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Topics Courses
The following descriptions provide information for courses which are not fully detailed in the departmental section of the Catalogue. These are courses with variable content which may change from year to year, or they are courses which are experimental and may be offered only once or twice before gaining approval to be listed along with other departmental or program courses. B.A. distribution requirements satisfied by these courses are shown at the end of each description.
ART
1-110. Studio Art Topic: Cultural Expression in Ceramics
A course in the Ceramic Arts exploring ideas and processes from ethnic cultures. The ceramics of Japan, Mexico, Native America and Nicaragua are among those to be studied. We will concentrate on those processes which can be completed within the framework of one term. (Fine Arts) HANSON
4-375. Advanced Topic in Art History: Art of the American West
An exploration of how the westward expansion in the United States was depicted and conceptualized in painting, sculpture, photography, prints and illustrations from the 19th into the early 20th century. Subjects include the landscape, indigenous peoples, exploration and settlement by Euro-Americans, and encounters with animal life from the Great Plains to the Pacific coast. Prerequisite: a 200-level art history course. (Humanities) STAFF
BIOLOGY
7-108. Topic: Food and Environment
Introduction to basic biology with an emphasis on agricultural ecology, the environmental implications of our current globalized food system, and the benefits of sustainable agriculture and local food. (Writing Requirement, Science) KROUSE
8-108. Topic: Insect Fact and Folklore
An introduction to the biology of insects - the most diverse class of multicellular organisms on the planet. Examines how they feed, breed, grow, invade our homes and crops, and benefit us economically, and includes discussion of many insect myths and coverage of insects in literature and art. Each student will develop a set of pages to contribute to the existing Insect ABC web site. (Science) McCOLLUM
CHEMISTRY
7-108. Topic: The Science of Food
We will consider the chemistry of human nutrition, the use of science to make policy, and the physical, chemical and biological processes by which we convert raw materials into food. (Science) CARDON
9-108. Topic: Forensic Science: Real Life CSI
Introductory course intended for non-science majors. Basic scientific principles as applied to the analysis of crime scenes and the presentation of scientific evidence in a court of law. The course will focus on what and how scientists can learn from evidence, and the portrayal of forensic science and forensic scientists in the media will be examined. At least one field trip. (Science) TEAGUE
9-261. Topic in Chemistry: Forensic Chemistry
An analysis of how chemistry is applied to solving crimes. Discussion of appropriate techniques, instrumentation, and their limitations for particular types of evidence. Examination of how scientific data is integrated with legal argument. At least one field trip. This course will not count toward chemistry or BMB majors. Prerequisites: CHE 202 or 327, and permission of instructor. (Science) TEAGUE
COMMUNICATIONS
6-276. Topic: Dyadic Communications
This is a course designed to explore interpersonal communication with particular emphasis on theory. The course will examine shared understandings and assumptions that are instrumental in dyadic communication in all types of situations. WIGHTMAN
COMPUTER SCIENCE
2-356. Advanced Topic: Computer Networks
This course introduces principles and current trends in computer networks. The TCP/IP Reference Model will be used as the framework with the course progressing top down from application to transport, network, link and physical layers. Topics include motivation and objectives of computer networks, overview of network architectures, layered architectures, performance analysis, virtual circuits, datagrams, routing flow control, local area networks, internetworking, security, and client-server programming. Lab experience includes the design and implementation of projects such as simulation of the network/transport layer functions, routing, congestion control, and applications using TCP/IP or remote procedure calls, primarily in Java. Prerequisites: CSC 140 and 151. deLAUBENFELS/TABAK
5-359. Advanced Topic: Robotics
Discusses the field of robotics, with an emphasis on autonomous guided vehicles based on Lego Mindstorms. Will be a project centered class, with teams building vehicles to accomplish simple maze-related tasks. Programming techniques will include basic artificial intelligence, real-time programming, incorporating feedback from sensors, unknown variable estimation using a variety of filtering and control techniques. Prerequisites: CSC 213 and 218. WILDENBERG
ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS
8-265. Topic: Health Economics
Introduction to the economic analysis of the health care system. Use of analytical tools to examine the structure of the health care industry, the production and cost of health care, and behavior of market participants (patients, physicians, hospitals and insurers). Evaluation of government policy and health care reform. Prerequisite: ECB 101 or 102. T. MILLER
5-267. Topic: Economies of East Asia
Examination of the East Asian ``economic miracle'', with an emphasis on the causes of rapid growth, impact on income distribution, the nature of government economic management and the role of international trade. The dynamics of economic change are explored through a look at the economies of Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong. (Social Science) FAROOQI
6-269. Topic: Labor Market Issues
Exploration of a variety of current issues in labor markets from an economics perspective. Why do professional athletes, rock stars and movie stars earn so much more than the rest of us? What is the market value of a college degree? Why do some college majors earn more than others? Does it make economic sense to go to graduate school? Who really pays for and benefits from on-the-job training? Are workers really better off when the government regulates safety in the workplace? Do employers benefit from discriminating against women, African Americans and other minorities? Why has union membership fallen so dramatically during the last 30 years? Who benefits from and who is hurt by increased international competition? Prerequisite: ECB 101 or 102. (Social Science) SAVITSKY
4-270. Topic: U.S. Business and Economic History
The thrust of the course will be to understand the transition in American business from small family firms to large joint-stock multidivisional enterprises. The course will cover specific firms, celebrated entrepreneurs, and key industries emphasizing their organizational attributes. Is the family firm an early stage in the evolution of the giant corporation? Or are there unique contexts in which family firms thrive and industrial corporations may not? Are large corporations natural responses to changing technology or to changing social relations or to opportunities created by the state? Prerequisites: ECB 102 or permission of instructor. (Social Science) HEJEEBU
ENGLISH
1-111-A. Jane Austen, Technology, and Literacy
Writers in Austen's time encountered pressing problems due to advances in printing and a growing literacy rate. How could readers find good books without wasting time on bad ones? How could readers tell if a source was credible? Could writers prevent the circulation of misinformation? What did it mean to be well-read? Today, readers and writers may face similar problems with abundant information sources through the internet. While reading nineteenth-century novels about technology and literacy, students will learn how to find, evaluate, and use credible information to produce strong academic writing. Requirements include three papers, revisions, and writing workshops. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) MOUTON
1-111-B. After Hamlet
This course begins with an investigation of the major interpretive puzzles of Hamlet by attending to the sound of the dialogue and the differences among the three ``basic'' texts of the play dating from Shakespeare's era. We will also study the interpretive choices of directors, actors, and designers in several film adaptations of the play. Finally, we will discuss other writers' creative adaptations, which re-interpret the characters and conflicts in Hamlet in daring and imaginative ways. The course is designed to hone students' analytical and research skills, reflect on the writing process, and engage in writing revision. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) STAVREVA
2-111. International and Avant-Garde Films of the 1920s
The class will screen and analyze an array of influential silent films from the 1920s chosen from classics of early Soviet cinema, such as Pudovkin's Storm Over Asia; innovative French avant-garde films such as Germaine Dulac's Smiling Madame Beudet; and German films such as Wiene's expressionist The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Lotte Reiniger's silhouette films. We will also screen British films, such as Hitchcock's The Lodger and Blackmail, American classics such as Chaplin's The Gold Rush, and some rare American avant-garde films. Students will research and write critically about film; they will write and revise papers, from film criticism to research-informed film studies. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) HANKINS
3-111-A. Madness and Revolution in American Society
What is freedom? Does freedom imply that anything goes? If not, who draws the line—and where? This course will examine behavior and thinking that exists on the borderlands. We will explore how words such as ``freedom,'' ``revolution,'' and ``madness'' are at the core of how a given society understands itself and defines the individual within that society. We will use literary figures such as Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, and Sylvia Plath to examine the shifting nature of such concepts in American Culture during the 1950s and 1960s, an era of great social change when such terms were being radically redefined. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) G. FREEMAN
3-111-B. Fairy Tales, Walt Disney, and Cultural Criticism
The Disney Corporation's influence on American culture is pervasive, but until recently, it has been largely unexamined. This course will focus on critical perspectives and readings of Disney films, and other elements of the Disney Corporation—such as Disney World, Disney Cruise Lines, and Disney's residential community Celebration. How do Disney films affect and challenge our understandings of gender and race? What does Disney World's popularity reflect about American culture? Emphasis on critical reading and academic writing. Requirements include three papers, writing workshops, and revisions. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) MOUTON
4-111. Reimagined Stories: Loose Adaptations in Film and Literature
What is an adaptation? That is, where are the boundaries? What happens when a story is recast in a new context or told from a different character's perspective? How do adaptations help us approach old stories in new ways? This course operates under the assumption that there is no such thing as a ``pure'' adaptation. Whether intentionally or not, filmmakers and writers reshape texts based on their own personal and societal contexts. This course will focus on adapted texts whose creators have embraced-for better or for worse-the possibilities and freedom that can arise from abandoning efforts at ``faithful'' retellings of old stories. Students will be expected to conduct research and write academically throughout the term: special emphasis will be placed on the revision process and on writing workshops. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) JACKSON
5-111. Global Literature
Global literature, some of the most exciting and entertaining literature produced in recent times, is often neglected in the regular English curriculum. This course provides an introduction to African, Asian and Caribbean literature written in English. Discussion of the historical and cultural context of the literature read in class. Authors discussed may include Chinua Achebe, Arundhati Roy and Claude McKay. Special emphasis on academic reading, writing and revision. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) REED
6-111-A. Diversity in Drama: A Variety of Voices from the Modern American Stage
Class will study modern plays by American writers from several different backgrounds and review film versions of some of the plays. Possible playwrights: Lorraine Hansberry, Beth Henley, Tony Kushner, David Mamet, Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, Wendy Wasserstein, Tennessee Williams, August Wilson. Not open to students who have previously completed ENG 111. (Humanities, Writing Requirement) R. MARTIN
6-111-B. Madness and Revolution in American Society
See Term 3 for description.
7-111-A. Global Literature
See Term 5 for description.
7-111-B. After Hamlet
See Term 1 for description.
8-111. Diversity in Drama: A Variety of Voices from the Modern American Stage
See Term 6 for description.
3-365. Comparative Literature and Cinema: The Reel 1920s: International Film and the ``Little Magazines''
Both ``little magazine'' culture and film culture in the 1920s were international in scope and experimental in style. This course will look at the way ``little'' magazines—and some high fashion, high art magazines—published experimental writing and wrote about film culture. Focusing on screenings by the London Film Society, we will screen classics of early Soviet cinema, innovative French avant-garde films, German expressionist and experimental films, British films and rare American avant-garde films. Note: class will meet some days at the UI library. Prerequisite: Writing-designated course (W). (Humanities) HANKINS
1-374. Advanced Topic: Wilderness, Language, and Metaphor
This creative writing course will be held at the Wilderness Field Station in northern Minnesota and will include a canoe trip into the Boundary Waters wilderness. We will focus especially on the intersections between landscape, interior experience and creative expression. Students will experiment writing in a variety of genres and will explore different techniques to use natural settings in their writing. Will also include the study of respected nature writers such as Barry Lopez, Edward Abbey, and Terry Tempest Williams. The Cornell Wilderness Term (CWT) is an off-campus program comprising courses in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities and provides students with unique opportunities for reflection and creative work in a wilderness setting. Co-curricular activities—such as camping, canoeing, and evening seminars—enable cross-disciplinary sharing of ideas. Registration entails additional costs. Prerequisite: Writing-designated course (W). G. FREEMAN
GEOLOGY
2-262. Topic: Geology of the National Parks
The United States was the first nation to set aside land as a national park for the purposes of preservation and recreation. This class will explore the history of the National Park system, focusing on the spectacular geology of our country as the principal factor in the origin of national parks. Students will investigate the diversity of geological formations and learn about the dynamic processes that cause such diversity on Earth. Field trips. (Laboratory Science) WALSH
8-360. Advanced Topic: The Origin of Mountains
Mountains are formed by a variety of geological processes. This class will explore methods of mountain-building, focusing on the histories of different mountain belts around the world. We will read and discuss current literature on a range of related topics, such as: ultrahigh-pressure rocks, ophiolite emplacement, terrane accretion, thermobarometry, and methods for dating ancient mountain belts. A multi-day field trip is likely. Prerequisites: GEO 212, 315, and 319 or permission of instructor. (Laboratory Science) WALSH
HISTORY
7-118. Introductory Seminar: Growing Up Crazy: From Flappers to Flower Children
An exploration of two decades in which young persons articulated a self-consciousness about their place in society and youth were the center of public attention and debate - formative periods in the development of ``youth culture'' and youth markets. As an introduction to historical studies, documents and cultural expressions such as music, theater, film, and art are considered. Social, political, and demographic changes help put the two decades into perspective. (Humanities) R. THOMAS
4-259. Topic: Foundations of Islamic History
An overview of the first 650 years of Islamic history from the appearance of Muhammad until the sacking of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258. Topics include the rapid rise and spread of Islam, the establishment of the Caliphate, the emergence of a distinctive Muslim culture, the conflicts between Islam and medieval Christendom including the Crusades, and between Islam and various nomadic groups from central Asia. (Writing Requirement, Humanities) MILLER
6-331. Topic: Reading the Renaissance
The Renaissance and Humanism through primary sources: Petrarch, Alberti, Pico della Mirandola, Castiglione, Machiavelli, and others. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. (Humanities) MILLER
8-331. Topic: Late Medieval/Early Modern Islamic History
This course will focus on the events that brought about the end of the classical period of medieval Islamic history and the consequent rise of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires during the Early Modern Period. Special attention will be paid to the growing contact, both peaceful and violent, between these emerging Islamic empires and Christian Europe. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. (Humanities) MILLER
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
1-101. Fitness for Life: Personal Fitness Development
An introduction to the major concepts and physiological bases of fitness and the evaluation of essential aspects of personal fitness and individual fitness programming. Introduction to a variety of physical activity options with the goal of establishing a systematic exercise routine based on individual fitness and wellness goals and personal interests. Fitness assessments; identification of points of strengths and weaknesses. MOFFITT
9-101. Fitness for Life: Camping and Canoeing
Instruction in the major components of fitness, the physiological basis of fitness, evaluation of personal fitness, and individual fitness programming. The activities component of the course includes instruction and practice in wilderness camping and canoeing, culminating in a week-long excursion in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. A course fee of approximately $300 is required to pay transportation and complete outfitting costs for the trip. DeVRIES
6-356. Advanced Topic: Nutrition for Health and Sport Performance
An exploration of the relationships among nutrition, personal health and wellness, and sport and exercise performance. Study of essential nutrients and their functions in building and maintaining optimal health and sport and exercise performance. Common myths and scientific evidence related to healthy diet, weight management, and dietary supplements. How to conduct nutrient analyses, recognize dietary deficiencies, and make recommendations for healthy dietary modifications. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of the instructor. MOFFITT
PHYSICS
7-355. Advanced Topic: Astrophysics
This course will apply basic physical principles to a quantitative study of stars, galaxies, and the universe. The course will cover star formation, evolution, and nucleosynthesis, as well as galaxy formation, the expansion of the universe, and the Big Bang. Prerequisite: PHY 303. BEAUCHAMP
POLITICS
5-251. Topic: Principles of American and International Politics
Classical principles of American politics and contemporary international relations with special reference to Asia. (Social Science) SUTHERLAND/LEACH
8-336. Seminar: Strategies to Alleviate Poverty
The course explores the nature of poverty in the developing world. What causes it? What behaviors does it induce? Emphasis is on discussing various institutional factors that lead to poverty. The course will explore strategies and programs designed to alleviate poverty at the international, national and local levels, and analyze the role of the World Bank, national governments and non-governmental organizations in eliminating poverty. Can poverty be eradicated and if so, can the solution be found in capitalism itself? If not, is there a viable alternative? Prerequisite: POL 242 or 243. (Social Science) A. THOMAS
PSYCHOLOGY
9-255. Topic: Psychology of Optimal Functioning
This course will explore theory and research relevant to the various positive psychologies devoted to the scientific study of adaptive and optimal human functioning. Psychological theories that focus on productive coping are embedded in a wide range of traditions including humanistic-existential, cognitive-behavioral, and feminist-multicultural psychology. The class will emphasize contemporary perspectives on positive subjective states and personality traits that support well-being, as well as the role of social institutions in supporting these strengths. Concepts of recent interest include resilience, meaning making, optimism, peak performance and ``flow,'' mindfulness, and life satisfaction. (Social Science) ENNS
5-351. Advanced Topic: Counseling Children and Their Families (1/2)
This course provides students an opportunity to explore aspects of the helping profession of counseling children and their families. Focus will be on the practical application of traditional theory; current psychotherapy practices and alternative thought concerning child and early adolescent health and development within a systemic and topics oriented framework. Recommended for students who have career interest in psychology or related fields. Coursework includes reading, media viewing, class discussion and lecture, student writing, small group work and student presentations. Prerequisite: any 200-level psychology course. ZAKOIAN
5-352. Advanced Topic: Abnormal Child/Adolescent Psychology (1/2)
An examination of etiology and dynamic in topics of child and adolescent mental disorders. Problems of diagnosis and prevention in areas of abnormal child and adolescent psychology will be addressed. Topics include discussion of the impact of child/adolescent problems on family and adult life. Prerequisite: any 200-level psychology course. JANSSENS-RUD
3-353. Advanced Topic: Topics in Health Psychology
Health psychology encompasses the application of psychological principles in the maintenance of health as well as the prevention and treatment of illness. Includes theory and research regarding the precursors and correlates of health and illness, as well as the study of health care systems and policy. Focus will be on selected topics relevant to stress and its impact on health and illness, mind-body connections related to health and coping, risk-taking behaviors that increase health problems (e.g., substance use, dysfunctional eating), life-stage issues related to health promotion, and coping skills for managing symptoms and for those with chronic or catastrophic health problems. Prerequisite: any 200-level psychology course. (Social Science) GREEN
8-359. Advanced Topic: Readings in Emotion: Understanding Passion
Why are some people more ``emotional'' than others? Why does an insult enrage one person, move another to tears, and have no impact on a third? How can a piece of music or art fill us with joy or sadness? We will examine aspects of emotional experience, including theoretical/historical perspectives of emotion; the biology of emotions; the ways one can measure emotion; the interface of emotion with motivation, cognition and social behavior; the concepts of emotional intelligence and emotional regulation; and the role of emotion in psychological disorders. Additional topics and/or individual projects may include emotion and language, emotional development, and emotion in animals. Prerequisite: any 200-level psychology course. (Social Science) GANZEL
SOCIOLOGY
8-357. Advanced Topics: Gatherings, Crowds, and Sports Riots
Examines gatherings, crowds and sports riots using an intensive case method. Principles of crowd dynamics and methods for researching crowds will be examined. Case histories of ``Woodstock'', ``The LA Riots'', ``Heysel Soccer Riot'', and ``Kent State'' will be studied. Prerequisite: SOC 101. (Social Science) LEWIS [Small Group]
THEATRE
9-264. Topic: Sound Design
Explores the role of the theatrical sound designer and sound engineer in the design and production process. Course includes understanding the principles and properties of sound, especially as a design element in theatre; digital and analog recording; and editing, mixing and playback techniques. Projects focus on the challenges and difference in recording, playback, and the use of sound in theatrical settings and configurations. The concepts and techniques are applicable in a variety of other contexts, especially in composing and/or mixing music. (Fine Arts) OLSON
2-316. Advanced Topic: Devised Theatre
Devised theatre, as that term is understood by British theatre practitioners, is created by a group of people working in collaboration, as opposed to a playtext written by a single playwright. A devised theatre work is defined only by the structure imposed by the group creating it. It may or may not have a narrative line. It may include music, movement, and objects as well as text. It can deal with an infinite range of ideas, themes, and concepts, limited only by the desires and plans of the group. This class will explore techniques of devised theatre by making a work that will then be refined, rehearsed and produced in the evening hours of Term 3 (and possibly the beginning of Term 4). There will likely be an organizational meeting on one evening during Term 1. Enrollment by permission of instructor; audition required. (Fine Arts) HUNTER
WOMEN'S STUDIES
6-258. Topic: Feminism and Fairy Tales; or Don't Bet on the Prince
The course fosters an understanding of the way fairy tales have functioned in Europe and North America since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and introduces various critical theories and approaches to this genre. Emphasis will be placed on the depiction of gender stereotypes and the significance of feminism in the fairy-tale tradition. Variants of the tales from European and nonwestern cultures will be introduced to explore how the literary genre has undergone vast changes due to socio-cultural shifts in the last two hundred years leading to cinematic transformations. ROMALOV
3-303. Advanced Topic: Selling Sex: Feminist Discourses on the Sex Work Industry
This course examines competing feminist discourses regarding women's involvement/portrayal in the sex work industry. Grounded in feminist perspectives, the course considers similarities/differences between various feminist discourses regarding sex work, deployment of these discourses in a global context, whether sex work is inherently degrading/objectifying to women or if it may be sexually liberating, how one's position in society impacts his/her perspective of the sex work, how social discourses regarding the sex work industry (e.g., freedom-of-speech, religious, and legal considerations) clash and/or complement the feminist discourses, and how discourses deployed by women outside the sex work industry (i.e. academics, human rights activists) clash and/or complement those of sex workers. Prerequisite: WST 171. SWYGART-HOBAUGH
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