Spring 2025 Strand Course Descriptions
Technology and Innovation (301)
Conflict (302)
Citizenship (303)
Wellness (304)
Sustainability (305)
Technology and Innovation (301)
English (ENGS 301)
ENGS 301-01 (CRN: 10401) & ENGS 301-02 (CRN:10572): “The Future Now: Reading Sci-Fi & Fantasy”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Michael Livingston
The future is coming. It always is. What will it bring? What does that mean for us today? This course investigates the ways in which science-fiction allows us to examine our present while preparing for what’s to come.
ENGS 301-03 (CRN: 10573): “From Robots to A.I.”
MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Thomas Horan
While technology often fulfils its promise to make our lives easier, innovations that replicate human intelligence, dexterity, and efficacy can also create significant challenges, anxieties, and hazards. Spanning the last hundred years, the literature you will read for this course addresses these concerns by raising important questions: How will A.I. affect the need for human labor, particularly if used in the service of corporations and other profit-motivated institutions? What are our moral responsibilities to these artificial yet conscious entities? To what extent could these developments blur the distinction between human and mechanical? Could A.I. ultimately threaten our existence? Course content will include Carel Kapek’s play R.U.R. (1920), which originated the word “robot”; Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains,” which envisions a future in which our sentient creations survive human extinction; Philip K. Dick’s post-apocalyptic novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968); Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner (1982), a cyberpunk film based on Dick’s novel; Morna Pearson’s play Dark Lands (2019), in which a corporation induces a vulnerable young couple to raise a cyborg child; and Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (2021). Through a series of activities and assignments, you will connect the concepts and concerns raised in this speculative fiction to contemporary aspirations and anxieties.
History (HISS 301)
HISS 301-01 (CRN: 10455) & HISS 301-02 (CRN: 10406) & HISS 301-03 (CRN: 10855): “Gun & Press in Early Modern Europe “
MWF 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Kurt Boughan
This course examines the impact on western Europe, in the period 1450-1650, of two transformative technologies: the gun and the printing press. While the press was invented c. 1450 and the gun existed well before that, both technologies only began to realize their revolutionary potential decades later. We will explore how both profoundly altered the warfare, economy, politics, society, and culture and of Early Modern Europe. This course’s learning objectives are to 1) chart the development of firearms technology in the period 1325- 1650 and print technology in the period 1450-1650; 2) situate guns and the press in their economic, political, religious, social, and economic contexts; 3) interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources in the early history of firearms and print; 4) chart the transformative consequences, both tangible and psychological, of these transformative technologies on early modern Europeans.
Social Science (SCSS 301)
SCSS 301-01 (CRN:10773) & SCSS 301-02 (CRN:10774): “Technology & Society”,
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Paul Roof
This course examines the basic concepts and principles of technology. A scientific approach to the analysis and explanation of the complex cultural and sociological debates that surround modern technology.
SCSS 301-03 (CRN:11452): “Sitcoms and Society “
MW 13:00-14:15
Professor Michael Ferguson
This course examines the role of sitcoms in shaping American culture. Through the analysis of popular sitcoms from different decades, students will explore how these shows reflect and influence societal values, political discourse, beliefs, and attitudes. The course will focus on the ways in which sitcoms can be used to promote civic engagement, explain societal trends, and provide a sense of shared identity.
Natural Science (NTSS 301)
NTSS 301-01 (CRN:10618): “Nanomedicine”
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Thaddeus Le-Vasicek
Nanomaterials, or materials with a dimension between 10-9 to 10-7 m, are an emerging technology that see commercial application in the fields of engineering, biology, physics, and chemistry. Nanomedicine is the application of nanomaterials for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Nanomedicine is growing branch of medicine that you are likely to encounter in your lifetime. This course provides a survey of the fundamental theories and general principles of nanomedicine. This course is designed specifically for students without a strong background in chemistry, and will begin by introducing elemental knowledge of chemistry. Then, the unique properties of nanomaterials are explored. In the final segment of the course, current and emerging applications in diagnosis, treatment, and drug delivery are discussed.
NTSS 301-02 (CRN:11415): “Global Change Biology”
MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor Hai Minh Huynh
This course will investigate issues associated with the response of organisms and ecosystems to global-scale changes in the environment caused by anthropogenic activity. Topics covered will include changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration, particularly CO2 and its impact on the global carbon cycle; global warming and its impact on biological systems; changes to the nitrogen cycle (e.g., how eutrophication affects species and their habitats); habitat modification (e.g., how land use and degradation impacts organisms and ecosystem integrity); invasive species biology; and how species and biological communities are changing with biodiversity loss (e.g., how biodiversity decline can impact the processes of evolution by natural selection and alter ecosystem function). From lecture materials, assigned readings, and in-class discussions, students will become familiar with each of the issues, how different synergies can impact biological systems, the current challenges that pervade and stem from them, and the prospective technological solutions being developed and used to address these challenges. In addition, students will learn how to critically examine and interpret media reports and publications pertaining to each of the aforementioned global change issues and apply the scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills they acquire from this course to evaluate the validity of media outlet reports and coverage, determine if scientific studies are cited correctly, identify knowledge gaps, and how to devise and implement comprehensive solutions as informed and responsible global citizens.
Elective (ELES 301)
ELES 301-01 (CRN:11455): “Weapons of Mass Seduction”
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Francisco Morales-Garcia
This course will explore terrorism in Ibero-America through its audio-visual representation. Terrorism is one of the most highly publicized forms of political violence, and at the same time it is one of the least understood political problems in recent years. Spain is a country with a long history of terrorism that goes back to the nineteenth century, and it remains as one of the current unsolved political problems—alongside with the territorial organization. Every single form of terrorism has been present in Spain: from anarchist to jihadist, from separatist to governmental. In addition, Latin America became in the 1980s the successor of Western Europe in terms of terrorist attacks. At the same time the so-called global terrorism moved from Latin America to the Middle East and South Asia, this particular political phenomenon started to be portrayed in the cinematographic industry. In this course we will deal with terrorism through its audiovisual production, in order to understand it at both local and global level.
ELES 301-03 (CRN:11265): “DSP Project Honors”
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Lauren Maxwell
This class is restricted to the Distinguished Scholars Program (DSP).
Conflict (302)
Elective (ELES 302)
ELES 302-01 (CRN: 11317): “Honors Upperclass Elective”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Michael Livingston
This class is restricted to The Citadel Honors Program.
ELES 302-02 (CRN:11456 ): “Superheroes and Conflict in 20th and 21st Century Comic Books ”
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Begona Vilouta-Vazquez
This course explores the representation of superheroes in comic books as a lens for understanding various conflicts—social, political, and personal—throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. From World War II to modern-day social movements, comic book superheroes have been central to the evolving discussion of power, justice, and conflict. Special attention will be given to Ms Marvel (2014) and La Borinqueña (2016) as groundbreaking 21st-century comic books that stand out by presenting superheroes who confront real-world challenges beyond traditional crime-fighting narratives.
English (ENGS 302)
ENGS 302-01 (CRN: 10647): “Ancient Houses Divided”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Licia Hendrix
Description coming soon!
ENGS 302-02 (CRN:10648): “Narratives of Social Disorder”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Licia Hendrix
Description coming soon!
ENGS 302-03 (CRN: 10412) & ENGS 302-04 (CRN:10413) & ENGS 302-05 (CRN:11326): “The Literature of War”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Jennifer Adair
This class provides a broad overview of the major themes of modern war through a mixture of fictional and non-fictional texts. Although the majority of the works cover the Global War on Terror (GWOT), other classic selections have been woven in to provide evolving perspectives. Subjects covered include training for combat, modern combat, the crippling military bureaucracy, PTSD and other post-combat experiences. Finally, the course hopes to raise awareness of psychological stressors in both the military and civilian world and consider healthy coping techniques.
ENGS 302-06 (CRN 10992) & ENGS 302-07 (CRN:11328): “Honors A.I., Clones, & Anxiety “
MWF 11:00-11:50, MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor Thomas Horan
This class will address questions raised by contemporary literature about the moral, psychological, and cultural aspects of posthuman technologies. The potential inherent in recent scientific advances, such as cloning, gene manipulation, and artificial intelligence, provides new possibilities and disturbing methods of exploitation. Among others, we will consider the following questions: To what extent are these developments – and the thought processes underlying them – justifiable? How do we define and understand ourselves in relation to those we modify or create? As our dependency on sophisticated technology increases, how do we maintain, police, and assess boundaries between the organic and the inorganic? Through class conversations and various writing assignments, we will analyze not only the ethical issues central to this speculative literature but the ways in which these novels reflect differing concepts of what it means to be human and humane. The assigned reading will include the following four novels:
Philip K. Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968)
Marge Piercy He, She and It (1991)
David Mitchell Cloud Atlas (2004)
Kazuo Ishiguro Never Let Me Go (2005)
History (HISS 302)
HISS 302-01 (CRN:10404) & HISS 302-05 (CRN:11247): “British Homefront in WWI &WWII“
MWF 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Kathrine Grenier
By focusing on the British experience in World War I and World War II, this course will consider the ways in which “home” becomes a “front” in a time of conflict, and the effects upon the civilian population and the roles of government. We will consider the consequences of recruitment campaigns, rationing, military service, attacks on civilian populations, and the loss of loved ones, both in Britain and in the empire, and will explore the variety of ways these experiences changed expectations of what it means to be part of a nation.
HISS 302-02 (CRN:10456) & HISS 302-03 (CRN:10457) & HISS 302-04 (CRN:10950) : “Islamic Conquest”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 11:00-11:50, MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Christopher Wright
This course examines the era of the Islamic Conquests from the 7th through the 8th centuries. Attention is given to the historical, political and religious contexts of the conquests, motivations, the makeup of Islamic armies and those of their adversaries, and how these armies changed over time. Includes a detailed look at the conquests of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, North Africa, India, Central Asia, Spain and the invasion of France. Finally, the course discusses Arab migration and settlement into conquered territory, the treatment of conquered peoples and the impact of the conquests.
Natural Science (NTSS 302)
NTSS 302-01 (CRN:10617) & NTSS 302-02 (CRN:10771): “Bioterrorism”
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Kristy Johnson
This course will examine diverse aspects of the creation, use, and response to the weaponization of biological agents. An understanding of the science underlying biological agents is critical to preventing the escalation of biological outbreaks. A detailed study of the biological characteristics of these organisms will be the focus for this course.
NTSS 302-04 (CRN: 10902): “Chemistry in War and Peace”
TR 13:30-14:50
Professor Blakely Adair-Hudson
Humans have used chemicals and chemical properties to create weapons for centuries, but the conflict associated with the use of chemicals is not just related to war. Both negative and positive impacts on people, animals, and the environment (natural and fabricated) frequently occur with the use of chemicals. For example, food waste and cost can be reduced when lightweight plastics are used for shipping and storing. However, recycling of many plastics can be cost prohibitive due to the same chemical properties that make them useful. Students will learn some common chemical structures and properties to better understand their uses. Students will research and discuss many quantitative factors that produce conflict from chemical use during times of war and peace.
NTSS 302-05 (CRN: 11313): “Weather, Climate, and Conflict ”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Walter Curtis
This course will examine the science behind extreme weather and how it has been and will continue to be an ally or adversary in military preparedness and warfare. Climate change is a threat multiplier and may lead to new armed conflicts from the melting of Arctic sea ice to resource depletions and the empowerment of terrorist groups. The course will also examine the science of weaponizing extreme weather and meteorological intelligence.
Social Science (SCSS 302)
SCSS 302-02 (CRN:10632) & SCSS 302-03 (CRN:10633) & SCSS 302-04 (CRN:10811): “National Guard in Conflict”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45, TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Platte Moring
The use of the National Guard in domestic and international conflicts to establish law and order has a contentious history in the United States. This course will examine the sources of conflict and the methods of conflict resolution. Beginning with the Colonial Militia at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the curriculum follows the evolution of the citizen-soldier in conflict through the Global War on Terrorism. The deployment of the National Guard in domestic disputes and overseas combat implicates Constitutional and legal issues involving federalism, separation of powers, and political concerns. LTC Moring, Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Defense in the Trump Administration, explores the role of the citizen-soldier in war, insurrections, labor unrest, protests, and the conquest of the West.
Citizenship (303)
Elective (ELES 303)
ELES 303-01 (CRN: 10621): “DPS Fellowship Honors”
TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Noah Koubenec
This class is restricted to the Distinguished Scholars Program (DSP).
ELES 303-03 (CRN: 10818): “Immersive Cultural Experience Abroad”
TBA
Professor Amie Parris
This class is restricted to students participating in a study abroad program.
Selected topics or problems in the general area of culture and leadership. This course examines the culture(s) of host country, leadership styles/philosophies, conflicts, changes, and human resources involved in entities/organizations.
English (ENGS 303)
ENGS 303-01 (CRN: 10402): “Plague & Penance”
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Licia Hendriks
In this Citizenship Strand course of the General Education curriculum sequence, we will perform close readings of four celebrated tragic plays that form the foundation of the Western artistic and cultural tradition. These works of literature encompass narrative situations that prompt the interrogation of our notions of heroism, moral courage, and principled leadership; the significance of defiance against authority (both sacred and secular), personal conscience contrasted against what is commonly accepted as socially appropriate behavior in the pursuit of one’s desired ends, and what is required to bring members of a social order into compliance with established power structures and the standards of civilizations. When characters live in community, there is an implicit expectation that they will adhere to the written and unwritten rules governing that society. When they fall out of compliance—whether the inciting incident is rooted in personal choice, immutable circumstance, or some combination thereof—the attendant friction takes on a life of its own, impacting the perspective, judgment, and limits of autonomy of the parties involved.
In Plague & Penance we will use the material provided by these four classic texts not only to challenge our own preconceived notions of the basis of how to redress wrongdoing, but also to analyze the premises upon which the works of fiction we read/view are based:
What are the embedded values that provide a barometer for character and contextual assessment, and do we share those values today?
How do characters seek to justify their own choices and actions?
How do characters endeavor to make up for their transgressions?
Is it fair to hold entire communities accountable for the transgressions of errant individuals?
Does ideological dissent release individuals from obligatory adherence to particular cultural codes and standards?
What are the repercussions of the rejection of an imposed social script?
To what extent do works of literature or their performative interpretations operate to endorse or condemn the fictional situations contained within them?
How do texts serve to reflect or shape the cultures within which they are situated?
How do unorthodox representations impact the lived experience of those who read/view them?
Through reading, writing, analysis, and discussion, students will improve their capacity to think both critically and empathetically: to understand and respect the views and concerns of others, especially regarding gender, ethnicity, and religion.
Academic performance will be evaluated through midterm and final examinations and an assortment of writing assignments and presentations, a number of which will incorporate attention to scholarly publications, culminating in an essay of at least 2000 words.
History (HISS 303)
HISS 303-01 (CRN:11318) & HISS 303-02 (CRN:11319): “Honors History”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Joelle Neulander
This class is restricted to The Citadel Honors Program.
Natural Science (NTSS 303)
NTSS 303-02 (CRN: 10603): “Biology, Environment and Law”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor James Berry
This course explores the relationships between biological systems in the environment, and the environmental laws that regulate them. We will examine the profound influence that environmental laws have on species, ecosystems, and landscapes, and the effects of regulation of air, water, and land in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health. The course begins with an exploration of the legal system, and how it relates to the science of environmental biology. We then consider ecosystems biology, the effects of regulations on plant and animal communities, and the importance of land use regulation on ecosystems. We then explore the specific laws that control pollution of air, water and land, and their effects on natural ecosystems. Finally, we review the influence of international laws and agreements on the health of natural communities.
Social Science (SCSS 303)
SCSS 303-02 (CRN: 10775) & SCSS 303-04 (CRN:11140): “The Right to Have Rights”
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 08:00-09:15
Professor Joseph Gonzales
Although they’re regularly mentioned in everyday political conversations, intangible concepts such as ‘citizenship,’ ‘duty,’ and ‘human rights’ can be difficult to describe in a concrete way. For example, although ‘citizenship’ is sometimes summarized as ‘the right to have rights,’ there’s not even a universally accepted definition of what a ‘right’ actually is. Drawing from multiple disciplines (political science, moral philosophy, international law, etc.), this course aims to develop students’ understanding of contemporary trends and debates in human rights thought, especially as they relate to the concepts of duty and citizenship. Although primarily international in focus, this course will also examine these issues in specifically South Carolinian contexts.
Wellness (304)
English (ENGS 304)
ENGS 304 01 (CRN:10684): “Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome”
MWF 08:00-08:50
Professor Sean Heuston
This course will examine a wide range of written sources (fiction and nonfiction from the Roman Empire to the present) and films that deal with the central issue of the Wellness Strand: how to live a good life. We will read and discuss selections from classic works of nonfiction (including the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, and Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own,), fiction (including Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried), poetry (including poems by Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and William Wordsworth) and films (such as Apocalypse Now, Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, and Little Dieter Needs to Fly) alongside more recent nonfiction texts about facing and overcoming life’s manifold challenges. In addition to developing familiarity with our course texts, students will become familiar with related research on aspects of wellness they can apply to their own lives.
This course will help you hone your skills as a critical viewer and reader who engages with and questions a variety of challenging texts and issues. In addition to the required texts listed above, we will read and view a wide range of critical essays, news articles, and online resources. Many of the texts will require substantial, careful reading and will give us a great deal of provocative material to discuss, so make sure to look ahead in the syllabus and budget sufficient time to read them thoroughly. You will apply your ideas and insights directly to your chosen area of academic interest and/or specialization by developing a semester-long research project in consultation with me. The course will also help you develop your skills as a writer. I will assign short response papers and a longer essay (the culmination of the semester project), all of which will be related to the texts or issues we read, view, and discuss in class.
ENGS 304-03 (CRN:10685) & ENGS 304-04 (CRN:10942): “Overcoming Ego for Good”
TR 11:00-12:15, TR 13:30-14:45
Professor E. Frances Frame
A study of significant works of literature reflective of the specific theme of the strand. In the first unit of the course, students will build an interpretive framework from Carl Jung’s shadow self theory, apply the interpretive framework to analyze works of literature and film, and evaluate victory over inflated ego as a potential key to health maturity, creativity, mindfulness, letting go, and reconciliation. In the second unit, students will construct an interpretive framework from Murray Bowden’s family systems theory and apply this framework to analyze works of literature and film. In the final phase of the course, we will identify points of intersection between Jung’s and Bowen’s theories, synthesize an integrated framework and apply this framework to analyze a work of literature.
History (HISS 304)
HISS 304-01 (CRN:11384): “The Roman Good Life”
MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Melanie Maddox
“While we wait for life, life passes.” –Seneca
This course will consider what it meant to the Romans to live a good life. It will survey this by considering what being a Roman meant. Emphasis will be placed on what it meant to be a Roman citizen, man, woman, soldier, political figure, and the poor. Students will consider the personalities and values of Romans through the Roman Republic and Empire periods, and how these helped one to achieve or get in the way of a good life.
HISS 304-02 (CRN:10594): “A Good Life & Death in Pre-modern China”
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Keith Knapp
Over the three-thousand years of China’s recorded history, its people have long thought about how to live well and prolong life. Since death was viewed as a continuance of life under slightly different circumstances, Chinese simultaneously pondered how to die well. By reading translated philosophical texts, hagiographies, medical treatises, short stories, and diaries, we will see how one could lead a healthy and meaningful life, and perhaps even cheat death by attaining immortality. By examining death testaments, Buddhist scriptures, and archaeological evidence, such as tombs, grave goods, and excavated documents, students will ascertain how Chinese envisioned death and prepared the deceased for a pleasant existence, or even Buddhahood, in the afterlife.
Natural Science (NTSS 304)
NTSS 304-01 (CRN:10605) & NTSS 304-02 (CRN:10604): “Human Diseases”
MWF 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Andrea Gramling
What causes human diseases? In NTSS 304, a wellness strand science course, we will explore the general causes of disease as well as investigate the disease processes associated with specific diseases and body systems. We will also study our body’s defense mechanisms to combat diseases, discuss preventative and curative treatments, and begin to quantify the prevalence of diseases in multiple populations. The purpose of this course is to present a systematic approach and application to the study of human diseases so that the student will be able to use appropriate terminology to describe diseases and better understand medical and public health approaches to disease management.
Social Science (SCSS 304)
SCSS 304-02 (CRN: 10776) & SCSS 304-03 (CRN:10591): “Sports and Society”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Paul Roof
This course is designed to introduce students to critical analysis of contemporary sports culture in the United States. Students will get an overview of the insights, findings, concepts, and perspectives that are held by a wide variety of interdisciplinary popular culture scholars today. Several prominent areas of sports culture to be studied include: youth, race, gender, religion, and economics.
SCSS 304-04 (CRN: 11058): “Survey of Economics“
MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor TBD
This course is designed to provide non-business majors with the elements of economics. It will cover both principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics as well as the relationships between economics and politics. As many of the students in the class are political science majors and some are legal studies minors, I will try to demonstrate how economics is related to the world of politics.
SCSS 304-08 (CRN: 11424): “Honors Blue Mind/Blue Spaces“
M 15:00-15:50 & W 15:00-16:40
Professor Lloyd Taylor
This course is designed to expose students to the concept of blue mind/blue spaces and will include topics including mindfulness, wellbeing, ecological psychology, and attachment. Concepts related to neuroscience, imaging, and neuroanatomy will be explored as they relate to objective indicators of the benefit of being on and around water. Field trips will occur during which students will integrate classroom learning into real world experiences.
Elective (ELES 304)
ELES 304-01 (CRN: 11061): “Luna-Tic: Image of the Werewolf”
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Kyrie Miranda Farnell
This course will examine the evolution of the werewolf in Western Europe. While the focus will be on werewolf imagery and its perception over the course of human history, namely in France, an emphasis will also be placed on historical, social, and cultural conditions that arose in which the image of the werewolf was cultivated. In this course, you will read a combination of (translated) primary sources and critical articles, as well as watch and review several films / clips / music videos that all focus singularly on the connection(s) between humanity and wolf.
Sustainability (305)
Elective (ELES 305)
ELES 305-01(CRN: 10794): Critical Thinking in Sustainability
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Alba Ortiz
In this course students will be encouraged to think critically, ask questions, and analyze sustainability issues from multiple angles while considering ethical implications. Students will be actively engaged in real-world projects and decision-making activities. The course will explore the United Nations 2030 agenda, and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
“The world community has refined its commitment to sustainable development to ensure sustained and inclusive economic growth, social inclusion, environmental protection and to do so in partnership and peace.”
English (ENGS 305)
ENGS 305-01 (CRN:10943) & ENGS 305-02 (CRN:11332): “National Memory in American Western “
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor James Leonard
Beginning with the pioneer and memoir literature of the 19th century, continuing on the silver screen, and culminating in the revisions of the contemporary anti-Western, the Western genre and its derivatives have long reinforced elements central to American national mythology. Particularly in the post-frontier US, the project of sustaining these myths has largely fallen to iconic pulp stories and films from authors such as Jack Schaefer and Zane Grey and actors such as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. In this class, we will explore the shifting landscape of the literary American West in order to identify how the experience of the West catalyzed the evolving project of American national and cultural identity. In doing so, we will think through ways in which recent interpretations of the genre attempt to illuminate perspectives that have traditionally been suppressed or elided and consider the role of textual interpretation in resolving contemporary issues stemming from the legacy of the symbolic American West.
History (HISS 305)
HISS 305-01 (CRN:10595): “Viking Age and Sustainability”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Melanie Maddox
The history of sustainability considers man’s use and control of his environment during the historical period referred to as The Viking Age, c. 750-1100. Society’s use and control of the environment can lead to long-term success and/or failure. This semester’s course will broadly focus on human interactions with nature, the environment and other people during the Viking Age. Topics to be discussed are: land use, travel, belief systems, commerce, city formation and political authority. Regions included in the course are: Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Scandinavia, early England, and Francia.
Natural Science (NTSS 305)
NTSS 305-01 (CRN:10731) & NTSS 305-02 (CRN:11400): “Foraging Wild Plants”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Joel Gramling
In Foraging Wild Plants (NTSS 305) students will be challenged to learn the biology of native plants through the application of foraging. The core topics of the course will be ecology, evolution, botany, systematics, and human nutrition. Students will further their understanding of general biology through lectures, interpretive walks and hands-on activities. Daily in-person participation is a requirement of this course.
Social Science (SCSS 305)
SCSS 305-02 (CRN:10777): “Sociology & Sustainability”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Paul Roof
This course examines the basic concepts and principles of sociology. A scientific approach to the analysis and explanation of culture, personality, and social organization are emphasized along with the major sociological paradigms along with a heavy emphasis on sustainability issues.