intellectual inquiry courses for fall 2014.docx

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Intellectual Inquiry Courses for Fall 2014 INQ 110 Intellectual Inquiry INQ 110-A Gender & Leadership Dr. Lyon Blk 2 Do men and women lead differently? Do people have different reactions to male and female leaders? Which company policies and organizational cultures help or hinder men and women leaders? Why do family responsibilities to children and elders hold both men and women back from upper management? In this course, we will study gender issues in leadership using an interdisciplinary approach, by integrating research from psychology, sociology, economics, management, and related fields. INQ 110-AA Contemporary Women’s Voices Dr. Turpin Blk 9 Memoir writing engages the author in issues of culture and identity as the writer both records and interprets personal experiences for the reader. This course is a study of the memoir as form. We will explore the memoir as genre by reading and analyzing the memoirs of contemporary American women writers, and we will practice the art of writing memoir. INQ 110-B Forensic Science Dr. Brenzovich Blk 1 How is science applied to the investigation of crime? Modern forensic science uses the latest technologies combined with tried-and-true procedures to gather, preserve, and evaluate evidence of criminal activities. These investigative procedures and the science behind these technologies will serve as the central content for our course. INQ 110-BB Scientific Pursuit of Happiness Dr. Whitson Blk 5 From the perspective of psychological science this course examines the nature of happiness and explores strategies that have been proposed for the pursuit of happiness. Critical inquiry will be made into several questions,

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Intellectual Inquiry Courses for Fall 2014

INQ 110 Intellectual InquiryINQ 110-AGender & LeadershipDr. LyonBlk 2Do men and women lead differently? Do people have different reactions to male and female leaders? Which company policies and organizational cultures help or hinder men and women leaders? Why do family responsibilities to children and elders hold both men and women back from upper management? In this course, we will study gender issues in leadership using an interdisciplinary approach, by integrating research from psychology, sociology, economics, management, and related fields. INQ 110-AAContemporary Womens VoicesDr. TurpinBlk 9Memoir writing engages the author in issues of culture and identity as the writer both records and interprets personal experiences for the reader. This course is a study of the memoir as form. We will explore the memoir as genre by reading and analyzing the memoirs of contemporary American women writers, and we will practice the art of writing memoir. INQ 110-BForensic ScienceDr. BrenzovichBlk 1How is science applied to the investigation of crime? Modern forensic science uses the latest technologies combined with tried-and-true procedures to gather, preserve, and evaluate evidence of criminal activities. These investigative procedures and the science behind these technologies will serve as the central content for our course.INQ 110-BBScientific Pursuit of HappinessDr. WhitsonBlk 5From the perspective of psychological science this course examines the nature of happiness and explores strategies that have been proposed for the pursuit of happiness. Critical inquiry will be made into several questions, including the following: What is happiness? How happy are people in general? Who is happy, and why? Is it possible to become happier? What happiness strategies or skills are supported by scientific research and which are not? Students will examine and evaluate the contemporary scientific research on happiness and its correlates, and will evaluate strategies purported to increase happiness. Students will also be asked to apply their knowledge of skills derived from happiness research in some dimensions of their everyday lives, and to appraise the outcomes of applying these specific happiness strategies.

INQ 110-CRestorative JusticeProf. BroganBlk 1This course examines restorative justice, in theory and in practice, and contrasts its basic principles with the concepts and application of retribution and punishment. From a global perspective, students will examine the historical and cultural contexts in which restoration, reintegration and peacemaking criminology are utilized. Practices such as victim/offender conferencing, family group conferencing and sentencing circles will be researched and critically evaluated. Course material will provide students with the tools to debate the following critical questions: What does justice mean? What is societys role in responding to wrongdoing? Are restorative justice and retribution mutually exclusive? How can the harm from wrongdoing most effectively be resolved? Can restorative justice be effectively applied in large, more complex and individualistic societies? We critically evaluate literature regarding efforts to utilize compensatory sanctions, collaborative processes and consensual outcomes to repair the harm to victims, communities and offenders in the course of offending behavior.

INQ 110-CCPsychology and BeliefDr. EarlyBlk 10How does our experience shape our beliefs? How do we know if our beliefs are valid? While much of the information we are exposed to is valid and useful, it also includes a wide range of extraordinary or manipulative claims that are not supported by evidence or critical assessment. Pseudoscience is one term used to describe claims that may appear to be scientific, but fail to meet the rigorous standards science demands. It includes topics related to so-called paranormal phenomena such as ESP, astrology, and the supernatural. In this course we will critically examine pseudoscientific assertions and also look at how humans develop more general belief systems ranging from creating a philosophy of life to a political ideologyall from the perspective of scientific psychology. Using this perspective, our inquiry will look at how the processes of perception, memory, and thinking contribute to our beliefs about reality.INQ 110-DMarriage & FamilyDr. Kr.HoffmanBlk 9An examination of some of the challenges facing individuals and American society as we seek to maintain and support marriages and families in the 21st century. Course topics covered help students answer the following questions: How will marriages and families be structured in the future? What will it be like to have a marriage, children, and a career? What are the benefits of being married, having a family, or remaining single? What social policies and laws are needed to support individuals and families as they face the challenges of the future? To address these questions, we review social trends associated with cohabitation, inter-racial marriage, gay and lesbian partnerships, blended and single parent families, and parenting practices. INQ 110-DDMy New IdentityDr. TenbrunselBlk 10I contain multitudes: thus proclaimed Walt Whitman, American poet of identity and possibilities. As a beginning college student, sibling, daughter or son, friend, teammate, sometime employee, do you feelat least sometimesas if you also contain multitudes? In this course, we will study the ways human identity has been depicted in a selection of fiction and films. How flexible is identity in fiction? How dependent is the range of possibilities for identity on the society in which one lives? What strains on human psychology and human morality are evinced when one tries to contain multitudes? What needs do these new identities fulfill? What advantages do they permit? What costs do they entail? Students will reflect on, and write about, issues of identity in their own lives as these connect to fiction and films studied in the course. INQ 110-FStrange Tales from the BibleDr. HinlickyBlk 10After an introduction to a scholarly understanding of the origin and interpretation of the Bible, we will address the questions, Why have some tales from the Bible been deemed strange, sparking the interest and imagination of believers and non-believers of various time periods? How have these readers responded to these stories? What significance have they attached to them? This course will investigate a variety of storiessome well-known and others more obscurefrom both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament writings. INQ 110-FFLife and Death in the Streets of ParisDr. HanBlk 5The streets of Paris, whether as sites of (re)construction or deconstruction, playground or battleground, play a critical role in the history of 19th-century Paris, a role reflected in the numerous works by major 19th-century writers that foreground the citys streets. What can we learn about history, society, and culture by examining how, when, and by whom streets are used? We will read excerpts from Hugo, Balzac, and Zola that depict street activity during three major historical periods: the Bourbon Restoration, the July Monarchy, and the Second Empire. We will consider these literary texts in counterpoint to other representations, both written (memoirs, newspaper articles, objective histories) and visual (lithographs, caricatures, photographs), of street activity over the same historical periods. Using the contrasts we establish, we will discuss the nature of historical documents and their reliability. What, if anything, can literature communicate that other sources of information cannot?

INQ 110-IFirst ContactDr. M.Larson-HarrisBlk 2For millennia before Europeans arrived, a variety of Native American cultures flourished in North America. This course examines how these cultures changed under the impact of European civilization, a process that lasted for several centuries. Every aspect of the lives of natives was disruptedtheir subsistence livelihood, their political organizations, their religious practices, and their connections to specific placesand the impact of these changes is still visible today. To fully appreciate this complex dynamic, it is necessary to explore the rich diversity of traditions that existed before first contact. We will seek to understand how native societies adapted economically, politically, and religiously through assimilation, accommodation, and resistance. We will then go on to focus this inquiry around specific religious movements that arose in response. Our course will answer three related questions: who were Native Americans before Europeans arrived, how were they affected by this momentous meeting, and what is the legacy of this impact today? INQ 110-J1Who or What is God?Dr. McDermottBlk 9INQ 110-J2Who or What is God?StaffBlk 3INQ 110-J2Who or What is God?StaffBlk 5This course asks the question, Who or What is God? We will use foundational texts from four of the largest religious communities of the world (Confucius Analects; the Buddhas Dhammapada; portions of the Quran; and the gospel of Luke), to compare and contrast how these four texts answer this and related questions. Our principal methods will be discussion and writing. In the process, students will join a millennia-long conversation, learn to think critically, and improve their writing skills.

INQ 110-KMind and BodyDr. ZornBlk 2This course deals with the perennial question of who we are and how we relate to the rest of the world: are we highly sophisticated bodies, immaterial minds, or something else? Dealing with the relation between mind and body prompts us to consider other topics at the core of our sense of what it means to be a human being: the nature of consciousness, the possibility of freedom, death, human destiny, and the existence of God.

INQ 110-LBiology in MusicDr. PoliBlk 2Using Victorian literature to set the stage, this course will explore how taboos are discussed in American culture. In popular culture, American music lyrics have shed light (and even misunderstandings) about sex and drug use to the common person. Introducing students to the science behind music, the brain, and drug production will help the student appreciate how popular culture can affect scientific literacy and acceptance.

INQ 110-M1Finding Ourselves in FolktalesDr. StonemanBlk 12INQ 110-M2Finding Ourselves in FolktalesDr. StonemanBlk 11Who are the folk in folktales? How are these folk constructed by their cultures? Can we, as modern people, relate to any of the issues facing these folks from long ago? How has culture constructed us? How has it impacted the decisions we make in our daily lives? As we read folktales from a variety of cultures and critical materials that help students engage the primary texts, we will use class discussion, writing assignments, and research projects to meet our course goals: 1) to use the knowledge of cultural perspective gained through analysis of select folktales to evaluate how our own lives are impacted by culture; 2) to assess how our cultural perspectives may impact our daily decision-making.

INQ 110-NScience, Myths, Magic and ChaosDr. MintonBlk 6How do we know what we know? Humans convey information through stories, which can oversimplify and distort the information. The resulting myths may be misinterpreted and modified by those hearing the story. Even our senses are subject to story-telling, as our brains do impressive amounts of computation before sending a story to our conscious mind. Magic tricks and illusions help illuminate some of the details of the brains inner workings. Physical processes play tricks on us as well. The mathematical field of chaos explores situations in which seemingly random phenomena are produced by simple mathematical rules. This course explores the boundary between fact and myth and the boundary between the knowable and the unknowable. INQ 110-OLife in the Ancient CityDr. WardenBlk 5The history of city life is of particular interest because of the importance of the cities in our own lives as centers of politics, culture and commerce. Scholars agree that the emergence of cities was an integral moment in human history. The urbanized civilizations of the ancient world represent some of the earliest flourishing of the urban form. By engaging with case studies from the ancient world, we will ask: How did city living impact and shape ancient societies? How were cities sustained and constituted socially, economically, and politically? From the start, we will work with the archaeological evidence and the ancient textual sources and learn methods for their analysis. Writing and research assignments will aid us in formulating our own questions and interpretations as we unpack the multi-layered features of the ancient city. INQ 110-PMyths of Artist GeniusDr. HardwigBlk 3What do we mean when we say an artist is a genius? How can we say single works are masterpieces of artistic genius when they arise from shared and widely held beliefs and ideas? What about truly collaborative ventures (such as ballet) that combine the efforts of artists, dancers, musicians, and the theater crafts? This course covers four myths of geniusfour case studies about originality in art---from Europe and the United States, from 1787 to the present day. For each of these stories well consider how other artists and collaborators and the artistic milieu of each artists epoch actually shaped the genius attributed to them and their work. And finally well explore the meanings of the words genius, originality, novelty, and transgression as they pertain to the particular artists and works above, and what constructs offer the most satisfying explanation for each. INQ 110-QHow Did Women Get the Vote?Dr. HenoldBlk 6In this course we will answer the question, How did women get the vote? Specifically, we will learn the basic skills of college level thinking, analysis, and writing through a focused exploration of the American woman suffrage movement. More generally, this course will teach students how to think and write by looking in depth at how historians work. The course starts with the origins of ideas about woman suffrage in the eighteenth century, and ends with the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920. We will mostly read documents that were written at the time by suffragists and anti-suffragists, supplemented by readings from historians. As we work through the movements history we will build skills necessary for reading and analyzing documents, constructing and defending arguments, and communicating ideas effectively in writing.

INQ 110-RAtlantic Slave TradeDr. BucherBlk 11How was the Atlantic Slave Trade formed? What were the social and cultural effects of its formation and subsequent decline? This course traces the ways in which the Atlantic Slave Trade brought people and ideas from Africa, Eurasia, and the Americas together through the largest system of forced migration in human history. Students will analyze and discuss the major themes in the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade including: the economic history of the trade, the forms that slavery took within African societies, the demographic changes brought on by the trade, the forms of cultural and intellectual exchange that took place in the Atlantic World, and the emergence of the global abolitionist movement. Finally, all students will both learn and utilize the essential skills of the academic historian.

INQ 110-S1Stories from the WorldDr. MallavarapuBlk 7AINQ 110-S2Stories from the WorldDr. MallavarapuBlk 10In this course we will study variations on classic stories from around the world in multiple genres: oral traditions, fiction, film, poetry and art. We will analyze the structure of individual narratives and, using collaborative research and presentation, we will ask how each of these retellings manifests historical and cultural contexts. How do these stories shift form and logic as they move across the world and across genres? Finally, we will construct our own variation of one of the great stories, being able to articulate how our embodiment of the story engages the history and cultural context of the narrative. INQ 110-TGhosts & Human PerceptionDr. CarterBlk 4What do our beliefs about ghosts tell us about our perceptions of truth? What are the distinctions between beliefs and knowledge? This interdisciplinary examination of ghost lore and research into haunting experiences will range from religious notions of the afterlife to psychological studies of such phenomena as schizotypal hallucinations to scientific knowledge of how environmental factors such as infrasound and electromagnetism affect our perceptions of the world around us. The class even gives a brief nod to quantum physics. The students will not be sitting around scaring themselves silly with campfire ghost stories but examining how their beliefs about ghosts provide clues to their most basic assumptions about what it means to be human.INQ 110-UOther PlacesDr. HanstedtBlk 9Why do we leave home? What drives us to leave behind the familiar (and often comfortable) for other places that are new to us, challenging to us, sometimes dangerous to us? What images/fantasies rise to the surface when we contemplate the possibility of visiting Egypt or Rome or Bangkok or Istanbul? And what happens when we get there? Can the reality rise to our expectations? Are we changed? Is the place were visiting changed? Students in this class will read widely and discuss actively literary works relating to this topic, seeking, finally, to answer these questions for themselves in a manner that reflects an intellectual engagement with the questions at hand.INQ 110-W1From Fantomina to Fight ClubDr. McGrawBlk 4INQ 110-W2From Fantomina to Fight ClubDr. McGrawBlk 6This course aims to trace representations of masculinity in literatures from the eighteenth century to the present. Current conceptions of masculinity evidenced through texts and images such as Fight Club, John Wayne and Sylvester Stallone have a historical and literary precedent in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Using modern theories of masculinity to guide us through the literature, we will analyze men and masculinity from the perspective of gender instead of a cultural stand-in for humanity. Numerous questions will guide our inquiries such as: How have men and masculinities been defined? How do representations of masculinities in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries resonate with current conceptions of masculinities? What characteristics make up modern conceptions of masculinity? We will look at issues that have defined men and masculinities since the eighteenth century. Issues such as labor, reproduction, sexuality, remote fathers, and deviant behavior will remind us that we analyze masculinity as a social construction with a diverse and complicated literary and historical resonance. INQ 110-XRace and MediaDr. MelicanBlk 4Through our readings, discussion, and written assignments we will consider how television, film, and newspapers represent different racial and ethnic groups. Looking specifically at representations of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, and Native Americans, we will ask: What images are being presented? How do they compare to reality? Does it matter what we see? Readings will include cultural studies and social science analyses as well as consideration of quantitative and qualitative research methods.INQ 110-Y2Sinking & Swimming in EducationProf. RostiBlk 3For many students college represents the best four years of their lives. For others the story is rather different. On a national level, in 2005 only 54% of the students who had entered college in 1999 earned a bachelors degree. What difficulties must students overcome on their way to graduation? What factors can help determine the difference between sinking and swimming in the higher learning setting? Through reading and discussing scholarly and popular literatureboth non-fiction and a work of fiction--viewing a set of documentaries, exploring through writing the academic and social issues, and putting into practice through a service project some of the strategies that have been linked to student success, we will investigate the college experience. By semesters end we should have developed a broader view about what the higher learning experience entails and a clearer definition of how students can succeed in this setting. INQ 110-ZtbaDr. StewartBlk 11

INQ 120 Living an Examined LifeINQ 120-ABusiness Ethics in AbsentiaProf. BakerBlk 9This course examines business ethics from a historical and prospective basis. Students will be challenged to evaluate their own view of business ethics and reflect on how that preconception has changed by the end of the course. We will establish what is meant by ethics in the business community, review some examples of ethics violations and what the business world is doing to address the concerns that those ethics breaches have uncovered. Throughout the course we will also look at examples of companies that are doing things the ethical way, and how they should be emulated. We will analyze case studies, topical readings, films and video clips to formulate our base of understanding, and reflect on that knowledge in written papers and in oral debate. INQ 120-BIn Socrates FootstepsDr. VilhauerT/Th 4:30-6:00How should I live? What is the good life? How can I gain my highest potential? These questions were for Socrates the most important and pressing questions human beings can ask -- and must ask as he believed the unexamined life is not worth living. By following in Socrates footsteps, we will embark on the philosophical quest to grasp the truth about right and wrong. This means that we will strive to move beyond popular opinions about the good life, which we too commonly accept without much thought, and toward knowledge grounded in reasons and evidence. INQ 120-CChoosing the Good Life Dr. PartinM/W 4:00-5:30The premise of this course is that life, like art, is about making choices, good and bad. Focusing on several dramas and supplemental, relevant readings, students in this course will examine choices made by playwrights and by the characters in their dramas and will then reflect on those choices and their consequences and the relevance of both to their own lives. Students will consider the choices made by playwrights from Sophocles to Ionesco and from non-dramatic writers from Plato to Sartre and will be then asked to reflect not only on their own reactions to those writers but also on the reactions of their peers. The overarching ethical questions that will form the thematic core of the course will include: What is the good life? How is the good life achieved? How do we connect our choices to our personal search for the good life? INQ 240 Statistical ReasoningINQ 240-A1Heres to Your HealthProf. StaniunasBlk 9INQ 240-A2Heres to Your HealthProf. StaniunasBlk 10INQ 240-A3Heres to Your HealthProf. BaumanBlk 1INQ 240-A4Heres to Your HealthProf. BaumanBlk 2INQ 240-A5Heres to Your HealthProf. MintonBlk 5INQ 240-A6Heres to Your HealthProf. MintonBlk 6INQ 240-A7Heres to Your HealthDr. RobbinsBlk 2INQ 240-A8Heres to Your HealthStaffBlk 4Newspapers, magazines, television, and websites frequently announce the latest health findings regarding nutrition, lifestyle, diseases, disorders, syndromes, treatments, medications, exercise, weight control the list goes on and on. We do not lack for health information, but is the information presented to us good information? When reports are contradictory, what can we reasonably believe? We will learn the methodologies of modern statistics to address these questions. In the face of uncertainty, we must recognize the importance of basing decisions on evidence (data) rather than anecdote. Care must be taken to construct studies that produce enough meaningful data from which results can be trusted. INQ 240-BDoes Gun Control Save LivesDr. LeeBlk 3Does gun control save lives? Such a politically charged question can be approached from many directions. In this course students will learn the methodologies of modern statistics and use them to address the issue of measuring the effectiveness of gun control. Special attention will be given to the importance of being able to set aside politics, emotions, and pre-conceived notions in order to analyze a difficult question from a statistical point of view. INQ 240-G1Social Justice-GLOBALDr. SpielmanBlk 5INQ 240-G2Social Justice-GLOBALDr. SpielmanBlk 4What is racism? What is ethnic diversity? Can these concepts, and others like them, be measured quantitatively? If so, how do we determine if there is a significant difference between the behavior of one group when compared to another? What does it mean for a difference to be significant? We will learn the methodologies of modern statistics and use them to address these questions. Each student will have the opportunity to select and analyze a potential social justice issue from on campus or in the surrounding community. INQ 241 Mathematical ReasoningINQ 241-AMobile AppsDr. BouchardBlk 11At the core of every smart phone is a computer that functions by manipulating bits, 0s and 1s. So, how can these diminutive computers allow users to play music, share photos, and play games by manipulating bits? In this course students will learn how data is represented with bits and how to manipulate the bits to create mobile apps for smart phones. Students will also examine the social and ethical consequences of a society where individuals carry a device that can collect, manipulate, and transmit personal information in the form of bits. Prerequisite: INQ 240 or a Mathematics or Statistics courseINQ 241-BRunning the World EfficientlyDr. SaoubBlk 3What is the best way to deliver the mail? Deliver packages? Assign jobs to employees? Predict stable marriages? A variety of real world optimization problems will be analyzed using the methodology of graph theory and mathematics, especially in terms of how well the solution algorithms perform. We will discuss techniques for framing these and other questions in terms of graph structures and the algorithms used to find solutions. Special attention will be paid to efficient routes for goods and people, assigning tasks based on qualifications, and networks designed to reduce cost. Prerequisite: INQ 240 or a Mathematics or Statistics course.

INQ 250 Scientific Reasoning IINQ 250AS-A and 250ASL-1Astronomical Controversies & LabDr. FleenorBlk 11 & W 7:30-10:30 pmWhat creates and propagates controversy within the Sciences? How do the scientific processes of observation, measurement, and theorizing help to create and resolve controversy? Is it healthy to maintain controversy regarding theories and models in the Sciences; i.e., do the Sciences thrive on controversy? How is controversy received and interpreted by the larger society and culture? By examining four well-known controversies within the astronomical sciences, students will explore both the quantitative arguments and the historical contexts in answering the above questions. Since physics is the proper background for astronomical studies, the course will also focus on the physical concepts and processes associated with astronomical objects. Students will also take measurements, observe astronomical objects with telescopes, and interpret graphically-presented data through a required weekly night lab. INQ 250BI-A1 and 250BIL-1How Organisms Evolve & LabProf. BoschBlk 3 & Tu 1:10-4:10INQ 250BI-A2 and 250BIL-2How Organisms Evolve & LabDr. PowersBlk 5 & Tu 8:30-11:30A focus on the central question How do living organisms evolve? and how science works to answer this question. Components of evolutionary theory from the molecular to the ecosystem level will be examined by comparing predictions of evolutionary theory to empirical findings and the implication on our understanding of life. The lab component of this course will focus on the role of water in life and the interaction of water and humans.

INQ 250CH-A1 and 250CHL-1Chemistry & CrimeDr. LivingstonBlk 9 & Th 1:10-4:10INQ 250CH-E and 250CHL-2Chemistry & CrimeHarris/Livingston T/Th 6:00-7:30 pm & Tu 1:10-4:10How can chemistry contribute to the investigation of crime? The evening news, the primetime TV lineup, and the local bookstore are all filled with examples of the work of forensic scientists. This course will emphasize fundamental chemical principles that allow us to understand the techniques used to analyze evidence from a crime scene. From bloodstains to drug identification to DNA fingerprinting, commonly employed techniques of the forensic scientist will be studied. In the laboratory, students will perform some of these same analyses used by professional criminologists to solve simulated crimes. Students will also use general chemistry principles to design their own analysis methods. INQ 250PH-AThe Way Things WorkDr. BalasubramanianMWF 12:00-2:10The focus of this scientific reasoning course is to understand the way things work in our natural world. To that effect, fundamental questions that will be addressed are why study motion, what factors contribute to the motion of an object and how do these contributing factors produce the observed motion of a sky diver and a deep sea diver. The basics laws of physics applicable to sky diving and deep sea diving will be understood through a suite of laboratory experiments that are exploratory in nature. In this course, the focus will be on the process of science as it is motivated through measurements and inquiry. Cooperative learning groups, computer-assisted activities, and exploratory worksheets will facilitate the conceptual understanding process. Two group projects will provide opportunities for further scientific investigations into each of these topics.

INQ 251 Scientific Reasoning IIINQ 251-AScience, Pseudo-Science, and Non-Science Dr. GrantBlk 10In modern society we are inundated with all kinds of information: the Internet, TV, the radio, the newspaper, magazines and books, and in our daily contact with others. Unfortunately, much of this information is incomplete, biased or just outright false, and since we base many of our actions on what we learn from these sources, it is important to have skills to critically evaluate this information. We will discuss and apply the main kinds of deductive and inductive arguments, and be able to recognize them as they are used to influence all of us every day. Students will also understand the role of evidence in rational inquiry and be knowledgeable of the many pitfalls of human common sense intuition, as well as the proper interpretations of probabilities, in the evaluation of such evidence. We will utilize and explore many popular mysteries, such as ESP, Astrology, the Bermuda Triangle, visitation by extraterrestrial beings (UFOs), etc. in our discussions. INQ 251-BEnergy at the CrossroadsDr. CawleyBlk 11This specific course is an exploration of how we as a culture both use and manage Energy flows. We will inquire specifically into the concept of energy crisis and what that may mean or imply. The course is designed to address technical language (i.e. watts, joules, kilowatt-hours, and the like) and policy topics. The first portion of the course addresses past and present technologies, particularly in transportation and electrical generation. The second portion of the class will specifically delve into present and future initiatives and technologies, applying current approached of guided active student learning and presentation, using technical thesis and support strategies

INQ 260 Social Scientific ReasoningINQ 260AN-G1Things in Contact: From New France to Old Hawaii-GLOBALDr. LeesonBlk 12Cultures are the product of a particular historical trajectory and their achievements cannot be ascribed to racial differences; cultures must be studied holistically and no one belief or behavior can be studied out of context; and cultures produce in their members a tendency to see the world from a naively self-centered viewpoint that proclaims what they do to be natural and right. Only by a systematic and even-handed study of cross-cultural data (ethnology), is it possible for individuals to derive any generalizations about the tremendous range in human variation globally. If ethnographic fieldwork taught early anthropologists just one thing, it was that to know yourselfknow the other. By living with others for extended periods of time, anthropologists learn to take other peoples cultural patterns seriously whether it be cockfighting in Bali, wearing lip discs in Brazil, or eating dog for dinner in India. The eye-opening diversity we encounter in the field, in turn, prompts us to reexamine the assumptions we, all too often, take for granted.

INQ 260CO-AMedia EffectsDr. KhooBlk 10Does media affect people? Aside from working and sleeping, individuals in the US spend more time consuming media than any other single activity. By the time the average person reaches 65, he or she will have spent over six full years of life watching televisionnot to mention the additional time spent using the Internet, mobile communication devices, and playing videogames. The importance of media in peoples lives makes it crucial for us to comprehend and critically examine our perception of media messages and their influences. This course will introduce students to the study of the effects of media on individuals and society. By introducing media effect theories through several key research areas, e.g., the effects of media violence, this course will explore media as a social force, as factors that affect media use and perception of media messages, and a shaper of individuals attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

INQ 260PS-A1Public Opinion in VirginiaDr. WilsonBlk 10INQ 260PS-A2Public Opinion in VirginiaDr. WilsonBlk 11How do we know what percentage of the people approve of the job being done by the Governor? What are the important issues in Virginia today? What positions are held by citizens in these debates? This course examines contemporary political, social, and economic issues in Virginia. Students will explore these important topics by conducting a statewide public opinion survey.

INQ 260PS-BThe Moral Problem of PoliticsDr. GarrisonBlk 10Does morality have a place in politics? Can good people thrive in government and society, or can only people of questionable character dominate? This course is organized around a semester-long inquiry into theoretical and literary sources addressing different aspects of the moral problem of politics. In the course, students will encounter a normative social science framework for addressing the moral problem of politics and for analyzing both politics and literature. Students will complete rigorous writing assignments. Oral presentations on course readings will also be required.

INQ 260PY-ASocial Judgment, Attitudes, and BehaviorDr. CamacBlk 7AHumans are primarily social animals and the human brain evolved in the context of a social environment. Social cognition is an area of psychology that focuses on how our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions are affected by an individuals social context. In this course, students will read original works of scientific research in order to better understand social cognition and, in turn, to learn how to think like a social cognitive researcher. In addition to reading research reports, students will complete several lab exercises that will help teach research skills and scientific writing in the form of lab reports and several short papers. Also, students will complete an oral presentation and participate in a week-long simulated society game.

INQ 260PY-B1Psychology in the MediaStaffBlk 4INQ 260PY-B2Psychology in the MediaStaffBlk 6How accurately do popular media portray current psychological knowledge? Movies, sitcoms, newspapers, magazines, and blogs often report findings from psychological science. How often do they get it right, and how often do they get it wrong? Do they manipulate findings in order to make their points? This course explores the core methodologies of psychological science by comparing and contrasting popular vs. scientific treatments of current and perennial topics within various subfields of psychology. Topics will vary, but may include amnesia, school shootings, effects of Facebook use, antidepressant effectiveness, Dissociative Identity Disorder, ADHD prevalence, and self-esteem.

INQ 260PY-CHow Does Technology Impact Us?Dr. GalluchBlk 3This course will use multiple methods to examine how modern technology impacts human cognition and behavior. Students will engage in a critical examination of current empirical research and will work together to investigate new questions using various research techniques. Students will be required to engage in critical thinking, scientific writing, quantitative reasoning, and oral presentation assignments.

INQ 260PY-G1Love, Lust & Limerence-GLOBALDr. PranzaroneBlk 9INQ 260PY-G2Love, Lust & Limerence-GLOBALDr. PranzaroneBlk 11Love makes the world go round as lyricists proclaim. With the development of fMRI brain scans cognitive neuroscientists now have a window into minds as persons enter an altered state of consciousness called limerence or being-in-love. Love is now a scientifically describable phenomenon. Cross-culturally, romantic love is questioned as a valid basis for socially sanctioned marriage. Examined will be the biological and psychosocial variables of proceptivity that determine the definition of beauty, flirtation, attraction, falling-in-love and pair-bond establishment. Are these factors universally human or culturally and socially specific? Examined will be at least six species of love and various psychological theories on love. How can pair-bonds and marriages endure? Need marriage always be monogamous or can it be successful in alternate forms as is seen in other cultures? What is jealousy and is it helpful or destructive to relationships?INQ 260SO-ACulture and SocietyDr. BerntsonBlk 5This course explores the concepts of culture and society from a sociological perspective and teaches students how sociologists conduct their research. Through various aspects of social life, we will ask: What are the features of culture and society? What is the individuals relationship to culture and society? How do we acquire our values, norms, laws, and ways of living? How do we form our individual and cultural identities? How do our interactions with others affect our own sense of self? What effects do social groups, networks, organizations, and institutions have on us, and what impact do we have on them?INQ 260SO-G1Traveling Without Leaving-GLOBALDr. MehrotraBlk 1Why do people take their shoes off when they enter a home in Japan? Why do some Egyptian women choose to wear the veil? Why are many marriages around the world still arranged by parents? These questions focus on practices that most Americans would find unusual. Yet, studying these practices in a meaningful way will help students question their assumptions about others. Students will take a comparative global approach to study topics such as culture, gender relations, and family. This approach will facilitate a critical reflection on the central question this course focuses on: how do social forces shape the lives of individuals? Cross-cultural examinations of similarities and differences will help students investigate the ways in which social practices and institutions influence the trajectory of individual lives. Students will do a service-learning project that requires them to volunteer with an agency in the Roanoke Valley, and reflect on their experiences in course assignments. Service: 15 hrs/sem.

INQ 270 Human Heritage IINQ 270-AWhats True about the Bible?Dr. WisnefskeBlk 3No book has had greater impact on Western civilization than the Bible, and no book has been more intensively analyzed. This course poses the question, "What's true about the Bible?" and helps students answer it by teaching them critical tools scholars have employed: historical and archaeological; literary--text, source, form, and redaction criticism; and theological. Students will learn to read biblical texts knowing their historical and literary background, and understanding their religious insights. They will then be able to enter into critical conversations concerning what biblical texts mean for us today.

INQ 270-BDoes Art Imitate Life?Dr. LongBlk 11There is a popular tendency in the twenty-first century to see works of art as self-expression: the representation of an artists personal interests, experiences and mind-set at a particular moment in time. But is this the best approach for understanding works of art produced before our era? In this class we will study the lives and works of painters and sculptors from early Renaissance Italy (14th and 15th centuries) to explore whether artists lives can explain what is represented in their art. INQ 270-CMen, Women, and MonstersDr. WhitesideBlk 7AIn this course we will examine the formation of gender identity and anxiety through a variety of works representing pre-modern cultures. Fields of study represented include literature, music, religion, philosophy, art, and history, and the cultures we will encounter include ancient Sumeria, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as medieval Europe, Japan, and India. Our studies will focus on how the works we examine use gender to create and express categories of social and sexual identity yet at the same time both emphasize and distort those categories with the addition of the monstrous. Students will be asked to confront and evaluate the questions and conundrums raised by these works, consider ways the artists tried to answer these questions, and determine why these questions are relevant to their lives today. INQ 270-DClassical Heroes and HeroinesProf. RostiBlk 2Achilles heel, Trojan horse, Oedipal complex, Lysistrata Projectfigures from ancient and classical literature continue to play an important role in our lives. Through reading original tales of Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman heroes and heroines together with considering more modern treatments in film and literature, we will explore types of heroism, the relationship of heroes and heroines to their societies, the personal costs of heroism, and the reasons women so rarely were portrayed heroically. Who were these heroes? What did they represent? Why were they admired by their producing cultures? How do they compare to our modern ideas about heroes and heroines? How and why do they constitute such a significant role in human culturesincluding our own? And why do their stories continue to engage, entertain, and even shock us?

INQ 270-FMyth, Philosophy, and NatureProf. GnattBlk 4This course will look at different ways in which people have approached the natural world, ranging from mythological accounts of the world and its origins to rationalistic attempts to understand natural processes in early Greek philosophy and in the tradition of thought it inspired. We will consider what mythological approaches to the world have in common with more rationalistic approaches developed in the western world, and how they differ, as well as ways in which contemporary understandings of the world differ from views articulated in earlier modes of thought.

INQ 270-G1India, Tibet & EnlightenmentGLOBALDr. KellyBlk 3INQ 270-G2India, Tibet & EnlightenmentGLOBALDr. KellyBlk 4When did the quest for enlightenment and the alleviation of human suffering begin in India? What was Buddhas response to human suffering? How did Buddhism begin? What is Tibetan Buddhism? Why are so many Westerners drawn to the practice of Tibetan Buddhism? A fundamental orientation of ancient Indian culture and its transmission, in Buddhist form, to Tibet as early as the 7th century C.E., was the alleviation of human suffering. Beginning with Vedic culture and manifesting in the concerns of Buddhist, Jain, Upanishadic, and Tantric culture and literature, a preoccupation with the enlightened life is evident. This course will examine the origins and development of this quest in India and its migration to Tibet where the quest will manifest in unique forms of Buddhist traditions. We will also examine the contemporary interest on the parts of many western practitioners and academics through literary and other forms of expression Tibetan Buddhism is taking in the West. INQ 270-G3The Silk RoadGLOBALStaffBlk 11Did globalization exist in the pre-modern period? How did people travel, exchange ideas, and manage business two thousand years ago? Can contemporary globalization be traced back to the ancient and medieval period? We will approach these questions through the examination of the Silk Road across Eurasia. The Silk Road was the first transcontinental trading route between East and West, connecting the eastern end of the Asian continent (China, Japan, and Korea) to the Roman Empire as it passed through Mongolia, Central Asia, Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean area. Through this long-lasting transportation channel, people not only traded luxury goods and commodities, but also exchanged ideas, religious beliefs, artifacts, various foodstuffs, and forms of entertainment.

INQ 271 Human Heritage IIINQ 271-AScience vs. Religion?Dr. WisnefskeBlk 10Does science make religion obsolete? This course examines the clash between modern science and religion in the Western world. It will focus on the debates between the natural sciences and Christian thought over questions such as evolution, the nature and destiny of the physical universe, and the status of our knowledge of nature. The rise of modern science set off a revolution in thinking which religion and philosophy are still adjusting to, and it has largely been responsible for setting Western life and thought on its distinctive course. We will examine in particular how contemporary physicists, biologists, and theologians understand the controversies that arose during this time, and what room for compatibility they see between science and religion today.INQ 271-CImages of PowerDr. HargroveBlk 12This course explores the subject of power political and social as it is visually manifested in a variety of western cultures at various points in the modern period. Specifically, we will be looking at works of art (including painting, sculpture, photography, and mass media imagery, along with architecture) to uncover ways in which power is constructed, reflected, imposed, and reified within the objects and products of western societies. The broader aim of this course is to alert students to the way in which the material products of human civilization do not simply passively reflect who we think we are, but actively and sometimes manipulatively, instill and reinforce a broad spectrum of ideas that serve the agendas of individuals and or societies.

INQ 271-DPlaywright as TruthseekerDr. PartinBlk 11Drama serves as a mirror ofand sometimes a lens onthe societies that create it. From the Greeks to the modern era, good plays reflect the values and the truths of the times and places in which theyre written. In this course students will examine the issues raised by playwrights ranging from Dion Boucicault to Tony Kushner, and they will reflect on how those issues are also the issues of their own time and place. A key topic for the course will be the one raised by Edward Albee in Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Martha: Truth or illusion, George; you don't know the difference. George: No, but we must carry on as though we did. What role do playwrights have in shedding light on the truth in their time and ours? Nondramatic readings will also be used to provide social and ethical context for the dramas under consideration. Truth, in this case, is defined as the truth as the playwright presents in his script, and the questions at hand are: 1. What is that truth? 2. Does that truth continue to be pertinent to the nature of the human condition as experienced by members of society in the United States in the early 21st century? and 3. How does a playwright use his/her art to reveal truth to his/her audience (written or performed)?

INQ 271-FHenry VIIIDr. GibbsBlk 3This course is about Henry VIII, his wives, ministers, and the rest of the people in his kingdom(s). The course is about us too. It is also about some Victorian authors; and about some twentieth-century authors; and even some twenty-first-century authors. We will examine how texts have represented different events from Henrys reign. Historians writing in the late Victorian period, the modern era, and the postmodern era have presented the period and the main historical figures in strikingly different fashions. In order to comment upon how contemporary concerns have influenced the image or construction of Henry VIII, his wives, and ministers, we will compare and contrast these representations in our search for a wiser understanding of historical methodology. INQ 271-GWorld Pop: Musical Authenticity in the Age of GlobalizationStaffBlk 2The globalization of the music industry and the emergence of English as the dominant world language might make us think that our planet has become a stage for American culture. But has it really? Does multinational success undermine musical truth, or can it foster a new global truth? How have commercial technologies affected music-cultures? Some taste-cultures preserve music traditions, while others innovate new sounds, new styles, and new genres. Are different social and political values stressed in these different cultures? This inquiry into the problem of authenticity in popular music explores how communities and nations find reflection in their music-cultures. The histories, aesthetics, and ideologies of a given world music provide insight into world pop. This course focuses on how people use popular song to develop a sense of shared meaning, especially when promoting social change, and how dance music can bring people together in mutual enjoyment and shared purpose.

INQ 271-IDear Old Roanoke CollegeDr. MillerBlk 11What gives a college its identity? Is it the colleges history and traditions? A colleges curriculum and planning? The success of its members and alumni in academics, sports, business, service, and professions? Or is it a mixture of these elements, in a special and distinctive manner? This course will explore answers to each of these questions in a historical and contemporary study of Roanoke College as a national liberal arts institution of higher learning. The course will focus on this history of the college in particular and the history of higher education in general in the past 170 years. Students will form into groups to analyze issues confronting the college. INQ 271-JChicano Novel in ActionDr. Flores-SilvaBlk 5This course examines the relevance of historical events in the fusion of Mexican and American culture and how this amalgamation created an entirely new cultural identity: the Chicano. Using literary texts and historical documents, the course points out the significance of Chicano culture in the United States and how it evolved to find its own voice and place within the larger American society.

INQ 300 Contemporary IssuesINQ 300-AFood and Philosophy: What Should We Eat?Dr. AdkinsBlk 2What should we eat? The question is unavoidable. It must be answered, yet a little reflection shows that answering the question involves us in a whole host of economic, moral, ethical, political, nutritional, cultural, religious, aesthetic, and environmental concerns. Furthermore, these concerns are often in tension with one another. The fact of the matter is, though, that we rarely engage in such reflection. Our food choices are the result of habit and inertia. Using the work of Aristotle and Spinoza we will analyze the role of habit in human experience. Then we will turn to recent work by Michael Pollan to see how wide-ranging factors limit our food choices and thus the type of habits we can develop.

INQ 300-BPowerful MedicineDr. HollisBlk 2How do drugs affect our life? The pharmaceutical industry projects that worldwide drug sales will exceed $1 trillion within the next few years. One touchstone of the 20th century was the explosion of the pharmaceutical industry, and the effects of this rapid growth on human health. This course will explore the pharmaceutical industry and its impact on individuals and on society. From drug discovery to clinical trials to marketing and economic implications, we will learn about this industry. Once we have covered the basics in the first half of the course, groups will choose a contemporary problem related to the pharmaceutical industry, carry out research on the problem, analyze possible approaches to the problem, and propose a solution in a final paper and oral defense.

INQ 300-CGlobal Health DisparitiesDr. DestroBlk 7AWhy are children in places such as Sub-Saharan African more likely to die in infancy than are children living in western, Democratic nations like the U.S.? Why do some countries have higher rates of obesity than others? This course will ask students to determine how ones country of residence affects ones likelihood of ill or good health. Throughout this course, students will consider the country-level social, economic and political factors associated with major global health problems, including the rise of chronic disease (obesity, Type II diabetes) and prevalence of childhood illnesses and other conditions (measles, diarrhea, low birth weight). Students will also consider how these health conditions disproportionately affect groups within countries across race, gender, class and other important categories. For their final projects, students will propose and defend an intervention strategy aimed at the reduction of a selected adult disease or child health issue. Students proposals should target a particular county and risk-group.

INQ 300-DHistorical PreservationDr. DeetzM 2:20-5:20Who decides if something is historically significant, and how do we as a community help choose? Students in this course will examine the ways in which historical sites (graveyards, buildings, neighborhoods, and parks) have been either preserved or demolished in the Roanoke Valley. While President John F. Kennedy passed the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, there are still loopholes in which certain historically significant sites go unnoticed, fall into decay, or are actively demolished n place of new construction. With help from the instructor, students will choose an endangered local site, explore the criteria for designating its significance, conduct historical research, and write and submit a proposal for local and state recognition, with hopes of saving it. For their final projects, students will propose and defend an intervention strategy aimed at saving the said place. Occasionally, if the site prohibits, students will also implement some level of effort into cleaning up, documenting, and preserving a site.

INQ 300-FContemporary Science ProblemsDr. CrozierBlk 5You are about to complete your college education and enter the workforce, create your own business, run for political office, develop the next invention, or enter a graduate-level program. You have been exposed to facts and theories, but you will soon be engaged in life as an actively participating person in the human community. How did you learn college-level material best? What do you really remember from your classes? Can you act upon or really make critical decisions about what you have learned? How did you learn information in the sciences? Could you explain solutions to scientific problems to someone else? How will you become informed about difficult or controversial topics outside the classroom and help others learn about that topic? In this course you will learn about learning and use those skills to help solve a contemporary problem in the sciences.

INQ 300-IIssues in EducationDr. EarpBlk 10INQ 300-JIssues in EducationDr. ReynoldsBlk 11What is the role of formal education in preparing students for life in the 21st century? What knowledge and skills must be a part of the educational canon? What challenges does the U.S. face as it tries to meet the changing needs of a global society? Student will research the latest trends in and historical foundations of education policy. Through an inquiry process they will engage with cross-disciplinary texts that offer a variety of views of what life in the 21st century requires of U.S. citizens. Assignments will require students to read and reflect on a wide range of perspectives as well as engage in both individual and collaborative research, writing, and presentation.

INQ 300-KWinning, Money & the NCAADr. CreasyBlk 11Ethics in Sport, do they exist? Is there a win-at-all-costs mentality in college sports? This course will analyze these questions through a review of major NCAA violations and current ethical issues in sport. Students will evaluate literature regarding ethics in sports and interpret current NCAA compliance standards. Students will also be required to formulate solutions to the most prominent issues through group based research and a final project. The final project will consist of several parts, including a proposal, progress report, final paper and final presentation.

INQ 300-LThe End of the World as We Know itDr. GrantBlk 11Across this country a growing number of Americans are preparing themselves for a catastrophic apocalypse. For reasons ranging from terrorist attacks to natural disasters or an economic meltdown, these individuals have been taking survival courses, constructing safe rooms and shelters, and stockpiling canned goods in preparation for the end of the world as we know it. Are their fears founded in fact or fantasy? Does the scientific data support the likelihood of an event occurring? Are there preparations we can take to ensure our survival if it does occur? In this course you will investigate a potential catastrophic event and the underlying science and technology, assess the level of threat based on all available evidence, and develop an action plan with persuasive arguments to advise others of the apparent danger and how to prepare and respond to the event.

INQ 300-OAdvocating for the ArtsDr. BlahaBlk 12If an artistic heritage is important to a well-lived life, should government promote and support that heritage, or should its practitioners and institutions be expected to compete in the free market, where the culture industry of entertainment and media dominates? What role do arts programs in the schools (government-supported or not) play in promoting culture? These questions underlie an important analysis of the world around us, where the very survival of what societies have traditionally called arts and letters is increasingly threatened. This course asks students from all disciplines to address this pressing issue by gathering compelling evidence for why art matters. Students must also decide how to propose ways of promoting policies that advocate for the arts and letters in the United States, if that is indeed the recommended solution; if not, they must provide a convincing defense for leaving the survival of culture to a free market.