Humanities

Listed below are the humanities courses offered in 2012, and at which site and session each course is offered. If you are unfamiliar with our site codes, please see the site key below. The course title links will take you to the appropriate catalog course description and links to sample syllabi for the course.

If you would like to read about writing, science, or math and computer science courses, select the appropriate discipline in the following drop down menu.

Humanities Course Offerings

* = day site (no room or board provided)
** = international site (dates vary)

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Site Key

* = day site (no room or board provided)
** = international site

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Humanities Course Descriptions and Sample Syllabi

Journeys and Explorations

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From Shoshone interpreter Sacajawea’s pivotal role in the Lewis and Clark expedition to Ibn Battuta’s thirty-year journey through Africa, Asia, and Europe, people have always been compelled to travel and explore. Such extensive journeys seldom leave travelers or the places they visit unchanged. Encounters with other places and people alter not only how we view the world around us, but also how we view ourselves.

In this course, students follow famous explorers and examine the impact of their expeditions. For example, they may sail with Marco Polo in search of silk and spices, follow the Ming dynasty admiral Zheng He on his military expeditions to Africa and India, or consider the response of Aztec leader Montezuma to the invasion led by Hernán Cortés.

Inspired by what they learn, students plan and conduct their own explorations, which entail researching a specific region’s culture, politics, history, and environment. One student might choose to visit Lake Tanganyika and its chimpanzees with Jane Goodall, while another might explore the Amazon River Basin aboard the Calypso with Jacques Cousteau. Through their explorations, students develop the skills necessary to appreciate the diversity and commonalities of places and people around the world.

Sample texts: Encounter, Yolen; Journey of Lewis and Clark, Blumberg; Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, Rumford; an atlas chosen by the instructor.

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The Ancient World

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The period from 2000 BCE to 300 CE saw complex and fascinating cultures flourish all around the world. In this course, students learn about daily life, social structures, governments, economics, and religions in the ancient world, and consider how traces of these civilizations live on today. In addition to reading historical accounts of ancient societies, students explore myths, legends, and arts. For instance, students may examine the images on Grecian urns to reconstruct a typical meal—its food and the rituals surrounding it. By discovering which mummified animals have been found in pharaohs’ tombs, students may discern Egyptians’ beliefs about the world and the afterlife. Similarly, they may analyze the meaning of dragon images on the garments of Chinese emperors and generals, or consider how Indian oral traditions reflected in the 2,000-year-old epic poem Ramayana shaped the politics, religion, and art of modern South Asia. 

In addition to group work, students complete individual research on topics of their choosing. They acquire critical-thinking and research skills in addition to developing an appreciation for the richness and diversity of ancient cultures. Field trips to museums complement classroom work.

Sample texts: Ancient Rome, Connolly; The Ancient Greeks, Rees; India: Exploring Ancient Civilizations, Barr; Eyewitness: Ancient China, Cotterell; The Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World, Martell; City, Macauley; Ancient Egypt, Hart.

Field Trip Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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The Middle Ages

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Were the Middle Ages really the “Dark” Ages? How did the ideals of nobility, piety, and chivalry shape medieval people’s lives? How did the flowering of art, culture, and science in Andalusia under the Moors compare to advances in the rest of Europe? What did the Crusades represent to Christian and Islamic societies? Students consider these questions and more as they explore the cultural, social, and intellectual life of the medieval world from the fifth to fifteenth centuries. 

Students examine a rich variety of medieval literature, including excerpts from Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and writings about monks, caliphs, and serfs. They also become familiar with characteristics of Gothic and Moorish architecture and use the legacy of art to trace the social, political, and religious character of the period. Projects range from writing reports on medieval inventions to creating profiles of people from various cultures and classes.

Sample texts: Middle Ages: An Illustrated History, Hanawalt; A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, Konigsburg; The Rise of Islam, Child; Beowulf.

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The Renaissance

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The word “renaissance” literally means “rebirth.” In fourteenth- and fifteenth-century Europe, this meant the rebirth of ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The Renaissance brought radical changes to Western civilization: reason surpassed revelation, strong city-states and a growing merchant class replaced feudalism, and scholars began to view the classics through a humanistic lens. But was this period simply a rebirth of ancient ideas and cultures, or the signal of an entirely new way of viewing the world?

This interdisciplinary course spans the Renaissance period and considers developments in philosophy, science, commerce, government, and industry. Students explore Renaissance cultural history by examining primary and secondary sources. They compare experiences described in works of literary masters such as Shakespeare to those depicted in art work by such masters as Giotto, Dürer, Brueghel, and Michelangelo.

Students complete both individual and group projects. They could, for example, research and write a report on astronomical discoveries; interpret and perform scenes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest; or design and construct a model of Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence. A field trip to a local museum or dramatic production complements topics covered in class.

Sample texts: The Tempest, Shakespeare; A Short History of Renaissance and Reformation Europe: Dances Over Fire and Water, Zophy.

Field Trip Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Model United Nations and Advanced Geography

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Whether countries are trying to address climate change, contain a rogue nation, or track the spread of a deadly disease such as HIV/AIDS, they often present their concerns to the United Nations to facilitate international cooperation. How the UN achieves its goals is sometimes controversial; nevertheless, understanding the UN and how it works is essential to the study of international relations.

In this course, students learn how the UN addresses global concerns. They study the structure, authority, and processes of the UN through readings, discussions, research, and short lectures. They examine how physical, economic, cultural, and political geographies influence and inform policymakers’ decisions. Concurrently, students hone their writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills and also gain a working knowledge of international relations and geography.

Students assume the role of ambassadors for a model United Nations simulation. Each student researches a particular country and determines where this country would stand on issues before the UN. As novice diplomats learning the art of compromise, students negotiate resolutions, learn parliamentary procedure, and build coalitions to represent their countries’ best interests. Students draft position papers and refine resolutions which are presented to a mock meeting of the General Assembly, Security Council, or another UN entity.

Sample texts: United Nations Today; An Insider’s Guide to the UN, Fasulo; a major newspaper; an atlas chosen by the instructor.

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International Politics

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The dynamics of international relations change constantly. Pictures of students facing down their own government’s tanks in Tiananmen Square have been replaced by images of antinarcotics operations in Latin America and revolutionary protests in the Arab world. What are the historical and political causes of regional instability suggested in these images, and what can they tell us about our changing world order? Is the nation-state still the traditional power center of the international system in a world increasingly affected by globalization and humanitarian crises? How does the transnational flow of people, goods, and ideas shape some of the most pressing issues of today, such as state security and sovereignty? Students address these and other questions as they examine various geopolitical theories and the methodologies scholars use to understand and analyze world events.

This course combines the study of international relations with geography. Students learn how different actors, populations, regions, and global organizations relate to and affect one another. In addition, they examine issues such as culture, religion, environment, and technology alongside history, government, and economics. By exploring the interaction of these variables, students think critically about the complex forces that shape our world.

Sample texts: World Politics in the 21st Century, Duncan; Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics, Rourke; a major newspaper; an atlas chosen by the instructor.

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Great Cases: American Legal History

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Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes stated that the law is both a mirror of and a motor for society. Renowned trials frequently go well beyond the limits of a specific case to reflect deeper truths about American society, revealing each era’s cultural values and attitudes. Simultaneously, decisions can drive both legal and social thinking in new directions. Viewing law and society as intimately connected helps illustrate how each has affected the evolution of the other. 

Students in this history course trace this evolution by examining famous cases in their historical, political, and social contexts. For example, Marbury v. Madison is explored within the framework of the early Federalist period; Dred Scott v. Sanford in the context of rising political fragmentation and sectional debate; Lochner v. New York as the legal aspect of the social and political movement known as Progressivism; Brown v. Board of Education in relation to the dynamic civil rights movement; and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld as representative of the tensions in America in the post-9/11 era.

Through debates, simulations, group projects, and individual research, students develop close-reading and persuasive-writing skills. Moreover, they learn to critique decisions about fundamental issues that have confronted the American legal system from the time of the ratification of the Constitution to today.

Sample texts: American Legal History: Cases and Materials, Hall; A People’s History of the Supreme Court, Irons.

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Law and Politics in US History

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In the 1830s, French observer Alexis de Tocqueville stated, “Scarcely any political question arises in the United States that is not resolved, sooner or later, into a judicial question.” Although Alexander Hamilton believed the judiciary would be the weakest branch of government, decisions like Marbury v. Madison established that the Supreme Court’s power to review and interpret the law is arguably as great as the power to create it. In this history course, students consider the law and the judiciary who apply it. They examine such questions as: Should the law serve the interests of the majority or protect vulnerable minorities? To what extent should the law be interpreted independently of contemporary social context?

Students learn about the legal theories that inform the answers to these questions, such as formalism, realism, strict constructionism, originalism, and critical studies. They study the historical and social contexts which gave rise to these theories and the cases to which they were applied. Using examples such as Plessy v. Ferguson, the Brandeis Brief, Roe v. Wade, and Bower v. Hardwick, students explore the culture that brought these cases to the courts and the reasoning judges used in their rulings. As students consider the many complex issues raised by court decisions, they scrutinize primary documents, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample texts: American Legal History: Cases and Materials, Hall; A People’s History of the Supreme Court, Irons.

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Race and Politics

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In the twenty-first century United States, does race matter? Certainly it did on the Trail of Tears and in the time of Jim Crow laws, but what about now, for example, in the debate over immigration law? Does race play a factor in determining whom we allow in the country, how we define citizenship, how we vote, and whom we elect? In this course, students examine the impact of race on American law and policy from the local level to the world stage.

Students begin by exploring various constructions of racial identity—biological, cultural, and political. They then examine the racial politics of critical moments in American history, from the forced relocation of Native Americans to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II to the formations of the NAACP and the Black Panther Party. Students also consider the role race plays in contemporary politics: What is “white privilege”? What is the “black vote”? How is the growing Hispanic population influencing the American political landscape? How does a minority group’s perceived political affiliation shape a party’s support for certain policies or candidates? Students contextualize their understanding of race and politics in the United States by exploring international issues such as Apartheid in South Africa and aboriginal rights in Australia.

As students critically read both primary and secondary sources, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays, they draw sophisticated connections between issues of race and politics.

Sample texts: The Atlas of African-American History, Ciment; The Cherokee Removal, Perdue and Green; What Did the Internment of Japanese Americans Mean?, Murray; Remembering the American Dream: Hispanic Immigration and National Policy, Suro.

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Russian History

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This course is a survey of the history of modern Russia from the time of Peter the Great (1682) to the present. Students explore the old Romanov Empire; Russian political events and revolutions; Russia’s role in the two world wars; and Russian art, music, and literature. Throughout this historical survey, students examine major personalities such as Catherine the Great; czars Alexander I, Alexander II (the Czar Liberator), and Nicholas II; as well as Lenin, Stalin, and Gorbachev from the Soviet era. Special attention is devoted to the implosion of the Soviet Empire and the emergence of a Russia in transition under Yeltsin, Putin, and Medvedev. Students work with primary documents in research assignments, hone their writing skills, and develop their speaking capabilities in daily discussions and final research presentations.

Sample text: A History of Russia, Riasanovsky and Steinberg.

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Foundations of Psychology

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Social theorist and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm wrote, “Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve.” Psychology attempts to answer the question of who we are by providing a coherent framework for describing and explaining behavior; it is the science of behavior and mental processes.

This course introduces students to the major content domains in modern psychology: bio-psychological, developmental, cognitive, and social. Students begin by considering different methodologies and learning what constitutes an effective research design. With this foundation, students examine important topics in the field, including sensation and perception, learning and memory, child and adult development, and abnormal psychology and psychotherapy. Throughout the course, students develop the analytical and research skills necessary for future studies in the discipline. The course culminates with students designing research projects in their areas of interest.

Sample texts: Exploring Psychology, Myers; Forty Studies That Changed Psychology, Hock.

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Cognitive Psychology

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Are we beings that act solely in response to external stimuli or can the wealth of ideas and thoughts we possess spring from a yet unknown corner of the mind? Cognitive psychology is often referred to as the science of the mind. By exploring how we organize and process the abundance of information we receive from our environment, cognitive psychologists reveal what is going on behind the scenes of mental processes. 

Taking a theoretical approach, students examine cognitive processes such as perception, attention, learning, memory, language, intelligence, and creativity. They gain a greater understanding of this innovative field by exploring the progression of ideas that led to the Cognitive Revolution, core research methodologies within the discipline, and fundamental neurological structures involved in cognitive processes. Through observational studies, group discussions, contemporary readings, and evaluation of research and theory, students begin to understand human beings as information processors.

Sample text: Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research and Everyday Experience, Goldstein.

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Introduction to Logic

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Too often in today’s society, solid argumentation gives way to appeals to majority opinion and personal attacks. This course introduces students to logic, the science of proper reasoning. Students learn how to evaluate arguments using informal logic—the process of analyzing language-based arguments—and formal logic—the method of analyzing and validating arguments by means of symbolic notation.

Students learn to produce valid arguments and to differentiate valid from fallacious reasoning. They apply these skills to texts such as Plato’s writings about the trial and death of Socrates, to speeches, and to blogs. Students participate in discussions, work problem sets, write proofs, and construct arguments relevant to current topics in both philosophy and modern society, substantially strengthening their analytical-reasoning and critical-thinking skills.

Sample texts: A Concise Introduction to Logic, Hurley; a philosophical work such as The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato.

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Logic: Principles of Reasoning

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Logic is the science of proper reasoning. Lawyers, doctors, and mathematicians all employ logic as they build arguments, diagnose diseases, and prove theorems. In this course, students learn the techniques of logic and develop their analytical reasoning skills. They learn to produce valid arguments and to differentiate valid from fallacious reasoning.

After being introduced to foundational concepts such as validity, soundness, and consistency, students explore informal logic, the process of evaluating language-based arguments. They indentify common logical fallacies, discern patterns of proper reasoning, and evaluate syllogisms using Venn diagrams. The heart of the course, however, is the study of formal logic, the method of analyzing and validating arguments by means of symbolic notation. Students employ truth tables to precisely evaluate complex arguments and use natural deduction techniques to prove arguments valid.

Throughout the course, students apply the methods they have learned by analyzing editorials, speeches, and philosophical works; constructing arguments about enduring questions and contemporary issues; engaging in debates; and writing proofs. They leave the course having developed the rigorous analytical-reasoning and critical-thinking skills crucial to all academic and professional inquiry.

Note: While this is a humanities class, students are asked to use symbolic notation and write proofs, much like they do in math classes.

Sample texts: A Concise Introduction to Logic, Hurley; a philosophical work such as The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato.

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Philosophy

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Is there a real world, or is everything a figment of my imagination? Do we have free will, or do our brains simply respond mechanically to stimuli? What, if anything, distinguishes right from wrong? Philosophers relentlessly pursue the fundamental questions of life, and their techniques apply to problems in any discipline or endeavor. They establish standards of evidence, provide rational methods of resolving conflicts, and create techniques for evaluating ideas and arguments.

This course is a survey of several major areas of Western analytic philosophy: metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of science. Students explore such concepts as the nature of the world and how we have access to knowledge of the world; moral behavior and the nature of good and evil; the relationship between minds and bodies; the relationship between our thoughts and the external world; arguments for and against the existence of God; and how we should employ logical analysis and empirical observation to evaluate arguments.

For each topic, students consider positions of historical thinkers such as Plato, Descartes, and Hume, as well as those of contemporary philosophers such as John Rawls and Hilary Putnam. Students reflect upon philosophical issues through debate, discussion, and formal critical essays in order to develop the analytical skills necessary for effectively evaluating arguments and thinking independently.

Sample texts: Philosophical Problems: An Annotated Anthology, Baker and Bonjour; Ultimate Questions: Thinking About Philosophy, Rauhut.

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Ethics

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We all face ethical choices in our lives. How do we know what is “good” and “bad,” or “right” and “wrong”? For that matter, are there objective standards of ethics by which we can judge individuals or their actions? 

Students address these issues by reflecting upon their commonsense intuitions about how we ought to live our lives. They revisit their initial thoughts by applying analytical reasoning to their own insights. In so doing, students investigate the debate between moral relativism, which denies ethical distinctions such as right and wrong, and moral realism, which upholds them. They then examine major attempts to develop coherent theories capable of guiding moral decisions. Among these are views like utilitarianism, in which moral choices are evaluated based upon their consequences; approaches inspired by Kant’s claim that moral actions derive from a universal principle of morality that is objective and rational; and virtue ethics, which focuses on the cultivation of morally worthwhile traits in each individual.

Throughout the course, students investigate how different ethical theories affect judgments on current ethical dilemmas such as capital punishment, animal rights, and war. As they wrestle with ethical issues, students critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample texts: Ethics: History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues, Cahn and Markie; primary source material from philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, and Mill.

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Bioethics

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From the early days of vaccine research to the current debate over genetically engineered foods, scientists, policymakers, and the public have turned to philosophers to help them navigate the complex ethical issues surrounding the various uses of scientific technology. In this course, students learn about scientific issues, such as stem cell research and genetic testing, while beginning to address the overarching questions that philosophers and scientists face.

Bioethics first introduces students to some of the classical foundations of ethical reasoning; they examine the underpinnings of logical argumentation as well as philosophical methodologies. Next, students apply these philosophical frameworks to engage complex ethical dilemmas ranging from experimental drug trials to abortion for the purpose of avoiding genetic defects. As students critically confront issues posed by popular media sources and the scientific community, they analyze primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample text: Intervention and Reflection: Basic Issues in Medical Ethics, Munson.

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Philosophy of Mind

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What is the nature of mind? How is the mind related to the brain? What is consciousness? Can we be certain that others have minds and conscious experiences? Is artificial intelligence possible?

In this course, students explore questions such as these as they analyze both historical and contemporary philosophical attempts to explain the mind. Beginning with philosophers such as René Descartes, students investigate traditional dualist attempts to characterize the mind as a non-physical entity existing independently of our bodies. Students then analyze various versions of materialism, which purport that the mind and mental phenomena are purely physical entities. Among the materialist formulations that students examine are the mind-brain identity thesis, materialist functionalism, and supervenience. With a foundational understanding of the central philosophical positions on the mind-body problem, students contemplate to what extent other animals and machines can be said to possess minds.

As students attempt to shed light on the nature of mind, they critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample text: Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Chalmers.

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Existentialism

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When attempting to define existentialism, the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said, “A simple formula would be to say that life taught me la force des choses—the power of circumstances.” Students consider a number of major questions: Do human beings create their own nature through freedom of choice? In what ways do people affect the world around them? Is there a universal set of rules or values one should follow? By examining these complex issues, students gain a solid introduction to the study of existentialist philosophy.

In this course, students approach existentialist philosophy as a way of understanding broader philosophical themes. Students begin with a brief overview of Western philosophy, examining foundational thinkers such as Plato and Descartes, and then move on to the precursors of existentialism, exploring the writings of Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche.

With this foundation, students turn to the works of writers such as Martin Heidegger, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Franz Kafka. As students explore existentialist thought and its effect on broader issues in philosophy, they critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample texts: Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre, Kaufmann; No Exit and Three Other Plays, Sartre; The Stranger, Camus.

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Beginning Ancient Greek

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This course covers the fundamentals of ancient Greek and provides a basic introduction to the history and culture of ancient Greek civilization. As students learn introductory vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, they develop the translation skills needed to read excerpts from authors such as Homer and Plato. Exercises in prose composition help students translate ancient Greek phrases and passages into polished English and vice versa. Lectures, readings in English, discussions, and simulations provide students with insight into the aesthetics and ideals of the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods of Greek history.

This fast-paced course covers the equivalent of one year of high school or one semester of college ancient Greek. Students memorize large amounts of material in a short time, read works of prose and poetry, and learn about the contributions of ancient Greece to Western civilization. Prior knowledge of ancient Greek is not assumed.

Sample texts: Athenaze: An Introduction to Ancient Greek, Book I, Balme; The Odyssey, Homer; Homeric Greek, Pharr.

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Latin I

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This course covers the fundamentals of Latin and provides a basic introduction to Roman history and culture. As students learn introductory Latin vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, they develop the translation skills needed to read excerpts from authors such as Virgil, Livy, Horace, and Cicero. Exercises in prose composition help students translate Latin phrases and passages into polished English and vice versa. Lectures, readings in English, discussions, and simulations provide students with insight into the aesthetics and ideals of ancient Rome.

This fast-paced course covers the equivalent of one year of high school or one semester of college Latin. Students memorize large amounts of material in a short time, read works of prose and poetry, and learn about the contributions of ancient Rome to Western civilization. Prior knowledge of Latin is not assumed.

Sample texts: Oxford Latin Course, Part I and Part II, Balme and Morwood; The Metamorpheses, Ovid.

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Etymologies

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Emerson wrote that “language is fossil poetry.” This course explores how two “dead” languages, Latin and ancient Greek, are a vibrant and dynamic presence in the ongoing development of the English language. Students learn Latin and Greek prefixes, bases, and suffixes. Equipped with this basic knowledge, they explore the evolution of language: changes to word meanings, the relation of language to society, and the revival of ancient words in medical and other technical vocabularies. Students also use literature to chart the development of modern English from its Indo-European beginnings with particular attention to excerpts from, for example, Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Lewis Carroll.

Through lectures, group and independent study, readings, and exercises, students increase their vocabularies and reading comprehension, and they gain a more nuanced understanding of language. Students develop the skills necessary to memorize large amounts of material quickly and build a strong foundation for learning classical and Romance languages. No prior knowledge of Greek or Latin is assumed.

Sample texts: English Words from Latin and Greek Elements, Ayers and Worthen; the accompanying workbook by Dettmer; 1984, Orwell.

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Taking Action: Leadership and Service

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Each year, more than three million Americans experience homelessness. More than eleven million go hungry. One out of every six children in America lives in poverty. Why does this happen and what can young people do about it? As a recent student in this class remarked, “Everyone knows social issues exist and wants to help—this course teaches how to do so.”

Offered through a partnership with the Center for Talent Development’s award-winning Civic Education Project, this innovative course integrates academic study with meaningful community service for an experience that participants routinely describe as “eye-opening” and “life-changing.” Students split their time between the classroom and supervised hands-on service projects with community organizations ranging from homeless shelters to Head Start programs to top political offices. Through academic research, small group work, and facilitated reflection, students investigate the root causes of and proposed solutions to pressing social problems. By applying academic rigor outside of the classroom, they gain a deeper understanding of complex social issues and learn how young people can lead change and make a difference in their communities. 

This course enhances communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, and prepares students for a lifetime of leadership and civic engagement.

Sample texts: Active Citizenship Today, Degelman and Hayes; Free the Children, Kielburger.

Field Trip Budget:
$780 — $975 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Global Politics: Human Rights and Justice

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This course examines the roles and responsibilities of nations and international organizations (governmental and non-governmental) in the areas of human rights and justice. Focusing on recent cases ranging from Rwanda to Yugoslavia to China to Iraq, students examine such issues as how much independence individual nations should have in defining human rights standards, when a nation’s economic stability should outweigh other global responsibilities, and how nations can heal themselves in the aftermath of atrocities.

Students address these and other questions as they are introduced to various statistics on global inequalities and to key theories of justice and their applications in international decision making. By examining case studies, they learn the importance of analyzing world events from a number of different perspectives. In addition, students explore issues such as culture, religion, and technology alongside traditional topics such as history, government, and economics. By addressing the interplay of these variables, students think critically about the complex forces that shape our world. In doing so, they gain a greater understanding of the tangled decisions nations make when balancing sovereign interests and international human rights.

Sample text: Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, Donnelly.

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Human Nature and Technology

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This philosophy course explores the question of human nature—who and what are we?—in light of the extraordinary technological progress of the contemporary era, including new sources of communication, breakthroughs in biotechnology, developments in artificial intelligence and cybernetics, and advancements in modern warfare. Students consider how the human ability to transform our environment by means of culture and technology affects our individual and collective self-understanding, as well as our reflections on the meaning and value of human life.
At what point do cybernetic implants transform a person from man to machine? Should online file sharing be legal? In what sense is your online identity “you?” Does online social networking enhance or replace authentic human interaction? What is real and what is virtual? Are technological devices morally neutral tools that we can use in good or bad ways, or are some inherently good—because of their ability to improve human life—or bad—because of their destructive power? Should we pursue technology or try to return to a simpler way of life? Students work together to critically reflect upon these issues, developing the ability to construct and evaluate formal philosophical arguments.
Although this is a philosophy course, it is interdisciplinary in scope, and students may be exposed to readings from a wide range of disciplines, including literature, history, and science. As they explore the relationship between human nature and technology, students critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample Texts: Philosophy of Technology: The Technological Condition: An Anthology, Scharff; Natural-Born Cyborgs: Minds, Technologies, and the Future of Human Intelligence, Clarke; On the Internet, Dreyfus.

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Politics in the Middle East

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Almost daily, global media outlets highlight the Middle East. From Iran’s nuclear program to the recent civil protests across the Arab world, the politics of the region have come to play a critical role in international affairs. But how do we define the Middle East? What are shared characteristics of Middle Eastern states? Why have some countries in the region evolved in highly disparate ways?

In this class, students seek to answer these and other questions by placing contemporary Middle Eastern issues in historic, geographic, and social contexts. Students examine broad issues affecting many states in the region, such as colonial and post-colonial history, Arab nationalism, Islam, political economy, and democracy and authoritarianism. Through research, analysis, and current-events readings, students conduct investigations of selected states. With this background, they work to disentangle the underlying assumptions embedded in more contemporary critical issues ranging from the Arab-Israeli conflict to the Arab Spring revolutions.

Students leave the course with an increased awareness of the rich history and politics of the area and the complexities inherent in US and international involvement in the region. Moreover, they develop the critical reading and analytical skills necessary to better make sense of the Middle East today.

Sample text: Politics and Change in the Middle East, Anderson, Seibert, and Wagner; National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East.

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