GE DIV

Introduction to the foundations and approaches of African-American studies. Examines historical, sociological, psychological, religious and philosophical perspectives of the African-American experience.

The historical development of African civilizations from earliest times to the present. Focuses on the cultural, political, social and economic factors which shaped Africa and its people.

This course surveys the history of the African Americans in the United States from African origin to the present. Special attention will be given to the social, political, economic experiences and events that have helped shape the African-American community.

Examines the unique culture and history of the Deaf community in the U.S. Discussions include the values, norms, identities, traditions and subcultures within the larger Deaf community. The nature of sign language, the education and employment of Deaf individuals and historical treatment of deafness will be explored.

This course provides a general orientation to and overview of the communication between cultures. The emphasis will be upon offering insight into how cultural differences and similarities impact upon the relationship between culture and communication. The focus will deal with the challenges of communication in a culturally diverse society and offer techniques for improving communication between members of different cultures.

An introduction to masterpieces of world literature to 1500. A variety of cultural, intellectual, historical and literary perspectives are explored in selections by authors from Asia, Africa and Continental Europe. Students complete reading, writing and research assignments designed to develop the skills of literary interpretation and analysis.

An introduction to masterpieces of world literature from 1500. A variety of cultural, intellectual, historical and literary perspectives are explored in selections by authors from Asia, Africa, Continental Europe and Latin America. Students complete reading, writing and research assignments designed to develop the skills of literary interpretation and analysis.

The literature of the Black American from African and Pre-Civil War songs and tales to the writers of the Reconstruction, the early 1900's, the Harlem Renaissance, the WPA Writers-Workshop and the new Black writers of the 1990's. Occasional Offering.

Writers who have shaped woman as a literary image and spoken with a woman's voice in novels, short stories and poems.

Students read works which have either homosexuality as a prominent theme or prominent homosexual characters. Writers include, but are not limited to, Sappho, Catullus, Walt Whitman, Gertrude Stein, Virginia Woolf, Allen Ginsberg, Martin Duberman, Rita Mae Brown, Audre Lorde, Susan Sontag, Adrienne Rich, Minnie Bruce Pratt and Paul Monette. Old world and new world cultures, as well as a variety of genres, are discussed in this course. Occasional Offering.

Myths of ancient cultures from around the globe are read and discussed through some of their great epics, plays, poems, folktales and histories. Students study myths from diverse cultures and traditions, such as Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, African, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Nordic, Meso-American and Native American. Students analyze research and write about the myths they read. Moreover, they examine the manipulation of myth by one culture to promote its own values over those of another. Myths are also studied from a variety of critical perspectives, including the literary, cultural, psychological, historical, religious, sociological, and anthropological. As part of their analysis, students explore the way myth can formulate ethical dilemmas, such as religious faith vs. reason; blood vengeance vs. trial by jury; pacifism vs. war & imperialism; women's rights vs. male hegemony; individual vs. community rights; family obligation vs. civic duty, etc. Attention is also given to the relevance of myths to contemporary cultural beliefs and practices. Occasional Offering.

This course surveys the major masterpieces of international cinema. Students view films from various countries, including but not limited to Russia, Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, England, Japan, India and more, and analyze motion pictures from a variety of cultural, historical, and intellectual perspectives, with an emphasis on key artistic principles and technical advancements. Students view numerous examples of classic films from various historical decades as well as complete reading, writing and research assignments.

Reading, analysis and discussion of works of representative Francophone writers from the late 19th and 20th centuries. Readings and discussions are primarily in French with a strong emphasis on the analysis of short stories, plays, poems, modern era and excerpts of novels.

Reading, analysis and discussion of French civilization and culture of major periods from prehistoric times to the present. Readings and discussions primarily in French. Concurrent major developments in other cultures will be considered. This course may be taken in lieu of FRE 222 to complete the modern language requirement for the A.A.

This course introduces students to important German writers of the modern era; the emphasis is on short stories and poems by authors from Austria, East Germany, Switzerland and West Germany.

This survey course is a study of the historical, political, economic, social and cultural referents of German speaking countries from pre-historic times to the present. Video programs and slide-set modules serve to illustrate points of discussion. Readings and discussions will be frequently in German.

An examination of health as a variable entity having physiological, psychological, social and multicultural dimensions. The course explores the relationship between cultural and health behavior as a means of increasing cultural sensitivity. Students will assess their health status and behavior as well as explore personal decision-making processes. Topics include, but are not limited to, establishing a basis for wellness, understanding sexuality, aspects of substance use and abuse, maintaining fitness, stress and stressors, and protecting one’s self against disease and environmental risks.

An exploration of the biological, physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects of sexuality and human sexual behavior. Multicultural influences are an integral part of the course.

This course is designed to trace the social, economic, political and cultural forces that shaped the cultures of the Third World from ancient times to the present. Emphasis is on the cultural similarities and differences between ways of life in Pre-Columbian (Maya, Aztec, Inca) America, the Middle East and Africa and the civilization of the West. (For a similar study of East Asia see HIS 123).

This course is designed to explore the historical origins and evolution of the beliefs and contemporary practices of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shintoism. Attention is given to the interaction of the specific religions and the cultures in which they are practiced.

This course is designed to enable both women and men to understand the background of women in the Western World. Emphasis is placed upon the roles of women in various societies and upon the contributions made by women. Several women's movements will be studied in detail.

Enhances students' understanding of global genocide and the Holocaust of World War II. A variety of studies will permit students to gain a broader understanding of prejudice and racism, as well as to develop their insight and knowledge of human inhumanity. Comparisons of worldwide genocides will be traced throughout the 20th century, with special focus on the Nazi Holocaust. Attention will be given to major issues pertaining to conscience and moral responsibility regarding prejudice, genocide and the Holocaust.

The course introduces and explores the areas of language acquisition, dialects, social variations of language, language and ethnicity, language and gender and cross-cultural and multi-cultural perspectives of language. The student will get a broad understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics in the context of English and its history.

Examines the psychological development and problems of people with physical challenges and learning disabilities.

Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and human groups.   This course covers basic sociological theories and methods of social research, with special attention to the following topics:  culture, values and norms, socialization, social structure, deviance, stratification, social institutions and differentiation by region, race, ethnicity, gender, age and class.

An examination of the historical and contemporary experiences of the U.S.'s diverse and multicultural population, including cultural values, lifestyles, and contributions of a cross-section of diverse identitites, which include categories such as race, ethnicity, gender, social class, sexual orientation, and disability status.  Students apply a sociological perspective to policy issues regarding diversity and multiculturalism, as well as discuss how a person's status in each group influences his or her social interactions, rights and life chances.

An exploration of how gender identities are socially constructed and how they intersect with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, age, and other dimensions of identity.  Students address these issues as well as examine the institutional bases for gender identity and inequality in the family, education, the workplace, religion, politics, and mass media.   Using a sociological framework for analysis, students investigate the social processes behind their own experiences of gender.

Introduction to the fundamental concepts of the study of literature in Spanish; an intensive study of representative authors and masterpieces of Hispanic literature from the 11th century to the onset of the Modernist period. Readings and discussions in Spanish.

Class work includes reading, analysis and discussion of major Spanish and Latin American writers from the Generation of '98 and the Modernist Period to the present. Readings and discussions mainly in Spanish.

Reading, analysis and discussion of Hispanic-American civilization and culture from pre-Columbian times to the present. Spanish readings are discussed mainly in Spanish.

Political, economic, social and cultural development of Spain from prehistoric times to the present. Readings and discussions mainly in Spanish.