Subject: FSNA

Term: Fall 2011

FSNA 103: Energy and Society (100/10369)

TR 02:45-04:00 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Taylor, P

This four-credit-hour course provides an introduction to collegiate writing and to various dimensions of academic life, but will focus on the critical appreciation of the world of energy. Currently, most of the world runs on non-renewable resources; this course is designed to help students develop viewpoints about these issues, and to express themselves in a clear, coherent way. The class will involve both literacy and numeracy, and students will learn to become comfortable handling some of the quantitative measures of energy use. The class will be characterized by intense yet open-ended intellectual inquiry, guided by reading, lectures and discussion, and will include practice in written and oral communication individually and in small groups.

FSNA 104: Archaeoastronomy: Monuments and Ideas (100/10366)

TR 01:15-02:30 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Luck, R

The unifying theme of this course is how astronomical practice and knowledge is central to ancient civilizations and how that emphasis continues today as manifested through scientific endeavor and also as strongly through the power of unifying myth.

FSNA 109: Science and Race (100/10353)

TR 02:45-04:00 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Greksa, L

This four-credit seminar examines the development and impact of the concept of race. We will first focus on the causes of biological variability in species, leading to an evaluation of whether race is a useful device for understanding biological variability in humans. Second, we will examine how the understanding of race has changed over time within the biological sciences. Third, we will examine how scientific conceptualizations about race have influenced, and been influenced by, cultural beliefs. Through readings and open-ended discussion, we will critically examine the scientific process as it has been (and still is) being applied to the study of human races so that each student will ultimately be equipped to develop a scientifically sound conceptualization of race. Topics which will be covered include Social Darwinism, the eugenics movement, legislation to restrict immigration into the U.S., race-based medicine, and race and intelligence. Students are expected to enhance their skills at critical reading, thoughtful analysis, constructing logical arguments, and improving written and oral communication.

FSNA 111: Chemical Aspects of the Aging Mind (100/10383)

TR 01:15-02:30 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Zagorski, M

This seminar will focus on three age-related neurological disorders: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington disease. These diseases pose enormous social and economic impact, and current drug-based therapeutic approaches are limited and may not be suited to deal with the imminent problems. The seminar will examine lifestyle changes (i.e., diet, exercise, vitamins, and other habits such as reading) that are implicated in preventing or slowing down these disorders. The focus on a medical topic with important socioeconomic ramifications will provide a novel approach to enhancing critical thinking and communication skills.

FSNA 113: Facts and Values in Environmental Decisions (100/10368)

TR 10:00-11:15 AM Aug 29-Dec 09, M 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Saylor, B

This four-credit seminar will guide students to critically evaluate the evidence, uncertainties, and value judgments pertinent to some of the world's pressing environmental issues. We will begin by studying climate change. Students will decide the topics of exploration to follow. Through reading, field trips, discussions and writing we will investigate natural environmental processes and how they have changed with the growth in human population and technology. Students will learn about the scientific process and will consider the roll of science and technology and their limits in making decisions about shared resources.

FSNA 116: Cities (Under Construction) (100/10354)

MWF 11:30-12:20 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, M 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Jim, B

Based on the premise that cities are never "finished", and constantly being remade, we will look at the technological and cultural history of cities from the ancient world to the present day. Students will explore the history of building materials---wood, brick, steel, concrete, and glass---used in the construction of cities. We will also trace the development of city infrastructure such as water and sewage systems; streets, bridges, and subways; electricity, telephone and the internet. Specific technological innovations, such as the elevator and the automobile, will receive special consideration. We will move both geographically and temporally to visit the world's great cities, Athens, Mexico City, Tokyo, and New York City. As we do, we will study the examples of significant building projects, such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chicago World's Fair, Washington, DC's Metro, and Cleveland's first skyscraper, the Rockefeller Building. The course will cover the history of the professions---engineering, architecture, and urban planning---that have contributed to the construction of cities, and will review the works of these practitioners, as well as that of artists, reformers, and utopians that have imagined new directions for the city. We will also explore first person narratives of the city, the impact of the city on personal and collective memory, and the possibilities and pitfalls of the "virtual" city. Through lecture, discussion, textual analysis, computer simulations, and writing assignments, Cities (Under Construction) will help students gain a deeper understanding of their role in remaking and sustaining the built environment.

FSNA 120: The Impact of Materials on Societal Development (100/10596)

MWF 03:00-03:50 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Lagerlof, P

This four credit-hour SAGES seminar provides an introduction to various dimensions of academic life through open-ended intellectual inquiry and guided by reading from primary and secondary sources. The course will require practice in written and oral communications in small groups. A primary focus of the seminar will be to examine the impact of engineering materials on societal development through human history using a few specific materials of interest as examples: concrete, steel, and semi-conductors. At the conclusion of the course, students will be encouraged to explore the impact of other materials on the development of specific technologies as a group project.

FSNA 123: The Automobile: Its Origins, Development, and Impact on American Society (100/10401)

MWF 02:00-02:50 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Stuehr, J

The automobile is without doubt one of the defining influences on American life and society. In 1900, most people lived in rural communities, and the main forms of personal transportation were walking and the horse and buggy. Half a century later, most Americans lived in cities or suburbs, there were millions of cars in garages, and roads and highways criss-crossed the nation. The car has transformed where we live and work, how we play, and the very nature of our cities. This course will examine the American automobile from several perspectives: its origins, evolution and effect on industry; its impact on American life and leisure; and the automobile as an art form and American icon. We will also discuss how we preserve examples of our automotive heritage. These topics will be explored in the context of the usual writing and discussion components of a first SAGES course.

FSNA 125: The Right Stuff (100/10349)

TR 04:30-05:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, M 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Absher, A

This course will examine the Space Race. A key text for the course will be Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. By taking a historical approach to the study of the achievements and failures of NASA scientists and astronauts, it is possible to examine: 1) how individuals dedicated to achieving a particular scientific end draw on the scientific method, 2) the consequences of scientific inquiry, and 3) how science develops in specific historic contexts.

FSNA 126: Urban Ecology (100/10367)

MWF 02:00-02:50 PM Aug 29-Dec 09, W 12:30-01:45 PM Aug 29-Dec 09

Olbricht, E

This course will explore the natural world in an urban context. Urban spaces are defined by the interaction between human creation (the built environment) and the natural world. We'll read about wildlife management in cities, human/organism conflicts and interdependence, urban heat islands, watersheds, and how trees grow in urban conditions. We'll explore ethical issues like environmental justice and sustainable development. Field trips include sites in downtown Cleveland as well as University Circle. Requirements include frequent reading and writing, a collaborative writing project on one of the field tip sites, participation in field trips and class discussion.