Spring 2014 Honors Colloquia
Last updated November 7, 2013.
Please check back for updates, as not every school and department
has yet decided whether to award major credit for one or more of these colloquia.
Notes
American Studies Honors Students:
Beyond any major credit indicated in this document, certain courses may count for credit in American Studies.
Determination is made on a case-by-case basis. Consult your academic advisor for details.
Anthropology Honors Students: Beyond any major credit indicated in this document, certain courses may count
for credit in Anthropology. Determination is made on a case-by-case basis. Consult your academic advisor for details.
KSB Honors Students: Colloquia designated as “major credit” will count toward “free electives” and/or the
12-credits required for “University Honors in Business.” Colloquia may not be substituted for Kogod core courses.
Religious Studies Honors Students: Please see your Religious Studies advisor for approval to apply a religion-related
colloquium to your major.
SIS Honors Students:
You are encouraged to speak with your SIS academic advisor to determine whether a colloquium might be considered
for another functional area or regional field.
SOC Honors Students:
Many of these course offerings may meet the “hours outside of SOC” or the “Liberal Studies” requirement.
Please check with your SOC academic advisor to determine applicability.
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HNRS-300-001H: Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophy: Early, Middle and Late
Rom Harre
F 11:45 a.m.-2:25 p.m.
In order to understand the forces that drove Wittgenstein to his life long quest for clarity of thought we
must look in some detail at his remarkable life, from aeronautical engineer to Cambridge philosophy
professor. Much of the impetus for his studies came from the rich culture of the Vienna of his youth.
Later the influence of Bertrand Russell’s studies in logic led him to his first great work, the Tractates
Logico-Philosophicus, in which he built up the principles for a perfect language in which no
philosophical errors could occur. Some of the innovations in this book were among the seeds of the
computational revolution. However, his experience as an elementary school teacher persuaded him
that the perfect language project was a failure, and he embarked on a profound investigation of the
nature of ordinary language and the ways that mistakes in understanding the way vernaculars worked
had led philosophers into seemingly intractable problems. He showed how at least some of these problems
dissolved if the language was viewed correctly. Thus he moved from seeing logic as the core of philosophy
to the grammars of ordinary languages. In the work of the middle period of his studies, eventually published
as the Philosophical Investigations, he introduced such concepts as “meaning as use,” “language game,”
“family resemblance fields of meaning” and many other insightful concepts. The third phase of his studies
arose from his realization that the way we think and act depends on a cultural background of unexamined
assumptions with which we create a view of the world in terms of which we conduct our lives, both in
practical and in moral matters. His executors collected the writings of the last period of his life in the
small book On Certainty, in which he examined the way certain kinds of beliefs informed and shaped
our lives. Though his influence is not always acknowledged by contemporary authors his ideas have
permeated almost every sphere of philosophy and thus of our contemporary culture. We can see his work
as a progression through a succession of positions as to the constraints that make clear, problem free thinking
possible–from the rigidity of the laws of logic, to the grammars of everyday language to the many ways that
our deep beliefs about human nature and the material world.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) PHILOSOPHY (Majors); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Political Theory Concentration);
HNRS-300-002H Music and the Mind
Fernando Benadon
M, TH 1:10-2:25 p.m.
This course explores the mental mechanisms by which music is created, listened to, and ultimately enjoyed.
How do our brains convert raw sound waves (essentially molecular vibrations in the air) into meaningful
musical concepts such as dance beats, catchy melodies, and consonant chords? Why are there no human
cultures where music isn’t made? We will connect recent advances in psychology, neuroscience, music,
and evolutionary biology to understand the sophisticated cognitive systems underlying this universal human
art form. There are no prerequisites for this course.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) HEALTH PROMOTION; MUSIC; PSYCHOLOGY (Major and Minor Credit); SOC (Major Credit with
the permission of SOC advisor);
HNRS-300-003H Latin American Documentaries
Brenda Werth
M 5:30-8 p.m.
Drawing on performance, film, and photography, in this course we will analyze the ways in which
contemporary documentary works from Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico engage discourses of human
rights, history, and the law. Situating our analysis around contextually specific human rights concerns and
legal initiatives, we will explore the unique capacities and limits of the documentary genre in making truth
claims, presenting evidence, and promoting historical accountability. We will also examine the kinds of
affective strategies artists employ to create compelling counter-narratives of history, nation, and identity
rights.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date): ANTHROPOLOGY; HISTORY; POLITICAL SCIENCE (Comparative Politics Concentration); SISU
(Justice, Ethics and Human Rights; Identity, Race, Gender, Culture; and Latin America); SOC; SOCIOLOGY; WORLD
LANGUAGES AND CULTURES (For Spanish majors if primary texts are read in Spanish and final papers written in Spanish)
HNRS-300-004H Untold History of the United States: Oliver Stone’s Films
Peter Kuznick
M 8:10-10:40 p.m.
This course uses Oliver Stone’s feature films and a documentary film series by Stone and Professor Kuznick
to explore how the controversial filmmaker has interpreted the history of U.S. empire/national security state.
The course compares Stone’s interpretation with those of scholars and prominent guest speakers, including
Stone, who participated in key events.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; ANTHROPOLOGY; EDUCATION; HEALTH PROMOTION; HISTORY;
POLITICAL SCIENCES (Major Related Social Science Requirement); SISU (Foreign Policy and National Security); and SOC (Major
Credit with the permission of SOC advisor; also satisfies the SOC U.S. History requirement )
HNRS-300-005H Advanced Writing: Creative Non-Fiction
Alison Thomas
M, TH 8:55-10:10 a.m.
In this intensive prose writing course, students will come to define, study, write, and revise examples of
“creative nonfiction,” a broad term that encompasses many different forms of composition. Those forms will
invite both the use of memoir and the kinds of research that provide the foundation for literary journalism.
We will spend time on generative writing exercises and in workshops in which students will sharpen the
ability to consider critically both their own work and their classmates’.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) LITERATURE; and SOC (FILM: Advanced Requirement; JOURNALISM: Skills)
HNRS-301-001H Physics of Public Policy
Gregory Harry
M, TH 1:10-2:25 p.m.
(Classroom: SCAN 157)
This course will cover energy as a physical quantity from the point of view of how it influences public policy decisions
on energy sources, energy distribution, and energy use in transportation, industry, households, etc. The physics of
mechanics, thermodynamics, nuclear interactions, electricity, and magnetism will be touched on. Specific topics will
include fossil fuels, nuclear power and weapons, alternative energy sources like solar, hydroelectric, wind, hydrogen as
a storage medium, and energy conservation. Guests who are knowledgeable both in physics and policy will speak to
the class.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (BA and BS major credit); PHYSICS (Physics BA, BS, or Applied
Physics Minor); and POLITICAL SCIENCE (Policy Concentration)
HNRS 302-001H Notes from the Front: Understanding the International Financial Crisis
Robin Lumsdaine
W 8:55-11:35 a.m.
The challenges facing international financial markets underscore the impact of our increasing global
interconnectedness. No longer just a Wall Street problem, international financial concerns are now part of
everyday discussion that affects each of us individually. The length, breadth and depth of the crisis, and the
decisions that influence its path to recovery, are in many ways unprecedented and still being felt. All around
us, decisions are being made under extraordinary uncertainty and anxiety, from the Congressional bailout
debates to firm bankruptcy decisions to homeowners’ foreclosures to student loan availability. While cited
initially as a U.S. problem, it is apparent that the extent of the financial turmoil is far-reaching and global
with disruptions in the sovereign debt markets and questions about the viability of the Eurozone. This course
presents a how-to guide for understanding the complexities underlying recent events in the international
financial markets and what it means for us as individuals. It takes a comprehensive look at the constantly
changing global financial landscape and the role of demographic, economic, political, social and behavioral
factors in shaping its future. We also discuss the benign economic times that fueled significant financial
innovation, and then consider the over exuberance that led to its unraveling.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) CLEG (Economics); ECONOMICS; KOGOD; POLITICAL SCIENCE (Major Related Social Science
requirement); SISU (Global Economy)
HNRS-302-002H Contract Law: The Law of the Deal
Michael Mass
T 2:35-5:15 p.m.
In our increasingly capitalist world, “the deal” takes on great importance and the law of contracts sets the
rule by which this game is played. This course will study the U.S. laws governing the creation, performance
and breach of contracts from the perspective of the allocation of risk, an element that exists in every deal.
For example, when is a “deal a deal,” and when do circumstances allow for releasing parties from their legal
obligations? It will examine the legal rules governing the sale of goods and services in the United States and
compare them to laws governing contracts internationally. Students will debate such politically divisive
topics as the use, or abuse, of punitive damages and the allocation of the legal fees and other costs of
litigation between parties. Emphasis will be paid to the distinctions between the legal and ethical obligations
of individuals and enterprises. Students will be introduced to legal research and writing.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; CLEG (Law); ECONOMICS; JUSTICE; JUSTICE AND LAW (Elective);
KOGOD; LAW AND SOCIETY (Legal Theory or Elective); and SISU (Global Economy)
HNRS-302-003H Extreme Punishments: Life, Death, and Solitary Confinement
Robert Johnson
W 11:45 a.m.-2:25 p.m.
America has the highest incarceration rate in the western world, if not the entire world. In addition, America
leads the world in the use of extreme penal sanctions: life sentences, death sentences, and extended solitary
confinement. Conditions in American prisons, particularly high security prisons reserved for those serving
extreme sanctions, are uniquely harsh and have been described by researchers as “dehumanizing” and
“hellish,” and ultimately “un-survivable” in the face of widespread and even routine violations of human
dignity. The nature, scope, and origins of these cruel penal practices, as well as the human rights violations
they entail, will be the focus of this course.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; ANTHROPOLOGY; CLEG (Law); JUSTICE and LAW (Criminal Justice
Concentration or Major Elective); LAW and SOCIETY (Major Elective); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Major Related Social Science
Requirement); SOCIOLOGY
HNRS 302-004H Media and the American Mind
Rodger Streitmatter
M, TH 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Movies, TV shows, newspapers, advertising—they influence who we vote for, how we define America’s role
in global politics, and where we stand on such major issues as same-sex marriage and stem-cell research,
while at the same time helping to shape our moral values and to determine how we dress and how we spend
our leisure time. This course explores the vital role that the various media genres play –historically as well as
in contemporary times – in affecting American society writ large and simultaneously influencing the
individual attitudes and actions of those of us who make up that society. Among the required readings in this
course is the professor’s 2009 book, from ‘Perverts’ to ‘Fab Five’ –The Media’s Changing Depiction of Gay
Men and Lesbians. SOC majors may undertake their Honors Capstone in conjunction with this course, while
non-SOC majors are also eagerly welcomed to enroll in the course.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; ANTHROPOLOGY; CLEG (Communication); EDUCATION; HEALTH
PROMOTION;HISTORY; LITERATURE; POLITICAL SCIENCE (Related Social Science Requirement); SISU (Identity, Race, Gender,
Culture); SOC (Media Studies; all majors); SOCIOLOGY; and WOMEN’S, GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES
HNRS-302-006H Who Killed JFK?
Donald Fulsom
T, F 10:20-11:35 a.m.
This colloquium is a full examination of the many continuing mysteries and the latest findings about the
murder of President John F. Kennedy in the streets of Dallas more than 50 years ago. Questions of who
was responsible and why will be supplemented by a thorough look at the impact this tragic event has had
on America’s government and its citizens.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; HISTORY; JUSTICE, LAW and SOCIETY (Elective); JUSTICE and LAW;
LAW and SOCIETY (Major Elective); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Major Related Social Science Requirement)
HNRS-302-007H Race, Sex, Violence and Other Lies about Human Nature:
Evidence from Kenya
Rachel Watkins
TH 2:35-5:15 p.m.
This course explores and explodes core myths about human nature such as: 1) biological race is real,
2) humans are inherently violent, and 3) there is a biological basis for differences in male and female
behaviors and desires. Much of the evidence that sheds light on these fallacies comes from data we have
from Kenya on the evolutionary and social history of human beings. As such, this class will familiarize
students with past research conducted in Kenya that is central to our understanding of human evolution,
as well as current interdisciplinary research projects taking place in the country that shed light on the
development of social organization around the world. The class will also engage in critical examinations
of film, television, museum installations, literature, magazines and newspapers from around the world
that will be used to explore intersections of science, history and culture at the heart of our “nature/nurture”
beliefs about human behavior. These materials will also be used to emphasize how the study of human
nature is relevant to student interests in communications, law, public affairs, business, international service,
humanities and the social sciences.
There will be an optional Honors Study/Travel trip to Kenya during spring break for an on-site learning experience based
on topics covered in class.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) ANTHROPOLOGY; HISTORY; SISU (Identity, Race, Gender, Culture; Africa); SOCIOLOGY;
WOMEN’S, GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES
HNRS-302-008H The American 1990s: Scandal, Conflict, and the Internet
W. Joseph Campbell
T 11:45 a.m.-2:25 p.m.
(Classroom: McDowell 125)
Cap: 18
We take a look back at a decade defined by a remarkable variety of decisive moments and developments,
including the emergence of the Internet and the World Wide Web and the spectacle of the impeachment of a
U.S. president. As we’ll see, the 1990s were further defined by spasms of domestic terrorism, by a U.S.-led
war in Iraq, by a robust domestic economy in the decade’s second half, and by innovations in cinema and
popular culture. On occasion, we’ll take our inquiry off campus, to conduct research at the Library of
Congress and to visit 1990s-relevant exhibits at the Newseum.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) AMERICAN STUDIES; ANTHROPOLOGY; CLEG (Communication); HISTORY; POLITICAL
SCIENCE (Major Related Social Science Requirement); SISU (Identity, Race, Gender, Culture); SOC (COMMUNICATION STUDIES:
All Concentrations; JOURNALISM and PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: Media Studies; FILM: Film and Media Studies)
HNRS-302-009H Revolution, Counter-Revolution, and Reform in Egypt
Diane Singerman
W 2:35-5:15 p.m.
The 2011 Egyptian Uprising called for the fall of the regime, dignity, and social justice as the Mubarak
regime was quickly swept from power after three decades of “durable authoritarianism.” This course will
analyze the Egyptian uprising, its genesis, and its prognosis by exploring these three main demands of the
uprising. It will focus particularly on the actors, mobilization, institutions, and issues that propelled the Arab
Spring, but it will also consider both empirically and theoretically the fallout of the uprising and continued
political contestation in Egypt. The course will pay particular attention to ongoing political mobilization in
Egypt, and deep-rooted economic and social problems that continue to confront the Egyptian polity. Since
academic studies on the Arab Spring are still emerging, research and readings will rely heavily on primary
sources, social media, and engagement with guest speakers.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) ANTHROPOLOGY; CLEG (Government); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Comparative Politics
Concentration); SISU (Justice, Ethics and Human Rights; Peace, Global Security and Conflict Resolution; and Middle East);
and SOCIOLOGY
HNRS 302-0011H Bioethical/Legal Dilemmas in Healthcare
Daniel M. Freeman
T, F 1:10-2:25 p.m.
This colloquium provides students with a basic understanding of the relationships between bioethics and the
law, a grounding in the principles of bioethics, and introduction to the key bioethics debates. Students will
learn about a range of legal and bioethical issues that confront healthcare providers and patients in a time of
rapid technological change and about new ways of thinking about these issues. Students will relate
fundamental principles of bioethics to several clinical topics and public policy problems, including informed
consent, diagnostic genetics, end-of-life care, advanced directives, the “right to die” and physician-assisted
suicide. A major portion of the course will be devoted to examining the evolution of bioethics decisionmaking in judicial contexts and where U.S. society is in the contemporary debate. Students will look at
recent bioethics issues that have stirred public controversy and have yet to be decided by the courts, and will
consider the role of bioethical issues in public policy making. This course is an excellent overview of
contemporary issues relating to law and medicine and foundational for student considering careers in law,
medicine or other healthcare professions. Beyond the substance of the issues it presents, this course will help
students to enhance their analytical thinking, public speaking ability and skills in writing clearly and
cogently.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) CLEG (Law); HEALTH PROMOTION; JUSTICE and LAW (Major Elective); LAW and SOCIETY
(Major Elective); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Law and Politics Concentration); PUBLIC HEALTH (Public Health Elective in the
Policy/Program Planning Cluster)
CANCELLED
HNRS 302-005H Politics of Inequality
Jan Leighley
M, TH 10:20-11:35 a.m.
This course focuses on the consequences of inequality for American democracy. We begin with work
by philosophers, political scientists and economists on the nature and meaning of inequality, as well as its
various dimensions. We then move on to consider how economic and political inequality structure politics
and policy-making in the U.S. Topics covered include political participation, public opinion, money in
politics and race/ethnicity inequalities. The last half of the course focuses on the policy responses to
inequality as well as the policy consequences of inequality. Students will do two papers, one documenting
the nature of inequality in the U.S., and the other analyzing a particular policy of relevance to discussions
of inequality.
MAJOR CREDIT: CLEG (Government); LAW and SOCIETY (Major Elective); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Gender, Race and Politics
Concentration or American Government Concentration); PUBLIC HEALTH (Public Health Elective in the Policy/Program Planning
Cluster); SOCIOLOGY
CANCELLED
HNRS-302-010H The Future of the World’s Currencies: Will There Be One Money or Many?
Ellen Meade
M 2:35-5:15 p.m.
Have you ever wondered whether the United States could form a monetary union with Canada or Mexico?
Interested in how the European Central Bank runs monetary policy for the 17 countries that use the euro as
currency? Worried that bitcoin could take over the world? In this course, you will learn about money, how
countries organize their exchange-rate and monetary policies, monetary integration among countries, and the
economic requirements for countries to form a currency union. You will learn answers to questions such as:
What does it mean to have a fixed or floating exchange rate? What is an optimum currency area? Why
would a country ever want to surrender its sovereign currency in favor of a regional currency with monetary
policy administered by a single central banking institution? In addition to economics, we will discuss the
political conditions that underlie monetary policies and integration. We will talk in depth about several
forms of monetary integration, including currency boards, dollarization, and Europe’s monetary union.
Finally, we will explore other regions of the world–Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa, North America,
and South America–looking at plans (if they exist) or the prospects for monetary integration or monetary
union in the future.
MAJOR CREDIT: (awarded to date) CLEG (Economics); ECONOMICS; KOGOD; LAS (Language and Area Studies: French/Europe,
German/Europe, Russian/Area Studies, Spanish/Latin America- Social Sciences requirement); POLITICAL SCIENCE (Related Social
Science Requirement); and SISU(The Global Economy; Global and Comparative Governance)