Registrar

Section 1. Science in the News. Professor Deckert.

An exploration of science topics reported in the news. The weekly Science Times columns are our primary text. Analytical reasoning skills are developed through close reading and analysis of arguments presented in the articles. By actively participating in class discussions, writing weekly essay assignments, and presenting a research project based on the readings, students build their written and oral communication skills. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 2. Food Fights. Professor Ams.

An exploration of what it means to eat in the United States of America.  What did you have for breakfast this morning?  Cereal, perhaps?  Or scrambled eggs and toast?  While eating is an essential part of our daily lives, the notion of where our food actually comes from and what it consists of is rarely questioned.  This seminar explores the hidden truth behind the food consumed by mainstream Americans.  Students take a close look at the world of the industrial food complex and examine its social, ethical, nutritional, and environmental impacts.  Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 3. The End of the World. Professor Carr.

An exploration of the idea of the end of the world, especially as it has played itself out in contemporary culture.  Everything did not end on January 1, 2000, yet the possibility still remains that the world might be in its last days.  Students explore Biblical texts, images of nuclear and environmental holocaust, modern literature, art, and music to understand why eschatological images have such a powerful hold on our imaginations, in order to come to an understanding of what we ultimately value as individuals and as a society. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 4. Punks. Professor Schindler.

An investigation of one aspect of the history of social and cultural rebellion in the modern era.  We study the punk movement through its diverse manifestations from the seventies to the nineties.  The course focuses not only on the music but also on the literature, fashion, behavior, and philosophy of punks.  Attention is also paid to other manifestations of anti-authoritarianism as dadaism, anarchism, and just plain bad behavior.  Course work emphasizes the development of oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary and critical thinking.

Section 5. The Biology in Science Fiction. Professor Rankin.

An introduction to basic biological concepts using the medium of science fiction. Discussions range from defining the essential elements of good science fiction to the vital role of the imagination in the physical world. Biological topics for discussion are quite varied, and may include such diverse concepts as the chemical basis of life, evolution, and reproductive strategies exhibited by living organisms. Throughout the semester emphasis is placed on the application of scientific principles to creative settings as defined in contemporary science fiction literature and films. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

 Section 6. Software Everywhere. Professor Kapfhammer.

An examination of the pervasive nature of computer software and the impact that computer technology has on society. Drawing on articles from the popular press and the computer science literature, this course examines the technical and ethical challenges that face a culture that regularly uses computer software applications. Sample topics include the Internet, Google, online music, open source software, electronic commerce, social networking, and data mining. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 7. Born to be Wild: Film and the Sixties Generation. Professor Keeley.

An exploration of the 1960s through the study of film. The social, political, and intellectual upheaval of the late 1960s produced a brief period of great activity in the American Cinema in which conventions of both form and content were challenged. We examine films produced during the late 1960s that best chronicle the shifting values of American society. Topics include the rise of the anti-hero, the use of explicit violence, and the development of the independent film-making industry. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 8. Earth Matters on Stage. Professor Mehler.

An investigation of the intersection of natural and manmade environments for live performance. We explore the thematic and material presentation of nature on stage over the past one hundred years. Readings are taken from the disciplines of theatre, architecture, industrial design, and business. Our study culminates in a proposal for a local live performance event that foregrounds nature, utilizes local and sustainable resources, and has a positive ecological and community impact. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 9. Six Degrees of Separation – How Media Helps Connect the Dots. Professor Sinha-Roy.

**Living-Learning Community**

An exploration of the theory of six degrees of separation, which suggests that everyone or thing is globally interconnected. Whether we speak of global environmental issues or the challenge of international terrorism, or celebrate the ways in which social media networks reconnect us to lost friends or help total strangers start social movements and even revolutions, often we can trace the origins of both the problems and the solutions right back to our doorstep. What happens in one part of the world has a ripple effect on the lives of people thousands of miles away.  We examine case studies that demonstrate what Stanley Milgram described as the “small world” hypothesis and how media networks bring us together and keep us apart. Together, as a living-learning community, we also trace our own six degrees of separation with people halfway across the world. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 10. Food for Thought: Exploring Food Controversies. Professor J. Wiebel-Silva.

An examination of contemporary issues related to food’s production and consumption. Students read a wide range of materials including food manifestos, editorials and columns by food critics, advertisements for grocery stores and restaurants, and television food programming. In doing so, students gain a greater understanding of the issues these texts raise and communication strategies they rely on to advance particular visions of food. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 11. Survival of the (Academically) Fittest. Professor Baskan.

An exploration of student characteristics that lead to successful adaptation to the college environment. Whether or not you believe evolution is a plausible explanation of how a species successfully meets the challenges of natural selection, the feeling of being at the mercy of an unfamiliar habitat is your first hurdle when you start college. To make this transition more productive, this seminar investigates best practices and strategies for successful learning. Using exercises and assignments designed to develop students’ writing and speaking skills, we examine research in psychology, biology, education, cultural studies, and media studies in order to understand what constitutes learning and knowing, as well as the difference between recognition and comprehension. As part of the course, students can expect to interact with their peers, faculty, and many of Allegheny’s academic services. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 12. Baseball’s Sabermetric Revolution. Professor Ormiston.

An examination of baseball teams’ increasing utilization of advanced statistical analysis and economic theory to make decisions regarding player acquisition, game management, and business operations. We explore the statistical revolution in baseball—and its impact on the sport—over the last two decades. Further, students are exposed to the power—and limitations—of quantitative data to compose logical arguments, solve problems, and make informed predictions about the future. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 13. The Business of Sports. Professor Sickafuse.

An exploration of business theories utilized in the operating activities of modern sports. The multibillion-dollar business of sports has become a pervasive element in our economy and our society. We analyze factors determining franchise profitability and market value and how sports franchises fit into the larger business strategies of modern corporate owners. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 14. Modern Sexualities. Professor Hellwarth.

Sexuality and sexual identities are represented, defined, and circumscribed by our culture in a variety of ways. As a means for understanding this negotiation we examine human sexual behavior, femininity and masculinity, transsexuality, intersexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality from scientific as well as popular perspectives. Readings are drawn from fields that both challenge and complement one another, including biology, psychology, art, and literature. Topics of discussion include sexual identity formation, infant sex reassignment surgery, and popular representations of masculinity and femininity. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 15. Beyond the Hunger Games: Making Perfect Societies. Professor Caballero.

An exploration of utopias and dystopias in literature and film. What makes a perfect society? Who gets to decide this and how is it decided? Who gets to be in such a society? Who is forced out and why? How and to what extent are government, religion, and education connected to the fantasy of perfect societies? Who are perfect societies made for and why? What are the goals and/or the limitations of societies claiming perfection? Students engage with both historical and contemporary literature and film and examine the different and strange ways that utopic and dystopic societies are imagined. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 16. Shakespeare on Screen. Professor Bulman.

An examination of the phenomenon of Shakespeare’s popularity as a cultural icon in America today. Why do we read his plays? How do they speak to contemporary concerns about race, sexuality, social class, and morality? Why have they been adapted as films to appeal to wider audiences, and especially teens? Students read plays in conjunction with viewing recent screen adaptations: Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You; Twelfth Night and She’s the Man; Othello and O; Macbeth and Scotland, PA. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 17. Natural Resource Conservation. Professor Bowden.

An investigation of natural resource use and conservation. Northwest Pennsylvania has a diversity of natural resources that provide environmental and economic opportunities to the region. We examine protection and management of forests, farms, wildlife, streams, and wetlands, as well as the economic and social concerns that challenge informed use and long-term protection of valuable resources. In this laboratory and field-based class, students can expect to spend a considerable amount of time outdoors in the diversity of weather enjoyed by this region. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 18. Geography of Health and Disease. Professor Waggett.

An examination of patterns of health and social determinants of disease. Students explore factors that contribute to disease and wellness. Where and how we live, work, and play influences our health but can also lead to systemic health disparities domestically and abroad. We explore topics such as rural/urban health, clean water and available food, access to health care, and environmental sources. We also explore models of prevention, as opposed to traditional models of treating individuals once sick, as many infectious diseases and chronic conditions are preventable. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 19. People and the Planet. Professor Eatmon.

An inquiry into ideas that have shaped the field of environmental science.  Great environmental thinkers from Marsh to McKibben have pondered the interconnectedness of human and natural systems. We will use their ideas to examine current events and as a foundation for thinking about human alterations of natural systems, social and cultural contexts of environmental problems, and human survival as related to sustainable systems. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 20. Fresh Water Around the World. Professor O’Brien.

**Living-Learning Community**

An examination and discussion of the quantity and quality of fresh water at the local and global scales. We explore the sources of fresh water, how it is used, and how much we actually need to survive. We also examine issues of water quality: the major types of fresh water contamination and resulting disease and/or health risks created by the contamination. Students participate in several off-campus field trips and a community outreach project. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 21: Peace or Blood: Reacting to the Controversies of the Civil War Era. Professor Binnington

**Living-Learning Community**

An examination, via historical role-playing, of the abolition movement and the secession crisis that led to the Civil War. Students engage one another as members of factions or in individual roles in two historic assemblies, first debating the issues of slavery in the late 1840s and then the issues of secession in the early 1860s. We focus on evaluation of primary sources and the presentation of those sources through collaborative activity. Our work presumes that individuals play a significant role in history and asserts that broader economic and social forces place constraints on what individuals may do, but that those forces do not determine human events—people do. Frequent public speaking and writing exercises are required. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 22. American’s First Ladies. Professor Treckel.

An exploration of the role of America’s “First Lady” and its evolution from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. Presidents’ wives have played an important role in American life. Objects of public adoration and vilification, their lives have reflected the conflict and controversy that surround the undefined, unofficial job of America’s “First Lady.” This seminar explores the history of the presidential couple and its evolution as an “ideal” in American life. Special attention is paid to modern presidential couples from Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt to Barack and Michelle Obama.  Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking. Limited to female students.

Section 23. The Philosophy of Mathematics. Professor LoBello.

An introduction to the philosophy of mathematics. We consider the questions of what mathematics is, and how it is related to other branches of knowledge. We read Plato’s Timaeus, Book I of Euclid’s Elements of Geometry, the story of Archimedes in Plutarch’s Life of Marcellus, Descartes’ Discourse on Method, and Hadamard’s The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field. Students write papers on each of these books and present them to the seminar for discussion; they also prove geometrical propositions before the class. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 24. Mathematical Issues in Music. Professor Ellers.

An introduction to mathematical concepts that have applications in music. We discuss topics such as the science of sound, the mathematical foundations of scales and tuning systems, algebraic analysis of symmetry in music and art, and geometrical and topological analysis of harmony. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 25. Life Is a Dream. Professor Herrera.

An examination of scientific and cultural approaches to explaining and representing dreams. Dreams are images that occur in the mind during sleep, and humans spend a quarter of an average night’s sleep dreaming. We examine introductory 20th-century psychological approaches such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Calvin Hall as well as novels and films in which protagonists travel between the dream world and the real world. We also read American and international fiction with an emphasis on works by Hispanic authors. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 26. The Cultural World of Bob Dylan. Professor Herrman.

An examination of Dylan as a musical, literary, and general cultural phenomenon, in the context of popular and higher literary culture of the last fifty years, but also in the context of those long-lived literary and musical cultures with which he works. We trace the evolution of his songs and lyrics from their early folk, blues, rock, gospel, and protest roots, through the transition from acoustic to electric, in studio and performative contexts, and also through the many evolutions and reinventions that continue to characterize his career in music, literature, film, and painting. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 27. Of Gods and Monsters: Religion and the Problem of Evil. Professor Boynton.

**Living-Learning Community**

Most people do not go to church or temple or ashram in search of monsters.  Yet religion is never without its monsters when faced with one of the oldest conundrums of human thought: unde malum?  From where does evil come?  In this course, we investigate what religion has to do with monsters. We can learn something about a religious tradition by getting to know its monsters, and we can learn something about monsters by looking at their religious heritage. We enrich our exploration of the problem of evil by paying attention to both the representations of the monstrous in classic religious texts and in contemporary literature and cinema. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 28. Love and Friendship. Professor Holland.

An exploration of close personal relationships as they have been traditionally understood in Western culture. What leads to love between two people? Does love bring out the best or worst in a person? What is the nature of friendship, and what qualities make a good friend? Are friendships between men different than friendships between women? These questions are explored through class discussion of films, television programs, music, and classic and modern texts, including Plato’s Symposium, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 29. Religious Themes in Rock Music. Professor C. Olson.

An examination of religious themes in rock lyrics in historical perspective.  We consider such topics as the human situation, the self and the other, God, faith and love, Jesus as clown and superstar, time and death, eschatological themes, and prophetic voices.  Students examine the ways in which rock music resembles religion.  Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 30. Trust the Tale: Reflection, Identity, and Storytelling in the Jewish Tradition. Professor Bernstein-Goff.

A journey of identity exploration through contemporary and classical stories from the Jewish tradition in both literature and film. Stories are like mirrors in which we see reflected aspects of ourselves we never dreamed existed. This is particularly true of stories that come from cultural traditions other than our own. Those stories provide an alternative landscape that short-circuits our habitual ways of thinking and disorients us just enough to be able to take a fresh look at ourselves and our world. Whether you are coming from a secular or a religious orientation, our journey together is designed to expand horizons of personal discovery. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 31. Science: From Time Travel to Healthcare Delivery. Professor Rahman.

An examination of two topics, time travel and healthcare delivery, that uses the ability of science to make valid predictions. For the first topic, students look at the radical predictions made by the famous physicist Albert Einstein that imply that traveling to one of the two (past or future) is definitely possible. Current scientific theories that predict the possibility of time travel in both directions are also studied. For the second topic, students use simple scientific markers to compare the healthcare system in the US with those in other countries. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 32. Espionage: From Spies to Satellites. Professor Poynor.

An exploration of the history and implications of espionage in today’s society. Espionage has been practiced for thousands of years, evolving from the physical infiltration of the enemy to the remote satellite surveillance of the present day. The tensions between the freedom of information, the right to privacy, and the need for security are examined. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 33. Disability Around the World: Culture, Welfare Policy, and Rights. Professor Gehring.

An introduction to how different cultures conceptualize what is or is not a disability, what causes disabilities, and what the proper responses are to the existence of disabilities. We explore how disability policy varies among states and the links between state policy and cultural understandings. We study visible and invisible disabilities and how what we consider a disability changes throughout history. We consider both the medical and the social model of disability. Students with oral histories, social movement studies, sociological investigations, and law and policy studies from/about countries such as the U.S., Germany, Japan, Morocco, China, and Argentina. Course work emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 35. “Saying No!”  Dissent in American Politics. Professor B. Smith.

An examination of dissenting voices in American politics over the last century. While social critics and political historians have often noted the broad agreement among Americans about basic political and cultural values, dissenters have periodically questioned these apparently shared assumptions and challenged the boundaries of American political culture. We focus on dissenting voices from both the Left and the Right, ranging from ambivalent immigrants and suburban rebels to working-class traditionalists, radical feminists, and critics of social inequality. In listening to such dissenting voices, we examine jarring elements within the American political tradition, ask whether there exists a dissent tradition in America, and consider to what extent dissent remains a lively possibility for 21st-century Americans. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 36. Application of Behavior Analysis to Environmental Sustainability. Professor Clark.

An exploration of the potential applications of the principles of behavioral psychology to environmental issues.  Issues such as global warming, pollution, inefficient use of resources, and recycling are assessed from what is known in psychology as a “behavior analytic” perspective, which. suggests we can address these issues through a technology of behavior.  Students will produce, discuss, and write about viable solutions to some of the major problems that face us today both locally and nationally.  Discussion will focus the scientific literature related to human activity and environmental changes from a behavior analytic perspective.  Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 37. It’s My Privilege: Defining Diversity, Difference, and Deviance. Professor Dickey.

For students in the Bonner Program.

An exploration of the power of privilege to define the meaning of difference. When is difference disapproved of as deviant, and when is it celebrated as diversity? We examine the meanings attached to social differences and how these differences shape people’s lives. We analyze literary, popular, and academic writings to consider how we—as individuals, community members, and citizens—define and experience human difference. Discussions based on close reading of the texts, written assignments, and oral presentations are emphasized. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 38. Think Globally, Eat Locally. Professor Ozorak.

**Living-Learning Community**

An exploration of how our food choices affect us and our community. Psychological, sociological, and political perspectives are used to examine the local and global impact of what we put on our plates and how it gets there. Students participate in a community action component as well as shared meals, field trips, and discussions with representatives from the community. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 39. Our American Musical Heritage. Professor J. Hepler.

An introduction to the history of music in the United States from pre-Colonial times through the protest songs of the Vietnam era. Students examine the development of music in our nation through listening and reading assignments. We introduce various American musical styles, influences, and composers. Emphasis is placed on the broad variety of music particular to American culture, including Native American music, the sacred music of the Puritans, and music of the Civil War. Upon completion of the seminar, students should be able to demonstrate skills in basic listening and understanding of American music. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 40. Music and Comedy. Professor Niblock.

A survey of genres that highlight the union of music and comedy. Various visual and aural media serve as the subject material for analysis and discussion. Both comedy and music serve as vehicles for creativity, and each is grounded in discrete theories and techniques. Examination of the two fields informs ongoing critiques and further consideration of genre, medium, and style. Questions of humor, decency, audience, and taboo also are addressed. Featured works are chosen from the realms of opera, film, musical theatre, sketch comedy, stand-up, musical parodies, animation, political satire, and television. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 41. Literature and Law, Law as Literature. Professor Byrnes.

An exploration of selected works of literature in which law plays a central role and of representative legal documents that deserve to be read as literature.  Literary critics as well as lawyers view text as ambiguous, open not only to interpretation (the realm of literature) but to critical analysis that can be used to assert the legitimacy of one view of human action over another (the realm of law).  Literature and law intersect as literature has effected changes in law—and the limits as well as the liberties defined by law inform the human desires at the heart of literature. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 42. Public Health: Issues of Epidemic Proportions. Professor Peterson.

An exploration of public health through readings, discussion, and case studies. We explore factors influencing health in both developed and under-developed regions and define public health from several perspectives. The background of this subject is examined through key historical figures and milestones. Case studies are used to examine public health as an intricate web of interconnected disciplines including the sciences, social justice, economics, culture, and politics. The organization of the health care system is considered in the delivery of public health interventions. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 43. On Learning. Professor David Miller.

An exploration of the learning process in the context of American education at all levels. What exactly is learning and what is it for? How is learning connected to the education system, American culture or globalization? What factors will shape learning in the 21st century? We examine two autobiographies that offer opportunities for close textual reading as a prelude to probing issues facing the millennial generation, including the environment, the digital revolution, mass migration, and the global economy.  We then consider multiple aspects of learning: writing and mindfulness; speaking and rhetoric; “the power of thinking without thinking”; history and memory. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.

Section 44. Art in the Technoculture. Professor Roland.

An exploration of the relationship between technology and the fine arts. Is a camera an art-making tool or an image-recording device? Is art about media or concepts? Must real art be made by hand? Can a machine make art? If art is a reflection of its age, how does art react to the technological culture in which we live? We explore these questions through art projects, readings, art viewings, oral presentations, and discussions. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.