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| CRN: | 10671 |
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| Section: | FOUN 098 31 |
| Title: | Italian-American Connection |
| Instructor: | Perrone, Lisa A. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course is designed to develop writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills at the collegiate level through an exploration of the connection between Italy and the United States. Students will build on research and analytical thinking skills and become self-regulated learners. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This seminar explores the relationship between Italians and Americans that has developed throughout the course of the 20th century. Students will seek to better understand this relationship by analyzing the historical, cultural, and societal factors that have sparked such a strong bond between these two cultures. We will examine the Italian influence on American culture and also ask in what ways American culture has influenced Italian culture over the course of the past century. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Through an analysis of 20th century Italian and American literature, film, and other cultural expression, we will investigate and discuss key themes in an effort to better comprehend the Italian-American connection. Student presentations, critical essays, discussion questions, midterm, and final. All readings and discussions in English. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | TBA |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16813 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 32 |
| Title: | A Science That Cares |
| Instructor: | Mitsch, Chris |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16723 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 33 |
| Title: | The Ethos & Aesthetics of Punk |
| Instructor: | Groff, Peter S. |
| General Course Objectives: | Punk rock has been one of the most important and influential countercultural musical movements of the last 50 years; this course will explore its ethos and aesthetic. Along the way, we will be looking at its historical development and the various scenes, movements, musical subgenres, fashions and graphic art styles it gave rise to. Punk itself is a notoriously contentious and protean idea, so we will always return to the question of what punk means and what it was, or is, or is supposed to be. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We will trace the emergence of punk against the background of ‘classic rock’, from its beginnings in the primitive garage rock bands of the mid-60s to germinal acts like the Velvet Underground, the Stooges and the New York Dolls, to the formative New York scene of the mid-late ‘70s (Patti Smith, Ramones, Talking Heads, etc) to the UK explosion (Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, etc), the proliferation of independent scenes throughout the US (Akron, SF, LA), the formation of ‘Hardcore’ punk (Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains, etc) and the indie underground scene of the mid-to-late ‘80s (Hüsker Du, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, etc), as well as other movements inspired by the destructive/creative DIY punk ethos: New Wave, No Wave, Oi!, Anarchopunk, UK 82, Art Damage, Straight Edge, New Romanticism, Goth, 2-Tone/Ska, Grunge, Riot Grrrl, Punk Pop, Queercore, Taqwacore, Afropunk, etc. We’ll at various points look at punk through the lens of class/politics, religion, race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. We'll also look at the way punk has cross-pollinated with other musical forms (Folk, Blues, Jazz, Country, Metal, Hip Hop, Electronica, etc). |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Class time will mostly be devoted to discussion, based on what we have been reading, watching and listening to. Assignments include weekly personal listening journals (responding interpretively to assigned playlists), team-led presentations/papers on key postpunk movements, the invention and documentation of a 'fake' punk band (replete with some creative artifact) and a final research paper. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Class materials will range from both scholarly and popular oral histories, to journalism and reviews, to interviews and articles in fanzines, to documentaries and movies to representative recordings via playlists. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16694 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 34 |
| Title: | Leaving Home, Finding Home |
| Instructor: | Baker, Ashli J. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15856 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 35 |
| Title: | Creativity & Dissent: Russia |
| Instructor: | Murphy, Lenora C. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course will help students grow and develop as writers through reading, analyzing, and reflecting on great works of Russian and Soviet creative prose. By looking at writers who worked under conditions of censorship, for whom how they expressed themselves was just as important and controversial as what they said, we will consider what it is to express oneself, and how we can harness the art of writing to bring our inner worlds to life and write analytical papers at the college level. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This is a class centered around reading and writing. We will read seminal works of short fiction produced by authors including Platonov, Kharms, and Bulgakov. Writing in imperial Russia and especially the Soviet Union, these writers were restricted in what they could write about and how they could write it--but they all stuck to the form of expression that was most authentic for them, even if doing so meant that their work could not be published. The simple act of self-expression thus had incredibly high stakes for them. In studying their work, we will consider how each of these unique writers chose to express their voice in writing, and in so doing we will also ask what self-expression could look like in our own writing. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | We will use classroom discussion, reading diaries, free-writing assignments, and longer analytical papers to practice both understanding how other people write as well as developing our own unique voices and perspectives. High levels of in-class engagement are expected from all students. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | TBA |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16827 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 36 |
| Title: | The Climate Crisis |
| Instructor: | Iyer, Deepak G. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16431 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 37 |
| Title: | Sugar, Silver and Cocaine |
| Instructor: | Vernengo, Matias |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15690 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 38 |
| Title: | Plastics: A Way of Life? |
| Instructor: | Jozwiak Jr., Joseph F. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course is designed to develop writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills at the collegiate level through an exploration of the connection mind, body, and self in different social settings. Students will build on research and analytical thinking skills and become self-regulated learners. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Plastic is ubiquitous in our world. We use it to keep food fresh but what to do with it after that single use? Do we re-use it, toss it, burn it? But beyond the consumer use and environmental impact, plastic can be explored in different ways: its history and construction, its use in the business world, its use in the arts, to finally its use in communication and language as a pejorative term. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | We will draw on the insights and engage in readings from multiple disciplines in the humanities, social science, business and engineering. We will do this through simulations, experiential activities, student-led presentations, in-class discussions, and a series of reflexive, analytical and research-oriented writing assignments and exercises. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Films, newspaper and journal articles, video clips and documentaries, academic articles, and the following book: Plastic: A Toxic Love Story |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16528 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 39 |
| Title: | Data, Ethics & Inequality |
| Instructor: | Santanen, Eric L. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16437 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 40 |
| Title: | Karma |
| Instructor: | Young, Stuart H. |
| General Course Objectives: | 1. Students will develop capacities for critically and empathetically examining the nature of human actions and their effects in the world. 2. Students will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work. 3. Students will develop capacities for independent academic work and become more accountable for their own learning. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | What does it mean to act in the world? To do or become? What are intentions? Where do they come from and where do they go? Which are causes or effects? What are good and bad actions, right or wrong? What is justice? For thousands of years across Asia, and more recently in Western cultures, the Sanskrit term karma has stood for these and other fundamental human questions about how to live rightly in a world of delusion, desire, and suffering. This course examines the doctrines and practices of karmic responsibility in Asian religions and modern cultures. It introduces students to ancient and distant worldviews from which to critically and empathetically reexamine what we do here and now and why. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This course will combine lecture and seminar formats, assigned readings of primary and secondary sources, group-work activities, and various kinds of writing exercises. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | We will draw on secondary scholarship such as Jackson, Rebirth, and Kerekes and Zu, Lived Karma, as well as primary Buddhist sources like the Jātakamālā and Kammavibhaṅga Sutta. We will also examine multimedia that articulate material and audiovisual dimensions of karma. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16297 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 41 |
| Title: | Tourism & Caribbean Culture |
| Instructor: | Dalleo, Rafe |
| General Course Objectives: | What is the appeal of tourism? And what is its impact? In the course, we will read, write, talk and think about tourism in order to consider our place in the world and our relationship with people from backgrounds unlike our own. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Focusing on tourism in the Caribbean foregrounds the long relationship of the region to the United States. We will explore how this intertwined relationship has shaped both Caribbean and U.S. history and culture. Thinking about tourism will raise issues such as one's relationship to others, including the challenges of exoticism; the performative nature of identity; the ways people from different backgrounds have different perspectives, and how those perspectives shape our understandings of the world; and the disparate economic, cultural, and environmental impacts of uneven development. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Primarily discussion with some lecture. The course will be writing intensive, with an online discussion board extending our conversations beyond the classroom and preparing students for more formal writing assignments. Guidance will be provided in class to help students develop their skills as college-level readers, writers, and researchers. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Textbooks will be available for purchase at the campus bookstore; other readings and films will be available online. FOUN FRST W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16676 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 42 |
| Title: | Gandhi: Man, Myth, Legacy |
| Instructor: | McLain, Karline M. |
| General Course Objectives: | This course is an examination of the major teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy in the world today. Course objectives include: 1) To critically examine Gandhi’s major teachings and methods; 2) To recognize how Gandhi, as a practitioner of “engaged Hinduism,” understood and applied key Hindu concepts in his socio-political context; 3) To explore Gandhi’s contested legacy in South Asia and worldwide; and 4) To hone and strengthen your critical thinking, researching, and communication skills. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course will examine Mahatma Gandhi’s impact on the religious, social, and political climate of modern South Asia and the world at large. We will begin by reading some of Gandhi’s autobiographical writings, learning about his personal quest to discover “Truth”; his spiritual and ethical struggles with classical Hindu concepts like non-violence and renunciation; and his political and social vision for an independent and democratic India. As we do so we will explore in some detail his method of nonviolent conflict resolution. We will next read and discuss some of the debates that Gandhi engaged in about India’s future with other religious and political leaders of the day, such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and B.R. Ambedkar. Then we will focus on Gandhi’s legacy in the modern world, considering how his teachings have been employed and/or critiqued by a variety of global leaders in their varied quests for social justice. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Class time will be spent primarily in discussion of the assigned readings, complemented by mini-lectures and films. Course work will entail participation in active discussions, in-class presentations, and regular written assignments. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | The following textbooks are representative of materials previously used: Gandhi, M.K. Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Juergensmeyer, Mark. Gandhi’s Way: A Handbook of Conflict Resolution. Coward, Harold. Indian Critiques of Gandhi. Ingram, Catherine. In the Footsteps of Gandhi. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15844 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 43 |
| Title: | Winning With Math |
| Instructor: | Gutekunst, Samuel |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Suppose your friends are deciding what snack to make, and have narrowed it down to Avocado toast, Bison chicken tenders, or Chocolate. Should each person vote for their favorite? What if each person instead votes down their least favorite? How much does the voting method even matter? What if instead of voting for a snack, a college admissions committee was "voting" on who to admit? Seemingly small choices about how a decision is made can have profound impacts on the outcome. And this theme, of seemingly small choices shaping an event, is ubiquitous. In this course, we'll see how mathematics helps us understand and evaluate these kinds of choices. We'll draw on ideas from game theory, social choice, probability, and data science, and explore applications far beyond politics. Fair warning: this course will involve digging into some math. However, there are no mathematical prerequisites beyond high school algebra and an enthusiasm (or at least tolerance!) for grappling with some math. The main focus of assignments will be on honing your ability to communicate technical information to a breadth of audiences -- to both learn and share how to win with math. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16670 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 44 |
| Title: | Borderlands History of Jazz |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Since the early 20th century, perhaps no form of music has reflected more elements of American culture than jazz. At various points, jazz has signified working class defiance, African American cultural resistance, mass-mediated popular culture, expressive freedom, high-art avant-gardism, social and political protest, and third world and subaltern solidarity. This course reexamines jazz practice from the point of view of the history of Mexican and Gulf/Caribbean influences in early jazz, and considers this alongside the Underground Railroad to the South, the Afro-Mexican experience, abolition in the Atlantic world, theories of capitalism and imperialism, African Americans in 1920s Tijuana, and more. Rather than taking a purely chronological approach, this course will combine a historical timeline with weeks focusing on thematic and methodological issues relevant to Critical Black Studies. This semester, the repertoire will highlight African music styles that traveled through and changed performance practice and meaning in the process. We refer to these as sonic migrations which have been prevalent between Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean. A major part of the course will be considering the social and political meanings of not only specific songs and genres, but also the processes by which new performance traditions became formed. One concept we will be engaging with is the “Black Atlantic” or “Afro-Atlantic,” which considers the connections and correlation between cultural and social movements throughout the African diaspora and continental Africa as parts of an interconnected whole. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16669 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 45 |
| Title: | Human Flourishing |
| Instructor: | Roseth, Nicholas E. |
| General Course Objectives: | Students will be able to: (a) Describe the role and function of flourishing in individuals and society, and (b) Identify and apply strategies to improve their own well-being |
| Description of Subject Matter: | “Flourishing” is a psychological understanding of well-being in humans. To flourish is to achieve “optimal functioning” and develop a sense of fulfillment in one’s life. Guided by the PERMA framework–including positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment–it becomes possible to understand and foster a sense of well-being in ourselves and our community. In this course, we will examine the role of flourishing in our lives and our work as learners and scholars at Bucknell. We will discuss flow, mindfulness, habits, productivity, social connections, gratitude, and more. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Lecture, class discussion, assigned readings, active-learning tasks, reflections, and writing assignments. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | TBD |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 10921 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 46 |
| Title: | What Ails Thee? |
| Instructor: | Golightly, Amy |
| General Course Objectives: | Consistent with the University’s Learning Outcomes for Foundation Seminars, students… 1. will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work; and 2. will develop capacities for independent academic work and become accountable for their own learning |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Through reading, writing, thinking and talking about content from various texts, activities, and guest speakers, students will develop a broader understanding of how different cultures view illness and wellness. It is hoped that the readings and experiences in the course will facilitate a more holistic understanding of students’ own mental and physical health, as well as provide perspectives and practices that might help to foster both. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | What that means is that it is designed to develop students’ mastery of written language. As a W1 course, this class will include recurring instruction in writing, frequent writing, writing with revision and editing, and teaching the use of writing a means of creating and processing knowledge. The writing in this course relates to several experiential learning activities, daily discussion of and presentations on assigned readings, and analyses of texts. The final paper assignment is focused on a topic of choice from the wellness practices we discuss throughout the semester. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Required Texts: Buzzell, L., & Chalquist, C. (Eds.) (2009). Ecotherapy: Healing with nature in mind. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books. Conrad, P., & Leiter, V. (Eds.) (2013). The Sociology of Health & Illness. New York, NY: Worth. (on moodle) Avila, E. (1999). Woman who glows in the dark. New York, NY: Putnam. Supplemental Readings will be provided by your professor, and will be available on moodle. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15402 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 47 |
| Title: | Becoming an Adult |
| Instructor: | Murray, Joe L. |
| General Course Objectives: | Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: • Demonstrate familiarity with the general concept of emerging adulthood, its major characteristics, and the social conditions that have given rise to it in the current era; • Compare and contrast Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood with other theories of psychosocial development from the late teens through the twenties; • Draw upon theories pertaining to emerging adulthood and college student development to interpret key events in their own journeys to adulthood; • Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of social identity development and draw upon relevant theories and research to better understand the developmental experiences of minoritized populations. • Demonstrate writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate level academic work. • Demonstrate capacities for independent academic work and become more accountable for their own learning. • Practice writing as a process that includes planning, composing, revising, and editing. • Make effective use of expository skills, including addressing intended audiences; achieving purposes; organizing papers, paragraphs, and sentences; choosing appropriate words; and punctuating and spelling correctly |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course explores changing patterns in the transition to adulthood, which date back to the closing decades of the 20th century and have continued to the present. Our primary focus will be on what the developmental psychologist Jeffrey Jensen Arnett has termed emerging adulthood, a period of life that begins in the late teens and continues through the twenties. In addition to Arnett’s own work and that of other scholars specializing in emerging adulthood, we will draw upon literature pertaining specifically to college student development. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | In addition to lecture, class discussion, and assigned readings, much of the subject matter will be learned through writing. This writing will take the form of homework assignments, a reflective journal, a first-person account, and in-class writing activities. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | • Arnett, J. J. (2015). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford. • Murray, J. L. & Arnett (Eds.) (2019). Emerging adulthood and higher education: A new student development paradigm. New York: Routledge. • Miscellaneous supplementary readings. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15963 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 48 |
| Title: | Return of the (Cor)Mac |
| Instructor: | Langford, Jeffrey J. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Why not spend a semester reading books and chatting about literature with a mathematician? Isn’t that what the liberal arts is all about? This seminar will focus on the literary great, Cormac McCarthy. His writing career has produced westerns, a pulitzer-prize winning post-apocalyptic novel, and very recently, two novels focusing on the very foundation of mathematics and physics. Let’s read, talk, and learn together. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | We will have readings, classroom discussions, and a variety of writing assignments both inside and outside of class. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | We will read excerpts from a number of McCarthy’s books including Suttree, Blood Meridian, The Road, and The Passenger as well as supplementary readings from a number of resources. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16767 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 49 |
| Title: | Movement(s) for Black Lives |
| Instructor: | Saucier, P. Khalil |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16725 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 50 |
| Title: | Storytelling with Data |
| Instructor: | Stoudt, Sara A. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16688 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 52 |
| Title: | Storytelling with Puzzles |
| Instructor: | Ross, Anne S. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16171 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 53 |
| Title: | Memory, Camera & Human Rights |
| Instructor: | Blanco, Fernando A. |
| General Course Objectives: | Memory, Camera & Human Rights is an introductory class devoted to the study of Human Rights in Latin America through the analysis and discussion of movies. Cinematic language analysis and social struggles debate are at the core of the course learning objectives. Each week the class will watch a movie to discuss a particular issue related to Human Rights such as gender inequality, sexual citizenship rights, race and ethnicity, authoritarian regimes, economics and politics and environmental justice, to reflect about the role of Human Rights in contemporary societies. Given the growth of the Latin American descendants in the USA ( Latinx population) and the deep shared historical roots with Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and other Latin American countries, this class will prepare you for a better understanding of the sometimes complicated connections between the USA and the Latin American region. The class will also help you with your transition to college life. During the semester students will learn basic research and writing skills and explore as a community the challenges posed by this new environment. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Cinematic representations of Human Rights struggles in Latin America. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Lecture, class based discussion, movies. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Book: Looking at the Movies, Barsam. Movies: Moodle |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15480 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 54 |
| Title: | Existentialism & Literature |
| Instructor: | White, Carol W. |
| General Course Objectives: | To introduce students to some of the central religious questions associated with "Existential literature;
To help students develop skills in philosophical and literary analysis and argumentation; To ascertain the connections between critical thought on human values and the conditions of life in which existential questions and responses arise. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We will read a variety of literature (classical and contemporary prose and poetry) to help us address the religious, philosophical, and psychological quandaries that have constantly haunted human beings in our search for meaning. Students will also discuss the wealth of ideas, theories, and doctrines appearing in existentialist literature and select essays, in some works of art, and in contemporary film, as they evaluate the myriad religious responses offered by influential writers and artists. The selected prose, poetry, and art forms will touch upon key themes, such as the pervasiveness of suffering, theism, agnosticism, atheism, anxiety and death, alienation, constructions of human nature, guilt and suffering, the problem of evil, human freedom, self-transcendence, and human aspiration. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | A combination of lecture, in-depth discussion, and various films/videos will be used to engage course subject matter. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | The following are representative of the books used previously: Albert Camus, The Stranger; Diane B. Raymond, Existentialism and the Philosophical Tradition; Yann Martel, The Life of Pi; Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis and Other Stories; Albert, Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays; Leo Tolstoy, Confession. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16896 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 55 |
| Title: | Pharmaceuticals and Society |
| Instructor: | Snyder, Ryan C. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course is designed to develop writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills at the collegiate level through an exploration of Pharmaceuticals and Society. Students will build on research and analytical thinking skills and become self-regulated learners. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | The course will explore the interplay between pharmaceutical design, development, approval, prescription and usage with the associated social, economic, political, regulatory, environmental and ethical implications. Some specific topics that may be considered include but are not limited to: • The impact of pharmaceuticals on social and political history (e.g. penicillin, birth control) • Ethical challenges for drug approval (e.g. is a control group necessary, should unapproved drugs be given to critically ill patients) • Pharmaceutical pricing (e.g. who should pay, how are prices set) • Challenges of access and diversity (e.g. do people have and how might we ensure equal access to clinical trials and approved drugs) |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | The course will incorporate a broad set of instructional activities ranging from lecture, self-directed exercises and class discussion to student led presentations and debates. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | A variety of sources will be used including texts, scholarly peer-reviewed articles, news articles, movies and pharmaceutical journals. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 14742 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 57 |
| Title: | Gender Injustice in STEM |
| Instructor: | Gwin, Carley A. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | In this course we will examine the roles of gender and intersectional perspectives and how they influence individual success in the STEM fields. After reflecting on how these fundamental topics and others have governed inclusion in STEM disciplines, we will also discuss the systemic outcomes of this history of STEM and how we move toward justice. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15401 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 58 |
| Title: | Love and Learning |
| Instructor: | MacKenzie-Dawson, Sarah K. |
| General Course Objectives: | Students in this course will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work and develop the capacities for independent academic work while becoming more accountable for their own learning, as they: Actively read, reflect, inquire and explore, the ideas presented by major theorists within the fields of holistic education, psychology, philosophy and qualitative research methodologies; critically analyze readings through writing, performance (flexibly defined), dialogue and research; cultivate the capacity to better connect and communicate through various modes of (re)presentation; consider how one’s own experiences shape the ways they think about the nature of education and the role of love in that space; grow as writers through active engagement with process; explore what it means to know and the role of love, spirit and culture in that knowing; develop a conception of yourselves as complex and multi-faceted being; become agents within the context of your own learning; and develop a living and theoretically grounded definition of love as it relates to one’s own experiences and the experiences of others |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Learning is both relational and a deeply personal process and is inclusive of many, different ways of coming to know in our lives. Whether it be in the classroom, in our families, our friendships, etc., we are learning. When we begin to recognize that in all these relational spaces love exists or perhaps at times is absent, we can begin to consider the possibilities of love in relationship to learning and what that might then mean for our relationships with ourselves, others, and our ways of knowing, seeing and being in the world. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Into a course, individuals bring unique experiences and prior knowledge, which, combined with the new texts (that come from other students, new materials, and the instructor’s experience and resources), interact to create more complex and nuanced knowledge. This means that the act of learning requires what can be called ‘work’ (in a general sense) on the part of the learner to consider their earlier knowledge/belief/tacit understandings of the content and the new material under review. In this way each person constructs their ‘new’ knowledge, rather than simply receiving it from the teacher. This approach places responsibility for learning upon both the instructor and students as individuals and as members of the classroom community. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | The following are representative of books used previously: hooks, b. (2000) All about love. New York: HarperCollins; Buscaglia, L. (1982). Living, loving and learning. New York: Random House. In addition, articles and resources will made available through Moodle. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in literature circles around books of their choosing. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15971 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 59 |
| Title: | Cadillac Desert |
| Instructor: | Daniel, Christopher G. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | The United States is drying out. Groundwater, river and lake levels have plummeted in the western US such that farmers are competing with cities and states are suing each other for water resources. How much clean usable water does the US have? How is fresh water used in the US and around the world? This course will introduce you to the history of water development, canal, and dam building with an emphasis on the western United States through the classic book Cadillac Desert. You will develop a deeper understanding of how water resources were developed in the United State, how they are currently utilized, and how climate change will impact this resource that is fundamental to life and civilization. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | The book Cadillac Desert is required. Other instructional resources will be provided or developed in class. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16926 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 60 |
| Title: | Exploring Science of Wellbeing |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16185 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 61 |
| Title: | Connect Yourself |
| Instructor: | Stevenson, Jennie R. |
| General Course Objectives: | This course is designed to help students understand and improve their connectedness in order to enhance their learning and experience at Bucknell and beyond. Through readings, multimedia, writing assignments, and discussions, students will develop critical thinking, oral and written communication, information literacy, self-reflective, and self-regulating skills. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We will explore the science of connectedness (the experience of feeling connected), and engage with practices and skills to increase connectedness in order to learn and live better. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Class time will be spent engaging in collaborative discussion combined with interactive explanations of complex topics. We will have guest experts visit the class on occasion. Assignments will include readings, finding information, formal and informal writing assignments, mini-presentations, and self-reflection in many forms. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16756 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 63 |
| Title: | Money, Capitalism & Inequality |
| Instructor: | Velasquez, Ivan D. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16299 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 64 |
| Title: | Shakespeare for Beginners |
| Instructor: | Peterson, Jean |
| General Course Objectives: | If you’ve been turned off to Shakespeare by lackluster teaching or just the weight of his literary reputation, this may be the class for you. Here’s your chance to begin again with Shakespeare—learning to read and understand the densely poetic language, considering the structure and trajectory of selected plays, examining how Shakespeare’s work has achieved such cultural prominence, exploring the theatrical cues and possibilities embedded in these “scripts” for performance, and contemplating the rise and meaning of “Global Shakespeare” in our 21st Century moment. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We’ll use the subject of Shakespeare as our paradigm of a subject of academic study, so that the work you do in this course, and the skills that you practice will form a firm foundation for your further study at Bucknell. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | We’ll focus on just two plays, which we will read closely and with attention to the wider questions the texts and our general topic invite. We’ll use secondary sources—historical, critical, theatrical—to enhance our understanding of how these works have been understood, interpreted, and performed in the 400 years since Shakespeare’s time and ours. We’ll view different film interpretations, and explore the life the plays have taken on “beyond” the limits of the texts. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Copies of the plays (Richard III, The Taming of the Shrew) supplemented by critical readings, performance reviews, and other secondary sources. Film versions will be made available. Please also list what requirement this course fulfills. FOUN FRST W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15164 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 65 |
| Title: | From Prototype to Production |
| Instructor: | Shankar, Sabrina |
| General Course Objectives: | In the course "From Prototype to Production", students will be introduced to the industry of entrepreneurship across different industries. This course is designed to instill a foundational entrepreneurial mindset through the study of compelling case studies (for-profit, non-profit, and service sectors) while focusing on the Design Thinking Methodology. In addition to developing their writing, reading and presenting skills, students will hone their skills in market research, business planning, funding strategies, and product design. Students will have hands-on experiences creating products in the university makerspace, pitch ideas in "Shark Tank" style presentations and learn from local and nationwide entrepreneurs. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course provides an introductory understanding of the entrepreneurial journey, covering diverse business disciplines. Through case studies, students will gain insights into successful ventures, enabling them to apply principles to their own business ideas. This course emphasizes practical skills such as market research, business planning, and effective communication, while emphasizing the values of the W1 program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16330 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 66 |
| Title: | Seeing through Cinema |
| Instructor: | Faden, Eric S. |
| General Course Objectives: | This course introduces students to college-level work and research methods while also focusing on how media shapes us and the world around us. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | The course studies how perception has changed from the 19th – 21st centuries by focusing on how visual media—cinema plus other forms like television and web video—shape the world around us. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This course mixes lecture and discussion plus numerous guest lectures and excursions. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | The class will have a main textbook plus numerous articles, film. Television shows, and other requirement media viewing. Please also list what requirement this course fulfills. FOUN and W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16300 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 67 |
| Title: | J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis |
| Instructor: | Siewers, Paul K. |
| General Course Objectives: | We'll study Classic Fantasy and Sci-Fi by master writers JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, and learn how their fiction masked serious philosophical critiques of totalitarianism and misuse of technology, which are still relevant. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Lewis' That Hideous Strength, and other writings by the two, along with recent studies of technology and totalitarianism today. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Seminar discussion and lecture, individual and collaborative work. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Writings by Tolkien and Lewis, and studies such as Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism and recent work on online surveillance society. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16158 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 70 |
| Title: | Taboos in the Arab World |
| Instructor: | Isleem, Dena |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course aims to delve into an unfamiliar world and explore some of the social and cultural dynamics of the Middle East through the translated literary works of Arab women writers which encapsulates their feminist voices. Through examining the basic elements of a short story such as setting, characters, plot, conflict and theme and recognizing what each of these elements adds to the story, students will unravel controversial, cultural topics focused on the position of women in society, concepts of female sexuality including desires, the importance of chastity, infidelity, homosexuality and gender relations, the role of the patriarch father and family dynamics. Many factors play a key role in the diverse yet complex Middle Eastern culture, including the regions, religions, ethnic identity, history, familial ties, and more. Yet, within the 22 Arab speaking countries, there are shared sets of traditions, belief systems, and behaviors. Therefore, the selected readings should be read with an open mind and with a nod to the cultural and social context at large. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | All material on Moodle. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16327 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 71 |
| Title: | Writing the Short Story |
| Instructor: | Rosenberg, Robert A. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course is designed to develop writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills at the collegiate level through the structure of a fiction workshop. Students will build close reading and analytical skills through discoveries they make about published fiction, their own writing, their creative process and work habits. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This introductory fiction workshop will focus intensively on the fictional scene as the building block of larger stories. How are scenes developed out of the elements of fictional craft: dialogue, action, description, and interiority? How are these elements woven together? How does scene propel plot and character forward, create a vivid world for the reader, and develop a story’s larger themes? How does one scene suggest future directions for a story, or necessitate revisions for what came before it? What makes a scene memorable and moving? Through the workshop process, we will explore and strengthen each student’s ability to write fictional scenes, learning to analyze both contemporary and classical stories with a writer’s eye, and improving our ability to engage in critical discourse about literature. We’ll discuss the achievements of great fiction writers, ask ourselves how we might learn from them, then begin to put what we learn into practice. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Time will be divided between discussing the work of classmates in full class and small group workshops, completing writing exercises, and reading the work of outside authors. The focus will be on craft: learning to use the basic techniques and habits of successful writers to enhance our own writing and creativity. Students will write informal reaction-letters to other students’ work; these responses will provide the foundation for in-class discussion. Students will meet individually with the professor to discuss revisions. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Texts will include stories by canonical and contemporary authors, from Chekhov to Flannery O’Connor, from Jhumpa Lahiri to George Saunders. Essays on fictional craft and writerly habits will be distributed by the professor. Literary readings held on campus will provide an additional source of instruction and creative inspiration. Please also list what requirement this course fulfills. ARHC FRST W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16691 |
| Section: | FOUN 098 72 |
| Title: | Sust. Energy, Food & Lifestyle |
| Instructor: | Jansson, Peter M. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16542 |
| Section: | RESC 098 01 |
| Title: | Discovery of Expressive Self |
| Instructor: | Martincich, Dustyn R. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16853 |
| Section: | RESC 098 02 |
| Title: | Fairytales & Retellings |
| Instructor: | Agbo, Elinam |
| General Course Objectives: | In this foundational seminar, students will explore a range of fairy tales and folktales, alongside their contemporary retellings. By studying the techniques of accomplished writers, students will learn to read like writers, craft their own retellings, and discuss how craft elements like point of view, characterization, setting, and form work together to amplify a story’s themes and conflicts. The goal of the course is for students to participate actively in a community of writers, critically examine the traditions that influence their imagination, develop a consistent writing practice, and acquire strategies and skills to revise their own work. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Student work will be the primary focus of the class. One’s writing, however, never exists in a vacuum. The author must be aware of the tradition he is writing within, and in this course, we will look specifically at folkloric traditions and how fairy tales remain relevant to contemporary writers. As such, the work of published writers—short stories, essays, literary events—will be instrumental to class discussion and assignments. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Throughout the semester, students will be expected to draft new work in response to prompts, complete short reading responses, discuss published work, and participate in peer review. During the first half of the semester, we will close-read assigned texts (fairy tales, short stories, and essays) and discuss how students may learn and emulate specific narrative and analytical strategies. The second half of the semester will be dedicated to full-class workshops, where students will critique one another's work. This is a discussion-heavy course, and faithful attendance is essential to the success of the class. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Texts will include a broad anthology of fairy tales and folktales, from Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm to excerpts from the Shahnameh and One Thousand and One Nights. We will also study retellings from writers like Angela Carter, Nalo Hopkinson, Helen Oyeyemi, Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, and Sabrina Orah Mark. Campus literary readings will provide an additional source of instruction and inspiration. Please also list what requirement this course fulfills. FOUN FRST W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16807 |
| Section: | RESC 098 03 |
| Title: | Business of Contemporary Art |
| Instructor: | Alexander, Raquel M. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15444 |
| Section: | RESC 098 04 |
| Title: | US & Asia in the 21st Century |
| Instructor: | Zhu, Zhiqun |
| General Course Objectives: | Take a look at your clothes, footwear, laptop and phone. Most likely they are made or assembled in Asia. There is no doubt our lives are affected and will continue to be shaped by what happens in Asia. It is therefore imperative to learn about America’s interactions with Asia and understand the trends, problems, and challenges that lie ahead. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This seminar addresses the fascinating and complex relationship between the United States and Asia today. Major topics include, but are not limited to, history of US-Asia relations, American perceptions and misperceptions of Asia and Asians, cultural exchanges, global supply chains, international security, and America’s relations with key players such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Global Residential College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15102 |
| Section: | RESC 098 05 |
| Title: | Controversies in Globalization |
| Instructor: | Magee, Christopher S. |
| General Course Objectives: | This course examines controversial issues that arise in economics, politics, and international relations as the world becomes more integrated. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course will examine controversial issues that have arisen as the world becomes more integrated and national borders become “thinner.” We will discuss questions such as: Does trade harm the environment? Is foreign aid a good way to reduce poverty in developing countries? Do humanitarian crises justify military intervention? Can international agreements limit global warming? Is democracy declining internationally? |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Students will write several opinion papers adopting and defending a position on a controversial policy issue on which we will have a debate in class. Students will also write one original research paper on a topic of their choice and will present this paper in class and at a symposium with other residential college students. Through the papers, presentations, class debates, and discussions, students will develop their skills of doing academic research, writing, speaking, and listening. This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Global Residential College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Books, journal articles |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16810 |
| Section: | RESC 098 06 |
| Title: | Feeding Latin America |
| Instructor: | Sammells, Clare A. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16744 |
| Section: | RESC 098 08 |
| Title: | Energy |
| Instructor: | McGuire, Molly M. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15742 |
| Section: | RESC 098 09 |
| Title: | Never Eat Soggy Waffles |
| Instructor: | Dryden, Emily B. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | North, East, South, West. You learn the compass directions at an early age, but how much have you thought about how maps are constructed? The earth is round and paper is flat, so there have always been challenges and choices in creating maps. We will examine some of these challenges and choices from different points in time. For example, we can use different types of projections to get from a globe to a map, we can use mathematical tools to analyze whether districts are gerrymandered, and we can use a geographic information system (GIS) to visualize and understand significant features of today’s world in new ways. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | There will be readings, discussion, a variety of writing assignments, training in and use of ArcGIS, and a collaborative project. This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Discovery College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | We will read from a variety of sources and the readings will be provided. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 12875 |
| Section: | RESC 098 10 |
| Title: | Illusions |
| Instructor: | Mitchel, Aaron D. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We like to believe that we can trust what we see with our own eyes, but perception very rarely aligns with reality. In this course, we'll examine various types of illusions that demonstrate this disconnect. We'll see colors that aren't really there, fail to notice bears moonwalking right in front of us, and be tricked into hearing something entirely different than what was said. In addition, we will look at how illusions have been used by artists, magicians, engineers and marketing professionals. For example, we'll discuss why Monet's sunset shimmers and how a Hans Zimmer soundtrack builds tension throughout a movie. Not only will we study famous illusions created by others, through a combination of popular books and primary readings, but we will also create our own illusions. Through deception, we will reveal the mechanisms of perception. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Discovery College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16349 |
| Section: | RESC 098 11 |
| Title: | The City |
| Instructor: | Campbell, Claire E. |
| General Course Objectives: | Learning Outcome 1: Students will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work. Learning Outcome 2: Students will develop capacities for independent academic work and become more accountable for their own learning. Learning to analyze, engage, and discuss historical scholarship, and primary (archival) sources. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This course will explore the environmental history of the city. We will immerse ourselves in a series of cities to really get to know the stories of these streetscapes. By studying art, cartography, literature, and archival materials, we’ll ask how these places took shape over the past four centuries, their changing relationship with the natural world, and how they reflect larger historical and ecological dynamics. How can we make our cities more blue, more green, and more livable? Topics will include: the intentions and results of city planning; urban water and shorelines; gardens, parks, and public spaces; public and ecological health; environmental restoration; and many others. We will also look critically at Lewisburg, rich in evidence of urban aspirations and environmental impacts. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Lecture, discussion |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Readings and archival materials |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16296 |
| Section: | RESC 098 12 |
| Title: | The Animal |
| Instructor: | Chow, Jeremy H. |
| General Course Objectives: | RESC 098 introduces students to writing, reading, discussing, and preparing for a collegiate education. As a residential collection, we will operate as a living-learning community. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This seminar explores the relationships among humans and nonhumans, and evaluates how authors deploy animals in different genres for different radical, social, cultural, and political purposes. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This is a first-year seminar, which prioritizes discussion. It is also a W1 course, which emphasizes formal and informal writing. The class will be part of the Environmental Residential College. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Authors may include: Art Spiegelman, Haruki Murakami, George Orwell, Andre Alexis, Elena Passarello, Peter Singer V REQUIREMENTS FULFILLED FRST W1 |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 12745 |
| Section: | RESC 098 14 |
| Title: | Ancient Origins:Secret History |
| Instructor: | Larson, Stephanie L. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | In this course we’ll be examining origins of things we think we know: stories of heroes; our concept of human nature; gender and sexual identities; the fundamentals of democracy; uses and abuses of war and violence; and the properties and nature of the human body. We’ll be looking at these topics and writing about them through the lens of ancient Mesopotamian and Greek cultures, with perhaps a little Roman or Judaean evidence thrown in. We’ll be reading and discussing a variety of material from these civilizations (e.g., epic poetry, Sappho, Greek tragedy, Plato, and others), and all the while we will simultaneously contemplate what we also think we know from our own cultures about these topics. Can we find similarities to our own attitudes in these cultures from long ago, or is the past too foreign to us? How can we approach these ancient artifacts as modern citizens of the world? What does it mean that we as modern humans can read and explore ancient ideas? As we explore we will develop our skills in thinking creatively about these themes, and we’ll pay close attention to how we can write about them critically and convincingly. For your essays and papers you’ll be able to choose a variety of topics within these large thematic categories, and your final essay can be a topic of your own choosing. We will close the semester by presenting our work at the Residential College Symposium on a Saturday in early December. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Languages & Cultures College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16787 |
| Section: | RESC 098 15 |
| Title: | Love & Sex on the Silk Road |
| Instructor: | Shields, James M. |
| General Course Objectives: | The objective of the seminar is to have students engage critically with cultural products—both foreign and familiar—in a way that recognizes the reality of cultural diversity as well as the long history of cultural interaction and hybridization. Students will develop writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information literacy skills necessary for collegiate-level academic work. Students will develop capacities for independent academic work and become self-regulated learners. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | The seminar is constructed around the theme of the social and cultural construction of sex, love, gender and the body across diverse cultures, times and places. The seminar provides an intimate look at a few of the “highlights” in the global history of love and sex, as manifested in artifacts (philosophy, poetry, novels, paintings, sculpture), from various cultures, times and places, using the historical Silk Road bridging Asia and the West as a geographical frame and metaphor for our studies. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Students will be exposed to a number of historically significant cultural artifacts related to this theme, including texts, sculpture, painting, and so on, to which they will be required to engage on a critical and interpretive level. This will be accomplished via a number of short writing assignments (response papers) as well as in the context of regular class and online discussion / presentations. In addition to the material covered in class and via assigned readings, students will be required to engage in library / internet research as part of their in-class presentation and final paper on a topic of their own choosing (from a list of possibilities). On-line discussion questions, as well, will occasionally require some outside research. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | No required text; weekly readings available as printed coursepack. Multimedia sources may be employed. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 12755 |
| Section: | RESC 098 16 |
| Title: | Art of Protest |
| Instructor: | Rothman, Roger I. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | In response to a world plagued by war, oppression, and inequality, artists of all stripes rise up in protest. Some do so aggressively, assaulting us with words and images that tear at our souls. Others provoke us less violently, by guiding us with images of a better world imagined but not yet realized. Some artists make their art for museums, where only an elite minority can experience them, but others--and more and more each day--make artworks that live on billboards, city streets, and public buildings, and still others that exist only in the virtual world of instagram, twitter, and facebook. This course will dig deeply into the ways that contemporary artists are using art to make the world more just, more kind, more equal. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Languages & Cultures College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16742 |
| Section: | RESC 098 17 |
| Title: | Latinx Experience in the US |
| Instructor: | Rojas, David M. |
| General Course Objectives: | Improve skills of writing, oral communication, and critical thinking • Critically explore the historical roots of contemporary social issues • Analyze how systemic conditions shape personal experiences. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | We explore the experiences of people who live in the United States and were born in Latin America (or have roots in the region). We examine how they grapple with challenging circumstances (from immigration policies to the "war on drugs" and gender violence) by building diverse and vibrant communities. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Class time includes a mix of lecture, discussion, student presentations, and small group discussions. Students are expected to read assigned materials prior to each meeting as well as to complete scheduled assignments that are to be submitted online. These assignments will help students prepare for the classroom-based activities as well as for the quizzes, tests, and papers that they are expected to complete. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Course materials include films, short videos, documentaries, book chapters, journal articles, and news pieces. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16407 |
| Section: | RESC 098 18 |
| Title: | Comic Books and Social Justice |
| Instructor: | Gregory, Chase P. |
| General Course Objectives: | Throughout the course of the class, we will consider a wide range of sequential art from the early comic strip to the contemporary “graphic novel,” all while asking how this medium reflects, represents, and influences identity formation in the United States. Through our discussion of genre, form, and graphic storytelling, we will interrogate the ways in which comic books can both metaphorize and represent injustice in a myriad of ways. Engaging in this literary analysis will move us to discover how we can be agents of social change, and in particular about the place of art and storytelling within the fight against systems of oppression and inequality. What is the political and social history of sequential art? What is the relationship between authorship, representation, and lived experience? What does it mean to read comics through intersections of race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability? And, finally, What does graphic literature have to do with social justice? |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Be they dime-store superhero serials, Sunday funnies, or novel-length illustrated memoirs, comics are a very American medium. As such, comics reveal a lot about identity in the American imagination: that is, reading comics as literature can offer us clues about how race, sexuality, gender, class, and ability manifests in the US imagination. Our reading list showcases authors from a variety of identities, lived experiences, and political and socioeconomic positions. In the course of our semester, we will think through specific historical moments of injustice, oppression, and colonial or racist violence (the Holocaust through Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Israeli occupation through Joe Sacco’s Palestine, indigenous genocide through Gord Hill’s The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book, reproductive justice through Leah Haye’s Not Funny Ha-Ha, American slavery through Kyle Baker’s Nat Turner, etc). |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Requirements: respectful and frequent classroom engagement; short assignment reflection posts; 1 midterm essay; 1 final essay. Classes will be discussion-based. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Brian Bendis, All-New X-Men 7 (2015) Art Speigelman, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale (1991) Joe Sacco, Palestine (1992) Howard Cruse, Stuck Rubber Baby (1992) Gord Hill, The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book Kyle Baker, Nat Turner (2014) Ebony Flowers, Hot Comb (2019) Leah Hayes, Not Funny Ha-Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard (2020) Ben Passmore, Sports is Hell (2020) Maia Kobabe, Gender Queer: A Memoir (2020) Please also list what requirement this course fulfills. FOUN, W1, RPI, DUSC |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16776 |
| Section: | RESC 098 19 |
| Title: | Math and Liberation |
| Instructor: | Ryan, Nathan C. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16436 |
| Section: | RESC 098 20 |
| Title: | Whose Story Is History? |
| Instructor: | Ponnuswami, Meenakshi |
| General Course Objectives: | In recent years, the United States has been embroiled in spirited and sometimes bitter struggles over confederate flags and monuments, sports mascots, museum exhibits, national holidays, reparations, cultural appropriation, and cancel culture. Underlying these disputes are deep divisions over national and group identity, historical truths, and the meaning of the past. Our course will explore several such controversies and the possibilities for consensus and reconciliation. Whose story is history? Do we own our own past? How do we understand where we came from and tell stories about our origins? Are some stories more true than others? Who gets to decide? How do our histories (and stories) define who we are? How can they shape our future? |
| Description of Subject Matter: | Each units of our class will focus on a specific contemporary debate. We will examine a range of theoretical questions concerning the politics and techniques of history-making and history-telling: what’s omitted from dominant narratives of history; how history is altered by perspective (e.g. top-down vs. bottom-up or male vs. female); how untold stories shape our understanding of the past; the aesthetics and politics of memorializing. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Students will write weekly response papers, two formal essays, and a research paper. Expect plenty of reading, writing, and discussion. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Texts to be assigned. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16631 |
| Section: | RESC 098 21 |
| Title: | Religious Diversity in America |
| Instructor: | Gasaway, Brantley W. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16525 |
| Section: | RESC 098 22 |
| Title: | Revolution! A Global History |
| Instructor: | Dosemeci, Mehmet |
| General Course Objectives: | Since 1776, humans have initiated and participated in over 300 revolutions. This course will introduce students to the global history and theory of revolution in the modern period. Its basic premise is that revolution, and the attendant attempts to counter, cordon, or direct it, has defined the modern era of humanity. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | The course begins by asking a simple question: How did revolution become something that human beings can do? What made it possible for humans to first think about then enact an abrupt, transgressive, and intentional transformation of the society in which they live? From this initial question, the course will examine the viral spread of revolution across the earth over the past two centuries. Topics that we will engage with include: Changes in the meaning and practice of revolution, the relation of revolution to ideologies of nationalism, democracy, socialism, secularism, and religion; the emergence of people who call themselves revolutionaries (and conservatives); revolutionary spaces/time; and the concepts of permanent and counter revolution. The course will conclude with discussion of the global uprisings that have rocked the world since 2011 and the prospects for revolution in the United States today. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Seminar, Discussion of readings and films, Individual Papers, Collective Project |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Primary and secondary historical material, Theory, Films. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16470 |
| Section: | RESC 098 23 |
| Title: | China: Revol. to World Factory |
| Instructor: | Chen, Song |
| General Course Objectives: | About a century ago, China was under the rule of the Manchu emperors, repeatedly invaded, and forced to give in to the demands of foreign powers. About half a century ago, China spearheaded the international communist movement. Today, China is best known for its vibrant market economy and its immense political influence. Have you ever wondered what had been the driving forces behind these dramatic changes in China in the last two centuries?
In recent years, the proliferation of digital resources is bringing a revolution to the humanities. The revolution has not only given us convenient access to an unprecedented body of qualitative and quantitative data in the digital format, but it has also provided us with new tools for processing these data, asking new questions, and communicating our findings to a broad audience in new ways. Have you ever wondered what these tools are, and how may we best make use of them? This course is designed for anyone who has an inquisitive mind for either or both of the above questions. In this course, an investigate China’s modern history in the last two centuries takes place side by side with an exploration of a diverse body of digital tools at our disposal. This course has two objectives. First, it helps students develop a basic understanding of modern Chinese history, its logic, and its relevance to China today. Second, it helps students cultivate a basic literacy of a selected array of digital tools available for humanists, which are transferrable to their academic and career pursuits outside this class. By combining knowledge and intellectual skills in both domains, students will create a series of public-facing projects that communicate their understanding of modern China to a wide audience. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | First, this course surveys the major changes in China’s political development, social life, economy, and intellectual trends from the mid-19th century to today. Topics include the impacts of Western imperialism in China, the rise of nationalism and communism, Leninist party-states and mass politics, and China’s transformation first into a command economy and then into a market economy in the last century. Second, this course also explores digital tools that humanists use, such as those for text analysis, image annotation, and digital mapmaking. Students will combine their knowledge of modern Chinese history and their technological competency to develop public-facing humanities projects. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This course combines short lectures with discussion and lab exercises. A wide range of instructional materials will be used in this course, including translated primary sources, scholarly articles, news reports, documentaries and movies, historical photos and propaganda posters. All readings, lab materials, and other assignments are in English. This course does not involve programming, nor does it require any prior knowledge of programming, Chinese history, or Chinese language. The performance of students will be evaluated by class discussion and presentations, formal and informal writing tasks, and digital projects. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | No textbook is required. All readings and lab materials will be on the course websites. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15743 |
| Section: | RESC 098 24 |
| Title: | Sustainable Harvest |
| Instructor: | Spiro, Mark D. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | This foundation seminar is part of the Food Residential College that will investigate the American Food system through the social sciences and natural sciences. This seminar will focus on ecological and evolutionary perspectives of food and agriculture and the connections to human culture and health. We will delve into human evolutionary history to understand how our modern diet of processed foods leads to an increase in disease. We will explore the indigenous roots of organic agriculture and the promise of regenerative farming to address our current environmental crises and to generate a more just and equitable food system. We will gain hands-on experience in food production at Bucknell Farm. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | TBA |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 15744 |
| Section: | RESC 098 25 |
| Title: | Food, Culture and Society |
| Instructor: | Durden, Elizabeth |
| General Course Objectives: | In the Food Residential College, you'll uncover new ways to think about what we eat, exploring the complex relationship between humans, food, and the natural and social world. This course delves into the significant relationships between people, culture, and food across society. We will explore the social and political origins of agriculture and the development of our modern industrial food systems and the impact of such a system on the social and environmental costs of our modern food system. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | This foundation seminar is part of the Food Residential College that will investigate the American Food system through the social sciences and natural sciences. In this seminar, we will explore foodways or the cultural, social and economic practices related to the consumption of food. This course delves into the significant relationships between people, culture, and food across society. We will explore the social and political origins of agriculture and the development of our modern industrial food systems and the impact of such a system on the social and environmental costs of our modern food system. We will explore how one's race and socioeconomic status impact one’s ability to obtain healthy nutritious foods. Furthermore, how are alternative food systems both a social and political act? |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Intimate seminar course built around lecture, readings and class discussion. Get ready to get your hands dirty and explore new cuisines as the Food Residential College will not only take place in the classroom but in the field, where you will gain hands-on experience growing and preparing food to share with your fellow students. We will work on the Bucknell Farm as well as delve into the local food system. Field trips range from a local farmer's market to a cultural food tour of Philadelphia. This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Food College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Academic readings, current news sources and appropriate documentaries. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 13895 |
| Section: | RESC 098 27 |
| Title: | Both EdgesofTechnology’s Sword |
| Instructor: | Knoedler, Jan T. |
| General Course Objectives: | To develop writing, reading, speaking, listening, and information literacy skills in a seminar format, and to think critically about the use and impact of several modern technologies on society and the economy. |
| Description of Subject Matter: | In this class, we will be considering the following features of technological change: while it is undeniable that new technologies have, at least in modern times, improved the standard of living for many and made possible the previously impossible, in doing so, technology has too often created winners and losers, creating technology’s double-edged sword. To get a better sense of the winners and the losers, we will consider several of these double edges: the widened South Fork dam that eased travel for Pittsburgh’s new industrial elite but also and Johnstown workers; CRISPR’s life saving tools that can eliminate cruel genetic diseases but also create a new eugenics; emerging AI and robotic tools that will reduce onerous, backbreaking, repetitive work but also eliminate the livelihoods for many; communications tools that have allowed us to communicate instantaneously with friends and family wherever they are but have also led to addiction, social isolation, and political polarization. We will look at both of technology’s edges – the edge that sometimes aids those with advantages due to geography, skills, genetics, and more, and the other edge that often leaves the rest further and further behind. |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Seminar class, including discussion, some group projects, writing assignments consistent with the goals of W1 classes, and a presentation as part of the Residential Colleges symposium.
This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Society & Technology College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Instructional Materials and Sources: | Texts TBD, but a combination of texts and Moodle readings are planned. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 13574 |
| Section: | RESC 098 28 |
| Title: | Once and Future Plagues |
| Instructor: | Stowe, Emily L. |
| General Course Objectives: | This W1 course is designed to help students develop their writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills at the collegiate level through an exploration of the impact of past pandemics and possible future pandemics. At the end of the course, students will develop their analytical skills necessary for independent academic research work. . |
| Description of Subject Matter: | From the mid-19th century to today we have seen a continuous drop in deaths due to infectious disease in the United States. Antimicrobial drugs, immunization, water treatment and sanitation all played a role in bringing those death rates down. Relatively few individuals will have lost a family member to an infectious disease but this safety is new. This class will explore how infectious diseases shaped society throughout history, focusing on specific diseases (for example: plague, tuberculosis, cholera), and time points (for example: the colonization of the Americas by Europeans and the decimation of native populations that followed). We will look at how the development of microbiology and public health lead to the decline of these diseases. Finally, we will end by examining how modern life has brought about new infectious foes and allowed others to return (HIV/AIDS, MERS, SARS, Ebola, antibiotic resistance). |
| Method of Instruction and Study: | Students will explore the scientific and cultural issues surrounding communicable disease through a combination of reading and writing assignments in addition to in-class activities. Students will practice reading and interpreting primary scientific literature, learn how to participate in seminar discussions, work with small groups to actively learn new concepts, conduct independent research, and develop written, oral, and video media presentation skills
This is a Residential College course. If you choose this seminar, you are also choosing to live in the Discovery College housing with students who have interests similar to yours. Please note additional required participation in the Symposium and the fall field trip (date/time TBA). Please refer to the Residential College website for a description of the program. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
| CRN: | 16828 |
| Section: | RESC 098 29 |
| Title: | End of the World as We Know It |
| Instructor: | Vollmayr-Lee, Ben P. |
| Requirements: | Writing Level 1 |
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