spring 2015 all course descriptions
TRANSCRIPT
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
1/26
SPRING2015
CORE101:SYMBOLSANDCONCEPTUALSYSTEMS
ProfessorJohnBowlt,DepartmentofSlavicLiteraturesandLanguages
Lecture TTh 9:3010:50am 63500DDiscussion F 11am 63501D
F 12pm 63502DLab TBA 63511R
ModernRussianArt(RussianArtoftheLate19thand20thCenturies)
ThecurrentvogueforRussianartisaclearindicationthatthesubjectofRussianartisnolongerdistantandinaccessible,buthasbecomeanimportantpartofthepublicdomain. Currentconditions(e.g.,exhibition,publication,andmovieprojects)pointtoanincreasing,universalinterestintheRussianvisualartsandtoareevaluationofthempreciselywithinaninternationalandcomparativeframework.Whatwerethelinks
between
Russian
and
German
Romanticism?
What
did
Realism
mean
for
Russian,
French,
and
American
painters(andwriters)ofthelate19thcentury?WhathappenstoartwhenasociopoliticaltransformationoccursofthemagnitudeoftheBolshevikRevolution? HowdoweexplaintheparallelsbetweenStalin's,Hitler's,andMussolini'sRealisms? Isitfairtotalkofa"newwave"incontemporaryRussianart? Howhavemigrartistsandarchitectsaffectedourownartscene,righthereinLosAngeles? Thesearejustsomeofthemanyquestionsthatwillbeaddressedanddiscussedwithinthecontextof"SymbolsandConceptualSystems:ModernRussianArt"andthatwillconnectRussianart(whichhasoftenbeenregardedasthe"periphery")directlytoWesterndevelopments(the"mainstream").
Readings
Bowlt,John.
Moscow,
St.
Petersburg
1900
1920:
Russian
Art
and
Culture
in
the
Silver
Age.
Gray,Camilla.TheRussianExperimentinArt,18631922.Rzhevsky,Nicholas.TheCambridgeCompaniontoModernRussianCulture.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
2/26
SPRING2015
CORE101:SYMBOLSANDCONCEPTUALSYSTEMS
ProfessorJosephDane,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 23:20pm 63512D
Lab
TBA
63511R
PoetryandIntelligibility
Poetrycannotbereadindependentlyofothersystems,whetherlinguistic,rhetorical,oraesthetic. Inthiscourse,wewillexaminevariouswaysunderwhichpoetryandotherliteratureis,orbecomes,intelligible.Wewillreadinsections.WhataretheconventionsandclichswithinwhichcourtpoemsbyElizabethanpoetsareconstructed,andwhatweresomeofthearbitrarysystemsthatwereappliedtotheminthenineteenthandtwentiethcenturies? ForBaudelaireandStevens: whatisthedifferencebetweenviewingartintheLouvreandusingartasastudyin"imagination"? L=A=N=G=U=A=G=Epoets:whatistherelationbetweentheprocessbywhichsomepoetsofthisveryilldefinedschoolclaimtoproduceand
certainarbitrary
systems
ofmusic
inthe
mid
twentieth
century?
Readings
ReadingswillconsistofpoemsbyShakespeare,Donne,Baudelaire,ElizabethBarrettBrowning,Stevens,Eliot,andvariouscontemporarypoets,aswellascriticalessaysbyasmanyinthisgroupwhochosetowritethem.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
3/26
SPRING2015
CORE101:SYMBOLSANDCONCEPTUALSYSTEMS
ProfessorAlisonRenteln,DepartmentofPoliticalScience
Lecture TTh 1112:20pm 63503DDiscussion F 9am 63504D
F
10am
63505D
Lab TBA 63511R
Law,Culture,andIdentity
Thisinterdisciplinarycourseexaminesthewaysinwhichindividualsandgroupsattempttocontrolsymbolicrepresentationsoftheiridentitiesthroughthelaw. Asafundamentalquestion,weaskwhetherthelawcanofferanymeaningfulwayofprotectingidentities. Asvariousbodiesoflawprovidemechanismsforsafeguardingtheimagesandsymbolsassociatedwithidentities,weconsidertopicsfromthefieldsofconstitutionallaw,employmentlaw,intellectuapropertylaw,andinternationalhumanrightslaw.
Individualshavechallengedtheuseoftheirimagesorthoseoftheirrelativesthroughrightofpublicity
lawsuits.They
also
seek
tocontrol
the
choice
oftheir
surnames
incourt;
this
has
been
an
issue
for
women
inmany
countrieswhoarerequired,uponmarriage,totakethenamesoftheirhusbands. Criminalstatutesonthegrowingproblemofidentitytheftserveasyetanotherillustrationoftheproblematicnatureofattemptingtoregulatetheuseofindividualidentitiesthroughthelaw.
Withrespecttothemaintenanceofgroupsidentities,weconsidercontroversiesoverdresscodes,Englishonlypolicies,foodways,Indianmascots,theculturaldefense,andsacredsites. Aspartofouranalysisoftheroleoflawininfluencingcollectiveidentities,wealsotakeuplawsdesignedtopreventordiscouragetheexistenceofextremistgroups. TheseincludeantimaskinglawsintendedtooutlawKuKluxKlanmarches,antisectstatutesdesignedtoprohibitcultsornewerareligions,andhatespeechregulationsdraftedtopreventtheadvocacyofracehatred.
Amongthemoreimportantdebatesweanalyzeisinterethnicconflictintheinternationalarena. Theextenttowhichgroupsarewillingtoresorttoviolencetomaintainliteralandfigurativebordersisatopicofcrucialimportanceinthemodernworld.Weconsidertheextenttowhichindividualsarewillingtorisktheirlivestoprotectnationalorethnicidentities. Inthefinalpartofthecoursewestudyrelevantinternationallegalinstruments.
Readingsforthecourseincludetheoriesofidentityforindividualsandgroups,jurisprudentialtexts,analyticessaysonvariouspolicydebates,andcourtcases.
Readings
Ashmore,Richard,LeeJussimandDavidWilder,Eds.SocialIdentity,IntergroupConflict,andConflictResolution.Barkan,ElazarandRonaldBush,Eds.ClaimingtheStones/NamingtheBones: CulturalPropertyandtheNegotiationof
NationalandEthnicIdentity.Barth,Frederik. EthnicGroupsandBoundaries.Caplan,JaneandJohnTorpey.Eds. DocumentingIndividualIdentity: theDevelopmentofStatePracticesintheModern
World.
Dundes,Alan. TheShabbatElevatorandOtherSabbathSubterfuges.Dupuis,Martin.SameSexMarriage,LegalMobilization,andthePoliticsofRights.Erikson,ErikH.IdentityandtheLifeCycle.King,RichardC.andCharlesFruehlingSpringwood,Eds.TeamSpirits:TheNativeAmericanMascotsControversy.Niec,Halina,Ed. CulturalRightsandWrongs.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
4/26
SPRING2015
CORE101:SYMBOLSANDCONCEPTUALSYSTEMS
ProfessorVanessaSchwartz,DepartmentofHistory
Lecture TTh 23:20 pm 63506D
Discussion
F
9
am
63507D
Discussion F 10am 63508DLab TBA 63511R
Icons
MarilynMonroe,theEiffelTower,thePyramids,JohnWayne,andMickeyMouse. Fewwoulddisputethenotionthatthemassvisualmediahavetransformedthesepeople,places,andthingsintoicons.Althoughthesephenomenaexistapartfromtheirrepresentation,theirculturalsignificanceandimportanceisattachedtotheirstatusaspictorialrepresentationsthatarewidelydisseminated. Thetermiconinitiallyinvokedanobjectworthyofreligiousdevotion;thatoriginalmeaningnowdenotesanuncriticalandpopulardevotion.
Thiscourse
poses
the
question
What
becomes
alegend
most?
That
question,
made
famous
by
the
Blackglamafurads,conflatedbecominginthesenseofbeingvisuallypleasingwithbecomingalegend,amodernprocessfueledbyimagemaking.Wewillexaminebasicwaysofthinkingaboutvisualsymbolsbylearningaboutsemiotics,symbolicandculturalanthropology,andwhatarthistorianshavecallediconology.Thiscoursewilltracetheinterplaybetweenspecificiconsandthevisualculturethatmadethemiconic.Particularemphasiswillbeplacedontechnologiesofrepresentationsuchasphotographyandfilmandthevitalroletheyhaveplayedinthecultureofmodernicons. TherewillbeaclassfieldtriptoDisneyland(requiredSaturdayevent).
Readings
Berger,John.WaysofSeeing.Danto,Arthur.AndyWarhol.HarimanandLucaites.NoCaptionNeeded.Lukas,Scott. ThemePark.Kemp,Martin.ChristtoCoke:HowImagesBecomeIcons.Rojek,Chris. Celebrity.Sassoon,Donald.BecomingMonaLisa.Sontag,Susan. OnPhotography.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
5/26
SPRING2015
CORE103:THEPROCESSOFCHANGEINSCIENCE
ProfessorJimHaw,EnvironmentalStudiesProgram
Lecture MW 23:20 pm 63516D
Lab
TBA
63524R
TheScienceoftheWaterEnergyNexusinSouthernCalifornia
Mostscientistswouldbetemptedtosaythatwaterandenergyarewellunderstood. YetthefirstoftheseisanundeniablyurgentcrisisforCalifornia,reflectedinpartbytherecentandnearlyunanimouspassageofthewaterbondbythestatelegislature,thesecondiswidelyifnotunanimouslyregardedasanurgentcrisis,andtheintersectionofthetwoisacomplexproblemthatgoeswellbeyondtheobviousimpactoffossilfueluseonclimateandprecipitation. ThiscourseusesscientificandquantitativeapproachestoinvestigatethewaterenergynexusinthespatialandsocialcontextofSouthernCaliforniadesertcommunities.Clearlywaterisbothamoleculeandthewellspringofendlessconflict,andwhileenergycanbe
formallydescribed
by
physics
toan
arbitrary
level
ofprecision,
this
precision
lacks
allofthe
geographic
and
socialcontextthatdriveourusesofit.Thiscoursewilllargelybedeliveredinatraditionalclassroomsetting,butitisplannedthattherewill
betwoweekendlengthfieldtripstoBorregoSprings,aruralCaliforniatownthatdependsexclusivelyongroundwater,andispumpingthiswaterataratevastlyinexcessofreplenishment.Ithasbeenestimatedthatifpresentwaterusepracticescontinuetherewillbenopotablewaterwithin50years. BorregoSpringsiscompletelysurroundedbytheAnzaBorregoStatePark,thelargestdesertparkinthecountry.StudentswillstayattheUCDesertResearchStationwhichhasrecentlyopenedwithverybasicdormitoryrooms. OnenightwillbespentinthedesertonahostedexpeditionguidedbyCaliforniaOverlandDesertExcursions. Therewillalsobemorninghikestofamousdesertoasiswatershedswhereencounterswith
BighornSheep
and
other
charismatic
desert
fauna
are
common.
TherewillbetwotraditionaltextbooksplusotherreadingssuppliedfromtheinstructorincludingveryrecentmaterialsfromtheBorregoSpringsWaterCoalitionorsimilaragenciesworkingtodevelopamoresustainablewatersupply.
Readings
Hanak,Ellen,etal.ManagingCalifornia'sWater:FromConflicttoReconciliation.Wolfson,Richard.Energy,Environment,andClimate,2ndEd.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
6/26
SPRING2015
CORE103:THEPROCESSOFCHANGEINSCIENCE
ProfessorJasonGlenn,DepartmentofHistory
Lecture TTh 1011:50am 63513DDiscussion F 11am 63514DDiscussion F 12pm 63515DLab TBA 63524R
AConsilientApproachtotheStudyofthePast
CaseStudy:AngloSaxonEngland,c.400to1066
Thiscoursehasthreeprincipalaims:(1)tointroducestudentstothebasicskillsandapproachesofthehistorian;(2)toexplorearangeofdevelopmentsinthenaturalsciencesthatwillchangeand,indeed,havealreadybeguntochangethewaysinwhichwestudythepast;and(3)toprovidestudentswithabasicunderstandingofthescientificprinciplesthatunderlietheserecentdevelopments.
Toachievethesegoals,weshallfocusourstudyprincipallyonaparticularplace(England)andtime(theAnglo
Saxonperiod,
c.400
to1066).
We
shall
therefore
begin
by
studying
one
ofthe
great
textual
monuments
ofthe
period
andreflectonwhatwecanlearnaboutthesocial,political,religious,andintellectuallandscapeinwhichitsauthor,amonknamedBede(c.673 735),wrote. Thistext,TheEcclesiasticalHistoryoftheEnglishPeople,shallbecomethetouchstoneformuchofourstudyinthiscourseaswerangeforwardandbackwardsintime.
AfterstudyingBedesworldforafewweeks,weshallfocusourattentionononeofthehistoriographicalissuesithasraised,thatis,howtheislandwastransformedfromthefourththroughthesixthcenturieswhentheRomanarmywithdrewfromBritainand,subsequently,peoplesmigratedtoitfromlandstotheeast(whatisnowlowerScandinavia,theNetherlands,andGermany).Weshallconsiderhowhistorianshave,untilrecently,understoodthisperiodandhowdevelopmentsinthenaturalscienceshavecreatednewdatathathelpsustorevisitoldhistoriographicalquestionssuchasthisand,indeed,todevelopnewones.Weshallthenexpandourhorizonstostudyvarietyofwaysinwhichworkinneuroscience,genetics,paleoanthropology,andvarioussubdisciplinesofarchaeology(namely,bio,paleo,andosteo
archaeology)
now
permit
us
to
explore
the
past
in
new
and
exciting
ways.
A
number
of
case
studies
drawn
from
a
range
ofplacesinthenearanddistant(evenprehistoric)pastwillpermitustoreflectonthemethodologicalandtheoreticalimplicationsofsuchworkbothwithintheparticulardisciplinesinwhichitisdoneandforinterdisciplinaryworkwithhumanistsandsocialscientists.Andthisworkwillsuggestchallengesthatscholarsinterestedinthepastmustnowconfrontasweconsidernewpossibilitiesforitsexploration.Allthewhile,weshallcontinuetoexplorethetextsandimagesfromtheAngloSaxonperiodthathavebeenwellknowntohistoriansforgenerationsinordertodevelopamorerichandtexturedunderstandingoftheperiod.
Readings
Asser,John.AlfredtheGreat.Bede. TheEcclesiasticalHistoryoftheEnglishPeople.
Campbell,James,
ed.
The
Anglo
Saxons.
Fleming,Robin. BritainafterRome: TheFallandRise,400to1070.Hieatt,ConstanceB.,trans.BeowulfandOtherOldEnglishPoems.Hills,Catherine. OriginsofEnglish.Swanton,M.J.,ed.AnAngloSaxonChronicle.Sykes,Bryan.Saxons,Vikings,andCelts:TheGeneticRootsofBritainandIreland.Tacitus.AgricolaandGermania.Wells,Spencer. TheJourneyofMan:AGeneticOdyssey.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
7/26
SPRING2015
CORE103:THEPROCESSOFCHANGEINSCIENCE
ProfessorKennethNealson,DepartmentofEarthSciences
Lecture TTh 121:50pm 63519DDiscussion F 9am 63520DDiscussion F 10am 63521DLab TBA 63524R
SearchingforLifeintheUniverse: MarsandBeyond
Thiscoursewillfocusonthescienceoflifedetection,andhowthisisdonebyscientistsinthelab,inthefield,andremotely,onMars. ThemajorfocuswillbeontheongoingMarsexplorationoftheCuriosityrover.Wewilldiscusstopicssuchaswhatislife,howcanitbedefined,howdoesonesearchforit,theenergeticsoflife,thediversityoflife,thetoughnessoflife,andotheraspects.Wewillhaveanumberofvisitinglecturesdealingwithvariousaspectsoflife,rangingfromtheoriginoflife,totheevolutionoflife,toethicalissuessurroundingthesearchforlife,andmanyothers.WewillhaveonefieldtriptoNASAsJetPropulsionLab(JPL)onaFridayafternoonTBA.
Readings
Therearenorequiredtextbooks. Thecoursewillbetaughtfromarticlesthatareassigned. ThesewillincludeoriginalscientificpublicationsandNASAinternalpublicationsdealingwithplanetaryscience. Afewexamplesofsuchpublicationsfollow(theseareonlyexamplesmanypapersthatIhavepublishedbuttheysetthestageforwhatwewillbereadingandtalkingabout):
Bakermans,C., A.I.Tsapin,V.SouzaEgipsy,D.A.Gilichinsky, andK.H.Nealson. Reproductionandmetabolismat10oCofbacteriaisolatedfromSiberianpermafrost.
Conrad,P.G.,andK.H.Nealson.Anonearthcentricapproachtolifedetection.
Dorn,
E.
E.,
G.
D.McDonald,
M.
C.
Storrie
Lombardi,
and
K.
H.
Nealson.
Principal
component
analysis
and
neural
networksfordetectionofaminoacidbiosignatures.Gaidos,E.J.,K.H.Nealson,andJ.L.Kirschvink.Lifeinicecoveredoceans.Jakosky,B.M.,K.H.Nealson,l.C.Bakermans,R.E.Ley,andM.T.Mellon. Subfreezingactivityofmicroorganismsand
thepotentialhabitabilityofMarspolarregions.Nealson,K.H.andP.GConrad.Life:past,presentandfuture.Nealson,K.H.,andW.A.Ghiorse.Geobiology:exploringtheinterfacebetweenthebiosphereandthegeosphere.Nealson,K.H.Searchingforlifeintheuniverse:LessonsfromtheEarth.Nealson,K.H.andB.LeaCox. MicrobialmetalionreductionandMars:extraterrestrialexpectations?Nealson,K.H.andW.Berelson. Layeredmicrobialcommunitiesandthesearchforlifeintheuniverse.Tsapin,A.I.,M.G.Goldfeld,G.D.McDonald,andK.H.Nealson.Iron(VI):hypotheticalcandidateforthemartian
oxidant.
Tsapin.A.I.,M.
Storrie
Lombardi,
G.D.
McDonald,
and
K.H.
Nealson.
Application
ofcomputer
tomography
(CT)
for
searchforlifeinextremeenvironments.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
8/26
SPRING2015
CORE104:CHANGEANDTHEFUTURE
ProfessorPaulLerner,DepartmentofHistory
Lecture TTh 9:3010:50am 63528DDiscussion F 11am 63529DDiscussion
F
12pm
63530D
Lab TBA 63534R
HistoricalPerspectivesonConsumerCulture
Whatisaconsumersociety?Whatroledoactsofconsumptionplayinshapingorexpressingouridentities?Whatarethebroaderconsequencesofconsumptionandconsumerismonourpoliticalsystem,ourculture,ourenvironment? Doesconsumptionhaveahistory? Howhaveconsumption,taste,andstylebeenaffectedbydifferentideologies,regimes,andpoliticalsystems?
Theseareamongthequestionsthatthisclasswillexplore. Consumption,ofcourse,isanageoldphenomenon,buttheradicaltransformationsofthenineteenthcenturyindustrialization,urbanization,etc.andthedevelopment
ofnew
forms
ofretailabove
all,
the
department
storedramatically
changed
the
ways
goods
were
sold,
bought,
and
usedinthemodernperiod. Thesechangesgeneratedakindofculturalanxiety: whilecertainauthorscelebrateddepartmentstoresformakingluxuryandsplendorwidelyavailableandlevelingsocialdistinctions,othersfearedtheerosionoftraditionalwaysoflifeandthetemptationsofadvertisinganddepartmentstoredisplays. Bytheendofthecentury,withthedevelopmentofthemassillustratedpressandthecinema,somecriticsobservedthatcultureitselfwasbecomingacommodity,athingthatwasmassproducedandconsumed,andthatthelinebetweenartandcommercewasbecomingtooblurry. Theseconcernsonlyintensifiedwiththearrivalofradio,recordedmusic,andtelevisioninthetwentiethcentury.Mid tolatetwentiethcenturythinkerscontinuedtodevoteconsiderableattentiontothisprocessofcommodificationanditsimpactonsociety,genderroles,andthebody,whileotherscholarsbegantopointtotheliberatingpossibilitiesofconsumption,thewaysinwhichstylesofconsumingcanhelpusreshapeouridentitiesandtranscendourlimitationsandmaterialconditions.
Fromtheeighteenthcenturysconsumerrevolutionthroughtodayscontroversiesaroundboxretailersandfastfood,fromearlyFrenchdepartmentstorestothemallificationofAmerica,consumptionanditsroleinformingourethnic,genderedandpoliticalidentitieshasbeenaflashpointforbroaderconcernsaboutmodernandpostmodernsocietyandculture.
ThiscoursetracesourculturalengagementwithconsumptionfromeighteenthcenturyBritishsourcestoKarlMarxsnotionofthecommodityfetishandthroughcurrentwritingsonshopping,style,andidentityformation. Oursourceswillcomefromavarietyofperspectives,genresanddisciplines,includingliterature,film,sociology,economics,andhistory. Throughoutwewillbeconcernedwiththegendereddimensionsofconsumption,theidea(andcritique)ofmassculture,theputativepathologiesofconsumerism,andtheplaceofcontemporaryAmericainthecontextofglobalconsumption.
Readings
Clark,DavidB.,MarcusDoelandKateM.L.Housiaux,eds. TheConsumptionReader.DeLillo,Don.WhiteNoise.Marx,Karl. Capital,Vol.1.Poster,Mark,ed.JeanBaudrillard:SelectedWritings.Zola,mile. TheLadiesParadise.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
9/26
SPRING2015
CORE104:CHANGEANDTHEFUTURE
ProfessorEdwinMcCann,DepartmentofPhilosophy
Lecture TTh 3:304:50pm 63531DDiscussion F 10am 63532D
F
11am
63533D
Lab TBA 63535R
Authority,Liberty,Allegiance: ThemesinPoliticalPhilosophy
Humanbeingsneedtolivetogetheringroups,associations,localcommunities, nationstates,andtransnationalorganizations. Itsnotjustamatterofgettingalongtogether(i.e.ofbeingfreeofthethreatofviolencefromothersaroundus);wehavetoengageinawidevarietyofcooperativeventureswithothers,andtodosowemustreasonablyexpectthatallwillhaveafairshareinthefruitsoftheventure.Onwhatbasiscanwecoordinateouractionsandexpectationswiththoseofthepeoplewithwhomwewouldcooperate,sothatweandtheycanbesatisfiedthatwearecooperatingontermsthatarefairandjust? Thatisthebasicquestionofpoliticalphilosophy.
Politicalphilosophyhasalonghistory.WellbeginwithPlatosclassicdialogueTheRepublic,inwhichhetriestoanswerthe
questionWhat
isjustice?
by
paralleling
justice
inthe
state
and
justice
inthe
individual
soul,
ending
up
with
an
insistence
that
the
beststatewouldberuledbyphilosophers,theonlyoneswhohaveknowledgeoftheGood.WellthenjumpaheadtotheRenaissance,tothepoliticalphilosophyofMachiavelli.
Intheearlymodernperiodthepersonalauthoritarianismthatwasimplicitorexplicitinpreviouspoliticalphilosophywaschallenged,andanewemphasisontheconsentofthegovernedasthebasisoflegitimatepoliticalauthoritycametothefore.Wewillstudykeyworksbythreesocialcontracttheorists:ThomasHobbessLeviathan,JohnLockesTwoTreatisesofGovernment,andJeanJacquesRousseausOftheSocialContractandDiscourseonInequality.Wewillfindthatthethreetheoristsgiveverydifferentaccountsofthebasisandimplicationsofthesocialcontract.
Inthenextpartofthecourseweconsidertwonineteenthcenturyreconceptualizationsofpoliticalphilosophy. TheveryinfluentialworkofKarlMarxandFriedrichEngelsrejectedpoliticalphilosophyastraditionallyconceivedandreplaceditwitheconomicanalysis,focusingparticularlyonclassrelationsaskeytopoliticalconsciousness. JohnStuartMilldevelopedJeremyBenthamstheoryofmorality,utilitarianism,andpaireditwithaliberaltheoryofpoliticalfreedomsinhisworksOnLibertyandThe
Subjection
of
Women.
The20thcenturysawarevivalandreconceptualizationofthesocialcontracttheory. JohnRawlsarguesforatheoryofjusticewhichsupportsaliberaldemocraticwelfarestate,withapluralisticaccommodationofdiversereligiouscommitmentsandoverallconceptionsofvalue. RobertNozick,ontheotherhand,fashionsanargumentforalibertarianpoliticalphilosophylegitimatingonlyaminimalanightwatchmanstate,thefunctionsofwhicharetoprotectitscitizensfromcrimeandexternalthreatsandtoenforcecontracts.Giventhelibertarianemphasisonthemarketasalocusofliberty,itwillbeappropriatetoendthecoursewithaveryrecentphilosophicalworkbyDebraSatz,inwhichsheprovidesathoroughanalysisofwhatshecallsthemorallimitstomarkets.Shediscussessuchproblematicmarketsasthoseinhumanorgans(kidneys),voluntaryslavery,womensreproductivelaborandwomenssexuallabor,andconsiderswhetherthemoralproblemssuchmarketsraiseextendtomarketsofotherkinds.
Readings
Hobbes,Thomas.
Leviathan.
Locke,John.PoliticalWritings.Machiavelli,Niccolo.ThePrince.Marx,Karl.SelectedWritings.Mill,JohnStuart.TheSubjectionofWomen.Nozick,Robert.Anarchy,StateandUtopia.Plato,Republic.Rawls,John.JusticeasFairness:ARestatement.Rousseau,JeanJacques.TheBasicPoliticalWritings.Satz,Debra.WhySomeThingsShouldNotBeForSale: TheMoralLimitsofMarkets.Troyer,John,ed.TheClassicalUtilitarians: BenthamandMill.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
10/26
SPRING2015
CORE104:CHANGEANDTHEFUTURE
ProfessorNataniaMeeker,DepartmentsofFrenchandItalianandComparativeLiterature
Lecture MW 23:20pm 63525DDiscussion F 12pm 63526DDiscussion F 1pm 63527DLab TBA 63534R
RevolutionsinTime
TimeandSpacediedyesterday.
F.T.Marinetti,TheFuturistManifesto
Wecanalreadyrecognizethattodaytimeissplitbetweenapresentthatisalreadydead
andafuturethatisalreadylivingandtheyawningabyssbetweenthemisbecoming
enormous. Intime,aneventwillthrustuslikeanarrowintothatlivingfuture.
MichaelHardt
and
Antonio
Negri,
Multitude
Thetermrevolutionhascometosuggestpoliticalupheavalofatransformativeandindeedirreversiblenatureashocktothesocialsystem. Butthefirstmodernrevolutionmayhavebeenscientific,ratherthanpoliticalandtheearliestrevolutionsdesignatednotradicalchange,butitsopposite: theperiodicreturnofnaturalcycles,andtheebbandflowofanonlineartemporalityorganizedaroundaprincipleofrepetition. Inthisclasswewillposethequestion: howdothecyclicalrevolutionsoftheancientstheturnsofthewheeloffortunebecomethepoliticalrevolutionsofourtime?Whatdoesthetransformationinthewaywethinkaboutrevolutiontellusabouthowourexperienceoftimeitselfhaschanged?Where,wewillask,mighttherevolutionsoftomorrowcomefrom?
Togetherwewillstudytheriseofthemodernrevolutionanditsdepictioninliteratureandartwhileremainingattentivetotheoriginsoftheconceptinpremoderntheoriesoftemporality. Ourreadingswilltakeusfrom
ancient
Greece
and
Rome
through
a
series
of
modern
revolutionary
moments
that
continue
to
shape
our
collective
relationshiptopoliticsandthesocialorder. BeginningwithwhathasbeencalledthefirstmodernrevolutiontheScientificRevolutionourstudyofrepresentationsofrevolutioninthemodernerawilltakeusthroughtheFrench,American,andHaitianRevolutionsofthelateeighteenthcentury,andintotheIndustrialRevolutionofthenineteenth.Inthefinalsectionofthecourse,wewillturntowardtheproblemofrevolutionarychangeinourownlifetimesincludinganinvestigationoffeministrevolutionsandrevolutioninglobalcontexts. Throughouttheclass,ourfocuswillbeonrevolutionasitisreflectedthroughliteraryandartisticrepresentation,ontheonehand,and,ontheother,asitservesasitsownreflectionofchangingnotionsoftemporality. Ourreadingswillinclude,butnotbelimitedto,worksbythefollowingauthors: HannahArendt,Aristotle,FrancisBacon,SimonedeBeauvoir,FrantzFanon,KarlMarx,ThomasPaine,Plato,WilliamShakespeare,MoniqueWittig,andmileZola.
Readings
Arendt,Hannah. OnRevolution.deBeauvoir,Simone. TheSecondSex.Fanon,Frantz. TheWretchedoftheEarth.Marx,KarlandFriedrichEngels.TheCommunistManifesto:AModernEdition.Paine,Thomas. CollectedWritings:CommonSense.Plato. Timaeus.Shakespeare. Coriolanus.Wittig,Monique.LesGurillres.Zola,mile. Germinal.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
11/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
AnthonyAbboreno,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 3:304:50pm 63560D
HowtoMakeaMonster:Outsiders,Institutions,andOgres
Weneverseeotherpeopleanyway,onlythemonsterswemakeofthem.
ColsonWhitehead
Everyonecarriesaroundhisownmonsters.
RichardPryor
Everybodylovesamonster.Orelse,theylovetohatemonsters.Wegotoseemonstermovies,forfun,andthenrushtocondemnthoseweperceiveascriminal,cruel,ormonstrous.Ourculturescurrentinterest
inmonstersboth
human
and
otherwiseis
expressed
ineverything
from
horror
fiction,
toretellings
of
mythsandfairytales,totruecrimestories.Butwait:ifmonsterscanbesomanydifferentthings,howdowediscoverandidentifythem?They
cantjustbeeverywhereCanthey?Shouldwelookinthewilderness,inadungeon,orinthehousenextdoor?Dowegotoplacesthatmonstersaredrawnto?Orplaceswherewethinkitwouldbeeasytobecomemonstrous?Arethemonsterswefindmadebytheirsurroundings,oraretheymadebyourowndefinitionofwhatamonsteris?
Thiscoursewilllookatthedifferentwaysourculturemakesmonsters,bothhumanandotherwise.WewillbeginwithtwotextsaboutmonstersthathavebeenbanishedtothemarginsGrendelandBrideofFrankensteinandconsiderwhatitisaboutexistenceoutsideofthenormalcultureeitherbychoice,orby
necessitythatmakes
something
seem
monstrous.
We
will
then
examine
two
texts
that
deal
with
our
own
institutions,thedungeonsinwhichweconfinemonstersIntheBellyoftheBeast,andTheDevilinSilverandconsidertowhatdegreethethingsthatprotectusfrommonstersmayalsocreatethem.Finally,wewilllookattwotextsfeaturinghumancharacterswhoseactionsseemmonstrousbyalmostanydefinitionZombieandMonsterandquestionthelimitsofoursympathyforandresponsibilitytothemonstrous.
Readings
Abbot,JackHenry.IntheBellyoftheBeast.Gardner,John.Grendel.LaValle,Victor.TheDevilinSilver.Oates,JoyceCarol.Zombie.
Films
Monster.Dir.PattyJenkins(2003).BrideofFrankenstein.Dir.JamesWhale(1931).TexasChainsawMassacre.Dir.TobeHooper(1974).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
12/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
MichelleBrittan,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 56:20pm 63562D
EscapeArtists
ThegreatestescapeIevermadewasfromAppleton,Wisconsin.
HarryHoudini
[M]omentsofescapearenottobedespised.Theycometooseldom.
VirginiaWoolf
Thiscourseexaminesliteraryfigureswhofittheroleofescapeartist:someonewhobreaksfreefromrestraints. ThemagicianHarryHoudiniescapedfromlockedtrunksandstraightjackets,butwhatdoesescape
looklike
for
the
everyday
person?
What
means
ofescape
are
available
tothe
war
veteran,
the
housewife,
the
exile,thewidow? Thisclasswillexploretheseescapeartists,andthesocialnormsthatrestraintheirlives.WebeginwiththetwoprimarycharactersinVirginiaWoolfsMrs.Dalloway:Septimusseeksfreedom
fromhismemoriesofwar,whileClarissalosesherselfintheobligationsofhighsociety. OtherescapeartistswellmeetincludethewidowedLaureninDonDeLillosnovellaTheBodyArtist,whousesarttoescapepain.TheprotagonistofToniMorrisonsSulaisdeterminedtofleeherimpoverishedcommunity,calledTheBottom,inordertomakeittothetop. David,whoescapestoParisinGiovanni'sRoombyJamesBaldwin,mustconcealaforbiddenrelationshipwithinhislover'sbedroom.
FilmsincludeThePrestige,aboutanaccidentaldeaththatsetsoffalifelongrivalrybetweentwomagicians,andPansLabyrinth,inwhichyoungOfeliaevadestheviolenceoftheSpanishCivilWarbyescaping
toaparallel
world
offairy
tales
and
monsters.
Bywhatmeansdothesediversecharacterssuccessfullyescape? Doestheirfreedomcomeatacost?WewillconsulttheworkofCarlJunginoursearchforanswers.
Readings
Baldwin,James.Giovanni'sRoom.DeLillo,Don.TheBodyArtist.Morrison,Toni.Sula.Woolf,Virginia.Mrs.Dalloway.
Films
ThePrestige.Dir.ChristopherNolan(2006).PansLabyrinth.Dir.GuillermodelToro(2006).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
13/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
MeganHerrold,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 3:304:50pm 63544D
SuccessandItsExcesses
Thekeytosuccessistotakemassivedeterminedaction.
TonyRobbins
MyonlyfaultisthatIdontrealizehowgreatIreallyam.
MuhammadAli
Whatdrivessuccess?Dosuccessfulpeoplesimplyhavemoretalent,moregumption,andmorewillpowerthantherestofus?Ordoestheirabilitytoachieveatthetopoftheirgamebelieadarkerdrivea
compulsion,avision
ofgrandeur,
oran
eagerness
tosubdue
others?
Inthis
course,
we
will
consider
the
dark
sideofsuccessstoriesalongsidewhatmakesthemsoinspiring.Thecharacterswemeetnotonlydesiretosucceedatallcosts,buttoremaketheworldintheirownimage.Thiscoursewillurgeustoquestionwhywerootforthesecharactersandtheirexcessesevenaswerepudiatethem.
WewillbeginourinvestigationwithSammyGlickinWhatMakesSammyRun?,thestoryofaHollywoodscreenwriterwhodeceivesandmanipulateshiswayfromragstoriches.InThereWillBeBlood,welltrackthedeterminationandruthlessnessofrobberbaronDanielPlainviewasheconquerstheoilmarketintheAmericanWest.Electionshowsuswhathappenswhentheconflictingambitionsandcompulsionsofbothhighschoolstudentsandtheirteacherscollideinthefervortoelectastudentcouncilpresident.PatrickBatemanofBretEastonEllisAmericanPsychosucceedsonWallStreetbydayandbarhopsandmurdersby
night.The
film
The
Devil
Wears
Prada
offers
usaglimpse
into
the
heights
and
horrors
ofmaking
itinthe
fashionworld,whichispresidedoverbythehaughtyandoverbearingeditorofRunway,MirandaPriestly.WellendthecoursebyconsideringtheclassiclamentforthefailedpursuitofsuccessinTheGreatGatsby.
Throughthesetexts,wewillexploretherewardsandpotentialperilsofsuccess,thepoliticalandpsychologicalissuesatstakeinthepursuitandadmirationofambition,andtheconflictingdefinitionsofsuccessandfailureofferedtous.Tostructureourdiscussions,wewillconsultexcerptsfromNietzscheandFreud.
Readings
Ellis,BretEaston.AmericanPsycho.Fitzgerald,F.Scott.TheGreatGatsby.Maynard,Joyce.ToDieFor.Schulberg,Budd.WhatMakesSammyRun?
Films
TheDevilWearsPrada.Dir.DavidFrankel(2006).Election.Dir.AlexanderPayne(1999).ThereWillBeBlood.Dir.PaulThomasAnderson(2007).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
14/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
AshleyKramer,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 56:20pm 63548D
TheDetectives
Understandthis,Imeantoarriveatthetruth.Thetruth,
howeveruglyinitself,isalwayscuriousandbeautifultoseekersafterit.
AgathaChristie
Whatthedetectivestoryisaboutisnotmurderbuttherestorationoforder.
P.D.James
Weareacultureobsessedwithdetectivestories.Butwhoisthedetectiveoftoday?WhathappenstotheclassicalfigureofSherlockHolmeswhenhesgivenaDNAlabandtheInternet?Thiscoursewilllookathowtodaysdetectives
build
on
Holmes
deductive
interpretations
by
using
ablend
oftechnology
and
raw
instinct,
particularly
how
theinternetallowsforthecrowdsourcingofamateurdetectives.Wewillattempttolocatethedetectivesmoralityinthemurkyboundarybetweeneffectivemethodsandlegallimits.Howdoesobsessiondrivethedetectivetokeepdiggingwheneveryoneelseseemsmoreinterestedinmaintainingthestatusquothaninprovidingjustice?
WewillbeginthecoursebybrieflylookingathowrepresentationsofthemosticonicdetectivefigureSherlockHolmeshavebroughtustothewildlypopulartelevisionseriesSherlock.WellcontinuewithTheFinalSolution,whichimaginesanelderlyHolmes,andTheCuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNightTime,whichpresentsanautisticfifteenyearolddetectivewhoisobsessedwithHolmes.FromrefinedHolmestotoughguydetectives,wellmoveontowatchtheneonoirfilmBrick,whosecentraldetectiveisahighschoolstudentonthesocialfringes.TheLongFallwillgiveusadetectivewhoseownpastlieswiththemob,whileBrokenMonstersoffersafemaledetectiveontheDetroitpoliceforcetaskedwithfindingaserialkiller.WellalsowatchPolice,Adjective,afilmaboutaRomanianpoliceofficerwhoisfaced
withan
ethical
dilemma
when
the
case
he
solves
will
result
inan
arrest
he
thinks
isunfair.
Gone
Girl
and
This
American
Lifewillshowushowaveragepeoplearedrawnintosolvingmysteries.Throughthesestories,wellconsiderhowthedetectivesidentitiesaffecthowtheyapproachtheirmysteries
fromthemundanetotheviolent.Alongtheway,wellexpandourcontextbyreadingshortstoriesbyRobertoBolaoandHarukiMurakami,aswellasconsiderthetheoriesofinterpretationandcontrolposedbySigmundFreud,MichelFoucault,RobertCaillois,andRolandBarthes.
Readings
Chabon,Michael.TheFinalSolution:AStoryofDetection(P.S).Haddon,Mark.TheCuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNightTime.
Mosely,
Walter.
The
Long
Fall.
Beukes,Lauren.BrokenMonsters.
Media
Brick.Dir.RianJohnson(2006).Police,Adjective.Dir.CorneliuPorumboiu(2009).GoneGirl.Dir.DavidFincher(2014).SelectionsfromSherlock(2010).ThisAmericanLife:TheIncredibleCaseofthePIMoms.Dir.IraGlass(2011).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
15/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
LisaLee,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 45:20pm 63546D
GhostStories
NowIknowwhataghostis. Unfinishedbusiness,thatswhat.
SalmanRushdie,TheSatanicVerses
Noteveryonecancomebackasaghost.
NearlyHeadlessNick,HarryPotter
Doyoubelieveinghosts? Thisclassexploresthewaysinwhichaspectsofpersonalandpublichistoriesthathavebeenhiddenorignoredreturnintheformofhaunting. Fromhauntedhousestocampfirestoriesto
worksofliterature
and
film,
we
will
explore
the
function
ofthe
ghost
inAmerican
culture.
Some
ghosts
haunt
buildingsorsitesoftraumacemeteries,battlefields,crimescenes. Othersarenotphysicalmanifestations,but,rather,psychologicalhauntings,existingonlyinourmindsorinthestoriesthatwetell. Inallthesecases,ghostsserveasawaytorecoverlostandhiddenpiecesofourindividualandculturalnarratives.
Theghoststhatweencounterwillincludethatofamurderedchildwhoreturnstoforcehermothertoconfrontthepast(Beloved),andadepartedfatherwhooffershislivingdaughterunderstandingandadvice(DreaminginCuban).WewillalsomeetagirlfromcolonialSouthAmericawhoissenttoaconventandisconsumedbythereligiousandromanticpassionofthepeoplewhosurroundher(OfLoveandOtherDemons).Thosewhocareforherarehauntednotbyphysicalghostlymanifestations,butbypsychologicaldemonsideasofsuperstition,sanctity,andreligionwhichinfluencetheiractionstowardher. Finally,inTracks,wewillencounterghostsofadifferentkind:ancientspiritswhoseroleisbothtoprotectand,attimes,toavenge.
Inadditiontothesetexts,wewillvisitRingu,aJapanesehorrorfilminwhichawomantriestoappeaseavengefulspirit,andTheOthers,aretellingofHenryJamesghoststorynovella,TheTurnoftheScrew. Tostructureourdiscussions,wewillreadexcerptsfromFreud,Jung,andGraceCho.
Readings
Erdrich,Louise. Tracks.Garca,Cristina. DreaminginCuban.GarcaMrquez,Gabriel. OfLoveandOtherDemons.Morrison,Toni. Beloved.
Films
Ringu. Dir.HideoNakata(1998).TheOthers. Dir.AlejandroAmenbar(2001).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
16/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
AlisonPearl,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 1011:20am 63540D
BloodandSand
Thelife,too,onthedesertisparticularlysavage.ItisashowofteethinbushandbeastandreptileEverything
isatwarwithitsneighbor,andtheconflictisunceasing.
JohnC.VanDyke,TheDesert
Thedesert,vastandinfertile,hasnotoriouslyhousedoutlaws,criminals,andthesocialwastethatcantfindsuitablelivesinthecommunitiesofferedbymoredenselypopulatedareasofthecountry.Butwhatisitaboutthisplacethatattractspeoplewhocommitactsofunspeakableviolence?Aretheinhabitantsofthedesertsimplybloodthirstymonsters,oristheresomethingmoretotheircharactersthatmightofferusinsight
intotheir
destructive
natures?
ThiscoursebeginswithCormacMcCarthysBloodMeridian,inwhichabandofviciousmensetouttoannihilateallotherhumanbeingsinsight,leavingbehindatrailofbloodthatspanshundredsofmiles.AmongthesandandscrubofNevada,thecharactersinClaireVayeWatkinsBattlebornfacedomesticviolence,rape,physicalassault,andsuicideaspartoftheirdailylives.WellreadMichaelOndaatjesTheCollectedWorksofBillytheKid,whichrecallsthenotoriousreallifeoutlawwhoisatonceakillerandalovesickchild.
ThesemesterwillendwithTheFlamethrowersfollowingRenoassheraceshermotorcyclethroughthedesertandtriestoescape.Wewillexplorethisthemeofdesertviolencethroughthelensofavarietyoffictionalandnonfictionaltexts,episodesofBreakingBad,afilmaboutthedisastrousSaltonSeaintheheartoftheImperialValley,andexcerptsfromavarietyofkeyculturaltextsthataddressthisparticularlystrange,
beautiful,confusing
area
ofthe
world.
Readings
Didion,Joan.SlouchingTowardsBethlehem.Kushner,Rachel.TheFlamethrowers.McCarthy,Cormac.BloodMeridian.Ondaatje,Michael.TheCollectedWorksofBillytheKid.Watkins,ClaireVaye.Battleborn.
Films
BombayBeach.Dir.AlmaHarel(2011).SelectedepisodesofBreakingBad.Prod.VinceGilligan(20082013).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
17/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
NathanPogar,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 23:20pm 63558D
BodilyTransformation:ChangingIdentities
ButIwasnolongermeontheoutside.
LeslieFeinberg,StoneButchBlues
Thecharacterswewillencounterinthisclassundergoaradicalchangeintheiridentityastheyreinventthemselvesandseekoutacommunitythatwillacceptthemfortheirdifferences.Ourcharactersexperienceatransformationofsortsthatwillleadthemtoembrace(orreject)thatnewidentity.
WewillbeginwithTheAutobiographyofanExColoredMan,whichpresentsuswithabiracialmanwhomustfiercelyguardhissecretashepassesforwhiteandmovesthrougharacistsociety.InGiovannisRoom,
David
flees
toParis
and
becomes
engaged
toawoman
only
tofind
that
his
homoerotic
desires
have
followedhim.HefallsinlovewithGiovanni,leadingtoafatalromance.JessGoldberginStoneButchBluesfailstofitinandmustcarveoutanew,morefluididentitywhilesearchingforanacceptingcommunity.WrittenontheBodyisnarratedbyacharacterwhohasapassionate,allconsumingloveaffairwithawoman,andtheireroticlifequestionsthereadersassumptionsaboutloveanddesire.Theirlovestorygivesusawonderfulnewformfortheromance.
TheAdventuresofPriscilla,QueenoftheDesertisafilmthatfollowsatroupeoftwodragqueensandatransgenderwomanastheytravelacrossAustraliaintheirtourbusperformingatvariouslocalvenues.ThefilmBoysDontCryisaboutthefinaldaysofBrandonTeena,atransgendermanwhofallsinloveandtriestoliveinruralNebraska.Whatarethestakesinchangingonesracial,gender,orsexualidentity?Wewillbe
readingtheorists
like
Michel
Foucault
and
Judith
Butler
who
provide
compelling
ways
ofthinking
about
the
natureoftransformationandbodilychange.
Readings
Johnson,JamesWeldon.TheAutobiographyofanExColoredMan.Baldwin,James.GiovannisRoom.Winterson,Jeanette.WrittenontheBody.Feinberg,Leslie.StoneButchBlues.
Films
ParisIsBurning.Dir.JennieLivingston(1990).TheAdventuresofPriscilla,QueenoftheDesert.Dir.StephanElliott(1994).BoysDontCry.Dir.KimberlyPeirce(1999).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
18/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
Dr.RyanShoemaker,ThematicOptionHonorsProgram
Lecture MW 8:309:50am 63538D
TheBurbs:BreakinginandBreakingout
[Inthesuburbs],wearealllockedinourTowerofBabel
PeterRowe,MakingtheMiddleLandscape
MyGod,thesuburbs!Theyencircledthecitysboundarieslikeenemyterritory
JohnCheever,MovingOut
Depressed,potsmokingteenagers.Alcoholics.Thieves.Pedophiles.Virginsuicides.Suchisthetypicalcastofcharacterswelldiscoverbehindthefaadeofsuburbandecorum.
Formany
Americans,
suburbias
where
we
situate
our
ambitions
for
upward
mobility
and
economic
security,ouridealsoffreedom,andourlongingsforsocialharmonyandspiritualuplift.However,therealityoftheburbsisoftenquitedifferent:cookiecutterhouses,despotichomeownersassociations,keepingupwiththeJoneses,backbreakingmortgages,andxenophobia.Sadly,thepromisesanddreamsofsuburbiaareoftenillusiveandunrealized.
ExploringrepresentationsoftheAmericansuburbsfrom1945tothepresent,wellaskanumberoftoughquestions:Issuburbiareallyaclasslessplace?Aretheredifferenttypesofsuburbs?Whosallowedintothesuburbsandwhoskeptout?Engagingnovels,shortstories,anddrama,aswellasliterarycriticismandselectedhistoricalandsociologicalstudies,wellattempttoanswerthesequestionsbyexaminingadiverserangeofsuburbanandurbanspaces,fromthefragile,whitecollarsuburbsofJohnCheeversTheCountry
Husband,tothe
impoverished,
cramped
housing
on
Chicagos
South
Side
inLorraine
Hansberrys
A
Raisin
in
theSun,tothefinalglowingyearsoftheplacidDetroitsuburbsinJeffreyEugenidessTheVirginSuicides,tothealcoholdrenched,smokehazedbluecollarsuburbsofRaymondCarversWillYouPleasebeQuiet,Please?.
Readings
Cheever,John.TheStoriesofJohnCheever.Hansberry,Lorraine.ARaisinintheSun.Carver,Raymond.WillYouPleasebeQuiet,Please.Eugenides,Jeffrey.TheVirginSuicides.Jen,Gish.MonainthePromisedLand.
Films
RevolutionaryRoad.Dir.SamMendes(2008).AmericanBeauty.Dir.SamMendes(1999).TheBurbs.Dir.JoeDante(1989).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
19/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
Dr.TrishaTucker,ThematicOptionHonorsProgram
Lecture TTh 9:3010:50am 63552D
SurvivalSkills
Thereisanhour,aminuteyouwillrememberitforeverwhenyouknowinstinctivelyonthebasisofthe
mostinconsequentialevidence,thatsomethingiswrong.Youdon'tknowcan'tknowthatitisthefirstofa
seriesofwrongfuleventsthatwillculminateintheutterdevastationofyourlifeasyouhaveknownit.
JoyceCarolOates
Thenotionthatonewillnotsurviveaparticularcatastropheis,ingeneralterms,acomfortsinceitisequivalen
toabolishingthecatastrophe.
IrisMurdoch
Itslikesomethingoutofyourworstnightmaresalightningboltthatcareensfromthesky,spellingtheendofeverythingyouknowandthrustingyouintoanewandunfamiliarworld.Whetherhitbyanunexpectedillness,asuddendeath,afreakaccident,ortherevelationofaterriblesecret,youreleftwithonepressingquestion:howdoesonesurvivetheseeminglyunsurvivable?
Thisclasswillintroduceustoavarietyofpeopleattemptingtoanswerthatveryquestion.Some,likethenewlywidowedprotagonistinTheYearofMagicalThinking,findcomfortindenial.Others,likeMementosLennywholosesbothhiswifeandhismemorytoaviolentattackturntorevenge.Butitsnotalldoomandgloom:inTheLifeofPi,ayoungboyspinsatragicshipwreckintoataleofmiraculousbeauty,whilestandupcomedienneTigNotarousesherrecentcancerdiagnosisasfodderforoneofthemost
celebratedstand
up
sets
ofthe
decade.
As
we
work
our
way
through
these
captivating
texts,
well
investigate
therolesthatmemory,imagination,community,andhumorplayingettingusthroughthetoughestoftimes.
Readings
Didion,Joan.TheYearofMagicalThinking.Hemmings,KauiHart.TheDescendants.OBrien,Tim.TheThingsTheyCarried.Roy,Arundhati.TheGodofSmallThings.Wiesel,Elie.Night.
Films
Atonement.Dir.JoeWright(2007).LifeofPi.Dir.AngLee(2012).Memento.Dir.ChristopherNolan(2000).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
20/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
Dr.TrishaTucker,ThematicOptionHonorsProgram
Lecture TTh 1112:20pm 63554D
BoysandGirlsGoneWild
Likefruit,childrenaresweetestjustbeforetheyturnbad.
DenaGroquet
Allthingstrulywickedstartfrominnocence.
ErnestHemmingway
Weallknowthatchildrenarenaturallyinnocent;thatswhywesetuplawstoprotectthemfromeviladults.Butifkidsareasinnocentasweseemtobelieve,whydowekeepencounteringstoriesofchildren
doingstrange
and
terrible
things?
What
are
we
tomake
ofbaby
faced
criminals
and
hyper
sexual
tots?
And
whydowefindstoriesaboutsuchkidswhetheronthenightlynewsoratthelocalmovietheaterorbookstoresofascinating?
Thiscoursewillintroduceustoagroupofliterarychildrenwhobendandsometimesbreak,quitespectacularlytheinnocentchildmold.Thesearedangerouscharacters;theirfailuretobetheharmless,helplesschildrensocietyexpectsthemtobeputsthemandeveryonearoundtheminperil.Wellseehowoneyounggirlsquestforrevengerips17thcenturySalem,Massachusetts,toshredsinTheCrucible. Lolitaasksustoconsiderwhether,inanadultchildsexualrelationship,theadultmightbetheinnocentvictimandthechildthetransgressor,whileLordoftheFliesrevealsthesavageheartthatlieshiddeninsideallsupposedlycivilizedboys.Tohelpusmakesenseofthesemonstrouschildrenandinvestigatejustwhysocietyfindstheir
transgressionofinnocence
sofascinating,
well
turn
totheory
by
Sigmund
Freud,
James
Kincaid,
and
Lee
Edelman.Together,ourclasswillexplorewhataculturesoinvestedinchildhoodinnocencecandowhenconfrontedwiththetransgressionofthatsupposedinnocence,andaskhowwecanrestoreequilibriumwhenchildrenactindecidedlyunchildlikeways.
Readings
Cullen,Dave.Columbine.Eugenides,Jeffrey.TheVirginSuicides.Golding,William.LordoftheFlies.James,Henry.TurnoftheScrew.Nabokov,Vladimir.Lolita.
Films
TheBadSeed.Dir.MervynLeRoy(1956).TheCrucible.Dir.NicholasHytner(1996).HeavenlyCreatures.Dir.PeterJackson(1994).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
21/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
DagmarVanEngen,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 6:307:50pm 63550D
FirstContact:AlienEncountersinScienceFiction
Thefutureofourearthmaydependupontheabilityofallwomentoidentifyanddevelopnew
definitionsofpowerandnewpatternsofrelatingacrossdifference.Theolddefinitionshavenotservedus.AudreLorde
Whenthespaceshiplands,thealienwhodisembarksconfrontsuswithdifferentvaluesystemsandwaysofunderstandingtheworld.Eyestalks,bluescales,telepathy,exoskeletons:storiesoffirstcontacthavealottoteachusinamodernworldwherewehavesupposedlyovercomeourdifferencesevenastheycontinuetoshapeus.Inthisclasswewillencountercharacterswhomeetaliensfromplanetswithdifferentracial,
sexual,and
gender
systems.
Our
heroines
grapple
with
moments
offirst
contact
and
their
aftershocks,
learningnewwaysofrelatingtoothersalongtheway.WewillbeginwithanepisodefromStarTrekwhereCaptainPicardfindscommongroundwithpeople
intheEladrelsystem,whospeakthroughmetaphorandmyth.InLeGuinsTheLeftHandofDarkness,Genlylearnstointeractwithalienswhoareneithermalenorfemaleonanandrogynousplanet.InMidnightRobber,TanTanencounterspeoplefromcompetingsettlementsontheplanetNewHalfwayTreeuntilshetakesrefugewiththeindigenousDouencommunity.AfteranucleardisasterinButlersDawn,LilithmeetstheOankaliracethathasrescuedher,butlearnshumansmustinterbreedwiththeminordertosurvive.WewillendbyfollowingNeosmeetingswithfreehumansandvirtualagentsthroughTheMatrixashelearnsthatearthisactuallyanalienuniverse.Wewillconsultworksofgender,criticalrace,andsciencefictiontheory.
Reading
LeGuin,Ursula.TheLeftHandofDarkness.Wells.H.G.TheWaroftheWorlds.Hopkinson,Nalo.MidnightRobber.Butler,Octavia.Dawn.Snchez,RosauraandBeatricePita.LunarBraceros21252148.
Media
TheMatrix.Dir.AndyandLanaWachowski(1999).SelectedepisodesfromStarTrek:TheNextGeneration.(19871994).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
22/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
MarciVogel,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 6:307:50pm 63564D
StrangeDays
IusedtothinkIwasthestrangestpersonintheworldbutthenIthoughttherearesomanypeopleintheworld,there
mustbesomeonejustlikemewhofeelsbizarreandflawedinthesamewaysIdo.
FridaKahlo
AsGregorSamsaawokeonemorningfromuneasydreams,hefoundhimself
transformedinhisbedintoagiganticinsect.
FranzKafka,TheMetamorphosis
Fromtheslightlyoffkiltertothekeenlyconfounding,therearedayswhenlifeextendsbeyondtheperplexing
andinto
the
realm
ofthe
utterly
strange.
How
do
we
navigate
encounters
with
unfamiliar
parameters?
Why
are
we
both
drawntoanddisquietedbythatwhichisdifferent,unusual,bizarre,mysterious?Whathiddenworldsmightweaccesswhenordinaryexperiencetransformstothewhimsicalandpeculiar,theweirdandfantastical?
Thiscoursewilloffersojournsintostrangenessthroughliteratureandfilm.OurtouchstoneauthorwillbeKafka,masterinventorofstrangedaysandnights.We'llfollowthecuriouswanderingsofdreamersandsleepwalkersinthefictionofLydiaDavisandBananaYoshimoto.We'llaccompanySarahRuhl'selevatorridingEurydiceandAmyBender'sGirlintheFlammableSkirt.We'llbeadmittedintotheodd,volcaniclandscapeofGeryon,ayoungboywhoisalsoawingedredmonsterinAnneCarson'sAutobiographyofRed.Finally,we'llreadMaxineHongKingston'siconicmemoirofgrowingupChineseAmericaninNorthernCalifornia.HowdoestheimaginationinTheWomanWarriorhelpnavigatestrangenessattheborderbetweentwocultures?
Ourfilmsaskustoexaminehowstrangenessaffectsourbondswitheachother,whetherwebehuman,beast,
orimmortal.
Wings
of
Desire
tells
the
story
ofan
angel
who
longs
tobe
mortal
after
he
falls
inlove
with
atrapeze
artist.
AndthedesiretofindtheownerofamysteriousboxoftoysimpelstheintenselyshyAmliePoulinontoawondrousnewcourse.Whatwilltheseventuresintostrangenessrevealaboutourselves,aboutothers,andabouthowstrangenessmighthelpustosaywhatotherwisecannotbesaid?
Readings
Bender,Aimee.TheGirlintheFlammableSkirt.Carson,Anne.AutobiographyofRed.Davis,Lydia.Can'tandWon't.Kafka,Franz.TheCompleteStories.Kingston,MaxineHong.TheWomanWarrior: MemoirsofaGirlhoodAmongGhosts.Ruhl,Sarah.Eurydice.Yosimoto,Banana.Asleep.
Films
LeFabuleuxDestindAmliePoulin.Dir.JeanPierreJeunet(2001).WingsofDesire.Dir.WimWenders(1987).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
23/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
TerryWinningham,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture MW 23:20pm 63542D
BadCitizens
Weoughttobebadcitizens.Weoughtto,inthesensethatwerewritingagainstwhatpowerrepresents,and
oftenwhatgovernmentrepresents,andwhatthecorporationdictates,andwhatconsumerconsciousnesshas
cometomean.Inthatsense,ifwerebadcitizens,weredoingourjob.
DonDeLillo
Everygoodcitizenaddstothestrengthofanation.
GordonB.Hinckley
Citizenshipisabirthright
for
many,
an
aspiration
for
some,
and
an
obligation
for
others.
More
than
castingavoteeveryfourthNovember,whatareourresponsibilitiestotheState,toeachother,toourselves?Wemightserveinthemilitaryorholdpublicoffice;conversely,wemightengageinprotests,boycotts,orotherformsofcivildisobedience.Theselatterwouldbecalledbadcitizenshipbysome,butaccordingtoDonDeLilloaresimplydoingourjob.Ourclasswillfocusonthiscontradiction,andthecompetingdemandssocietyplacesonus.
BobJones,theAfricanAmericanprotagonistofIfHeHollersLetHimGo,askshowamancanserveacountrythatseeshimasasecondclasscitizen,asJonesfacesbothracismandpoliticalpropagandistswhilesupporting the nationalwar effort in a LosAngeles shipyard. InAmericana,David Bell leaves aNew YorkadvertisingagencytosearchforthemeaningofAmerica,andhisownsuburbanupbringing,inthesprawling
plainsofthe
Midwest.
Joan
Didions
essays
explore
the
social
upheaval
ofthe
1960s
and
itsaftermath,
and
David
FosterWallaceconsidersthenecessityofademocraticspiritinessaysrangingfromlanguageusage,topost9/11smalltownAmerica, to JohnMcCains failedpresidentialcampaignat the turnof themillennium.AndacrosstheAtlantic,StephenDedaluswrestleswiththetensionbetweenfidelitytoIrelandandtohimselfinAPortraitoftheArtistasaYoungMan.Together,thesetextsraisethequestionofwhatitmeanstobeabadcitizeninamoderndemocracy,orinfactanykindofcitizenatall.
Readings
DeLillo,Don.Americana.Didion,Joan.TheWhiteAlbum.imes,Chester.IfHeHollersLetHimGo.Joyce,James.APortraitoftheArtistasaYoungMan.Wallace,DavidFoster.ConsidertheLobster.
Films
Batman:TheDarkKnight.Dir.ChristopherNolan(2008).Network.Dir.SidneyLumet(1976).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
24/26
SPRING2015
CORE112:WRITINGSEMINARII
KatharineZimolzak,DepartmentofEnglish
Lecture TTh 12:301:50pm 63556D
ControlFreaks
Thegreaterthepower,themoredangeroustheabuse.
EdmundBurke
Ifyoucan'tcontrolyourpeanutbutter,youcan'texpecttocontrolyourlife.
BillWatterson,Calvin&Hobbes
Inthisclass,wewillexplorewhatitmeanstohaveorcravecontrol,andwhatitmeanstorelinquishcontrol.
Doespowerlieinactionorinideas?Whatdoweseektocontrol?Theobviousanswersourmoney,ourbodies,our
minds
give
way
to
more
sinister
possibilities:
if
we
control
our
self
image,
and
we
control
the
way
others
see
us,
does
thatmeanwecancontrolothers'thoughts?Moreover,whocontrolsthemedia?Whocontrolsthegovernment?Cananyonepersonorgroupofpeoplegainincontestablecontrol?Ourcoursewillexplorecharacterswhostrugglewithhavingtoomuchortoolittlecontrol,andwhocontrolthemselvesandothersphysically,mentally,andemotionally.
InBraveNewWorld,aclassictaleofgovernmentcontrol,LeninaandBernardliveinasocietywhere"everyonebelongstoeveryoneelse"sexually.Wewillmeetpuppetmasterswhogatherinfluencebypullingatthestringsofsocialinteraction,likeCherinClueless,andatthestringsofliteralpuppets,likeCraiginBeingJohnMalkovich.SiblingsJackandJulie(TheCementGarden)wrestlewiththeincestuousimplicationsofplayinghouse,whichtheydoinordertocontroltheirfuturesaftertheirparentshavedied.June(TelltheWolvesImHome)andAlison(FunHome)useliteralportraitstonegotiateandmanipulatetheirunderstandingsofthepast.
Withthesetexts,wewillexplorethebenefitsanddetrimentsofcontrol.Wewillexaminetheconflictsthatarisewhennewregimescometopower.Wewillaugmentthereadingslistedwithselectedshorterworks,secondarysources,
andsocial/cultural
critiques.
Readings
Bechdel,Alison.FunHome.Brunt,CarolRifka.TelltheWolvesImHome.Huxley,Aldous.BraveNewWorld.McEwan,Ian.TheCementGarden.
Films
TheSocial
Network.
Dir.
David
Fincher
(2010).
Clueless.Dir.AmyHeckerling(1995).BeingJohnMalkovich.Dir.SpikeJonze(1999).
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
25/26
SPRING2015
CORE200:LIBERALARTSREADINGSALON
Dr.TrishaTucker,ThematicOptionHonorsProgram
Lecture W 121:50pm 63568D
Mad,Bad,andDangeroustoKnow:
ReadingBannedBooks
WhatdoHarryPotter,TheGreatGatsby,CaptainUnderpants,andSlaughterhouseFiveallhaveincommon?Believeitornot,theyreeachamongthemostbannedbooksofthetwentyfirstcentury.Infact,manyofthebooksyoucherishedasachildorlovedinAPLithavebeenbannedfromclassroomsandlibrariesacrossthecountry.Somecallsucheffortscensorship,butothersfeelitsimperativetoprotectyoungmindsfromworkstheycallprofane,vulgar,indecent,andpornographic.
Whatmakesthesebookssodangerous,wemightask?HowcanatextlikeToKillaMockingbirdbelabeledbothafilthy,trashynovel(NYSchoolDistrict)andanovelofgreatsweetness,humor,[and]
compassion(Harpers)?
And
have
parents
and
school
boards
ever
considered
that
branding
something
forbiddenmightmakeittwiceasdesirabletoyoungreaders?ThisReadingSalonwillexplorethesedarkestandmostdangerousofworks.Aftersurveyingaselection
ofnovelsthathavebeenbannedonpolitical,religious,andmoralgroundsinthefirsthalfofthesemester,theclasswillcollectivelycreateareadinglistforthesecondhalfofthecourse.Togetherwewillrevelinreadingbooksthathavebeenbrandedtooobsceneforthemasses,askingwhatsuchlabelscanteachusaboutthetextsthemselvesandaboutthesocietiesthathavebannedthem.
Readings
Alexie,Sherman.
The
Absolutely
True
Diary
of
aPart
Time
Indian.
Angelou,Maya.IKnowWhytheCagedBirdSings.Blume,Judy.Forever.Orwell,George.1984.Pullman,Philip.TheGoldenCompass.
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7/26/2019 Spring 2015 All Course Descriptions
26/26
SPRING2015
CORE301:MODESOFINQUIRY
ProfessorJamesCollins,DepartmentofClassics
Lecture TTh 12:301:50pm 63570D
PerformingWisdom
FundamentaltoGreekandRomanphilosophyistheconceptoftheartofliving(htechntoubiou,arsvivendi)whichmaintains that livingagood life isatheartapublicperformance,and thusentailsparticularmodesofactionengagement,andselfpresentationandstylization. Bothphilosophicaltheoryandpractice,boththoughtsanddeedswhatonebelievesandhowonelivesasaresultofholdingthosebeliefsareinextricablybound,andtogethercontributetothephilosophicalartofconstructing,performing,andbecoming therightsortofcharacter. Inaddition to readingphilosophywithaneyetohowtheancientsvariouslyembodiedandperformedtheirwisdom,wewillexploretechniquesdrawn from contemporary performance theory in highly performative, experimental, and collaborative learningenvironments inordertodevelopanappreciationforthisparticularsortofphilosophicalactivity. Weaimprimarilyatdevelopingthiscraftforourowneffortsatselfexaminationandpresentation.
WhileTuesdays
are
devoted
primarily
toclose
readings
oftexts
which
comprise
the
foundation
ofWestern
thought,wewillbe lookingcloselyatevidencethatsagesandphilosophersperformedtheir thoughtsor intentions indramaticandcompelling,sometimesevenirrationalandcoerciveways,perhapswithoutevensayingaword. Thursdaysarethengiventorenderingourdiscoveries intophilosophicalaction. WewilldrawontheStanislavskisystem,textbound characterization (Mamet), improvisational techniques (Johnstone), and the gamesercises of radical populatheater(Boal)asweexploretheconnectionsbetween,ontheonehand,ourlanguage,intentions,andthoughtsand,ontheother,howwebehaveand interactwithoneanother. Thesedramatic techniquesmakeexplicit thenotionsofacharactersobjectiveswhatshewantstogetothercharacterstodoandacharactersactionshowshegoesaboutworkingonanothercharactersemotionstogetwhatshewants. Theartoflivingrequirescertainkindsofaudienceaswell,soourdramaticworkwilltrainustobecomegoodwatchersaswellasperformers.
The semester isdivided into fourunits:BecomingWise (Sages,Presocratics),BecomingSocratic (PhaedoEuthydemus),BecomingStoic(Epictetus,MarcusAurelius),andBecomingEloquent(Sophists,declamation,Cicero)However inimitable Socrates seems, we devote considerable energy to exploring, rehearsing, and refashioning hisphilosophicalcharacter. Nopreviousdramaticorformalphilosophicalexperience isrequired;onlyawillingnesstotrynewthingsonyourfeetwhilecultivatingbothasupportiveenvironmentandoneself.
Readings
Boal,Augusto. GamesforActorsandNonActors.Cicero.Cicero:OntheIdealOrator.Epictetus. HandbookofEpictetus.Johnstone,Keith.Impro:ImprovisationandtheTheatre.Mamet,David.TrueandFalse:HeresyandCommonSensefortheActor.
MarcusAurelius.
The
Meditations.
Plato.Euthydemus.Plato.PhaedoinPlato:FiveDialogues.Stanislavsky,Constantin.BuildingaCharacter.Stanislavsky,Constantin.CreatingaRole.CoursereaderwithselectionsfromthearchaicSages,thePresocratics,theSophists,anddeclamation.