Specific descriptions of sections of FS 101, Academic Discourse I, offered in Fall 2018:
Please consult WebAdvisor to confirm the days, times, and locations of these sections.
FS 101 § E1
Professor Roncolato
Identity, Place and Justice
TTH – 09:30AM 10:45AM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An examination of the relationships between location, identity, and justice. Place is examined as both literal physical location and symbolic location. Who we are affects how we see where we are. Where we are effects how people see who we are. Through observation, engagement, and study, students gain knowledge of structures that marginalize and oppress. Social justice issues are core to the content of this course. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
New:
FS 101 § 2Professor Martin
Privilege and Poverty
MWF – 11:00AM 11:50AM
A study of American society through the lens of privilege and oppression. Students read, discuss, write and present material related to domestic poverty and its relationship to systems of power and privilege. Students explore issues related to increasing wealth inequality and the widening of the poverty gap. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 3
Professor Peterson
Public Health: Issues of Epidemic Proportions
TTH – 11:00AM 12:15PM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
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 through the lens of the liberal arts. 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.
FS 101 § 4
Professor Weisman
Education, Justice, and Our Common Future
MWF – 01:30PM 02:20PM
**Living-Learning Community. By application only.**
An examination of educational experiences and policies that foster or inhibit justice in contemporary worldviews. Students question cultural assumptions that impact learning, both in and out of school. Our inquiry addresses civil rights and democracy in the United States, as well as how basic human needs, such as food and water, are threatened in the 21st century. Coursework culminates in students planning for their Allegheny education to prepare them for the future. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 5
Professor Chowdhury
America: From “Melting Pot” to “Salad Bowl”
TTH – 11:00AM 12:15PM
A study of the pluralistic nature of the United States. From historical, anthropological, and psychosocial perspectives, we explore America as a mosaic of varied influences from different cultures and ethnic groups. Students examine their own diverse roots and analyze issues surrounding the development of a racial and ethnic identity while simultaneously retaining the common ground of shared traditions and citizenship. Through readings, discussions, analytical essays, and presentations, we delineate the concept of America as a “melting pot” or “salad bowl” – two differing metaphors that describe assimilation and diversity in America. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 6
Professor Knupsky
Resisting Through Fantastical Worlds
MW – 03:00PM 04:15PM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An examination of how individuals resist through unusual, unfamiliar, or difficult times. We engage literary texts depicting fantastical worlds and consider how some characters survive or thrive. We focus on the skill sets portrayed and connect them to psychological investigations of emotion, vulnerability, perseverance, and curiosity. Themes of gender, race, immigration, and power inform these conversations. Building a “survival guide” based on our readings and discussions, we identify strategies, resources, and networks that can be leveraged for future success. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 7
Professor Boynton
Of Gods and Monsters: Religion, Film, and the Uncanny
TTH – 11:00AM 12:15PM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An investigation of what religion has to do with monsters. Most people do not go to church or temple or ashram in search of monsters. Yet religion is never without its 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 the representations of the monstrous in classic religious texts and in contemporary literature and recent horror films. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 8
Professor Patrick Jackson
Love, Sex, Marriage, History, Science, and Philosophy
MWF – 09:00AM 09:50AM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An examination of what it means, has meant, and might one day mean to fall and be in love. We treat it like a simple thing – ending even mundane phone calls with what often seems like an obligatory declaration – and yet it remains one of the most vexing and consuming of human experiences. What does it mean to be in love? How does it come to overtake us? And what should we do when it happens? In this course we explore the biochemistry of romance, the history of marriage, and where we get our ideas both about what love is and how we ought to interact with it. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 9
Professor French
Busted or Confirmed: Critical Thinking, Mythbusters Style
MWF – 09:00AM 09:50AM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An exploration of the scientific process and critical thinking skills using the television show, Mythbusters, as a model. In this show, the hosts test popular myths and legends mixing “scientific method and gleeful curiosity.” Students engage in the process of developing and testing questions or hypotheses. Activities include exploring myths – how they develop, whether there is any evidence to support them, and how to communicate such evidence effectively. We develop our own (non-explosive) experiments as a final project. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 10
Professor Chapp
Made by Hand
MWF – 10:00AM 10:50AM
An exploration of edible artisanal crafts. We will seek to answer the question -what is the value of food made by hand- by interacting with local artisans, screening short films, reading and discussing a variety of texts, and engaging in our own attempts at handmade products. Students may be required to participate in trips off campus outside of regularly scheduled class time. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 11
Professor Ams
Food Fights
MW – 03:30PM 04:45PM
An exploration of what it means to eat in America. While eating is an essential part of our daily lives, the notion of where our food comes from is rarely questioned. Food Fights explores the origins of our meals, with special emphasis placed on engaging the growers and producers of food in Meadville. Enrolled students are expected to engage the community through off-campus class trips (including one Saturday), followed by refection in the form of class discussion and essay writing. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 12
Professor Wu
Chinese Emperors and Empresses
TTH – 01:30PM 02:45PM
A study of the more than 200 emperors in China’s 2000-year-long imperial history. What role did they play in Chinese history and in making China as it is today? How are they evaluated by the Chinese people? Using scholarly works, autobiographies, documentaries and feature films, students study the rise and fall of the most important Chinese emperors and empress from the first emperor of the Qin to the very last one, Puyi, who abdicated in 1912. We examine how these monarchs established a Chinese imperial system, sought and maintained their power and pursued change, looked at their own position in history, and handled their relationships with ministers, families, and their subjects. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 13
Professor Brian Miller
History on Film
TTH – 09:30AM 10:45AM
A study of how film is both an alternative and a complement to established methods of studying the past. While interested in the production of film as well as the perception and popular impact of film, the course does not offer a formal history of filmmaking. Through a variety of films this course investigates what film can communicate about the time within which it was composed. This course focuses on specific problems or topics in the relationship between film and history. Possible topics could include the cultural and social organization of twentieth century Europe and the United States. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 14
Professor Ribeiro
The Space Race
TTH – 03:00PM 04:15PM
A study of United States efforts to explore outer space in the middle of the twentieth century. Students consider Cold War context, American investment in technological innovation, and impacts on popular culture. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 15
Professor Wilson
Kids These Days and the Power of Liberal Arts Education
MWF – 02:30PM 03:20PM
A study of what it feels like to be a youth in contemporary society. Widespread depression, economic inequality, racism, sexism, environmental devastation— we live in uncertain and troubled times. In this class we examine some of the broader social and political forces impacting the everyday lives and futures of young people, while simultaneously considering the transformative powers of liberal arts education. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 16
Professor Cosdon
The Contemporary American Musical
TTH – 03:00PM 04:15PM
A semester-long study of the contemporary American musical, with a focus on the presentation of “difference” and “diversity.” A series of recent, boldly inventive American musicals have challenged long-held values and cultural norms. Rather than the traditional fusion of syrupy plotlines with flashy songs and dances, these shows are “taking musical theatre on a whole new trip.” This course surveys the contemporary American musical, with a focus on the presentation of “difference” and “diversity” on stage. Musicals studied may include “Sunday in the Park with George,” “Rent,” “Hairspray,” “Spring Awakening,” “next to normal,” “Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Fun Home,” and “Dear Evan Hansen.” Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills, with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 17
Professor Watkins
Theatre and Community
MWF – 01:30PM 02:20PM
An exploration of theatre as communal practice. How is drama created? What can we learn about culture through performance? In this course, students examine fundamental issues about social and cultural practices, dramatic conventions, and how theatre reflects our fragmented society. Students study plays and performance traditions, develop improvisational acting and writing skills, and create and produce an original theatre performance as the final project for the course. Course work emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 18
Professor Hellwarth
Modern Sexualities
TTH – 11:00AM 12:15PM
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, intersexuality, trans identities, bisexuality, and homosexuality, etc., 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. Course work emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 19
Professor John Miller
The Undead and the Meaning of Life
MW – 03:00PM 04:15PM
An investigation of the cultural significance of ghosts, zombies, vampires, and other creatures that refuse to rest in peace. We discuss stories, poems, movies, TV shows, and photographs supposed to represent the undead, from Ebenezer Scrooge’s Ghost of Christmas Past to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Our explorations ask how the undead–this strange category between life and death–provides a way of thinking about what life means, and how we can make the most of it. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 20
Professor Caballero
Are We Free Yet?: Utopias and Dystopias
MW – 03:00PM 04:15PM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An exploration of representations of utopias and dystopias in literature and film. We engage with contemporary literature and film to examine the exciting ways utopic and dystopic societies are imagined. We consider what defines a perfect society and who gets to define it. We investigate who gets to be part of such a place, who is forced out, and why. We also explore the slippery slope between definitions of utopias and dystopias. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 21
Professor David Miller
Uncertainty and Mindfulness: Making the Most of a College Education
MWF – 01:30PM 02:20PM
An introduction to liberal arts education and inquiry-based learning, focusing on the interrelation of mindfulness and uncertainty. Being truly attentive and engaged depends on an embrace of situations, ideas and processes that remain to some extent uncertain. Tolerance for uncertainty is the key to creativity, in which we gain distance on our concepts and categories, seeing them as provisional and strategic rather than absolute matters of belief. These modes of approaching the world transform learning into a deeply personal exploration, in which our experience continually challenges what we think we know. This seminar develops oral and written communication skills with an emphasis on persuasive communication in an academic context.
FS 101 § 22
Professor Bowden
Natural Resource Conservation
M 01:30PM 02:45PM & W 01:30PM 04:20PM
**Living-Learning Community. By application only.**
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.
FS 101 § 23
Professor Bradshaw-Wilson
Ecosystems and Water
M 01:30PM 02:45PM & W 01:30PM 04:20PM
A study of water. Students investigate water at the ecosystem level in nearby systems (i.e. streams, lakes, wetlands) and the importance of those systems, as well as consumption and contamination of water through anthropogenic activity. This course has both a lab and field component, so students should expect spending time outdoors, which will facilitate hands-on learning and experiences. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 24
Professor Mattiace
Politics of Memory
MWF – 10:00AM 10:50AM
An examination of how newly democratic nations come to grips with past periods of political violence. In recent years, many new democracies have struggled with the question of whether to forgive perpetrators of past violence or to seek justice for victims. Through novels, films, individual testimonies, and truth commission reports, we examine the moral, legal, and political consequences of remembering and forgetting in several case studies (e.g., Argentina, South Africa, and Rwanda). Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 25
Professor Callen
Political Biography
MWF – 10:00AM 10:50AM
An examination of the role of the individual in the political process. First, we consider how personal history shapes an individual’s ideology and political fortune. Second, we consider how much one person can influence politics and history. Through reading several biographies of major political figures, students consider whether historical forces or personal will determines how political events unfold. Through discussion, writing, and presentations, students grapple with how one person’s choices shape history and where each individual’s political ideas truly originate, as well as the forces that lead to social, political, and economic changes. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 26
Professor Lombardi
Masters of the Universe
MWF – 01:30PM 02:20PM
An exploration of the connections between scientist and science. The scientists we study include Richard Feynman, Vera Rubin, and Stephen Hawking, while the science includes cosmology, relativity, and the theory of everything. Through our investigations, we are exposed to some of the most tantalizing concepts, events, and objects of our universe, including the Big Bang, black holes, dark matter, and the potential for time travel. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 28
Professor Ormiston
Baseball’s Sabermetric Revolution
TTH – 03:00PM 04:15PM
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.
FS 101 § 29
Professor Lewis
Competition and Cooperation
MWF – 09:00AM 09:50AM
**This section is part of a cohort program and is by invitation only**
An exploration of the phenomena of competition and cooperation as they appear in a wide variety of contexts, with a view to better understanding how they shape our social lives. Through an examination of their role in human endeavors such as sports and games, interpersonal relationships, economics, and politics, as well as fictional representations of these, we will consider the ways in which a drive to compete and a desire to cooperate complement, contradict, undermine, mitigate, and support each other. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 30
Professor Herrera
Life Is a Dream
MWF – 01:30PM 02:20PM
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 begin by examining 20th-century psychological approaches such as those of 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.
New:
FS 101 § 31Professor Persichini
Creativity: Bridging Art, Music, and Science
MW 11:00AM 12:15PM
An exploration of how creativity is defined and applied using modern historical examples. We will attempt to define creativity by studying people and their products in areas of art, music, and science. This will help us describe how creativity bridges these seemingly dissimilar topics. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 32
Professor Dearden
Are You Game?
TTH – 09:30AM 10:45AM
An exploration of the importance of games in human culture: why we play games; what we can learn through gameplay about ourselves, human nature, society, and interpersonal interactions; and how games help us learn. Students examine these questions through discussions of gamification, sports, online gaming, and various other topics as well as through hands-on experience playing a variety of games. Possible off-campus gaming and team-building events may be included outside of class time. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 33
Professor Carswell
Mathematics and Storytelling
TTH – 01:30PM 02:45PM
An exploration of mathematics in fiction. The role that mathematics plays in literature, on Broadway, and on the big screen, its relevance and accuracy, whether real or imaginary, is addressed. Fictional portrayals of mathematicians and the impact on public impressions of mathematics are also considered. Various mathematics topics, including cryptography, game theory, number theory, and chaos theory, are introduced as needed. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
New:
FS 101 § 34Professor Wilson
Kids These Days and the Power of Liberal Arts Education
MWF – 10:00AM 10:50AM
A study of what it feels like to be a youth in contemporary society. Widespread depression, economic inequality, racism, sexism, environmental devastation— we live in uncertain and troubled times. In this class we examine some of the broader social and political forces impacting the everyday lives and futures of young people, while simultaneously considering the transformative powers of liberal arts education. Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
FS 101 § 35
Professor Bulman
Shakespeare on Screen
MWF – 11:00AM 11:50AM
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.
A section of FS 102, Academic Discourse II is reserved for transfer students.
FS 102 § 1
Professor O’Brien
Water, Food, and Energy: What’s next?
TTH – 01:30PM 02:45PM
A study of fresh water supplies, food systems, and energy resources from an interdisciplinary perspective. We examine these systems at the local, national, and global scales and identify how these natural resources are inherently linked in human societies. How well do we understand the dynamics among our water, agriculture, and energy supplies? How might we create policies to effectively manage these resources in tandem? What are the emerging ideas under development to meet our growing needs for water, food and/or energy? Coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.
Cancellation:
FS 101 § 1 Queer Lens: LGBTQ Contributions in Art has been cancelled for Fall 2018
FS 101 § 27 The Hidden Brain and Freakonomics has been cancelled for Fall 2018
FS 101 § 31 Music of the Holocaust has been cancelled for Fall 2018
FS 101 § 36 Vegging Out has been cancelled for Fall 2018