Given that demographic changes, immigration patterns, transnational adoption, new U.S. Supreme Court rulings impacting LGBTQ+ families, and the addition of a multiracial option on the 2010 Census have all contributed to changes in the ways that individuals and families identify, are formed, and are (re)negotiated, it is of critical importance to examine scholarship highlighting these diverse (and often underrepresented) family forms. Families in the United States today are faced with opportunities and challenges that have never been experienced by families before. The first 21 years of this century have produced large social, civil, and technological changes that impact not only the communication among family members, but has also impacted larger societal discourses about what constitutes “family.” Although family communication scholars have long called for the inclusion of more diverse samples in family research, to date this research remains very limited in the understanding of family functioning, relationships, and processes in families of color, LGBTQ families, transnational and neo-ethnic families, discourse dependent families, and other family forms. To this end, this course examines the communicative experiences of contemporary and underrepresented families.  

Even in the land of Super Targets and Big Mac hamburgers, bigger is not always better--at least not in terms of literature. Short stories, because of their compression and intensity, offer lively plots and constant surprises. To the delight of readers everywhere, American authors provide a wellspring of tales that uncover our past, define our present, and speak to our future. In keeping with our diverse American heritage, stories have been chosen from a broad cross-section of literary and cultural traditions. Alongside canonical authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ernest Hemingway, we read the works of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Louise Erdrich, Kate Chopin, and others, examining how these diverse voices diverge from, resist, and transform the traditional American short story canon. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. This course satisfies a WAC Writing Intensive requirement, an Integration in the Humanities requirement, and the Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Please note that ENGL 201 is non-repeatable; students wishing to take a second 200-level Texts in Conversation course will need to register for ENGL 202, 203, or 204. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190.

Given that demographic changes, immigration patterns, transnational adoption, new U.S. Supreme Court rulings impacting LGBTQ+ families, and the addition of a multiracial option on the 2010 Census have all contributed to changes in the ways that individuals and families identify, are formed, and are (re)negotiated, it is of critical importance to examine scholarship highlighting these diverse (and often underrepresented) family forms. Families in the United States today are faced with opportunities and challenges that have never been experienced by families before. The first 21 years of this century have produced large social, civil, and technological changes that impact not only the communication among family members, but has also impacted larger societal discourses about what constitutes “family.” Although family communication scholars have long called for the inclusion of more diverse samples in family research, to date this research remains very limited in the understanding of family functioning, relationships, and processes in families of color, LGBTQ families, transnational and neo-ethnic families, discourse dependent families, and other family forms. To this end, this course examines the communicative experiences of contemporary and underrepresented families.  

Leaders, both with and without formal management titles, need to appreciate the diverse people internal and external to their organizations and society at large. It is critical that leaders step up to design and deliver effective programs of inclusion in their organizations. Culturally competent leaders think critically about these programs and practice inclusion at individual, interpersonal, team, organization, and community levels. This requires foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes applied in diverse domestic and global contexts. This course introduces a range of perspectives to explore topics including, but not limited to, human diversity; inclusive cultures; social identity and perception; power and privilege; and models and paradigms for interpersonal and organizational inclusion. Prerequisites: MGMT 200 or MGMT 305 and Junior standing. Note: Students who receive credit for MGMT 385 may not receive credit for MGMT 388

This course is a comprehensive introduction to the most pressing issues and questions concerning disability. Students will encounter and critically evaluate longstanding stereotypes and biases about the disadvantages of disability. This course examines disability primarily from a philosophical perspective, yet readings from other disciplines will also be used throughout the course. Some of the central questions examined in the course include: What is disability? Is disability merely a medical condition? In what ways do societal barriers disable? How does economic class impact access to educational, medical and social resources? Does disability itself make a person worse off or is it only social stigmatization and lack of accommodation that makes the lives of those with disabilities worse? How have those with disabilities been disadvantaged in the US? What is the basis for human dignity? What conceptual frameworks allow us to uphold the dignity of those with severe disabilities? Which behaviors and assumptions threaten the equality and dignity of those with disabilities? Prerequisite: PHIL 110.

Theology courses numbered 221-229+300 are reserved for students on the new core curriculum. This section is designed to acquaint students with the theology of Christian marriage, understood as covenant relationship and as sacrament, that is, an effective sign of God's love in our world. Primary though not exclusive emphasis will be on the Roman Catholic tradition. Students will also examine contemporary cultural attitudes toward sexuality, marriage, and the family in the light of Christian theology.

AMCD 200, American Culture:Power/Identity: (This course was originally titled ACST 200: Introduction to American Culture and Difference; the name change has been submitted as an information item to the UCC). In AMCD 200, students learn about the historical and theoretical foundations of Cultural Studies as an academic discipline and use cultural theory to analyze a variety of cultural products and representations. In this course, students look specifically at dominant and subversive constructions of gender, race, ethnicity, national and sexual identities, and how these constructions are deployed through cultural practices and productions such as sports, film and television, folklore and popular culture, youth subcultures, music, and so on. For example, the course may contain units on "nation" and the creation of American mythologies; the process of hero-making in American history; stereotypes and the representation of race and ethnicity in television and film; representations of gender and sexuality in advertising; as well as a section on American music from jazz, blues, folk and roots music, to rock and roll, punk, and hip-hop.

Street art—including graffiti, murals, and other installations in public space—provides expressive avenues for marginalized voices, shapes urban space, and promotes competing visions of community development. In contrast to art that is created for museums or the commercial art market, street art is uniquely positioned to engage with social issues from a critical perspective. This class will involve an analysis of street art projects from the United States, situated in comparison with projects from around the world. Topics to explored include the history of street art over time (from its origins in graffiti to contemporary mural festivals); the impetus for street art in communities in the USA and globally; models for creating, preserving, and presenting street art; the institutionalization of street art; street art as it relates to diversity and inclusion; and, ultimately, the potential for street art to play a role in social change.

This course provides an investigation into the ways in which Catholicism is inherently social and ecclesial. Its specific focus is on the Christian engagement with the world. The course's framework will be taken from the analysis of society into three spheres of action (culture, politics, and economics) as described in Centesimus annus. We will examine the ways that Revelation, the sacramental life, and the teachings of the Church call Catholics to seek holiness and to witness to their faith in the world. Specific topics may include social and economic justice, politics and public policy, lay and religious apostolates, education, and marriage and family. Course materials may include resources from philosophy, theology, history, economics, and political science.

This course focuses on the creation and use of rhetoric in public persuasion settings, including social movements and political campaigns. The diversity of rhetorical acts examined may include campaign ads, speeches, films, advertisements, music, memorials, architecture and other nonverbal strategies. Topics of study may include: The rhetoric of domination and resistance, national identity formation, and the rhetoric of public memory.

This course focuses on theories and research of the historical and contemporary correlation between gender, race, class, and communicative practices, including rhetorical practice and mass communication content. It includes the influence of gender and racial stereotypes on public speech and debate, political campaigns and communication, organizational leadership, news coverage and advertising. Topics include: gendered perceptions of credibility; who is allowed to communicate and who is silenced due to class and racial privilege; and the impact of gender, race and class stereotypes about human nature, expertise, and abilities on individuals and groups that want to participate in public culture and communication. Students analyze and evaluate their own communicative styles in light of course readings and activities.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to understand television as a text situation in a cultural context. It will examine television from a critical perspective, review a wide variety of program genres and incorporate several theoretical orientations to the qualitative analysis of TV. Students, along with reading about and discussion of critical perspectives, watch programs such as comedies, dramas, news, advertisements, miniseries, etc., and write several critical analyses of the programs.

This course is designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, instructional practices, and dispositions to successfully manage diverse classrooms, using their understanding of multiple learning modalities and all types of diversity to promote all students' personal and academic achievement. The course engages candidates with issues such as race, class, gender, exceptionality, oppression, and discrimination while examining the crucial role of educators in influencing positive, systematic change for social justice.

This course will examine literary texts which feature the connection between the world of business and American culture. Work has always been an integral part of American society, and individuals often identify themselves with the work that they do. Students will closely read a handful of texts--Willa Cather's A LOST LADY, Solomon Northup’s 12 YEARS A SLAVE, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s THE GREAT GATSBY, Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN, and Colson Whitehead’s APEX HIDES THE HURT--to explore how the dominant cultural narratives behind common perceptions of American business (such as the American Dream and the self-made person) shift from the pre-Civil War era through the early twenty-first century. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. This course satisfies the Writing Across the Curriculum Writing Intensive requirement; an Integrations in the Humanities requirement; and the Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Please note that ENGL 202 is non-repeatable; students wishing to take a second 200-level Texts in Conversation course will need to register for ENGL 201, 203, or 204. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190.

This course explores fiction, music, poetry, video games, graphic novels, and other forms of media that explode myths about Asian & Asian American culture. We’ll meet Amadeus Cho, a teenaged genius who also happens to be the next Incredible Hulk, and Maika Halfwolf, the steampunk heroine of the Image comic MONSTRESS. We’ll read FRESH OFF THE BOAT, the memoir of a one-time thug who conquers the foodie world, and play BUTTERFLY SOUP, an interactive game about four queer girls in the Bay Area who to happen to love baseball and each other. We’ll unpack hip-hop lyrics by M.I.A., and crack the cultural codes in the standup comedy of Ali Wong and in Aziz Ansari’s Emmy Award-winning MASTER OF NONE. And we’ll decipher the testimony of the captain in the best-selling novel THE SYMPATHIZER, an ex-soldier who describes himself as “a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.” The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. This course satisfies an Integrations in the Humanities requirement; the Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement, and a WAC Writing Intensive requirement. Please note that ENGL 203 is non-repeatable; students wishing to take a second 200-level Texts in Conversation course will need to register for ENGL 201, 202, or 204. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190.

This course explores fiction, music, poetry, video games, graphic novels, and other forms of media that explode myths about Asian & Asian American culture. We’ll meet Amadeus Cho, a teenaged genius who also happens to be the next Incredible Hulk, and Maika Halfwolf, the steampunk heroine of the Image comic MONSTRESS. We’ll read FRESH OFF THE BOAT, the memoir of a one-time thug who conquers the foodie world, and play BUTTERFLY SOUP, an interactive game about four queer girls in the Bay Area who to happen to love baseball and each other. We’ll unpack hip-hop lyrics by M.I.A., and crack the cultural codes in the standup comedy of Ali Wong and in Aziz Ansari’s Emmy Award-winning MASTER OF NONE. And we’ll decipher the testimony of the captain in the best-selling novel THE SYMPATHIZER, an ex-soldier who describes himself as “a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.” The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. This course satisfies an Integrations in the Humanities requirement; the Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement, and a WAC Writing Intensive requirement. Please note that ENGL 203 is non-repeatable; students wishing to take a second 200-level Texts in Conversation course will need to register for ENGL 201, 202, or 204. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190.

This course surveys literature by women across the long twentieth century—from early-century writers like Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Virginia Woolf to contemporary writers such as Tracy K. Smith, Sarah Howe, and Ada Limón. Along the way, we will discuss social, cultural, and historical context, including contemporary issues. We will also read, analyze, and emulate the recent work of essayists such as Leslie Jamison and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie—writers who have forged new conversations about women, feminism, and gender studies. The course requires community involvement (event attendance and excursions), regular reading and writing assignments, and enthusiastic participation in class discussion. This course satisfies both an Integrations in the Humanities and the Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirements, as well as a WAC Writing to Learn requirement. In addition, this course satisfies a major/minor requirement for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies students; it also satisfies the Human Diversity and Context and Convergences requirements for English with Literature & Writing majors, a Human Diversity requirement for English with Professional Writing majors, and a literature requirement for English with Creative Writing majors. Prerequisite: ENGL 121 or 190.

This course, team-taught by a historian and a literary scholar, focuses on the long struggle of African Americans for justice and equality in the U.S. Analyzing literary and historical texts, students in this course will learn about and engage in research on African American history and culture. Utilizing historical, literary, and cultural approaches, this interdisciplinary course will immerse students into an exploration of the African American experience from multiple perspectives using dual disciplinary frameworks. For example, students may study Richard Wright’s NATIVE SON, but would read the text within the historical and cultural framework of the Great Migration, connecting Wright’s text not just to other literary texts, but situating it within an historical and cultural context vital to the novel’s creation and essential for its interpretation. The writing load for this course is a minimum of 15 pages of formal revised writing. This course satisfies an Integrations in the Humanities requirement; a Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement, and a WAC Writing Intensive requirement.

This course empowers and supports students’ engagement with traditional and emerging forms of media. Students will not only understand how media contents shape people’s beliefs about different social groups, and how media exposure and usage influence identity development and cultural norms, but also become mindful in their own creation of media content. Students will be able to use media wisely and critically for individual purposes and in broader civic participation. Students will work collaboratively and collectively to build their knowledge structures in media literacy, and to understand how media contents are created, used, interpreted, and re-used by themselves and others. As a result of this course, students will have a firm grasp on not only the relationships of literacy and media, but also concrete experiences in responsible creation and use of media texts including social media posts, wiki entries, short videos, photo essays, etc.

This course empowers and supports students’ engagement with traditional and emerging forms of media. Students will not only understand how media contents shape people’s beliefs about different social groups, and how media exposure and usage influence identity development and cultural norms, but also become mindful in their own creation of media content. Students will be able to use media wisely and critically for individual purposes and in broader civic participation. Students will work collaboratively and collectively to build their knowledge structures in media literacy, and to understand how media contents are created, used, interpreted, and re-used by themselves and others. As a result of this course, students will have a firm grasp on not only the relationships of literacy and media, but also concrete experiences in responsible creation and use of media texts including social media posts, wiki entries, short videos, photo essays, etc.

This course introduces students to qualitative research theories, methods, and techniques focused on representing voices of women, people of color, people in poverty and others that are marginalized or excluded from dominant culture. Specifically, students will gain familiarity with the qualitative social science methods of interviews, ethnography, documentary research, and focus groups. Throughout the course, students will be guided through the process of designing and conducting their own unique research projects meanwhile learning from ongoing research with their instructors and partner organizations. In addition to training in data collection techniques, analysis, and varied epistemologies, the course thoroughly explores the ethics of research with marginalized communities and the ways in which research can and does relate to social change. Together, participants in this course will co-create a teaching/learning community wherein we all critically analyze and respectfully value each person’s individual and particular contributions as well as our diverse understandings of social reality and how we position ourselves in the multiple worlds in which we live and work.

Active nonviolence as a means for societal defense and social transformation analyzed through case studies of actual nonviolent movements, examining their political philosophy and how this philosophy is reflected in their methods and strategies. Examples of possible case studies include: Mahatma Gandhi's movement for a free India, Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, the struggle for interracial justice in the United State, an integrated Canada-to-Cuba peace-and-freedom walk, the campaign to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (WHINSEC), fair trade movements, and the Honeywell Project. The course emphasizes the theory and active practice of nonviolence as well as oral histories of successful nonviolent movements. Usually offered every semester.

Active nonviolence as a means for societal defense and social transformation analyzed through case studies of actual nonviolent movements, examining their political philosophy and how this philosophy is reflected in their methods and strategies. Examples of possible case studies include: Mahatma Gandhi's movement for a free India, Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, the struggle for interracial justice in the United State, an integrated Canada-to-Cuba peace-and-freedom walk, the campaign to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (WHINSEC), fair trade movements, and the Honeywell Project. The course emphasizes the theory and active practice of nonviolence as well as oral histories of successful nonviolent movements. Usually offered every semester.

Active nonviolence as a means for societal defense and social transformation analyzed through case studies of actual nonviolent movements, examining their political philosophy and how this philosophy is reflected in their methods and strategies. Examples of possible case studies include: Mahatma Gandhi's movement for a free India, Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, the struggle for interracial justice in the United State, an integrated Canada-to-Cuba peace-and-freedom walk, the campaign to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (WHINSEC), fair trade movements, and the Honeywell Project. The course emphasizes the theory and active practice of nonviolence as well as oral histories of successful nonviolent movements. Usually offered every semester.

Active nonviolence as a means for societal defense and social transformation analyzed through case studies of actual nonviolent movements, examining their political philosophy and how this philosophy is reflected in their methods and strategies. Examples of possible case studies include: Mahatma Gandhi's movement for a free India, Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, the struggle for interracial justice in the United State, an integrated Canada-to-Cuba peace-and-freedom walk, the campaign to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (WHINSEC), fair trade movements, and the Honeywell Project. The course emphasizes the theory and active practice of nonviolence as well as oral histories of successful nonviolent movements. Usually offered every semester.

This course presents the concepts, techniques, and behavioral skills needed for managing projects effectively. The course introduces students to a project's life cycle (from project definition and goals to completion of the project) and the behavioral dynamics that need to be managed to achieve success. Project leaders need to fulfill multiple roles on a project including managing the timeline, meeting project specifications, resource budgeting and creating a sustainable project culture. Prerequisites: MGMT 200 or MGMT 305; and OPMT 300 or OPMT 310; and Junior standing.

Leaders, both with and without formal management titles, need to appreciate the diverse people internal and external to their organizations and society at large. It is critical that leaders step up to design and deliver effective programs of inclusion in their organizations. Culturally competent leaders think critically about these programs and practice inclusion at individual, interpersonal, team, organization, and community levels. This requires foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes applied in diverse domestic and global contexts. This course introduces a range of perspectives to explore topics including, but not limited to, human diversity; inclusive cultures; social identity and perception; power and privilege; and models and paradigms for interpersonal and organizational inclusion. Prerequisites: MGMT 200 or MGMT 305 and Junior standing. Note: Students who receive credit for MGMT 385 may not receive credit for MGMT 388

Leaders, both with and without formal management titles, need to appreciate the diverse people internal and external to their organizations and society at large. It is critical that leaders step up to design and deliver effective programs of inclusion in their organizations. Culturally competent leaders think critically about these programs and practice inclusion at individual, interpersonal, team, organization, and community levels. This requires foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes applied in diverse domestic and global contexts. This course introduces a range of perspectives to explore topics including, but not limited to, human diversity; inclusive cultures; social identity and perception; power and privilege; and models and paradigms for interpersonal and organizational inclusion. Prerequisites: MGMT 200 or MGMT 305 and Junior standing. Note: Students who receive credit for MGMT 385 may not receive credit for MGMT 388

The purpose of this course will be to help students appreciate the presence and understand the nuisances and similarities of various subcultures within the United States. From targeting and segmenting customers to developing partnerships, the class will discuss how these may impact American marketing practices and trends. Realizing that a subculture is any group that shares a set of attitudes, values and goals, this course will consider not only ethnic subcultures but religious, sexual orientation & gender identity, ability, and generational subcultures. Students will be exposed to concepts such as cultural capital, intercultural penetration, intersectionality, historical context and other concepts of culture and identity as they learn how individuals and organizations can effectively and responsibly engage with multiple diverse stakeholders. Prerequisites: MKTG 200

This course is a comprehensive introduction to the most pressing issues and questions concerning disability. Students will encounter and critically evaluate longstanding stereotypes and biases about the disadvantages of disability. This course examines disability primarily from a philosophical perspective, yet readings from other disciplines will also be used throughout the course. Some of the central questions examined in the course include: What is disability? Is disability merely a medical condition? In what ways do societal barriers disable? How does economic class impact access to educational, medical and social resources? Does disability itself make a person worse off or is it only social stigmatization and lack of accommodation that makes the lives of those with disabilities worse? How have those with disabilities been disadvantaged in the US? What is the basis for human dignity? What conceptual frameworks allow us to uphold the dignity of those with severe disabilities? Which behaviors and assumptions threaten the equality and dignity of those with disabilities? Prerequisite: PHIL 110.

This Signature Work section of Disability and Human Dignity is a comprehensive introduction to the most pressing issues and questions concerning disability. Students will encounter and critically evaluate longstanding stereotypes and biases about the disadvantages of disability. This course examines disability primarily from a philosophical perspective, yet readings from other disciplines will also be used throughout the course. Some of the central questions examined in the course include: What is disability? Is disability merely a medical condition? In what ways do societal barriers disable? How does economic class impact access to educational, medical and social resources? Does disability itself make a person worse off or is it only social stigmatization and lack of accommodation that makes the lives of those with disabilities worse? How have those with disabilities been disadvantaged in the US? What is the basis for human dignity? What conceptual frameworks allow us to uphold the dignity of those with severe disabilities? Which behaviors and assumptions threaten the equality and dignity of those with disabilities? Prerequisites: PHIL 110; and at least 80 credits completed by the start of the course.

An examination of physiological, experiential, and social factors affecting the psychological development of women and their status as adults. Addresses diversity among women and how factors such as class and race intersect with historical and contemporary gender inequalities in women's lives. Topics include: biological and social influences on the development of gender, research on sex-related differences in psychological traits and cognitive abilities, media image and stereotypes of women, close relationships and sexuality, mothering, employment, aging, violence against women, and psychological health. Prerequisite: PSYC 111

The course surveys some basic facts and principles of administration, absorption, transport, action, deactivation and elimination of drugs. Various classes of drugs; their effects on mood, behavior, and consciousness; their use and misuse; and phenomena of chemical dependency and its treatment modalities are discussed. Lectures, readings, films, tapes and invited speakers are employed. Prerequisite: PSYC 111

The course surveys some basic facts and principles of administration, absorption, transport, action, deactivation and elimination of drugs. Various classes of drugs; their effects on mood, behavior, and consciousness; their use and misuse; and phenomena of chemical dependency and its treatment modalities are discussed. Lectures, readings, films, tapes and invited speakers are employed. Prerequisite: PSYC 111

Race and ethnicity as significant components of U.S. social structure; the cognitive and normative aspects of culture which maintain and effect varying manifestations of social distance, tension, prejudice and discrimination between majority and minorities at both micro and macro levels, nationally and internationally. This course meets a requirement in American Cultural Studies and Justice and Peace Studies. Prerequisite: sophomore standing

Sexuality as a social construction is explored with a specific focus on cultural and institutional influences including the family, economy, religion, government, and the media. Current research findings are discussed within the context of historical change in American sexual behavior, attitudes and research methodologies. This course meets a requirement in Family Studies. Prerequisite: SOCI 100 or 110

This course equips students to understand and critically analyze current and past social policies. Policy alternatives are explored with a focus on the values and attitudes as well as the societal, economic and political dynamics from which they originate. Roles and responsibilities of citizens and professionals in formulating and implementing policies responsive to actual social needs are addressed. Prerequisite: SOWK 181 (or 281 under the old course number) or consent of the Program Director.

Intensive practice in written Spanish using selected materials to acquire a high level of competence in writing Spanish. This writing course aims to improve technique, expand syntactic depth, increase vocabulary and learn good writing through a process approach involving stages of idea development, thesis construction, structural development, bibliographic notation, evaluation of ideas and rewriting of the text. Lectures and class discussions are based on major topics that relate to the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Written skills will be assessed. Prerequisite: Completion of SPAN 300 or its equivalent with a C- or better.

This section is designed to acquaint students with the theology of Christian marriage, understood as covenant relationship and as sacrament, that is, an effective sign of God's love in our world. Primary though not exclusive emphasis will be on the Roman Catholic tradition. Students will also examine contemporary cultural attitudes toward sexuality, marriage, and the family in the light of Christian theology.

In the last half century religious diversity in the West has rapidly increased, bringing people from different religious traditions into daily contact. This has resulted in new conflicts, sometimes in violence, but also in new collaborations and friendships. Drawing on several approaches to interreligious conflict and relations, this course will examine the dynamic encounters that take place between and among people of different religious identities and ask students to reflect on their own role in religiously complex situations. Students will consider this interreligious reality and their role in it against the backdrop of their own individual relationship to spirituality, faith, and theology. To foster interreligious understanding beyond the classroom, students in this course will spend significant time outside the classroom directly engaging religious diversity. 

In the last half century religious diversity in the West has rapidly increased, bringing people from different religious traditions into daily contact. This has resulted in new conflicts, sometimes in violence, but also in new collaborations and friendships. Drawing on several approaches to interreligious conflict and relations, this course will examine the dynamic encounters that take place between and among people of different religious identities and ask students to reflect on their own role in religiously complex situations. Students will consider this interreligious reality and their role in it against the backdrop of their own individual relationship to spirituality, faith, and theology. To foster interreligious understanding beyond the classroom, students in this course will spend significant time outside the classroom directly engaging religious diversity. 

What does it mean to be labeled an African American dramatist? A Latino/a poet? A transgender novelist? An Asian American essayist? A Native American environmental writer? How do the varied experiences and backgrounds of authors writing from diverse subject positions inform, mark, and/or transform their writing? How do the works of these writers fit into, conflict with, actively resist, or even redefine the American Literary canon as it has been traditionally understood? These questions and more will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive reading of literature from: a) American communities of color; b) postcolonial peoples; c) immigrant and/or diasporic peoples; or d) LGBTQ communities. This course will focus on the literary and cultural texts of one or more of these groups with an emphasis on the cultural, political, and historical contexts that surround them. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. 

What does it mean to be labeled an African American dramatist? A Latino/a poet? A transgender novelist? An Asian American essayist? A Native American environmental writer? How do the varied experiences and backgrounds of authors writing from diverse subject positions inform, mark, and/or transform their writing? How do the works of these writers fit into, conflict with, actively resist, or even redefine the American Literary canon as it has been traditionally understood? These questions and more will be explored in a chronological framework through extensive reading of literature from: a) American communities of color; b) postcolonial peoples; c) immigrant and/or diasporic peoples; or d) LGBTQ communities. This course will focus on the literary and cultural texts of one or more of these groups with an emphasis on the cultural, political, and historical contexts that surround them. This course fulfills the Historical Perspectives requirement in the English major. Prerequisites: ENGL 121 or 190. 

This course is a comprehensive introduction to the most pressing issues and questions concerning disability.  Students will encounter and critically evaluate longstanding stereotypes and biases about the disadvantages of disability.  This course examines disability primarily from a philosophical perspective, yet readings from other disciplines will also be used throughout the course.   Some of the central questions examined in the course include:  What is disability?  Is disability merely a medical condition?  In what ways do societal barriers disable? How does economic class impact access to educational, medical and social resources?  Does disability itself make a person worse off or is it only social stigmatization and lack of accommodation that makes the lives of those with disabilities worse?  How have those with disabilities been disadvantaged in the US?  What is the basis for human dignity?  What conceptual frameworks allow us to uphold the dignity of those with severe disabilities?  Which behaviors and assumptions threaten the equality and dignity of those with disabilities? Prerequisite: PHIL 110

Development of theater in the United States from its 17th century roots to the present, with special attention to contemporary American drama. Emphasis on the connections between theater and culture.