Course listings | Case Western Reserve University

Term: Spring 2017

USSO 234: Questions of Identity (100/6526)

MW 05:30-06:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Arnoff, G

Who we are informs the ways in which we act in the world. How we respond to society in the individual, local, and global community is impacted by the way we see ourselves, the way others see us, and the way we see others. Who am I? How do I look at myself in relationship to others? How does the way in which society views me affect the way I think of myself? How have writers, historians, and philosophers dealt with the challenges of self and group identity? We will explore these issues through readings from the Civil Rights Era, the Holocaust, and the period of decolonization in Africa.

USSO 243: The Art of Fact (100/6528)

TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 17-May 01

Simakis, A

As evidenced by the tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we ignore the consequences of endemic poverty at our peril. How do you evacuate a city filled with thousands of people too poor to own cars? Where do you house them after they've been rescued from their drowned neighborhoods? Although Cleveland won't likely be erased by flood, it's one of the poorest big cities in the nation making it vulnerable to disaster in times of crisis and an incubator for a host of thorny social problems. Often, it's up to journalists to bring attention to these issues, give voice to the voiceless and force policymakers to come up with solutions to seemingly intractable problems. In this seminar, we'll read and dissect the works of journalists who've written stories about complex social problems and have done so using many of the conventions employed by writers of fiction. Writer Ben Yagoda described this literary journalism as "making facts dance." We'll spend our time researching numerous social issues and learn to write about them in a clear and compelling voice.

USSO 266: Framing Our Legal System: Law in the Movies (100/6513)

MW 03:20-04:35 PM Jan 17-May 01

Mester, T

This course explores important themes in the study of law, lawyers, and legal institutions by regarding their representations in movies. We will cover such issues as race/class/gender and the law, legal ethics, legal education, the adversarial system, and the image and status of the lawyer in American culture. We will also look at the ways in which law and the legal profession affect popular culture and, conversely, the ways in which poplar views of legal problems and lawyers affect law.

USSO 285L: Hollywood Cartoons, American Society (100/11620)

MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 17-May 01

Goldmark, D

This class provides a history of mainstream animation produced in the United States during the 20th century, emphasizing in particular the output of the Hollywood animation studios of the 1930s-1950s, the shift to television animation in the 1950s, and the rebirth of animation in the 1980s. In addition to the general history of the field and key periods of creative development in the genre, we will discuss various sub-genres or narrative fads within animation, cultural and social movements of the 20th century and how they are reflected in contemporaneous popular culture, issues of art versus commerce in the creation of popular animation, the intersection of animation and politics, and the representation of race, gender, sexuality and religion. Since this class focuses on visual media, we will also spend a great deal of time both watching films and discussing how to watch animated films with a critical eye.

USSO 285T: Why We Believe Weird Things (100/11618)

TR 11:30-12:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Butler, J

How, in such a skeptical age, can people maintain questionable beliefs regarding urban legends, alternative medicine, superstitions, and paranormal phenomena? How do cults manage to attract and maintain large memberships? How can so many seemingly normal people come to the conclusion that they have been abducted by aliens? We will explore the idea that these behaviors are not examples of pathological thought processes, but rather natural consequences of the biases that characterize everyday reasoning. Emphasis will be placed on critical examination of questionable phenomena with a goal of understanding why people might want to hold such beliefs.

USSO 286L: Exploring Non-Profit Organizations (101/6512)

W 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 18-Jan 18, MW 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 23-May 01

Clemenson, B

This seminar is structured to expose students to the opportunities and challenges of working in and running non-profit organizations. Students will explore the importance and significant roles non-profit organizations play in our society. The class will learn how non-profits are organized and regulated and the importance of the organization's mission is to determining the impact of the non-profit organization in the community. Additionally, the students will learn how non-profits are funded and how these organizations maintain their financial stability and sustainability in the community. These goals will be accomplished through group analysis of non-profit organizational principles, and investigation of existing non-profit organizations.

USSO 286L: Exploring Non-Profit Organizations (100/6515)

MW 03:20-04:35 PM Jan 17-May 01

Clemenson, B

USSO 286V: Management of Chronic Illness in a Cultural Context (101/6511)

MW 02:00-03:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Zhang, A

This course will explore the cross cultural, self-care approaches to health problems. It covers substance-based (e.g., herbs, acupuncture), mind-body (e.g., yoga, qigong), spiritual (e.g., prayer) and social (e.g., communal, family) approaches that have been used to manage chronic diseases and promote wellness in various cultural settings.

USSO 286V: Management of Chronic Illness in a Cultural Context (100/6516)

MW 12:30-01:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Zhang, A

USSO 286X: The Future of News (100/11713)

MW 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 17-May 01

Doll, W

The saying goes, "Strong Press, Strong Democracy." But what of strong democracy in the Internet Age when the traditional press seems weak? That's this seminar's big question. Can the "old" media, struggling to avoid financial collapse, still deliver the news necessary to be democracy's watchdog, as in the past? Can the new internet media--blogs, YouTube, viral videos, "hyperlocalism" experiments, pro publica investigations, crowd sourcing, instant news, Facebook, Gawker, True/Slant, Drudge and the proliferation of the other news and entertainment sources--take its place or complement traditional journalism? How do these new entrants change the nature of news and the role of the media in our society? These are uncharted developments, but they go to the heart of the continued success of America's democratic experiment. Our goal is to grasp more clearly the connections between media, news, citizenship and democracy in this new age.

USSO 287H: Vocation and Life (100/11764)

MW 03:20-04:35 PM Jan 17-May 01

Bendik-Keymer, J

What is your life for? Should it be for anything? The idea of a vocation originally meant a calling to a higher purpose, however that may be conceived. Over time, the idea of a vocation flattened out and became another word for a job. Yet living for a job hardly seems like living. One advantage of the older meaning of the word was to highlight this fact: the question of life is how to live life. In this course, we explore the concept of a vocation--both as a calling and as a job--and we use the seminar format and its exercises to provide ourselves with the opportunity to focus our lives on what we are living for, or, at the least, why we do not think we need to do anything beyond just living well. But what is it to live well? What is the point of all our work?

USSO 287Z: Concubines, Soldiers and Field Hands: World Slavery from Antiquity to the Present (100/6558)

MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 17-May 01

Nielson, L

For many Americans, the most familiar type of slavery is plantation slavery of the Americas and the horrific consequences to the indigenous peoples and transplanted peoples from Africa. The longevity of the institution of slavery, and acceptance of the practice by many different cultures and belief systems, however, reaches from antiquity to the present day. In addition to providing physical labor and domestic services, slaves have been used as entertainers, civil servants, led armies and served in temples. Slavery is a complex legal, religious, moral and social institution, and the relationship between slave, state and owner/slaver is equally complicated; so much so that understanding the bond between them, and what the actual boundary was between "free" and "un-free", is still difficult to determine in some cultures. In this seminar, we will use a chronological framework to examine the institution of slavery, uses for slaves, methodologies and sources for studying slavery and the slave trade in world history. Beginning with slavery in the Ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece and Rome, the class will include slavery and the feudal system in medieval Europe, indentured servitude and concubinage, slaves in the early Islamic courts, the Ottoman slave trade, the African slave trade and slavery in the Americas, and the current problem of human trafficking. Within each section, students will read primary texts and recent scholarship examining the social, economic and religious rationales behind slavery. We will also study different methodologies and the impact of gender, race and social class on the study of world slavery. As many slaver cultures had different definitions for what it meant to be a slave, we will address questions related to translation, interpretation and perception when dealing with primary sources. The primary goal of the course is to provide a broader context for the institution of slavery in world history as a means not only to understand the impact of slavery has had on American culture, but on other cultures as well.

USSO 288B: Doing Good: How Nonprofits Change Lives (100/6525)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Henry, C

The American economy is made up of three sectors: government, business, and nonprofit. It's pretty obvious what government and business do, but the activity of nonprofits, while it is everywhere, is much more subtle. A nonprofit is most likely where you were born, went to school, attend church, or adopted your family dog. If you became an Eagle Scout, watched "Sesame Street," attended a benefit concert, or participated in a walk for a cause, you were engaged with a nonprofit. Perhaps you haven't given much thought to the way the organization was structured, where it gets its money, or what kind of an impact it's really having. In this seminar, students will learn what nonprofits are, how they operate, how they influence everyday lives, and their role in advancing social change and a civil society. We will consider the economic impact of nonprofits as well as their role in protecting culture, environment, values, and heritage. We will also look at the key challenges facing nonprofits today and how they are addressing them. Writing assignments will include a grant proposal for a new or existing nonprofit. The seminar will feature guest speakers and class visits to nonprofits in the Cleveland area.

USSO 288E: Music in Early Childhood (100/11634)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 17-May 01

Koops, L

This course develops critical thinking, writing, and discussion skills through guided inquiry on the subject of music in early childhood. Researchers in the areas of child development, linguistics, sociology, psychology, and music education have documented children's musical development and noted the interplay of musical development with many other spheres of child development and interaction. What is the role of music in a child's holistic development? Could enriching musical experiences provide needed interventions to children considered "at-risk?" What is the "First 2000 Days" movement and how does music enter the equation? What types of music therapy are available for young children in medical, educational, and social settings, and what impact have we seen in these areas? In this course, students will explore these questions through reading, research, guest lectures, and observations of young children.

USSO 288T: Coffee and Civilization (100/11683)

MW 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 17-May 01

Pecastaings, A

Whether you enjoy an occasional cup or sip throughout the day from a bottomless mug, did you know that since its introduction in the Western world coffee has been intimately tied to sociability and intellectual life? In this seminar, we will explore coffee's civilizing history, from eighteenth-century coffee houses buzzing with political dissent, to 1920s establishments crowded with avant-garde artists and our modern bookstore cafes. We will also explore the human and ecological costs of our taste for coffee by investigating the enduring connections between coffee, slavery, North-South geo-political relations, and notions of fair trade.

USSO 289C: Ethics For The Real World: Developing a Code of Ethics to Guide Decisions in Work and Life (100/6520)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Case, S

This seminar addresses two major questions: How do the contexts in which we live or work affect ethical behavior? And how can we manage to struggle through personal and organizational challenges if we find they present us with something ethically compromising? In this course, we look to religion, spiritual teaching and cultural upbringing to understand sources of personal values and standards of behavior that might help structure one's life in the midst of difficult contexts. One way we consider this is through practical exercises including development of your own personal code of ethics, an iterative process designed to help you articulate the principles of your own moral construction. These can serve as a foundation for leadership integrity and moral courage for ethical decisions throughout life and work.

USSO 289K: Riots and Rituals: Struggles for Justice in a Globalizing World (100/6564)

TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Hanson, P

This course asks students to explore two broad questions: How might we understand contemporary globalization? And, how do those people marginalized by globalization seek justice? Globalization and social justice have now become household terms. However, today, perhaps more than ever, we must ask precisely what type of globalization we are experiencing and what type of globalization we want for our future. If we are seeking the best possible global future for everyone, then it is crucial that we understand how those left behind by globalization struggle to get their interests heard. This course takes a unique approach to these problems by working with two extended case studies. We start with Cleveland, Ohio in the 1960s, and the beginnings of economic globalization in the United States. Cleveland's Hough riots of 1966 were one of the most violent political events in the city's history. We then move to contemporary Madagascar, where global rainforest conservation programs pose a real threat to the cultures of indigenous groups and their rights to land. Here, ritual has become a powerful means by which Malagasy groups assert their interests. With both case studies, important questions arise for classroom consideration: What is the exact nature of the globalization processes at work in both places? What can we learn about the development of globalization between the 1960s and now? Who are the groups most harmed by these processes? And, what can riots and rituals teach us about how groups marginalized by globalization struggle to have their claims for justice heard? The instructor has carried-out long term research in both Cleveland and Madagascar, and will take an interdisciplinary approach to theories of globalization and justice throughout the course.

USSO 290S: Cultural Ecology and Sustainability: An Anthropological Approach (100/11621)

TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 17-May 01

Smith, R

In the modern period, we have witnessed spectacular scientific and technological achievements. We have also experienced devastating climate change and massive biodiversity loss that threaten life on Earth as we know it. Is it possible that the solutions to these problems are not scientific or technological, but rather cultural? How have other cultures, whether from the present or the past, dealt with sustainability challenges? How might an examination of indigenous or traditional cultures, some of which have existed sustainably for thousands of years and even enhanced the biodiversity of their environments, lead to a clearer understanding of the deleterious attitudes and actions of our own modern culture? How can we integrate the wisdom of these cultures to ensure the survival of our own? In this seminar, we will use these questions to enhance our understanding of the relationship between human culture and the natural world, as well as the ways in which a deeper understanding of cultural ecology can promote sustainability.

USSO 290T: Making: Innovation, Work, and Competition (100/11701)

TR 08:30-09:45 AM Jan 17-May 01

Helper, S

Manufacturing has been an important source of economic growth and innovation. In many countries, it has helped create a middle class by providing both well-paying jobs and cheap goods. In recent decades, however, manufacturing has declined in the US. Should we be concerned about this trend? Does off-shoring of production to places like China threaten or enhance the US standard of living or technological strength? Do efforts to protect manufacturing in the US hurt people in developing countries? How will the development of "maker spaces" (such as CWRU's ThinkBox) affect the way goods are produced? How does high-wage Germany run a trade surplus in manufacturing? Does environmental regulation help or hurt manufacturing? In this seminar, we will address these questions both practically and theoretically. In addition to reading engineering, historical and literary depictions of manufacturing, we will visit factories and speak with leaders from industry, labor, and government. We will also consider broader economic policy questions by reading the works of prominent economists and political scientists.

USSO 290V: Education and Inequality in America (100/11635)

TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Erdmans, M

Guided by the aspiration to provide equal opportunity to all and initiatives like No Child Left Behind, the US educational system has defined itself as a free and open system that rewards accomplishment and nourishes every student?s potential. It is based on a philosophy that stands in stark contrast to the foreclosed and explicitly stratified educational systems of many European countries. Why then is it the case that, compared to other advanced postindustrial societies, the US has extraordinary levels of inequality? This course will examine in detail the processes that regulate social inequality and the educational system. We will analyze how differences between students? social, cultural, and economic capital create a stratified educational experience that shapes not only how students are educated, but also the value of that education in the labor market. We will also trace how the inequalities that exist in the US education system from primary school through college play an important role in the reproduction of class inequality, challenging the myth that education is a vehicle for socioeconomic mobility. This course also explores how these inequalities in education run along the axes of race, class, and gender.

USSO 290W: Understanding Body Image through Self-Perception (100/11765)

TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Blake, H

This course examines the historical, psychological, and cultural approaches to the self-perception of one's own body. We will explore how body standards have changed throughout history and across cultures, and how this is reflected in portraiture. Additionally, we will investigate psychological studies on body image, acknowledging the challenges in an evidence-based approach and considering medical diagnoses when distortion in self-perception occurs. Finally, we will analyze current body standards perpetuated by the media in regards to body size, shape, and gender. Through reading and discussion, students will gain a deeper understanding of healthy body image and strategies for applying it to their own lives.

USSO 290Y: Shrinking the World: Ham Radio and Distance Communication (100/11788)

TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Kazdan, D

Radio operators can talk to each other across the world, launch and use space satellite stations, and bounce their voices off the moon. And yet the Federal Communications Commission still regulates what they may say on the air. Why is that? And why does amateur radio require a license? In this course, we'll discuss the history of long-distance communication methods stretching from the British Penny Post into the modern digital age, viewed particularly through the lens of the Amateur Radio Service. We will also explore the ways that advances in communication technology have changed politics, entertainment and personal interactions. Who makes the rules for a new system of communication? What causes changes in those rules? Was Orson Welles morally, ethically, or legally responsible for causing a mass panic with his reading of "War of the Worlds?" What might the future hold for communications? Students will earn amateur radio licenses, make contacts with other radio amateurs around the world and with each other, and possibly bounce signals off the moon and listen for their return. We will also look at the ham radio culture, from QSL cards to public service and contesting. Students will learn some basic hands-on electronics, but no previous technical background is required.

USSO 290Y: Shrinking the World: Ham Radio and Distance Communication (101/11934)

TR 05:30-06:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Kazdan, D

USSO 291E: Is College Worth It? (100/11625)

MWF 11:40-12:30 PM Jan 17-May 01

McGee, S

Here you are at CWRU--you probably know how you got here. But what do you expect out of the experience? University education evolved over time to meet certain social and economic needs, and different universities have differing missions of education. Are you curious about the history of higher education? Do you know how universities function? What is the function of a tenured professorate, and is it an antiquated idea? Today, many people are questioning whether the educational models of the past have outlived their utility and need to be replaced by ones that are better aligned with our modern economy and technology. Does a liberal arts education prepare you for the workforce? Should it prepare you for the workforce? By examining these questions, you will gain clearer insight into your own reasons for pursuing a college degree and how to get the most out of your experience. The decisions you make now affect what happens after you graduate. How do you make the best decisions? This course will discuss these topics and students will submit additional topics about higher education for discussion and study.

USSO 291F: Legacies of Colonialism in East Asia (100/11626)

TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Bonk, J

East Asia's present is haunted by its colonial pasts. Disputes over islands in the South China Seas, tensions between Muslims and Han Chinese settlers in Xinjiang, and protests against Japanese mistreatment of Korean comfort women bear the traces of the violent and expansive colonial empires that dominated much of East Asia from the 17th to the mid-20th centuries. This course explores the ways in which these colonial empires--Manchu, European, and Japanese--left their mark on the territories, bodies, and histories of modern East Asia. It considers, furthermore, how governments and citizens of modern East Asian nations have come to terms with both the trauma and potentials created by the colonial past.

USSO 291G: China's Environment (100/11627)

TR 11:30-12:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Schroeder, P

Global warming, air and water pollution, deforestation and other environmental issues often transcend national boundaries. But the causes of these problems originate in the economies, domestic policies, and structure of policy implementation at local levels. Any attempt to address these problems at an international level, therefore, must consider the socio-economic conditions and political policies of the individual nations. In the last few decades, China has become a role model for other developing nations trying to replicate its economic success. But this success has created substantial environmental degradation locally and globally. For instance, China now emits more carbon than any other nation. This seminar examines the legacy of Mao Zedong's "war on nature," sweeping policy swings since 1949, and three decades of rapid economic development. It also investigates the effects that unchecked environmental degradation has had on several sectors of Chinese society, including economic sustainability, public health, bureaucratic structure, politics, and political dissent. Each is a critical issue for the Chinese government, which constantly worries about its political legitimacy and which sees the host of environmental problems and the mass protests this engenders, as helping create a fragile nation.

USSO 291H: Stereotypes & Decision-making (100/11623)

TR 11:30-12:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Nance, D

This seminar explores the nature of stereotypes, profiles, and other generalizations about behavior and their use in decision-making. We address the following questions. What is it about stereotypes and profiles that makes them potentially objectionable? When (if ever) is reliance on a stereotype, profile, or other generalization appropriate in creating or applying a rule or otherwise engaging in decision-making tasks? We will consider a series of policy examples--such as the regulation of ownership of particularly dangerous dog breeds, minimum or maximum age requirements for certain activities, gender requirements for admission to military academies, and the use of profiles for detecting terrorists trying to enter the country--many of which have reached the level of legal disputes.

USSO 291I: A History of Children in America (100/11624)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Sentilles, R

Children have been growing up in the United States since it was declared independent, in 1776, but how adults conceive of (and therefore legislate and interpret) children and childhood constantly changes to fit current circumstances. The experiences of children themselves have varied not only in terms of race, class, gender, and religion but also depending on specific events (ie, coming of age during the Civil War versus the Civil Rights movement) or geography (ie, growing up in rural Hawaii vs. urban New Jersey). We cannot cover all of those histories in one course, so this seminar course instead focuses on exploring the interplay of ideas about children and the expressed or historical experiences of children. When the puritans and plantation members (slave, bonded and free) came to the Atlantic shore, they brought with them particular ideas about what it meant to be a child, and to experience childhood. They encountered already established residents who also had ideas about childhood. How did those concepts adjust/meld/contrast over time, and how do we see those ideas reflected or reshaped by actual experiences? This course engages particular lines of inquiry: How and why do understandings about what is "natural" for children change over time? How do variables like race, class, gender, etc., shape such concepts? What is the role of the state in children's lives and how has that changed over time? What is the impact of mass culture on modern childhood?

USSO 291J: Narratives of Immigration (100/11716)

MW 08:00-09:15 AM Jan 17-May 01

Byrne, C

As one of the most pressing issues of the twenty-first century, immigration has captured the imagination of politicians and authors alike. In this class, we will explore the stories of those who have migrated to the United States. We will analyze how various writers create autobiographical and fictional narratives of migration, addressing issues such as adjusting to different cultures, learning new languages, and adapting to new environments. Through these stories and histories, we will ask broader questions about immigration, including: Is migration a basic human right? Is it ethical to define someone as being "illegal" for peacefully working and living in a different country from where they were born? What are the gender, ethnic, cultural, and racial barriers that exist when migrating between countries? What are the cost(s) of citizenship and embracing a new country as one's home? In collaborating with the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, we will actively participate in the Cleveland Humanities Festival (themed "Immigration") to help us better understand the long global history and contemporary issues surrounding narratives of immigration. As the United States is largely seen as a nation of immigrants, how have immigrants' stories perpetuated or undermined this reputation?

USSO 291K: The Great Western Schism: When the Church Had Three Popes (100/11717)

TR 02:30-03:45 PM Jan 17-May 01

Bania-Dobyns, S

In late fourteenth century Europe, a severe economic downturn coupled with the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague created a period of social turmoil that touched every aspect of the Western world--including inside the church itself. In particular, the crisis manifested itself in the form of a contest for supreme authority in the church, leading to a period of several years when there were actually three popes. The church was understood conceptually in two ways. First, it consisted of the hierarchical order of officials within it, from the highest role of the pope to the lowest rung of the hierarchy, which consisted of everyday believers. Second, there was also a spiritual understanding of the church: because religion was so pervasive in the social world of the fourteenth century, it was the metaphorical fabric that held together daily life. Thus, when crises arose within the church, they threatened to destabilize all that the faithful took for granted. The conflict caused by three popes vying for authority was so serious that the event was referred to as a "schism," which means that the church, which saw itself as the living expression of the body of Christ, was severed. And this severing of the whole church was experienced by everyone in society, both spiritually and in a real physical sense. In a time when you could lose your head if you disagreed with the consensus shared by the body of the whole church, the idea of schism as "severing" was not to be taken lightly by anyone, from secular rulers, to parish priests, and individual worshipers. In this course, we will examine the challenges of living through a period of such profound disorder and instability by reading both primary source documents from the time as well as later historical accounts. How did it happen that there were three popes in the first place? What arguments were used to support each, and who made these arguments? How did the church solve this problem? How did the schism in this period affect the future authority of the church? To help bring the period to life, we will view relevant objects at the Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as re-enact the Council of Constance of 1414, which restored the rule of a single pope, but we will update those debates to consider challenges to political authority in today's world.

USSO 291L: Our Food, Our Lives: Food, Agriculture, Society (100/11682)

MW 12:45-02:00 PM Jan 17-May 01

Fejes, N

Where does our food come from? Who grows it? What technologies have enabled the emergence of our current food system? In this seminar, we will ask and ponder these and similar questions as we address the achievements, ills, and sustainability of our global food system. We will explore wide-spread concerns about the ecological consequences of industrial agriculture, its future opportunities, the livelihood of the world's farmers, food waste, and health issues caused by contemporary dietary habits. In our inquiry, we will focus on both neighborhood communities in Cleveland and various geopolitical entities including Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia to observe food corporations' power to control food choices. In the second part of our class, we will examine community organizations' efforts to give these choices back to people. To this end, we will participate in various food-movement activities on or near campus and visit some local food-related organizations such as farmers' markets, soup kitchens, and restaurants.

USSO 291M: Partition in South Asia (100/11687)

TR 04:00-05:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Dasgupta, A

On the Indian subcontinent, decolonization in the twentieth century occurred with the partition of British India, and the formation of two new nation-states--India and Pakistan. Partition and post-colonial state formations were accompanied by the displacement of millions of people and a scale of violence hitherto unprecedented on the subcontinent. This seminar examines Partition in South Asia through a series of related questions: Was Partition inevitable? Why did it trigger massive violence? How did it impact national and personal memories? What are the enduring legacies of Partition on national and sub-national identities, as well as India-Pakistan relations?

USSO 291N: Literature and Nation Building in Africa (100/11686)

TR 10:00-11:15 AM Jan 17-May 01

Doho, G

This seminar introduces students to the process of nation building in former French African colonies. It focuses on the impact of literature on the colonizers and the colonized. It is well established that writers in African colonies used their pens as cannons against a dehumanizing colonial system. Nor did they refrain from asking themselves what kinds of nations would replace the colonial society once it had been overthrown. More precisely, their works questioned the kind of political, economic, educational, and cultural systems that could help shape the social structures and people that would inhabit these post-colonial nations.

USSO 291O: Empathy, Identity, and the Moral Emotions (100/11688)

MW 04:50-06:05 PM Jan 17-May 01

Houser, K

We are often told to be true to ourselves. We are also told to care about others. There are times when it is difficult to do both at the same time. If being myself causes others' pain, should I care? Is it possible that caring for others is an important piece of who I am? Or is it a threat to it? In such cases, our separate identities seem to challenge morality's insistence that we should not remain estranged from others or their concerns. Such challenges raise a question about the value of empathy--the ability to share the viewpoints and feelings of others. Empathy seems to explain why we care for one another, and this speaks to who we should be. Yet empathy also seems to be a threat to morality and identity, inasmuch as it might lead us to identify more with some persons than others, and so cause us to be less objective and fair. Likewise, identifying too strongly with others might undermine identity, as Stockholm syndrome and other pathologies of self-loss suggest In this seminar, we will examine the concepts of identity, empathy, and morality through a variety of philosophical, historical, scientific, and literary texts in a collaborative attempt to understand who we are who we ought to be. This will be a discussion-driven, writing-intensive course, ranging over religious, historical, philosophical, literary, and scientific literature, as well as music and film. Together we will examine these three concepts in all their historical, cultural, and trans-disciplinary diversity, in a collaborative attempt to understand and evaluate empathy's importance to matters of who we are and who we ought to be.

USSO 291P: Refugees and the Role of the Arts in the Resettlement Process (100/11718)

TR 01:00-02:15 PM Jan 17-May 01

Stoneking, R

This seminar will investigate the role the arts (visual, music, theater, and dance) can play in helping refugees negotiate challenges encountered during the resettlement process. How can the arts, whether through participation or production, contribute to refugees' cultural maintenance, integration, and positive self image? How exactly do the arts do this? To help us in our investigation, we will consult with local refugee resettlement agencies, mental health professionals, community leaders, local artists, and members of the refugee community.