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The First-Year Course
A Seminar for First-Year Students
During their first semester all first-year students take one course designated as a first-year course. The course is limited to 16 incoming students and is taught in seminar style by a faculty member who becomes the advisor for each of the students. This means that new students have immediate access to their advisor for academic and other questions and that their advisor will know them.
All first-year courses pay particular attention to writing and library research to ensure that all students are introduced to Macalester’s high academic expectations for these skills. Many of these courses are regular department offerings that have been tailored to the needs of incoming students. Those courses meet requirements for a major in that department and serve as pre-requisites to more advanced courses.
Some first-year courses are designated (R) as residential courses. Students who enroll in one of these courses live near one another in the same residence hall, usually on the same floor. This facilitates discussion and group work outside of the classroom. Many courses also utilize student writing preceptors to provide additional writing support and peer mentoring.
MWF = Monday, Wednesday, Friday; TR = Tuesday, Thursday
First-year course offerings for fall 2013
| Department | professor | Course Name | Residential |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Studies | Jane Rhodes | AMST 110-01: Introduction to African American Studies: Black Culture and Politics from Du Bois to Obama | |
| Anthropology | Scott Legge | ANTH 194-01: Evolutionary Anthropology: Facts, Fantasies and Frauds | (R) |
| Art & Art History | Joanna Inglot | ART 252-02/WGSS 252-02: Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Visual Culture | |
| Art & Art History | Stan Sears | 3-D Design: Structures and the Built Environment | (R) |
| Biology | Lin Aanonsen | BIOL 194-01: The Heart and Soul of Biology | (R) |
| Biology | Kristi Curry Rogers | BIOL 270-02 and Lab 3: Biodiversity and Evolution | (R) |
| Chemistry | Paul Fischer | CHEM 194-01 and Lab 1: Environmental Chemistry | (R) |
| Computer Science | Shilad Sen | COMP 120-01 and Lab 1: Exploring the Political and Social Structure of the Web | (R) |
| Economics | Peter Ferderer | ECON 194-01: World Economic History | (R) |
| English | James Dawes | ENGL 125-01: Human Rights and the Humanities | (R) |
| English | Marlon James | ENGL 125-02: Creative Writing - Narrative Mechanics | |
| Enivronmental Studies | Christie Manning | ENVI 172-01: Psychology in the Material World: An Examination of Consumer Culture and Its Personal and Environmental Impact | (R) |
| French | Joelle Vitiello | FREN 194-01: Representations of Culture and Identity: Children and Youth In Francophone Cinema | |
| Geography | David Lanegran | GEOG 111-01: Human Geography of Global Issues | (R) |
| Geography | Eric Carter | GEOG 194-01: Contagion: The Human Ecology of Infectious Diseases | (R) |
| Geology | Kelly MacGregor | GEOL 160-02/ENVI 160-02 and Lab 3: Dynamic Earth and Global Change | (R) |
| German and Russian Studies | Brigetta Abel | GERM 194-01: Vampires: From Monsters to Superheroes | (R) |
| German and Russian Studies | Linda Schulte-Sasse | GERM 255-01: German Cinema Studies - The Nazi in Cinema | (R) |
| Hispanic Studies | Cynthia Kauffeld | HISP 194-01: Spanish in the United States. | |
| Hispanic Studies | Galo Gonzalez | HISP 194-02: Viewing through a New Looking Glass: A Journey into Latina/o Literature | |
| History | Lynn Hudson | HIST 201-01/WGSS 201-01: History of U.S. Feminisms | |
| International Studies | Igor Tchoukarine | INTL 190-01: Mediterranean, Baltic, Black: Seas, Identities, and History | (R) |
| Math | David Bressoud | MATH 136-01: Discrete Mathematics: The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Discrete Mathematics | (R) |
| Music | Randy Bauer | MUSI 264-01: History of Jazz | |
| Philosophy | Geoffrey Gorham | PHIL 115-02: Introduction to Philosophy -Philosophy and Film | |
| Philosophy | Janet Folina | PHIL 120-01: Introduction to Symbolic Logic: Reasoning and Writing | |
| Physics | James Heyman | PHYS 194-01: Nanoscience | (R) |
| Political Science | David Blaney | POLI 120-01: Foundations of International Politics | |
| Politcal Science | Paul Dosh | POLI 141-01/LATI 141-01/WGSS 141-01: Latin America through Women’s Eyes | (R) |
| Psychology/Russian Studies | Joan Ostrove/Anastasia Kayiatos | PSYC 194-01/RUSS 194-01/WGSS 194-04: Minding the Body | |
| Religious Studies | Brett Wilson | RELI 100-01: Introduction to Islam | |
| Religious Studies | Susanna Drake | RELI 194-02: Virginity from Mary to Miley | |
| Russian Studies | Julia Chadaga | RUSS 151-01: Things Don’t Like Me: The Material World and Why It Matters | (R) |
| Sociology | Terry Boychuk | SOCI 194-01: The Medical Industry | |
| Theatre and Dance | Beth Cleary | THDA 105-01: Theatre & Performance in the Twin Cities |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
((R) = students in the class will live near each other and, in most cases, will have a roommate who is also in this class) [MWF = Monday, Wednesday, Friday] [TR = Tuesday, Thursday]
AMST 110-01: Introduction to African-American Studies: Black Culture and Politics from Du Bois to Obama
Jane Rhodes, American Studies Department
African American ideas, and arts, and activism have informed every aspect of the American experience in the 20th and 21st centuries. In the past year, the re-election of President Barack Obama, debates about popular films like Beasts of the Southern Wild, or complaints about the lack of black lead characters on network television, all reflect the complicated and contested nature of the black presence in the United States. This course will look at the interplay between culture and politics by reading texts of important writers like Zora Neale Hurston, and James Baldwin; screening film and television created by black cultural workers; listening to music from early blues to hip hop; and examining the ideas of influential figures from W. E. B. Du Bois to President Obama.
Class meets TR, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm in Humanities 213.
ANTH 194-01: Evolutionary Anthropology: Facts, Fantasies, and Frauds (R)
Scott Legge, Anthropology Department
Evolutionary anthropology is not a topic that generally comes to mind when one thinks about the greatest mysteries or debates in science. However, it could be argued that many themes of evolutionary anthropology are far more widespread than the more common scientific questions like “How did the universe form?” or “Can the laws of physics be unified?” For example, the concept of a hairy upright walking humanlike ape can be found in cultures spanning the globe from the Pacific Northwest in North America to the Tibetan Plateau. Nothing grabs international media headlines like a Bigfoot sighting. The history of debated discoveries in evolutionary anthropology goes back many years, and this class will examine some of the most widespread and contentious of them, as well as some of the more obscure.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Carnegie 06B.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
ART 252-02/ WGSS 252-02: Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Visual Culture
Joanna Inglot, Art Department
This course will examine the ways in which gender, sexuality, and feminist theory have affected modern visual culture since the early 20th century to the present. Students will explore ways in which Western culture has defined art and artists in gendered terms, and will critically explore these constructs through weekly readings, discussions and writing assignments. Students will also engage in the examination of current global and transnational feminist trends, and consider how gender is relevant to the creation and study of arts and culture. This course is cross-listed with the WGSS Department. Course material will be drawn from multiple disciplines including feminist theory, queer theory, cultural studies, and art history.
Class meets TR, 9:40 am – 11:10 am in the Art Commons 102.
ART 367-01: 3-D Design: Structures and the Built Environment (R)
Stan Sears, Art Department
A series of three-dimensional projects using a basic visual language of line, texture, shape, plane, space, volume, and form will be explored. Critiques and structural testing of the projects lead to an understanding of functional and aesthetic relationships. The problem solving approach used in this class contributes to a resolution of spatial problems in a series of projects with references to sculpture, architecture, industrial design and interior design.
Class meets TR, 8:00 am – 11:10 am in Stadium 114.
Living arrangement: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
BIOL 194-01: The Heart and Soul of Biology (R)
Lin Aanonsen, Biology Department
The study of life and the great questions of life can be pursued from many different disciplines and approaches. For many of us, the desire to study biology is sparked not only by the wonder and beauty that permeates all living beings, but often, also, a search for meaning. In this course, we will attempt to not only discuss and explore questions (e.g. “What is life?”) through the lens of biology, but also through the intersection of science & spirituality. Using the heart as a case study, we will discuss fundamental principles of biology. More specifically, we will explore how the heart gets energy (both physically and metaphorically) and how it interfaces with the rest of the body through nervous system and hormone action. In pursuit of gaining a better understanding of the intersection of science and spirituality, we will read and discuss papers written by scientists and theologians on science, spirituality and belief. Current research directed at understanding the effects of meditation on brain function, an area of research that has led to the incorporation of meditation as a complementary therapy in the practice of medicine, will also be discussed in this class.
This course does not require a strong science background and is appropriate for students interested in pursuing either science or non-science majors. It is especially intended for students who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of biology, as well as those eager to explore the practice of meditation and the bridge between science, spirituality, and belief.
Class meets TR, 9:40 am – 11:10 am in Olin-Rice 205.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
BIOL 270-02 and Lab 3: Biodiversity and Evolution (R)
Kristi Curry Rogers, Biology Department
“From so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” So concluded Charles Darwin in The Origin of the Species. His final words are an apt description of this course, which focuses on the diversity of life on Earth and the evolutionary processes that influence this variety. We will track the evolution of life, from the simplest single-celled organisms to the varied flora and fauna of the modern world. We will draw upon recent findings from fields as diverse as molecular genetics, developmental biology, and paleontology to decipher the long and spectacular history of life on earth.
The laboratory component of this course will include hands-on interaction with data, from our own DNA, to the fossil record, to living organisms. The class will include local field trips that highlight ancient and modern biodiversity. Students in this course should be ready to explore the evolution of life on earth, and can expect to participate in class discussions and work together on a larger project that will include a written report (with revisions) and an oral presentation.
This course is required for biology majors.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Olin-Rice 270.
Lab meets R, 1:20 pm – 4:30 pm in Olin-Rice 275.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
CHEM 194-01 and Lab 1: Environmental Chemistry (R)
Paul Fischer, Chemistry Department
Fundamental chemical knowledge is necessary to be an educated citizen in regards to environmental issues. This class and laboratory will explore the principles and theories necessary to appreciate issues such as global warming, energy, water pollution, acid rain and radioactivity. This course is ideal for students interested in pursuing Environmental Studies or anyone with intellectual curiosity about “how the world works”, but not planning to major in chemistry. No prerequisites.
Class meets MWF, 8:30 am – 9:30 am in Olin-Rice 205.
Lab meets R, 1:20 pm – 4:30 pm in Olin-Rice 380.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
COMP 120-01 and Lab 1: Exploring the Political and Social Structure of the Web (R)
Shilad Sen, Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Department
Over one billion people use Facebook every month. Half of them visit the site every day. Not all sites are as inclusive as Facebook. Although Wikipedia neutrally describes Roe v. Wade as "a pivotal case... on the issue of abortion" the right-leaning Conservapedia states that the case "created a dangerous precedent that is still followed today." How and why do people join these virtual communities, and what makes people remain active participants?
In this course you will develop computer programs that analyze social mechanisms underlying the Internet. These programs will identify online behavior consistent with theories from Computer Science, Psychology and Political Science on sites such as Facebook, Wikipedia, and Twitter. Although we analyze these behavioral data, the course primarily focuses on computation. By developing programs you will learn fundamental principles of Computer Science using the Python programming language. No prior programming experience is necessary.
This course is residential; students will live together in the same dorm. The course will fulfill the Q1 general education requirement, and fulfills the prerequisite requirement for Comp124. This course includes both programming and writing labs, and meets four days per week (MTWF).
Class meets MWF, 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm in Olin-Rice 256.
Lab meets T, 1:20 pm – 2:50 pm in Olin-Rice 256.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, single gender floor.
ECON 194-01: World Economic History (R)
Peter Ferderer, Economics Department
This first-year course presents a broad overview of world economic history. It introduces students to basic economic models which are used to understand the causes and consequences of (a) the agricultural and industrial revolutions, (b) world population growth, (c) the economics of war and slavery, (d) the development of financial systems and the modern corporation, (e) globalization, (f) economic depressions and inflations, and (g) the growth of government. The unifying theme is an exploration of how these forces have influenced material living standards over the past 12,000 years. Students will learn (a) basic economic principles, (b) how economic historians, much like crime scene investigators, use limited evidence to understand economic events and trends, and (c) to become a better writer.
This course does not count towards the Economics major. The course does count toward the Social Science distribution requirement.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Art Commons 102.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
ENGL 125-01: Studies in Literature - Human Rights and the Humanities (R)
James Dawes, English Department
This course is an introduction to the study of human rights by way of the arts and humanities. We will seek to better understand the contemporary norms and practices of human rights by examining its deep historical contexts, and by considering the philosophical and religious debates that continue to shape human rights theory and practice. We will also examine theories of trauma and torture, personal accounts of human rights and humanitarian fieldwork, representational ethics, and studies of human rights in film and media. We will scrutinize relevant literary texts as works of art, as case studies in human rights, and as models for understanding how words can change the world, whether in the form of human rights reports and newspaper accounts or of poems and novels. In other words, we will seek to better understand how spectators of suffering develop (or fail to develop) empathy for distant persons or for persons considered alien by also examining how they can so palpably feel for the dreams, desires, and dignity of fictional persons. In The Defense of Poesy Sir Philip Sidney describes the tyrant, Alexander Pheraeus, “from whose eyes a tragedy well-made and represented drew abundance of tears; who without all pity had murdered infinite numbers, and some of his own blood, so as he that was not ashamed to make matters for tragedies, yet could not resist the sweet violence of a tragedy.” What is the line that separates those who are merely moved from those who are moved to act? When does the story become real enough to change you? Our list of authors will span the range of intellectual and ethical endeavor, including Sophocles, Aristotle, Henrik Ibsen, Herman Melville, Dave Eggers, Franz Kafka, Ursula Le Guin, Hannah Arendt, Marx and Engels, Immanuel Kant, J. M. Coetzee, Kazuo Ishiguro, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, Naomi Klein, Greil Marcus, Elaine Scarry, Richard Rorty, Martha Nussbaum, Lynn Hunt, Alan Dershowitz, and Kenneth Cain.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Old Main 011.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
ENGL 125-02: Studies in Literature: Creative Writing – Narrative Mechanics
Marlon James, English Department
Before your first birthday, you have caught on to the fact that the louder you cry (expression) the quicker you’re picked up (response). In little over a year you have grasped language complexity and tone (stop it vs. stop it now). By age four, you’ve mastered metaphor (my toes are little piggies). Before your fifth birthday you have learned without anyone telling you that it’s a pretty red book, not a red pretty book, and by seven you have seen more drama than the total creative output of the Renaissance. So what’s left to teach in creative writing?
Quite a bit. There is a universe of difference between a competent sentence and a dazzling one. Words that connect grammatically and words that fire the imagination. Otherwise there would be no difference between a training manual and a novel. In this course you will tackle creative writing from the ground up, breaking it down to the mechanics of literature: from word to phrase, sentence, paragraph, page and story. Why a romance word for love here and a Germanic word for hate there? When is a verb not an action word? Is ‘I’ necessary in first person? ‘You’ in second? How can we know a house is burning without describing house or fire? Why is his perfectly acceptable sentence more acceptable than your equally perfect one? After excellent grammar, and wonderful vocabulary, what comes next?
Narrative Mechanics, is where we get down to the nuts and bolts of creative writing. Over the course of the semester we will go from merely correct, to striking prose. We will write 200 word sentences that never run out of breath, five page stories covering 500 years, and two word sentences that capture what other writers take pages to capture. We will pinpoint the 16 things that cause bad dialogue, and uncover what really happens, word for word when the reader says, “It felt like I was there.”
And yes, you will be writing as if you’ve never written before.
Class meets MWF, 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm in Theatre 205.
ENVI 172-01: Psychology in the Material World: An Examination of Consumer Culture and Its Personal and Environmental Impact (R)
Christina Manning, Environmental Studies Department
This course is an in-depth psychological analysis of consumerism and the human relationship to “stuff”. Consumerism, materialistic aspirations, advertising, and "affluenza" (the disease of affluence) all exert profound and often undesirable effects on both people's individual lives and on society as a whole. These phenomena, and the consumerist culture they are embedded in, affect our psyches, our families, our local communities, the peoples of the world, and the integrity of our ecological system. The overarching goal of this course is not to conclude that our consumer culture is categorically bad, but to take a step back and assess the evidence.
This course draws from a range of theoretical, clinical, and methodological approaches to address several key questions: Where does the drive to consume originate? Do we control our consumer behavior? Is it possible to live in our culture and not be a consumer? Are there realistic alternatives to the status quo? We will critically examine the scholarly merits and ramifications of these ideas and discuss whether and how to act upon them in our lives and in society more broadly. A portion of class time will be spent in experiential exploration of suggested “antidotes to materialism” such as mindfulness, gratitude, and voluntary simplicity, in a variety of settings (e.g., Mall of America, a local landfill, an urban intentional community, etc.)
Prerequisites/background knowledge: This course does not require any prior knowledge; however, a strong interest in psychology and/or environmental studies will likely be helpful.
Class meets MWF, 2:20 pm – 3:20 pm in Olin-Rice 370.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
FREN 190-01: Representations of Culture and Identity: Children and Youth in Francophone Cinema
Joëlle Vitiello, French and Francophone Studies Department
This course focuses on representations of culture and identity in French and Francophone Cinema. Most films viewed for the course focus on conflicts experienced by children and youth (e.g. war, disabilities, and sexual identity). In the course of studying films we will learn theoretical concepts and vocabulary for critical interpretation of visual media. Films will include French classics such as 400 Blows by François Truffaut, and Au-revoir les enfants by Louis Malle, and more contemporary films such as The Hedgehog by Mona Achache and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. We will also view films from former French colonies such as Chocolat by Claire Denis (Cameroon) and The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun by Djibril Diop Mambéty (Senegal).
The course is taught in English. No prior knowledge of France is required.
Films are screened outside of class time.
Class meets TR, 8:00 am – 9:30 am in Art Commons 202.
GEOG 111-01: Human Geography of Global Issues (R)
David Lanegran, Geography Department
Are you curious about the landscapes of the Twin Cities? Do you like to explore new places? Do you want to know why things are located where they are? Ever wonder about where people will live in the near future? Do you like looking at maps?
If you said yes to any of these questions, you should consider taking Human Geography as a First-Year Course. Geography will enable you to answer these questions and a whole lot more with its spatial perspective and techniques of map analysis. Human Geography will give you a holistic view of your new surroundings and the world beyond.
Human Geography is the study of the ways through which all places on earth are interconnected and how the human use of Earth’s surface varies over space. Field trips to places such as St. Anthony Falls immigrant commercial streets, and a variety of neighborhoods during the semester will show how geography can be applied to countless situations. Through taking Human Geography students will learn about the ways people give order to space; the growth and distribution of human population; patterns of settlement and land use, as well as, the geography of economic development and modernization. An emphasis on the geography of recreational spaces will allow students in the course to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the Twin Cities they will be able to enjoy their entire Macalester career. Students will compile the knowledge they gain from the field work, class lectures and a variety of assigned readings in papers they will write with the help of their writing assistant. In addition, students will be responsible for leading discussions of readings.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Carnegie 107.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
GEOG 194-01: Contagion: The Human Ecology of Infectious Diseases (R)
Eric Carter, Geography Department
In this course, we adopt a broadly geographical perspective to shed light on the causes, consequences, and control of infectious and vector-borne diseases, a persistent problem in global health. An understanding of the social and ecological dimensions of diseases such as malaria, influenza, or Lyme disease requires integration of concepts from many fields: geography, ecology, biology, history, economics, politics, medicine, and public health. Topics include how pathogens and people co-evolve over the long span of history; how environmental transformations (e.g. climate change, land cover change) impact the ecology, intensity, and geographical distribution of these diseases; how socio-political and ecological conditions foster the emergence of deadly new pathogens, like Nipah virus and SARS; why communicable disease continues to place a heavy burden on poor countries today; and how global health institutions and national governments prepare for and respond to disease pandemics. Since this is a first-year course, we will also emphasize developing your skills in written and oral communication, scholarly research, and information literacy. There will be a special focus on how to understand, connect, and synthesize research findings from across disciplines. This course is designed for students from any prospective major who have an interest in community and global health.
Class meets TR, 8:00 am – 9:30 am in Carnegie 005.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
GEOL 160-02 /ENVI 160-02 and Lab 3: Dynamic Earth and Global Change (R)
Kelly MacGregor, Geology Department
The planet Earth is an amazing place, with a dynamic interior and surface even after 4.6 billion years under its belt. At its most basic, this class is an introduction to the materials and structure of the Earth, and to the processes acting on and in the Earth to produce change. We will learn the language of geology through a study of plate tectonics, planetary structure, and rocks of all sorts. I am particularly interested in the physical forces that shape the surface of the Earth, and I am excited to teach you about a multitude of surface processes that shape our planet (rivers and glaciers and waves, oh my!). The planet has begun to show signs of our expanding population and the increasing need for natural resources, and we will consider the feedbacks between humans and the Earth as well.
Broadly, the goals of the course are three-fold: first, to introduce the materials and natural processes that govern the evolution of the Earth; second, to examine global changes in the context of natural processes; and third, to inspire you to develop a lifelong interest in the Earth. The course begins with an overview of the origin of the solar system and other planets. Next, you will learn about Earth materials and how to interpret the significance of minerals and rocks in the context of our dynamic planet. We will examine the composition, structure, and evolution of the interior of our planet, as well as the well-accepted (but not complete) model of plate tectonics. We will also spend time examining the forces that shape our continental surfaces, including surface and groundwater movement, hillslope processes, coastlines, wind and deserts, and glacial processes. Throughout the course, I will strive to link the academic study of our planet to ‘real-life’ situations and events, and demonstrate the importance of understanding earth processes to being an educated global citizen.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Olin-Rice 175.
Lab meets R, 9:00 am – 11:10 am in Olin-Rice 187.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
GERM 194-01: Vampires: From Monsters to Superheroes (R)
Brigetta Abel, German and Russian Studies Department
Vampires are cyclical. Just a few years ago you ran into them anytime you walked into a bookstore or turned on the TV—just like in Victorian times when Bram Stoker’s famous work emerged from a vampire craze. Vampires have always been popular fodder and will continue to be so, even if and as the image of the vampire shifts dramatically over time. The popularity of vampires has waxed and waned for over a hundred years, partially because vampirism can be used as a metaphor for almost anything—from the plague to sexuality to addiction. We will spend the first portion of the semester looking at “classic” tales of vampires as monsters (Bram Stoker, Nosferatu, Bella Lugosi, Anne Rice) and then look at the more recent generation of vampires (Buffy & Angel, Twilight, True Blood, Let the Right One In). What happened to change our imagination of vampires from monsters into hip, outsider superheroes? And what can the examination of vampires tell us about the context in which they were created?
Course Requirements: Students are required to come to class prepared and to participate actively in the classroom discussion. As preparation for class, students will read novels and articles and/or view films and TV shows; please note that many of the screenings will be outside of class time. In addition, students will complete weekly writing assignments, including class blogs, responses to blogs, and several shorter essays that will prepare for a final paper. Students will also work in groups to design a course website and to complete a RefWorks bibliography.
Please note that this is a residential first-year course. It is designed for non-majors and requires no prior knowledge of vampirism or German.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Humanities 216.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
GERM 255-01: German Cinema Studies: The Nazi in Cinema (R)
Linda Schulte-Sasse, German and Russian Studies Department
The movies love to hate the Nazi, but what exactly is a “Nazi”? Whether glamorized by Third Reich propaganda, vilified by Allied propaganda, dramatized by historical thrillers, or caricatured by Hollywood fantasies, the cinematic Nazi is always a construct. This is not to say there may not be some historical, psychological, or sociological truth in the depiction of Nazis, but their filmic portrayal, like that of any historical group, necessarily involves construction or representation. And representations tend to tell us more about the era in which they were concocted than about the “real” thing. Consciously or unconsciously, they serve a purpose: to educate, to entertain, to complicate or (over)simplify our understanding of history, to thrill, disturb, or affirm us as viewers. The course will examine the questions of representation using the example of the cinematic Nazi—one case among hundreds, but an important one, as the Nazi has become the symbol of evil over the past half-century.
The first part of the course will focus on films from the historical period of the Third Reich. We will examine how the Nazis represent themselves in documentaries like Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will or Fritz Hippler’s The Eternal Jew, as well as feature films like Hitler Youth Quex. We will then turn to U.S. counter-propaganda in dramas like Tomorrow the World, Hitler’s Children, in comedies like Chaplin’s Great Dictator or Lubitsch’s To Be Or Not To be and in Disney cartoons. The second part of the course will explore postwar representations; likely examples will include Billy Wilder’s A Foreign Affair, Lina Wertmueller’s Seven Beauties, Mel Brooks’s The Producers, Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Downfall, Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, and Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon (which, some argue, deals with Nazis by not dealing with them).
Student obligations: a series of short papers and one longer research paper; at least one oral presentation, two exams and a journal responding to class readings. Hopefully the Twin Cities will offer some cultural events relevant to our theme that we can visit as a class.
N.B.: The course is taught in English and films are subtitled; no German language skills required. However, the course has much to offer students with an interest and background in German.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Humanities 401 (plus film screenings, usually Tuesday evenings)
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
HISP 194-01: Spanish in the United States
Cynthia Kauffeld, Hispanic and Latin American Studies Department
Spanish is the second-most common language spoken in the US after English. It is the native language of more than 17 million people in the United States and the US is home to the 2nd-largest Spanish-speaking community in the world. Chances are that even if it’s not your native tongue and you’ve never studied it, you know many Spanish words already. Besides the obvious hispanisms like burrito, taco and guacamole, there are countless other English words whose Spanish origin is no longer transparent (cafeteria, patio, plaza, ranch, for example). In this course we will study the different varieties of Spanish found in the United States and the effects of the linguistic contact between Spanish and English. We will explore issues such as bilingualism, bilingual education, immigration patterns, and Spanglish, and students will conduct further research on a related topic of their choice. Course will include a mid-term and final exam, and a final research paper. Conducted in English.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Humanities 402.
HISP 194-02: Viewing through a New Looking Glass: A Journey into U.S. Latina/o Literature
Galo Gonzalez, Hispanic and Latin American Studies Department
Latin@ subjects in the United States are a result of ages of colonization and mobilization. They have been transplanted, uprooted; they are in the process of constant reinvention. Latin@ writers existed at the borders of Hispanic and Anglo worlds. They are hybrid subjects navigating within the English and Spanish languages, between the literary traditions from two cultural zones. Latin@ double consciousness is also the product of existing in a state of being on the "threshold" of two different existential planes. In recent years, Latin@ literary production has been defined by the authors’ pluralistic identity. 21st Century Latin@ writers are viewing themselves through a new looking glass as transnational subjects with transnational identities.
The course will explore specific literary approaches of some Latin@ authors, such as: Junot Díaz, Hinojosa-Smith, Ixta Maya Murray, Achy Obejas, Giannina Braschi, and Olga García Echeverría, whose fiction writing help them to construct an aesthetic space where they have defined their Latin@ identity as hybrid subjects, existing on the ‘threshold” (or in-between-ness) of two existential planes: Spanish and English. The course will examine the particularities of each literary work to help students understand the diverse challenges that Latin@ authors face while experiencing processes of assimilation to the U.S. hegemonic culture as transnational subjects.
Class meets MWF, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm in Humanities 213.
HIST 201-01/WGSS 201-01: History of U.S. Feminisms
Lynn Hudson, History Department
This year “The Feminine Mystique” by Betty Friedan turns 50 years old. Some credit this text with igniting the feminist movement of the 1960s in the United States. Did it? What is feminism and how did it change from its early articulations in the nineteenth century to the activism of the 1960s? This course examines the “f” word and its history. We will be especially concerned with the multiple and contradictory strains within feminism, including the critiques and interventions made by women of color. Topics that the class will consider include: the roots of feminism as it took shape in the anti-slavery movement, the overlap of women’s rights and the civil rights movement of the twentieth century, and the women’s health movement. Our readings include: biographies of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth, anti-feminist tracts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, essays by lesbian feminists Audre Lorde and Charlotte Bunch, and Friedan’s infamous text, among other selections.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Old Main 011.
INTL 190-01: Mediterranean, Baltic, and Black: Seas, Identities, and History (R)
Igor Tchoukarine, International Studies Department
In a passage from his travel account The Pillars of Hercules: A Grand Tour of the Mediterranean, the travel writer Paul Theroux encapsulates – in a lyrical nutshell – the core focus of this course. In his words: “And that was my first Mediterranean epiphany, the realization that life on these shores bore little relation to what was happening five miles inland […] That hinterland was not my subject […]. My concentration was the edge of this body of water, the ribbon of beach and cliff, and all the people who shared it, used and misused it.” In concert with this approach, this course will explore the role of bodies of water in the cultures, economies, and politics of coastal and island societies around the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas and engage in critical analysis of concepts such as identity (i.e., how relationships to the sea have shaped identities), nation, territories, and borders.
Through the course’s broad temporal scope (encompassing the period from the 16th century to the present) and multidisciplinary nature (in addition to texts on current affairs, we will read seminal texts from historians such as Fernand Braudel, literary figures such as Tomas Tranströmer, Predrag Matvejevic, and Miguel de Cervantes, social scientists such as Benedict Anderson and Ernest Gellner), we will be able to trace continuities and discontinuities between past and contemporary challenges in these regions.
This course does not require specific prior knowledge.
Class meets TR, 1:20 pm – 2:50 pm in Carnegie 404.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
MATH 136-01: Discrete Mathematics: The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Discrete Mathematics (R)
David M. Bressoud, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Department
What is it about mathematics that makes it so powerful, so insightful? How can it claim the absolute and universal truths that are denied even to science? Why is it that the patterns that mathematicians treasure purely for their aesthetic beauty are the ones that are so useful for understanding the world in which we live?
This will be a free-ranging course that explores the world of mathematics by doing mathematics and by exploring the works of those who have thought about these questions. The mathematics will be drawn from discrete mathematics including combinatorics and number theory. Examples include:
• How many regions in space are formed by six randomly placed planes? What about n randomly placed planes?
• How many ways can 10 be written as a sum of one or more positive integers? How can this number be computed efficiently for any given integer?
• How many perfect riffle shuffles (leaving the top card on top) does it take to return a 148-card deck to its original order? What is the underlying structure that enables us to find the answer for a deck of any size?
(Hint: The answer to the first part of each of these questions is also the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.)
We will take excursions into the modern history of discrete mathematics including unsolved problems and current research in issues such as factorization, primality testing, and public key encryption (RSA). The emphasis will be on problem-solving, both individually and in groups.
The required books for this class are:
• S. C. Coutinho, The Mathematics of Ciphers: Number Theory and RSA Cryptography, A K Peters/CRC Press
• Daniel A. Marcus, Combinatorics: A Problem Oriented Approach, Mathematical Association of America
In addition, we will be reading and discussing:
• G.H. Hardy and C.P. Snow, A Mathematician’s Apology (you may use any edition)
• Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (you may use any edition)
There are no prerequisites for this course except a willingness to work hard and a curiosity about the world of mathematics.
Class meets TR, 8:00 am – 9:30 am in Olin-Rice 205.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
MUSI 264-01: History of Jazz
Randy Bauer, Music Department
Jazz is one of the few wholly original American art forms, and has enjoyed a century-long history of innovation. Jazz artists have continually reinvented the genre, demonstrating genuine breadth of originality and individuality conveyed through improvisation; throughout jazz's evolution great advances were made to the creative and expressive potential of music.
This course surveys the rich development of jazz music and its associated culture. A thorough exploration of jazz’s principal artists and style periods will be undertaken, along with related studies of race and conflict, gender, geography, and African-American cultural values. Listening is a big part of this course, and you will be expected to absorb as much via your ears as you will through reading. At the conclusion of the course, you will have gained a working knowledge of jazz artists, repertoire, and be able to distinguish the different style periods. You will have a broad understanding of the connection of racial issues to jazz, an increased knowledge of the breadth of formal jazz scholarship, and an awareness of how jazz absorbed into the socio-cultural fabric of America. There will be several writing assignments designed to help you learn research methods and work on your writing technique. Although this is a music course, students are not required to be able to read musical notation; however, you will feel at home with any hands-on musical experience you have had in the past.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Music 228.
PHIL 115-02: Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy and Film
Geoffrey Gorham, Philosophy Department
Film seems to be an especially vivid and effective medium to explore fundamental philosophical questions. And the medium of film raises interesting philosophical questions in its own right, especially questions about art and aesthetic experience. This class will combine reading of classic and contemporary philosophical texts with viewing and discussion of contemporary and classic films. The texts will include writings by Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Mill and Nietzsche. The films may include Rashomon, The Seventh Seal, Rear Window, the Matrix, Memento, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception, etc. The main philosophical questions we'll examine are:
What is the relation between experience and reality?
What is the relation between reason and faith?
What is the relation between the mind and the body?
Are humans free? What is the self?
What is time? Is time travel possible?
What is the meaning of life?
What is morality? Why should I be moral?
What is the best or happiest life?
Why do films engage us so deeply?
Why do we enjoy terrifying/violent films?
What is the nature of time and space in film?
Can we 'do philosophy' with film? Are directors philosophers?
We will view one and discuss one film every one-two weeks. We will also likely travel as a group to film presentations and discussions at off-campus locations, such as the Walker Art Center, Trylon Theater and Heights Theater. Class meetings will normally consist of a brief lecture followed by general discussion of the readings and films. Coursework will consist mainly of short papers, reviews, and commentaries.
Class meets TR, 9:40 am – 11:10 am in Humanities 402.
PHIL 120-01: Introduction to Symbolic Logic: Reasoning and Writing
Janet Folina, Philosophy Department
Many arguments are persuasive. But some persuasive arguments are incorrect (some of these are fallacies); and some correct arguments are not very persuasive (at least at first glance).
Logic is the science of correct reasoning and argumentation, and symbolic logic is the use of symbols and formal rules to codify this science. (In this way, it is a bit like high school geometry.) The main aim of this course is to provide you with some formal tools for (i) determining whether an argument has a correct form, and (ii) proving a conclusion from a given set of premises. We will focus on formal "deductive" arguments, the tools of which constitute the fundamental methods of contemporary symbolic logic. We will also apply these tools in a variety of writing exercises. The payoff will be an improved ability to distinguish good arguments from bad ones, to justify such distinctions, and to provide clearer written and oral arguments in your own work.
Logic is also central to mathematics, and this course provides a good foundation for a major in mathematics as well as philosophy, and indeed any discipline that emphasizes correct, clear thinking, reading and writing.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Carnegie 206.
PHYS 194-01: Nanoscience (R)
James Heyman, Physics and Astronomy Department
Nanoscience is the emerging field of science concerned with the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale. This interdisciplinary field sits at the convergence of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Materials Science and Electrical Engineering. Our course will introduce science at the nanometer length scale, the fabrication of nano-scale systems and some of their technological applications. This quantitative course will use mathematics at the introductory calculus level, and high-school physics and calculus are recommended.
Class meets MWF, 2:20 pm – 3:20 pm in Olin-Rice 170.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
POLI 120-01: Foundations of International Politics
David Blaney, Political Science Department
This course has multiple goals. Some revolve around introducing the understandings, protocols, terrains of debate, and inchoate confusions that constitute the field of international politics/relations. For example, the course aims
1. to introduce students to different perspectives or intellectual frameworks for making sense of what conventionally has been called international relations (though many prefer terms like international, transnational, global, or world politics) and to cultivate skills in applying perspectives in aid of understanding events, processes, and/or practices;
2. to introduce some of the multiple forms of social science research and some of the debates about the nature of the social sciences;
3. to introduce the competing notions of power and explore their implications for analyzing world affairs;
4. to help students see international relations as an important study of a more general set of issues: the relations of self and other and the problems and possibilities of living with difference;
5. in sum, I hope that the lessons learned from the class will be (a) sociological/theoretical, in that we will better understand how the world works; (b) meta-theoretical, in that we will reflect a bit on how we study the world; and (c) practical, in that we will think about how we are to live in the world as it is and might be.
The course also emphasizes the development of skills necessary to intellectual inquiry (and perhaps life), particularly deepening reading, thinking, and writing skills.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Carnegie 204.
POLI 140-01/LATI 141-01/WGSS 141-01: Latin America through Women’s Eyes (R)
Paul Dosh, Political Science Department
Latin American women have overcome patriarchal “machismo” to serve as presidents, mayors, guerrilla leaders, union organizers, artists, intellectuals, and human rights activists. Through a mix of theoretical, empirical, and testimonial work, we will explore issues such as feminist challenges to military rule in Chile, anti-feminist politics in Nicaragua, the intersection of gender and democratization in Cuba, and women’s organizing amid civil war in Colombia. Teaching methods include discussion, debates, simulations, analytic papers, partisan narratives, lecture, film, poetry, and a biographical essay.
This class employs an innovative system of qualitative assessment. Students take the course “S/SD/N with Written Evaluation.” This provides a powerful opportunity for students to stretch their limits in a learning community with high expectations, but without a high-pressure atmosphere. This ungraded course has been approved for inclusion on major/minor plans in Political Science, Latin American Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Class meets TR, 1:20 pm – 2:50 pm in Humanities 213.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, single gender floor.
PSYC 194-01/RUSS 194-01/WGSS 194-04: Minding the Body
Joan Ostrove, Psychology Department and Anastasia Kayiatos, Russian Studies Department
This course is an interdisciplinary examination of the body primarily from the perspectives of psychology, disability studies, and feminist studies, with a strategically split focus primarily on the United States and Russia/Eastern Europe. We will rely on analysis of theoretical and empirical research, personal narrative, and film, as well as visits from a variety of guest speakers, to explore such questions as: What is a “normal” body? A “beautiful” body? How does the media inform how we feel about our bodies? How are bodies – especially women’s bodies – objectified, exploited, commodified, and regulated? How and why do we discriminate against people with non-normative bodies? How do people represent the experience of having a disabled body? How can we think critically about the various ways in which people change, regulate, and enhance their bodies (e.g., via body building, cosmetic surgery, diet, etc.)? How do sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression influence how different bodies are viewed, treated, educated, and experienced? And how does all this change when we travel in time or across space?
The course’s cross-listing with Russian Studies will give students a comparative context for thinking about how the body is built – and minded – differently depending on cultural, political, and economic considerations.
This will be a writing-intensive course in which students will write (and re-write) personal essays, analytical and reflective essays, and a research paper.
Class meets TR, 8:00 am – 9:30 am in Olin-Rice 270.
RELI 100-01: Introduction to Islam
Brett Wilson, Religious Studies Department
This course will survey the formation and development of Islam, examining major elements of the Islamic religious tradition (prophecy, scripture, mysticism, intellectual traditions) and putting them into conversation with historical and contemporary events. By the end of this course, students will gain a critical understanding of Muslim theology, sacred texts, ritual practices and cultural phenomena. In other words, you will also be able to examine and discuss contemporary issues with the benefit of historical insight and first hand acquaintance with the primary sources of the Islamic tradition. The course aims to develop critical thinking and public speaking skills through discussion, oral presentations, and writing. No prior knowledge is required and this class is open to majors and non-majors. It is especially recommended for those who are considering the Middle Eastern Studies and Islamic Civilizations concentration.
Class meets TR, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm in Old Main 111.
RELI 194-02: Virginity from Mary to Miley
Susanna Drake, Religious Studies Department
In this course we will explore the diverse understandings of Christian sexual renunciation from the first century, C.E. to today. From the veneration of the Virgin Mary in early and medieval Christianity to the more recent celebration of virgins and born-again virgins in U.S. pop culture, many Christians have understood the practice of virginity as a mark of spiritual progress or perfection. Students in this course will examine the rise of Christian sexual renunciation in the first through fourth centuries, C.E., the veneration of virgin saints in the Middle Ages, the shifting attitudes toward virginity in the Reformation era, the recent development of Christian chastity movements in the U.S. (True Love Waits, Silver Ring Thing), and the proliferation of Christian chastity advice literature. In written assignments and class discussions, we will explore how Christian practices of renunciation draw upon and contribute to cultural understandings of gender, sexuality, and the body.
Class meets TR, 9:40 am – 11:10 am in Old Main 111.
RUSS 151-01: Things Don’t Like Me: The Material World and Why it Matters (R)
Julia Chadaga, German and Russian Studies Department
The hapless hero of Yuri Olesha’s novel Envy laments: “Things don’t like me. Furniture purposely sticks out its legs for me. A polished corner once literally bit me. My blanket and I have always had a complicated relationship...” Olesha was writing in the turbulent decades after the Russian revolution, when the Bolsheviks, who had just come to power, sought to abolish religion in favor of a materialist approach to life, while Constructivist artists proclaimed a new way of thinking about things, not as possessions but as “comrades.” By transforming our relationship to material objects, by envisioning them as equals rather than things to be exploited, consumed, and possessed, we would ultimately transform our social relations, and treat one another more humanely. A bright, benevolent future was on the horizon.
Olesha’s novel is very much a product of its time, yet its hero’s plight is a universal one. We all have a contentious relationship with our material reality. The blankets are tangled, the roads are icy, the colors of the walls are wrong, the sun is too hot, the universe is too big. Once our basic needs are met, why do we continue to adapt, transform, and refine our physical environment? Why and how do human beings invest objects with meaning—and at what cost to others? How do the objects that surround us shape the world of ideas, emotions, and other essential aspects of human existence? Drawing upon the insights of scholars from such fields as history, literature, anthropology, visual art, architecture, and material culture studies, we will seek answers to these questions. We will read literary texts and analyze how the authors reflect as well as imagine material reality, and how they deploy concrete objects to create meaning in their work.
Topics will include: inanimate objects that challenge the distinction between animate and inanimate; the body on the boundary between “person” and “thing”; objects of desire and the commodity fetish; sacred objects; monuments and museums as embodiments of material memory and catalysts for controversy; glass and the transformation of vision; clothing as identity, convention, and second skin; food and its multiple cultural meanings. Texts will include: Olesha, Envy; Capek, R.U.R; Gogol, “The Overcoat”; Shelley, Frankenstein; De Maupassant, “Ball-of-Fat”; Vertov’s film, Man with a Movie Camera, and Lang’s film Metropolis; Nabokov, “The Visit to the Museum”; Haraway, “A Manifesto for Cyborgs”; Barthes, Mythologies; Baudrillard, The System of Objects; selections from Marx, Capital.
Students will learn the art and science of close reading as well as develop analytical and writing skills. They will write a summary of a theoretical text; a short analytical paper; a longer research paper about a specific product or commodity and its cultural impact; and a personal narrative describing an object that is particularly meaningful to them. Students will work with a writing assistant on developing and revising their essays. A library visit will introduce students to the resources available to them for scholarly exploration.
The course, which does not require prior knowledge of the materials and methodologies that we will examine, will consist of mini-lectures, class discussion, and oral presentations. Students will work together on a group project, investigating an object or the use of a building material in the Twin Cities. We will also have a field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Class meets MWF, 10:50 am – 11:50 am in Humanities 212.
Living arrangements: Single gender rooms, co-ed floor.
SOCI 194-01: The Medical Industry
Terry Boychuk, Sociology Department
This course provides an overview of the political, economic, cultural, and scientific foundations of the US health care industry. Select topics include: What is the secret to a long life? What is the basis of medical knowledge about health and illness? How do we know if medical care hurts or helps us? What is distinctive about the professionalization of medicine in the US compared to other nations? Why did the US health care industry develop under the auspices of markets rather than government-provided public goods? Why is it so difficult to achieve universal health insurance coverage in the US? How will the Obama health reforms work?
Class meets MWF, 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm in Carnegie 105.
THDA 105-01: Theatre and Performance in the Twin Cities
Beth Cleary, Theatre & Dance Department
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are second only to New York City in the number of “live performance” tickets sold annually. This is a creative community with dynamic artistic institutions! In this class, we examine the many histories, forms, signifying systems and strategies of performance-making in these Twin Cities. We will attend theatre and dance performances in urban venues as various as professional theatres, small puppet-show venues, dance concert halls, among others. We will read playscripts, scholarly articles and research documents, as appropriate, in preparation for attending shows, and we will practice the vocabularies of analysis and critique, and the art of reflection and review, after the performances.
The course meets MWF for one hour per class period. We will attend 4-6 off-campus productions during the semester, on Thursday or Friday nights. This will be announced in the syllabus on the first day of class. All transportation and tickets are pre-arranged for students in the class -- the students do not pay for either bus or tickets. We will also prepare to see both Macalester THDA productions in the fall: Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector, and the Fall Dance Concert. Inclusion of both off-campus and on-campus productions allows us to identify conventions of performance in any setting, and discuss variations on the spectrum of educational to professional, text-based to experimental and non-speaking performance. In preparing for the interpretative encounters of live performance, we learn and practice vocabularies of re-collection crucial to discussing and analyzing performance. We will consider the histories and innovations in the forms we see, developing a capacity for what Brecht called “complex seeing” as we actively watch, hear and make critical new meanings in the performance event. We will meet with directors, actors and designers in connection with several of the productions; this always enhances spectators' understanding of process and the various specialized labors of performance-making.
Course readings change every year, selected for connections to productions we will see. Beth Cleary will communicate with the class in August about a pre-reading for the first class meeting. Required texts for the course will be available in the college bookstore.
Course Requirements:
Attendance is required at all productions listed on syllabus, with the group. Arrangements should be made early in the semester with coaches, program leaders, etc., if you will need to miss a game or an event. Beth Cleary can send letters prioritizing this coursework to any parties involved.
Students will be taught to engage in critical writing about performance. Mastery in this form will be measured as part of the grade. Critical writing about performance translates readily into all forms of analytic writing in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Students will undertake a research project and write a series of drafts as they master the synthesis of research, analysis and writing.
Class meets MWF, 9:40 am – 10:40 am in Theatre 205 with 4-6 evening excursions additional.