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Achieving eXcellence in Liberal Education

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Writing Requirements | Writing Seminars


First-Year Writing Seminars Offered Spring 2010

 

» First-Year Writing Seminars 2009/2010 booklet PDF file


Note: There are some late additions that did not appear in the First-Year Writing Seminar Booklet, including: African American and Diaspora Studies Section 1, English Sections 21, 22 and 23, French section 1, Jewish Studies section 5, Philosophy Section 23, Psychology Section 14, and Religious Studies Sections 4, 5 and 6. The following seminars have been canceled: Biological Sciences Section 6, Medicine, Health, and Society Section 1, and Theatre Section 3.

 

African American and Diaspora Studies 115F, Section 1

Race, Sports, and American Culture.

Race, Sports, and American Culture will engage race in America from the turn of the last century (1900) to the present. Myths and truths will be interrogated and explored. For example, how have sports via race helped to shape American culture? How have sports made contributions to both racial integration and racial stereotyping? Has Title IX achieved gender equity? Has it helped to level the playing field with regard to access and participation for women from racial minority groups? The course will be interdisciplinary in its approach, using history, critical race theory, women’s studies, and film.
SPRING. [3] Whiting. (SBS)

American Studies 115F, Section 3

Cultural Conflict in 20th-Century America.

This course will examine a series of culturally divisive events that occurred in the U.S. during the 20th century. By studying these events and their portrayal in film, music, and literature, this course will consider how cultural conflict has had an impact on modern American society, and how it might affect political debate in upcoming elections.
SPRING. [3] Boyd. (US)

Biological Sciences 115F, Section 2

The Human Genome.

Heralded as “the code of codes,” “the essence of life,” and “more significant than splitting the atom or going to the moon,” the Human Genome Project has captured the interest of both the popular press and scientists alike. What do these three billion A’s, C’s, G’s, and T’s really encode? Time magazine announces on its cover that this alphabet soup encodes “the God Gene,” and the scientists state that the code will have the “utmost impact on medicine and science of the twenty-first century.” In this seminar, we will investigate the human genome and differentiate the science from the science fiction by examining scientific literature and primary research articles. We will learn how (or if) the human genome defines us while debunking the myths that surround race, genetic screening, evolution, and human cloning.
SPRING. [3] Benson. (P)

Biological Sciences 115F, Section 4

Darwin and the Theory of Evolution.

“When on board H.M.S. ‘Beagle,’ as naturalist, I was struck with certain facts about the distribution of the organic beings . . . which seemed to throw light on the origin of species, that mystery of mysteries…” Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has not only illuminated the sciences but also has become a concept that unifies science. In this course, we will explore the scientific emergence, development, and impact of Darwin’s evolution theory. We will begin by reading Origin of Species and follow the scientific revolution into the next century and into this century. We will discuss topics such as the modern synthesis, modes of speciation, modern concepts in molecular and macroevolution, sociobiology, creationism, intelligent design, and human evolution. Readings will be drawn from Darwin, Ernst Mayr, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Jay Gould, E.
O. Wilson, Steven Pinker, and Richard Lewontin.
SPRING. [3] Benson. (MNS)

Chemistry 115F, Section 2

The Chemistry of Everyday Things.

In this course we will learn about the chemistry of everyday things like beauty products, contraception, food additives and pesticides, DNA fingerprinting, climate change, and drugs used to cure disease. These topics will be embedded within social, historical, legal, and religious contexts while answering fundamental questions about the role of science in society. Topics include: the distortion of climate change research by politicians; the role of chemistry in raising the bar for what passes as beautiful; moral and social influences in halting research on new contraceptives while development of Viagra-type drugs increases; and the double-edged sword of pesticides and herbicides in our food supply. Students will explore these topics through readings and discussion. They will demonstrate topic mastery by writing Time magazine-style articles about scientific products within a social context. SPRING. [3] Sulikowski. (P)

Economics 115F, Section 4

Economics of Globalization.

Meaning and evolution of economic globalization. Critical analysis and assessment of its impact on employment and growth, income distribution and poverty, child labor, environmental quality, and North-South relations. Risks of periodic financial crises and the role of international financial institutions after the East Asian financial crisis. Coping strategies for the negative effects of globalization.
FALL, SPRING. [3] Ketkar. (SBS)

Economics 115F, Section 5

Strategic Thinking and Interactions.

Should a gas station attempt to undercut the price charged by its neighbor? Should an insurance company charge less per dollar of coverage to people who buy a policy with a larger deductible? The correct choice of action in each of these cases depends in large part on how others act. Will a price cut precipitate a retaliatory price cut by the neighbor, and perhaps a devastating price war? Will people whose property is covered more fully by insurance take less care to avoid damage to that property? Making one's best choice in such cases requires anticipating how others will respond to that choice. This is the subject of ”game theory.” In this seminar we will study the “strategic method” of making choices, whereby agents choose actions only after carefully “looking through the eyes” of those with whom they interact, and we will analyze likely outcomes of interactions among agents who employ the strategic method of making choices. Topics covered will include the “prisoner's dilemma,” commitments, unpredictability, coordination, threats, bargaining, auctions, screening, and “moral hazard,“ with applications from economics, politics, and sports. Students will analyze cases and problems in each class and in written assignments.
SPRING. [3] Sweeney. (SBS)

English 115F, Section 21

Religion, Science, and Literature: Apocalypse, Dystopia, and Beyond.

The millenium's end, disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, and the specter of global warming have precipitated what has been called the "doom boom." This increased interest in stories about the end of the world and depictions of societies gone wrong has also been fed by technological advances and religious extremism. Will the Human Genome Project usher in a new eugenics? Can we avoid a nuclear 9/11? For thousands of years, storytellers have been imagining the world's complete destruction or transformation by forces beyond human control. In the 19th and 20th centuries, authors of speculative fiction turned their imaginations to communities corrupted or destroyed by unbridled scientific, religious, or political ideologies. In this course, we will explore novels, short stories, and films that present post-apocalyptic worlds and dystopias where the forces of nature and culture threaten to extinguish the human spirit. Readings include Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel Brave New World and Cormac McCarthy's 2006 Pulizer-Prize-winning book The Road. Viewings include Andrew Niccol's Gattica and Fernando Meirelles' Blindness.
SPRING. [3] Fanning. (HCA)

English 115F, Section 22

More than Mr. Darcy: The Life and Works of Jane Austen.

Jane Austen the woman and Jane Austen the novelist offer students an excellent personal and academic model. So much of her fiction, indeed the course of her own life, turns on the acquisition of self-knowledge, sound judgment, and independent thought—qualities essential to living a good life as well as being a good writer. Although the study of Jane Austen and her fiction could engage a lifetime, we will read four novels (Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility) and selected letters to explore the world of the woman and her work. In doing so, we will attempt to answer questions such as the following: What is the big deal about Pemberley? Who is the real villain in Emma Woodhouse’s story? Who was Jane Austen’s lost love, why did she cancel her engagement, and what explains the years of silence in her writing? And what is the basis for her continued relevance? We will study her works as both literary texts and as examples of successful composition while trying to gain an understanding of their historical, cultural, and biographical contexts.
SPRING. [3] Hearn. (HCA)

English 115F, Section 23

Riots, Scandals, and Panics in Twentieth-Century Literature and the Arts.

This course will examine literary and artistic scandals, riots, and panics from the first half of the twentieth century: artworks of various genres that prompted cultural freak-outs. The premieres of J.M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World and Stravinsky's pagan ballet, The Rite of Spring, caused riots in the stands, while Orson Welles's radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds had audiences wondering if they were being invaded by Martians. In addition to these works, we shall study Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. The texts will be examined as works in their own right, and as participants in cultural and historical conversation. What made this period of history a hotbed for artistic scandal? What purposes were served by inducing it? Why did these works cause such shock? Was it controversial politics? moral impropriety? aesthetic impudence? Even though we may think of theater spectators as passive, well-behaved creatures, how did these works startle their audiences out of their complacency? Students will investigate their own scandal-inducing texts of the twentieth century through independent research projects.
SPRING. [3] Epstein. (HCA)

French 115F, Section 1

The French Experience in the Americas.

Today, the French-speaking population of North America is concentrated in the province of Quebec, with smaller pockets in other Canadian provinces, Cajun Louisiana, and New England. At its peak, however, the French presence in the Americas extended across a vast territory from the Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico and from Newfoundland to Lake Superior. French settlers even attempted a Protestant settlement in Brazil in the sixteenth century, although it was short lived. Explorers and missionaries wrote extensively about their experiences in the New World. Such works include Jean de Lery's gripping accounts of life among the cannibalistic Tupinamba Indians, and Marie de L'Incarnation's correspondence, which detailed her efforts as the first female missionary in North America to establish a convent in Quebec. We will attempt to understand these perspectives as well as the point of view of native populations to the arrival of Europeans. We will study the different strata of French colonizers, including traders, Jesuit missionaries, the French elite, and les filles du roi, translated as the "king's daughters,” women imported from France to help populate the colonies. We will also examine literary representations of the French experience in the New World, such as Longfellow's epic "Evangeline," a poetic rendering of the Acadian deportation of 1755. Other sources include literary works and films from Quebec as well as the folk record consisting of songs, tales, and oral histories. We will conclude by taking stock of the current state of French language and culture in the Americas.
SPRING. [3] Kevra. (INT)

French 115F, Section 2

Urban Tales: Adventures in 19th and 20th Century Paris.

A study of images of Paris and Parisian life in nineteenth and twentieth century literature, painting, and photography. Using a range of literary and visual texts, including short stories, poetry, architectural plans, paintings, and photographs, we will explore the emergence and representation of the distinctive urban spaces of the boulevard, the apartment building, the restaurant, and the department store at a time of revolutionary changes in political, social, and artistic life. Close readings of descriptive narratives by Balzac, Baudelaire, Zola, and Apollinaire will be complemented by analyses of visual representations by Daumier, Caillebotte, Manet, Degas, and Man Ray. Readings and discussions will emphasize the following themes: the city as a locus of social and political tension, as a setting that inspires revolution in art and politics, and as a place of shifting images of masculinity and femininity.
SPRING. [3] Raycraft. (INT)

History 115F, Section 17

The Shari'a: Islamic Law in Historical Perspective.

A major stream of Muslim thought presents God's law as clear and immutable. In this view, God revealed to the prophet Muhammad the eternal law, which Muslims throughout the ages must strive to follow. By contrast, secular historians endeavor to understand Islam's sacred law from a very different perspective: to see how human beings made the law and subsequently interpreted it in various ways across time and geographical space. From this viewpoint, Islam appears to be a changing religion. As such, we will explore the essential sources of Islamic law, the Qur’an and the Hadith (Oral Tradition), and early interpretations of them, as jurists determined ways to systematically translate God’s revelations into law. We will focus on the debates concerning the meaning and applicability of Qur’anic verses before turning to several categories of law (such as marriage law, ritual law, commercial law, and criminal law), to get a sense of the scope and variety of the legal corpus. The formation and spread of the Sunni schools of law, and the distinction between Sunni and Shi’i law, will concern us next. The course ends with the impact of European imperialism and colonialism on Islamic law and how globalization and the modern media have revolutionized Islamic law, particularly in the ability of jurists to communicate with the masses.
SPRING. [3] Halevi. (INT)

History 115F, Section 18

The Life, Science, and Times of Albert Einstein.

The name Einstein has become synonymous with “genius.” His image remains among those commonly found on college dormitory walls. On the last day of 1999, Time magazine named Albert Einstein the “Person of the Century.” The runner-ups were Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Gandhi, and Hitler. Why Einstein? While Time cited his role in relativity theory, quantum mechanics, the atomic bomb, and the big bang, his interventions in philosophy, politics, international pacifism, and Zionism clearly added nearly as much to his “galvanizing effect on the popular imagination.” This course will look at Einstein’s personal biography, popular writings, and scientific works, as well as contemporaneous public discussions of his work and life to understand the broad imprint he left on the science, culture, and politics of the twentieth century.
SPRING. [3] Molvig. (P)

History of Art 115F, Section 3

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Reflections of Vision in Art.

This seminar examines the history of mimesis since the Renaissance as a culturally determined strategy of representation dependent upon philosophies of both technology and aesthetics. Students will be confronted with such questions as: What is truth in vision? What is ideal beauty? What is a portrait? What is verisimilitude? The class will study the historical development of technologies that directly impacted vision and representation, from Albertian perspective to the camera oscura, from oil painting to prints to photography. By the same token, the relativity of ideals of aesthetic value will also be examined, from classical canons of proportion to the celebration of ostentation and material cost, from social realism to expressionism to abstraction. The class emphasizes visual rather than textual engagement, encouraging students to consider images directly and to challenge the visual claims asserted both by the objects and by the students’ own assumptions about representation. The course will consider art and artists from the Renaissance to the present, ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Johannes Vermeer, from Jan van Eyck to Pablo Picasso.
SPRING. [3] Bloom. (P)

Jewish Studies 115F, Section 5

Gender, Sexuality, and Desire in Jewish Literature.

Do images of the Jewish mother and the neurotic Jew in American popular culture originate from the Bible? In this course we will study the history of Jewish culture through an examination of changing representations of gender in Jewish literature and film. We will look at texts that both represent and challenge accepted ideas about gender roles, male and female sexuality, marriage, and beauty ideals. We will also consider whether male and female writers portray gender differently. Our readings will span a broad range of literary texts, from biblical stories to contemporary American Yiddish literature. Topics to be discussed include same-sex desire, Jewish mothers, henpecked husbands, drag, and representations of the Jewish body. This course will serve as an introduction to both gender studies and Jewish literature. No prior knowledge of Jewish culture is required.
SPRING. [3] Schachter. (HCA)

Mathematics 115F, Section 2

The Mathematics of Games.

Hold’em or Fold’em? Is the Price Right? To buy or not to buy Boardwalk? Why do people like to play games? The amusement of games lies in their unfolding, the unknown outcome, and the hope of winning, even with the slimmest of odds. The three characteristics of games providing these uncertainties are the element of chance (games of chance), the large number of combinations of possible moves (combinatorial games), and the varying degrees of information among the players (strategic games). In this seminar we will develop strategies to overcome these uncertainties through a variety of mathematical methods. We will explore probability theory, which can be used to analyze games of chance like roulette. Although there is no one mathematical theory to explain combinatorial games like checkers, they, too, are based upon mathematical principles. The mathematics of game theory, originally developed to investigate decision-making in economics, can be used to analyze strategic games like Rock-Paper-Scissors, dilemmas like the Prisoner’s Dilemma, and even everyday decisions. We will cover the historical development of games and the associated mathematics. Finally, we will look at popular games that involve combinations of all three types of uncertainties.
SPRING. [3] Rafter. (MNS)

Philosophy 115F, Section 12

Bioethics: Conflicting Voices in Medicine and the Life Sciences.

This course is designed to introduce students to moral issues in medicine and the life sciences. Emphasis will be placed on examination of the moral habits and traditions students bring to these issues, and on the tools for moral reasoning available for resolving them. The focus will be on those issues and problems most likely to be routinely encountered as individual questions or as policy issues, such as genetic testing and diagnosis, the ethics of managed care, social justice in the distribution of scarce health resources, and care at the end of life.
SPRING. [3] Churchill. (HCA)

Philosophy 115F, Section 18

Prison and Exile Writing.

It is no exaggeration to assert that many of the most important literary documents of civilization were written either in prison or under conditions of forced exile. In fact, the two founding traditions of the West, the biblical and philosophical, are products of imprisonment and exile. In this light, it is indeed surprising that the centrality of the prison to literature is generally overlooked. This course will investigate the intricate dialectical relations between political persecution and writing. The twofold question explored in the course will be (1) How does the fear of persecution determine the form of writing, and (2) How does prison and exile literature represent various modes of resistance to the violence at the heart of culture. Insofar as the prison will serve as the icon for the civilized sanction of violence, prison and exile writings will provide an insight into the inseparable relations between the individual, intellectual writer, and the destiny of a group or people. Although the course will focus on the concrete experience of prison and exile, we shall also explore the question of prison as metaphor, especially evident in the representation of the body as the soul’s prison.
SPRING. [3] Dobbs-Weinstein. (HCA)

Philosophy 115F, Section 20

Ancient Cosmologies Across Cultures.

Most ancient cultures offer their own theory about how the world was created. How do these cosmologies differ within a particular culture, and how do they differ across cultures? What can we learn by comparing them? Some ancient cultures attribute the creation of the world to a deity, while others attribute it to mere chance. What, if anything, can this teach us about the cultures themselves, and what can this teach us about cosmology? In this course, we shall investigate these questions as we examine the cosmologies of ancient Greece, ancient China, and ancient Africa. This cross-cultural comparison creates a unique context in which we shall investigate philosophical issues of cosmology, such as the concept of time and the notion of creation.
SPRING. [3] Jelinek. (P)

Philosophy 115F, Section 22

Environmental Art.

In the late 1960s, many American artists fled the art gallery for the deserts of the American Southwest, where they created major works of earth art. Since then eco art, land art, environmental art, and "art in nature" have proliferated around the world, reflecting on man's place in nature and attempts to transform it. We will make comparisons with ancient earth works and consider different fundamental views of nature in the light of such contemporary philosophers as Heidegger and Deleuze. This course discusses a range of artists including Robert Smithson, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Long, Nancy Holt, and Chris Drury. Their work will be evaluated both as responses to the growing environmental crisis, and within the broader history of the avant garde and its contemporary legacy.
SPRING. [3] Wood. (HCA)

Philosophy 115F, Section 23

Questioning Human Development: Primitivity, Repetition, and Cultural Transmission.

This course will examine the processes and philosophical significance of human development in both its macroscopic (social) and microscopic (individual) forms. What are the similarities and differences between social and individual development? How are these linked, or not, in the historical transmission of culture? Does human history have purpose or meaning? Since the modern era is marked by war and antagonism among peoples, can we say that history is characterized by progress? To help us develop responses to these questions, we will examine philosophical and anthropological texts on history and the theory of history from such thinkers as Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Freud, and Lévi-Strauss. We will also look at several contemporary written and filmic texts. In particular, we will investigate two ideas examined by each of the above thinkers in their works, namely, the notions that “the primitive persists” and that “history tends to repeat itself.” How are we to make sense of these two principles in our modern, globalizing, and rapidly-changing world? Does “development” make sense if primitivity persists?
SPRING. [3] Zeman. (HCA)

Physics 115F, Section 1

Bogus Science.

In this class we will study some recent and notorious examples of bad science—cases involving deliberate fraud by scientists as well as examples of claims and reports by well-meaning individuals that have turned out to be bogus. The pursuit of science is supposed to include various safeguards to test the validity of new knowledge and discoveries, such as peer review of publications, testing whether results can be reproduced, and application of “the scientific method.” But there have been many notorious examples of deliberate fraud by scientists including the successful publication of claims that have subsequently been shown to be false, and sometimes ridiculous. This course will examine some of the more illustrative cases of deliberate fraud and bad science that have been uncovered and the motives behind their perpetrators. Many such cases reveal defects in the manner in which science and academic matters are reviewed, while others demonstrate how the media and the public can be manipulated by unscrupulous charlatans. In reviewing these cases we will try to examine how science is supposed to operate to avoid these lapses and why bogus science succeeds.
SPRING. [3] Gore. (P)

Political Science 115F, Section 5

U.S. Culture in World Politics.

From McDonald's restaurants to the popularity of Barack Obama, many U.S. cultural and societal phenomena acquire worldwide recognition and following. At the same time, other quintessential American phenomena, such as the World Series and the Super Bowl, attract limited interest outside of the United States. Why is this the case? In this seminar, we will investigate the diffusion of U.S. culture and its influence on international political behavior, a phenomenon that is often called "Americanization." How did this phenomenon come about? Who are the agents---individuals, leaders, firms, groups---that favor cultural diffusion? What aspects of U.S. culture are embraced? Which are contested? To address these questions, we will focus on several areas, including food, movies, sports, political institutions, and policy practices.
SPRING. [3] Chiozza (SBS)

Psychology 115F, Section 3

General Psychology.

A survey of modern scientific psychology. Discussion is focused on such topics as maturation, perception, motivation, learning, thinking, remembering, emotion, intelligence, special aptitudes, and personality development. Evaluation of research through experience as a subject in current research or by means of evaluation of published research. Satisfies the prerequisite of 101 for all other psychology courses; students may not receive credit for both 101 and 115. This course will count toward a major in psychology.
SPRING. [3] Fox. (SBS)

Psychology 115F, Section 12

The Psychology of Eating Disorders.

Examination of how biology, psychology, culture, and environment combine to cause anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorders. Major theories and approaches to assessment, treatment, and prevention. Related phenomenon such as compulsive exercise, body-building, and steroid abuse. Readings include popular accounts of what it is like to have and overcome an eating disorder as well as scholarly writings from a wide range of scientists. Writing assignments emphasize critical thinking through assessing relevant literature, evaluating evidence, and applying these skills to topics relevant to eating disorders.
SPRING. [3] Schlundt. (SBS)

Psychology 115F, Section 14

Psychological Sex Differences -Nature versus Nurture.

Popular stereotypes abound regarding sex differences between men and women, such as "men don't listen" and "women can't read maps." Is there any scientific support for these stereotypes? Are men's and women's brains wired in a way that makes women better at verbal communication and men better at spatial skills? Do parents talk to girls more than boys? Do boys play with blocks and other spatially-oriented toys more often than girls? This course will examine these stereotypes in light of current research in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. We will explore how biological underpinnings (nature), social conditioning (nurture), and the interaction between nature and nurture generate sex differences in behavior. Through this course, students will develop the skills to think critically about the supporting evidence for both sides of the nature versus nurture debate, and to draw their own conclusions based on a thoughtful evaluation of the competing views.
SPRING. [3] Valiquette. (SBS)

Religious Studies 115F, Section 4

Classical Asian Conceptions of Wisdom, Liberation, and Enlightenment.

Wisdom, liberation and enlightenment are important ideals that have guided the behavior of great thinkers and sages in many traditions. Whereas Judaic and Christian religious traditions conceptualize these ideals based on an understanding of and faith in a single divinity, we find very different conceptions of wisdom and enlightenment in early Asian religious traditions. By reading certain fundamental texts, we will explore what wisdom, liberation, and enlightenment mean in theory and practice in classical Indian, Chinese, and Japanese religious traditions and their relevance to us. In the Indian Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord), for example, Krishna instructs the warrior Arjuna about the meaning of yoga (discipline) as it leads to moksha (liberation) and nirvana (bliss); Confucius instructs his students concerning the true meaning of centering (chung) the heart-mind (hsin) in learning (hsüeh); Lao Tzu instructs us on the importance of “knowing yang, keeping to yin” in the Tao Te Ching; Zen teaches us how to awaken through za-zen (just sitting).
SPRING. [3] Schoenbohm. (INT)

Religious Studies 115F, Section 5

Christianity and Religious Pluralism: Many Paths?

Religious diversity is now a fact of everyday life. In order to learn something about the many different religions, one does not need to be a religious scholar or world traveler. Instead, one needs only to turn on the television, browse the Web, or visit a local mosque, church, or temple. Moreover, members of the world’s religions are no longer separated geographically. Rather, they live together in significant numbers both in the United States and abroad, and they are neighbors, friends, colleagues, and coworkers. Yet, Christianity has long held that there is no salvation outside of Christ. So what are Christians to make of their religious neighbors and their faiths? Is there only one true religion or are there many? Is religious diversity a problem that must be confronted or a treasure to be welcomed and enjoyed by all? Are the religions different paths up the same mountain or does each religious tradition travel to its own unique peak? In other words, is there really only one salvation or are there many? Furthermore, how can Christian communities be faithful to their own beliefs while making room for their religious “others”? This seminar explores the range of contemporary Christian perspectives in the context of a religiously pluralistic world. It asks how Christians can think critically about their own faith in light of the world’s religious traditions, and it introduces students to the ways in which Christian theologians have sought to engage these questions across time, tradition, and place. This seminar assumes no previous knowledge of the Christian theological tradition.
SPRING. [3] Taylor. (HCA)

Religious Studies 115F, Section 6

Religion and Sports.

This seminar examines the interaction between two major spectacles in social life, namely, religion and sport, from the perspective of social theory. Religion is sometimes viewed as being diametrically opposed to sports. Some contend, “Sundays are reserved for tailgates and the football game, not church,” while others assert that “baseball is not a religion.” This course examines both religion and sport as “forms of culture” grounded in “the quest for being” converging on transcendence. In this course we will view film clips that display the convergence of these two spectacles, with special attention given to the Super Bowl and NCAA Basketball Final Four Men’s and Women’s Tournaments.
SPRING. [3] Bowie. (HCA)

Sociology 115F, Section 9

Gangs and Gang Behavior.

What is a gang? What is a "gang member"? How are gangs structured and what do gang members do? What are the consequences of gang membership? How does society attempt to control gang behavior? These are some of the primary questions that form the core of this seminar focusing on gangs and gang behavior in the United States. This seminar has four thematic sections. We will begin the seminar by discussing the social problem of defining gangs and gang members, the history of gangs in the United States, and the extent and nature of the contemporary gang situation. In the second section, we will discuss the process of joining a gang and the causal factors associated with it, the typical behaviors of gang members, and the consequences of gang membership (including its effect on criminal activity and criminal victimization). Next, we will discuss structural differences in contemporary gangs, with a focus on ethnic and gender differences in gangs. The final section of the course concerns the approaches used to control gang behavior, including the use of legal injunctions, police interventions, and prevention policies. During the entirety of this course, we will use the empirical literature and the sociological perspective to critically evaluate common perceptions of gangs and gang behavior (especially those perpetrated by the media).
FALL, SPRING. [3] Ezell. (SBS)

Spanish 115F, Section 4

Language and the Law.

This course examines the role of language in legal settings. We will look at written and oral legal language and what makes legal language difficult to understand by examining the language of police officers, judges, lawyers, and testifying witnesses or defendants. How language is used presents a growing challenge to the system of justice. Particular attention will be given to what happens to linguistic minorities and to women in their contact with the court system in a linguistically diverse society like our own. This will be especially evident in cases of rape, murder, kidnapping, and child molestation. The course will examine how justice operates in the Americas, and how justice sometimes is denied to Spanish-speakers in the U.S. and to speakers of indigenous languages in Latin America. Taught in English.
SPRING. [3] Berk-Seligson. (SBS)