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2016 FSP Courses

The First Seminar (or FSP for short) is a small seminar-style class that all entering first-year students take during their first semester at TCNJ. The course enables entering students to work closely with a professor and their fellow students on a topic of their choosing outside of their major. It offers students an opportunity to engage in an intellectually exciting and challenging experience at the beginning of their college career.

Instructions

  1. Students in the Honors, Bonner, or W.I.L.L. program should go to the  “Honors” or “Bonner/W.I.L.L.” page for their program and follow the directions there; do not follow the directions below.
  2. Some departments and schools give specific advice on how to choose your FSP course.  Please check the “Major Specific FSP Info” page before picking your FSP.
  3. From the list of FSP courses, please pick six sections that interest you.
  4. Once you have chosen six FSP sections, please put them in your First Semester Worksheet.
  5. Your FSPs choices will not be ranked when entered into the First Semester Worksheet. One of your choices will be assigned to you as your FSP.
Class Name/Description Instructor Civic Responsibility
FSP 161 20

Emotional Literacy

"This course will provide students with opportunities to explore and develop their emotional intelligence and fluency. Through readings, class discussions and course assignments, students will be encouraged to explore different aspects of their emotional lives including triggers, coping style, habituated responses, genetic predispositions and affective tolerance. Students will learn to orient to their emotions in new and exciting ways by practicing a mindfulness based approach to emotional intelligence and personal development. The notion of emotions as conveyors of valuable messages will be reviewed, in addition to how emotions are generated and processed in the brain and body. Emotional hijacking will be explored, as well as the concept of state shifting. Important interpersonal skills will be fostered throughout the course dialogue including self-awareness, perspective-taking, empathic listening and assertive self-expression."

Course#: FSP 161-20
Professor: Zamel, Pamela
Day/s & Time/s: M: 5:30 - 8:20

Zamel, Pamela
FSP 163 05

From Chromosomes to Caitlyn, the Science Behind the Politics of Gender

Gender identify has recently become one of the most controversy-ridden topics in public life. As individuals with non-traditional gender identities have become more visible and vocal, including high profile celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner, public awareness of gender “nonconformity” has grown, prompting both increased acceptance and resistance. Ideas about gender have complex and conflicting implications on our conception of self, family, and community, and pose challenges to existing laws and institutions. However, from the perspective of biology, much of the genetic and developmental determinants of sex are simple and have been well understood for years. Students will master the basic biology of sex determination, engage with a wide variety of readings from various perspectives, and discuss and write about topics ranging from molecular biology to public bathrooms. This course aims to delve into the science of gender to understand both how genetic information affects organisms and to question what role, if any, this science should play in the public debate.

Course #: FSP 163-05
Professor: Wynne, David
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Wynne, David Gender
FSP 164 06

Music and the Natural World

This course introduces elementary topics and tools of music, aesthetics, philosophy, anthropology and other fields to examine aspects of the relationship between the natural world and the music of human society. Beginning with a discussion of the possible origins and purposes of music, we trace the thread of environmental influence in historical and contemporary styles. Examples from the Western Classical tradition are considered, including extensions into 20th- and 21st-Century compositions and sound installations, as well as non-Western traditions, folk styles and commercial music.

Course#: FSP 164-06
Professor: Wilkinson, Carlton
Day/s & Time/s: W: 5:30 - 8:20

Wilkinson, Carlton Global Awareness
FSP 163 04

Gender, Identity, and the Enacted Thought in Writing and Performance

Performance theories is an interdisciplinary field that examines performance in all its expansiveness. From theater, dance, visual art, and other “framed” performances; to an individual’s behavior in everyday life; to political spectacles, sporting events, and rituals; performance theories analyze “twice-behaved behavior” — that is, repeatable, embodied activities.  Performance theories is distinguished by its two-fold focus on theory and practice; by its borrowings from anthropology and gender studies; and by the global reach of its objects of study. This course asks: What is performance and how can we analyze and interpret performance? What do theater and performance in everyday life have in common? How does performance help us understand how gender is constructed in our society? How can we understand performance globally, being attentive to cultural differences and yet identify similarities across cultures and histories?  The course materials are divided into three categories: I. Bodies and Identity: Gender and Ability; II. Bodies and Identity: Race and Ethnographies; III. Public, Expressive, and Community Performance: Religion, Reenactments, and Sustainability projects. Through our writing exercises and our class discussions we will describe, analyze, and interpret performance. The last day of class will include peer-critique of students’ short performances that they made in groups. The point of the performances is to embody key ideas from the readings while developing skills as collaborators on a team project. Leading up to this project, occasionally we will do short in-class performance practices to test ideas from the reading in space, together in a learning environment.  The emphasis of the course, however, is on class discussion and writing projects.

Course #: FSP 163-04
Professor: Weygandt, Susanna
Day/s & Time/s: T: 530 - 8:20

Weygandt, Susanna Gender
FSP 161 25

Urban Resilience: A Landscape of Conflict

The increasing effects of climate change have posed enormous challenges to towns and cities. While some communities have taken important steps to be more resilient to climate impacts, others have lagged behind, in spite of predicted risks to lives and property. This class explores urban resilience through the lens of environmental science, land use planning, politics and social change. Our journey includes an exploration into the challenges of translating science into public policy, the politics of land use reform and the process of changing a culture of laissez faire community development into urban resilience. 

Course #: FSP 161-25
Professor: Weber, Linda
Day/s & Time/s: TR: 530 - 6:50

Weber, Linda
FSP 161 02

Nature on your plate: Connecting your food choices to the natural world

Humans have actively shaped natural resources to meet our needs for food, pleasure and comfort. Technological advances, particularly in the US, have allowed a few people to harvest food for many. That means that most Americans are far removed from the connection between nature and the food we eat. This course will explore the barriers between nature and your plate and the consequences of our industrialized food system. We will start with explorations of specific foods that most Americans eat to discover their connections to the natural world and how individual food choices make a difference. The course will build toward a broader discussion of our moral responsibility to take care of the natural world. We will read books and articles, watch documentaries, and discuss the complexities of our food choices.

Course #: FSP 161-02
Professor: Thornton, Leeann
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Thornton, Leeann
FSP 164 05

The $100 Startup

College is the time for you to figure out how you want to make a living by doing something you love. This course will provide you an opportunity to generate ideas for potential business opportunities. Through readings, videos, brainstorming, presentations, and competitions, students will work in groups to assemble resources and turn theirs ideas into real businesses.   Performance is evaluated based on how a student improves his/her analytical, communication, networking, and technical skills. Each group is provided $100 at the beginning of the semester and the $100 have to be returned at the end of the semester. Profits generated will be donated to organizations designated by students.

Course #: FSP 164-05
Professor: Tang, Linghui
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Tang, Linghui Global Awareness
FSP 161 26

Language, Languages, and Society

In this course, we study what makes human language different from the communication systems used by other species and look at the systems that all languages use to build meaning. Then we take up the question of how we use language in social contexts among friends, family, classmates, colleagues, supervisors, strangers, as well as with health care professionals. We consider what makes an accent an accent, that associations and impressions accents generate, and look at language-based bias and stereotyping. We also study how babies acquire the language of their parents, the nature of bilingualism, and how adults learn a second or foreign language. The course examines the relationship of language and ethnicity by analyzing particular languistic situations in depth. As part of this course, students engage in ESL tutoring in Trenton to fulfill the CEL requirement.

Course#: FSP 161-26
Professor: Stillman, David
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Stillman, David
FSP 161 47

Human Abilities: Unplugged

“Disability is not a 'brave struggle’ or 'courage in the face of adversity’ . . . disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.” – Neil Marcus – This quote by Neil Marcus reflects the central focus of this seminar regarding the study of human ability and the struggle among people perceived as more different than alike. Mr. Marcus is a poet, humorist, writer, actor and a self proclaimed adventurer who is creatively endowed with disability. His disability denies his ability to speak, stand, walk and/or control sudden and bizarre movements. The study of disability as a key aspect of human experience equal with race, class, gender, sex, and sexual orientation is explored through an alternate post modern paradigm that views difference from a variety of angles. The course commences and terminates with an attempt to define “Human-ness” or the parameters of what makes us “human.” This is compared to the human variability that we experience in our societies, communities and civilizations. This study of ability has important political, social, and economic import for society as a whole, including both disabled and non-disabled people.

Course#: FSP 161-47
Professor: Schuler, Amy
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Schuler, Amy
FSP 161 39

Apocalypse Now

The media is saturated with cries of the apocalypse with news outlets regularly covering religious and astrological doomsday prophets. Survivalists have television shows teaching their skills and zombie movies are frequent box office hits. Our culture both fears and craves the end days. What does this say about humanity and its innate settings? To what extent does fear of the apocalypse mirror uncertainties of our own times? Does this fear represent humanity at its worst, or can it be indicative of the great reaches we can accomplish? This course will explore those questions, and will use fiction, film, and a number of articles as prompts to write about issues such as hope, fear, religion, and perseverance.

Course#: FSP 161-39
Professor: Schmidt, Randy
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Schmidt, Randy
FSP 161 04

The Documentary and Social Justice

What are the moral and philosophical tensions that arise when doing documentary work? Whose reality is being documented? What are the responsibilities of the filmmaker/photographer to the subject? Is exploitation of the subject ever justified in the interests of social change? The twentieth century witnessed a substantial increase in social documentary photographs, films, and literature work that described and attempted to transform conditions that perpetuated social inequality. In the process of doing documentary work that intends to "do good" however, questions related to ethics, representation, responsibility, and objectivity/subjectivity have persisted.

The seminar will explore these controversies and issues using examples from classic documentary works of the 1930s as well as contemporary documentaries on social issues. Each week in the seminar's readings, discussions, screenings and written work we will examine the important underlying theoretical and philosophical questions that are at stake for documentary work. At the end of the seminar, you will be asked to apply some of these concepts and issues to the preparation of your final writing project related to your community learning experience.

Course#: FSP 161-04
Professor: Ryan, Susan
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 9:30 - 10:50

Ryan, Susan
FSP 161 19

Are we what we eat? Food, culture and identity.

In 1825, French attorney, politician and gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." In this course, we will consider the connection between what we eat and who we are as we explore themes of gastronomy. We will examine how our food and eating choices have shaped and preserved individual and cultural identities throughout history. We will investigate the power and meaning of food using historical, social-anthropological, and political lenses. Through critical reading of academic and popular literature, thoughtful viewing of visual materials, classroom discussion, and community engaged learning, we will study the relationship between the food we eat and our sense of individual and cultural identity and take a broad look at how food shapes us and our culture.

Course#: FSP 161-19
Professor: Roe, Lisa
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Roe, Lisa
FSP 161 29

The Simple Life

For most people, the American Dream involves some degree of material success. However, n alternative vision of the American Dream exists, one centered on the idea of the Simple Life. This interdisciplinary seminar will explore the concept of the simple life from the nineteenth century to the present. We’ll read Henry David Thoreau’s "Walden" and consider what simplicity means in our age of Walmart and Facebook. Readings will include a science fiction novel by Ursula Le Guin and works on economics. We’ll watch the film "The Queen of Versailles," conduct experiments in simplifying our lives, visit an Amish family, and harvest vegetables at a local family farm.

Course#: FSP 161-29
Professor: Robertson, Michael
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 9:30 - 10:50

Robertson, Michael
FSP 161 30

The Simple Life

For most people, the American Dream involves some degree of material success. However, an alternative vision of the American Dream exists, one centered on the idea of the Simple Life. This interdisciplinary seminar will explore the concept of the simple life from the nineteenth century to the present. We’ll read Henry David Thoreau’s "Walden" and consider what simplicity means in our age of Walmart and Facebook. Readings will include a science fiction novel by Ursula Le Guin and works on economics. We’ll watch the film "The Queen of Versailles," conduct experiments in simplifying our lives, visit an Amish family, and harvest vegetables at a local family farm.

Course#: FSP 161-30
Professor: Robertson, Michael
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Robertson, Michael
FSP 161 18

Sifting Through the Noise and Electing a President

How can print and broadcast journalism, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and our immediate access to information help drive who wins the election? Our seminar will look at the 2016 Presidential election through the lens of a wide range of media to separate the noise from the information to determine how reporting can influence the outcome. Beginning with the Democratic and Republican conventions, and aided by guest speakers and unfolding events, we will closely monitor the weeks leading up to the November election to explore the candidates’ websites, debates, political ads, and speeches, looking in particular for aims, messages, successes, failures and surprises. A highlight of this look at media is a look at the candidates themselves; we will travel to as many rallies as we can, most in Pennsylvania, seeing the candidates up close to assess how well the media capture these appearances. Exploring any differences between reporting and fact will help students prepare to vote in their first Presidential election.

Course#: FSP 161-18
Professor: Ringer, Nina
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 9:30 - 10:50

Ringer, Nina
FSP 161 17

Trojan War in Art, Literature, and Film

This class will examine how and why the Trojan War has played a pivotal role in the cultural history of the Greco-Roman world and beyond, into our own times. In the course of our examination, we will be reading acknowledged masterpieces of ancient literature: Homer's Iliad, as well as sections of works by Virgil, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. There will be occasional assigned readings of some more modern authors, including poets.

In addition to reading about the Trojan War, we will look at how artists have portrayed the epic war in painting, sculpture and other visual arts from the ancient world down to modern times. The allure of the war and its stories has survived the Greeks and Romans and found its way into modern popular culture. This is evidenced in films on the war such as Troy of 2004, which served in part as commentary on contemporary wars, and others produced for mere entertainment. We will be watching portions of several films and documentaries, and students will be expected to assess video content in terms of its accuracy and quality, either verbally or in writing.

Course#: FSP 161-17
Professor: Reinhard, Jayne
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Reinhard, Jayne
FSP 161 16

Reading, Writing, and Watching Genre Fiction

Mystery, Romance, Western, Espionage, and Literary Fiction: All classic genres seen in fiction and film. In this class, we will study five genres, exploring their conventions and the artists who elevate those conventions to greatness. Writing will include critiques and reviews, research papers, and fiction and/or screenwriting. 

Course#: FSP 161-16
Professor: Raskin, Donna
Day/s & Time/s: M: 5:30 - 8:20

Raskin, Donna
FSP 161 24

Ability and Dis/Ability: Deconstructing and Disrupting the Social and Cultural Gaze

Disability is ubiquitous and permeates literary narratives, medical narratives, films, television, common discourse and other spaces. Disability tends to be subjected to our "gaze" in some way or the other and continually captures our curiosity. Interestingly while it evokes fascination, it also disrupts closely held notions of health, normalcy, ability and the body. This disruption is typically dealt with by finding a way to "reign" in the difference, situate it in a specific space, or identify a rational explanation. Paradoxically, although disability is visible everywhere and evokes our curiosity, it is rendered invisible in other ways. This course is about the social and cultural gaze directed towards disability and what that tells us about our assumptions on binaries such as ability/disability, our notions of body and movement as well as our perceptions of normalcy. The course introduces students to the field of Disability Studies and encourages them to critically examine their gaze and challenge and deconstruct the taken for granted assumptions about disability. The course focuses on how disability is presented in literary narratives, films, as well as other forms of discourse. Issues of agency and citizenship are examined through personal narratives and the accounts of people with disabilities on the web and blogosphere. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach, the course traces the origins of disability studies in the UK and the US and the intersectional conversations with critical studies, feminist disability studies, post colonial disability studies and disability studies in education.

Course#: FSP 161-24
Professor: Rao, Shridevi
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 2 - 3:20

Rao, Shridevi
FSP 161 15

Leaders Are Made, Not Born: Leadership Development at TCNJ

Students who take part in this class will learn how to gain leadership skills, explore leadership styles and learn how to actively engage on campus Students will gain a better understanding of their own leadership potential through leadership assessments, exploration of values, and skill development. This interactive class will be looking at leadership through a variety of stories, readings, videos, and activities. At the end of the course, we hope that you have gained the skills to become a better student leader and to actively engage in and impact the College community.

Course#: FSP 161-15
Professor: Rana, Avani
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Rana, Avani
FSP 161 22

How College Works: Higher Education and American Society

The discussion about college in your family over the last year was personal: which college would you choose (and which ones would choose you), who was going to pay for your education, and what did you intend to study? There is widespread public debate about these issues too. Access to college, the costs of attendance, and the value of a degree are all being questioned by business and nonprofit executives, politicians, and educators. We examine this public debate about higher education; a debate that has intensified as the importance of college for individual success has increased and the resources available for higher education become more scarce.

Course#: FSP 161-22
Professor: Prensky, David
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Prensky, David
FSP 161 46

Human Abilities: Unplugged

“Disability is not a 'brave struggle’ or 'courage in the face of adversity’ . . . disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.” – Neil Marcus – This quote by Neil Marcus reflects the central focus of this seminar regarding the study of human ability and the struggle among people perceived as more different than alike. Mr. Marcus is a poet, humorist, writer, actor and a self proclaimed adventurer who is creatively endowed with disability. His disability denies his ability to speak, stand, walk and/or control sudden and bizarre movements. The study of disability as a key aspect of human experience equal with race, class, gender, sex, and sexual orientation is explored through an alternate post modern paradigm that views difference from a variety of angles. The course commences and terminates with an attempt to define “Human-ness” or the parameters of what makes us “human.” This is compared to the human variability that we experience in our societies, communities and civilizations. This study of ability has important political, social, and economic import for society as a whole, including both disabled and non-disabled people.

Course#: FSP 161-46
Professor: Petroff, Jerry
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Petroff, Jerry
FSP 164 09

The Impact of Globalization

With the advancement of new technology, communications between people have been greatly enhanced. However, the initiatives and the practices of globalization, such as the results of exporting free market democracy, have created a complex series of economic, social, technological, cultural, and political changes in the world. This seminar addresses many relevant issues with respect to changes, conflicts, doubts, problems, and possible solutions. Students have a chance to read many resources as well as to watch many films to explore issues seriously, including the continuing struggle for development in poor countries; the relationship between globalization, inequality and poverty; the fate of cultural diversity in a globalizing world; and issues of gender, ethnicity, the environment, social justice, and human rights.

Course#: FSP 164-09
Professor: Pan, Alex
Day/s & Time/s: W: 5:30 - 8:20

Pan, Chyuan Global Awareness
FSP 164 10

The Impact of Globalization

With the advancement of new technology, communications between people have been greatly enhanced. However, the initiatives and the practices of globalization, such as the results of exporting free market democracy, have created a complex series of economic, social, technological, cultural, and political changes in the world. This seminar addresses many relevant issues with respect to changes, conflicts, doubts, problems, and possible solutions. Students have a chance to read many resources as well as to watch many films to explore issues seriously, including the continuing struggle for development in poor countries; the relationship between globalization, inequality and poverty; the fate of cultural diversity in a globalizing world; and issues of gender, ethnicity, the environment, social justice, and human rights.

Course#: FSP 164-10
Professor: Pan, Alex
Day/s & Time/s: R: 5:30 - 8:20

Pan, Chyuan Global Awareness
FSP 162 06

Discovering the art of holding the extraordinarily ordinary in our sight line

This course aims to engage students in a dialogue about and an understanding of the relationship between politics and pedagogy during America's long civil rights movement, and how this relationship manifests itself in the formal and informal cultural institutions of the times, especially schools. Focus is given to three school forms that emerged during this period in different geographical areas: Citizenship schools, Summer Freedom schools and the Community schools. The expected outcomes of this course is that students adopt new lenses through which to view cultural institutions in history and in current times.

Course #: FSP 162-06
Professor: Palmer, Ruth
Day/s & Time/s: R: 5:30 - 8:20

Palmer, Ruth Race and Ethnicity
FSP 163 03

Women Writing the Past: Fiction, History, and Autobiography

This course offers a study of fiction, poetry, film, and autobiography by women of color whose work demonstrates the “presence of the past” in late twentieth century life.  We will read a sampling of authors with origins in Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, China, and the US for the specific ways in which they construct and reconstruct the past through literature.  As we read each text, we will interrogate the myths and legends that have come to be known as “history” and look at the methods, artifacts, and sources each author uses to acquaint readers with imaginative literary alternatives to “official records” of the past.

Course#: FSP 163-03
Professor: Ortiz-Vilarelle, Lisa Marie
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Ortiz-Vilarelle, Lisa Marie Gender
FSP 161 23

Introduction to Celtic Civilization

This course introduces students to the civilization of the pre-Christian Celts, especially through texts preserved in the Irish literary tradition and through external sources. Beginning with a brief look at archaeological evidence from the Hallstatt and La Tene sites, the course will follow the Celts through classical literary sources. Internal sources, including the classic Irish tale The Cattle Raid of Cuailnge, the Irish law texts, and poems written by Irish monks in the margins of medieval manuscripts, will be used to develop a picture of life in the Celtic cultures, especially Ireland. Topics will cover the structure of Irish society, the rights and obligations of different societal members, and the egalitarian nature of the society prior to the arrival of Christianity. The impact of traditional Celtic culture and beliefs in more recent society will also be discussed, including the Scottish clan structure, taboos and charms, and festivals.

Course #: FSP 161-23
Professor: Ochs, Michael
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Ochs, Michael
FSP 161 21

Games People Play

From hopscotch to war games, from children to complex organizations and powerful nations, games play important roles in our lives. Some games are pure entertainment, while others are dead serious and are designed to gain power and riches or to even eliminate the opponents. This course examines a great variety of games from different perspectives. We will learn a bit of probability, and a bit of game theory, and the focus will be on the analysis of game rules, voting schemes, and matching algorithms. Student write short papers on games of their choice, and the knowledge acquired will be shared with the class.

Course #: FSP 161-21
Professor: Neves, Joao
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Neves, Joao
FSP 161 43

The Necessity of Theatre?

Is theatre still necessary in the age of new media? Do we need theatre and live performance of drama to help provide an understanding of the world in which we live and the life that we inhabit? In this seminar we will read and respond to several classic and contemporary plays and musicals—each characterizing a different dramatic viewpoint or style of theatrical representation—so as to explore the nature of theatre and its necessity in the contemporary world. In addition to class discussion of the plays and relevant readings, students will write two essays about theatre productions (both live and recorded), and participate in a formal online discussion. (This is a theatre appreciation course, NOT a performance-based or acting course; no prior knowledge of theatre is required or expected).

Course#: FSP 161-43
Professor: Muller, David
Day/s & Time/s: MW: 5:30 - 6:50

Muller, David
FSP 161 44

The Necessity of Theatre?

Is theatre still necessary in the age of new media? Do we need theatre and live performance of drama to help provide an understanding of the world in which we live and the life that we inhabit? In this seminar we will read and respond to several classic and contemporary plays and musicals—each characterizing a different dramatic viewpoint or style of theatrical representation—so as to explore the nature of theatre and its necessity in the contemporary world. In addition to class discussion of the plays and relevant readings, students will write two essays about theatre productions (both live and recorded), and participate in a formal online discussion. (This is a theatre appreciation course, NOT a performance-based or acting course; no prior knowledge of theatre is required or expected).

Course#: FSP 161-44
Professor: Muller, David
Day/s & Time/s: MW: 7 - 8:20

Muller, David
FSP 164 04

Rock N’ Roll in Post-Mao China

This course seeks to study the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ music and culture (also including hip-hop and punk) that emerged in the Post-Mao Mainland China from the early 1980s to the present. By situating Chinese Rock (C-rock) in the dramatically changing historical, cultural and political context, the seminar examines critically how ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ music shapes the heterogeneous identity of Post-Mao and Post-socialist China. Through careful analysis of the lyrics, musical style, MTV and films, we explore topics such as rebellious youth culture and political ideology, influence of Western music and traditional Chinese music, underground subculture and urban space, transgressive passion and censorship, band culture, performance poetics and global capital, and, gender, sexuality and body identity. NOTE: Students are invited to also enroll in CHI 151, Intensive Chinese.

Course#: FSP 164-04
Professor: Mi, Jia-Yan
Day/s & Time/s: T: 5:30 - 8:20

Mi, Jia-Yan Global Awareness
FSP 161 27

Style and Subculture: Punk, Cyberpunk, and Steampunk

Subculture is often defined by aesthetics - fashion, music, literature, film, art, and iconography. The aesthetics of these cultures, though, often carry political significance. For example, Dick Hebdige characterizes punk as the "rendering of working classness metaphorically in chains…." Starting with the British punk scene of the 1970s and 80s, we will interrogate how subculture, style, politics, and identity emerge from various movements. We will consider the historical specificity of each movement, and ask why these cultures emerged and flourished (and often floundered) at these moments. We will study a variety of novels, graphic novels, films, and music to greater understand these movements.

Course #: FSP 161-27
Professor: McMann, Mindi
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Mcmann, Mindi
FSP 161 28

Style and Subculture: Punk, Cyberpunk, and Steampunk

Subculture is often defined by aesthetics - fashion, music, literature, film, art, and iconography. The aesthetics of these cultures, though, often carry political significance. For example, Dick Hebdige characterizes punk as the "rendering of working classness metaphorically in chains…." Starting with the British punk scene of the 1970s and 80s, we will interrogate how subculture, style, politics, and identity emerge from various movements. We will consider the historical specificity of each movement, and ask why these cultures emerged and flourished (and often floundered) at these moments. We will study a variety of novels, graphic novels, films, and music to greater understand these movements.

Course #: FSP 161-28
Professor: McMann, Mindi
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Mcmann, Mindi
FSP 161 14

Academic Satire

Authors from Aristophanes to Stephen Colbert have used satire to poke fun at academics and their institutions. In plays, poems, narrative fiction, comics, TV shows and movies, authors have gotten audiences to laugh at and wonder about the people and practices that comprise higher education. The tone might range from light-hearted to mean-spirited with intentions that appear aimed at reform, revision, or revenge.  This course will engage students in reading and viewing some of the most influential works of academic satire with an eye toward finding commonalities among major works as well as the specific difference that help certain authors and works stand out from the crowd.

Course#: FSP 161-14
Professor: McGee, Tim
Day/s & Time/s: W: 5:30 - 8:20

McGee, Tim
FSP 162 08

The Evolution of African American Gospel Music

This course traces Black Gospel Music from its origins to its present day varied arrangements. Lectures will include information presented on Black Gospel Music Icons; the various instruments and styles of musical arrangements and more to present the richness and value of this cultural expression.  Students come prepared to sing a little (as a group only) and attend at least two worship experiences (i.e., Sunday morning worship and/or a Gospel concert). Furthermore, our class participates with the Bonner Center and completes a community-engaged project that is course-related.

Course#: FSP 162-08
Professor: McCrary, Todd
Day/s & Time/s: M: 5:30 - 8:20

Mccrary, Todd Race and Ethnicity
FSP 161 06

Planet Frankenstein

Beginning with the premise that our planet's health is in a state of grave crisis, this seminar focuses on literature and techniques of literary analysis that can help us understand and address that crisis. Sub-topics covered include food and agriculture, cyborgs and genetic modification, wilderness preservation, and human/animal relations. Texts include novels such as Frankenstein and Prodigal Summer, non-fiction such as The Omnivore's Dilemma and Never Cry Wolf, and films such as Into the Wild and Blade Runner.

Course#: FSP 161-06
Professor: McCauley, Lawrence
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Mccauley, Lawrence
FSP 161 13

The Digital Domain

Is there any aspect of our lives that the Internet has NOT altered? From how we connect through social media to how we listen to music, study, acquire the news and shop, our online interactions are profoundly shaping our daily existence. In this course, we examine the possibilities and the problems that technology poses. We also study those who do not have access to the technology that has become ubiquitous in our lives.

Course#: FSP 161-13
Professor: Mazur, Janet
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Mazur, Janet
FSP 164 12

The Middle East in Literature and Film

Students are introduced to Middle Eastern cultures, society, and politics through literature and film from the region, supplemented by a few, short academic works. Organized around several topical themes -- such as gender and development, authoritarianism, the plight of the Palestinians, religious activism -- the FSP will expose students to Middle Eastern perspectives on themes which are both intrinsically important and receive considerable media attention in the West. This exposure, and the discussions that ensue in class, will enrich students' knowledge base and understanding while developing a critical lens regarding the way we talk about other cultures and societies.

Course #: FSP 164-12
Professor: Lowi, Miriam
Day/s & Time/s: W: 5:30 - 8:20

Lowi, Miriam Global Awareness
FSP 164 03

Buddhism and Hinduism

Due to the increasing number of students of Asian affiliation on campus, though most of them are not majoring in humanity, there is a strong intrest in learning about Buddhism and Hinduism. This course provides in historical depth a study of the evolution of the two religions. Through reading religious documents and literature, students learn the origins, reformations, and mutual borrowing of the two biggest religions in South Asia. They also explore the imprints of Buddhism and Hinduism on concepts of the universe and life and death in modern societies of the world.

Course#: FSP 164-03
Professor: Liu, Xinru
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Liu, Xinru Global Awareness
FSP 161 50

Loving the Alien: The Music and Art of David Bowie

Famous as much for his musical catalog as his expression and manipulation of identity, David Bowie is one of the most influential musicians of the last fifty years. This section of the First Seminar Program will study Bowie’s lyrics as works of literature and his creation of meaning through a variety of literary techniques. Through the examination of his work and
art, we will come to explore key themes such as: authenticity, alienation, nothing, yearning, and death. We will trace the evolution of the artist from Space Oddity, released in 1969, to Bowie’s final album, Black Star, released on Jan. 8, 2016, two days before he died. On this journey, we will also assess Bowie’s expression through diverse media platforms, including his multiple identities (Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, etc.), his music videos, paintings, and acting roles. We will endeavor to uncover how, as philosopher Simon Critchley states, “Through the fakery and because of it, we feel a truth that leads us beyond ourselves, toward the imagination of some other way of being.”

Professor: Layton, Shawn
Day/s & Time/s: MW: 5:30 - 6:50

Layton, Shawn
FSP 163 08

Horror in the Novel

In this course we will read and discuss a variety of horror novels by writers such as Henry James, Stephen King, Joe Hill, V. C. Andrews, and Shirley Jackson.  We will pay special attention to the different roles of women and men in these novels in relation to the home, the family, and to the larger social world.  We will also be asking whether women or men are more often the agents of horror, how power is allocated according to gender, and what kind of resolution, if any, is available to those who experience the terror and trauma described in the fiction.   We will explore the nature of horror itself in terms of how it arises, whom it affects, and how it is defined.

Course#: FSP 163-08
Professor: Kranzler, Laura
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 2 - 3:20

Kranzler, Laura Gender
FSP 163 09

Horror in the Novel

IIn this course we will read and discuss a variety of horror novels by writers such as Henry James, Stephen King, Joe Hill, V. C. Andrews, and Shirley Jackson.  We will pay special attention to the different roles of women and men in these novels in relation to the home, the family, and to the larger social world.  We will also be asking whether women or men are more often the agents of horror, how power is allocated according to gender, and what kind of resolution, if any, is available to those who experience the terror and trauma described in the fiction.   We will explore the nature of horror itself in terms of how it arises, whom it affects, and how it is defined.

Course#: FSP 163-09
Professor: Kranzler, Laura
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 3:30 - 4:50

Kranzler, Laura Gender
FSP 161 48

Star Wars: Films and Adaptations

"Star Wars: Films & Adaptations" will examine the original movie trilogy as well as the prequels and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, at least one Star Wars novel, selected episodes of the animated series (both Clone Wars series and Star Wars Rebels), and other ancillary creations (e.g., video games, collectibles) that make up the Star Warscultural phenomenon. Our analysis will be interdisciplinary: film studies, literature, philosophy, religious studies, history, sociology, anthropology, economics/marketing, and perhaps others. The primary sources to be studied are the fictional works created by George Lucas and others; secondary sources are books and articles in a variety of disciplines. The final project is a research paper on a topic related to Star Wars.

Course#: FSP 161-48
Professor: Konkle, Lincoln
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20 (4th hour W: 10 - 10:50)

Konkle, Lincoln
FSP 161 11 he millennia and their impact on human society. These include smallpox, cholera, tuberculosis, bubonic plague, syphilis, and the Spanish flu of 1918. Among the emerging diseases we will explore are HIV/AIDS, ebola, SARS, and H1N1. How have we managed to eradicate smallpox and how close are we to ending the spread of polio? These and other questions will be answered in this course.

“The history of disease will go on, despite once confident predictions of an end to epidemics in our times, and those who now wage the heroic struggle to find elusive cures to our new plagues may find that they have more to learn from the past than had once been thought.”

(The First Horseman: Disease in Human History by John Aberth, 2006)

Where will the next pandemic originate? When will it occur? Will we be ready?"

Course#: FSP 161-11
Professor: King, Rita
Day/s & Time/s: MW: 5:30 - 6:50

King, Rita
FSP 164 15

Introduction to Amateur Radio

This course will cover the history of communications leading to the birth of amateur radio and the historic development of the hobby. It will also cover radio amateur's contributions to the advancement of electronics technology and in public service. Special facets of the hobby such as digital communications/use of the Internet/WiFi, space communications and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) will be discussed. The basic electronics and regulations needed for an amateur radio license will be provided. Everyone attending the course should leave with an amateur radio license.

Course#: FSP 164-15
Professor: Katz, Allen
Day/s & Time/s: MW: 5:30 - 6:50

Katz, Allen Global Awareness
FSP 162 05

Self Identity in the Age of Social Media

Students who take this class will learn more about their own self -identity, their family background, and about their own symbolic ethnic affiliation. The students in this course will not only engage in actual research about their own backgrounds, but they also explore the range personal identities and ethnic "menus" available for most Americans due to both physical and social mobility. Some of the issues investigated include, the paradox or tension between rampant individualism and the need to belong to a community in American society today. Finally, the course covers the role of technology, particularly the internet, plays in increasing social isolation at the expense of family and larger community.

Course#: FSP 162-05
Professor: Ismail, Mohamoud
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Ismail, Mohamoud Race and Ethnicity
FSP 164 01

Images and Islam

Controversies regarding images and Islam have been in the media a lot lately: whether ISIS's destruction of heritage in Iraq and Syria, the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, calls by some Western political figures to ban the veil in their countries, or even Arabic graffiti artists subversive protest against racism in the television series Homeland. This course will take a closer look at these current events by investigating the art historical and religious traditions as well as political contexts from which they emerge. The course will have four units: Islam and Iconoclasm, Images of the Prophet Muhammad, Deconstructing the Veil, and Western Images of Islam. Readings will come from a variety of sources and academic disciplines.

Course #: FSP 164-01
Professor: Hutton, Deborah
Day/s & Time/s: TR: 7 - 8:20

Hutton, Deborah Global Awareness
FSP 164 16

Sustainability & Investing: Main Street, Wall Street & The Global Good

It will revolve around social, environmental and governance issues that are important to society through multiple lenses: students, the firm, the unbanked, other individuals, regulators and financial markets. Students will also learn about how wealth is built globally and how firms are being guided through many stakeholders to make socially responsible investment decisions.

Course #: FSP 164-16
Professor: Hume, Susan
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Hume, Susan Global Awareness
FSP 161 49

Born in the USA: 19th Century American Lives

This seminar is about the "First Generation of Americans"--all the men and women who were born in the wake of the Revolutionary War and then came of age during the antebellum period. Students will examine memoirs and autobiographies written by various members of the First Generation in order to learn about those who transformed the United States from a small confederation of coastal communities into a powerful nation-state that stretched across North America.

Course#: FSP 161-49
Professor: Hollander, Craig
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Hollander, Craig
FSP 163 02

Communication and Gender

This course explores the relationship between gender and communication. It will explore attitudes and beliefs concerning female and male stereotypes as they are manifested through communication. This course will utilize various tools includes films, in-class exercises, class discussions in both large and small groups and field-study assignments.

Course#: FSP 163-02
Professor: Hallback, Dionne
Day/s & Time/s: T: 5:30 - 8:20

Hallback, Dionne Gender
FSP 164 02

Music and the Holocaust: Culture, Identity, and Ideology

In early twentieth-century Germany, musical culture was a central component of national pride and identity. For many of Germany's Jews, this classical music heritage was a core element of their own identification as German citizens. Indeed, many of Germany's leading singers, conductors, violinists, and pianists were of Jewish background, not to mention such prominent composers as Felix Mendelssohn and Gustav Mahler. With the rise of religious and "racial" anti-Semitism in the later nineteenth century and the institution of anti-Semitic legislation by the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler music became a principal battleground of cultural and "racial ideology. In short order classical music became, for some, an arbiter of what it "meant to be German, and, for others, pushed to the point of extinction, what it meant to be a human being. This course begins by examining some of the controversies surrounding music as a means of commemorating the Holocaust before addressing the larger historical perspective of Jewish experience within German culture from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries. There follows an examination of the nature of right wing music ideology and the means by which it was transformed into state policy after 1933. The central focus of the course rests upon the years of the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945, during which Jews were first ejected from public musical life and finally either forced into emigration or hiding, or herded into concentration camps. Throughout this period the Jews themselves continued to cultivate a vibrant musical life, first through the officially sanctioned Jewish Cultural Association in Germany (1933-1941) and then, after the annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938 and 1939, within the concentration camps themselves, including the notorious death camp of Auschwitz. Particularly significant is the flowering of cultural activity in Theresienstadt near Prague, where the Nazis created a self governing "city for the Jews" intended to show the world that their racial policies were benign. Theresienstadt was in fact a potemkin village whose façade of normalcy masked the fact that it was little more than an antechamber to the death camps in the east. Nevertheless, under primitive conditions, the concerts, opera, theater, and cabaret within Theresienstadt were of the highest quality and give evidence of the way the inmates used culture as a form of spiritual resistance. The final section of the course returns to an examination of the role of music in post war commemorations of the Holocaust in film and concert life.

Course#: FSP 164-02
Professor: Hailey, Christopher
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Hailey, Christopher Global Awareness
FSP 164 17

Energy Policy and Society

This course examines the myriad array of energy sources available to power our economy, their role in shaping energy policy, and the realities of implementing them. Key factors driving decision making, including environmental, cost, and technological advances, will be studied and debated. The course addresses current US energy policy as well as energy utilization in other parts of the world, particularly developing countries lacking in a strong infrastructure. How feasible is an all renewable energy portfolio and is it reliable? Is energy independence, an expression heard frequently in the media, truly possible? What energy source will drive our transportation systems in the future? What other factors affect our ultimate choice to develop or extract energy? These and other questions of current relevance will be examined through readings, fact-based research, and open dialogue.

Course #: FSP 164-17
Professor: Grega, Lisa Marie
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 8 - 9:20

Grega, Lisa Global Awareness
FSP 161 37

Making Sense of Life--for Life

‘What does it mean to be a human being?’ ‘Where is my life going?’ ‘Is there meaning and purpose to my life?’ These are the kinds of questions we think about all the time. In this class we will explore some possible answers to these questions by examining worldviews. A worldview is just how someone puts the pieces of life together. We will consider some of the most significant components or areas of any worldview: metaphysics, human nature and ethics, the problem of evil, and the problem of good. We will first examine our contemporary culture and consider some of the underlying assumptions that are presented to us—the air that we breathe every day. Then we will explore these prominent areas of a worldview through classic literature, philosophy and film. The emphasis for the course is on thinking, reading, discussion and writing.

Course#: FSP 161-37
Professor: Govantes, Pedro
Day/s & Time/s: M: 5:30 - 8:20

Govantes, Pedro
FSP 161 10

Environmental Issues and Conservation

The course will discuss air pollution control methods in use in various industries, clean water concerns and remediation methods, global warming and associated economic, political and technology issues and solid and hazardous waste management.

Course#: FSP 161-10
Professor: Friedman, Max
Day/s & Time/s: T: 5:30 - 8:20

Friedman, Max
FSP 162 04

Race, Crime and Prisons in U.S. History.

This seminar draws on legal, social, cultural, and urban history, Whiteness, Multi-cultural/Ethnic, African American, Women and Gender, and LGBT Studies. In this course, students explore the convergent racial, gender, economic, and sexual ideologies and practices that animate criminal activity, prison reform, and penal administration from colonial times to the present. Students engage primary and secondary sources as "historians" critically analyzing the evolution of crime and punishment. Ultimately, students acquire knowledge of the mutually sustaining forces of crime and the prison system, and think critically and creatively about ways to address the social problems linked to both institutions.

Course#: FSP 162-04
Professor: Francis, Leigh-Anne
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Francis, Leigh-Anne Race and Ethnicity
FSP 164 07

Imprisoned Minds: Philosophy & Religion from Jail

In the history of philosophy and theology, many important works have been written by authors who were behind bars. This course introduces students to a selection of these texts and the concerns they raise. Such texts deal not only with classical problems in the history of philosophy, but also with concerns that many of us share today. Questions to be addressed include:  “What does it mean to live in freedom?”, “What can be done about injustice and oppression?”,  “Should death be feared?”, and “Where can I find happiness?” Readings include works by Plato, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., & Aung San Suu Kyi.

Course#: FSP 164-07
Professor: Edwards, Mark
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 9:30 - 10:50

Edwards, Mark Global Awareness
FSP 164 08

Imprisoned Minds: Philosophy & Religion from Jail

In the history of philosophy and theology, many important works have been written by authors who were behind bars. This course introduces students to a selection of these texts and the concerns they raise. Such texts deal not only with classical problems in the history of philosophy, but also with concerns that many of us share today. Questions to be addressed include:  “What does it mean to live in freedom?”, “What can be done about injustice and oppression?”,  “Should death be feared?”, and “Where can I find happiness?” Readings include works by Plato, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., & Aung San Suu Kyi.

Course#: FSP 164-08
Professor: Edwards, Mark
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Edwards, Mark Global Awareness
FSP 162 02

From Ballet to Jookin: Dance as an Art Form

"Ballet, modern dance, tap, jazz, aerial, hip-hop, jookin, krumping. What is dance? In this FSP students will be engaged in this question through watching videos of performances by professional dance companies, reading about the creative processes of choreographers and dancers, and writing about the styles of various dance companies, choreographers, and dancers. The focus will be on "art dance," i.e., dance that is intended for performance and performed for the most part by trained dancers, not folk dancing or recreational dancing (although the influences of these will be examined). The course will be organized by topics such as the differences between ballet and modern dance; the influences of African and Afro-Caribbean dance on Western dance forms; the influence of jazz on ballet; how ballet came to be, and how other dance forms developed. Readings will include biographies/autobiographies of both dancers and choreographers, and non-fiction books/articles that discuss the art of the dance. Choreographers to be discussed include George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Pearl Primus, Katherine Dunham, Donald McKayle, Rennie Harris, Bill T. Jones, and Lil Buck."

Course#: FSP 162-02
Professor: Dell, Amy
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Dell, Amy Race and Ethnicity
FSP 162 03

Applied Theater

In this course we will study plays that document real life experiences, practice collaborative approaches and playbuild original work, devise and perform a theatre intervention project, and practice improvisational acting skills. This course will be interesting and valuable to anyone who thinks about the social and cultural realities of our world and would like to examine them more deeply through theatre.

Course #: FSP 162-03
Professor: Dell'Angelo, Tabitha
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Dell'Angelo, Tabitha Race and Ethnicity
FSP 161 09

Art as a Force for Social Change: Exploring American Movers and Shakers since 1900

By taking a close look at major movements of the 20th century in fine art, dance, and film, in this course we will explore the ways in which artists have confronted social injustice and developed a language unique to their form and vision to create awareness and inspire change. From entertainment to protest, art has been used in a variety of ways on stages and buildings, in the street, museums, and books, to unite, incite, and teach.  We’ll evaluate whether art is “plagiarism or revolution,” as Gauguin proposed, the vision behind the creative act, and to what degree artists both reflect and shape culture. Our study will also allow us to address the limitations and benefits of technology, the effectiveness of art as a force for social change, and the possibilities for expression and impact through multimedia art. 

Course#: FSP 161-09
Professor: Deaver, Karen
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2:00 - 3:20

Deaver, Karen
FSP 161 41

The Bible: America's Bestselling Book

It is consistently America's best selling book: the Bible. No book has more profoundly shaped American history, and no book is held in wider esteem by Americans, generation after generation. But what's inside this hallowed volume? One will find compelling narratives, stirring words, ghastly events, and tawdry encounters, which have seeded 1000s of faith traditions and nurtured billions of believers. This seminar will sample each of the Bible's genres, critically examine the contexts and uses of select texts, and trace out their influence on American history, literature, politics, and religion.

Course #: FSP 161-41
Professor: Clydesdale, Timothy
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 2 - 3:20

Clydesdale, Timothy
FSP 161 42

The Bible: America's Bestselling Book

It is consistently America's best selling book: the Bible. No book has more profoundly shaped American history, and no book is held in wider esteem by Americans, generation after generation. But what's inside this hallowed volume? One will find compelling narratives, stirring words, ghastly events, and tawdry encounters, which have seeded 1000s of faith traditions and nurtured billions of believers. This seminar will sample each of the Bible's genres, critically examine the contexts and uses of select texts, and trace out their influence on American history, literature, politics, and religion.

Course #: FSP 161-42
Professor: Clydesdale, Timothy
Day/s & Time/s: T: 5:30 - 8:20

Clydesdale, Timothy
FSP 161 31

Social Justice in the Past and Present

The question that Cain asks of God in the Book of Genesis, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' epitomizes the powerful role of religion in shaping both ancient and modern ideas of social justice. By what principles, religious or secular, is the just society to be envisaged? What does it mean to say that humans have rights? How are ethical values and ideas of social justice linked to religious belief and secular philosophical concepts? This seminar compares ancient and medieval views on such issues with those of the modern world. Discussions will focus on a selection of pre-modern and modern writings representative of different world cultures, some modern films, and news reports on current events.

Course#: FSP 161-31
Professor: Chazelle, Celia
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 11 - 12:20

Chazelle, Celia
FSP 161 32

Social Justice in the Past and Present

The question that Cain asks of God in the Book of Genesis, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' epitomizes the powerful role of religion in shaping both ancient and modern ideas of social justice. By what principles, religious or secular, is the just society to be envisaged? What does it mean to say that humans have rights? How are ethical values and ideas of social justice linked to religious belief and secular philosophical concepts? This seminar compares ancient and medieval views on such issues with those of the modern world. Discussions will focus on a selection of pre-modern and modern writings representative of different world cultures, some modern films, and news reports on current events.

Course#: FSP 161-32
Professor: Chazelle, Celia
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 2 - 3:20

Chazelle, Celia
FSP 162 01

Diversity & Its Responses

Living in the United States, it is clear that ethnic and racial diversity matter. However, why diversity matters, what its origins are, and what are appropriate responses to issues of diversity are all questions that have generated differing viewpoints and reactions from scholars, policymakers, theorists and ordinary citizens throughout this country’s history. In this course, we examine what diversity is, what it looks like in the United States, and how individuals, groups and states have responded to ethnic and racial diversity in their midst. We will focus on debates over diversity such as whether race is “real” or not; whether assimilation or pluralism represent ideal goals; and whether policies such as affirmative action are appropriate responses to issues of race and inequality.

Course#: FSP 162-01
Professor: Chartock, Sarah
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Chartock, Sarah Race and Ethnicity
FSP 164 11

Global Representations of Nursing, Medicine, and Health Care in Media: 1950-Present

This freshman seminar will explore how the healthcare system and its professionals are represented from both a global and historical perspective. Non-fiction and fiction literature, news media, movies, television shows and videogames, from 1950 though the present, are explored to both describe how health and healthcare providers are imagined in these media sources as well as to compare those representations across time and culture. Emphasis is placed on critical analysis of media in both classroom discussion and in written essays and papers.

Course#: FSP 164-11
Professor's: Kartoz, Byrne, & Kenner
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Byrne, Sharon Global Awareness
FSP 164 18

Sustainable Transportation

This course will introduce students to the multiple facets of sustainable transportation through a combination of lectures, readings, media presentations and discussions. The course is specifically intended to provide students with a broad-based, multi-disciplinary introduction to sustainable transportation from a local, national, and global perspective. Students are introduced to the concept of transportation systems as it relates to the everyday movement of people and goods and the relationships to current issues of sustainability. Students will be tasked to think critically about the interconnectedness of natural, technological, cultural and economic issues surrounding transportation systems and how they can be preserved for future users.

Course#: FSP 164-18
Professor: Brennan, Thomas
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Brennan, Thomas Global Awareness
FSP 161 08

The Art and Study of Peer Mentorship

"“Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him and to let him know you trust him”  -- Booker T. Washington. Trust and responsibility are two important skills when developing a positive mentor/mentee relationship. This course will examine and promote skill development in the current evidence-based practices that are reflected in the provision of mentorship among peers with an emphasis on youth (ages 18-25).  This course will also focus on developing one’s own interpersonal behavior skills including active listening, verbal/non-verbal communication, building trust, self-management, etc.   Students will be instructed in both the theory and practice of providing mentorship to peers that are at-risk.  Practice in skill development will be implemented through a field component that provides support to students with intellectual / developmental disabilities."

Course#: FSP 161-08
Professor: Bonfanti, Bryana
Day/s & Time/s: M: 5:30 - 8:20

Bonfanti, Bryana
FSP 163 06

Gender Trouble and the Plot

This course will consider what it means to narrate gender, focusing primarily on life writings that challenge mainstream myths, heteronormative plots, and concepts of the real. Are we at a point of new flexibility—as a recent study of Lady Gaga suggests—entering an era that questions the old romance of gender norms? We will examine life writings, everything from biography to graphic memoir, asking ourselves how these works shape a plot that highlights gender trouble. Aided with theories of auto/biography and gender, we will consider the stories of beauty queens, dolls, sexual outlaws, and transgender warriors with myths of Barbie, Frankenstein, and Eve making surprising but welcome appearances.

Course#: FSP 163-06
Professor: Bennett, Charles
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Bennett, Charles Gender
FSP 163 07

Gender Trouble and the Plot

This course will consider what it means to narrate gender, focusing primarily on life writings that challenge mainstream myths, heteronormative plots, and concepts of the real. Are we at a point of new flexibility—as a recent study of Lady Gaga suggests—entering an era that questions the old romance of gender norms? We will examine life writings, everything from biography to graphic memoir, asking ourselves how these works shape a plot that highlights gender trouble. Aided with theories of auto/biography and gender, we will consider the stories of beauty queens, dolls, sexual outlaws, and transgender warriors with myths of Barbie, Frankenstein, and Eve making surprising but welcome appearances.

Course#: FSP 163-07
Professor: Bennett, Charles
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 11 - 12:20

Bennett, Charles Gender
FSP 161 35

The Hero and Trauma

In Judith Greenberg's edited collection (also the course textbook), Trauma at Home, she writes, “Inasmuch as silence overwhelms us, we yearn to return to dialogue." The Hero and Trauma FSP hopes to continue this dialogue by redefining the cultural definitions of "hero," "trauma," and "the post-traumatic self." While the hero’s journey includes a trajectory from death to redemption, our post 9/11 heroes offer a different kind of traumatic past. Whether it is based from helplessness, chaotic behaviors, unethical decisions, or lack of control over their bodies, our postmodern heroes walk a blurred line between good and evil. Our goal is not to keep with the stereotypical image of "hero," but to use it as a way to show strength and resiliency as we chart the journey from traumatic event to post-traumatic self. This course will explore the origin stories and behaviors of famous heroes such as Batman and the other citizens of Gotham City, the Avengers, Spiderman, Katniss Everdeen, Olivia Benson, and Harry Potter using a post 9/11 lens. Lesser known, but equally important, heroes found in Persepolis, Maus, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Adventure Time, Doctor Who, and Pushing Daisies will be thrown into the mix as newer heroes who must make tough decisions in a world similar to ours. Issues to be explored will include: How does a hero’s postmodern condition teach us to explore our own fatal flaws? How do we, as individuals and as a culture, define and respond to trauma? How can the process of collective mourning in real-life events help us to connect to imaginary dystopian worlds? What is the autoethnographic line between personal narrative and cultural narrative? Discussions will draw from mythological and literary conversations as well as gender, history, and cultural studies. Through a series of popular culture artifacts, first person narratives, and various types of creative, students will chart the growth of various protagonists - both real and imagined - as they begin to heal from their respective traumatic events within the cultural narrative of our postmodern, post 9/11 world.

Course#: FSP 161-35
Professor: Atzeni, Samantha
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 5:30 - 6:50

Atzeni, Samantha
FSP 161 36

The Hero and Trauma

In Judith Greenberg's edited collection (also the course textbook), Trauma at Home, she writes, “Inasmuch as silence overwhelms us, we yearn to return to dialogue." The Hero and Trauma FSP hopes to continue this dialogue by redefining the cultural definitions of "hero," "trauma," and "the post-traumatic self." While the hero’s journey includes a trajectory from death to redemption, our post 9/11 heroes offer a different kind of traumatic past. Whether it is based from helplessness, chaotic behaviors, unethical decisions, or lack of control over their bodies, our postmodern heroes walk a blurred line between good and evil. Our goal is not to keep with the stereotypical image of "hero," but to use it as a way to show strength and resiliency as we chart the journey from traumatic event to post-traumatic self. This course will explore the origin stories and behaviors of famous heroes such as Batman and the other citizens of Gotham City, the Avengers, Spiderman, Katniss Everdeen, Olivia Benson, and Harry Potter using a post 9/11 lens. Lesser known, but equally important, heroes found in Persepolis, Maus, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Adventure Time, Doctor Who, and Pushing Daisies will be thrown into the mix as newer heroes who must make tough decisions in a world similar to ours. Issues to be explored will include: How does a hero’s postmodern condition teach us to explore our own fatal flaws? How do we, as individuals and as a culture, define and respond to trauma? How can the process of collective mourning in real-life events help us to connect to imaginary dystopian worlds? What is the autoethnographic line between personal narrative and cultural narrative? Discussions will draw from mythological and literary conversations as well as gender, history, and cultural studies. Through a series of popular culture artifacts, first person narratives, and various types of creative, students will chart the growth of various protagonists - both real and imagined - as they begin to heal from their respective traumatic events within the cultural narrative of our postmodern, post 9/11 world.

Course#: FSP 161-36
Professor: Atzeni, Samantha
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 7 - 8:20

Atzeni, Samantha
FSP 161 33

The Mass Appeal of YA Fiction

Young-adult (YA) fiction is literature for adolescent and teenage readers featuring teenage characters. However, in recent years YA fiction has become increasingly popular for readers of all ages, including adults. YA fiction has become mass-produced and highly popular, some of the more trendy novels being turned into star-studded feature films. By reading three YA novels as a class, this course will look at the themes present in YA fiction and examine why these books have such mass, widespread appeal outside of its target audience. We will look at the importance of this trend in the literary world, pop culture, and society as a whole.

Course#: FSP 161-33
Professor: Anthes, Madeline
Day/s & Time/s: T: 5:30 - 8:20

Anthes, Madeline
FSP 161 34

The Mass Appeal of YA Fiction

Young-adult (YA) fiction is literature for adolescent and teenage readers featuring teenage characters. However, in recent years YA fiction has become increasingly popular for readers of all ages, including adults. YA fiction has become mass-produced and highly popular, some of the more trendy novels being turned into star-studded feature films. By reading three YA novels as a class, this course will look at the themes present in YA fiction and examine why these books have such mass, widespread appeal outside of its target audience. We will look at the importance of this trend in the literary world, pop culture, and society as a whole.

Course#: FSP 161-34
Professor: Anthes, Madeline
Day/s & Time/s: W: 5:30 - 8:20

Anthes, Madeline
FSP 161 07

Explorations in Time and Time Travel

What do you know about time? Does it move, or do we move in it? It is it constant or variable? Can we leave our present moment? These and many other questions are explored as we examine literature on the nature of time and time travel. Ideas and works by thinkers and writers such as Albert Einstein, H. G. Wells, Jack Finney, Kurt Vonnegut, Robert Heinlein, Stephen Hawking, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King are considered. Physics, philosophy, religion, literature and popular culture are brought to bear on considering meanings and definitions of time and their effects on human thought and consciousness.

Course#: FSP 161-07
Professor: Anderson, Robert
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 9:30 - 10:50

Anderson, Robert
FSP 161 03

The Charles Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping Case – Modern Scientific Analysis of Evidence in a Cold Case

Just when America needed a hero, Charles Lindbergh flew nonstop from Long Island to Paris in 1927, becoming the pride of the country.  Five years later, his young son was kidnapped, held for ransom, and eventually found dead.  A suspect was quickly tried and executed.  This “trial of the century” continues to be studied and debated, since so many questions and inconsistencies remain.  Unusual evidence included many ransom notes, and a hand-made ladder, supposedly used to enter the baby’s room and take him.  Modern chemical, instrumental and digital methods, including those used for document analysis, will be applied to the evidence, in light of the many facts and theories that exist, as we go back in time in an attempt to gain new insights into a cold case.  (By the way, this all happened in 1932 in New Jersey, and much of the evidence remains in the state.)

Course#: FSP 161-03
Professor: Allison, John
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 2 - 3:20

Allison, John
FSP 161 01

Future of Work

"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" Henry David Thoreau. This question takes on intriguing possibilities in the age of robots. Robots are created to do something for humans — and do it faster and better than humans can. With the rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation, robots can greatly reduce the need for human workers. Businesses and society will need to negotiate a new relationship between humans and robots — one in which they will work together rather than be perfect substitutes for one another! As the world advances, new jobs will be created. The job we’ll be doing 20 years from now may not even exist today. In this course, we will explore the future of work. How will individuals and organizations change the way they work in the coming years? And what does this mean for all of us?

Course#: FSP 161-01
Professor: Ahlawat, Sunita
Day/s & Time/s: MR: 12:30 - 1:50

Ahlawat, Sunita
FSP 163 01

Feminist Futures: Constructions of Race, Gender and Class in SyFy Television and Film

In this class students will explore constructions of various socially constructed identities such as race, gender, sexuality and class in the television and film genre of SyFy. The central aim of this course will be to examine the ways that the genre of science fiction has been used as a space for feminist ideals in various popular science fiction tropes such as; the sexually liberated female vampire or the independent female super hero. In addition this course will explore how the science fiction genre has also been a genre predominated with depicting historical constructions of white masculinity. In this light students will get an introduction to the various science fiction racial and gender tropes as well students will get a historical overview of how the genre transitioned from literature and comic book form to very popular and economically viable genre for television and film.

Course#: FSP 163-01
Professor: Adair, Zakiya
Day/s & Time/s: TF: 2 - 3:20

Adair, Zakiya Gender

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