Fall 2010 Honors Seminars (03/24/2010)
***New Addition
HONR 330L111
Hudson River Valley Studies
J. Johnson
Slot 13: MW 3:30-4:45
Core Distribution Area: History
Description: The course examines the history, biography, culture, architecture, literature, art, politics, and
economy of the Hudson River Valley from pre-Columbian times to the present.
Besides Honors, the seminar satisfies the CORE requirement in History and serves as elective credit for the
History major and minor.
HONR300L111
Honors Ethics:
Snyder, J
Slot 13: MW 3:30-4:45
Core Distribution Area: Ethics
Description: In this course, students will reflect upon and critically evaluate a number of fundamental moral
questions as they are broached in some of the major ethical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics,
rights-ethics, care-ethics, etc.).
Besides Honors, this seminar satisfies the College's CORE Ethics requirement.
HONR310L111
Versions of the Self: Visions of the Future: Fiction, Prediction & Context
Grinnell, R and Rosen, R
Slot 2: MR 9:30-10:45
Core Distribution Area: Literature
OR
HONR312L111
Versions of the Self: Visions of the Future: Fiction, Prediction & Context
Rosen, R and Grinnell, R
Slot 2: MR 9:30-10:45
Core Distribution Area: History
Description: Literature is a powerful tool for speculating about the future, for proposing ideal, or terrifyingly
possible worlds. But literature, no matter how future-looking or alternative, can really only be understood in
historical context. When writers speculate about the future they inevitably comment on the present. This teamtaught course will bring history and literature together dynamically to focus on selected utopian and dystopian
literary texts, and on their cultural and historical contexts. We’ll be interested in the historical construction of
gender, class, race, power and politics, and in the ways these issues are played out in the literature and the
history of the 20th century.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the Core requirement in Literature or History.
HONR321L111
Art of Culture: Music that Built America
Himmelberger, A
Slot 10: MR 2:00-3:15
Core Distribution Area: Fine Arts
Description: This course will develop the student’s knowledge and appreciation of the creation, development
and function of various genres of music and the music industry utilized over a 400 year evolutionary process,
occurring congruent to the history and development of our nation. Historical periods and functions include:
Purposes and utilization of music by the Puritans; Native Indians; other early settlers; exploratory expeditions;
Colonial America; American Revolt and War for Independence; Federal Period and War of 1812, American
Civil War, Post Civil War Band Activities and Entertainment Movement by the touring of Patrick Gilmore, John
Philip Sousa and others, radio broadcasts of the Goldman Band, Romantic and 20th Century Orchestral
Composers, Post Civil War American Broadway Musicals and other music theater activities to include 20th
Century Broadway Musical development, Ragtime, Jazz, Big Bands and Blues development. The students will
understand how this development of American Music paralleled the growth of our nation.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the Core requirement in Fine Arts.
HONR323L111
Art of Culture: The Making of Italians
Downward, L
Slot 11: TF 2:00-3:15
Core Distribution Area: Cultural Studies
Description: After the Unification of Italy, Massimo D’Azeglio stated “We have made Italy, now we must make
Italians.” Proceeding from D’Azeglio’s assertion, we will examine various ways in which important events and
trends from Italian Unification to the present have impacted cultural production, that is, what Italians make
(literature, film, fashion) and also how, in turn, cultural production makes or shapes understanding about what
it means to be Italian. We will explore recurring themes in Italian culture by and about Italians (class, gender,
and regional differences, language, family, immigration/emigration) as well as the question of stereotypes of
both Italians and Italian-Americans.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the CORE Cultural Studies option.
HONR331L111
Hudson River Valley Studies: Contemporary Poetry
Saunders, J
Slot 14: TR 3:30-4:45
Core Distribution Area: Literature
Description: This course will examine poetry written in the Hudson Valley region in the contemporary period,
1950 through the present. Course readings will introduce students to the work of poets who have lived and
visited in the region: Billy Collins (recent Poet Laureate), Eamon Grennan, William Bronk, Nancy Willard,
Howard Moss, Dana Gioia, Howard Winn, and many others.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the CORE requirement in Literature and serves as elective credit in the
English major and minor. (Please note that this course satisfies the genre requirement for the English major.)
HONR331L112
Hudson River Valley Studies: Discovering Literary Places
Mercier, S
Slot 9: TF 12:30-1:45
Core Distribution Area: Literature
Description: This course asks you to examine and explore literary representations of the Hudson River Valley.
We will focus primarily on Hudson River Valley authors. We will examine the relationship between these texts
and popular images of the places they represent. Hence, we will look at various types of signifiers, such as
literary texts, maps, magazines, pamphlets geared toward tourism, paintings, photographs, web sites, and other
visual images. We will then attempt to understand how these varied images shape our conceptions of place and
the Hudson River Valley. We will engage in a wide variety of approaches and methodologies, such as literary
criticism, landscape geography, architecture, archaeology and artifacts, cultural studies, folklore and
mythology, and electronic media.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the CORE requirement in Literature and serves as elective credit in the
English major and minor. (Please note that this course satisfies the genre requirement for the English major.)
HONR341L111
Global Engagement: The U.S. and the World
Zuccarello, L
Slot 6: M 11:00-12:15, W 9:30-10:45
Core Distribution Area: Social Science
Description: This course will explore selected current issues that confront the U. S. in its dealings with other
nations and regions of the world. Our primary focus will be on political relationships, which necessarily involve
other dimensions, such as economic, social and cultural factors. We will look at some current “hot spots,” and
explore some pervasive issues associated with “globalization.” A major emphasis will be placed on how the
international community has dealt with the issue of “Genocide.” These matters occupy a prominent place in
international politics and promise to affect the future of the U. S. and the world community.
Besides Honors, this seminar satisfies the College's CORE Social Science requirement. This course may also
be used to satisfy elective credit for the Political Science major.
HONR344L111
Global Engagement: Documentaries of Sustainability
Willoquet-Maricondi, P
Slot: TR11:00-12:15, T 12:30-1:45 ***Note the nonstandard time.
Core Distribution Area: Fine Arts
Description: This course will explore the topic of global environmental sustainability through the critical
study of contemporary documentary films focusing on environmental issues. Areas covered will include food
production, water privatization, electronic and other forms of waste, and energy production and consumption.
Through a detailed examination of the narrative and visual strategies used in these documentaries, we will
access their effectiveness in educating and raising public awareness about environmental sustainability, and in
inspiring civic action.
Besides Honors, this course satisfies the College’s CORE requirement in Fine Art and as an upper level elective
in Communication.
HONR341L112
Global Engagement:
Davis, Ann
Slot 8: MR 12:30-1:45
Core Distribution Area: Social Science
OR
HONR353L111
Science, Technology, and Society:
Davis, Ann
Slot 8: MR 12:30-1:45
Core Distribution Area: Social Science
Description: Basic concepts in environmental science and economics will be presented, such as
biogeochemical cycles, “tragedy of the commons,” and externalities. The scientific evidence for global
warming will be carefully considered, and major policies for mitigation and remediation will be assessed, such
as carbon tax, cap and trade, industrial policy, consumer education, and technological innovation. Important
case studies will be considered, involving water, farming methods, forest and fishery management, and
transportation. Films, field trips, speakers, and student presentations will be integrated into the course
materials. Requirements include mid-term and final exams, and a research paper.
Besides Honors, this seminar satisfies the College's CORE Social Science requirement.
HONR350L111
Science, Technology, and Society: Statistics Introduced
Helmreich, J
Slot 11: TF 2:00-3:15
Core Distribution Area: Mathematics
Description: Intro Stats (Math 130) is a traditional course where the fundamentals have not changed in nearly
a century. In particular, in order to make calculations easier, very strong (and unrealistic) assumptions about
the world are required. There is a much better way though, as the great statistician Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher
realized as long ago as 1936. The problem: his method was easy, but time consuming when done by hand. We
now can overcome that hurdle quite easily: we can do on a cheap computer in a split second what it would
have taken a person a life time to do back then. So this course will examine the topic of statistics from a very
different angle than is currently traditional; from a direction that is easier to understand, more accurate and
more intuitively convincing than traditional Intro Stats. In fact, we will cover more advanced topics easily that
never see the light of day in Intro Stats. In short, this course will be *Statistics Introduced*.
Besides Honors, this seminar satisfies the College's CORE Mathematics requirement.
HONR351L111
Science, Technology, and Society: Medical Botany
Gagnon, Z
Slot 14: TR 3:30-4:45
Core Distribution Area: Natural Science
Description: The course focuses on research and development of therapies for use in
complementary/alternative and conventional medicines, utilizing natural plant products and their derivatives.
Poisonous, medicinal and therapeutic plants, with an emphasis on their biologically active constituents, will be
examined. The course will integrate basic human anatomy and physiology with the pharmacological effect of
plant compounds on specific organs, allowing students to learn and understand the role of medicinal plants in
the context of human health.
Besides Honors, this seminar satisfies the College's CORE Natural Science requirement.