Academic Year, 2020-2021
Core 101.01 – The Ever Present Past
Department: Anthropology
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
L.P. Hartley’s famous line “the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there,” has been taken up by historians and archaeologists to argue that we can never truly know all the reasons why people did what they did. This allowance for subtley does not always translate well, especially at historic sites and museums, where simplified narratives are presented to a public that tends to casually absorb their surroundings. Such accounts of the past in turn allows politicians, activists, and others to constantly recreate the past to serve their needs in the present. In this course, we will examine the different ways in which the past is used and understood in the present, in popular discourse and at historic sites.
Core 101.02 – The Evolution of Altruism
Department: Biology
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
In this seminar we will explore the mechanisms underlying a variety of interesting and surprising animal traits, with particular focus on the wildlife we see regularly here on campus. As a recurring theme we will focus on the process and consequences of biological evolution, with particular attention paid to the evolution and biological basis of altruism, in humans and in other species. Understanding these topics requires a broad understanding of many areas of study, including animal behavior, genetics, game theory, sexual selection, and general ecology. Thus, we will survey a wide range of disciplines during the semester.
Core 101.03 – Climate Change and Our Oceans
Department: Biology
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
Our oceans can be considered many things; a global thermostat, Earth’s circulatory system, and last but not least producers of 70% of the oxygen we breathe. But since the 1970’s, the oceans have absorbed a majority of the increased levels of warming and carbon dioxide created by humans. In this course, we will examine our shifting oceans in response to rapidly changing climate conditions. We will address themes such as rising sea levels, melting polar ice caps, and effects on ocean wildlife. While it is easy to focus on the negatives, we will also address what types of activities have been occurring to combat these major changes and what we ourselves can do.
Core 101.04 – True Grit: The Art of Resiliance
Department: Educational Studies
Schedule: TR 12-1:50
Do you believe we are the creators of our own life-paths? If so, that makes all of us artists, each in our own way. Have you ever wondered what it is that causes two people in similarly difficult circumstances to experience vastly different outcomes? One may succumb while the other flourishes. Resilience is the key to taking life as it comes and seeing all experience as the raw material to sculpt a satisfying life of purpose and personal growth. In this course, we’ll look at art and artists of all kinds as we explore the idea of resilience: what it is, why it matters, and how to develop it in a way that’s meaningful for each “artist” in the course. Our exploration will provide the context for strengthening reading, writing, and speaking skills which are the foundation for a full and rich educational experience. Note: This section of Core 101 is available only to DeSousa-Brent Scholars.
Core 101.05 – Humor and Satire in Perilous Times
Department: English
Schedule: TR 12-1:50
Satire: ridicule and reform. Is satire a responsible response to the world we live in as some claim? Is it true, as Mark Twain wrote, that “against the assault of laughter nothing can stand”? Certainly the ancient Greeks (Aesop and Aristophanes) and Romans (Horace and Juvenal) thought so. So did Swift, Twain, Charlie Chaplin, Dorothy Parker, and Vonnegut. And so do Dave Chappelle, SNL, The Onion, The Daily Show, Matt Stone (South Park, Book of Mormon), Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Jordan Peele. If we judge by the explosion of comedy in the new millennium, it would definitely seem so. But what is satire and how does it work? Does it always produce laughter? Does it have the potential to change attitudes, believes, and opinions about social mores, cultural dogma, or political principles? In our seminar, we will sharpen our understanding of the ancient form of comedy, briefly explore its historical presence, and focus on the current forms of satire that proliferate our lives in all media forms: television, film, social media, internet, and literature. We will read some famous satires from selected literary sources, watch and listen to satires in various media forms, and even try our hand at writing satire ourselves. This will be a writing-intensive course, focusing on expository, analytical, and argumentative writing.
Core 101.06 – Exile and the Imagination
Department: English
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
Literatures of exile, home, and the homeland are a vibrant part of a broad array of writing across genres. This course will focus on the intersection of imagination and exile and the literary products that are the outcome. Through in-depth engagement with works of fiction of authors whose works highlight the plight of the exile – whether by choice or forced removal – and the relationship they create with their homeland through their writings.
Core 101.07 – Exile and the Imagination
Department: English
Schedule: TR 12:00-1:50
Literatures of exile, home, and the homeland are a vibrant part of a broad array of writing across genres. This course will focus on the intersection of imagination and exile and the literary products that are the outcome. Through in-depth engagement with works of fiction of authors whose works highlight the plight of the exile – whether by choice or forced removal – and the relationship they create with their homeland through their writings.
Core 101.08 – Powerful Words
Department: English
Schedule: MWF 12-1:10
“That’s just empty rhetoric,” we sometimes hear after a speech that is full of false promises. Or, we hear that our political conversations include too little substance and too much “overheated rhetoric.” It seems that rhetoric—the art of persuasion– has become a dirty word. But this art was long considered central to a good education. A leader had to know how to use words to exert or resist power, to change minds, and to motivate actions. In this class, we’ll study examples of effective political and literary rhetoric, many of which will be drawn from American social justice movements. Some of our texts will include satire and other uses of humor to persuade. Students will write analytically about these texts, and they will also produce their own arguments on the issues that matter most to them.
Core 101.09 – The Many Lives of Abraham Lincoln
Department: English
Schedule: MWF 12:00-01:10
Without question Abraham Lincoln remains a figure of extraordinary interest for many people. But who was he? With so many Lincoln legends, is there still such a thing as the “real” Abraham Lincoln? This seminar will examine both what Lincoln’s actual life was like and how the image of Abraham Lincoln has been utilized in the decades since. We will examine the creation and the meanings of the image of Lincoln as the “rail-splitter” and “Honest Abe” while he was alive, as well as the modern image of Lincoln as cyborg and vampire hunter.
Core 101.10 – Conflict and Creativity
Department: History
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
Dealing with conflict is basic to being human. As social beings, we inevitably encounter people who seem unusual or who do things differently, others who have opposing priorities or whose view of the world contradicts our own. As a result, conflict necessitates a reaction. In this seminar, we’ll explore sources of conflict and look specifically at how the need to respond might fuel creativity. Our subject matter, however, will not be the stories trending in today’s media but examples from some of our earliest records of human history. We’ll examine these themes through mythic heroes, priestesses, pharaohs, warriors, philosophers, artists, and poets of the ancient world. Along the way, we will discover that many of the challenges that we face today have been present in world societies for millennia. We will also hone critical reading and thinking skills and express ideas through discussion, writing, and other peer interactions.
Core 101.11 – Writing for Social Change
Department: ILC
Schedule: TR 12:00-1:50
In this seminar we will develop your written expression and examine writing and other forms of popular creative expression (including film, music, radio and TV) that have as an obvious aim the promotion of social change while dealing with the complexities of race, class, disability, and/or gender and sexuality in different cultures. Discussion of other texts will lead students to develop and present their own creative writing during the semester. Our work together will explore the distinctive experiences, challenges, and opportunities of marginalized populations. Note: This section of Core 101 is available only to DeSousa-Brent Scholars.
Core 101.12 – Being a Brat: Bad Kids in Literature and Film
Department: ILC
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
So why “brats” ? Because figuring out what it means to “be a brat” is a lot more complex than it might seem. Who gets decide if someone is a “brat”? Is there a good side to “being a brat”? And what causes bratiness? Genes? Parents? Friends? Smartphones? Society? Grappling with these questions will require you to think critically about the labels we use to describe ourselves and others, evaluate other people’s opinions on this topic, and then express your conclusions thoughtfully and clearly through oral presentations and written work.
Core 101.13 – Changing the Equation: Women and Minorities in Mathematics
Department: Math
Schedule: TR 12:00-1:50
In this seminar, we will study the contributions and struggles of women and minority mathematicians from Ancient Greece to today, and not just the mathematics of the west! We wil investigate issues of equity and social justice connected to the mathematical sciences.
Core 101.14 – Four Music Masterpieces: Sonic Responses to Loss
Department: Music
Schedule: TR 12:00-1:50
Masterpieces are artworks that establish the credentials of their creators as masters of their art. In this course we will explore several such works of music, all of them inspired by loss. We will consider the natures of both the actions that precipitated each work, and the musical responses to them. In studying these works we will learn how each composer created music that serves as an agent for coping with loss. The four works for study are Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo, Mozart’s Requiem Mass, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and the Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. No musical background is required.
Core 101.15 – The Apocalypse: Living in the Endtimes
Department: Religious Studies
Schedule: TR 12:00-1:50
Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, this course explores the current climate of fear and apocalyptic expectation of doom, destruction, and the end of the world: species extinction, climate change, nuclear annihilation, crashing comets, and pandemics seem to threaten the very survival of humanity (and other species) on this planet. Religions have long been the realm in which human beings have processed the fear of dying and the hope for life everlasting, the world-to-come, salvation, and liberation from finitude (moksha, nirvana). Oracles and prophets, soothsayers and forecasters have always predicted the future and decoded the signs of the times in order to shape and influence personal and collective behavior in the present. Transitional historical periods are rife for conspiracy theories and misinformation campaigns because people crave security and need information amidst uncertainty. What are the critical tools that separate fact from fiction and faith from science? And which religious narratives imbue history with meaning and decode the signs of the times in ways that generate visions for the future? Readings include: Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets; Jay Lifton Robert, The Climate Swerve; and Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower.
Core 101.16 – The Apocalypse: Living in the Endtimes
Department: Religious Studies
Schedule: TR 6:00-7:50
Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, this course explores the current climate of fear and apocalyptic expectation of doom, destruction, and the end of the world: species extinction, climate change, nuclear annihilation, crashing comets, and pandemics seem to threaten the very survival of humanity (and other species) on this planet. Religions have long been the realm in which human beings have processed the fear of dying and the hope for life everlasting, the world-to-come, salvation, and liberation from finitude (moksha, nirvana). Oracles and prophets, soothsayers and forecasters have always predicted the future and decoded the signs of the times in order to shape and influence personal and collective behavior in the present. Transitional historical periods are rife for conspiracy theories and misinformation campaigns because people crave security and need information amidst uncertainty. What are the critical tools that separate fact from fiction and faith from science? And which religious narratives imbue history with meaning and decode the signs of the times in ways that generate visions for the future? Readings include: Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets; Jay Lifton Robert, The Climate Swerve; and Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower.
Core 101.17 – Galileo and the Birth of Modern Science
Department: Physics
Schedule: NA
In July, 1633, Galileo Galilei was sentenced to imprisonment by a special court of the Inquisition. He spent the rest of his life under house arrest, blind for the last three years of it. His sentence has become a symbol of injustice and intolerance second only to the trial of Socrates. What is not widely known is that Urban VIII, the Pope who had Galileo tried, was at one time Galileo’s great friend and patron; in 1627, Urban had given Galileo’s son a large annuity! What caused this change of heart? What brought Galileo to the attention of the Inquisition in the first place? Why was the idea that the Earth went around the sun a dangerous one in Italy at the time? Did he really drop cannon balls from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and if so, why? For that matter, why do we esteem Galileo as one of the greatest scientists who ever lived? Galileo lived in turbulent and dangerous times; the Protestant Reformation had caused chaos in Europe during the previous century, and the Catholic Church was seeking unsuccessfully to bring Europe back to the status quo before Luther. Galileo became a magnet for controversy when he backed the Copernican view – the sun-centered solar system. His fiery personality didn’t help matters either. In this class we will examine Galileo’s life and scientific work in the context of his times. We will discuss some of his important experiments in mechanics and his most important astronomical observations. We’ll discuss life in post-Renaissance Italy and the interrelation between science, society, and the Church in his time. We’ll go beyond his times to look at the work of his two great successors, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, who both acknowledged their debt to him, and see why Galileo is sometimes called the first true scientist.
Core 101.18 – Road to the White House
Department: Political Science
Schedule: MWF 12:00-01:10
This course will follow the 2016 Presidential Race from the Conventions in August and September through to the final transition team plans in December. Students will become pundits, advisers, historians, and candidates as they follow the twisting and turning Road to the White House. This examination of the presidential selection and election process will supplement current events with an examination of historical developments in the presidential selection process and past presidential campaigns. We will consider the changing influence of money, media, and mass communications. Key elements of the course will include active class discussion of daily news and assessments of significant events in the campaign. Throughout the semester students will be introduced to historical concepts and significant events/developments in the process by which America chooses a chief executive.
Core 101.19 – Road to the White House
Department: Political Science
Schedule: MWF 01:20-02:30
This course will follow the 2016 Presidential Race from the Conventions in August and September through to the final transition team plans in December. Students will become pundits, advisers, historians, and candidates as they follow the twisting and turning Road to the White House. This examination of the presidential selection and election process will supplement current events with an examination of historical developments in the presidential selection process and past presidential campaigns. We will consider the changing influence of money, media, and mass communications. Key elements of the course will include active class discussion of daily news and assessments of significant events in the campaign. Throughout the semester students will be introduced to historical concepts and significant events/developments in the process by which America chooses a chief executive.
Core 101.20 – Race and (Pop) Culture
Department: Psychology
Schedule: TR 1200 – 150
This course uses critical race theory to examine and explain race-related moments and trends in popular (“pop”) culture. Pop culture includes that which is presented and disseminated to the public via mass media outlets such as television, music, video games, film, and social media. An underlying premise of the course is that pop culture offers a snapshot of any particular moment in history, thereby serving as a proxy for culture more broadly. We will use sources such as podcasts, blogs, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines to explore topics ranging from blackface to blackfishing, athlete-activism to Native American mascots, and an array of racially salient movies and television programs. Note: This section of Core 101 is available only to DeSousa-Brent Scholars.
Core 101.21 – Critical Thinking: A User’s Guide to the Mind
Department: Psychology
Schedule: MWR 1200 – 110
Why does Ebola seem scarier than influenza? How do advertisers lead us to make incorrect inferences about their products? Why do physicians (and many others) misinterpret the results of medical tests? How do superstitions develop? In this course we will explore what we know about the mental processes involved in human thought. While we generally like to think of ourselves as critical thinkers, many of our beliefs, decisions, and judgments are driven by “habits of mind” that can lead to systematic and predictable errors and biases. This course will examine the situations where these errors are most likely to occur and what we can do about them to improve our critical thinking processes.
Core 101.22 – Strategic Nonviolence and Civil Disobedience in American Culture
Department: DeSousa-Brent
Schedule: TR 12:00 – 1:50
The strong force of activism in American culture, represented through actions such as peaceful protests and boycotts, has changed the course of American history. Civil rights and liberties often compose the platform of strategic nonviolence and civil disobedience as citizens seek justice and a change in the status quo. This course will investigate why and how civil resistance works, noting both successes and failures across several examples. Utilizing primary and secondary sources, students will expose the role of the protestor in initiating change through demonstrations, boycotts, and other nonviolent measures. Note: This section of Core 101 is available only to DeSousa-Brent Scholars.
Core 101.23 – Race and Racial Justice
Department: Philosophy
Schedule: MWF 12:00-01:10
Our world is profoundly unjust. In this course we will engage a number of important philosophical issues having to do with racial injustice in the contemporary United States. Specifically, we will work to answer three main questions: 1. What is race? 2. What is racism? 3. What should we do to promote racial justice? Along the way we will explore a variety of topics including: racial segregation, racial profiling, color-blindness, white privilege, police violence, mass incarceration, fascism, resistance, and protest.
Core 101.24 – Drug Ethnography
Department: Anthropology
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
This course explores how drug ethnography as a field method contributes to understandings of the extensive traditions of producing, distributing, and consuming drugs and alcohol in cultures around the world. Drawing from the work of ethnographers, medical anthropologists, archaeologists, and other researchers, students will critically engage with behaviors that include drinking, smoking, and other activities \collectively known as vices.
Core 301.01 – The Reality of Our Living
Department: Chemistry
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
Most of us go through our day-by-day lives with little realization of the effect we have on the world around us, but you can’t live without affecting all of the living things around you. This course takes a deep look at how the world is adapting to stresses our species put on it, and how these adaptations can affect the future of the human race.
Core 301.02 – The Economy and You
Department: Economics
Schedule: TR 8:00-09:50
Events in the economy affect all of you. This course explores the relationship you will have with the economy throughout your lives. We will look at economic events such as recessions, inflation, and unemployment to consider the impact they will have on you. We will also investigate ways you can cope with these events through the choices you will make with regard to a career, investing, or borrowing money. The purpose of this course is to provide a perspective on real world issues. No background in economics is needed.
Core 301.03 – The Economy and You
Department: Economics
Schedule: TR 10:00-11:50
Events in the economy affect all of you. This course explores the relationship you will have with the economy throughout your lives. We will look at economic events such as recessions, inflation, and unemployment to consider the impact they will have on you. We will also investigate ways you can cope with these events through the choices you will make with regard to a career, investing, or borrowing money. The purpose of this course is to provide a perspective on real world issues. No background in economics is needed.
Core 301.04 – The Suburbs
Department: English
Schedule: MWF 12:00-1:10
This course is a Liberal Arts Seminar, designed to help you participate in academic conversations as a valuable member of the SMCM community. To this end, the focus of the class will be on written expression, oral expression, information literacy, and critical thinking. Our particular slant in this seminar, as we work on building these skills, will be the concept of the Suburb. We will begin by simply asking: What is a suburb? Where did the idea come from and why? What is its relationship to other “spaces” in the American landscape—notably cities and the countryside? We will discuss at length suburban sprawl, or the spread of housing developments, mall-style commerce, and office parks into what was very recently empty spaces and farms. Embedded in any discussion of the suburbs is a tension between the public and the private, and through the lens of this debate, we will study the impact of the suburbs on such facets of life as transportation, education, housing, jobs, consumerism, food, and the environment. To this end, we will examine books, essays, films, TV shows, even songs, about the suburbs to enrich our discussions and responses.
Core 301.05 – Poetics of Song
Department: English
Schedule: TR 12-1:50
This Liberal Arts Seminar will explore the relationship between songs and poetry as we learn how to engage academically at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Our guiding question, to begin, is this: are song lyrics poetry? On a page, song lyrics and poems look similar, relying on figures of speech and poetic techniques. But what happens when we add music, performance, and technology? What happens when we take away those aspects? How do songwriters respond to, reflect, and incorporate various musical styles, genres, and themes into their work? What themes are specific to individual writers? What makes music so powerful? How has it influenced daily life and society as a whole? In search of answers, we will pay attention to sound, structure, form, language, and cultural context of song lyrics across genres and periods. We will also investigate the historical and literary roots of poetry and song to better appreciate their relationship. We’ll examine the social, personal, and political environment in which a song was written and discuss how personal expression, emotional authenticity, social commentary, ritual, and entertainment intersect.
Core 301.06 – Race and (Pop) Culture
Department: Psychology
Schedule: TR 10:00-11:50
This course uses critical race theory to examine and explain race-related moments and trends in popular (“pop”) culture. Pop culture includes that which is presented and disseminated to the public via mass media outlets such as television, music, video games, film, and social media. An underlying premise of the course is that pop culture offers a snapshot of any particular moment in history, thereby serving as a proxy for culture more broadly. We will use sources such as podcasts, blogs, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines to explore topics ranging from blackface to blackfishing, athlete-activism to Native American mascots, and an array of racially salient movies and television programs.