This course progresses chronologically through Japan's modern period. By examining a variety of popular culture, we discover how art, literature, performance and film have shaped our (mis)understanding of Japan's people and culture. From Gilbert and Sullivan's 1885 comic opera, The Mikado, to Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner, Japan has repeatedly been represented as an exotic and often incomprehensible "other." We will explore why this stereotype developed - and how we can deconstruct it. Omori and Ortabasi.Education Studies 205F Introduction to Disability Studies.
An exploration of the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, including the problem of defining disability, the history of attitudes toward and treatment of persons with disabilities and the complex social and philosophical questions surrounding justice for persons with disabilities and their place within American society. Special attention to the perspective of persons with disabilities to issues of race, class, gender and sexuality, and to the differences in impairment. A formal internship is required and is graded as part of the course. (Proseminar.) Not open to first-year students. Kanipe.French 140F Communication in Francophone Cultural Contexts: Intermediate French II.
This course ventures further into the French-speaking world, as students gain increased proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading and writing French. Students are presented with a variety of contemporary topics based on French television, film, Web texts, short fiction and drama. Special focus on oral presentation and composition. (Proseminar.) Prerequisite, 130 or consent of instructor. Three hours of class and one hour of discussion as well as independent research. Guyot-Bender.French 250F Exploring Contemporary France.
Variety of perspectives on 20th-century France including geography and history; regionalism; evolution of France within the European context and world politics; socio-political groups and popular culture. Class material includes documentaries, films and electronic media sources, as well as more traditional material. (Proseminar.) Prerequisite, 140 but 200 is strongly recommended. Students conduct semester-long research to be presented at the end of the semester. Maximum enrollment, 16. Guyot-Bender.Soph Sem 285F,S 1968: Year of Protest.
1968 was a year ripe with the possibility for change. What led up to this rebellious period in the United States and the world? What have been the consequences and the legacy of 1968? This cluster of courses will consider these and other questions by looking at the Civil Rights, anti-War, and student movements, and the sexual revolution. We will investigate primary and secondary materials from media, popular culture (TV, film and rock 'n roll), art and literature, as well as political and psychological theory. Each section will have a different focus, with varied formats for the final project.Soph Sem 285-01F 1968: Theatre in Your Face.
A prominent part of the counter-culture, theatre took to the streets and stages. Artist collectives and activist groups used theatre as acts of protest and revolution, both cultural and political. Emphasis on new and divergent voices as represented in plays and theatre, particularly those of oppressed communities, and the marriage of radical politics and radical aesthetics. Final Projects: collectively developed performances of plays and events. May count toward a concentration in theatre. Bellini-Sharp.Soph Sem 285-02F 1968: Pop Culture in the Age of Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n Roll.
Focus on the impact of the political and social movements of the late 1960s on popular culture. Investigation of television (sitcoms and news broadcasting), rock music (Beatles’ “White Album”), movies (“The Graduate” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”), art movements (Andy Warhol and pop art), student activism (Columbia University and Hamilton College). The final project will take the form of curating an exhibition in the Emerson Gallery, using materials from the gallery and other local institutions, the College archives and student family “heirlooms.” Sciacca.Soph Sem 285-03F 1968: Students in Revolt.
In 1968, students in the USA, France and Czechoslovakia organized for mass demonstrations, protests, educational projects, and, in some cases, violent actions in favor of civil rights, peace, educational reform, and recognition of human rights. What compelled young people to social action? What were their ideologies of "freedom," "equality" and "power"? How did the counterculture influence student activists, and what were the lasting results of student movements? How did student movements relate to movements for liberation among women and among gays? Kanipe and McArn.
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