In this course, students learn about the reasons for the downward trends in North American bird populations, why it should be a concern, and what can be done to reverse the losses.
Learn more about this courseIn this course, students will examine social problems from the particular perspective of folklore studies and cultural anthropology. As a group, the class will work to document and assess aesthetic, expressive, customary, and communal responses to a range of emergent and vexing problems. Students will choose particular problems of interest to explore and will discover how these problems intersect with, and are being addressed creatively by, particular communities and interest groups in the US and around the world.
Stigma theory shows how cultural norms create marked categories of persons, who then face social barriers to equal treatment. This course explores expressive arts -- including written & spoken word, film & video, and live or mediated performance -- as effective strategies for disarming the stigmatizing gaze in the U.S.
Learn more about this courseThis course will focus on North American Indigenous peoples’ resilience defined broadly and in accordance with the Center for American Indian Resilience as individual and collective positive response to adversity and risk.
Learn more about this courseIn this course, we develop student’s capacity to be leaders in addressing environmental problems. Specifically, students will learn to see environmental issues as complex social-ecological systems issues; exploring what drives human’s behavior, the factors shaping the health and responses of ecosystems and working to discover the connections between humans and their environments.
Learn more about this courseCan our cities be greener places, more alive with trees, birds, and other wildlife? Can such greener cities actually be more functional cities, which deliver essential services like food and clean water and air with less pollution and overall higher quality of life? This course examines urban nature through the lens of ecology and social-ecological systems science, taking a place-based approach to biological diversity and its relationship to creating sustainable and resilient cities.
Learn more about this courseThis course examines the links between cultural diversity and biodiversity in the context of the current global experience of large-scale ecosystem destruction.
Learn more about this courseThis course presents an interdisciplinary exploration of the most exciting—and terrifying—manifestations of life on a dynamic planet. The class will provide a scientific framework for understanding the processes that produce earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, as well as their implications for society.
Learn more about this courseThe seminar is designed to develop an appreciation of psychology, and to survey some of the research findings in the psychological literature that have applications for daily student life. In addition to the course content, students will get a jump-start on college life, from the basics of using a syllabus, completing assignments with campus resources, learning about what the campus has to offer related to health and wellness and academic success, while developing research and computing skills in a collaborative learning environment.
Learn more about this courseIn this course, students will examine social problems from the particular perspective of folklore studies and cultural anthropology. As a group, the class will work to document and assess aesthetic, expressive, customary, and communal responses to a range of emergent and vexing problems. Students will choose particular problems of interest to explore and will discover how these problems intersect with, and are being addressed creatively by, particular communities and interest groups in the US and around the world.
Students will examine a variety of cultural materials such as mass-media and social media, literature, film, and visual art to understand and learn from how France has adapted or failed to adapt to the issues of economic and social justice, racism and immigration, political polarization, and the pressures for rethinking group and individual identities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about this courseThis course is intended to equip students with a foundational understanding of environmental change. To this end, we will work and learn together - addressing along the way the complexity of social-environmental systems, sensitivity of ecosystems and the inherent challenges in understanding and planning for modern environmental change.
Learn more about this courseDo we understand radical change of the self as loss or gain, virtue or distortion, punishment or liberation? Why do we rely on the mythic, religious, and supernatural to explain extreme changes in identity? This course will not only tackle these questions but help us understand how the concept of metamorphosis has articulated them through artistic tradition and experimentation, leaving a mark on our historical and political imaginations and on our popular media today.
Learn more about this courseWhy can we trust climate models to tell us about future climate? Should we oppose the research and/or implementation of geoengineering? In this seminar, we explore these questions as we investigate scientific, philosophical, ethical, and practical issues associated with climate change and geoengineering.
Learn more about this courseAs an alternative to the industrial food system, urban farmers contribute to the local food supply by growing, processing and distributing food and other products in and around their cities. Through discussions, lectures and fieldtrips, we will examine how urban farmers strengthen community resilience and encourage equitable food access.
Learn more about this courseThe origin of the concept Resilience is multidisciplinary. It was developed in psychology, engineering, and ecology. The concept has recently become popular among researchers due largely to the planetary crisis associated with anthropogenic climate change. The course Geographies of Resilience focuses on the ecology-strand of the concept. However, it provides an overview of its development emphasizing the work on social-ecological systems (SES) under global environmental change (GEC) in the last two decades.
Learn more about this courseThis course is an introduction to Studio Art for non-art majors. It invites and challenges students to imagine a better future, to shape change, and to build resilience through art and community practices. A variety of art-making processes and media will be used including: drawing, printmaking, paper-making, sculpture, and painting.
Learn more about this courseIn this course, students learn about the reasons for the downward trends in North American bird populations, why it should be a concern, and what can be done to reverse the losses.
Learn more about this courseThe instructors of these non-College courses utilized Themester 2021 programs and experiences. Courses outside the College can often count in a student's program of study, but students should consult with their advisor to discuss.
SPEA-E 400 – Permaculture
BUS-L 318 – Business & Poverty Alleviation
The College of Arts