Course Listings

We will explore the art and architecture of Africa as a reflection of the development of different cultures in specific times and locations and their connection to rituals and beliefs. Students will also gain insights into the continent's history, politics, and diverse cultures by studying these visual traditions.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and tools to create their own animations using Abode After Effects and Photoshop. Techniques covered include (but are not limited to) Isolating objects and animating layers, working with masks and shapes, photographic/collage approaches including distorting/animating with the Puppet Tools, and working with 2D images in 3D space. Sound design, composition, editing techniques, color grading, as well as other image-making principles, will be explored through a series of short animation experiments. In each project, students will be challenged to develop aesthetically interesting, visually abstract approaches to their ideas.

This course is an introduction to how textiles are used as a contemporary expressive artform. Through hands-on studio assignments students will be encouraged to think about how textile art can serve as a platform for social commentary and cultural exchange. Students will be exposed to artists that use textiles as a medium to amplify social justice issues, and challenge conventional boundaries between art, design, and craft. This course is co-taught with Professor Strader and Restoring Hope/Restoring Trust, Artist-in-Residence Julian Jamaal Jones. Jones is a multidisciplinary artist who memorializes Black culture through the language of African American quilting traditions. This course requires no pre-requisites or experience.

Individuals from rural areas, low-income countries, and marginalized communities in high-income nations experience significant wealth disparities and limited access to financial services, leading to considerable economic and social disadvantages. This introductory course explores the critical intersection of financial inclusion and economic welfare. Financial inclusion refers to the accessibility of affordable financial products and services, such as checking accounts, payment methods, and credit-to individuals and businesses. There are numerous benefits of financial inclusion, particularly its potential to alleviate poverty by fostering investments in health, education, and entrepreneurship. In this course, we will explore how to better understand financial inclusion, how financial services can be made more inclusive, how financial inclusion affects a country and its people, growth, social and economic factors, etc. The primary objective of this course is to examine the different levels of financial inclusion, with a specific focus on the U.S. and countries from Asia, while also drawing comparisons to countries in Africa and Latin America. Through this perspective, we will explore how different demographics navigate financial systems in these key areas. We will analyze the role of digital technology in facilitating inclusion, address the gender gap in bank account ownership, and evaluate policies that promote inclusive economies. Additionally, we will explore how enhancing access to credit, safe savings, and efficient payment systems can significantly improve economic opportunities and support the growth of micro and small enterprises.

This advanced-level course will explore detailed mechanisms of virus replication and virus-host interactions, with an emphasis on human pathogens and vaccines. Primary literature will be featured to examine the current understanding of the strategies of several viruses and their global health implications. This course counts toward the biology major, biochemistry major, biology minor, or global health minor.

This course offers a biomolecular exploration of tropical diseases such as Dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika. Students will delve into the biochemistry and molecular biology underlying these diseases, examining mechanisms of infection, transmission, treatments, and genetic factors influencing susceptibility and severity. This course will highlight Peru's abundant natural resources, including traditional medicinal plants, and will emphasize the role of integrative medicine in treatment. Complementing this scientific foundation, the course will engage students with the rich cultural and socioeconomic diversity of Peru. Through a unique immersion experience, students will investigate how cultural beliefs and economic conditions impact disease transmission and treatment in the coastal, mountain, and high jungle regions of Peru. Students will also engage with Peruvian communities, gaining insights from indigenous healers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, and reflect on the ethical considerations of using traditional knowledge in scientific research. This course aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of tropical diseases and the many factors influencing health outcomes, preparing students for careers in global health and research. This course counts toward the Biology, Biochemistry, and Chemistry majors, and Biology, Chemistry and Global Health minors.

This course engages with contemporary literature and film by Black Francophone authors whose communities have been directly affected by the consequences of massive extractive policies and practices: rising sea levels, unfettered oil drilling, and forced migrations. We will ask ourselves the following question: how does one rebuild or reimagine "home", and resist mass destruction and exploitation in a context of such intense crisis and dispossession? In this class, you will analyze postcolonial literature and film from Cameroon, Congo, Haiti and Martinique through an environmental and ecocritical lens, while exploring more speculative genres such as climate fiction and science fiction. Throughout the semester, you will not only reflect on how reading fiction can contribute to the search for a way out of environmental racism, but you will also engage with more recent and decolonial trends of environmental studies that will expose you to less anthropocentric and more indigenous ecologies.

We will explore the art and architecture of Africa as a reflection of the development of different cultures in specific times and locations and their connection to rituals and beliefs. Students will also gain insights into the continent's history, politics, and diverse cultures by studying these visual traditions.

This course is an introduction to how textiles are used as a contemporary expressive artform. Through hands-on studio assignments students will be encouraged to think about how textile art can serve as a platform for social commentary and cultural exchange. Students will be exposed to artists that use textiles as a medium to amplify social justice issues, and challenge conventional boundaries between art, design, and craft. This course is co-taught with Professor Strader and Restoring Hope/Restoring Trust, Artist-in-Residence Julian Jamaal Jones. Jones is a multidisciplinary artist who memorializes Black culture through the language of African American quilting traditions. This course requires no pre-requisites or experience.

The course will survey the proliferation of Black representation on television shows with a particular focus on 1980-2000. We will review variety shows like Flip Wilson and Richard Pryor, sitcoms like Different World and Living Single, and even a selection of entertainment shows like The Chris Rock Show and In Living Color. Special focus will be dedicated to aspects of Black family shows like The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Students will also be introduced to aspects of cultural theory and cultural criticism. This course will appeal to students interested in the intersections of popular culture and race relations. Caution: We will watch a lot of TV.

Forensic Chemistry. The continued popularity of crime scene analysis dramas and literary whodunits reflect society's fascination with criminal investigation. This introductory survey course in chemistry will focus on the theme of forensic science. Designed for non-science concentrators, this class explores the historical and philosophical developments in chemistry, as well as applications of chemical principles to criminalistics in the laboratory setting. Topics include the development of the atomic theory of matter, atomic structure, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, the chemistry of life (organic and biochemistry), and forensic analysis. In addition, the course will explore the role of forensics in law enforcement, data ethics, bias, and issues relating to equity and social justice. Some elementary mathematics will be used. Class meetings are complemented by a required laboratory activity each week. Partially fulfills the College laboratory science requirement, but cannot be combined with CHE-101 or CHE-111 to complete this distribution requirement. This course does not satisfy major or minor requirements for chemistry or those for the biochemistry major. Only one course from CHE-101, CHE-102, or CHE-111 may be counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation.

Organocatalysis. Building on the foundational principles and reactivity of organic molecules covered in the year-long organic chemistry sequence, this course delves into the use of small organic molecules as catalysts for a wide range of organic transformations. We will explore both seminal research and recent advances in the field, focusing on the mechanisms, methods, and synthetic applications of various organocatalysts. A particular emphasis will be placed on enantioselective organocatalysis, a field of research that earned the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for its transformative impact on asymmetric synthesis. This one-half credit course for the second half semester. Prerequisite: CHE 321: Organic Chemistry II

Organometallic Chemistry. This course will delve more deeply into concepts introduced in CHE 241, emphasizing structural principles, thermodynamics, and kinetics of organometallic systems. Through reviewing recently published literature, we will identify and discuss common motifs that garner research interest within the field. Anaerobic techniques for preparing and characterizing air-sensitive complexes will be discussed, though there will be no scheduled weekly laboratory period. This is a one-half credit course for the first half of the semester. Prerequisite: CHE 241: Inorganic Chemistry; CHE-221: Organic Chemistry I

This course offers a biomolecular exploration of tropical diseases such as Dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika. Students will delve into the biochemistry and molecular biology underlying these diseases, examining mechanisms of infection, transmission, treatments, and genetic factors influencing susceptibility and severity. This course will highlight Peru's abundant natural resources, including traditional medicinal plants, and will emphasize the role of integrative medicine in treatment. Complementing this scientific foundation, the course will engage students with the rich cultural and socioeconomic diversity of Peru. Through a unique immersion experience, students will investigate how cultural beliefs and economic conditions impact disease transmission and treatment in the coastal, mountain, and high jungle regions of Peru. Students will also engage with Peruvian communities, gaining insights from indigenous healers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, and reflect on the ethical considerations of using traditional knowledge in scientific research. This course aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of tropical diseases and the many factors influencing health outcomes, preparing students for careers in global health and research. This course counts toward the Biology, Biochemistry, and Chemistry majors, and Biology, Chemistry and Global Health minors.

This course examines the texts and iconography of myths from the ancient Graeco-Roman world and their reception in film and television. In particular, students will study original works in translation and then consider adaptions in modern movies and/or tv series. The class will focus on how the texts and figures of the ancient world are reimagined in different times and places in audiovisual media. Attention will be paid to the changes in the stories, texts, and representations for each audience and why these might have occurred. Utilizing modern scholarship and reception studies, students will learn how to analyze texts and films and consider the biases and agenda of ancient and modern creators. This course meets an elective requirement for the Film & Digital Media minor.

Archimedes, the famous Sicilian-Greek mathematician and inventor, is said to have founded the discipline of fluid dynamics in the 3rd century BC while taking a bath. But beyond the confines of Archimedes' bathtub, the evolution of what we now think of as "science" was often a freewheeling and haphazard affair, with many fascinating detours and dead ends along the way. This course will survey ancient Greek and Roman innovations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, along with their varied connections to the modern world. We will study the earliest attempts to understand, quantify, and control the natural world of the ancient Mediterranean, tracing the origins and growth of modern "STEM" fields from Bronze Age Greece to Imperial Rome. Over Spring Break, we will travel to Spain to visit study ancient Roman aqueducts, roads, mining, metallurgy, and more.

This course will explore the data of life sciences in areas based on student interests. Some potential topics include exercise science, ecology, nutritional supplements, public health, etc. Students will gain the foundations for reading scientific literature, computing basic statistical analyses, and communicating their findings. We will cover the introductory concepts in computer science and statistics needed to organize and summarize biological data. No prior programming experience or statistical knowledge is required. We will also focus on an understanding of statistical concepts and visualizations when applied to various biological datasets.

This course examines key elements of the data-to-knowledge pipeline: gathering data from reliable sources; cleaning, processing and visualizing data; analyzing data with appropriate statistical tools; and making informed decisions. Using a variety of computational and statistical tools, students will develop practical data science skills in a collaborative, project-based environment.

Individuals from rural areas, low-income countries, and marginalized communities in high-income nations experience significant wealth disparities and limited access to financial services, leading to considerable economic and social disadvantages. This introductory course explores the critical intersection of financial inclusion and economic welfare. Financial inclusion refers to the accessibility of affordable financial products and services, such as checking accounts, payment methods, and credit-to individuals and businesses. There are numerous benefits of financial inclusion, particularly its potential to alleviate poverty by fostering investments in health, education, and entrepreneurship. In this course, we will explore how to better understand financial inclusion, how financial services can be made more inclusive, how financial inclusion affects a country and its people, growth, social and economic factors, etc. The primary objective of this course is to examine the different levels of financial inclusion, with a specific focus on the U.S. and countries from Asia, while also drawing comparisons to countries in Africa and Latin America. Through this perspective, we will explore how different demographics navigate financial systems in these key areas. We will analyze the role of digital technology in facilitating inclusion, address the gender gap in bank account ownership, and evaluate policies that promote inclusive economies. Additionally, we will explore how enhancing access to credit, safe savings, and efficient payment systems can significantly improve economic opportunities and support the growth of micro and small enterprises.

"Music is spiritual. The music business is not." -Van Morrison Rock and roll used to be a way for people to stick it to the Man. Is that still possible in today's highly corporatized and profit maximizing world? Does Ticketmaster facilitate easy ticket sales, or does it use its market power to crush competition? Do intellectual property rights matter in the digital era? And how has technology affected the way musicians create their work and how we experience it? This course will study the popular music industry from an economics and business perspective. We will look at how music is made, performed, and sold, and examine how musical creativity is affected by the business of music. We will also study how music media, technology, and musical venues shape and influence musical form and expression. The course may include an overnight field trip (pending approval) to music related sites TBA.

This course explores the economics of health and healthcare from a global perspective, focusing on how countries organize, finance, and deliver healthcare. Students will analyze key topics such as healthcare supply and demand, health insurance, government interventions, and the economics of pandemics. The course also addresses international health challenges like inequality in health outcomes, healthcare reforms, and economic impact of public health crises like pandemics. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students will learn to critically assess how health policies impact access, quality, and costs across diverse healthcare systems worldwide. This course is ideal for those interested in the intersection of health, policy, and economics.

F.A. Hayek was one of the most important, but polarizing, economists of the 20th century. He was one of the most prominent and respected thinkers of the first half of the 20th century but then fell into obscurity, only to return to a position of eminence after winning the Nobel Prize in 1974. Hayek started his career as a technical economist, but his work spread to political theory and even the ethics of a free and liberal society. This seminar will contextualize the evolution of Hayekian thought through selected readings of Hayek, as well as modern interpretations of Hayekian ideas, in order to illustrate Hayek's continuing relevance today as an important economist and political theorist. These readings will cover his work on capital theory, business cycles, monetary theory, the role of knowledge in socialism and the price system, and the institutions of a liberal society. In addition, we will learn about? Hayek's famous and important debates with John Maynard Keynes.

The Political Economy of Crime and Punishment This class will investigate the social phenomena of crime and punishment through the analytical tool kit of political economy. Students will learn a variety of theoretical approaches and apply them to understand and explain historic and contemporary trends. Theoretical approaches will include rational and strategic decision making, public goods theory, bureaucratic incentives, comparative institutional analysis, and industrial organization. Key applied topics covered during the semester will include criminal behavior, the historic origins of criminal law and law enforcement services, the potentials and limits of both public and private provisions of policing and punishment, and the historic and contemporary patterns of crime and punitive trends across social contexts. Finally, students will assess the viability of historic and current criminal justice reform movements

Time Magazine's claim that "We're living in a golden age of young adult literature" is evidenced in the wide demographic range of readers YA books attract and in the number of popular film and limited series shows based on YA books produced in recent years. In this course students will delve into this vibrant and evolving genre that reflects the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood. Reading a variety of YA subgenres (e.g., dystopian, fantasy, historical, contemporary), students will examine themes such as identity, belonging, resilience, race, class, and social justice. Together students will explore the historical context of YA literature, its cultural significance, its impact on young readers, and YA's place in middle and high school curriculums.

Time Magazine's claim that "We're living in a golden age of young adult literature" is evidenced in the wide demographic range of readers YA books attract and in the number of popular film and limited series shows based on YA books produced in recent years. In this course students will delve into this vibrant and evolving genre that reflects the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood. Reading a variety of YA subgenres (e.g., dystopian, fantasy, historical, contemporary), students will examine themes such as identity, belonging, resilience, race, class, and social justice. Together students will explore the historical context of YA literature, its cultural significance, its impact on young readers, and YA's place in middle and high school curriculums.

The fictional character of Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925) endures as a symbol of American culture and aspiration. As a romantic icon of wealth, glamour, and mystery, Gatsby personifies the 1920s Jazz Age period of sex, parties, and money. But how did Fitzgerald come to develop such an iconic character? This course will dive deeply into the mesmerizing 1920s age of flappers, alcohol, jazz music, and sex, using the literature of Fitzgerald and the Harlem Renaissance writers to better grasp how the 1920s helped create the Gatsby icon and a modern America. We will survey a medley of literary works from important Jazz Age authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. We will also experience different film, music, art, and fashion of the 1920s era as we commemorate 100 years of The Great Gatsby in 2025.

This course engages with contemporary literature and film by Black Francophone authors whose communities have been directly affected by the consequences of massive extractive policies and practices: rising sea levels, unfettered oil drilling, and forced migrations. We will ask ourselves the following question: how does one rebuild or reimagine "home", and resist mass destruction and exploitation in a context of such intense crisis and dispossession? In this class, you will analyze postcolonial literature and film from Cameroon, Congo, Haiti and Martinique through an environmental and ecocritical lens, while exploring more speculative genres such as climate fiction and science fiction. Throughout the semester, you will not only reflect on how reading fiction can contribute to the search for a way out of environmental racism, but you will also engage with more recent and decolonial trends of environmental studies that will expose you to less anthropocentric and more indigenous ecologies.

This course engages with contemporary literature and film by Black Francophone authors whose communities have been directly affected by the consequences of massive extractive policies and practices: rising sea levels, unfettered oil drilling, and forced migrations. We will ask ourselves the following question: how does one rebuild or reimagine "home", and resist mass destruction and exploitation in a context of such intense crisis and dispossession? In this class, you will analyze postcolonial literature and film from Cameroon, Congo, Haiti and Martinique through an environmental and ecocritical lens, while exploring more speculative genres such as climate fiction and science fiction. Throughout the semester, you will not only reflect on how reading fiction can contribute to the search for a way out of environmental racism, but you will also engage with more recent and decolonial trends of environmental studies that will expose you to less anthropocentric and more indigenous ecologies.

Many of the most controversial ideas in society concern human behavior. What kind of care should we provide to transgender minors? Is our intelligence dictated by our genetics? Do biological differences explain gender differences in men and women? Even controversial topics concerning the natural world-such as climate change-require us to think about the role of human behavior and cognition. In this class, we will embrace controversial topics and explore what psychological research has to say about them. Importantly, this class will not attempt to give equal weight to both sides of an issue for the sake of balance. Rather, we will focus on how an educated citizen can sift through information and misinformation to base conclusions on the best available psychological evidence and to then communicate those conclusions through dialogue and writing.

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forbids states from denying citizens the right to vote on account of sex, was ratified just over a century ago in 1920. This course examines women's role in American election politics in the hundred-or-so years since: Are there distinctive patterns or trends in women's voting behavior? Do women run for office for different reasons than men, and do they campaign differently? Once elected, how do women perform as representatives? How do gender and other demographic traits (e.g. race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, etc.) intersect to shape women's experiences as voters, candidates, and representatives in American politics? What has changed since 1920 and what hasn't? How have cultural norms about gender roles affected women's experiences in different eras? We'll look at the work political scientists and other researchers have done so far to answer these questions, learn about selected individual women's experiences as candidates and officeholders, and weigh in on ongoing debates about how to enhance women's participation in electoral politics.

The fictional character of Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925) endures as a symbol of American culture and aspiration. As a romantic icon of wealth, glamour, and mystery, Gatsby personifies the 1920s Jazz Age period of sex, parties, and money. But how did Fitzgerald come to develop such an iconic character? This course will dive deeply into the mesmerizing 1920s age of flappers, alcohol, jazz music, and sex, using the literature of Fitzgerald and the Harlem Renaissance writers to better grasp how the 1920s helped create the Gatsby icon and a modern America. We will survey a medley of literary works from important Jazz Age authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. We will also experience different film, music, art, and fashion of the 1920s era as we commemorate 100 years of The Great Gatsby in 2025.

Queer History in the U.S. will explore how queerness and queer people have shaped the trajectory of political, social, cultural, and economic life in the United States of America. In this course, we will ask questions such as, what is queer?, who is queer?, who defines queerness?, how is queerness policed?, and how did queer people navigate cis-heteronormativity? Students will explore these questions through primary sources such as literature, press coverage, manifestoes, and film as well as class and ground-breaking secondary sources. Classes will consist of discussion, research, and writing.

This course explores the economics of health and healthcare from a global perspective, focusing on how countries organize, finance, and deliver healthcare. Students will analyze key topics such as healthcare supply and demand, health insurance, government interventions, and the economics of pandemics. The course also addresses international health challenges like inequality in health outcomes, healthcare reforms, and economic impact of public health crises like pandemics. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students will learn to critically assess how health policies impact access, quality, and costs across diverse healthcare systems worldwide. This course is ideal for those interested in the intersection of health, policy, and economics.

BIO-371/GHL-310 Special Topics: Virology. This advanced-level course will explore detailed mechanisms of virus replication and virus-host interactions, with an emphasis on human pathogens and vaccines. Primary literature will be featured to examine the current understanding of the strategies of several viruses and their global health implications. This course counts toward the biology major, biochemistry major, biology minor, or global health minor. Prerequisites: BIO-211 and BIO-212.

This course offers a biomolecular exploration of tropical diseases such as Dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika. Students will delve into the biochemistry and molecular biology underlying these diseases, examining mechanisms of infection, transmission, treatments, and genetic factors influencing susceptibility and severity. This course will highlight Peru's abundant natural resources, including traditional medicinal plants, and will emphasize the role of integrative medicine in treatment. Complementing this scientific foundation, the course will engage students with the rich cultural and socioeconomic diversity of Peru. Through a unique immersion experience, students will investigate how cultural beliefs and economic conditions impact disease transmission and treatment in the coastal, mountain, and high jungle regions of Peru. Students will also engage with Peruvian communities, gaining insights from indigenous healers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, and reflect on the ethical considerations of using traditional knowledge in scientific research. This course aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of tropical diseases and the many factors influencing health outcomes, preparing students for careers in global health and research. This course counts toward the Biology, Biochemistry, and Chemistry majors, and Biology, Chemistry and Global Health minors.

This course explores the complex relationship between crime, society, and policing from 1870 to the First World War. In a period marked by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and social change, crimes involving guns, bombs, and pistols also grew. We will investigate how evolving economic conditions, class structures, and cultural anxieties influenced criminal behavior and its representations during this era. The course will focus on critical criminal cases in Modern Europe, the rise of modern policing, the development of forensic science, and the cultural fascination with true crime in literature, media, and popular culture. Through novels, films, and surveys, students will examine how crime became a part of public conversation and political unrest. Students will become detectives to study criminal motivations and innovations in news coverage, law enforcement, and criminal justice in the modern world.

Archimedes, the famous Sicilian-Greek mathematician and inventor, is said to have founded the discipline of fluid dynamics in the 3rd century BC while taking a bath. But beyond the confines of Archimedes' bathtub, the evolution of what we now think of as "science" was often a freewheeling and haphazard affair, with many fascinating detours and dead ends along the way. This course will survey ancient Greek and Roman innovations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, along with their varied connections to the modern world. We will study the earliest attempts to understand, quantify, and control the natural world of the ancient Mediterranean, tracing the origins and growth of modern "STEM" fields from Bronze Age Greece to Imperial Rome. Over Spring Break, we will travel to Spain to visit study ancient Roman aqueducts, roads, mining, metallurgy, and more.

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forbids states from denying citizens the right to vote on account of sex, was ratified just over a century ago in 1920. This course examines women's role in American election politics in the hundred-or-so years since: Are there distinctive patterns or trends in women's voting behavior? Do women run for office for different reasons than men, and do they campaign differently? Once elected, how do women perform as representatives? How do gender and other demographic traits (e.g. race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, etc.) intersect to shape women's experiences as voters, candidates, and representatives in American politics? What has changed since 1920 and what hasn't? How have cultural norms about gender roles affected women's experiences in different eras? We'll look at the work political scientists and other researchers have done so far to answer these questions, learn about selected individual women's experiences as candidates and officeholders, and weigh in on ongoing debates about how to enhance women's participation in electoral politics.

Populists & Progressives From 1890-1929, the United States experienced a groundswell of public participation in U.S. politics and social movements. In this course, we will study the "calamity howlers," social reformers, agitators, politicians, religious leaders, newspaper writers, and organizations that shaped public rhetoric and political action during this period. In surveying this era, the course will consider agrarianism, temperance and prohibition, suffrage, civil rights, political corruption, and consumer health and safety. The course will engage the rhetoric of national figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryan, Ida B. Wells, and Francis Willard; as well as Hoosiers Eugene Debs, Thomas Marshall, John Hurty, and Naomi Anderson. Students will read primary texts and archival materials, as well as scholarly essays relevant to this period. This course can be applied to the Lit/Fine Arts distribution requirement as RHE-270, or to the HIS/PHI/REL distribution requirement as HIS-240.

How did conquest happen in the early Americas, beginning with the arrival of Europeans in 1492? We tend to think of conquest as military victory, but victory is rarely clear-cut or quick. In this course, we'll examine conflicts and compromises from across the Western Hemisphere to understand the messy process of conquest. We'll look at how different Indigenous and European societies comprehended and pursued conquest and how they experienced its immediate effects. Along the way, we'll pay attention to the lives of "regular" people swept up in conquest and especially to the roles of intermediaries-the translators, officials, and missionaries who brokered truces and rendered enemies legible.

This seminar examines the history of Vichy France during World War II. Students will analyze the establishment of the Vichy regime following France's defeat in 1940, focusing on its "collaboration" with Nazi Germany, anti-Semitic policies, and attempts to reshape French society. The course also investigates the rise of the French Resistance and the day-to-day experiences of those living under occupation. Through a selection of novels, articles, surveys, and primary sources students will study how French society navigated Nazi occupation and the moral dilemmas of wartime. Special emphasis will be placed on the evolving historical memory of Vichy France, from immediate post-war trials to contemporary debates about national identity, guilt, and collaboration. Classes will consist of discussion, research, and writing.

Queer History in the U.S. will explore how queerness and queer people have shaped the trajectory of political, social, cultural, and economic life in the United States of America. In this course, we will ask questions such as, what is queer?, who is queer?, who defines queerness?, how is queerness policed?, and how did queer people navigate cis-heteronormativity? Students will explore these questions through primary sources such as literature, press coverage, manifestoes, and film as well as classic and ground-breaking secondary sources. Classes will consist of discussion, research, and writing.

How did conquest happen in the early Americas, beginning with the arrival of Europeans in 1492? We tend to think of conquest as military victory, but victory is rarely clear-cut or quick. In this course, we'll examine conflicts and compromises from across the Western Hemisphere to understand the messy process of conquest. We'll look at how different Indigenous and European societies comprehended and pursued conquest and how they experienced its immediate effects. Along the way, we'll pay attention to the lives of "regular" people swept up in conquest and especially to the roles of intermediaries-the translators, officials, and missionaries who brokered truces and rendered enemies legible.

In this class students will take part in learning how storytelling occurs through advertising, magazine and newspaper articles, crónicas, testimonio, and memoir. Students will work in developing content for a community Spanish magazine, and take part in Community Storytelling workshops in Spanish.

This course will explore theological and philosophical questions by reading works of literature. The questions will include the problem of evil, the potential meaning(s) of suffering, the experience of faith and doubt, and the miracle of forgiveness and reconciliation, and others. The works of literature will include short stories, novels, and poems, mostly drawn from English-language writers of the last 100 years, but with some exceptions. A secondary goal of the class is to reflect on the ways literature, religion and culture inter-relate.

Voting and elections are the cornerstone of every democracy. They are how we the people tell the government what we want. Yet, complaints about the electoral process are as old as democracy itself. Even today - especially today - issues like Gerrymandering and the Electoral College have us questioning whether or not ordinary citizens really are qualified to make political decisions. "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." - Joseph Stalin In this course, we will examine the variety of ways that voters decide and votes are counted. Are some electoral systems better than others? Are some fairer than others? Are those even the same thing? One unique feature of this course is that we will examine these issues from political and mathematical perspectives. Can math help us measure the proportionality, fairness, efficiency or effectiveness of a political system? Can it help us find solutions for the democratic dilemma? This course is cross-listed as MAT 106 and PSC 220. As such, it can be used to satisfy the Quantitative Literacy or Behavioral Science distribution credits. Take MAT-106 for Quantitative Literacy and PSC-220 for Behavorial Science

This course will explore the data of life sciences in areas based on student interests. Some potential topics include exercise science, ecology, nutritional supplements, public health, etc. Students will gain the foundations for reading scientific literature, computing basic statistical analyses, and communicating their findings. We will cover the introductory concepts in computer science and statistics needed to organize and summarize biological data. No prior programming experience or statistical knowledge is required. We will also focus on an understanding of statistical concepts and visualizations when applied to various biological datasets.

This class will focus on the musical communities in Crawfordsville and surrounding areas. Students will learn about all kinds of musicians and music-making in Montgomery County - both currently and historically - with a heavy emphasis on music made by indigenous, settler, immigrant communities. We will interact with and learn from local musicians, and students will be encouraged to participate when appropriate. No previous musical experience is necessary

This course examines the relationship between music and film, focusing on how music plays a key role in interacting with and enhancing the visuals on screen or the story's narrative. The class will start with a brief overview of the history of film music and an introduction to basic elements in music in a general sense, followed by examinations of specific musical features in a variety of genres. Throughout the semester, students will read and learn about basic terminologies and concepts, develop critical listening skills, and apply them in weekly discussions, presentations, and terminal paper. This class is ideal for students interested in both music and visual arts (theatre, film, etc.), with a chance to connect these fields and learn to communicate in professional languages. Meanwhile, it also offers a valuable perspective for students from other disciplines to enrich their watching experience with a better understanding of film music in general.

Basic Techniques for Conducting is an introductory course for students interested in leading musical ensembles, whether instrumental or vocal. The course combines hands-on practice with theoretical study to explore the foundational aspects of conducting. Topics include gesture and conducting patterns, score analysis, and effective rehearsal techniques. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to lead both instrumental and vocal ensembles with confidence and clarity. As part of the class, students will have the opportunity to rehearse the Wabash College Glee Club and conduct a piece at the end of the semester.

In her report on Adolf Eichmann's trial in Jerusalem, Arendt points to two character flaws that allow Eichmann to become the architect of the plans that resulted in the murder of six million Jews during the Second World War. First "was his almost total inability to look at anything from the other fellow's point of view," and second his "inability to think." It was these flaws that led Arendt to see in Eichmann the personification of the "banality of evil." If evil acts can be done not out of malicious intent but because of the failure to think, then each of us is much more susceptible to evil than we might want to think. In this course, we will ask how might thinking be a bulwark against evil and how might we set up our political lives to foster thinking and acting in ways that best serve the human condition. We will read selections from Eichmann in Jerusalem, The Life of the Mind, and Between Past and Future, and the whole of The Human Condition and Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy, as well as other essays.

What is politics? What do freedom and virtue have to do with it? This class focuses on reading, discussing, writing, and working on group projects about political theories of freedom and virtue together with class members who are incarcerated at Putnamville Correctional Facility. The goal of the class is to form a learning community that encompasses Wabash students and incarcerated students-a learning community that values all contributions to the conversation. In addition to the component of the course at Putnamville, during Thursday course meetings at Wabash, we will read about, reflect on, and discuss topics like community-engaged learning and social justice, as well as on our experiences at Putnamville. To learn more about the course and how to register, please email Lorraine McCrary at mccraryl@wabash.edu. Registration is by instructor permission. Please email Lorraine McCrary at mccraryl@wabash.edu by 10/22 to register. This course meets at different times on different days: On Tuesday it meets from 12:50-2:50 at Putnamville Correctional Facility (depart at 11 a.m.; return at 3:5 p.m.; lunch and transportation provided). On Thursdays it meets from 1:10-2:25 on Wabash's campus.

Why do we see war? Why is cooperation difficult? What are the humanitarian outcomes of conflicts? This course presents and analyzes the fundamental security challenges in contemporary international politics. The course considers general policy problems, while providing applications to specific contemporary cases. This course provides students with an overview of the theoretical and policy debates that comprise the field of international security. Each week focuses on a discrete topic which collectively gives students a sense of past, present, and future security challenges. We will analyze classic studies of why countries go to war and form alliances as well as more recent research topics like why groups use terrorism, the emergence of international interventions, and contemporary issues in human security. The primary goal is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge on a range of topics in international security. This foundation should familiarize students new to international security with the major debates in the field and prepare them for more focused studies of topics in international security should they be of interest.

Individuals from rural areas, low-income countries, and marginalized communities in high-income nations experience significant wealth disparities and limited access to financial services, leading to considerable economic and social disadvantages. This introductory course explores the critical intersection of financial inclusion and economic welfare. Financial inclusion refers to the accessibility of affordable financial products and services, such as checking accounts, payment methods, and credit-to individuals and businesses. There are numerous benefits of financial inclusion, particularly its potential to alleviate poverty by fostering investments in health, education, and entrepreneurship. In this course, we will explore how to better understand financial inclusion, how financial services can be made more inclusive, how financial inclusion affects a country and its people, growth, social and economic factors, etc. The primary objective of this course is to examine the different levels of financial inclusion, with a specific focus on the U.S. and countries from Asia, while also drawing comparisons to countries in Africa and Latin America. Through this perspective, we will explore how different demographics navigate financial systems in these key areas. We will analyze the role of digital technology in facilitating inclusion, address the gender gap in bank account ownership, and evaluate policies that promote inclusive economies. Additionally, we will explore how enhancing access to credit, safe savings, and efficient payment systems can significantly improve economic opportunities and support the growth of micro and small enterprises.

This course explores the economics of health and healthcare from a global perspective, focusing on how countries organize, finance, and deliver healthcare. Students will analyze key topics such as healthcare supply and demand, health insurance, government interventions, and the economics of pandemics. The course also addresses international health challenges like inequality in health outcomes, healthcare reforms, and economic impact of public health crises like pandemics. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students will learn to critically assess how health policies impact access, quality, and costs across diverse healthcare systems worldwide. This course is ideal for those interested in the intersection of health, policy, and economics.

In her report on Adolf Eichmann's trial in Jerusalem, Arendt points to two character flaws that allow Eichmann to become the architect of the plans that resulted in the murder of six million Jews during the Second World War. First "was his almost total inability to look at anything from the other fellow's point of view," and second his "inability to think." It was these flaws that led Arendt to see in Eichmann the personification of the "banality of evil." If evil acts can be done not out of malicious intent but because of the failure to think, then each of us is much more susceptible to evil than we might want to think. In this course, we will ask how might thinking be a bulwark against evil and how might we set up our political lives to foster thinking and acting in ways that best serve the human condition. We will read selections from Eichmann in Jerusalem, The Life of the Mind, and Between Past and Future, and the whole of The Human Condition and Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy, as well as other essays.

This course provides an introduction to international political economy, the study of the interactions between politics and economics, governments, and markets. We will attempt to answer the following questions: How do political processes influence economic decision-making? What influence do national and international economic forces have on political outcomes? This course covers important topics such as trade, foreign direct investment, international monetary system, foreign aid, and development. We will also learn major international institutions governing these issue areas. Specifically, we will discuss the roles of social movements, political parties, public opinion, and multinational corporations in shaping the global economy. In developing answers to these questions, we will explore major current problems and debates in the global economy from both historical and theoretical perspectives.

F.A. Hayek was one of the most important, but polarizing, economists of the 20th century. He was one of the most prominent and respected thinkers of the first half of the 20th century but then fell into obscurity, only to return to a position of eminence after winning the Nobel Prize in 1974. Hayek started his career as a technical economist, but his work spread to political theory and even the ethics of a free and liberal society. This seminar will contextualize the evolution of Hayekian thought through selected readings of Hayek, as well as modern interpretations of Hayekian ideas, in order to illustrate Hayek's continuing relevance today as an important economist and political theorist. These readings will cover his work on capital theory, business cycles, monetary theory, the role of knowledge in socialism and the price system, and the institutions of a liberal society. In addition, we will learn about Hayek's famous and important debates with John Maynard Keynes.

The Political Economy of Crime and Punishment This class will investigate the social phenomena of crime and punishment through the analytical tool kit of political economy. Students will learn a variety of theoretical approaches and apply them to understand and explain historic and contemporary trends. Theoretical approaches will include rational and strategic decision making, public goods theory, bureaucratic incentives, comparative institutional analysis, and industrial organization. Key applied topics covered during the semester will include criminal behavior, the historic origins of criminal law and law enforcement services, the potentials and limits of both public and private provisions of policing and punishment, and the historic and contemporary patterns of crime and punitive trends across social contexts. Finally, students will assess the viability of historic and current criminal justice reform movements

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forbids states from denying citizens the right to vote on account of sex, was ratified just over a century ago in 1920. This course examines women's role in American election politics in the hundred-or-so years since: Are there distinctive patterns or trends in women's voting behavior? Do women run for office for different reasons than men, and do they campaign differently? Once elected, how do women perform as representatives? How do gender and other demographic traits (e.g. race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, etc.) intersect to shape women's experiences as voters, candidates, and representatives in American politics? What has changed since 1920 and what hasn't? How have cultural norms about gender roles affected women's experiences in different eras? We'll look at the work political scientists and other researchers have done so far to answer these questions, learn about selected individual women's experiences as candidates and officeholders, and weigh in on ongoing debates about how to enhance women's participation in electoral politics.

Voting and elections are the cornerstone of every democracy. They are how we the people tell the government what we want. Yet, complaints about the electoral process are as old as democracy itself. Even today - especially today - issues like Gerrymandering and the Electoral College have us questioning whether or not ordinary citizens really are qualified to make political decisions. "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." - Joseph Stalin In this course, we will examine the variety of ways that voters decide and votes are counted. Are some electoral systems better than others? Are some fairer than others? Are those even the same thing? One unique feature of this course is that we will examine these issues from political and mathematical perspectives. Can math help us measure the proportionality, fairness, efficiency or effectiveness of a political system? Can it help us find solutions for the democratic dilemma? This course is cross-listed as MAT 106 and PSC 220. As such, it can be used to satisfy the Quantitative Literacy or Behavioral Science distribution credits. Take MAT-106 for Quantitative Literacy and PSC-220 for Behavorial Science

What is politics? What do freedom and virtue have to do with it? This class focuses on reading, discussing, writing, and working on group projects about political theories of freedom and virtue together with class members who are incarcerated at Putnamville Correctional Facility. The goal of the class is to form a learning community that encompasses Wabash students and incarcerated students-a learning community that values all contributions to the conversation. In addition to the component of the course at Putnamville, during Thursday course meetings at Wabash, we will read about, reflect on, and discuss topics like community-engaged learning and social justice, as well as on our experiences at Putnamville. To learn more about the course and how to register, please email Lorraine McCrary at mccraryl@wabash.edu. Registration is by instructor permission. Please email Lorraine McCrary at mccraryl@wabash.edu by 10/22 to register. This course meets at different times on different days: On Tuesday it meets from 12:50-2:50 at Putnamville Correctional Facility (depart at 11 a.m.; return at 3:5 p.m.; lunch and transportation provided). On Thursdays it meets from 1:10-2:25 on Wabash's campus.

Why do we see war? Why is cooperation difficult? What are the humanitarian outcomes of conflicts? This course presents and analyzes the fundamental security challenges in contemporary international politics. The course considers general policy problems, while providing applications to specific contemporary cases. This course provides students with an overview of the theoretical and policy debates that comprise the field of international security. Each week focuses on a discrete topic which collectively gives students a sense of past, present, and future security challenges. We will analyze classic studies of why countries go to war and form alliances as well as more recent research topics like why groups use terrorism, the emergence of international interventions, and contemporary issues in human security. The primary goal is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge on a range of topics in international security. This foundation should familiarize students new to international security with the major debates in the field and prepare them for more focused studies of topics in international security should they be of interest.

This course provides an introduction to international political economy, the study of the interactions between politics and economics, governments, and markets. We will attempt to answer the following questions: How do political processes influence economic decision-making? What influence do national and international economic forces have on political outcomes? This course covers important topics such as trade, foreign direct investment, international monetary system, foreign aid, and development. We will also learn major international institutions governing these issue areas. Specifically, we will discuss the roles of social movements, political parties, public opinion, and multinational corporations in shaping the global economy. In developing answers to these questions, we will explore major current problems and debates in the global economy from both historical and theoretical perspectives.

Many of the most controversial ideas in society concern human behavior. What kind of care should we provide to transgender minors? Is our intelligence dictated by our genetics? Do biological differences explain gender differences in men and women? Even controversial topics concerning the natural world-such as climate change-require us to think about the role of human behavior and cognition. In this class, we will embrace controversial topics and explore what psychological research has to say about them. Importantly, this class will not attempt to give equal weight to both sides of an issue for the sake of balance. Rather, we will focus on how an educated citizen can sift through information and misinformation to base conclusions on the best available psychological evidence and to then communicate those conclusions through dialogue and writing.

This course will explore theological and philosophical questions by reading works of literature. The questions will include the problem of evil, the potential meaning(s) of suffering, the experience of faith and doubt, and the miracle of forgiveness and reconciliation, and others. The works of literature will include short stories, novels, and poems, mostly drawn from English-language writers of the last 100 years, but with some exceptions. A secondary goal of the class is to reflect on the ways literature, religion and culture inter-relate.

REL 273-01- Augustine: Philosophy and Theology Augustine of Hippo (354-430) is the most influential figure in the history of Christianity in the last sixteen hundred years. His legacy is (usually proudly) claimed by Protestant and Roman Catholics alike. This course will read his masterpiece Confessions, as well as selections of his philosophical writings. He is a major figure in the development of Platonism, so the class will also learn about Plato's philosophy as it was useful to Christianity. Course offered first half of the semester.

REL 273-02 - Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy and Theology Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) is the most important medieval theologian and philosopher. His work integrated classical Christian beliefs with the newest philosophy and science available at the time: Aristotle's recently re-discovered thought. This seminar will read excerpts from Thomas' Summa Theologica related to the nature and existence of God, evil, human action, sacraments and grace. Course offered second half of the semester.

"Dancing on the Bridge": Diversity, Religion, and the Liberal Arts How, in a global-digital world, do we bridge the gap between people of widely divergent backgrounds? Between diverse religions? Cultures? Races? Ethnicities? Worldviews? Should we aim for tolerance? Acceptance? Understanding? Should we learn from them, in the manner of a humanist? Should we learn about them, in the manner of a scientist or scholar? Should we try to deconstruct hidden prejudices? How? Why? These are basic liberal-arts questions. In this course, we will build a model for negotiating diversity based on "play" and the "work of art." We will use tools drawn from "hermeneutics," or the art and theory of interpretation. Case studies will be drawn from religion, art, music, philosophy, law, history, and anthropology. Texts will include Hans-Georg Gadamer's Truth and Method, as well as selections from Kant, Voltaire, Geertz, W.E.B. DuBois, Anthony Appiah, and critical race theory.

This seminar will examine portrayals of Jesus in American history, religion, and culture. From God incarnate to compassionate friend, liberator to countercultural icon, baby in a manger to personal savior, Jesus has been represented in numerous ways in the American context. Utilizing stories, histories, films, and art, we will analyze changing American perceptions of Jesus and their role in American history and culture.

First Half-Semester Course "All rites begin in simplicity, are brought to fulfillment in elegant form, and end in joy." So says Xunzi, the great Confucian writer of antiquity. Is he right? What are rituals? Are they routine acts, which we do simply because we've always done them? Or are they meaningful acts, which we do because they actually signify something? If the latter, what do they signify? Can we say that all rituals somehow religious? If so, why? If not, why not? In this half-course, we'll read selections from various writers on ritual. Using film and other media, we'll also look at a variety of ritual activities from different cultures, including College rituals, religious ceremonies, holidays like Thanksgiving, and the "little rituals" of everyday life in, e.g., media, sports, or politics.

Second Half-Semester Course Do myths and symbols belong in the skill-set of people living in a modern scientific world? Or are they playthings for nerds or soft-minded romantics? What exactly are symbols? Myths? What do they do? Are they socially constructed? Archetypal? Something else? How important are they for religion? Can you have a religion that's "demythologized"? Should you? These are some of the questions that we'll tackle in this half-course. We'll read selections from, among others, Paul Tillich and Wendy Doniger, as well as their critics. Using film and other media, we'll also read or look at a variety of myths, both ancient and modern.

As the imperial forces of Rome moved through the region of Palestina in the second century CE, a group of ancient Jews hid over eight hundred manuscripts in a cave system located at Qumran, just 13 miles outside of Jerusalem. The discovery of these documents in the 1950s was a landmark event for the study of ancient Judaism and the New Testament. These jars were full of biblical manuscripts, noncanonical texts (scripturesque), ancient commentaries, communal documents, apocalypses, and more. In this course, we will critically investigate the Qumran library with an eye towards the New Testament and the world of Second Temple Judaism (500BCE-70CE). Topics of focus include apocalypse, ritual purity, legal interpretation, expansion of scripture, and sectarianism.

Youth are often defined as "the future" in public discourse. However, they face social, political, and civic barriers in their efforts to participate in the deliberation of public issues. This course will examine the rhetoric of youth activism or how youth have attempted to intervene in public discourse on the issues of most concern for their generation. We will examine historical and contemporary, U.S. and international, case studies on youth-led and youth-centered social movements. Course topics will include civil rights, race, the environment, and gun violence prevention. Students will engage with primary rhetorical texts, as well as scholarly rhetorical criticisms.

Populists & Progressives From 1890-1929, the United States experienced a groundswell of public participation in U.S. politics and social movements. In this course, we will study the "calamity howlers," social reformers, agitators, politicians, religious leaders, newspaper writers, and organizations that shaped public rhetoric and political action during this period. In surveying this era, the course will consider agrarianism, temperance and prohibition, suffrage, civil rights, political corruption, and consumer health and safety. The course will engage the rhetoric of national figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryan, Ida B. Wells, and Francis Willard; as well as Hoosiers Eugene Debs, Thomas Marshall, John Hurty, and Naomi Anderson. Students will read primary texts and archival materials, as well as scholarly essays relevant to this period. This course can be applied to the Lit/Fine Arts distribution requirement as RHE-270, or to the HIS/PHI/REL distribution requirement as HIS-240.

The U.S. president has become, by many estimates, the most powerful person in the world. This course considers how such power in contemporary mediated society is connected to the president's use of rhetoric. Specifically, students will explore how contemporary presidents use rhetoric to govern, with particular attention to the relationship between presidents and the American people. The course material will include presidential rhetoric but also theoretical and rhetorical criticism essays that explore the operations of that rhetoric. This course focuses on the discourse of elected presidents who speak in an official capacity, not on election campaigns or fictional portrayals of U.S. presidents. Students should expect this to be a seminar course, meaning that our class sessions will be largely student-driven discussion from assigned material. By taking this course, students will cultivate a more nuanced understanding of the operations of U.S. presidential rhetoric, culminating in a research project that analyzes a significant instance of presidential rhetoric. This course is restricted to sophomores, juniors and seniors; or with permission of the instructor.

This course investigates the rhetoric of religion and religious practice. We will identify rhetorical theories that can be applied as methods of rhetorical criticism to offer insights about the symbolic significance of religion, religious identity, and religious practice. In so doing, we will ask: Is religion a force for good? How is religion used to advance freedom, justice, and greater concern for a common good? Throughout the course, students will consider a range of historical and contemporary rhetoric, in local and global contexts, drawing from voices in Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Indigenous faith traditions. Students will read essays of rhetorical criticism, encounter historical and contemporary religious texts, and produce an independent rhetorical criticism on a topic of their choosing. This course is restricted to sophomores, juniors and seniors; or with permission of the instructor.

In this class students will take part in learning how storytelling occurs through advertising, magazine and newspaper articles, crónicas, testimonio, and memoir. Students will work in developing content for a community Spanish magazine, and take part in Community Storytelling workshops in Spanish. If a student is a native Spanish speaking and does not meet the pre-requisites; they can be be registered by Instructor consent.

Soccer, or football as it's known in most of the world, holds a unique and deeply ingrained place in Argentine culture. In this course we will explore Argentine football through short stories, essays, and film. The course includes an immersion trip to Argentina at the end of the semester (last two weeks of May). This course is offered by Instructor consent.

Spanish Crime Fiction: from Picaresque to Police Procedural In this course, we will trace the changing concepts of crime and criminality in what we now call Spain from the Middle Ages to today. Using a range of narrative sources (short stories, novels, film, and television) and a variety of critical approaches (legal, literary, film, and cultural studies) we will investigate how the social reality of crime, and the stories we tell about it, impact and inform one another.

This course will explore how the human body communicates character and meaning in various global contexts. With an emphasis on non-Western physical practices such as yoga, we will investigate theater's pre-Greek and non-European origins, as well as how these traditions have evolved over time. We will encounter performance forms from the Middle East (Ta'ziyeh), Asia (Kyogen), and South America (Teatro del Oprimido), as well as performance techniques with non-Western lineages like Suzuki and Rasa. By experimenting with global theatrical traditions, students will also examine how ideas of gender are interpreted and performed in non-Western contexts. Other areas of focus will include tai-chi, mask performance, puppets and other performing objects, clowning, folklore study, and choral movement. This course is appropriate for all students, at all levels, regardless of artistic background. Student-athletes are particularly encouraged to enroll.

Cosplay is a performance form in which participants build and wear costumes to represent fictional characters. With its origins ranging from Renaissance-era masquerade balls and early science fiction conventions, today cosplay has become a truly global phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the history of cosplay and its cultural variations. Students will also research and design cosplay characters, and then adapt and make their garments by learning the basics of hand sewing, machine sewing, and crafting. The knowledge and skills in this class have a range of potential applications: from studio art and technical theater to fashion design and cultural history.

This course will introduce students to the art of theatrical lighting design. Students will come to understand the basics of contemporary lighting technology, learn the history of theatrical lighting, and get hands-on experience by creating and executing a lighting design for a mainstage production. From the use of color theory and the psychological effects of light to angle theories and drafting, the process of creating lighting environments for theatre, music, and dance performances has applications far beyond the stage; lighting design is a critical element in film and digital media production as well as interior design and architecture. This course is appropriate for first-year students.

Wabash on the Fringe: Devising and Staging International Theater Devised theater is a play-building process, in which improvisation, playwrighting, and artistic collaboration are used to create a brand-new performance work. The devising process brings together an artistic team-theater artists, visual and digital artists, music-makers, dancers, creative writers-for the purpose of a common project. The devising process includes team-building, research, script development, project management, and rehearsal, culminating in a live performance of an original play. This is an immersion course in two parts: 1) during the semester, we will devise an original play to be performed at Wabash in April, and 2) we will take the play to Scotland in August, 2025 for a series of performances at the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. This is a course suitable for actors, designers, visual artists, musicians, writers, dancers, and anyone else interested in the potential of creative storytelling in an international setting.