|
|
College Catalog 2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Courses
|
|
|
|
| |
Psychology |
| |
-
PSYC 194 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 198 - Excursions Exploring Psychology
This course exposes students to topics in psychology not covered in our standard curriculum through travel to a new geographic region. The course focuses on aspects of psychology unique to that region and also typically includes a study of the geography and culture of the region. It is designated as a January course. Participants meet prior to departure in order to learn necessary background information. The field excursion generally spans two weeks. The region and area of psychology to be studied may vary from year to year, and a student may take the course more than once for credit. This course is offered S/N grading only. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor Offered occasionally. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 201 - Research in Psychology I
This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 220 - Educational Psychology Cross-Listed as EDUC 220
An introduction to theory and research in educational psychology. Topics include learning theory, learner characteristics, intelligence, creativity, motivation, measurement and evaluation, and models of teaching appropriate for diverse learners from early childhood through young adulthood. Students are required to complete observations in classroom settings. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 240 - Principles of Learning and Behavior
This course provides an in-depth introduction to the principles and methods used in the study of how behavior changes as a function of experience. The emphasis will be on classical and operant conditioning principles and procedures, which have become the behavioral standard research technologies used in neuroscience, biomedical, psychopharmacological, and other animal laboratory research areas. The laboratory component is designed to give students experience with behavioral technology and data collection and analysis. Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 180 and either MATH 155 or PSYC 201 Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 242 - Cognitive Psychology
How do people learn, remember, and think? How much of our cognitive life are we even consciously aware of? This course addresses these questions and others from the perspective of experimental cognitive psychology. Topics include perception, attention, memory, the organization of knowledge, language comprehension, and decision making. Special attention will be paid to the role that cognition plays in applied setting such as the courtroom and classroom. Weekly laboratory sessions afford students the opportunity to interact more directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods. Readings are mainly from primary sources. Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 243 - Psychological Anthropology Cross-Listed as ANTH 243
This course explores the relationship between self, culture and society. We will examine and discuss critically the broad array of methods and theories anthropologists use to analyze personality, socialization, mental illnes and cognition in different societies. Our aim is to address questions related to the cultural patterning of personality, the self and emotions and to understand how culture might shape ideas of what a person is. We will also seek to understand how cultures define behavior as abnormal, pathological or insane, and how they make sense of trauma and suffering. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 111 Alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 244 - Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline that combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Group A course. Prerequisite(s): or PSYC 100 . Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 246 - Exploring Sensation and Perception
An examination of the processes of sensation and perception. While the course features a strong emphasis on neurophysiology of sensation, classical approaches to the study of perception will also figure prominently. Lecture and weekly investigatory laboratory. Fulfills Group A requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180 and permission of instructor Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 248 - Behavioral Neuroscience
An examination of the role of the nervous system in the control of behavior. While the course features a systems approach to the investigation of sensory and perceptual mechanisms, molecular, cellular and cognitive components of the nervous system will also be discussed in the context of course topics. Particular emphasis is given to the nature of learning, memory, and motor processes, motivation, emotion, homeostasis, cognition, and human neurological function. The laboratory features a variety of instructor-demonstrative and student participatory research and laboratory activities. Fulfills Group A requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 and BIOL 356 ; or PSYC 100 and BIOL 367 ; or PSYC 180 ; or permission of instructor. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 250 - Developmental Psychology
This is a course in life-span human development; we examine the psychological theories and empirical research that describe and explain the processes that shape our lives between conception and death. We cover issues related to biological, cognitive, and social/emotional development. We examine the fundamental principles and theories of developmental psychology, as well as the concepts, methods, research findings, and applied knowledge that are central to the study of developmental psychology. In addition, we apply the theoretical and empirical findings of developmental psychology to our own lives and to the world around us, and we analyze and critically evaluate some of the fundamental issues, arguments, and points of view in developmental psychology. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): or or permission of instructor Offered once each year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 252 - Distress, Dysfunction, and Disorder: Perspectives on the DSM
This course examines the experiences, causes, and treatments of the major forms of distress and disorder codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, stress disorders, and personality disorders. We critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180 Spring semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 254 - Social Psychology
This course survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. We examine the major theories, experiments, and issues in the field of social psychology. Sample topics include emotion, aggression, conformity, attitudes, altruism, prejudice, persuasion, and group dynamics. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 . Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 258 - Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology is the scientific study of people in organizations - and the application of that science to workplace issues facing individuals, teams, organizations and society. This course will introduce you to the science and practice of I/O Psychology, and what I/O Psychology has to offer anyone who plans to lead others or to help develop effective organizations. Topics will include how to determine what to look for in candidates for hire, how to evaluate candidates for hire or promotion, how best to manage performance in organizations, what’s been shown to motivate people, employee retention, team effectiveness, and organizational culture. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 264 - The Psychology of Gender Cross-Listed as WGSS 264
This class is an introduction to feminist psychological theory and research dedicated to understanding and critiquing biological, psychological, social, and cultural meanings and implications of gender and its intersections with race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc. Examples of research and theory will come from a wide variety of areas in psychology and related disciplines, and will address such issues as socialization and social development, stereotypes, bodies and body image, social relationships, identity, language, violence, sexuality and sexual behavior, well-being, work, etc. We will also learn about the historical, cultural, and epistemological underpinnings of psychological research on gender. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or permission of the instructor Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 266 - History of Psychology
This course explores major developments and ideas in psychology such as: the history of ideas about the mind; the effects of theorists’ life experiences on their ideas; key historical and social events that shaped the field; when and how psychology became a science; and how ideas about what is “normal” shape and are shaped by psychology. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 . Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 270 - Psychology of Sustainable Behavior Cross-Listed as ENVI 270
This course is built around the argument that “environmental problems” do not exist; they are in fact human behavior problems. Thus, if we want to craft effective solutions to issues such as ocean acidification, air pollution, or climate change, we must start with the human behaviors that lead to them. We will cover psychological principles, theories, and methods and explore the complex web of factors underlying environmentally sustainable and unsustainable actions. A strong theme throughout the semester is the intersection of identity - personal, social, and cultural - and environmentalism. We will explore questions such as, “Why do some groups of people feel a part of the sustainability movement while others feel alienated from it or skeptical of it?”; “Who takes action on behalf of the natural environment, under what circumstances, and why?”; and “How can we create contexts that promote true sustainability?” Psychology of Sustainable Behavior is a project-based class with a strong civic engagement component. Students will participate in three class projects: a self-change project (2.5 weeks), a community-based collaborative project (5 weeks), and a communication/education project (3 weeks). Prerequisite(s): for Psychology majors. Offered yearly. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 272 - Health Psychology
This course examines multiple, interactive factors that contribute to human health; we take a biopsychsocial approach to understanding how best to promote and maintain health, prevent and treat illness, and adapt and thrive in the context of chronic illness. We discuss the roles of stress, coping, immune response, social relationships, personality, and structural inequalities in the progression and prevention of disease. We also address some ways in which behaviors (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, substance use, sleep) can contribute to wellbeing or sickness, and we examine behavior change strategies that can help improve our own and out community’s health habits. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Offered every year (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 294 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 301 - Research in Psychology II
This course continues instruction begun in PSYC 201 . We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and must be a declared psychology major Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 350 - Social Identities in Developing Lives
All of us belong to several social groups, including race/ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. On the one hand, social groups can provide us with identity, community, and pride, but on the other hand, we may face stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination as a result of how our groups are seen in society. How do children experience these different aspects of social groups? When do children even realize that they are members of these groups? At which ages or under which circumstances do children derive identity, community, and pride from their groups? If children face discrimination, do they understand what happened? What consequences does discrimination have for other aspects of children’s development? In this course we will draw from developmental and social psychological perspectives to explore these questions and more. Counts toward the UP3 requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 ; either MATH 155 or PSYC 201 ; and any other intermediate-level course. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 364 - Lives in Context: Psychology and Social Structure Cross-Listed as WGSS 364
In this seminar we will explore the relationship between individual lives and broad social systems in the United States. We will read theory, research, and case material from psychology and related disciplines about individual and interpersonal implications of social organization/social structure (in the domains of social class, gender, race, physical ability, sexuality, etc., and their intersections). We will pay particular attention to how and why it matters psychologically that U.S. society is organized hierarchically. We will also address how to study the relation between individual lives and social structure. How can we really understand lives in their myriad contexts? What’s the best strategy for doing this? Is it even possible? What are some of the methodological, conceptual, and ethical dilemmas and challenges involved in such an undertaking? Because feminist psychologists have played a critical role in shaping methodology and research in these areas, we will read a considerable amount of work by feminist psychologists and other feminist academics. Counts toward the UP3 requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 201 , and any other intermediate Psychology class. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 368 - Psychology of/and Disability
What is “disability” and what does an understanding of disability tell us about human experience more generally? What is a “disability identity” and what implications might claiming that identity have for psychological well-being and social change? How do stereotypes of disabled people and expectations of “normality” affect everyone’s lives (not just those with disabilities)? Why don’t many Deaf people consider themselves “disabled?” What might we learn from shifting the “problem” of disability from the individual person to the social environment? This course will explore these and many other questions that emerge from thinking about the experience of disability (and its intersection with identities based on gender, race, class, and sexuality). Grounded in a critical disability and Deaf studies framework that considers the socially, culturally, linguistically, and historically constructed meaning of physical, sensory, and cognitive “impairments,” the course will rely on theoretical and empirical readings from psychology and related disciplines, memoir, film, and guest visitors as we explore the social and psychological meanings of disability. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 and PSYC 201 Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 370 - Understanding and Confronting Racism Cross-Listed as AMST 370
An examination of the social psychological factors associated with race prejudice and racism, particularly in the United States. Focusing on the psychological theories proposed to understand racism, this course investigates the causes and consequences of racism at the individual, interpersonal, institutional and cultural levels of society. Special attention will be given to exploring interventions to reduce racism. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 201 (or MATH 155 ), and at least one intermediate course in Psychology. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 374 - Clinical and Counseling Psychology
This course examines specific applications of psychological principles to the mental health field by exploring strategies for therapeutic intervention. We discuss a wide range of approaches (e.g., psychoanalysis; humanistic therapy; cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy; mindfulness based stress reduction; family therapy; art therapy) and we consider issues raised by traditional clinical practice, such as ethics, the politics and economics of mental health, and cultural biases. NOTE: Students who have taken European Clinical Psychology through the DIS study away program must have instructor permission to enroll. Prerequisite(s): and either or PSYC 272 Yearly. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 377 - Moral Psychology
This course explores how and why we make moral judgments about people and their behavior. How are our moral judgments shaped by intuition, emotion, and reasoning? What are the moral implications of climate change? Do we ever put the interests of our broader group or community above our own self-interest? How do we balance punishment motives of retribution and deterrence, and how do these relate to policy decisions about capital punishment? Could a robot have moral rights and responsibilities? We will examine these questions by considering theories and findings from social, developmental, evolutionary, and political psychology, as well as from related fields like philosophy and artificial intelligence. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 or permission of instructor. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 378 - Psychology of Language Cross-Listed as
An examination of psychological factors that affect the comprehension of oral and written language. Topics include the origin of language, how language can control thought, the role of mutual knowledge in comprehension, and principles that underlie coherence in discourse. Includes readings from psycholinguistics, philosophy, sociolinguistics, social psychology, and especially from cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on current research methods so that students can design an original study. Student led component. Prerequisite(s): (or ) and or two linguistics classes or permission of instructor
Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 380 - Community Psychology and Public Health
This course examines the inter-related fields of community psychology and public health psychology. These disciplines share a commitment to the promotion of well-being within a social and cultural context. We explore theory, research, and praxis related to ecological analysis, empowerment models, prevention and health promotion, risk and resilience, and community organizing and activism. These conceptual tools help us understand the complex processes underlying clinical psychopathology (e.g., serious and persistent mental illness), behavioral health (e.g., smoking; obesity; substance abuse), and symptoms of structural violence (e.g., domestic violence; homelessness). Throughout the course, we focus on the unique contributions of psychological scholarship to understanding and improving population health. All students participate in a civic engagement experience of at least two hours a week to foster fuller understanding of the course concepts. UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): and (or ) OR two CGH-related courses drawn from Categories A and/or B. Instructor permission required. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 382 - Hormones and Behavior
This class will focus on the hormonal mechanisms of behavior in animals (including homo sapiens). Following introductory lectures, a series of topics will be explored, with a particular emphasis placed on those behaviors most directly mediated by hormonal activity (such as aggression, sexual and reproductive behaviors, stress responses, etc.). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 and PSYC 201 or MATH 155, and either PSYC 180 , PSYC 244 or PSYC 248 (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 385 - Mind Reading: Understanding Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive technique used to provide indirect measures of neural activity in healthy (and unhealthy) humans. Although the technique has been readily available to researchers for only about 20 years, its popularity and use has grown tremendously in the last 10, and we now see it influencing aspects of culture and society not traditionally based in biomedical research (i.e., law, politics, economics). This course will cover the mechanics of fMRI, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and explore recent applications that have received wide and sometimes controversial media coverage. By the end of the course, students will understand essential components of the fMRI technique and be informed consumers of primary and secondary source reports involving brain imaging. Prerequisite(s): or MATH 155 and or . Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 390 - Pain and Suffering
This seminar-format course will examine both basic research and clinical aspects of pain and suffering. Following introductory lectures on suffering, pain and pain relief, a series of topics will be explored, including but not limited to: pain measurement in humans and animals; the ethics and use of experimental models in pain research; chronic pain; pain relief produced by drugs, acupuncture, hypnosis, and placebos; and learning processes that influence pain sensitivity. Features a student-led component. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 201 or MATH 155, and either PSYC 180 or PSYC 244 . Or permission of instructor. Every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 394 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
|
| |
-
PSYC 490 - Behavioral and Experimental Economics Cross-Listed as ECON 490
This course surveys recent developments in behavioral economics and considers applications in labor economics, macroeconomics, finance, public finance, consumer choice, and other areas. Our goal is to draw on recent work in cognitive and evolutionary psychology to better understand human behavior and incorporate these insights into neoclassical reasoning and modeling. Counts as a Group E elective for the Economics major. Prerequisite(s): ECON 361 and ECON 371 . C- or higher required for all prerequisites. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 494 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 601 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 602 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 603 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 604 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 611 - Independent Project
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 612 - Independent Project
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 613 - Independent Project
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 614 - Independent Project
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 621 - Internship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (1 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 622 - Internship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 623 - Internship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (3 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 624 - Internship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 631 - Preceptorship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (1 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 632 - Preceptorship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 633 - Preceptorship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (3 Credits)
|
| |
-
PSYC 634 - Preceptorship
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
Religious Studies |
| |
-
RELI 100 - Introduction to Islam: Formation and Expansion
This course charts the formation of Islam and the expansion of Muslim peoples, from the life of the Prophet Muhammad to the Mongol conquest of Baghdad. It will examine Muslim institutions, beliefs, and ritual practices in their historical contexts. In addition to the basics of Muslim practice and belief, the class will introduce students to mystic traditions (Sufism), Islamicate statecraft, and intellectual/legal traditions as well as cultural trends including art, architecture, and literature. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 101 - Islam in America
8 million Muslims in America make up only 3% of the population but represent worlds of culture reflecting the diversity of Muslim societies worldwide. The story of Muslims in America distinguishes, for historical and religious reasons, three groups: Blackamericans (42% of American Muslims), Indo-Pakistanis (29%), Arab/Middle Easterners (12%) from the rest of the American Muslim population. The historical and numerical importance of Blackamericans followed by Indo-Pakistanis (whose presence in America can be dated back to the split of the Subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1946) interacts with the religious importance of Arab/Middle Eastern Muslims and becomes the basis of contentions about religious authority and the American Muslim identity. 9/11 presented unique challenges to American Muslims. These issues will be explored in this course. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 102 - Modern Islam
Muslim-majority societies faced daunting social, political, and intellectual challenges after Europe-s military and economic expansion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the modern period, Muslims have pursued various attempts at re-imagining Islam and strengthening Muslim-majority polities through different agendas of reform and revival. The course will survey the early-modern Muslim empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal), the encounter of Muslim peoples with colonialism, and the major religious and social developments from the eighteenth century to the present. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 109 - Sufism: The Islamic Quest for Intimacy with the Beloved
With attention to both classical texts and contemporary contexts, this course examines the formative development of Islamic mysticism, or Sufism, and its rich legacy of embodied piety and mystical intimacy. Drawing on the teachings of key Muslim mystics, we will explore the sacred sources, unitive doctrines, and metaphysical cosmology of Sufism, as well as its devotional practices, celebrated poetry, and contested ecstatic discourse. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 111 - Introduction to Buddhism
Buddhism is increasing well-known in the USA, but what is it, and how does Buddhism encourage people to organize and think about their lives? Organized on the basis of the Eightfold Noble Path, with a focus of ‘morals, the Buddhist psychology of mind, and meditation,’ this course offers an introduction to the personalities, teachings, and institutions of Buddhism. Beginning in India at the time of the Buddha, this course focuses on Theravada Buddhism, asking students to think historically, philosophically, and anthropologically. Many Friday sessions will be dedicated to an exploration of the variety of Buddhist meditative techniques.
(4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 120 - Beginnings of Judaism
This course introduces students to biblical studies and the history of ancient Israel and early Judaism by focusing on three formative periods for the formation of the bible, biblical authority, and Jewish identity. In our reading of the Tanak/Old Testament and Jewish texts from the Second Temple and early rabbinic periods, we will employ a variety of interpretive strategies, including historical-critical, literary, feminist, and post-colonial approaches that attempt to locate these texts in their historical, political, and social contexts. In presentations, reflection papers, and close readings, students will learn to engage biblical and early Jewish literature in a critical and constructive fashion and to attend to the social, theological, and political implications of interpretation. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 121 - Peter, Paul and Mary: The Beginnings of Christianity
This course examines the diverse literature of the New Testament along with some other early Christian texts that did not become part of the Christian “canon.” We will employ historical-critical approaches in order to situate New Testament texts in their social, political, and historical contexts. We will pay special attention to how the various authors of the New Testament produced Jewish-Christian difference and how they understood the role of women within their communities. Contemporary modes of interpretation will be employed to explore the formation of identity in the first and second centuries of Christianity. Offered every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 124 - Asian Religions Cross-Listed as
An introduction to the study of Asian religious traditions in South and East Asia (India, China and Japan). Open to everyone but especially appropriate for first and second year students. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 126 - Religion in America
The social and intellectual history of religion in the United States through the year 1900, with an emphasis on popular religious movements. The social and economic correlates of religious developments will be analyzed as well as the impact of Christian values on American institutions. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 127 - Religions of India Cross-Listed as
An introductory level course on the popular, classical and contemporary religious traditions of South Asia. Topics include Advaita Vedanta and yoga, popular devotionalism, monastic and lay life in Theravada Buddhism, the caste system, Gandhi and modern India. Prerequisite(s): RELI 124 or permission of instructor. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 130 - Folklore and Religion
This course will introduce students to the study of folklore, belief and religious folklife. We will consider examples of folktales, myths, foodways, material arts, paranormal experience narratives, magic, healing and other traditions as they relate to religion. By examining folklore that emerges within, between, and in reaction to religious traditions, students will be challenged to move beyond simple notions of culture, religious authority, and doctrine. Participants in the course should be prepared for a heavy but exciting reading load. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 135 - India and Rome Cross-Listed as CLAS 135
This course is taught jointly between the department of Religious Studies and the department of Classics, by a specialist in the Roman East and a specialist in classical India. We will start on either side of this world, with Alexander the Great and Ashoka, exploring the relationship between empire and religion from Rome to India in the world’s crossroads for the thousand years between Alexander and the rise of Islam. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 136 - World Religions and World Religions Discourse
Our goal will be to make an effort to comprehend just what cultural literacy would mean when studying the major religious traditions of the world, while at the same time developing an appreciation of some of the blind spots and problems in this enterprise. To a large extent, we will do some serious construction before we feel ready for de-construction. Every couple of weeks, we will cover one of five major areas (South Asia, East Asia, Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and each student will read a different author’s treatment of this material. Every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 145 - Pagans, Christians and Jews in Classical Antiquity: Cultures in Conflict Cross-Listed as CLAS 145
This course studies the interaction of Jewish, Christian, and pagan cultures, and the protracted struggle for self-definition and multi-cultural exchange this encounter provoked. The course draws attention to how the other and cultural and religious difference are construed, resisted, and apprehended. Readings include Acts, Philo, Revelation, I Clement, pagan charges against Christianity, Adversus Ioudaios writers, the Goyim in the Mishna, and apologetic literature. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 194 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 200 - The Qur’an (Koran)
This course offers an introduction to the Qur-an (Koran), the central text of Islam. Students will read the Qur-an in translation, explore traditions of Qur-anic interpretation, and engage recent academic approaches to understanding the text. In addition to considering the original context of the Qur-an and its relationship to Biblical materials, the course will examine contemporary controversies surrounding the text and its import for living Muslim communities. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 201 - Islam and Philosophy
(4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 202 - Atheism Past and Present
Over the last decade atheists have entered the public sphere in unprecedented fashion, authoring best-selling books and forcefully arguing their case in the international media. This seminar explores the origins, varieties, and arguments of atheist thought, past and present. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 212 - Philosophy of Religion Cross-Listed as
The Philosophy of Religion seeks an understanding of religion by raising philosophical questions about its underlying assumptions and implications. When we believe something it is because we think it is true and because we think we have good evidence to support our belief. In the case of religious beliefs, however, we are immediately faced with questions concerning the nature of such beliefs. What claims do they make? What would count as good evidence for a religious belief? What is the nature of religious truth? In this course we will examine the nature of religious beliefs and the ways in which philosophers in different traditions have justified or argued against such beliefs. Perhaps in response to the increasing challenge to religion from the natural sciences, twentieth century philosophers have questioned the traditional philosophical approach to religion. Some philosophers, Wittgenstein for example, question traditional interpretations of religious language and re-examine the relationship between faith and reason. Can religious life be practiced without a theology or with skepticism or agnosticism regarding theological questions? Other topics covered in the course include the attempt to introduce intelligent design into public schools as part of the science curriculum; religious pluralism; the belief in life after death; and feminist critiques of religious language. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 222 - Christianity in Late Antiquity
This course introduces students to the emergence of a diverse social movement now termed “Christianity” within the political, economic, historical and cultural worlds of the ancient Mediterranean (i.e. the Roman Empire) We will examine the formation of early Christian identity during the first four centuries of the common era. We will explore multifaceted forms of religious practice, resistance to and adaptations of institutional and social power, relations between Christians and non-Christians, and rhetorical strategies used in articulating Christian identity. Offered every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 223 - Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christianity
The critical study of ancient Christian texts involves making strange texts familiar and familiar texts strange. In this course, we will consider non-canonical texts alongside canonical texts in order to develop insight into the formation of Christian identity in the first through fourth centuries. Special emphasis will be given to the development of the discourses of orthodoxy and heresy, the diversity of Christian beliefs and practices, and the examination of early Christian writings within their social and political contexts. Instead of investigating the material in strict chronological order, we will consider how different people (Jesus, Mary Magdalene, James, Paul, etc) serve as authorizing figures for the texts. Using this organization, we will investigate issues at stake in the development of Christian “canon,” including theology, Christology, apostolic authority, women’s roles, and the relation of Christianity to the state and to other religious traditions. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 226 - Martyrdom Then and Now
From Socrates to suicide bombers, martyrs have been forced to give up their lives, or chosen to risk them and even to die, rather than renounce their beliefs or practices. Of course, we know their stories only second hand. This course explores how narratives about martyrs (“martyrologies”) relate to the formation of religious identities and communities. Over the course of the semester, we will analyze martyrologies from the early Christian and Jewish periods, the beginnings of Islam, the sixteenth century, and modernity. We will pay special attention to the social and political contexts with which martyrs often found themselves at odds (including the Roman Empire in the ancient past, and the U.S./Middle East conflicts of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries). In class discussions, readings, and written work, you will have the opportunity to reflect on the following questions (among others): How do the stories we tell about martyrs shape the way we understand religious practices and beliefs? How do narratives of bearing witness, suffering, and death help to illumine relationships between religious and political domains? How might our current understanding of martyrdom be informed for better and for worse by a study of history? (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 232 - Religion and Food
Why does food play such a big part in so many sacred traditions? How do people use food to make sense of the world? Why do we fast, kill animals, feed spirits, and throw potluck suppers in the name of religion? This course will introduce students to the study of religion, using food as an entry point. Through readings, lectures, slides, videos, and hands-on experiences, we will investigate case studies from many cultures and historical periods. We will explore aspects of foodways such as cooking, farming, sacrifice, aesthetics, and display as they relate to myth, magic, ritual, healing, ethics and doctrine. Students will be expected to keep up with an intensive but interesting schedule of reading, to participate in class discussions and activities, and to complete written assignments including responses, several mini-projects, and a final library or field project on a topic of their choice. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 233 - Hindus and Muslims
This class will be a reflection on the long history of co-existence of people in South Asia thought to belong to two very different religions Hinduism and Islam. We will begin by looking at the formation of classical Islam in the Middle East, and looking at the classical Hindu epic, the Ramayana. From there we will move to a survey of the history of encounter and exchange, from the early period (al Biruni), to the establishment of the great Muslim sultanates. We will critically examine the evidence of religious conflict, alongside the evidence of rich cultural exchange, and interrogate the competing historigrahic narratives, according to which South Asia either become a single Indo-Islamic civilization or a place of two cultures destined to become different modern nation states (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). Finally, we will consider colonial and post colonial South Asia and conclude with a reflection on the Babri Masjid crisis and India’s debates about secularism. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 234 - Introduction to Jewish Life and Thought
This course will survey Judaism’s basic beliefs and practices, from the Bible to the present day, through examination and discussion of religious and social literature created by the Jewish people. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 235 - Theorizing Religion
The course is an introduction to some of the important theoretical and methodological work conducted by scholars in various disciplines who hope to better define and understand religious phenomena. This seminar begins with some of the early twentieth century texts that are often cited and discussed by contemporary scholars of religion (e.g., Durkheim, Weber, Freud) and then turns to a number of investigations stemming from engagement with earlier theorists or refracting new concerns. The course inquires into the problems of defining and analyzing religious cultures, and the researcher’s position or positions in this analysis, as this has been approached from anthropological, sociological, and religious studies perspectives. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 236 - Sanskrit and Classical Religion in India Cross-Listed as ASIA 236 , CLAS 202 , and LING 236
Like Latin and Greek in Europe, Sanskrit is a highly inflected language of scholarship and revered as the perfect medium for discourse on everything from science and sex to philosophy and religion. It flourished in its classical form after the age of the Buddha (5th century BC) and served as a scholarly lingua franca in India until the Islamic period. This course serves as an introduction to the grammar an script of Sanskrit, and we will advance to a point of reading simplified texts from the classical epic Ramayana.Students will be expected to attend class regularly and spend at least ten hours a week outside class studying the grammar and vocabulary. Without this sort of effort, no progress is possible in such a complex language. In addition to the rigorous study of the language, we will consider both the role of the language in classical Indian culture and religion, and some texts from the Ramayana, looking at both English translation and Sanskrit originals. Every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 238 - Catholics: Culture, Identity, Politics
A study of the religious tradition of Roman Catholicism. Some attention will be given to the theology and historical development of the Roman Catholic Church, but major emphasis will fall on the relationship of the Catholic religion to various Catholic cultures, including Ireland, Mexico, Poland and the United States. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 245 - Arabic Reading and Translation Cross-Listed as CLAS 345
This course aims to improve your Arabic reading and translation skills while introducing you to selected genres of Arabic and Islamic literature. The course will proceed in a workshop format and focus on the comprehension and translation of texts in question. Students will learn to use an Arabic dictionary, expand their vocabulary, deepen their understanding of grammar and syntax, and develop skills in reading manuscripts, navigating Arabic texts, and producing English translations. Prerequisite: Prerequisite(s): 3 previous semesters of Arabic language. Every fall. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 252 - Martin and Malcolm: Racial Terror and the Black Freedom Struggle
In this course we explore the complicated lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. - the convergences and divergences. We analyze the intersections of racial identity, religious affiliation, and political orientation and their relations to the prevailing notions of manhood. How did Malcolm and Martin enter the black freedom movement? How did their religious affiliation facilitate or hinder entry? How did their participation in the movement inform their understanding of religion? Within their respective imaginations, what kind of “religio-political and ethical figure” is America - Egypt, or Promised Land, Zion or Babylon; messianic nation or apocalyptic, dystopian nightmare? How do Martin and Malcolm perform, enact, and embody the notion that “black lives matter?” (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 254 - Dealing with the Dead
This broadly anthropological class introduces issues in the social study of death and the dead generally, focusing on the diverse ways in which different societies treat the dead as a social group, and the social powers that emerge from the practices of dealing with the dead. The class uses comparative examples to explore general themes, rooting these discussions in concrete cases. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 256 - Marx: Religion as Ideology, Alienation, and Authority
This course intends to introduce students to the foundational theories and concepts of the Marxist and Anarchist theoretical traditions, as they apply to the academic study of religion. I emphasize three words in the preceding sentence: foundational, theoretical, and religion, in order to clarify that this course will focus almost exclusively on older texts to the exclusion of more contemporary efforts in either tradition, that it will not focus on the practical revolutionary efforts of either Marxists or Anarchists, but rather on the theoretical writings of those traditions, and finally, that we will focus exclusively on those elements in the tradition that are most relevant to the study of religion. Every third year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 277 - Metaphysics in Secular Thought Cross-Listed as GERM 277 and POLI 277
A widespread tendency in contemporary Western societies is to associate metaphysics with religion, if not with what is often dismissively called the “irrational.” This course will dismantle this myth by reading closely European philosophy and political theory, mostly since the seventeenth century, in their relation to theology and their reception by twentieth-century critical theory. This will allow us to examine the ways in which secular thought emerges not as an alternative to metaphysics-something which thought cannot supersede anyway-but rather as a different way of dealing with the very same metaphysical questions and issues that concern religion, from the meaning of life to the imminence of death, and from (actual or imagined) guilt to the hope for redemption. We shall endeavor to identify the similarities and differences between the ‘secular’ and the ‘religious’ ways, including their respective relations to rationality. Readings will include: Aristotle, Talal Asad, George Bataille, Walter Benjamin, Kenneth Burke, Richard Dienst, Emile Durkheim, Michel Foucault, Sigmund Freud, Peter Harrison, Jacques Lacan, Karl Marx, Marcel Mauss, Carl Schmitt, Baruch Spinoza, Alberto Toscano, Max Weber, Slavoj Zizek. All readings in English. No pre-knowledge required. Occasionally (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 294 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 300 - Introduction to Islamic Law
This course introduces students to the basic concepts that recur in the study of Islamic law and provides a general overview of the history and development of Islamic law and legal theories. The course will also offer the students an opportunity to delve into the process of legal reasoning as practiced by Muslim jurists in order to understand it and anticipate its outcome. We will discuss Muslim juristic hermeneutics (their unique way of reading the authoritative texts of the Qur’an and the Sunna/Tradition of the Prophet), their reasoning based on analogy, utility, and their concept of rights. Comparisons with Western legal reasoning will be offered in the course of our discussions, but previous knowledge of law or legal philosophy is not assumed. Prerequisite(s): Two courses in Religious Studies preferred (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 311 - Ritual
The word “ritual” is used in many contexts to refer to types of practice that are considered centrally important, as well as formalistic and repetitive. This seminar-style course concentrates on the concept of ritual as a central component of social practice, within and without religious groupings. Focusing on developing the concept of ritual, we will focus on ritual across traditions. This requires students to ‘work with’ concepts - forming a conception of what they mean by ritual, and be willing to change that conception when faced with contradictory evidence. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 325 - Conquering the Flesh: Renunciation of Food and Sex in the Christian Tradition Cross-Listed as WGSS 325
This course explores how bodily practices of fasting and sexual abstinence have shaped Christian identities from the first century, C.E. to today. From Paul of Tarsus’ instructions about sexual discipline to the True Love Waits® campaign, from the desert fathers’ rigorous bodily regimens to the contemporary Christian diet movement, Christians have often understood the practice of renunciation as a necessary feature of spiritual perfection. In this course we will consider several ascetic movements in Christian history, including the development of ascetic practice in late antiquity, the rise of fasting practices among women in medieval Europe, and the culture of Christian dieting and chastity in the U.S. We will pay special attention to how Christian practices of piety both draw upon and contribute to cultural understandings of gender and the body. Every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 336 - Gender, Caste, Deity
Since sociologists and anthropologists have long argued that people think about religion and the divine in categories that correlate closely to their social system, it is not surprising that they have been especially interested in the religion and society of India. Beginning with the classic account of the caste system by social anthropologist Louis Dumont, we will examine is view of the hierarchical nature of society and its relationship to religious views that affirm and assume hierarchy in human and divine worlds. From there we will go on to consider the many responses to Dumont’s view, including studies of gender roles; sexuality in mythology and ascetic traditions; untouchability; religious hierarchy and political power; and, resistance to and inversions of hierarchical systems in India. Every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 346 - Religious Reform and Violence: Catholic, Protestant, and Radical
The sixteenth century in Europe thus marks a turning point from a Medieval culture defined by Catholic institutions to the independent, so-called secular, sovereign nation states of the modern era. Throughout this period of time the splintering of Roman Catholicism into diverse Protestant and Radical groups came at the cost of great economic and political upheaval. The violence with which these groups broke away from a once Holy Roman Empire produced waves of Jewish, Muslim, and so-called heretic Christian refugees fleeing across Europe, often to the Ottoman Empire on the east and to the newly discovered territories across the Atlantic on the west. The Ottoman Empire absorbed Jew, Muslim, and Christian alike with a relative lack of conflict. By contrast, within Europe, religious wars raged well into the 17th century, as emerging European nation-states enslaved African peoples and devastated the indigenous populations across the Atlantic. How did religious thought and practice figure into this drama? For example, what role did apocalypticism play in religious reform and revolution? What is the significance of Christian evangelism for colonial expansion? How did Christian discourse on witchcraft legitimate the slaughter of European women and the colonized of both genders to reinforce elite European male privilege? How did the definition of “human” shape and get reshaped by theological debate over the status of indigenous peoples and African slaves in what became the Americas? What ambiguous role did Protestant thought and practice play in the emergence of concepts of individual freedom, private property, secularism, and capitalism, as we know them today? Is this violence unique to Christian traditions? Is it characteristic of religious traditions in general? Or does the secularism we take for granted produce its own versions as well? We will explore these questions among others over the course of the semester. We will approach this subject in an interdisciplinary fashion, drawing on primary texts in translation, secondary historical sources, art, architecture, music, and film. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 348 - Contemporary Christian Thought and Practice
This course critically examines the engagement of Christian thought and practice with modern and post-modern cultures. Students will explore interactions across theological thinking, ethical action, ritual behavior, and material culture in Christian life. Possible issues for focus include: divine creativity and environmentalism; the nature and gender of God in relation to what it means to be human; liberation theologies and global capitalism; Christian theological responses to violence; Christian identity and U.S. nationalism; Christianity and sexual identity; the rise of evangelicalism to political power; spiritual discipline across Christian traditions; global Christianity; and the relation between the Incarnation and material objects. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 354 - Human Sacrifice: Killing for God and State
Though sacrifice is often viewed as the exclusive property of religion, this course is organized around the claim that religion and statecraft (the art of governing a nation well) are connected through practices of human sacrifice. Thus, in this course, we use “human sacrifice” as a comparative category to understand aspects of religion and statecraft, especially in war, capital punishment, torture, terrorism, and genocide. Though torture, terrorism, and genocide are important, our special focus is warfare and capital punishment, which encompass the other sites of human sacrifice. The central questions are the following: Why do gods and states demand blood; whence the impulse to human sacrifice? What are the relations between divine sovereignty, political sovereignty, and sacrifice? What are the modalities of human sacrifice? Is human sacrifice inevitable? Every other year. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 359 - Religion and Revolution: Case Studies
An examination of five revolutions and their religious engagements: The Diggers and the English Civil War, The Taiping Rebellion in China, Buddhism and the Cambodian Revolution, Cultural Rebirth and Resistance in Native America, and the Algerian Islamist Revolution. All participants will read one work about each example, and then will focus more deeply on the examples in group and individual work. The course intends to develop critical skills in comparing the radical social changes implied by the word revolution with the differing revolutionary impulses that are sometimes drawn from religion, and sometimes opposed to it. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 394 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 469 - Approaches to the Study of Religion
An advanced seminar required for religious studies majors, open to minors. Both classic and contemporary theories on the nature of religion and critical methods for the study of religion will be considered. Prerequisite(s): Two courses in Religious Studies and permission of instructor. Spring semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 494 - Topics Course
Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 601 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 602 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 603 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
|
| |
-
RELI 604 - Tutorial
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
|
| |
Page: 1 <- Back 10 … 10
| 11
| 12
| 13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
| 19
| 20
|
|
|
Macalester