At Brandeis, you are encouraged to learn about a wide variety of human societies, cultures, and countries and about causes and consequences of differences among
racial, ethnic, religious, and other groups. Listed below are a sampling of the Spring 2015 courses that address these issues; we hope that you will consider including
some of them in your studies. They are grouped under “Gender and Sexuality,” “Religion, Race, and Culture,” and “Global Perspectives,” though naturally many of
the courses intersect these groupings. For additional course offerings, please refer to the registrar’s website: www.brandeis.edu/registrar/.
NEJS 127B: The Jewish Liturgy
HIST 173A: World War II in East Asia
Religion, Race and Culture
A study of the literature, theology, and history of the
Traces the origins and outcomes of World War II in
AAAS 79B: Afro-American Literature of the
daily and Sabbath liturgy. Emphasis will be placed
East Asia with a focus on military and political
Twentieth Century
on the interplay between literary structure and
history. Also looks at the war's effect on society,
An introduction to the essential themes, aesthetic
ideational content, along with discussion of the
economy, and culture, as well as individuals'
concerns, and textual strategies that characterize
philosophical issues involved in prayer. (hum)
experience and memory of war. (nw, ss wi)
Afro-American writing of this century. Examines
Mr. Kimelman
T, F 11:00 AM – 12:20 PM
Mr. Pieragastini
T, Th 3:30 PM – 4:50 PM
those influences that have shaped the poetry, fiction,
and prose nonfiction of representative writers. (hum,
JAPN 120B: Readings in Modern Japanese
HIST 175A: Topics in Latin American History:
ss, wi)
Literature
Freedom & Slavery in Latin America and the
Ms. Smith
T, F 9:30 AM – 10:50 AM
Provides advanced students of Japanese with broad
Caribbean
introduction to contemporary Japanese literary work
Explore this particular relationship between slavery
AAAS 168B: The Black Intellectual Tradition
that is widely read in Japan. Focuses on significant
and freedom in the lives and experiences of Africans
Introduces broad historical themes, issues and
expansion of vocabulary and grammar improving
and African descended people, as well as the
debates that constitute the black intellectual
students' knowledge of the language as well as
experience of slavery and freedom for Indigenous
tradition. Examines the works of male and female
enhancing their understanding of Japanese culture
populations in Latin America. (nw ss wi)
black intellectuals from slavery to present. Will
and society. (fl, hum, nw, wi)
Mr. Childs
M 2:00 PM – 4:50 PM
explore issues of freedom, citizenship, uplift,
Ms. Fujiwara
M, W 2:00 PM–3:20 PM
gender, and race consciousness. (ss, wi)
IGS 170A: The Rise of Brazil
Mr. Williams
M 2:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Examines how Brazil now wields global influence
NEJS 168B: Toward Religious Pluralism:
in energy, South-South politics, culture and
American Religious Conflicts and Conciliations
AAAS 177A: The Other African Americans:
Covers episodes that take place from the Puritans'
environmental affairs. This course looks at key
Comparative Perspectives on Black Ethnic
New World arrival to the publication of Herberg's
elements - from the favela to high finance, carnvial
Diversity
Protestant-Catholic-Jew. Topics covered in this
to Candomblé - that make up one of the world's
This course explores the identities, immigration and
course
are
limited
to
groups
and
moments
that
best
most dynamic societies. (ss)
integration of Black Africans and Afro-Caribbeans
capture the evolution of American religion and its
Ms. Brown
T, F 11:00
in the United States and United Kingdom from
eventual
"Judeo-Christian"
pluralistic
form.
(hum)
AM–12:20
PM
interdisciplinary perspectives. It examines intraMr. Eleff
M, W, Th 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
racial and inter-ethnic similarities and differences,
NEJS 132A: Latin America and Its Jews: A
conflicts and collaborations that animate the lived
Cultural History
NEJS 176B: Jewish Graphic Novels
experiences of native and new Blacks. (ss)
Through historical analysis of literature, theater and
Examines the complex genre of the Jewish graphic
Mr. Wallace
W 2:00 PM – 4:50 PM
art, this course will explore the multiple
novel. Explores how Jews have used graphic
understandings of Jewishness that arose in Latin
narratives to grapple with issues of acculturation,
ANTH 114B: Verbal Art and Cultural
America from the colonial times to the present, as
trauma, and identity. A historical survey
Performance
well as how the idea of Jewishness and Jewish
accompanies readings of contemporary works by
Cross-cultural and interdisciplinary study of genres
inclusion in society was incorporated into larger
American, Israeli and European authors. (hum)
of verbal art and oral performance. Complex social
national conversations of identity and belonging.
Ms. Kellman
M, W, Th 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
uses of verbal arts in festival, drama, ritual, dance,
(hum)
carnival, and spectacle. Difficulty of reconstructing
NEJS 186B: The Quran: Composition,
Ms. Wassner
W 6:30 PM – 9:20 PM
original context of narrative, oratory, poetry, and
Collection, and Commentary
epic. (ss)
SOC 127A: Religion, Ethnicity, and Nationalism
Examines the historical development and collection
Mr. Parmentier
T, Th 2:00 PM–3:20 PM
Examines three sources of identity that are
of the Quran, and the emergence of the different
influential in global affairs: religion, ethnicity and
schools of Quranic commentary within various
COML 146B: Classical East Asian Poetics
nationalism. Considers theories of the relationship
branches of Islam throughout the Islamic world and
An introduction to the classical poetic forms of
among these identities, especially "secularization
the central themes upon which they focus. (hum)
China, Japan, and Korea. Special consideration is
theory," then reviews historical examples such as
Mr. Lumbard
M, W 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM
paid to issues of canonization, classical theories of
Poland, Iran, India, and Pakistan. (nw, ss)
literature, and the development of multilingual
Global Perspectives
Mr. Rosenberger
T, Th 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM
literary traditions. All readings are in English.(hum,
AAAS 117A: Communications and Social
nw)
Gender and Sexuality
Change in Developing Nations
Mr. Kawai
T, Th 3:30 PM–4:50 PM
HIST 141A: Sex, Marriage and the State in
Examines the role of communications and
ENG 68B: The International Legacy of Anne
American History
information
systems
within
and
between
developed
Frank
Examines the legal, social and cultural histories of
and underdeveloped nations. Addresses the larger
Explores how The Diary of Anne Frank has been
sex and marriage in America. Charts government
perspective
of
global
communications.
(ss)
represented in different media over time. Students
attempts to control both sexual conduct and
Mr. Nyangoni
Th 6:30 PM–9:20 PM
participate in an international digital learning
marriage from the early colonial period to the
ANTH 148A: Media in Latin America
environment with students from Amsterdam.
present. Topics include same-sex marriage, sexual
Looks at Latin America from the perspective of
Includes short lectures, discussions, team projects,
mores, miscegenation and polygamy. (ss, wi)
media production, circulation and consumption,
diary-writing, archival research and web tours.
Mr. Bowman
T, Th 5:00 PM – 6:20 PM
beginning with a few foundational texts on the
(hum, wi)
SOC 117A: Sociology of Work and Gender
region and on the study of media in anthropology
Ms. Skorczewski
M, W 8:30 AM–9:50 AM
Gender segregation by job type is pervasive and
and
cultural
studies,
and
then
taking
a
FA 33B: Islamic Art and Architecture
women predominate in the lower paid, lower status
thematic/regional approach. (ss)
Introduces architecture and arts of the Islamic lands
jobs, particularly in the care sector. This course
Ms. Ferry
T, F 11:00 AM – 12:20 PM
from seventh-century Levant to post-modernism in
examines gender disparities in both paid an unpaid
Iran, India, and the Gulf states. Provides an
FA/NEJS 183A: Breaking Boundaries in
work, and how that affects women’s and men’s
overview of major themes and regional variations,
Contemporary Israeli Art
lives, work/family conflicts, and society at large.
and their socio-political and historical context. (ca,
Explores how the Creative Arts reflect, challenge,
(ss)
nw)
and reconfigure various cleavages and barriers that
Ms. Villalobos
T, F 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM
Ms. Grigor
T, F 9:30 AM – 10:50 AM
characterize contemporary Israeli society. This
SQS 6B: Sexuality and Queer Studies
course will focus on literary, visual and cinematic
Examines cross-cultural and historical perspectives
HIST 113B: Encounters with Islam: From
artworks, organized around thematic clusters and
on sexual meanings, experiences, representations,
Muhammad’s Revelations to the Syrian Civil
major theoretical issues. (ca, hum)
and activist movements within a framework forged
War
Ms. Ankori & Ms. Szobel T, Th 2:00PM – 3:20PM
Covers important themes in the interaction between
by contemporary critical theories of gender and
Muslim and non-Muslim communities between the
7th and 21st centuries. Over the semester, we will
travel along the long arc of Islamic history,
observing Muslims and non-Muslims as they
collaborated to shape their many identities. (nw, ss)
Mr. Shakow
T, F 9:30 AM – 10:50 PM
NEJS 3A: Introduction to Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam
An introduction to the three major religions
originating in the Near East: Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam. Areas of focus include historical
development, sacred texts, rituals, and interpretive
traditions. (hum)
Mr. Decter
T, Th 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM
GECS 188B: Human/Nature: European
Perspectives on Climate Change
Introduces European attitudes towards climate
change as reflected in policy, literature, film, and
art, with a focus on workable future-oriented
alternatives to fossil-fueled capitalism. (hum)
Ms. von Mering
M, W 2:00 PM–3:20 PM
HECS 42B: Literature and Human Rights in
Latin America
Examines literature, fiction and non-fiction, from
Latin America in relation to the construction and
uses of the narrative of human rights. (hum, nw)
Mr. Rosenberg
M, W 3:30 PM–4:50 PM
sexuality. (hum, ss)
Ms. Russo Garrido
M, W 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM
WMGS 156B: Sexuality and Healthcare
Considers how ideas about gender and sexuality
affect healthcare, with a particular focus on queer
and trans communities. Examines the creation of
"the homosexual" and "the transsexual" as
medicalized categories; the recent expansion of
access to healthcare; and medicine's role in
constructing certain kinds of bodies. (ss)
Ms. Luis
M, W, Th 12:00 PM – 12:50 PM