Goucher College 2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
    May 03, 2024  
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Goucher College 2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Course Descriptions

 

Peace Studies
  

  • PCE 220 - Organizing (4 Cr.)

    This course explores local, national and international organizing for social change. Using urban-based movements and organizations, we will study key concepts such as teambuilding, strategy, planning, leadership and implementation. We will examine problems often encountered by structured as well as unstructured entities and suggest possible solutions and alternatives. This course requires a 30 hour community-based learning component in a Baltimore city organization or informal group of the student’s choice. Fall 2018. Alternating years. Dawit.
  

  • PCE 226 - Women, Peace, and Protest: Latin American Women and the Search for Social Justice (4 Cr.)

    (WGS 226  and LAM 226) (GEN. ED. #10)
    Examination of women’s participation in the human rights, social, and economic movements. Focus on understanding if, why, and under what circumstances gender becomes a central force in the development of these movements. We will address three questions: Has the involvement of women helped to define the human rights movement in Latin America? To what extent have feminist theory and theories of the state accounted for the nature of women’s protest? How and why were women instrumental in the political process that led from authoritarian to democratic rule in their countries? This course focuses primarily (but not exclusively) on women’s movements in the southern cone countries: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil.  Prerequisites: WGS 150  and a HIS or LAM 100-level course. Spring semester. Offered 2014-15 and alternate years. François.
  

  • PCE 231 - Special Topics in International Film and Literature (4 Cr.)

    This course, organized around a rotating thematic topic in a given semester, will focus on social, economic, and cultural disparity as represented by filmmakers and authors. Of particular interest will be issues of nationalism; difference/identity; displacement; globalization; resources/wealth; environmental degradation; and control of information in post-war, post-colonial and/or post-Cold War societies. When possible, filmmakers and authors will be invited for special sessions of this course. Repeatable if topic is different. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or permission of instructor. Variable semesters.
  

  • PCE 238 - The Right to the City (4 Cr.)

    Since 1968, struggles have increasingly shifted beyond of the boundaries of factory walls to envelope the entirety of urban space. Moving beyond an individualist understanding of rights, this course explores the necessarily collective right to the city by examining the geography of struggles over urban space around the world. Case studies vary by semester, but there will be a consistent focus on cities in of the global south (especially Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East), alongside periodic incorporation of North American and European cities.
    Prerequisite: A 100-level Peace Studies course or sophomore standing. Spring 2017. Every other year. Al-Bulushi.
  

  • PCE 241 - Issues in Conflict Resolution (4 Cr.)

    A topics course for the Peace Studies Program, in which students explore the mechanisms of conflict resolution in a variety of settings, using a case-study method. Prerequisite: PCE 110  or permission of the instructor. Variable semesters.
  

  • PCE 242 - Social Practice: Transformation of Self and World (4 Cr.)

    Beginning with the assertion that each of us both mirrors and enacts larger social patterns, this course trains students in effecting social change by transforming their interactions with these patterns at the scale of the personal. Through mindfulness training, students learn to recognize and disrupt their habits of meaning-making and invent new ways of engaging with the world. Through training in nonviolent communication, students enhance their ability to communicate across differences. Finally, through collaborative vision projects, students learn to “trope against trope,” inventing narrative practices that do not merely respond or react, but disturb and discover new possibilities within the self-organizing systems of which they are a part. Prerequisites: PCE 110  or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Hopper.
  

  • PCE 251 - Human Rights (4 Cr.)

    Emerging concepts of human rights, 18th century to the present; conflicting views and their justifications. Rights of persons against the state and other institutions as basic moral claims to achieve both individual self-development and social justice. Prerequisite: PCE 110 , one course in political science or history, or sophomore standing. Fall semester. Dawit.
  

  • PCE 253 - Haitian History and the Culture of Resistence (4 Cr.)

    (cross listed as WGS 253 ) (GCR RPP)
    This course examines Haitian history through various forms of creative expression that serve as forms of political, economic or epistemological resistance. The course addresses Haiti’s long history of resistance and social justice action before and since its birth as a nation in 1804. Of particular interest will be issues of nationalism, colonialism/racism, difference/identity, resources/wealth/environmental degradation, U.S. occupations (military and non-profit), displacement, trauma, geo-psychoanalytic space, exile and globalization. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Spring. Every other even year. Bess, Francois.
  

  • PCE 262 - Studies in Self-determination in Native America (4 Cr.)

    (SOA 262)(HIS 262)
    This course provides a critical overview of Native American self-determination. Drawing on examples from prehistory, the era of conquest and US expansion, and modern-day battles over natural resources, this course will encourage students to examine concepts such as identity, colonization and sovereignty through an inter-disciplinary perspective. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Spring semesters. Every other odd year. Bess.
  

  • PCE 272Y - The Basque in Spain: A Peace and Conflict History (8 Cr.)

    (SP 399G) (LER-SA)(GCR-SA)
    The Basque in Spain: A Peace and Conflict History (8)(SP 399G) This course will explore contemporary conflicts and the peace movements that grow beside them through a study of their historical roots as seen in the Basque conflict in Spain. The course builds Spanish language skills into the curriculum of peace studies throughout the semester in addition to a three-week immersion experience in Bilbao, San Sebastian and Guernica (Spain) in June (four credits). Prerequisite: PCE 110, 124 or 148, or permission of the instructor, and SP 130 or SP 130G or SP 130S or SP 130V. Summer 2017. Dawit and Miranda-Aldaco.
  

  • PCE 280 - Selected Topics in Latin American Peace Studies (2-4 Cr.)

    (LAM 280) (GEN. ED. #9 and #10) (LER - DIV)
    An interdisciplinary approach to significant topics relating to contemporary Latin America. Specific topic for the semester to be announced in advance. Topics may include: Latino issues in the United States, Latin American cinema, or revolutionary movements in Latin America (for peace studies credit). Prerequisite: Frontiers or sophomore standing. Fall semester.
  

  • PCE 290 - Individually Identified Internship (3 OR 4 Cr.)

    Graded pass/no pass only. Fall/spring semester.
  

  • PCE 291 - Internship: City Schools Program (3-4 Cr.)

    Students should plan to have free time in their schedule between 2:30 and 5 p.m. Graded pass/no pass only. Fall/spring semester.
  

  • PCE 299 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)
  

  • PCE 305 - Peace and Rewriting Race (4 Cr.)

    Examining works of literature, film, and visual arts organized around a thematic or geographic case study, students will distinguish the range of ways we use art and literature to survive, imagine, and to “name the nameless,” as Audre Lorde said, “so it can be thought.” Combining creative writing, rhetoric, and literary analysis with the lenses of peace studies (e.g. conflict resolution, structural violence), we will create and consider the roles of transgression, lyricism, and alienation; the ways that the human voice can be used to reinscribe, resist, or renew. Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing. Spring semester. Hopper.
  

  • PCE 310 - International Human Rights Law (4 Cr.)

    This course is an intensive critical exploration of the international human rights legal system, including treaty bodies, regional organizations, commissions, courts, and special complaints committees. Of particular interest is the work of the European Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American and African commissions and courts, the International Court of Justice, and the UN tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Prerequisites: PCE 251 . Spring semesters. Dawit.
  

  • PCE 315 - Returning Citizens in Community (4 Cr.)

    The historical and social contexts that have lead to mass incarceration in the U.S. provide the background to this course, in which students will explore the obstacles to and the process of re-entering society after incarceration. Working with faith-based institutions, law enforcement, community organizers, and returning citizens, students will study re-entry as a tool for building social capital and enhancing community liveability. In cooperation with Baltimore City partners, students will draw on skills learned in previous courses to engage in a qualitative or quantitative research projects investigating issues such as employment, housing, community stability, social inclusion, and political participation. Due to the community-based aspects of the course, students need to have at least three specific Tuesday mornings free through the course of the semester.  Prerequisite: Junior standing; and permission of instructor or one of the following courses PCE 210 , PSY 305 , SOC 203 (course now inactive) or SOA 217 . Fall semester. Bess.
  

  • PCE 321 - Transnational Feminist Theory and Women’s Activism (4 Cr.)

    (Cross listed as WGS 420 )
    Crossing the boundaries of nationality, ethnicity, citizenship, sexuality, and genre, this course brings together a plurality of women’s voices of the non-Western world that counter colonial, post-colonial, multinational, and masculine paradigms of “otherness.” The central aims are to examine the extent to which their activism and theoretical thinking grew out of historical conditions, to establish a dialog that forms the wide-ranging spectrum of women’s experiences across the globe, and to assess these social and political writings for national change in the 21st century.  Prerequisites: Junior standing; and WGS 150 , WGS 335 , or a PCE 200-level course. Fall semester. François.
  

  • PCE 330 - Collapse (4 Cr.)

    This course explores the epochal crisis of unsustainable resource consumption and the conflicts and systems collapses it causes. We will study collapse in the historical past, the present and in the near future. We will examine the ways in which basic resources such as water, energy, seed, food crops, timber, among others become scarce, how political actors respond to scarcity, and the social impact of scarcity. Our goal is to find realistic alternatives to over-consumption and collapse. Prerequisites: a 100-level course in Peace Studies and junior standing. Spring 2017. Dawit.
  

  • PCE 333 - Christian Ethics and War (4 Cr.)

    ( )
    How do religions impact individual and communal self-understanding and decision-making? In this course students are introduced to the study of Christian ethics through investigation and analysis of one particular ethical issue: war. Students study war theory and its relationship to Christianity, as well as Christian pacifism and nonviolence. Their investigation will focus on how Christian sacred texts, history, theology, and practice are utilized by Christian ethicists to diverse ends.  Prerequisite: one course in religion or sophomore standing. Fall 2016 and alternate semesters thereafter. Duncan.
  

  • PCE 335 - Future Cities: Speculations, Countermappings, and Narratives of Possibility (4 Cr.)

    How do people build the institutions that will democratize the processes by which the future cities will be built, whether we mean “build” in material terms or in terms of communities’ social shaping? Even as “innovation” and “imagination” are praised by hegemonic institutions, we find ourselves too often in narratives that are at best remodelings of the status quo. This class will look at the role of this imaginative labor, the strategies that learn from and rearrange the predictable into the possible in processes of social change. Studying creative text, especially speculative fiction, futurisms, and countermappings, we will experiment with such new narrative practices, using examples from both the global arena and the Baltimore metropolitan area. Prerequisite: a 100-level course in Peace Studies or sophomore standing. Spring 2017. Hopper.
  

  • PCE 340 - Special Topics in U.S. and International Peace Studies (4 Cr.)

    Examination of advanced concepts in peace, conflict resolution, and/or human rights thought through an in-depth study of major international and current events. These may include conflict in relation to peacekeeping, public health, globalization, international tribunals, and diplomacy. Repeatable with different topic. Variable semesters.
  

  • PCE 345 - Topics in Peace Studies: Country Study (4 Cr.)

    This topics course will explore the historical and contemporary politics of one country within its regional context. Research and analysis will focus on colonial and post-colonial realities, legal and de facto gender disparities, sources of current conflict, and social and economic challenges. Prerequisite: a 200-level course in peace studies or permission of the instructor. Repeatable with different topic. Variable semesters.
  

  • PCE 399 - Independent Work (4 Cr.)
  

  • PCE 497 - Senior Symposium (2 Cr.)

    (Formerly PCE 380)
    This capstone course for majors and minors, will be a symposium on bridging peace thought and peace work. Students and faculty will read, analyze, and discuss a number of peace theories and the ways in which individuals, communities, solidarity groups, and organizations implement them to bring about personal, social, and political change. Some years, faculty and students together will design community interventions from determination of problems, to identification of stakeholders, to program design and implementation. Prerequisites: Senior standing and Peace Studies major or minor. Fall semester.

Philosophy
  

  • PHL 105 - Personal and Community Ethics (4 Cr.)

    (LER-TXT AND DIV)
    An introduction to ethical thought with particular attention given to the conflict between of individual interests and communal goods. The course includes a survey of classical writings on ethics as well as a selection of more recent texts that focus on concrete issues such as racism, economic injustice, and environmental ethics. In each case, we will examine how various conceptions of individual rights coincide with the obligations individuals owe to their neighbors, their nation, and the global community. Fall semester. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 128 - Philosophy and the Animal (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 228)
    Are humans animals? Are animals persons? Philosophy’s engagement with animal beings has traditionally been limited to the ethical question of how they should be treated. This class goes beyond animal ethics to consider the deeper ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying the ethical debates. What does it mean to “be” an animal? How are animals constructed in culture? How do these constructs affect social ontologies? How has philosophy contributed to a certain understanding of animal being, and how might it contribute differently? How can we engage in politics, much less in something called “democracy,” in a social field which consists of multiple species? Spring semester. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 157 - Individual, Community, Cosmos (4 Cr.)

    (LER-TXT)
    Introduction to philosophical questioning and thinking through the study of four moments in the history of philosophy when individual thinkers had a new vision of our relationship to each other in the community and a new understanding of reality. The readings will be Plato’s Dialogues on Socrates’ relation to Athens, Descartes’ Meditations in light of the Galileo Controversy, Hume’s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding for the shift away from a religion centered worldview, Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols for a further shift away from the tradition, and Sartre’s Existentialism is a Humanism. Each of these thinkers began a process of thinking that changed the way individuals seem themselves in relationship to each other in the community and the nature and composition of Reality/Cosmos/Being. Spring semester. Rose.
  

  • PHL 206 - Writing Practicum in Philosophy (2 Cr.)

    Often when we practice philosophical writing, we discover that our words, language, and prose are more competent and creative than we thought ourselves to be. The Practicum on writing in philosophy offers the beautiful opportunity for students to explore many different approaches to philosophical writing. These include exegesis (summary and explication of a philosophical text), analysis, argument, application of a text to an event, situation, or phenomenon, evaluation/critique of a philosophical position, synthesis, reflective essays, and contributions to philosophy. Our practicum will also work on composing and drafting, revising and editing, and proof reading. The beauty of writing philosophy is also that these processes of philosophical writing can change the way you frame your world and deepen your experience of being human. Spring semester. Rose.
  

  • PHL 207 - Philosophy Research Lab (2 Cr.)

    Several of Goucher’s philosophy courses include individualized research projects which culminate in final papers. But what does research in philosophy actually entail? What makes for a robust, original research topic? And how does one know where to begin and when to end? This lab explores questions that inspire research, and why they do so. Students will learn how to turn their passions-philosophical but not only-into well-formed, manageable research projects. They will improve at organizing time and resources and recognizing when a project is completed (and
    when it is not). Each participant will leave the lab with an original, individualized project which they may then turn into a finished paper in the Writing Practicum in Philosophy, if they so choose. Spring semester. Gebowicz.
  

  • PHL 208 - Philosophy of Religion (4 Cr.)

    (JS 208 and RLG 208) (LER DIV and LER TXT)
    In a historically sensitive and comparative manner, this course examines classical and contemporary philosophical accounts of the nature and existence of ultimate reality. Topics covered include conceptions of ultimate reality, evil, immortality, religious experience, and human subjectivity as well as arguments for and against theism, atheism, and agnosticism. Our approach will draw on both Eastern and Western traditions. Offered spring 2017 and every two years. Shuster.
  

  • PHL 209 - Philosophy of Science Fiction (4 Cr.)

    Science fiction offers opportunities to explore new things in a philosophical register: different kinds of bodies, new environments, alternate histories, and technologies that don’t exist yet. Readings include SF classics by Philip K. Dick, Stanislaw Lem, James Tiptree, Jr., and Ursula K. LeGuin, but also explore the avant-garde possibilities of the genre, from writers Hakim Bey and Samuel Delany to filmmakers Andrei Tarkovsky and Lizzie Borden. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 218 - Philosophy of Time (4 Cr.)

    What is time? Examination of speculations about time in Ancient Greece, Classical, Enlightenment, and Contemporary periods. We will look at the specific ways these speculations have helped develop philosophy, physics, mathematics, theology, religion, history, psychology, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Key themes include the role of time as a measure, time and the cosmos, time as feeling or perception of passage, time as money and capital, clock time, the “billable hour,” times zones, the historical change to internalize time as something we “do,” time and being, and the ubiquitous presence of concepts of time in every understanding of the natural world, abstraction, classification, and our self-understanding throughout Western thought. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 220 - Phenomenology (4 Cr.)

    What is Phenomenology? And why has Phenomenology been looked to by some to solve the problems of knowing, consciousness, mean-making, and social-political conflicts in the 20th and 21st Century? And reviled by others as a hopeless dream or a perversion of philosophy? Phenomenology is a method for doing a “presuppositionless description” of the moments when meaning arises in a conscious intention towards the world. Phenomenology is currently practiced by a wide range of researchers in politics, social science, cognitive scientist, psychologists, and therapists as a more holistic way of knowing than the detached the detached, objective methodology of the natural and social sciences. We will begin with the transcendental phenomenology of Edmund Husserl and then turn to the existential phenomenologies of Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger. We will conclude with the phenomenology of the lived body in Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 231 - Political Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (LER-TXT)
    An introduction to political philosophy with particular attention paid to the modern period during which time the fundamental concepts of western politics were developed. The course includes a survey of classical writings on politics as well as a selection of more recent texts that focus on concrete issues such as citizenship, the social contract, sovereignty, and human rights. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 238 - Derrida (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 338)
    An in-depth study of Jacques Derrida’s early work, which begins with his critique of logocentrism, tracing its trajectory from his work on language and semiotics to the deconstruction of the metaphysics of presence. The class concludes with readings of his later work, exploring the relevance of deconstruction for contemporary democratic theory, critical animal studies, and media studies. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 239 - Lyotard and Levinas (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 339)
    Is it possible to do justice-to another person, to the truth, to oneself? How does obligation arise? What is the role of language in relationships? What is the responsibility of the witness? These
    are the questions motivating two 20th century French philosophers, Emmanuel Levinas and Jean-François Lyotard. We will explore the impact of Levinas on Lyotard (who came after), as well as the relevance of their writings for areas such as art, memory and testimony, gender, history, international human rights, democracy, and education. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 268 - Chinese Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (RLG 268 ) (LER-TXT)
    An introduction to the philosophical and religious texts of the Chinese tradition. We will read selected works from the vast scholarly literature of the Daoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditions and situate these texts, their authors, and the schools they represent, within their historical context. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 276 - Feminist Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Cross listed as WGS 276 )
    A philosophical study of gender and gender inequality. The class will explore cultural constructions of femininity and masculinity, theories of male normativity and masculine privilege, sexuality and heterosexism, and various, competing strategies for resistance, including cyberfeminism, Black feminism, and non-normative approaches to sex. Students will reflect on gender in relation to other areas of social inequality, like race, class, and physical ability. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 278 - Logic and Language (4 Cr.)

    How can language make meaning clearer and lead us to agreement and lead us to think it represents the things and the world as they are? But why can language also conceal meaning and hide it? And create new meaning? How can language be the literal, the metaphorical, the evocative, and poetic? Why do we esteem logical reasoning, yet few seem to be convinced by it? The course begins with the study of the foundations of logic in Aristotle’s Organon (the collection of Aristotle’s six works on Logic) to explore the foundation and theory of representational language and thought. We then turn to critiques of that view of language in Heidegger’s encounter with Asian thought and poetry, and C.S. Pierce’s and William James’ Pragmatism. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 288 - Philosophy Workshop (2 Cr.)

    Focused study in a particular historical period, theme, issue, or thinker in the Western or Eastern philosophical tradition, designed to emphasize student-center learning. The field of discussion is delimited differently each time the course is taught. Topics for a given semester are posted before registration. Spring semester. Department. 
  

  • PHL 290 - Internship in Philosophy (2 or 4 Cr.)

    Placements in business, government, civic organizations, coalitions, and volunteer groups. Each student designs a plan with a member of the program to develop a clear goal and a rigorous method of pursuing it. All ideas will be considered. Prerequisites: preliminary interview and sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. Course may be taken pass/no pass only.
  

  • PHL 298 - Independent Work in Philosophy (2 or 4 Cr.)

    Special topics of study based on previous course work in the program and selected in conference with the instructor.
  

  • PHL 312 - Ethics After Auschwitz (4 Cr.)

    (cross listed as JS 312 and GER 312)
    This course will center around what it means to ‘go on,’, to live, and to exist as an ethical agent in a world ‘after Auschwitz,’ i.e., after a century of genocides and mass death. Throughout the course, we will focus on the ways in which 20th century philosophers, theologians, poets, and other writers assessed, responded to, and ultimately understood human existence after a century of mass murder, what they thought it revealed about humanity and society, and especially what it suggests or proposes about our future, together, as humans. Prerequisite: one course in Judaic studies, philosophy, or religious studies, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester, every 2 years. Shuster.
  

  • PHL 314 - Sigmund Freud: Then and Now (4 Cr.)

    (cross-listed as JS 314 and GER 314)
    This course will present a comprehensive, historically sensitive, and theoretically (as opposed to clincally or practically) oriented overview to the thought of Sigmund Freud, especially his views on human agency, consciousness, and morality; sexuality; sociality, religion, and Judaism; violence; human rationality; and history. The course will conclude with a consideration of the ways in which Freud’s thought has influenced contemporary critical theory. Prerequisite: One course in RLG or PHL or JS or permission of the instructor. Offered Fall 2017 and variable semesters. Shuster.
  

  • PHL 316 - Modern Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 216)
    An advanced survey of seventeenth and eighteenth-century philosophy as developed in the writings of Descartes, Leibniz,Spinoza, Locke, Hume and others. All readings are from primary sources, supplemented by lecture and discussion. We will consider not only the internal arguments of these texts, but also the broader cultural and political questions that frame their arguments. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 317 - Contemporary Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 217)
    An advanced introduction to contemporary philosophy. The course includes of survey of the major philosophers of post-structuralism (post-1968), such as Gilles Deleuze, Judith Butler, Pierre Bourdieu, and Giorgio Agamben, as well as an examination of the traditions that have shaped contemporary philosophical debates, including the work of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 321 - Nineteenth Century Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 219)
    What is the relationship of one philosopher’s works to his predecessors? To philosophy itself? Are current philosophiesresponsible for explaining and correcting the philosophies of the past? Does the history of philosophy matter to philosophy now? Can philosophy define history? Can we discern patterns in that history? Does the human condition change in human history? This course will examine these questions through the lens of five nineteenth century philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. We will reads Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, and Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and philosophy of history to show their new confidence in human reason; and Marx’s Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals, and Kierkegaard’s The Concept of Anxiety for responses to Kant and Hegel, and the subsequent crisis in confidence in reason and the loss of absolute values that give rise to the issues of modern life. We will also discuss the Influence of these works on psychology, social science, religion, and ethics. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 360 - Ancient Greek Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 260)
    How does a philosophical conversation, or inquiry, among a community of people start and sustain itself when the entirecommunity is talking about god or the gods? When they think myth is truth? Or when the only communal conversation is about what the oracles of the gods want of us and predict for us. How do we listen to and hear each other when the leaders and great heroes tell us what we think and what we should do? When the public speakers are trying to persuade us with their point of view. Such is the situation in which the birth of philosophical thinking about existence, knowledge, and values to place in ancient Greece. Philosophy arose as a new kind of free, transparent, and critical discourse and dialogue that set the stage for scientific and rational inquiry and conversation. We shall begin with the fragments of the pre-socratic philosophers, then Plato’s Dialogues Protagoras, Ion, Republic, Phaedrus, Theatetus, and Letter VII. We follow Plato with selections from Aristotle’s Physics, Metaphysics, On the Soul, and Nichomachean Ethics. We conclude with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 398 - Independent Work in Philosophy (2 or 4 Cr.)

    Special topics of study based on previous course work in the program and selected in conference with the instructor.
  

  • PHL 405 - Environmental Ethics (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 205) (LER ENV)(GCR ENV)
    A philosophical examination of the relationship between human beings and the natural world. Readings address the cultural and scientific constructions of nature and the environment, the metaphysical underpinnings of various restoration positions, relationships between environmental and social problems, and the role of imagination in environmentalism. Following an introduction to environmental theory, we will examine various areas of ethical concern, including wilderness policy and interspecies communication. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 415 - Plotinus and Hegel (4 Cr.)

    These are two philosophers you never thought you would see paired together. Plotinus is a 4th century mystic from North Africa who founded Neoplatonism. Neoplatonism today has come to be called “the perennial philosophy” because of its long-standing historical influence, and it still remains in deeply embedded in our religion and culture views today. Hegel’s philosophy described the dialectical movement of reason in history. Hegel’s philosophy made it possible for Marx to turn Hegel’s dialectic on its head and create the political and economic revolutions of 20th century and for French Existentialism to speak to the next generation of philosophers about existence. Hegel’s philosophy actually follows Plotinus’ description of multiplicity articulating essential unity of self-knowing as reality flows forth from The One. While Hegel is considered by many now-a-days to be incomprehensible, reading Hegel alongside Plotinus actually helps a great deal. We shall read Plotinus’ Enneads, Porphyry’s Isagoge, and Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 430 - Nietzsche and Heidegger (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 330)
    A reading of three of Nietzsche’s works: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, and The Gay Science in conjunction with works of Martin Heidegger that interpret Nietzsche, address Nietzsche, and confront (auseinandersetzung) Nietzsche. We will read Volumes One and Two of Heidegger’s Nietzsche Lectures, The Question Concerning Technology, and the Contributions to Philosophy. This course offers the opportunity to experience the philosophical interaction of two philosophical greats that set the table for all of the philosophical discussions of the late 20th century and early 21st century. This course offers an opportunity to read Nietzsche on the major concepts of the Overman and “going under,” the Transvaluation of Values, the Eternal Return, amor fati, etc. and to track the influence of those thoughts through Heidegger to contemporary philosophy. Heidegger and Nietzsche together create the possibility of Foucault, Derrida, Lyotard, and all post-modernist thought. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Rose.
  

  • PHL 432 - Foucault (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 332)
    An intensive examination of the works of Michel Foucault as well as an introduction to the ideas that shaped the second half of the twentieth century, including the rise of neo-liberalism. The course will be devoted to a careful reading of Foucault’s most important works. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Spring semester Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 433 - Kant and Arendt (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 333)
    An intensive examination of the works of Immanuel Kant, as well as an introduction to the ideas and themes characteristic of the critical tradition he inaugurated. The course will devote considerable time to a careful reading of the standard translations of Kant’s most important works. The course will also examine the twentieth century writings of Hannah Arendt who expands on Kant’s ideas and gives them a profoundly contemporary relevance. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  

  • PHL 437 - Queer Theory (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 237) (LER Understanding Diverse Perspectives)
    Queer theory is one of the richest and fastest growing fields of contemporary philosophical inquiry. This course will trace various arguments for overcoming the categories “heterosexual” and “homosexual,” as defined in hetero-patriarchy, in favor of a more contemporary understanding of sexuality (and gender itself) as mobile, contradictory, and irreducibly mediated by social forces. In addition to the classic literature in this area, readings will explore kink, camp, affect, the relationship between queer and feminist resistances, and the queering of the philosophical tradition. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level) or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Grebowicz.
  

  • PHL 485 - Philosophical Topics (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 395)
    Advanced study in a particular historical period, theme, issue, or thinker in the Western or Eastern philosophical tradition. The field of discussion is delimited differently each time the course is taught. Topics for a given semester are posted before registration. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Program faculty.
  

  • PHL 497 - Philosophy Capstone (2 Cr.)

    The philosophy capstone course will include periodic meetings with all students and all philosophy faculty, as well as intensive, one-on-one meetings with individual students. It is designed to encourage academic self-reflection with the goal of creating an opportunity for seniors to complete a deeply meaningful, first-rate project that draws from their past research and learning.  Prerequisite: Senior standing. Fall semester. Program faculty.

Physics

Courses at the introductory level in physics are planned to meet various needs. PHY 115  and PHY 116  are designed to give an algebra-based survey of physics, and are intended for students who plan to major in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, enter the health professions, or teach in elementary schools. PHY 125  and PHY 126  are calculus based and are intended for students who plan to major or minor in physics or enter the 3+2 Engineering Program.
  

  • PHY 101 - Introduction to the Physics Major (1 Cr.)

    A required seminar for all students enrolled in PHY 125  who are intending to pursue a major or minor in Physics (includingrelated 3+2 programs in Engineering). Introduces students to topics such as qualitative reasoning and problem solving, scientific presentations and professional ethics.  Co-requisite: PHY 125 . Course may be taken pass/no-pass only. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 110 - Introduction to Astronomy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly AST 110) (LER NS)
    Astronomy is a detective game: Because we can’t visit, touch, or sample even the nearest stars, our only means to understand the Universe is to observe its light and radiation from afar and analyze it using creativity, inspiration, and the laws of physics. This course is a qualitative (i.e., non-mathematical) and inquiry-based exploration of how our observations of the universe have led to our understanding of it, from the motion of the stars across our sky to the Big Bang and beyond. Topics include the methods and history of scientific discovery, the basic laws of physics, our solar system, the life and death of stars, galaxies, and a brief history of the universe. Three hour lecture with three hour laboratory session. Fall semester. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 115 - Principles of Physics I (4 Cr.)

    (LER-NS)
    First semester of a non-calculus-based course sequence designed for students majoring in the life sciences or non-science students interested in physics. Topics include Newtonian mechanics, kinematics and dynamics of linear and angular motions, universal gravitation, conservation of energy and momentum, fluids and thermal physics. Recommended with PHY 116  for students majoring in the life sciences. Three hours of lecture plus a 3-hour laboratory session per week.  Prerequisite: three years of high-school mathematics. Fall semester. Markovic.
  

  • PHY 116 - Principles of Physics II (4 Cr.)

    Second semester of a non-calculus-based course sequence designed for students majoring in the life sciences or non-science students interested in physics. Topics include simple harmonic motion, mechanical and electromagnetic waves, acoustics, nature of light and color, geometrical and physical optics, electricity and magnetism. Three hours of lecture plus a 3-hour laboratory session per week.  Prerequisite: PHY 115 . Spring semester. Markovic.
  

  • PHY 125 - General Physics I (4 Cr.)

    (LER-NS)
    A calculus-based course where lecture and laboratory are combined and taught using an interactive teaching method employing computers and guided inquiry through hands-on experiments. The method is designed to increase problem-solving and analytical-thinking skills and to guide students toward a coherent and logical approach to understanding the world. Topics include kinematics and dynamics of linear and angular motions, universal gravitation, conservation of energy and momentum, simple harmonic motion, wave motion, and fluids. Six hours per week, integrated lecture/laboratory. Pre- or corequisite: MA 172 . Fall semester. Dukan.
  

  • PHY 126 - General Physics II (4 Cr.)

    A continuation of PHY 125 , including integral calculus. Topics include thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, and physical and geometrical optics. Six hours per week integrated lecture/laboratory. Note: Physics and 3+2 engineering students are advised to take MA 180  as a pre- or co-requisite, as it is required to continue in the major. Pre- or corequisite: MA 172  or MA 180 (inactive course) or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Dukan.
  

  • PHY 220 - Modern Physics (4 Cr.)

    An introductory course in non-classical physics for students who have completed calculus-based general physics. It is intended to introduce students to the frontiers of physics in a simple, comprehensible manner through discussions, problem solving, interactive computer simulations, and additional readings. Topics include basic ideas of quantum mechanics and relativity, including experiments that revolutionized our understanding of nature and led to the development of new fields such as atomic and molecular physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear and elementary particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. Lecture.  Prerequisite: PHY 126  , MA 180 . Pre- or corequisite: MA 222 . Fall semester. Markovic.
  

  • PHY 230 - Intermediate Physics Laboratory (2 Cr.)

    (GCR DA-AC)
    Exploration of modern scientific methods and experimental observations related to modern physics, with measurement of several classical and modern physics constants. Experiments include the Millikan oil-drop experiment, electron diffraction, Franck-Hertz experiment, Planck’s constant and the photoelectric effect, measurement of the speed of light, radioactivity, and muon decay. Four hours laboratory per week. Prerequisite: PHY 220 . Spring semester. Markovic.
  

  • PHY 250 - Energy, Physics, and the Environment (4 Cr.)

    (LER - ENV)(GCR - ENV)
    Introductory course in environmental physics that emphasizes the physical principles behind the production, transport and conversion of energy. The laws of thermodynamics and classical mechanics are applied to natural ecosystems and energy resources such as fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydropower, wind, solar power, etc. These resources are analyzed in terms of the societal and environmental impacts of the associated technologies. Prerequisite: PHY 115  or PHY 125 or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2014-15 and alternate years. Dukan.
  

  • PHY 281 - Mathematical Methods for Mechanics (4 Cr.)

    This course presents kinematics and dynamics of particles using Newtonian and Langrangian techniques, while also introducing students to some common mathematical methods used in the physical sciences. Topics from physics include central force motion, oscillations and normal mode analysis, nonlinear dynamics. Mathematical topics can include differential equations, partial differentiation, series expansions, calculus of variation, and some special functions. Lecture. Prerequisite: PHY 220  or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Dukan.
  

  • PHY 290 - Internship in Physics (1-4 Cr.)

    Internship opportunities typically involve working in research laboratories in universities and industry and are arranged on the basis of students’ individual interests. Students complete work on site under the supervision of professionals in the field and also complete academic assignments as determined by the faculty internship sponsor.  Each credit requires 45 hours at the internship site.   Course may be taken during academic semesters as well as summer and winter breaks. Graded pass/no pass only.  Pre-rerequisites: PHY 126  and appropriate upper-level courses as determined by the program.
  

  • PHY 300 - Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics (4 Cr.)

    A calculus-based course in which the basic concepts of thermodynamics are introduced from the microscopic point of view. Methods of statistical physics are used to define entropy and temperature, heat and work, and ideal gas behavior. Applications to chemical reactions, Fermi and Bose systems in condensed matter physics, and phase transformations are discussed. The course includes an introduction to relevant mathematical topics from probability and statistics. Prerequisite: PHY 281  or permission of instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 301 - Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory (4 Cr.)

    Intermediate-level discussion of Maxwell’s equations and their applications: electrostatics and dynamics; magnetic fields and magnetic effects; and electromagnetic waves, both in vacuum and in materials. The course also includes an overview of necessary mathematical techniques, including topics from vector calculus and partial differential equations. Prerequisite: PHY 281  or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Yoder.
  

  • PHY 310 - Electronics/Instrumentation (4 Cr.)

    A project-based introduction to principles of electronic instrumentation and microprocessors that trains students to identify appropriate methods and techniques for physical measurements or experimental control. Students learn to automate processes using the Arduino platform. Topics include: DC and AC circuits, diodes, transistors, operational amplifiers, digital logic and sensing, using specialized chips, and data acquisition. The course also includes an introduction to related mathematical topics in Fourier analysis and complex variables. Four hours integrated lecture/laboratory. Prerequisites: PHY 220  and PHY 230 . Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Yoder.
  

  • PHY 330 - Special Topics in Contemporary Physics (2-4 Cr.)

    Topics courses in physics are offered to extend knowledge beyond foundation courses and to introduce students to more advanced topics in physics and their applications to many different areas of science and technology. Topics are determined by student interest and needs. Courses include but are not limited to: Condensed Matter Physics (Yoder), Nanoscience and Quantum Materials (Markovic) and Relativity and Cosmology. Depending on a particular topic, the course will have a three-hour lecture, laboratory and/or seminar format. Students may take this course for credit more than once.  Prerequisites:   or permission of the program. Additional courses as appropriate for the particular topic will be specified by the program. Variable semesters. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 350 - Quantum Mechanics (4 Cr.)

    The study of quantum mechanics and its applications occupies a central position in the physical sciences, forming the basis for an understanding of atomic, molecular, nuclear, particle, and condensed matter physics. The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the principles of quantum mechanics and includes the following topics: formal development of the postulates of quantum theory, representation of states, quantum mechanics in one and three dimensions, angular momentum, spin, and perturbation theory. The course also includes relevant mathematical topics, particularly involving linear algebra and partial differential equations. Prerequisite: PHY 281  (or inactive PHY 280 course) and MA 221 , or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 395 - Independent Work in Physics (2 or 4 Cr.)

    Independent theoretical and laboratory work carried out under the supervision of a member of the program. May be one or two semesters. Graded pass/no pass only. Prerequisites: major or minor in physics and permission of instructor. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Program faculty.
  

  • PHY 495 - Senior Thesis - Physics (4 Cr.)

    (formerly PHY 450)
    Fall and Spring semesters.

Political Science
  

  • PSC 121 - Comparative Politics (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 221)
    This course will introduce students to the study of comparative politics, highlighting theories of nationalism, democracy, ethnic politics, social movements, and armed insurrections. We will draw upon cases from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Chernov Hwang.
  

  • PSC 143 - American Political System (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 243)
    This course examines the American national political system with attention to political culture, governmental institutions, and political behavior.  While the range of topics in this course approximates that of a survey course, the materials allows for more critical analysis and greater contemplation of the subject matter than a survey course.  Fall semester.  Kasniunas.
  

  • PSC 200 - Classical Political Thought (4 Cr.)

    This course introduces the political thought of Ancient Greek and Medieval thinkers whose work forms a tradition whose aftermath we inhabit, even as they reflect and speak to a world that is in many ways radically different from our own. Through sustained readings of works by Homer, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Herodotus and Plato the course considers themes of authority and equality, tyranny and democracy, knowledge and critique.  The transformation of classical themes by Christianity is approached by a study of Augustine and the course finishes with readings by Christine de Pisan and Marsilius of Padua reflecting on the medieval political order. Variable semesters.
  

  • PSC 201 - Modern Political Thought (4 Cr.)

    This course introduces key texts and thinkers in modern political theory.   Of particular concern in this course is the notion that theorists between Machiavelli and Marx explore the idea that politics is a realm of human artifice. These two thinkers, as well as the social contract theorists (Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau), consider the artificial nature of the political in terms of certain central concerns. These include: the source and authority of law; the nature and sources of property; the relations between justice and power, politics and morality, and politics and religion; the nature and limits of legitimate political power, the state and sovereignty; the relation between political order and religion. Variable semesters.
  

  • PSC 202 - Contemporary Political Thought (4 Cr.)

    This course provides students with the groundwork for engaging with some of the more challenging areas of contemporary political theory.  The course begins with Nietzsche’s critique of central claims of modernity about scientific, intellectual and moral progress, as well as the roots of individual identity and agency.  This beginning gives access to a series of twentieth century who draw upon Nietzsche’s insights to consider the distinctive character of the political (Arendt); the constitution of power (Foucault); and the nature of sovereignty (Schmitt).  The course uses this groundwork as preparation for reading a series of contemporary political theorists including Sheldon Wolin, William Connolly, and Wendy Brown. Variable semesters.
  

  • PSC 211 - Research Methods in Political Science (4 Cr.)

    (GCR DA-AC)
    This course provides an introduction to empirical political science research with a focus on quantitative methodology.  Topics include the logic and structure of research designs, variable conceptualization and measurement, descriptive statistics, statistical inference, basic probability, and hypothesis testing. Students will learn basic SPSS and Excel skills.  Spring semester. Kromer.
  

  • PSC 213 - Practicum in Survey Research (2 Cr.)

    (GCR DA-AC)
    This course examines current methodologies in survey research.  Topics include sampling, questionnaire design, instrument validity and reliability, error reduction, data collection practices, and analysis of survey data.  Additionally, students will learn survey lab management skills and basic programming using industry leading online survey software.  Students will assist with the production of the Goucher Poll and produce an executive report of the results as a final project. Variable semesters. Kromer. 
  

  • PSC 215 - Anti-Semitism (4 Cr.)

    (JS 215) (GCR RPP)
    This course will be a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and theoretical introduction to the phenomenon of anti-semitism as it has appeared in the history of the West. In particular, we will be concerned to understand how anti-semitism is both a distinct form of bigotry, but one that is also intimately connected to other forms of bigotry and hatred. Some of the figures that we may read include Tacitus, Augustine, Martin Luther, Hannah Arendt, James Baldwin, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Emmanuel Levinas, Frantz Fanon, and Theodor W. Adorno. Spring. Offered Spring 2018 and every other year. Shuster.
  

  • PSC 216 - Development and Social Change in Costa Rica (4 Cr.)

    (SOA 216 )
    This course examines the development path and processes of social change in Costa Rica, with an emphasis on the post-World War II paradigm that gave rise to the social-democratic structure of Costa Rican society. Drawing on the body of literature from Latin American theorists, students will explore notions of exceptionalism, myth-making and myth-breaking, conservation and the Green Republic, and the rise of ecotourism in Costa Rica. Prerequisite: 100-level course in social science. Spring semester.
  

  • PSC 217 - Judaism and Political Theology (4 Cr.)

    (JS 217)
    This class explores the relationship between religion and the political order. Some questions that animate it are: is or must the political order somehow be based on or tied to religion? What does it mean to be secular, especially given secularism’s religious origins (a point we also explore)? These and other broader questions are connected to traditions of thinking about these issues in Judaism, itself a fundamental input into both Christianity and Islam, and thereby a large portion of the world, both ancient and modern. Throughout, the aim is to use Judaism to illuminate and think about broader political theological questions–so we are just as likely to read the Talmud or Moses Maimonides as we are to read Barack Obama or Martin Luther King. Spring. Offered Spring 2018 and every other year. Shuster.
  

  • PSC 239 - Religion and Politics in America (4 Cr.)

    (RLG 239)
    This course will cover the roots of the American separation of church and state, its practical application in the courts and in public policy and some of the trends and evolutions of this understanding resulting from changing aspects of the American political, social, and religious landscape. Using a combination of governmental documents, primary sources from politicians, theologians, and everyday Americans, students will examine the relationship between religion and politics in America in the context or race, gender, immigration, warfare, social reform and international relations. Spring 2017 and alternate years thereafter. Duncan.
  

  • PSC 245 - Organized Advocacy in American Politics (2 Cr.)

    Advocacy is fundamental to our notions of democracy and plays a strong role in our political system. Organized advocates have had a persistent presence in our system but yet are some of the most understood actors. We treat lobbyists, special interests and PACs with skepticism yet look favorably upon advocates. This course will give you an understanding of organized advocacy in its many manifestations, exploring theoretical and normative considerations alongside the strategies and practices employed. It is recommended that students have completed PSC 143  prior to taking this course. Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  

  • PSC 246 - U.S. Foreign Policy (4 Cr.)

    The course examines the basic concepts, themes, and issues in U.S. Foreign Policy. Emphasis is on the major trends and patterns in U.S. foreign policy period post-World War II and special focus on post-cold war issues. Topics include the process and content of U.S. Foreign Policy, the interplay with domestic politics and the nation’s foreign policy, foreign policy making, and contemporary policies and issues.  Variable semesters. Honick.
  

  • PSC 247 - An Introduction to Education Policy (2 Cr.)

    (ED 247)
    This course will offer students an introduction to public policy through the lens of education policy in the United States. Students will learn about the various actors involved in making education policy at the local, state and federal levels of government and policy process. Students will also be taught the tools and resources needed in order to analyze and assess education policy. This course does not have any pre-requisites only a desire to better understand how education policy is made in the United States and the impact it has on students. Political science students seeking an introduction to public policy may be interested in this course as well as future educators.
      Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  

  • PSC 248 - The 2020 Election (4 Cr.)

    This course examines both theoretical and practical aspects of campaigns and elections. Students are required to volunteer and work on an actual political campaign. Fall 2020. Kasniunas.
  

  • PSC 249 - Special Topic in Politics (2 or 4 Cr.)

    Variable semesters.
  

  • PSC 250 - Theories of International Politics (4 Cr.)

    This course is an introduction to theories and problems of international politics. This course introduces students to the political, economic, and social factors which come to shape the behavior of states and non-state actors on the international stage. The course begins by providing students a framework for understanding what theory is and how theories can be evaluated.  Students explore the major theoretical approaches taken in the study of international relations including but not limited to realism, liberalism, constructivism, economic structuralism and feminist theory. Through projects, simulations, and written assignments students connect theory to policy related to trade, cybersecurity, climate change, terrorism, armament, drone technology and natural resource use. Fall semester.
  

  • PSC 256 - The UN in changing global politics (4 Cr.)

    This course introduces and explores the history, institutions, and the impact of the United Nations in the context of changing global politics. The current operations and future potential of the UN creates a framework for assessing the UN response to current global issues. Emphasis is placed on the UN role in a changing global security environment, with a focus on UN peacekeeping, the challenges of environmental and climate change, sustainability, and the protection of human rights. Assessment of the UN’s role includes its interactions with global actors such as other IGO’s, NGO’s and other non-state actors, international civil society, and the private sector. Variable semesters. Honick.
  

  • PSC 257 - Problems in International Political Economy (4 Cr.)

    This is an introductory course to the study of international political economy (IPE). This course begins with reviewing major IPE approaches such as Mercantilism, Liberalism and Marxism.  Students then evaluate the multifaceted role of international financial actors, identify key political, social and ecological factors that either hinder or help economic growth, and assess trends of protectionism and economic integration in the post-Cold War global economy. Prerequisite:  . Fall semester.
  

  • PSC 258 - The International Politics of the Middle East (4 Cr.)

    (JS 258 )
    Examination of regional and international issues in the Middle East. Topics include the Arab-Israeli conflict, inter-Arab rivalries, instability in the Persian Gulf, and the crisis in Lebanon. Variable semesters. Honick.
  

  • PSC 259 - African Politics (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)
    An examination of African politics and societies since 1885. Exploration of the influences of Islam and Christianity, the colonization of the continent by imperial European powers, and the liberation movements, which brought about the demise of colonization. Consideration of contemporary issues and trends. Prerequisites: PSC 121  or PSC 250 , or permission of the instructor. Variable semesters. Singer.
  

  • PSC 262 - Democracy and Violence in Southeast Asia (4 Cr.)

    This course examines colonial experiences, political systems and the dynamics of conflict and violence in Southeast Asia. The course first focuses on the colonial experience of each core case under study: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, and the Philippines. The second segment of the course highlights the variations in the core democratic and semi-democratic cases. The third segment of the course examines the dynamics of conflict, including war, genocide, secessionism and rebellion. Fall semester, alternate years. Hwang.
  

  • PSC 263 - The Pacific Rim (4 Cr.)

    An examination of the geography, culture, politics, and economics of the Pacific Rim with special emphasis on Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the coastal region of the People’s Republic of China. Consideration of Japan’s place in this region. Course provides a basis for Understanding the rapid growth and growing world significance of this area of the world. Variable semesters. Honick.
  

  • PSC 266 - Religion and Identity in Asia (2 Cr.)

    This course will examine the interplay of religion and issues of identity, drawing on cases from East, South and Southeast Asia. In this course, we will explore questions of belonging and how they impact religious nationalism, activism, and conflict.  Variable semesters Chernov-Hwang.
 

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