Reading Courses
Alain de Botton, The Consolations of Philosophy
HONR 200A: Reading Course with Professor Marnie McInnes
This course will focus on Alain de Botton's The Consolations of Philosophy, a book that I love, partly because it reviews the central ideas of a handful of provocative Western philosophers, but also because it invites me to read philosophy -- and other sorts of art -- in a new way. Philosophy, de Botton argues, can give us advice about how to live. He turns to Socrates in chapter one to figure out how to cope with being unpopular; he consoles himself for being inadequate by reading what irreverent Michel de Montaigne has to say about social norms, bodily functions, and daily life. During our short seminar, we'll discuss the work of six philosophers as presented in de Botton's humorous and incisive essays. Along the way, each of us will consider the artists to whom we turn when we seek solace for life's hardships and anxieties. We'll have fun with this, moving beyond Western philosophy to consider, for example, children's books, seriously strange films, art exhibits, and novels we love.
Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn and Percival Everett, James: A Novel
HONR 200B: Reading Course with Professor David Gellman
Percival Everett's acclaimed 2024 novel James re-imagines the controversial classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In doing so, he not only revises Mark Twain's famous story about a journey through the heart of the country, but also re-visions the story of race and slavery and their legacy in American life. In discussing the two books together, we will test the power of fiction, new and old, as a tool for sorting through moral choices, questioning assumptions, and imagining alternative possibilities.
John Milton, Paradise Lost
HONR 200C: Reading Course with Professor Debby Geis
The very first line of John Milton’s celebrated epic _Paradise Lost_, which he wrote in 1667, includes the word “disobedience,” and it ends (spoiler alert!) with Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Reading _all_ of _Paradise Lost_, not just the excerpts you might encounter in a survey course, earns you bragging rights and can be a highlight of your liberal arts education. More than that, though, _Paradise Lost_ has _everything_ that we are still talking about today, from the questions of what is evil (and why Satan may be the most interesting character) to the role of Eve in contemporary discourse about gender, to religious conflicts and even the nature of free will. We will read about two of the twelve “books” of _Paradise Lost_ per class session. Students will each give a presentation and will complete a final scholarly or creative project at the end of the course.
Alice Markham-Cantor, The Once and Future Witch Hunt
HONR 200D: Reading Course with Professor Susan Anthony
Over the centuries, the witchcraft trials at Salem MA in 1692 have inspired ongoing scholarly exploration as people struggle to understand how such deadly hysteria could pervade a supposedly rational society. This course considers a new approach by author Alice Markham-Cantor, whose ancestor Martha Carrier, was executed in Salem of 1692. The author examines the major figures involved in the witch hunt, considers various theories about the impetus of the hysteria, and considers "witch hunts" that have occurred since Salem. Class session will include discussion, use of archival records, in-class readings, and student presentations.
Bethany Klein, Selling Out: Culture, Commerce and Popular Music
HONR 200E: Reading Course with Professor Sylvia Yang
This HONR reading course introduces students to the boundaries between culture and commerce through the lens of music. The readings will prompt us to grapple with and ask questions about authenticity, success, and the commercialization of culture. This text and course will appeal to students interested in the creative arts and media.
Shannon Steen, The Creativity Complex: Art, Tech, and the Seduction of an Idea
HONR 200F: Reading Course with Professor Dennis Sloan
This course marks the launch of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s Creative School by exploring the ways in which our understandings and uses of the term “creativity” have changed up to the present moment. Taking Shannon Steen's THE CREATIVITY COMPLEX: ART, TECH, AND THE SEDUCTION OF AN IDEA as its text, the course will explore what “creativity” has meant and currently means in a variety of academic disciplines and professional fields, as well as in social, political, cultural, and economic contexts. We will discuss how the concept of creativity has been deployed in and beyond the arts in areas including health and wellness, technology, education, and more. We will also examine the impact of such deployments and how we might (or might not) rethink current and prevailing uses of the term.
INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINARS
Interpreting Science and Technology in the Modern World
HONR 300Aa: Arts and Humanities Seminar with Professor Howard Pollack-Milgate
In this seminar, we will approach modern European science and technology from a cultural viewpoint, seeing scientific methods and theories as human creations which are part of larger social context (including their institutional and commercial backgrounds, their bases in cultural traditions, and the uses to which they are put). We will focus on case studies from the German scientific tradition in its European and global contexts as well as lessons drawn from them to apply to our current technological age. Coinages like sustainability, empathy, and aspirin were originally German words (as were racial hygiene, blitzkrieg, and heroin). German-language scientists emerged in the 19th century as worldwide experts in a number of fields (e.g., physics, chemistry, public health, psychology, and biology) and German technology gained worldwide importance in various industries (automobiles, mechanical and chemical engineering) and was also of key importance in many of the political and military disasters of the 20th century. Equally important for our investigations will be German critiques of where science seems to be heading as well as alternative models of natural science and technology. Using a variety of text-types, fiction as well as non-fiction, we will explore together both the fascinating details of some of these developments as well as the larger implications of living in “an age of science.” Though any scientific expertise is welcome, it is not necessary for the class; in fact, we will be trying to see that there is perhaps less distance between natural science and the humanities than our distribution requirements suggest.
Social Media and Social Movements in Africa
HONR 300Ab: Arts and Humanities Seminar with Professor Aldrin Magaya (cross-listed with HIST300)
This course is about how societies in Africa have been using the internet, smartphones, and social media to engage and confront oppressive political, economic, and socio-cultural systems and institutions. We will begin by discussing the historical, political, and social context to understand the different challenges that societies in Africa face. We will then show how social media have provided users and activists across the continent with a platform to share and disseminate information and ideas, organize, participate, and interactively collaborate with other societies in the African diaspora. In doing so, we will explore the emergence, organization, tactics, strategies, and outcomes of the different social movements in Africa. The course also examines the laws and tactics that governments use to obstruct information exchange and social media use. We will discuss the effects of cybercrime, cyber policing, and surveillance on political participation.
Food Systems and Sustainability
HONR 300Ba: Science and Mathematics Seminar with Professor Jeane Pope
“What’s for dinner?” Though this perennial question may seem banal, when considered through the lens of sustainability, which requires consideration for social equity, environmental integrity, and economic viability, it becomes one of the most important questions of the 21st century. The incredible advances in food production developed through the wonders of chemistry, physics, and computer science, and supported through policies advantaging so-called economic efficiencies have brought marvelous advances in society and prosperity to billions of people now living on this finite planet. These gains come at a cost: an estimated 800 million people are currently undernourished, eco-systems are threatened by pesticides and fertilizer run-off. As the population of the globe increases so do the costs to people and the planet. Society must pursue sustainable agricultural practices in order to preserve both the Earth’s ecosystems and human dignity.
In this course, students will explore all aspects of the modern food system with an eye towards identifying problems and suggesting sustainable practices. Students will learn sustainability and systems theory, soil science and plant biology, food commodity economics, and agricultural politics while also applying this understanding to applied active-learning projects on Ullem Campus Farm. Students will gain practical experience with sustainable agriculture methods, enjoy class out of doors, and learn how to contribute to global environmental solutions.
Analytical Tools for Social Science Research
HONR 300Bb: Science and Mathematics Seminar with Professor Naima Shifa (cross-listed with MATH341)
This course introduces statistical techniques to model relationships between variables using regression analysis. Students will learn the fundamental concepts of linear regression, including how to interpret coefficients, assess model fit, and test hypotheses. Emphasis is placed on real-world applications within social sciences, such as understanding the impact of policy changes, economic factors, disease prevalence, or behavioral trends. Logistic regression is also included, with hands-on experience using statistical software to analyze data. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply regression models to answer relevant social science research questions and perform rigorous data analysis. While there are no specific prerequisites, previous coursework in statistics is preferred.
Viruses & Public Health
HONR 300Bc: Science and Mathematics Seminar with Professor Sharon Crary (cross-listed with CHEM342)
In this course, you will learn about viruses of significance in global health through lectures, discussions, and small projects. You will study the impact of select viruses on human well-being, both currently and historically, the biochemistry of the viral agents, and the interventions—both preventions and treatments—that are utilized in combating these diseases. Prerequisite(s): Chem 240 or Bio 241
Molecular Motors
HONR 300Bd: Science and Mathematics Seminar with Professor Jacob Hale
Do a Google video search for kinesin or F1 ATPase. What did you find? Though they look like alien robots, those are mechanical motors made out of protein and you have thousands of them in every cell of your body! A broad range of disciplines come together to understand these amazing machines. Using basic ideas from physics and statistics we will dig deep into what humans have learned about these motors so far and propose verifiable questions about what still remains a mystery. In our time together there will be discussion and interactive lectures. We will also do experiments along with analyzing primary literature about the structure and function of these tiny motors. For the final project you will use 3D printing to create and analyze models of your own design, synthesizing everything you have learned in the course.
Words at Work in the World: An Introduction to Applied Linguistics
HONR 300Ca: Social Science Seminar with Professor Amity Reading
There’s the study of languages (like Spanish, German, or Chinese), the theoretical study of language as language (linguistics), and then there’s the social science of applied linguistics, which is the study of how we actually use language in the world. As a field, applied linguistics is incredibly broad and encompasses everything from large language models and generative AI to courtroom lie detection to anti-racist linguistic activism. This course will begin with a brief introduction to the general field of linguistics (no prerequisite knowledge required), followed by a series of case studies that will introduce students to key areas of new and emerging applied linguistics, including sociolinguistics, forensic and legal linguistics, psycholinguistics, language learning and language pedagogy, discourse analysis, linguistic justice, corpus analysis, and language and technology. The class will also serve as a W course with a focus on writing that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Access to Justice and Poverty Law
HONR 300Cb: Social Science Seminar with Professor Monica Fennell
This course explores the meaning of access to justice, in the context of the United States legal system, especially for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. We will examine the history and the role of civil legal aid and pro bono representation in the current delivery system. Innovations in bridging the justice gap will be explored.
Surveillance Capitalism and Social Control
HONR 300Cc: Social Science Seminar with Professor David Feldman (cross-listed with SOC301)
This course explores how modern digital technologies are used to track, control, and modify human behavior. What does the new surveillance apparatus look like, and how does it work? Who built it, and to what ends? And crucially, what does this mean for the future of democracy and freedom in the 21st century? We will approach these timely and thought-provoking questions from a historical and interdisciplinary lens, shedding light on both the technical aspects of modern surveillance and its social implications. Topics of special consideration will include: the relationship between decarceration and “mass supervision”; the privatization of the Internet and the rise of “surveillance advertising”; digital surveillance in the workplace; the collusion between Big Tech and the national security state; and the tradeoff between privacy and convenience.