Advanced Special Topics Courses (390’s and 490’s) – Spring 2017

Spring 2017 Offerings

Courses numbered in the 390’s and 490’s are offered only once or twice and focus on a specialized topic. These courses are rarely appropriate for first-year students.

Please consult WebAdvisor for the days, times, and locations of these sections.

ARAB 390 Arab and Muslim Voices Post 9/11
Professor Hilal

An investigation of Arab and Muslim literary and cultural responses to their position in the global community. After the 9/11 attacks and subsequent world events, Muslim communities worldwide are faced with the question: “If Islam does not condone terrorism, why are Muslims not speaking out?” By looking at the work of writers, intellectuals, musicians, and comedians, and how they construct their own narratives, primarily in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, students will explore questions of voice, violence, gender, and individual and collective identity.

ENVSC 390 Climate Change & Society: Impacts, Adaptation, and Justice
Professor Bethurem

A survey of the impacts of climate change on human society, and ways that communities, regions, and nations can engage in climate adaptation to bolster resiliency in the face of climate-related threats. Students examine the concept of climate justice related to historic and current responsibility for global warming, and the unequal distribution of climate impacts within and among societies across the globe. Students gain a basic understanding of climate science as a foundation for understanding climate-related impacts around the world. Prerequisite: ENVSC 110 is recommended but not required.

GEO 390 Field Geology Seminar
Professor T. Schwartz

A study of selected topics in geology. Students read and discuss geologic research with an emphasis on both modern and ancient geologic settings. A multi-day field trip provides for observation and application of the research discussed. This course is closed to students enrolled in GEO 580. Prerequisites: GEO 110 or 108 AND permission of the instructor.

GHS 390 Economics of Food & Nutrition
Professor Darrouzet-Nardi

A study of international and domestic food systems using an economic lens. We examine food production, consumption behavior, social welfare changes, market failures, and agricultural development policies. Through a combination of lectures and seminars, students gain economic tools for evaluating food policies and programs, interventions for nutrition improvement, poverty reduction, and economic growth. Prerequisites: GHS 130 or ECON 100, and permission of the instructor.

GHS 493 Global Health Fieldwork
Professor Waggett

A preparatory course for experiences at approved domestic and international sites that offer global health internships, practica, or cultural immersion opportunities. Students examine challenges of cultural competency across a variety of work sectors that serve global health; become familiar with relevant political, religious, and cultural practices; and explore existing data and narratives of the lives of those living both in and outside of the mainstream. Within their specific research areas, students identify the data sources and evidence-based practices for the geographic focal area. Students evaluate strengths and gaps of the practice broadly and of their current understanding and experience. Prerequisites: GHS 130, FSGHS 201, and permission of the instructor. Credit: two semester hours.

HIST 390 Imperialism, Nationalism, and the Armenian Genocide
Professor B. Miller

An investigation of race, ethnicity, and identity politics in the late Ottoman Empire and the early Turkish Republic. Students investigate the political reforms and changing communal dynamics of the nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire; competing notions of nationalism among Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish, and Greek political and cultural organizations in the early twentieth century; the context of the First World War in the Armenian Genocide; survivor accounts; and historiographical debates over defining the events of the past and the politicization of the past. Prerequisite: One course in Middle Eastern history or politics.

HIST 490 An Urban History of Ancient Rome
Professor Orttung

An exploration of the methods historians use to reconstruct and analyze a cityscape buried under centuries of history, in this case ancient Rome from 150 BCE—400 CE. The focus is the architectural face of Rome and how its urban spaces reflect its political and cultural development from a young republic with a highly competitive and public way of life, to the capital of a multicultural empire, to the center of a Christian state. Students study individual architectural features of Rome utilizing and assessing a range of primary sources from literary, historical and technical writings to inscriptions and architectural remains. Prerequisites: Hist 101 or Hist 103; permission required.

INTDS 390 Sex and Health
Professors Dawson & Shaw

An interdisciplinary examination of sexuality, contemporary cultural practices of sex, and its attending health issues. Students will explore sex education and consent; sexually transmitted diseases, and reproductive politics from the perspectives of public health, sociology, psychological, and feminist and queer theory.

INTDS 391 The Immigrant as Subject: Literary and Anthropological Perspectives
Professors Lo & Asmi

An exploration of interdisciplinary work using literary and anthropological approaches to the immigrant subject in a local and global context. We begin by breaking down how each discipline examines the immigrant subject and then move on to examples of interdisciplinary work. We investigate the limitations of each discipline and consider the need to extend the way we study an increasingly complex topic that requires us to understand legal, cultural, and humanitarian implications. We engage with literary and anthropological texts as well as film and practice close reading and ethnographic field work.

NEURO 490 Contemplative Neuroscience
Professor Conklin

An examination of current empirical literature linking contemplative practice (meditation, yogic traditions) to structure and function of the human brain. Students examine through presentations, discussions, and lecture how and why contemplative practice could influence the central nervous system and human experience. Prerequisites: PSYCH 206 and PSYCH 207, or BIO 385, or NEURO 120. Corequisite: NEURO 495.

NEURO 495 Contemplative Neuroscience Lab
Professor Conklin

A series of laboratory experiments and contemplative practices. In the laboratory students learn to assess respiration, heart rate, EEG, eye movement, skin conductance, and blood pressure responses before, during, and/or after contemplative practice. In the studio students learn to practice meditation, yoga postures, and yogic breathing. Designed to complement issues discussed in NEURO 490. One laboratory or studio period per week. Credit: Two semester hours. Corequisite: NEURO 490.

PSYCH 490 Psychopathology and Law
Professor Chowdhury

A study of the intersection of psychopathology with criminal behavior and criminal defense. Students explore topics such as psychiatric disorders and crime, psychological competence to stand trial, insanity defense, psychological evaluation of defendant, adult and child eye witness testimony, psychological expert testimony, defendant with a psychiatric illness or developmental disability, juvenile justice, and a general discussion of how psychological issues might come up in criminal defense. Prerequisites: Psych 206 and one core course in Psychology.