Subject: AIQS
Term: Spring 2026
AIQS 100: The Local and Global in Cleveland Popular Music (100/6730)
MWF 09:30-10:20 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Blake, G
For all its celebrated connection to rock and roll, Cleveland is home to a wide variety of musical genres: jazz, polka, hip-hop, punk, R&B, blues, pop, among many others. Cleveland is also a home on the move, a city of immigration and outmigration, and a city of waterways, bridges, and commuter rails. Yet Cleveland is a city of enclaves, borders, and social distance despite geographic nearness. In this seminar, we will ask a fundamental question: is music like a bridge that connects different people in the city or is it a border that structures divisions? To answer this question, we will explore recordings, obituaries, journalism, and archival material to understand the sound of the city over time. We will examine the links between dominant and subcultural music, analyze music's relationship to tourism, and reflect on how music defines Cleveland's place in the global imagination. Music, at once rooted in identity and as rootless as radio waves, presents an alternate lens for understanding the routes and rifts shaping urban life.
AIQS 100: The Local and Global in Cleveland Popular Music (101/6731)
MWF 10:35-11:25 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Blake, G
For all its celebrated connection to rock and roll, Cleveland is home to a wide variety of musical genres: jazz, polka, hip-hop, punk, R&B, blues, pop, among many others. Cleveland is also a home on the move, a city of immigration and outmigration, and a city of waterways, bridges, and commuter rails. Yet Cleveland is a city of enclaves, borders, and social distance despite geographic nearness. In this seminar, we will ask a fundamental question: is music like a bridge that connects different people in the city or is it a border that structures divisions? To answer this question, we will explore recordings, obituaries, journalism, and archival material to understand the sound of the city over time. We will examine the links between dominant and subcultural music, analyze music's relationship to tourism, and reflect on how music defines Cleveland's place in the global imagination. Music, at once rooted in identity and as rootless as radio waves, presents an alternate lens for understanding the routes and rifts shaping urban life.
AIQS 100: Energy Humanities in Fiction and Film (102/6732)
MW 03:20-04:35 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Burkhart, M
This course will orient you in the emerging field of Energy Humanities, which addresses how novels, films, and other works of art reflect human relationships with prevailing modes of energy. Primarily, we will focus on the centrality of fossil fuels--especially oil--in shaping contemporary global cultures. To place the centrality of oil in broader contexts, we will briefly survey the cultural impacts of earlier energy sources, like water, wind, and the coal-fired Industrial Revolution. That will lead to our engagement with novels and films that dramatize global oil dependency. To explore alternatives to our contemporary fossil fuel dependency, we will how address how renewable energies are envisioned through emerging genres like Solarpunk, which emphasize cultures of stewardship, regenerative practices, and mutual aid. Guiding our approaches this semester are the insights of Barry Lord, an early scholar in the field, who notes how we are only partly aware of "the usually invisible sources of energy that make our art and culture(s) possible" and which also shape many of our shared values. To bring those half-hidden assumptions to the surface, we will discuss and write about artistic works that reflect energy cultures of discovery, extraction, industrial production, consumption, and regeneration. By the semester's end, each of you will have completed two short papers and a brief presentation. That writing sequence will culminate in a longer research-supported essay that assesses how creative works relate to our shared thinking about the energy that fuels our daily lives.
AIQS 100: Energy Humanities in Fiction and Film (103/6733)
MW 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Burkhart, M
This course will orient you in the emerging field of Energy Humanities, which addresses how novels, films, and other works of art reflect human relationships with prevailing modes of energy. Primarily, we will focus on the centrality of fossil fuels--especially oil--in shaping contemporary global cultures. To place the centrality of oil in broader contexts, we will briefly survey the cultural impacts of earlier energy sources, like water, wind, and the coal-fired Industrial Revolution. That will lead to our engagement with novels and films that dramatize global oil dependency. To explore alternatives to our contemporary fossil fuel dependency, we will how address how renewable energies are envisioned through emerging genres like Solarpunk, which emphasize cultures of stewardship, regenerative practices, and mutual aid. Guiding our approaches this semester are the insights of Barry Lord, an early scholar in the field, who notes how we are only partly aware of "the usually invisible sources of energy that make our art and culture(s) possible" and which also shape many of our shared values. To bring those half-hidden assumptions to the surface, we will discuss and write about artistic works that reflect energy cultures of discovery, extraction, industrial production, consumption, and regeneration. By the semester's end, each of you will have completed two short papers and a brief presentation. That writing sequence will culminate in a longer research-supported essay that assesses how creative works relate to our shared thinking about the energy that fuels our daily lives.
AIQS 100: Biology in Translation (104/6734)
TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Steck, M
Biological research informs many of our everyday decisions. Notably, we relied on biologists to learn about the spread of COVID-19 and what actions might reduce our risk of infection--often without having access to or the technical expertise to understand the original research. Instead, we relied on science journalists and science communicators to translate and contextualize this research for us. Science communication at its best empowers people and communities to make informed decisions. At its worst, it perpetuates misleading information that can cause harm. What is the role of science communicators in making science accessible and inclusive? What questions do they ask? How do they transform technical information into engaging narratives? How do they acknowledge the social, political, and economic forces acting on the scientific process? In this course, we will study the articles that scientists write for each other and the popular news articles, features, and museum exhibits that science communicators compose for non-specialist audiences. In the last unit, you'll write your own feature article that uses diverse, relevant, and authoritative sources to explore an interesting intersection between biology and society.
AIQS 100: Writing Everyday Life (105/6737)
MWF 10:35-11:25 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Dawkins, T
Can paying attention to our regular, everyday habits tell us something about the kind of work we will do in our future lives? In this Topical, writing-intensive AIQS course, we will develop stronger writing habits and practices while considering the ways that spending time today -- walking in the city, consuming media, communicating, eating, remembering -- might help shape the habits and practice that we carry into our later personal, academic, and professional lives.
AIQS 100: Writing Everyday Life (106/6738)
MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Dawkins, T
Can paying attention to our regular, everyday habits tell us something about the kind of work we will do in our future lives? In this Topical, writing-intensive AIQS course, we will develop stronger writing habits and practices while considering the ways that spending time today -- walking in the city, consuming media, communicating, eating, remembering -- might help shape the habits and practice that we carry into our later personal, academic, and professional lives.
AIQS 100: Making "Sense" of Writing (107/6739)
TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Slentz, J
No matter what major you are entering into or "feeling out," or what career you have "set your sights on," there is one truth that applies to each and every one of us in this class. We ALL will have to write. We will write many different things at different times for different reasons, but we will all write something sometime. Writing is about so much more than arranging words on a page. Writing is about "seeing" and "hearing" the world around us, critically examining and synthesizing information to become more aware of the contexts and conversations we are speaking into. And it is about responding in ways that are targeted towards our specific rhetorical situation and audience.
In addition to the truth that we all will have to write something sometime, another truth unites us. We are all human. As humans, we move through this world as sensing, feeling bodies, equipped with complex nervous systems that process and create our physical and emotional worlds. Our sensory lives, how we each individually and dynamically experience the world around us through our senses, shape our perception of reality. Our sense lives thus dictate how we read and interpret our experiences, what we respond to and why, how we listen, how we express ourselves, and ultimately, how we write.
In this course, through a "hands-on" and "eye-opening" exploration of human sensation, we will discover how we "make sense" of writing: how our sense lives and the sensory experiences of our audiences inform the ways we read and write, both academically and in our lives and communities outside of class.
This course emphasizes writing as a recursive process and will require you to negotiate rhetorical problems that allow you to practice writing for various audiences and purposes. Through informal and formal written exercises and assignments, interactive activities, and both topic-based and instructional readings, this course will help you develop and hone your written communication skills.
AIQS 100: Global Food Challenges: Climate, Health, & Equity (112/6740)
TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Fejes, N
In this seminar, we will examine the environmental, social, and health consequences of our food choices. Among other topics, we delve into the history of agriculture and industrial agriculture; the impact of the global food system on climate change; food insecurity; environmental racism in the food system; Black and Indigenous ecologies; and food waste. We look at the food system as both a significant cause of ongoing social, health, and environmental issues and a crucially important lever to optimize environmental sustainability and human health through community-centered regenerative and transformative solutions. Students will also engage with food and sustainability initiatives on campus and in our Cleveland community and visit a farmer's market nearby.
AIQS 100: Global Food Challenges: Climate, Health, & Equity (113/6741)
TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Fejes, N
In this seminar, we will examine the environmental, social, and health consequences of our food choices. Among other topics, we delve into the history of agriculture and industrial agriculture; the impact of the global food system on climate change; food insecurity; environmental racism in the food system; Black and Indigenous ecologies; and food waste. We look at the food system as both a significant cause of ongoing social, health, and environmental issues and a crucially important lever to optimize environmental sustainability and human health through community-centered regenerative and transformative solutions. Students will also engage with food and sustainability initiatives on campus and in our Cleveland community and visit a farmer's market nearby.
AIQS 100: Human Remains in American Museums (108/6742)
TR 08:30-09:45 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Daniel, V
Museums around the world house thousands of human specimens that are studied and displayed for educational purposes. Recent public discussions, however, have raised challenging questions about the ethics of such collections. Where did these specimens come from? Were they obtained with consent? Should we continue to put these bodies on display or keep them in museum storage, or is it time to lay them to rest? This course will use case studies of controversial collections to explore the historical origins and contemporary complexities surrounding the collection, display, and storage of human remains in American museums. We will investigate how the scientific aims of these collections raise important questions about race, gender, and national identity. The course will also investigate how activists and scholars have criticized perceived social injustices embedded in remains collections and how museums have responded to such criticisms. Finally, our writing assignments will allow you to explore your individual perspectives on these issues and offer substantial, well-supported positions on controversial topics.
AIQS 100: Human Remains in American Museums (109/6743)
TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Daniel, V
Museums around the world house thousands of human specimens that are studied and displayed for educational purposes. Recent public discussions, however, have raised challenging questions about the ethics of such collections. Where did these specimens come from? Were they obtained with consent? Should we continue to put these bodies on display or keep them in museum storage, or is it time to lay them to rest? This course will use case studies of controversial collections to explore the historical origins and contemporary complexities surrounding the collection, display, and storage of human remains in American museums. We will investigate how the scientific aims of these collections raise important questions about race, gender, and national identity. The course will also investigate how activists and scholars have criticized perceived social injustices embedded in remains collections and how museums have responded to such criticisms. Finally, our writing assignments will allow you to explore your individual perspectives on these issues and offer substantial, well-supported positions on controversial topics.
AIQS 100: Writing Math (110/6744)
MW 07:00-08:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
DeLong, J
Do math and writing even belong in the same classroom?! The question of how a productive relationship between mathematics and writing could possibly exist will shape our inquiry throughout the semester. You will reflect on the importance of effectively communicating mathematical concepts, whether via cutting-edge research articles or entertaining educational videos for the general public. You will also read mathematicians' writing about their personal experiences, such as Edward Frenkel's memoir Love and Math, tracing his journey from being a young man who had to scale a fence to sneak into a math lecture in the Soviet Union to becoming a professor, author, and even actor in the United States. In addition, you will use reading and writing to explore the professional culture of mathematicians, with attention to their ideas about collaboration, fairness, and inclusivity. And, you will venture even further into interdisciplinary territory by writing about the intersection of math and art. Overall, the goal of this course is for you to gain a greater understanding of math as a richly human and social activity while also developing the writing skills and audience awareness that will help you communicate more effectively on a variety of topics, both mathematical and not.
AIQS 100: Public Health in the City (111/6745)
MWF 09:30-10:20 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Deptula, A
What does it mean to live in a "healthy" city and who gets to decide? In this writing-intensive seminar, we'll explore how public health is shaped not only by data and policy but also by human stories and discourse. Grounded in Cleveland's past and present, we'll examine how race, income, and geography intersect with access to care, and how historical legacies continue to shape health outcomes today. Drawing from the fields of public health and medicine, we'll read a diverse range of texts--including personal narratives, scientific articles, and local case studies. Through critical readings, data analysis, and secondary research, students will unpack pressing questions about health equity relevant to our campus community and surrounding areas. Together, we'll ask: Who has the power to define what counts as a health "crisis"? What does "access" to care really mean beyond availability? And how can health communication serve as a tool for justice?
AIQS 100: The American West on Film (115/6746)
MWF 10:35-11:25 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Hoeynck, J
Few geographical areas in the United States contain as many tall tales and mythological figures as the American frontier. From an extreme point of view, the West is the only American myth because no other nation can claim the cowboy, the Native American, or the immigrant worker on the transcontinental railroad. And yet, each of these figures remains spectacularly diverse. We celebrate their variety and lionize their individuality in film, popular novels, and cultural criticism. From the visions of the New World to the conquest of the frontier, the color of the American West proliferates and transforms, defining our culture. In this course, we will investigate how critics have understood our fascination with the Western frontier. The class will broadly explore versions of the frontier in novels, films, and historical accounts. Reading about the history of the actual west, the course will then examine how the films of the twentieth century alter history in order to express the fantasies and anxieties of their own time. By studying both history and film, we will be able to interrogate manifest density and the myth of American exceptionalism. What makes the West such an integral part of our understanding of America? How has its actual history become myth? What does the American fascination with the cowboy, the Native American, or the outlaw imply about our nation?
AIQS 100: The American West on Film (116/6747)
MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Hoeynck, J
Few geographical areas in the United States contain as many tall tales and mythological figures as the American frontier. From an extreme point of view, the West is the only American myth because no other nation can claim the cowboy, the Native American, or the immigrant worker on the transcontinental railroad. And yet, each of these figures remains spectacularly diverse. We celebrate their variety and lionize their individuality in film, popular novels, and cultural criticism. From the visions of the New World to the conquest of the frontier, the color of the American West proliferates and transforms, defining our culture. In this course, we will investigate how critics have understood our fascination with the Western frontier. The class will broadly explore versions of the frontier in novels, films, and historical accounts. Reading about the history of the actual west, the course will then examine how the films of the twentieth century alter history in order to express the fantasies and anxieties of their own time. By studying both history and film, we will be able to interrogate manifest density and the myth of American exceptionalism. What makes the West such an integral part of our understanding of America? How has its actual history become myth? What does the American fascination with the cowboy, the Native American, or the outlaw imply about our nation?
AIQS 100: What is a Book? (117/6748)
MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Iammarino, D
Books are common objects in our everyday lives. They are containers for information, aesthetic objects, and cultural artifacts. Often all at once. Yet, the role and significance of this everyday object within our literary and larger culture is being scrutinized today with an intensity unseen since the 1450 invention of the printing press in the West. The diverse field of book arts is a place where such scrutiny not only exists, but is embraced. Book arts, or the umbrella term for art forms that range from traditional skills, such as papermaking, letterpress printing, and bookbinding, to new methods of artmaking inspired by the form and function of books, views the potential for the book to model new, radical forms of creativity, subjectivity, and political engagement. This course will explore the interdisciplinary and historical reaches of book arts to investigate the questions: What is a book? Is a book a functional object or an art object? Are books designed? How do you distinguish between a book's function and its form? How does book arts reflect or respond to cultural and technological changes in book production? And, how does the digital turn complicate these questions and their answers? In order to engage with these questions, this course will attempt to account for the book in light of the history of its production, materialization, publication, transmission, and reception. To begin to answer these questions, we will look at manuscripts, early printed materials, and book arts in-person and online. We will also be academically and creatively composing in this course as we pair traditional writing assignments with book-making activities, including making books, artist's books, and zines.
AIQS 100: Spectacle in American Culture (118/6749)
MW 03:20-04:35 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Jim, B
The Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS), Spectacle in American Culture, will examine the topic of spectacle chronologically and typologically to better understand the power of remarkable visual experiences to awe, entertain, persuade, and create meaning from the colonial period to the present day. Students will examine spectacle in theory and in practice, analyzing the phenomenon through their written assignments and producing a video journal of spectacular occurrences over the course of the semester. Theorists of spectacle, such as Guy DeBord and David Nye, have shown that spectacle frequently has been used to assure complicity with dominant cultural ideals. This course will encourage students to look for the operation of power oftentimes hidden behind the bright light of spectacle. We will study natural spectacles, such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, and technological spectacles, such as rocket launches, fireworks, and building implosions. Students will work together to develop a theory of spectacle, and we will discuss how spectacle has changed American cities and informed the construction of personal identity. We will draw upon the disciplines of science, art history, history of technology, and sociology to help us better understand the creation of spectacle (and spectators).
AIQS 100: Spectacle in American Culture (119/6750)
MW 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Jim, B
The Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS), Spectacle in American Culture, will examine the topic of spectacle chronologically and typologically to better understand the power of remarkable visual experiences to awe, entertain, persuade, and create meaning from the colonial period to the present day. Students will examine spectacle in theory and in practice, analyzing the phenomenon through their written assignments and producing a video journal of spectacular occurrences over the course of the semester. Theorists of spectacle, such as Guy DeBord and David Nye, have shown that spectacle frequently has been used to assure complicity with dominant cultural ideals. This course will encourage students to look for the operation of power oftentimes hidden behind the bright light of spectacle. We will study natural spectacles, such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, and technological spectacles, such as rocket launches, fireworks, and building implosions. Students will work together to develop a theory of spectacle, and we will discuss how spectacle has changed American cities and informed the construction of personal identity. We will draw upon the disciplines of science, art history, history of technology, and sociology to help us better understand the creation of spectacle (and spectators).
AIQS 100: Rex Futurus: King Arthur in Culture and Commentary (122/6751)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Kapelle, R
King Arthur retains a substantial degree of name recognition hundreds of years after he initially entered the public imagination. But he means something different to different people. Fans, writers, filmmakers, scholars of literature and history, and cultural critics all care about the legendary king but express varying perspectives on his significance. For some, he is a tragic seeker after an ideal community. For others, he is an action hero. He represents Britishness, or authority, or tradition, or equality. His story teaches valuable morals, or his story desperately needs updating. This course examines representations of Arthur's story, including Sir Thomas Malory's influential work Le Morte Darthur. The course also explores conversations about Arthur and his knights, scholarly and otherwise. We will discuss the evolution of the story over time, the various ideals that the legend has expressed, the challenges of adapting the legends to film, the perspective of scholars and reviewers of Arthurian films, and the approaches that new adaptations are taking. By the end of the course, students will have a nuanced perspective on the Arthurian legends but also an enhanced understanding of the stakeholders in a cultural tradition.
AIQS 100: Rex Futurus: King Arthur in Culture and Commentary (123/6752)
MWF 03:20-04:10 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Kapelle, R
King Arthur retains a substantial degree of name recognition hundreds of years after he initially entered the public imagination. But he means something different to different people. Fans, writers, filmmakers, scholars of literature and history, and cultural critics all care about the legendary king but express varying perspectives on his significance. For some, he is a tragic seeker after an ideal community. For others, he is an action hero. He represents Britishness, or authority, or tradition, or equality. His story teaches valuable morals, or his story desperately needs updating. This course examines representations of Arthur's story, including Sir Thomas Malory's influential work Le Morte Darthur. The course also explores conversations about Arthur and his knights, scholarly and otherwise. We will discuss the evolution of the story over time, the various ideals that the legend has expressed, the challenges of adapting the legends to film, the perspective of scholars and reviewers of Arthurian films, and the approaches that new adaptations are taking. By the end of the course, students will have a nuanced perspective on the Arthurian legends but also an enhanced understanding of the stakeholders in a cultural tradition.
AIQS 100: Digital Literature (124/6753)
TR 05:30-06:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Kelly, K
Digital literature refers to literary works designed to be read or experienced on a computer. Such works encourage readers' active participation and often provoke multi-sensory engagement, asking readers to interact with the story through words, images, sounds, touch, and movement. In this class, we read various kinds of digital literature, including choose-your-own-adventure-style stories, narrative games, and media-rich interactive stories. We write about how these works use visual media, interactive features, and digital technology to tell their stories or make their claims in ways that promote readers' agency and engagement. Through seminar discussions, a wide range of reading and playing experiences, and substantial exploratory and analytical writing, we will consider how digital literature helps us understand our digital, networked culture.
AIQS 100: Modern Virtues: Examining Contemporary Moralities (125/6754)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Lucas, K
If you want to be successful today, society gives you a lot of advice. Be optimistic! Be productive! Be creative! Be informed! Our class will critically examine these modern virtues. Do they really help us flourish? In class, students will learn about how modern positive psychologists like Martin Seligman have updated ancient ethical theories from Aristotle and Confucius. Next, we will read the work of contemporary social critics who question whether being virtuous--which can be defined as being both morally good and satisfied with life--is still even possible given the complexity of modern problems. Through a sequence of writing assignments, students will develop research questions that relate expert debates to their professional ambitions. For example, does being self-aware really make you a better doctor, scientist, or manager?
AIQS 100: Modern Virtues: Examining Contemporary Moralities (126/6755)
MWF 03:20-04:10 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Lucas, K
If you want to be successful today, society gives you a lot of advice. Be optimistic! Be productive! Be creative! Be informed! Our class will critically examine these modern virtues. Do they really help us flourish? In class, students will learn about how modern positive psychologists like Martin Seligman have updated ancient ethical theories from Aristotle and Confucius. Next, we will read the work of contemporary social critics who question whether being virtuous--which can be defined as being both morally good and satisfied with life--is still even possible given the complexity of modern problems. Through a sequence of writing assignments, students will develop research questions that relate expert debates to their professional ambitions. For example, does being self-aware really make you a better doctor, scientist, or manager?
AIQS 100: Reading, Watching, and Writing Reality TV (127/6756)
MW 05:30-06:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Binkley, A
"You know, sometimes, I am not the book that someone should be reading. And that's okay." --Amaya, Love Island USA (S7).
When Shakespeare was composing the famous monologue from As You Like It beginning with "All the world's a stage", there was no way he could have envisioned the modern landscape of reality TV and the complex blending of media representation and authentic human life. If a person is a book, as Amaya described herself, how do we become careful readers of and writers about this medium? Join me on CWRU Island, where we will turn a scholarly eye to the world of reality TV. Students will be invited to think about the themes that play out in real time on our devices, with conversations that connect academic disciplines like psychology and sociology to content that is more commonly thought of as brain rot. Instead, we will use this opportunity to not rot but grow, expanding our knowledge base and exploring discourse in a variety of communities, from critical theory to social media. Along the way, we will participate in academic inquiry to discover how reality TV shapes who we are, crafting habits and skills for successful writing and communication.
AIQS 100: Objects of Literacy: The Technology of Reading (128/6757)
TR 05:30-06:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Lyons-McFarland, H
This course explores the technology behind the act of reading, from oral traditions, to clay tablets and sticks, to paper and pen, to e-books and apps. Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, but what is reading? What is writing? And how did we get where we are, where text is continuously around us such that we barely notice it any longer? Over the semester, we will explore how we record meaning and the labor behind the end result, even as we examine our own literacy practices, the combination of audience and author that each of us embodies. We will visit Special Collections at the Kelvin Smith Library, try our hands at manual presses at the New Gutenberg Annex, and create our own "objects of literacy," wherever that takes us. In addition, we will take the opportunity to be intentional about our own experience as literate individuals. We will practice academic methods of both reading and writing, calling upon our experiences and the wealth of knowledge around us to think about and react to the objects and processes we encounter. Through critical thinking and practicing rhetorical approaches, this class will help prepare you for future critical thinking and communication both in and out of academia.
AIQS 100: Objects of Literacy: The Technology of Reading (129/6758)
TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Lyons-McFarland, H
This course explores the technology behind the act of reading, from oral traditions, to clay tablets and sticks, to paper and pen, to e-books and apps. Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, but what is reading? What is writing? And how did we get where we are, where text is continuously around us such that we barely notice it any longer? Over the semester, we will explore how we record meaning and the labor behind the end result, even as we examine our own literacy practices, the combination of audience and author that each of us embodies. We will visit Special Collections at the Kelvin Smith Library, try our hands at manual presses at the New Gutenberg Annex, and create our own "objects of literacy," wherever that takes us. In addition, we will take the opportunity to be intentional about our own experience as literate individuals. We will practice academic methods of both reading and writing, calling upon our experiences and the wealth of knowledge around us to think about and react to the objects and processes we encounter. Through critical thinking and practicing rhetorical approaches, this class will help prepare you for future critical thinking and communication both in and out of academia.
AIQS 100: Women Write War (130/6759)
TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Magearu, A
"In the popular imagination, women are often presented in stereotypical fashion as nurturing mothers, peace-makers, or powerless victims of displacement and war. While it is true that women often bear an uneven burden of care, which may render them more vulnerable during wartime, they also play an active role in conflict and post-conflict situations as witnesses, reporters, combatants, resistance fighters, or conflict mediators. This course will critically engage with a number of key themes deconstructing the relationship between gender and war: the circulation of the phrase women and children, the role of oral history in recording gender-based violence, the weaponization of gender in nationalist or imperial discourses, women's writing as a form of witnessing, and women's participation in resistance movements against colonial oppression.
We will examine a global selection of women's writings on war with a particular focus on conflicts in Eastern Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. We will read fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by a diverse set of writers documenting war crimes, retrieving the voices of women buried within colonial archives, resisting colonial encroachment on their lives, reporting on crimes against humanity, interrogating complicity in imperial wars, and fighting to survive displacement and erasure. Our readings will also be supplemented by film screenings portraying the diverse lives of women at war.
Students will not only become familiarized with a variety of global conflicts and contexts, but they will also have the opportunity to delve deeper into both historical events and contemporary wars using critical postcolonial feminist lenses.
AIQS 100: Women Write War (131/6760)
TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Magearu, A
"In the popular imagination, women are often presented in stereotypical fashion as nurturing mothers, peace-makers, or powerless victims of displacement and war. While it is true that women often bear an uneven burden of care, which may render them more vulnerable during wartime, they also play an active role in conflict and post-conflict situations as witnesses, reporters, combatants, resistance fighters, or conflict mediators. This course will critically engage with a number of key themes deconstructing the relationship between gender and war: the circulation of the phrase women and children, the role of oral history in recording gender-based violence, the weaponization of gender in nationalist or imperial discourses, women's writing as a form of witnessing, and women's participation in resistance movements against colonial oppression.
We will examine a global selection of women's writings on war with a particular focus on conflicts in Eastern Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. We will read fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by a diverse set of writers documenting war crimes, retrieving the voices of women buried within colonial archives, resisting colonial encroachment on their lives, reporting on crimes against humanity, interrogating complicity in imperial wars, and fighting to survive displacement and erasure. Our readings will also be supplemented by film screenings portraying the diverse lives of women at war.
Students will not only become familiarized with a variety of global conflicts and contexts, but they will also have the opportunity to delve deeper into both historical events and contemporary wars using critical postcolonial feminist lenses.
AIQS 100: Pursuit of Happiness: Approaches to the Good Life (132/6761)
TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Sattler, A
When Thomas Jefferson placed the pursuit of happiness alongside life and liberty as unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence, he was writing into a long intellectual tradition. This course examines that tradition: both how we pursue and experience happiness, and how philosophers, artists, sociologists, psychologists, and neuroscientists have defined and studied happiness. We will read scientific research and philosophy alongside autobiographies, narratives, and other art works as we explore happiness. Then, we will collect qualitative data, synthesize our findings, write essays, and produce a multimodal presentation as we participate in the larger conversation about the pursuit of happiness.
AIQS 100: Love and Sex in Shakespeare (135/6763)
MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Newlin, J
For many readers, William Shakespeare's works are inseparable from the concept of romantic love. Those "star crossed" sweethearts, Romeo and Juliet, are the most famous lovers in English literature, and thousands of wedding ceremonies have featured a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116. But does that poem really a pledge of romantic fidelity, the oath of one promising to have and hold? Or is it, as the scholar Helen Vendler has argued, a vitriolic account of sexual jealousy? In this class, we will examine a broad cross-section of Shakespeare's plays and poems as we investigate what it was Shakespeare actually believed about the nature of romantic love and physical intimacy. What do the plays and poems have to say about "love at first sight," fidelity, jealousy, and consent? How does Shakespeare depict queer people and same-sex desire? Was Shakespeare's account of these issues reflective of his time--or did he subvert or challenge the views of love and sexual intimacy common to the Renaissance? In addition to gaining a finer understanding of Shakespeare's work and its historical context, we will examine how and why Shakespeare's account of romance and sexuality continues to resonate so strongly in the present. Students will develop skills of formal academic writing and research, as they engage these issues in a variety of formats, including traditional writing assignments and presentations.
AIQS 100: Digital Citizenship (136/6764)
TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Emmons, K; Wu, X
What is digital citizenship? How does it relate to social media and Internet regulations? What are the debates surrounding digital world? How do these affect us, collectively and individually? In this class, we invite students from different disciplines to explore these questions. Course texts may include scholarly articles from different disciplines (e.g., business, engineering, psychology), news reports, and film/documentary. Students will participate in student-centered class discussions, which are designed to help them to think critically and make connections between their lives and the readings. Through free writing, reflection, peer feedback, revision and an 8-10-page argumentative research paper, students will understand academic writing as a process, and they will develop academic writing skills such as building arguments and conducting critical analysis. Students are encouraged to use multi-model ways (ppt, video, posters, etc.) to present their final projects.
AIQS 100: Stories of Science and Scientists (137/6765)
MWF 04:25-05:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Pecastaings, A
Stories of Science and Scientists explores the treatment of scientific themes and the depiction of scientists in literature. This is not a course about science fiction: instead of envisioning future scientific advancements, Science in Literature pays close attention to the ways in which literary texts comment upon ongoing scientific debates and respond to the questionings of science. Science lives in the world, not aside from it, and literature shines a light on this truth precisely because it engages with scientific findings in ways that are often outside the purview of science itself. For instance, literary texts can consider the following questions: How do scientists factor in other, non-scientific facets of their lives (e.g., their fear of death or political pressures bearing on them) into their work? How does a given scientific item inflect our lived experiences and our understanding of our place in the universe? What is it like to live with such knowledge? What is it like to live in awareness of what we do not know about the natural world? Our readings will include Arcadia, Einstein's Dreams, and QED.
AIQS 100: Jane Austen, Inc. (138/6766)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Pecastaings, A
Jane Austen has gone viral. From TV series and period films to fan websites and immersive conferences reenacting early-19th century English culture, Jane Austen enjoys a busy afterlife. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of her birth, this course invites you to (re)discover two of her novels and to explore their enduring appeal and relevance. How did Austen make sense of her own place and time? What social, cultural, and political concerns did her work address? How do recent adaptations "translate" her work for a modern audience? What do these retellings emphasize or overlook? What can the back and forth between Austen's novels and these adaptations tell us about our own place and time? We will read Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, watch recent film adaptations of Austen's work, including updated or parodic versions such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and explore fan websites.
AIQS 100: Jane Austen, Inc. (139/6767)
MWF 03:20-04:10 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Pecastaings, A
Jane Austen has gone viral. From TV series and period films to fan websites and immersive conferences reenacting early-19th century English culture, Jane Austen enjoys a busy afterlife. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of her birth, this course invites you to (re)discover two of her novels and to explore their enduring appeal and relevance. How did Austen make sense of her own place and time? What social, cultural, and political concerns did her work address? How do recent adaptations "translate" her work for a modern audience? What do these retellings emphasize or overlook? What can the back and forth between Austen's novels and these adaptations tell us about our own place and time? We will read Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, watch recent film adaptations of Austen's work, including updated or parodic versions such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and explore fan websites.
AIQS 100: Comedy, Rhetoric, and Writing (140/6768)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Robisch, K
"The most powerful weapon on Earth is not a gun or a bomb, but a well-timed joke," said John Oliver. He separately admitted "It's a great time to be doing political satire when the world is on a knife edge." Comedy is many things and differs in many situations, depending on audience, context and purpose. This class will examine questions such as: where and when does humor occur? And who or what is a comedian? Studying these contexts and purposes will help us develop our own tools for writing persuasively in academic contexts. We will examine rhetoric and humor in a variety of different mediums, focusing on how comedy helps us make sense of political and cultural situations. Through ongoing discussions and assignments, we will consider what makes something funny and to whom? We'll first hone our own analysis skills through rhetorical analysis of a specific piece of comedy, then learn to incorporate outside sources to serve as additional evidence. As we gear up for our final persuasive research paper, we'll summarize additional sources and then visually represent their connections through concept maps and infographics.
AIQS 100: Weird Fictions (141/6769)
TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
PInkerton, S
Most of us love to settle in with a reliably entertaining novel or movie. We can usually count on such stories to provide relatable characters, coherent plots, satisfying conclusions--and not to make us think too hard after a long day. But there are different, arguably deeper pleasures to be found in stories that are weird: the kind that challenge our minds and subvert our expectations. Such fictions tend to play around with more familiar modes of narration, often bending time and space, form and content, reality and illusion. Even the most discerning film buffs can't agree, for instance, whether the first or the second part of "Mulholland Dr." (2001) occurs in the dreams of a character who exists in the "realer" part. (Or whether neither portion can claim priority and "the real dreamer is elsewhere," as one critic has suggestively put it.) Works like these empower us, as readers and viewers, to become active participants in interpreting or even constructing the stories they present. In this seminar, you'll discuss and write about a diverse range of weird stories and films, taking their innovations and ambiguities as occasions to hone your skills as a reader, writer, and thinker. More broadly, these fictions will give you ample occasion to reflect critically on the kinds of stories we all tell ourselves and others, narratives that provide a sense of meaning and coherence--even when they can't quite be trusted.
AIQS 100: Weird Fictions (142/6770)
TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
PInkerton, S
Most of us love to settle in with a reliably entertaining novel or movie. We can usually count on such stories to provide relatable characters, coherent plots, satisfying conclusions--and not to make us think too hard after a long day. But there are different, arguably deeper pleasures to be found in stories that are weird: the kind that challenge our minds and subvert our expectations. Such fictions tend to play around with more familiar modes of narration, often bending time and space, form and content, reality and illusion. Even the most discerning film buffs can't agree, for instance, whether the first or the second part of "Mulholland Dr." (2001) occurs in the dreams of a character who exists in the "realer" part. (Or whether neither portion can claim priority and "the real dreamer is elsewhere," as one critic has suggestively put it.) Works like these empower us, as readers and viewers, to become active participants in interpreting or even constructing the stories they present. In this seminar, you'll discuss and write about a diverse range of weird stories and films, taking their innovations and ambiguities as occasions to hone your skills as a reader, writer, and thinker. More broadly, these fictions will give you ample occasion to reflect critically on the kinds of stories we all tell ourselves and others, narratives that provide a sense of meaning and coherence--even when they can't quite be trusted.
AIQS 100: What's Historical about Historical Fiction? (144/6771)
MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Reader, L
Is historical fiction a useful way to learn about the past? What can we learn from reading a novel or short story instead of an historical document or a piece of non-fiction writing about the past? In this course, we are going to ask how historical is historical fiction? We will look at this question in three different ways. First, we'll consider the accuracy of historical fiction and discuss the reasons why authors build on and augment commonly understood historical narratives. Second, we'll look at the ways in which historical fiction functions as a record of contemporary history--the point in time at which the novel or short story was written. In the last part of the course, we'll look at how questions of authenticity and historical context feature in counterfactual historical fictions that discuss histories that weren't.
AIQS 100: Literacy Through Time (147/6773)
MWF 09:30-10:20 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Qiu, X
Literacy is a dynamic, contested, and deeply human practice that continues to evolve through time. However, what does it mean to be literate in an age of rapid technological change? How have the tools we use to read and write shaped not just what we communicate, but who gets to participate in these conversations? In this seminar, you will be equipped with an analytical tool to interrogate your own literacy development, exploring how writing has long been mediated by a variety of writing technologies, from mechanical typewriters and letterpress printing to WordStar word processors and modern 3D printing. Through hands-on workshops with these technologies, you will discover how writing evolves through time and how each tool brings its own possibilities and limitations, shaping the voices that get heard and the stories that get told.
You will begin by crafting your own literacy narrative, examining the people, institutions, and technologies that have sponsored (or sometimes blocked) your journey as a reader and writer. Then, you will interview an individual from different generations about their literacy experiences and present your findings to explore how literacy sponsorship has shifted across time. Finally, you will investigate a pressing literacy crisis of our time: Are AI tools democratizing writing or creating new digital divides? How do social media algorithms influence what stories circulate? What happens to handwriting in a world of voice-to-text? Through collaborative research, creative projects, critical analysis, you will develop the tools to frame a problem, navigate and contribute meaningfully to our rapidly changing information landscape.
AIQS 100: Literacy Through Time (148/6774)
MWF 10:35-11:25 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Qiu, X
Literacy is a dynamic, contested, and deeply human practice that continues to evolve through time. However, what does it mean to be literate in an age of rapid technological change? How have the tools we use to read and write shaped not just what we communicate, but who gets to participate in these conversations? In this seminar, you will be equipped with an analytical tool to interrogate your own literacy development, exploring how writing has long been mediated by a variety of writing technologies, from mechanical typewriters and letterpress printing to WordStar word processors and modern 3D printing. Through hands-on workshops with these technologies, you will discover how writing evolves through time and how each tool brings its own possibilities and limitations, shaping the voices that get heard and the stories that get told.
You will begin by crafting your own literacy narrative, examining the people, institutions, and technologies that have sponsored (or sometimes blocked) your journey as a reader and writer. Then, you will interview an individual from different generations about their literacy experiences and present your findings to explore how literacy sponsorship has shifted across time. Finally, you will investigate a pressing literacy crisis of our time: Are AI tools democratizing writing or creating new digital divides? How do social media algorithms influence what stories circulate? What happens to handwriting in a world of voice-to-text? Through collaborative research, creative projects, critical analysis, you will develop the tools to frame a problem, navigate and contribute meaningfully to our rapidly changing information landscape.
AIQS 100: Marriage Plots (149/6775)
MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Wiehl, J
Why do so many stories end with a wedding? Our course will consider the form of the marriage plot: we will look at how stories often begin with young(ish) people meeting and falling in love, and how the process of storytelling denies (or frustrates) their initial connection. Through the telling of the story, however, the young lovers overcome obstacles in myriad forms: controlling parents, financial insecurity or class differences, religious differences, even magical spells. We will think about what these stories do for their readers and viewers. We will also think about how various other stories--of riots, of government, of dissatisfaction with life--get couched in marriage plots. What is it about a marriage plot that ensures stability, satisfies our desires, and gives us such necessary closure? How does the form of "comedy"--for this is the overarching genre that relies so heavily upon marriage plots--work with and reshape the marriage plot over time? We will also briefly ponder how supporters of marriage equality have used the marriage plot. Finally, our investigation into the marriage plot will look at marriage plot comedies that refuse to conform to the typical marriage plot in dark humor. This course investigates the presence of the marriage plot across multiple literary genres: dramas, novels, film, and television. We will also read and view courtship narratives from across historical periods.
AIQS 100: You Are Your Language (151/6780)
TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Vakili, P
In this seminar, we will look at language as a key component in (re)shaping our modern society in many different ways. We will examine the importance of language in the performance of personal identity, as well as how beliefs about language reflect ideas about individuals and groups. We will explore how language use can both promote and hinder social justice, particularly for minority groups within the larger national community. Some questions we will consider are: How can language serve as a gate-keeping mechanism? What is the relationship between language and power? How does linguistic prejudice contribute to social inequality? To fulfill our course objectives, we will engage with scholarly, journalistic, and literary works. We will also conduct library, media, and community research to deepen our understanding of language, identity, power, and privilege. By the end of the course, we will have the tools necessary to articulate how language use can make positive contributions to our lives and to the social systems in which we live and work.
AIQS 100: You Are Your Language (152/6781)
TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Vakili, P
In this seminar, we will look at language as a key component in (re)shaping our modern society in many different ways. We will examine the importance of language in the performance of personal identity, as well as how beliefs about language reflect ideas about individuals and groups. We will explore how language use can both promote and hinder social justice, particularly for minority groups within the larger national community. Some questions we will consider are: How can language serve as a gate-keeping mechanism? What is the relationship between language and power? How does linguistic prejudice contribute to social inequality? To fulfill our course objectives, we will engage with scholarly, journalistic, and literary works. We will also conduct library, media, and community research to deepen our understanding of language, identity, power, and privilege. By the end of the course, we will have the tools necessary to articulate how language use can make positive contributions to our lives and to the social systems in which we live and work.
AIQS 100: Grief, Identity, and Belonging (153/10244)
TR 08:30-09:45 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Bedell, A
Have you ever experienced a loss--whether through death or in another form--that profoundly shaped your sense of self or your connection to others? This course examines the wide spectrum of grief, encompassing both death-related and non-death losses. While death remains one of the most recognized and ritualized forms of loss, many people also carry grief that is less visible, less validated, and often unnamed. These non-death or disenfranchised losses may include the loss of health, the end of significant relationships, family estrangement, cultural disconnection, identity transitions, or the impact of discrimination and oppression. Together, these experiences invite us to question how we mourn, who is allowed to grieve, and what grief reveals about identity and belonging. We will explore how grief shapes our inner worlds, relationships, and communities. Topics include disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss, collective grief, and the ways grief intersects with race, gender, sexuality, class, and culture. We also consider how systemic inequities and dominant narratives influence which kinds of grief are acknowledged, pathologized, silenced, or honored. Grounded in trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, this writing-intensive course draws on interdisciplinary readings, memoirs, theory, and creative work to deepen our understanding of grief's many expressions. Students will engage in writing and discussion that foster critical thinking, emotional insight, and analytical skill. Whether examining the aftermath of death or the quiet ache of unspoken loss, students will be invited to consider how grief shapes who we are, how we find meaning, and how we seek belonging in the face of change.
AIQS 100: Grief, Identity, and Belonging (154/10245)
TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Bedell, A
Have you ever experienced a loss--whether through death or in another form--that profoundly shaped your sense of self or your connection to others? This course examines the wide spectrum of grief, encompassing both death-related and non-death losses. While death remains one of the most recognized and ritualized forms of loss, many people also carry grief that is less visible, less validated, and often unnamed. These non-death or disenfranchised losses may include the loss of health, the end of significant relationships, family estrangement, cultural disconnection, identity transitions, or the impact of discrimination and oppression. Together, these experiences invite us to question how we mourn, who is allowed to grieve, and what grief reveals about identity and belonging. We will explore how grief shapes our inner worlds, relationships, and communities. Topics include disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss, collective grief, and the ways grief intersects with race, gender, sexuality, class, and culture. We also consider how systemic inequities and dominant narratives influence which kinds of grief are acknowledged, pathologized, silenced, or honored. Grounded in trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, this writing-intensive course draws on interdisciplinary readings, memoirs, theory, and creative work to deepen our understanding of grief's many expressions. Students will engage in writing and discussion that foster critical thinking, emotional insight, and analytical skill. Whether examining the aftermath of death or the quiet ache of unspoken loss, students will be invited to consider how grief shapes who we are, how we find meaning, and how we seek belonging in the face of change.
AIQS 100: Bicycles (155/10246)
MW 08:00-09:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27
Chilton, E
For most of us, the bicycle seems a simple, everyday object, associated with children's toys or recreational sport. But this remarkably efficient machine has developed in distinct technological, social, and economic contexts, and these contexts are closely intertwined with community values. In this seminar, we will trace the history of bicycles and consider how we can shape public environments, including urban spaces, to better reflect the values of present and future generations. Students will work individually and in groups to explore these topics, producing formal essays as well as presentations in coordination with classmates. We will use Cleveland and University Circle as a laboratory for understanding the complexity and challenges of managing city infrastructure for different kinds of users. We will also critically examine claims that increased bicycle use can lead to better energy efficiency, less traffic, improved health, better quality of life, and more fun. By engaging with popular and scholarly sources, we will consider the significance of bicycles even for non-cyclists. Topics will include the development and engineering of bicycle technology, the aesthetic and cultural aspects of the cycling experience, the role of bicycles in the fight for women's suffrage and equality, and the place of bicycles in our transportation infrastructure. In all this, we will consider how to remake urban public spaces to accommodate all people and reflect our common values.
AIQS 100: Bicycles (156/10247)
MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Chilton, E
For most of us, the bicycle seems a simple, everyday object, associated with children's toys or recreational sport. But this remarkably efficient machine has developed in distinct technological, social, and economic contexts, and these contexts are closely intertwined with community values. In this seminar, we will trace the history of bicycles and consider how we can shape public environments, including urban spaces, to better reflect the values of present and future generations. Students will work individually and in groups to explore these topics, producing formal essays as well as presentations in coordination with classmates. We will use Cleveland and University Circle as a laboratory for understanding the complexity and challenges of managing city infrastructure for different kinds of users. We will also critically examine claims that increased bicycle use can lead to better energy efficiency, less traffic, improved health, better quality of life, and more fun. By engaging with popular and scholarly sources, we will consider the significance of bicycles even for non-cyclists. Topics will include the development and engineering of bicycle technology, the aesthetic and cultural aspects of the cycling experience, the role of bicycles in the fight for women's suffrage and equality, and the place of bicycles in our transportation infrastructure. In all this, we will consider how to remake urban public spaces to accommodate all people and reflect our common values.
AIQS 100: Representations of Royalty (157/10515)
TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Wolfe, M
From Arthur and Guinevere of Arthurian legend to Disney's Elsa and Anna, kings, queens, princes, and princesses continue to fascinate readers and viewers, even in a democratic republic like the United States. This Academic Inquiry Seminar will examine how representations of royalty function in literature, film, news media, and popular culture. We will explore the phenomenon of Disney princesses and how they represent ideals of both authority and femininity. We will read literature such as YA novel Children of Blood and Bone to understand how the relationship between monarchs and their people is represented in contemporary fiction. And we will analyze popular media representations of real-life royals, including the British royal family, to discuss how celebrity culture and social media have changed the public's relationship to royalty. Throughout, we will consider questions such as: How and why do the concepts of rank and nobility appeal to American audiences, especially when contrasted with national values such as equality and individualism? How do race, gender, class, and nationality play into our conceptions of what makes someone royal? What are the characteristics that a "good" royal is supposed to have and how do these characteristics change based on time period, audience, and genre? How do media representations of real-life royals challenge the idealization of royalty? Assignments will include film analysis, literary analysis, and rhetorical analysis, as well as informal writing and reflective writing. For the final project in the course, students will have the opportunity to choose their own topic and primary sources to analyze, which could represent royalty from any culture, time period, or genre.
AIQS 110: Linguistic Diversity and Social Justice (100/6721)
MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Mohammed, R
This course investigates the relationship between linguistic diversity, identity performance, and issues of linguistic and social justice in the US context. We will examine the histories of linguistic discrimination, marginalization, and stigmatization/stereotyping towards minority, immigrant, and marginalized communities and the implications of these histories on their current identities, linguistic practice, and societal positions. Students will learn academic writing skills such as synthesizing and argumentation, engaging different types of audience, and evaluating/integrating sources into their writings. Students will be exposed to various textual and multimodal genres written/produced by diverse authors and will engage in critical linguistic and rhetorical analyses of how language is used to include/exclude, emphasize and/or marginalize/stigmatize, and promote/demote certain groups, languages/dialects, and identities. The course is divided into three units. In Unit 1, students will think critically about the course theme and participate in defining essential concepts (diversity, justice, equity, discrimination, ideology, etc.) as they study the historical, social, and linguistic contexts that deem certain languages/dialects and their speakers as more/less prestigious than others. In doing so, students will also reflect on their positionality as diverse speakers studying in a foreign context and practice their authorial agency by critically analyzing how their linguistic and rhetorical choices are defined, negotiated, and oftentimes shaped by genres and writing situations. In Unit 2, students will engage in discussions of language perceptions and their role in forming exclusionary practices (linguistic and otherwise). In Unit 3, students will use their writing as a space for acknowledging our collective roles in disrupting language ideologies for social and linguistic justice.
AIQS 120: Wired Words: Composing in a Tech-Mediated World (100/6720)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Qiu, X
Ever wonder how your favorite apps are secretly shaping your perceptions of and behaviors in writing? Or why your professor may frown upon slideshows in your class presentation? This course will bring to light technology-mediated academic writing process through the investigation of technology as a medium in composition and communication. We will kick things off by becoming digital detectives, investigating your own tech habits. You will start writing an autoethnography 'confession' about your love-hate relationship with everyday tech tools. You will explore how various technologies, from PowerPoint to Google, have influenced your academic and personal writing practices. From time to time, we will put on our debate hats and duke it out over whether technologies are making us smarter or... not so much. Later in the semester, you will analyze how emerging technologies like Generative AI is 'constructing' new forms of language and communication. In this course, you will have ample opportunity to critically examine and experiment with these tools. Overall, this course aims to enhance your critical thinking, information literacy, research, and composition skills (such as problematizing, synthesizing, persuading) while keeping as its core the dialectical relationship between technology and writing.
AIQS 120: Linguistic Diversity and Social Justice (101/11247)
MWF 02:15-03:05 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Mohammed, R
This course investigates the relationship between linguistic diversity, identity performance, and issues of linguistic and social justice in the US context. We will examine the histories of linguistic discrimination, marginalization, and stigmatization/stereotyping towards minority, immigrant, and marginalized communities and the implications of these histories on their current identities, linguistic practice, and societal positions. Students will learn academic writing skills such as synthesizing and argumentation, engaging different types of audience, and evaluating/integrating sources into their writings. Students will be exposed to various textual and multimodal genres written/produced by diverse authors and will engage in critical linguistic and rhetorical analyses of how language is used to include/exclude, emphasize and/or marginalize/stigmatize, and promote/demote certain groups, languages/dialects, and identities. The course is divided into three units. In Unit 1, students will think critically about the course theme and participate in defining essential concepts (diversity, justice, equity, discrimination, ideology, etc.) as they study the historical, social, and linguistic contexts that deem certain languages/dialects and their speakers as more/less prestigious than others. In doing so, students will also reflect on their positionality as diverse speakers studying in a foreign context and practice their authorial agency by critically analyzing how their linguistic and rhetorical choices are defined, negotiated, and oftentimes shaped by genres and writing situations. In Unit 2, students will engage in discussions of language perceptions and their role in forming exclusionary practices (linguistic and otherwise). In Unit 3, students will use their writing as a space for acknowledging our collective roles in disrupting language ideologies for social and linguistic justice.
AIQS 130: Children's Literature in Cleveland (101/7159)
TR 08:30-09:45 AM Jan 12-Apr 27, W 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Byrne, C
Children's picture books not only introduce young children to basic ideas like what sounds animals make and how to count to ten but also to their culture's belief systems. In this course, we will take seemingly simplistic children's picture books and analyze the underlying messages and the "hidden adult" present in their illustrations and text. From The Cat in the Hat to Last Stop on Market Street to The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, we will analyze both well-known best-sellers and recent picture books with timely messages. To deepen our understanding of the picture books we study, we will also collaborate with local stakeholders, including children and community members who read, create, and/or distribute these books. We will partner with 2nd graders at a local elementary school, area literacy nonprofits, and libraries to deepen our understanding of young people in Cleveland and the books they read. The key questions we will explore and answer together include: What is a "children's picture book"? How do we analyze the visual arguments in picture books? What assumptions are made about the readers of these books? What function do the adult producers/ purchasers/ distributors of these books serve in the creation and circulation (or banning) of these texts? How are complex and difficult topics (like racism, death, and war) explored in works for children? By examining the underlying messages in these deceptively simple books, we can uncover surprisingly complicated visions of the world.
AIQS 130: Children's Literature in Cleveland (102/7160)
TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 12-Apr 27, W 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 12-Apr 27
Byrne, C
Children's picture books not only introduce young children to basic ideas like what sounds animals make and how to count to ten but also to their culture's belief systems. In this course, we will take seemingly simplistic children's picture books and analyze the underlying messages and the "hidden adult" present in their illustrations and text. From The Cat in the Hat to Last Stop on Market Street to The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, we will analyze both well-known best-sellers and recent picture books with timely messages. To deepen our understanding of the picture books we study, we will also collaborate with local stakeholders, including children and community members who read, create, and/or distribute these books. We will partner with 2nd graders at a local elementary school, area literacy nonprofits, and libraries to deepen our understanding of young people in Cleveland and the books they read. The key questions we will explore and answer together include: What is a "children's picture book"? How do we analyze the visual arguments in picture books? What assumptions are made about the readers of these books? What function do the adult producers/ purchasers/ distributors of these books serve in the creation and circulation (or banning) of these texts? How are complex and difficult topics (like racism, death, and war) explored in works for children? By examining the underlying messages in these deceptively simple books, we can uncover surprisingly complicated visions of the world.