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A study of American and European movements in painting, sculpture, and architecture from 1900 to the present. Emphasis is placed on Fauvism, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, International Style, Pop, Op Art, Minimal Art, Photorealism, and Post-Modernism.
Pre-Reqs: ARHI 2030 History of Art:Preh-Med and ARHI 2040 Hist of Art II: Ren-Mod or Studio Art Minor or Art Minor.
Less than 200 years old, photography seems to span millennia. With 1839 as the invention's launch date, there is no photograph of George Washington, but very soon we are flooded with the faces of composers, painters, and presidents: we know and are reminded of the ravages of civil and world wars, industrial progress and social injustice, or the beauty of pristine landscapes and their ecological demise. In this course, students will become familiar with some 100 notable photographers, from the beginning years of its invention to contemporary times with works by major artists and forgotten visionaries, all serving as a foundation for inspiration and understanding of the art worlds most visible medium. Grading in the course is based on a mid-term and final exam along with a major research paper.
Pre-req: ARHI.2030 History of Art:Preh-Med, or ARHI.2040 History of Art II:Ren-Mod, or ARHI.1010 Art Appreciation, or Studio Art Minor or Art Minor.
The goal of this class is to enhance students' ability to read and interpret American texts by learning how to see them in context, to understand the way readers approach texts from interpretative lenses, and to express their insights about American culture in a variety of forms and genres. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Pre-Req: ENGL.1020 College Writing II.
A required seminar for American studies majors normally taken during the second semester of the junior year or during the senior year. Students undertake a research project leading to the writing of a major paper with a theme that combines more than one discipline.
Pre-Req: Junior Status or ENGL 2480, AMST 2480 or 59.248.
An investigation of a topic using an interdisciplinary approach and leading to the writing of a majorpaper. The course provides an opportunity for a student to work closely with an instructor on atopic of special interest.
This course begins with a discussion of native American building traditions and proceeds chonologically from the 17th through the 20th centuries. Students will gain a familiarity with the major movements in American architecture (such as Colonial, Greek Revival, Victorian, Arts and Crafts, City Beautiful, International Style, Postmodern) as well as the leading archiects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. The architecture is discussed in its historical context with attention to the inventions, materials and aesthetic assumptions that made it possible.
A study of developments in painting, sculpture, performance, media arts, conceptual art, architecture, and design after 1900. This course encompasses modernisms in Europe, the Americas, Asia and the global south.
Pre-req: ENGL.1010 College Writing I.
This course centers on the study of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the period of first contact up through the mid-twentieth century. One of the central questions of American art remains its definition: when does it start? What sources does it draw upon? In this class we will discuss American art through its ties to the peoples, events, institutions, and landscape that shaped it.
Examination of issues of content, theory, and criticism in contemporary art. Current exhibitions and criticism are integral to the course. Topics vary from year to year. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course presents a brief history of the Criminal Justice System and an analysis of its structure and function. This course required of all CJ majors and is a prerequisite for all other courses in criminal justice. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course will encompass the study and relationship between those entities and institutions necessary for the protection of the United States. Course instructional material will examine the components of Federal, State and Local Police Agencies, as well as the role of Private Security and Emergency Responders needed to facilitate the implementation of the Homeland Security Act. Particular attention will be focused on Policy, Plans and Procedures at governmental and community levels.
This course provides an examination of the historical development of police work with special emphasis on the conflicting role expectations facing police officer.
This course provides an overview of the American correction system including the history of corrections, probation, incarceration, community corrections, the prison experience and release.
This course is designed to introduce students to the latest innovations in the applications of new technological advances in the criminal justice system. Topic areas include an examination of the new technology of crime commission, and the corresponding new technology of crime control strategies. Our focus will be on the application of both "hard" technology (e.g. equipment, hardware, devices, etc.) and "soft" technology (e.g. computer software programs, information systems, classification devices, and other problem-solving applications) in each of the following areas: crime prevention, police, courts, institutional corrections, community corrections and the private sector.
This course will center on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their potential use by terrorists to obtain their goals. We will explore the origins, development and weaponization of Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiological Systems and Devices. The course content is designed particularly for the First Responder to such incidents of WMD. The class will focus on the preparation and execution of plans and policies to counter this threat.
The definition and nature of crime, criminal statistics, and theories of crime causation are included. Required of all CJ majors.
This course provides an overview about how the media portrays crime and its impact on the general public, crime, and victims and offenders.
A course examining American constitutional doctrine as it has developed historically through the process of constitutional adjudication.
This course acquaints the Criminal Justice student with the concept of terrorism at both the international and domestic levels. Topics include the history of terrorism, terrorism today and terrorism in the future. Counter measures taken to respond to terrorist threats are also examined.
An examination of causative factors in the development of youthful offenders and the development and philosophy behind treatment and rehabilitative practices.
There is currently no description available for this course.
This course will provide an overview of white collar crime including white collar, corporate, occupational, workplace, and organized crime.
Pre-Reqs: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System, and CRIM 2210 Criminology I, and Criminal Justice (BS) majors or minors.
This course examines prejudice as a motivation for criminal behavior. The criminological theory for hate crime is reviewed, as well as historical perspectives of this crime category.
Pre-Req: CRIM.1010 Criminal Justice System.
This course provides students with an in-depth analysis of the courses, context, and control of a wide range of violent crimes.
Pre-req: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System or CRIM 2210 Criminology 1.
This course provides an overview of the development and character of the many types of offenders who become criminal psychopaths. The course explores the various methods used in classifying and predicting criminal behavior derived form the field of Criminology, Psychology and Forensic Science.
CJ Majors and Minors Only.
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how the U.S. intelligence community functions, where it fits in the policy making and law enforcement systems of U.S. democracy, and its role in the protection of national security.
Pre-req: CRIM.1150 Introduction to Homeland Security.
This course examines gender and racial implications of criminal laws, criminal justice practices and programs will be examined. The position of women and racial/ethnic minorities will be assessed from the different perspectives of victims, offenders, and criminal justice practitioners.
Hate crimes illustrate bigotry plus criminal acts. This course examines prejudice as a motivation for criminal behavior. The criminological theory for hate crime is reviewed, as well as historical perspectives of this crime category. This is a rich and comprehensive exploration that begins with understanding the psychology of prejudice and ends with reviewing genocide as a mass hate crime.
This course examines the use of new technologies to analyze crime patterns and develop crime prevention strategies. Students study theories that explain the geographic distribution of crime and learn how to use Geographic Information Systems to study crime in ways that draw upon theory as well as how to apply GIS techniques in the law enforcement and corrections fields.
Pre-Req: CRIM 3900 CJ Research Methods or PSYC 2690 Research I: Basics; CJ (BS) Junior/Senior standing only
Covers the problems posed by substance use/abuse and examines the role and impact of the legal, criminal justice, and public health systems, as well as current treatment/intervention approaches.
Pre-req: CRIM 1010 Criminal Justice System or CRIM 2210 Criminology I, Junior/Senior standing only.
This course will study the organization of and the processes employed by American Courts in an intensive participation format. Traditional text lessons on the U.S. Court system will be supplemented by simulations and mock trial problems. Using this two track approach, students will learn about the courts and simultaneously develop the analytical, critical reasoning and public speaking skills used in the Judicial system.
This course examines the causes and consequences of domestic violence and the latest research regarding the responses of the criminal justice system.
Level is Junior or Senior Standing Only.
An examination of the causes and consequences of computer crime as well as the criminal justice system's response to the problem.
Pre-Req: Criminal Justice majors only.
This course explores key legal issues likely to confront journalists, mass media professionals or students interested in learning more about the relationships between law, media and ethics in this global community. Nonetheless, students are challenged to think critically about the applicability of those issues to individuals and to media institutions that transmit information via spoken communications, writing, traditional media, mobile messages, social network sites, or e-mail messages.
Social Issues in Economics will take economic theory and apply it to public policy decisions. Topics that will be covered in the course are; Economics of crime, Should we legalize drugs, is it more economical to imprison someone for life or seek the death penalty and did the Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade (the legalization of abortion) contribute to the declining crime rate that began in the 90,s: The economics of unintended consequences will explore how well meaning public policy sometimes backfires and has the reverse effect; health economics will look at the rising cost of healthcare and the effect of Obamacare; Taxes and poverty, is there a natural rate of poverty (does minimum wage increases actually contribute to a higher rate) and does taxing the rich less actually help the economy; Energy & Environmental economics, what is the effect of global warming, or is it global cooling, and what is the best energy mix for the 21st century and lastly, who has it right, New Keynesians or Neo-Classicals.
An introduction to the economic analysis of behaviors and institutions in the labor market: labor supply and participation, labor demand by firms, wage determination under different institutional settings, and gender, race or ethnicity as determinants of different labor market outcomes. The course presents microeconomic models, empirical findings and their public policy implications on topics such as minimum wage, affirmative action, social insurance programs, workplace safety, and subsidized day care.
Pre-Req: ECON.2010 Principles of Microeconomics
The evolution of institutions and their functions, and sources of economic development. The contributions of railroads, agricultural population growth, immigration, capital formation and technological progress to economic development. Other areas addressed: rapid industrialization and antitrust laws; evolution of financial institutions, the creation of the Federal Reserve System, crash of 1929, the depression of the 1930s, the New Deal and various banking acts, the labor movement, the growth of international trade.
Pre-Req: ECON 2010 Economics I (Microeconomics) or ECON 2020 Economics II (Macroeconomics).
This course provides an introduction to the field of environmental and natural resource economics. It is designed to give students an overview of how economic principles can be applied to environmental management and policy. Topic areas and applications include evaluation of environmental policies, valuation of environmental goods and services, climate change, and management of renewable and non-renewable resources. Students will learn to critique articles and other media and have intelligent discussions related to the topics listed above.
Examination of diverse critical and theoretical approaches to literature in the development of literary analysis.
Pre-req: Engl.1010, and ENGL.1020, and Must be an English major, or and English minor, or and BLA-writing concentrator, or BLA-literature concentrator, or a Journalism and Professional Writing minor, or Creative Writing minor.
This course explores film adaptation by looking at how writing can be turned into the visual and auditory forms. Through reading novels and watching their film adaptations, students learn conventions of fiction and film, and draw on this knowledge to discover the implications of adapting a written story into a movie. By asking students to think about the different ways writers and filmmakers convey meaning to their audiences, this course attempts to answer the question of why the movie is never exactly like the book.
Designed to introduce students to understand science fiction and fantasy within the broader context of literature and literary theory. It attempts to develop and hone student's skills of critical analysis as it supplies them with the tools to contextualize their reading experience - i.e., to understand the origins and politics of the books that they read.
A survey of literary attitudes toward women from the Judaic and Hellenic periods through the present.
A study of the relationship between works of fiction, cultural attitudes toward technology, and social values. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
In "War in Lierature" we will study conflict and human values in times of war, focusing on the literature of World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. Content covered includes a selection of representative (and divergent) literary texts written throughout the 20th century in a variety of genres (poetry, essays, memoir, short story, novel, and hybrid forms like the "graphic novel"). Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
An examination of the history, literature, sociology, and aesthetics of sport. Attention to corollary issues and values including racism, sexism, and violence.
A study of literary selections dealing with traditions of family life, the individual, and social change. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course explores how texts -- including novels, short stories, poems, memoirs, essays, plays, and videos -- portray people with disabilities. We will consider the problematic stereotypes about disabilities that sometimes appear in popular culture and literary depictions, and read texts that provide insight into a diverse community of people with a range of disabilities.
The course addresses the literature of America's immigrant and cultural groups and how it contributes to defining our national character. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
A survey of American Literary history from early contact between Native American populations and European colonists through contemporary American writing.
Pre-req: ENGL 1020 College Writing II, or English Majors.
A study of how various authors use crime as a plotting device to study character, reveal social order, and critique social institutions. This course will focus particularly on detective and mystery fiction, sketching the history and development of these genres. Students might also study fiction and film outside these genres that explore significant questions of crime or criminality. Ultimately, students will think about how fictional representations of criminals, victims, policing, gender, and race relate to cultural assumptions and expectations. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
While picture-images date as far back as sthe Egyptian tombs, or the caves of Lascaux, this course wiill consider the development of the modern comic in twentieth-and twenty-first century America. Readings will include not just comics, but also the history of comics, art and literary theory, a novel about comics, and articles that consider the legal, political, and social issues surrounding comics. We will also look at traditional and contemporary comic strips and graphic novels to explore what we can learn from them about American Popular Culture. Comics are on the cutting edge of contemporary literature, and there are many avenues to pursue in the study of this narrative form. This course will include intensive reading and writing, and will ask students to engage with demanding theoretical works, in addition to incorporating a considerable amount of research. While the subject matter can be lighthearted the course takes these texts seriously, and asks for intellectual engagement with the issues and concerns of culture depicted in these words and pictures. (Full proposal and supplemental material available).
Studies the historical development of American literature from the Colonial period to the Civil War. Selected works by representative authors from each period are studied.
Studies the historical development of American literature from the Civil War to World War I.
A survey course covering traditional and contemporary children's literature. Texts are selected to represent different historical periods and a diversity of authorial perspectives. Attention is given to changing views of children and childhood as reflected in selected texts.
Theory and practice of writing short, critical essays in a journalistic mode on the visual and performing arts. Special attention to theater, movie, and television criticism. Conducted as a workshop with close analysis of student work.
Pre-req: ENGL.1020 College Writing II and ENGL.2270 Essay Writing/Eng Majors, or ENGL.2290 Essay Writing or ENGL.2380 Intro to Creative Writing or ENGL 2390 Intro to Professional Writing.
A study of the writers, movements, and social culture of the South, from both the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries.
This course will explore the literatures (including some selections in translation) written during America's colonial era. The periods of exploration, first encounters, settlement, the rise of Anglo-America, the emergence of a national sensibility, and the years of transition in the new republic will be considered. The course will also treat a small selection of nineteenth century texts that present visions and re-visions of the colonial past.
A study of realism and naturalism in fiction from the end of the Civil War to World War I.
A workshop format encourages peer criticism of individual writings and discussion of models from various texts.
Pre-req: ENGL 2270 Essay Writing for English Majors, or ENGL 2290 Essay Writing for Non-English Majors, or ENGL 2380 Intro. to Creative Writing or ENGL 2390 Introduction to Professional Writing, or Permission of Instructor.
Students work on various writing projects the professor brings into the classroom on behalf of local non-profit organizations. This service learning course provides opportunities for students to learn through thoughtful engagement with the community, applying kowledge of writing gained in the classroom to real world problems. The course will be held in a workshop format with strong emphasis on revision.
Pre-Reqs: ENGL1020 College Writing II and ENGL 2270 Essay Writing/Eng Majors or ENGL 2290 Essay Writing or ENGL 2390 Intro to Professional Writing.
Writers throughout time have been thoroughly grounded in place. Students in this course will read and write on a variety of topics: travel, cities, suburbs, dwelling places, nature, environmental issues, etc., in a variety of genres: creative non-fiction, essays, journalism, short stories, poetry, journals. This course will be held in a workshop format with strong emphasis on revision.
Writing About Women
with the emergence of novels labeled "American," novelists explored the role of the frontier, the shift from an agricultural to an industrial society, the rise of social reform movements, the impact and legacy of slavery, the influence of science and technology, the debate over gender roles and expectations, and the role of the artist/writer within American culture. The novels in this course, all written before 1900, allow us to explore the issues that a selection of American novelists treat within their fiction as well as to consider the debates that occurred over the nature of narrative.
A study of the American novel from 1900 to the present.
A Study of autobiographical writing from Colonial America to the present. Works from the 17th to the 21st century will allow students to explore the genre of autobiography and related sub-genres, including the captivity narrative, the slave narrative, and the immigration narrative. Readings will also explore literary and political autobiographies. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
A study of selected novels by American women. Focus on the female voice within the American tradition. Treatment of such issues as domesticity, education, and authorship. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Women Writers and the Past. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
A study of such playwrights as O'Neill, Odets, Wilder, Williams, and Miller.
A study of the history and development of African American drama, with emphasis on major aesthetic, political, and social movements in African American culture. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Discusses novels and short fiction from World War II to the present.
Explores both the writings and the personal lives of a loose confederation of poets, novelists, and essayist who emerged onto the American literary and cultural scene following World War II and who came to be known as the -Beat Generation.+ The primary focus will be on the life and writings of Lowell native Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) with others of the -beat circle+ included as well, i.e., Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Diana DiPrima, etc.
A study of selected British and American Poets since World War II.
A study of selected works by black American writers, such as Toomer, Wright, Ellison, Walker, and Morrison. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
A survey of theatre in its historical and social contexts from the 19th century to the present, focusing on innovations in design and technology, the advent of the director, the emergence of modern schools of acting, and the creation of new forms of theatre to suit the changing needs of a modern world.
A study of selected works. Authors to be announced each semester.
Students learn advanced writing techniques in the classroom and apply them to real writing tasks in the community. Assignments include a writing project designed to meet the needs of a local organization, along with research and reflective pieces.
The class offers seminar-style discussions on specific aspects of poetry, considering a range of excellent poems from various eras. Through hands-on writing exercises, we will examine the art from the vantage point of the practitioner, using imitation and exploration of technique as a kind of close reading. Assignments include analytical essays as well as creative work.
All purposeful human activity involves design. Every day we are surrounded by the products of design processes--buildings, cars, entertainment, corporations, schools, even laws and regulations. They make our lives easier in many ways, but they may also create significant social and environmental problems. In the past, designers often did not consider the impact of their deigns on society, or ignored the negative consequences. Our culture and legal system usually permitted, or even encouraged, this irresponsibility. Today, a small group of scholars, businessmen and women, and activists are rethinking how we design the things around us, with the goal of addressing the most pressing social and environmental issues. This class will introduce students to some of these issues, the people who are confronting them, and the ways in which all of us can contribute to designing a better Future World. With a series of hands on projects, coupled with readings and other resources, students will work to design aspects of the future. In the process you will learn about possible solutions to complex, important problems, but also learn valuable life skills such as problem framing, problem solving, critical thinking, active learning, communication, and simple construction methods. No previous experience is required-only curiosity and eagerness to learn.
"Special Topics in Gender Studies" (200-level) offers students the opportunity to study a topic of special interest in the field of Gender Studies from an interdisciplinary perspective. The content and approach will vary depending upon the research and teaching interests of the faculty member teaching the course.
This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to the field of Gender Studies that examines both commonalities and differences among diverse groups of women. A variety of topics are presented such as past and present stratification in work and family, sexual identities, medial representations of women, and violence against women. Social movements for women's equality and feminist theories and methods are also introduced.
This course surveys United States history from the early settlement of North America through the Civil War and Reconstruction. It considers the role of the political and economic leadership in the building of the nation as well as actions of ordinary people whose energies and aspirations constitute the fabric of United States society. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA)
This course surveys the history of the United States from the end of Reconstruction to the present. It covers significant developments in the politics, economy, culture, and other aspects of American life during that period. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA)
This course explores the impact of globalization on the development of world societies in the late 20th-early 21st century. Using historical analysis of contemporary realities, it develops an appropriate frame of reference to address questions about the nature and cause of globalization.
This class examines American history from the period before European contact to the early stages of the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century through the lens of material objects. Comparisons will be drawn between the objects and cultures used by European, Native American, and African American peoples, as well as over time.
A study of Greek history, institutions and culture from Minoan times through the Hellenistic period.
The course will cover the wide range of causes of this major conflict, the difficulties and changing dynamics of waging this massive war and the effects of all this on both the internal political and social conditions and external consequences for the combatants with the peace settlement.
This class contrasts the dominant monoculture colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Virginia with the lesser known multicultural colonies of Maine, Plymouth, New Amsterdam, Maryland and Rhode Island. While some of the multicultural colonies foundered, others flourished by utilizing a wide range of political and legal methods which allowed for their survival alongside much larger rival colonies. The class finishes by examining similar political and legal methods employed by Native American tribes for their own survival, in particular the Cherokee, whose carefully negotiated accommodations to Anglo-American culture allowed them to live side by side with the growing United States until the 1830's. Close analysis of both primary and secondary source material will provide students with an intensive look at rarely examined issues in early American history.
Pre-req: HIST.1110 United States History to 1877.
The Second World War transformed states and people from East Asia to the United States to Europe. We examine diplomatic and military aspects of the war and how it affected the lives of people in the countries involved. Topics include the prelude to the war, military campaigns in Europe and the Pacific, collaboration and resistance, the home front, the Holocaust, science and the atom bomb, and the consequences of the war.
Covers the U.S. was in Vietnam from its origins in the French colonial era to its impact on contemporary culture and foreign policy.
This course surveys the history of women in the British North American colonies and United States with a special focus on social and economic change. It examines women as a distinct group but also attends to divisions among them, particularly those based on class, ethnicity/race, and regional diversity. Course themes include concepts of womanhood, the development and transgression of gender roles, unpaid work and wage labor, social reform and women's rights activism, as well as changing ideas and practices with respect to the female body.
A comprehensive study of the Native Americans through historical and first-hand accounts of their lives. Designed to enlighten students and to represent fairly the Native Americans, dispelling some of the existing myths about them.
The history of the southern United States from the colonial period to the present. Topics include the development of plantation slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, industrialization and the "New South," segregation and disenfranchisement, the Civil Rights Movement, and conservatism.
This course surveys African American history in the United States from colonization to the present. It begins with a study of life in West Africa and traces the forced migration of Africans to the Americas. It explores West African transmissions, the freedom struggle, the great migrations from the South, the Harlem Renaissance, the modern Civil Rights movement, and the continuing impact of African Americans on life in the 21st century.
This course will provide an overview of the growth, decline, and rebirth of the city of Lowell, Massachusetts. Topics will include the Industrial Revolution, role of women and unions in the workplace, immigration and the formation of ethnic neighborhoods, urban renewal, and historic preservation. The survey will also discuss notable personalities such as labor activist Sarah Bagley, Civil War general Benjamin Butler, writer Jack Kerouac, Senator Paul Tsongas and boxer Micky Ward. The foregoing names may differ over time.
This course explores selected moments in United States history - such as slavery, the Great Depression, World War ll, the Vietnam War, and the feminist movement - through the lens of film. Using written historical sources as well as film, students will investigate how particular films have depicted the past and shaped the way that Americans remember their history.
Although the course takes the entire United States diplomatic history as its field of historical study, its focus is on the American foreign policy in the twentieth century. The course first explores domestic and international factors that made the United States a world power by 1898. It will then consider the goals, the practices, and the results of the twentieth century American foreign policy. The course challenges students to view American diplomacy in a global context.
An introduction for the undergraduate student to the nature and principles of history. The course takes up methodology, historiography, research methods, electronic resources, bibliography, and the technical and stylistic problems involved in the presentation of research in scholarly form. Required of all history majors in the sophomore year. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Information Literacy (IL) and Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
History Majors, BLA History concentrators, and American Studies Majors only, or Permission of Instructor.
This course will examine the emergence and historical impact of consumer cultures in the modern West, from the eighteenth century through the present. Topics to be covered will include the emergence of spaces of consumption (the home, the commercial/spectacular metropolis, the department store, the shopping mall, the tourist site), changing attitudes toward shopping and spending, the construction of modern social identities of class, gender, generation and race through consumption, and political struggles over consumption.
Analyzes the causes and development of attempts to control crime, ethnic conflict, radical protest movements, urban disorders, and attitude and role conflicts.
Explores the evolution of New England society from pre-Columbian to the Post-Industrial, emphasizing the ways succeeding generations of New Englanders have confronted social and economic change. Topics include: white-Indian relations, ecological change, Puritanism, the New England town, the industrial revolution, the rise of cities, immigration, ethnic and class conflict, and the distinctiveness of the region.
This course explores various aspects of common peoples' lives in the United States since 1880. Primary areas of investigation include work and leisure, family and community, as well as culture and values.
This course explores the environmental history of early America and the United States from the end of the last ice age (c. 12,500 years ago) to the present. It examines the role played by nature as an historical agent as well as the relationship between human communities and the physical and organic environment. Course themes include evolving land use, the environmental significance of industrial capitalism, urban public health, resource conservation and wilderness protection, the impact of ecology on public consciousness, as well as environmentalism.
The course examines relations between the United States on one hand and Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines on the other in the 19th and 20th centuries. Besides political, trade, and cultural relations, there is also emphasis on American laws and practices regarding immigrants from these East Asian countries. The aim of the course is for students to gain a basic knowledge of American relations with East Asia and to develop analytical skills for sophisticated inter-national relations.
This course examines the history of slavery in the United States. It explores topics such as the role of slavery in the economy, the culture of enslaved Americans, resistance to slavery, and the abolition of slavery, often making comparisons to slavery in other parts of the Western Hemisphere. The course also investigates how the institution of slavery has been represented by different generations of historians and in American popular culture from the 1850's through the present.
Requisite: Sophomore level or higher.
This course takes a comparative approach to the study of plantation slavery in the Americas with special attention to developments in Virginia and Cuba. It surveys the structure of slavery in the nineteenth century United States South; slavery's legacy in the United States; and its twenty-first century reincarnation in human trafficking and forced labor around the world.
This course provides students with the basic conceptual and technical skills for developing and completing an historical documentary, including instruction about subject choice, narrative structure, camera work, and editing.
The Cuban Revolution has been surrounded by controversy since it took power in 1959. Through readings, films, and discussions, we will examine not only the events that have occurred in Cuba over the last four decades but also the ways that they have been presened to audiences in Cuba, the United States, and elsewhere. We will carefully consider the role of perspective in academic writing and the media and how it has shaped understandings of the Castro era.
This class explores societal groups across the North American continent from 1550 to 1750 by comparing the approaches and responses to colonization taken by different European and Native American groups alongside the emergence of African slavery in North America. The semester concludes with the escalating colonial wars in the early eighteenth century, which would lead to both the French and Indian, and Revolutionary, Wars.
The long sequence of military conflicts in New England at the turn of the eighteenth century led to an equally long sequence of accounts describing the experiences of English colonists taken captive by Native American or French military forces. While these narratives remain the best known examples of this particular literary genre in the United States, this class will explore the multitude of ways in which the captivity narrative was used in colonial North America by people of different races and cultures.
This class provides a thematic examination of the British North American colonies. Topics include colonies founded in the long eighteenth century, material culture, the multi-racial British empire, the Enlightenment, and the rise of individualism's impact on society and religion, and shifting political relationships between Britain and its colonies.
The years between 1754 and 1784 saw drastic change on the North American continent and around the world for Britain and its colonies. Colonists in North America went from being devout British subjects during the French and Indian War to rebelling and founding their own new country during the American Revolution. In turn, the British Empire went from spending millions of pounds on North America in the 1750's to barely committing the resources necessary for fighting the Revolution. This class examines these cultural and political transitions in context with discussions on the varied populations of North America who experienced them.
An investigation of the social, political, and economic developments in the United States from 1815 to 1848. Special emphasis is placed on the spread of capitalism, the growth of reform movements, the development of cities, and the conflict over slavery.
This course surveys the increasing political, social, and economic tensions between the North and the South during the first half of the nineteenth century; the explosion of those tensions into secession and conflict; the four years of war; and the postwar struggle to reconstruct the South and forge a new union.
Students analyze how Americans have remembered the American Civil War in the years after the war ended in 1865. By looking at novels, memoir films, National Park Service Battlefields, and monuments, students discover how remembrances are influenced by views of race, gender, patriotism, regionalism, and economic forces.
Biography often has been used by historians as source material for representing the nature of the American experience. An examination of outstanding biographies of the lives of various Americans can yield insights into all levels and ranks of American society from colonial days to the late twentieth century.
The course examines what is often referred to as the Golden Age of American Democracy. How much power did ordinary Americans have in the political system? What motivated people to participate in politics? What roles did women and racial minorities play in American politics despite not being able to vote?
An examination of the emergence of the corporate and governmental institutions of modern America set in two turbulent decades of cultural and political ferment that involved both booming prosperity and the economic collapse of the Great Depression.
Discusses Cold War politics and civil rights upheavals during the 1960's and 1970's, the decline of American economic and political power, and the resurgence of conservative politics in the 1980's.
An exploration of the rapid growth of the American economy in the 20th century, including the evolution of the large corporation and the mass production assembly line. Particular attention is devoted to the ways in which immigrants, women, and the African Americans were affected by the rise of big business. The course also traces the decline of the traditional U.S. manufacturing base following the Second World War and the impact this had on the working class and their unions.
Provides a survey of labor history from the colonial period to the present focusing on the interrelationship between culture and work in American society and on the dynamics of technical and economic changes on the organization of work processes.
This course examines the United States during the 1960s. General themes include the stifling and freeing of dissent, the "rights revolution", liberal social and economic policy, foreign policy in a bipolar world, redefinition of values and morals, changing relations between women and men, increasing concern with environmental pollution, the growing credibility gap between citizens and their government, and rise of the "New Right".
A biographical approach to the influence of radicalism on American history with emphasis on significant and representative personalities and heir contributions.
This course addresses the role of female labor in the Roman world, from the Roman Republic to the Late Empire (~509 BCE-400 CE). The course uses the cases of women of different statuses to explore the economic contributions of women. Students will be invited to question the secondary role women have traditionally held in scholarship on the economy of the ancient world and reassess the whole economic picture through the lens of "untypical" workers. We will study both free and enslaved women, and closely examine how economic necessity empowered some women and constrained others. Students will investigate what kinds of labor were deemed legally and socially appropriate for women and be exposed to instances when women pushed up against, or beyond, those boundaries.
An advanced course of study and examination of a variety of issues and topics in history. Students without a sufficient background in history courses should not attempt this course. Subject matter to be announced in advance.
In an age of increasing globalization, historians realize the need for putting the American national narrative in a wider historical context. This course will help students locate the study of the United States in a global, comparative and transnational perspective. This course will be used as one of the courses needed by History majors in the global, comparative and under-represented areas of the major.
The course focuses on the experiences of women, men, and children who came to the U.S. from the colonial era through the 21st century. Their emigrations will be examined in a global context. Irish migration, the mass European migrations during the mid and late 19th /early 20th centuries, and post-Second World War immigration particularly from Asian and African countries are discussed. The Lawrence, Lowell, and Boston immigration stories are also considered.
This course uses the production, distribution, consumption, and prohibition of alcoholic drinks as a lens for studying cultural, political, and economic change in American life from the colonial era to the present.
Restricted to upper-level students and available only with permission of the instructor, this course offers a select number of students the opportunity to work for non-profit and governmental organizations within Lowell. Such organizations might include the National Park Service; Community Teamwork Inc.; Girls Club of Lowell; St. Athanasius Church; American Textile History Museum, and so forth. The course is primarily intended for History majors. Students will utilize their skills in research, writing, and analysis to assist an organization with its documented needs (e.g., conduct research on history of the organization; write a pamphlet or short article; organize oral history interviews; analyze the urban context in which the organization has developed). Students receive academic credit, along with invaluable work-related experience.
The course studies Olympic Games and World's Fairs from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. We examine how these international festivals participate in and contribute to six themes in the history of that period: nationalism and internationalism, mechanization of industry, modern architecture and urban planning, consumer culture, racial politics, and the Cold War. Students write brief papers connection these themes and one or more game or fair and a research paper on a relevant topic. Special attention is given to certain icons, like the Crystal Palace, the Eiffel Tower, the Nazi Olympics, and the Mexico City games.
Pre-Req: 43.106 The Modern World or the permission of the instructor.
This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles and practices of restorative justice as a method of building positive peace. Students develop a working knowledge of the general theories of restorative justice, as well as practical hands-on experience with peacemaking techniques. Traditional assumptions about justice and the adversarial legal process will be explored and challenged. The relationship between restorative justice, restorative practices, and other conflict resolution methods such as mediation will be discussed. Practical challenges in implementing restorative justice on the ground will also be examined.
This course studies substantive criminal law, with emphasis on general principles of criminal culpability, such as the act requirement, the mens rea requirement, and causation. Topics include detailed coverage of the elements of personal and property crimes, such as homicide, rape, assault, battery, robbery, burglary, theft, arson, and fraud. The course will also cover the law of attempted crimes, accomplice liability, and defenses.
This course examines the history and progress of the disability rights movement in America, the current state of the law, trends, and prospects for the future, with particular focus on those laws designed specifically to address the needs of people with disabilities.
This course serves as an introductory legal course. It is a survey of many specific topics, such as constitutional law, contracts, intellectual property law, and current legal topics of interest. More importantly, the course emphasizes critical legal thinking, legal ethics, and human values.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of business law. The main emphasis is on key aspects of contract law, including the agreement, consideration, writings, third-party rights, illegality, performance, breach, defenses, and remedies The course also covers agency law, employment law, sections of the Uniform Commercial Code, and a variety of other legal issues and topics that influence and intersect with modern business practices. This course is highly recommended for pre-law students, CPA students, and paralegal students.
This course trains students to produce effective legal work product as drafters of client letters, memoranda of law, pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents.
Pre-req: LGST.1030 Introduction to Paralegal Studies, and LGST.3870 Legal Research Methods.
This course presents a study of racial discrimination in the United States. Emphasis is placed on relevant constitutional provisions, statutory provisions, and on United States Supreme Court cases.
This course studies the law pertaining to business entities and structures. Partnerships, limited partnerships, and joint ventures are studied at the outset of the course. The main emphasis is on elements of the corporate structure. The last part of the course deals with personal and real property with coverage of wills and trusts. This course is highly recommended for pre-law students, CPA students, and paralegal students.
This class explores the intersection of business and the law in modern American society. This class builds on the concepts covered in Business Law and explores current legal topics that affect doing business in the United States and abroad. Topics covered may include the U.S. Constitution and the courts system, white collar crime, cyber law, the laws of intellectual property, international trade, consumer protection, bankruptcy, product liability, administrative law, and labor and employment law, amongst others.
This course examines the legal and administrative problems of protecting the quality of the human environment. Federal and state legislation on environmental policy is studied. Public interest litigation as a supplement to the enforcement of environmental law is discussed. The course also focuses on the practical problems of balancing the needs of business, the global competitiveness of the United States, the increasing demand for natural resources, and the need to protect, preserve, and restore the environment. The importance of sustainable development and environmental ethics are discussed.
This course examines contracts for the sale of real estate, deeds, title examinations, security for real estate transactions, methods and problems of co-ownership, zoning ordinances, brokerage contracts, leases and landlord, and tenant rights and liabilities.
This course challenges students to engage in analytic reading, critical thinking and problem solving related to the legal issues facing the sports, entertainment and art worlds. Topics may include contracts, intellectual property rights, employment law, labor law, and other areas of interest.
This course studies the critical family law issues facing society today. Subject matter examined may include the law of marriage, custody, adoption, divorce, child support, juveniles, right to die, fetal tissue transfer to prolong the life of another, reproduction control, and surrogate parenting. This course is taught from a legal and human values perspective.
This course introduces students to the major architectural components of the legal environment of the elderly, including Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, pensions, nursing homes, assisted living,estate management, and related issues.
This course presents legal issues that often or particularly affect women. Topics may include sex discrimination, sexual harassment, rape, marriage, divorce, reproductive control, surrogate motherhood, and custody.
The traditional trial is becoming increasingly rare in modern civil litigation; the large majority of disputes are resolved by other techniques. This course will examine alternative methods of dispute resolution such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and the mini trial.
Studies the immigration, nationality, and naturalization laws of the United States. The topics discussed are: the immigrant selection system, the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas; grounds of excludability of aliens and waiver of excludability; grounds for deportation of aliens and relief from deportation; and change of status within the United States including legalization, refugee, and asylum status.
This course surveys the law of the protection of ideas, trade secrets, inventions, artistic creations, and reputation. The course will briefly review the law of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and geographical indication. The course will cover the distinction between the various forms of intellectual property, and the statutory and common law methods of enforcing rights.
This course introduces students to the law of the Internet and regulation of lawful and unlawful computer activities. Traditional notions about privacy, defamation, contracts, freedom of expression, pornography, stalking, jurisdiction and intellectual property are challenged by the latest cyberspace technology. Much of the debate about control, which leads to questions about rights and responsibilities, centers around who, if anyone, should design the legal architecture of cyberspace. These and other topical subjects serve as the focus on the study of legal issues in cyberspace.
This course consists of assigned fieldwork under the supervision and with the permission of the coordinator. The course is designed to broaden the educational experience of legal studies students by providing exposure to selected legal environments such as corporate legal departments, financial institutions, law firms, real estate departments, banks and government offices and agencies. This provides a correlation of theoretical knowledge with practical experience in an area of interest to students.
This course is aimed to provide students with a solid understanding of key concepts of computer network security and practical solutions to network security threats. Topics to be covered include common network security attacks, basic security models, data encryption algorithms, public-key cryptography and key management, data authentication, network security protocols in practice, wireless network security, network perimeter security and firewall technology, the art of anti-malicious software, and the art of intrusion detection. Pre-Req: BS in IT or Equivalent. Cannot be used toward MS or D.Sc. in Computer Science.
Students must already have completed a bachelor's degree in a related discipline to enroll in this course and in a graduate career.
An historical, cultural and contextual survey of diverse styles of concert and vernacular music in the United States from the colonial era to the present. Open to music and non-music majors.
An intensive study of the position of the American musical theater, this course examines contributions to musical thought, and traces the development of the musical style from its origins to the present through musical study and analysis, historical research, and critical interpretation.
An intense study of the history of jazz from its origins to the present, covering a wide selection of styles and schools of jazz in various ensemble configurations.
Traces the roots of American popular music from its origins and influences from the earliest European song forms to American folk songs, Gospel, Country, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and other popular forms up through current trends as related to the development of the music industry and other socio-musical influences of the commercial song from the 1500s to the present.
What is sexist oppression? Is our culture still sexist, or is the need for feminism over? How should we respond to sexism in other cultures? Do men and women have different natures? Are our culture's sexual representations of women necessarily degrading, and if so, why? We'll consider these questions, and others, by examining the arguments and methodology of analytic feminism. We'll start by tracing the historical development of feminism in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and then turn to several contemporary feminist analyses of sexist oppression. We'll then use these feminist frameworks to examine more specific issues. Possible topics include: feminist analyses of sexual objectification in pornography, feminist arguments in ethics and social theory, feminist analyses of science,and feminist criticisms of gendered labour. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course will focus on issues of identity and difference. We will discuss the ways in which group identities are formed and break down. We will discuss how differences are constituted and reconstituted. These issues are central to theories of race and gender, racism and sexism. Some of the questions which we will raise are these: What motivates forming group identities? How are they formed? How is identity used within oppressive social structures? How can it be used to transform society? Why do some differences make a difference and others don't? Can we choose our group identities? Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
Focuses first on imagination as a function of mind, placing it in relation to other functions such as perception, emotion, and conceptualization. Attention is then given to the difference between the reproductive and the creative imagination, with special emphasis on the psychological and social/political dimensions of creativity. Topics to be considered include poetical metaphor, theatrical performance, painting, architecture, or photography.
This course examines the phenomenon of humor, laughter, and comedy, inquiring into its nature and function in human life. We explore the leading theories of humor, in attempting to explain what makes something "funny" and why we enjoy humor so much. We also attempt to relate the idea of humor to the related ideas of laughter and comedy. The course will include analysis of the various forms of humor, including the joke, the dramatic comedy, and stand-up comedy.
This course examines the intersection between philosophy and literature. Course content includes detailed study of philosophical works of literature and works of philosophy about Literature. Featured Topics include competing definitions of Literature, silent and performative reading, models for acquiring literary status, Literature and morality, censorship, the role of truth in literary experience, and the relationship between authors, works, fictional characters, readers, and critics.
American philosophy provides a historical approach to American intellectual history from 1830 to the present. American Transcendentalism and Pragmatism will be the two focal points in the course and students will be acquainted with authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau, C.S. Peirce, William James, Jane Addams and John Dewey. The ideas of freedom, self-reliance, community, and moral life are the abiding threads in this tradition and will be explored in the course of the term.
A philosophical inquiry into science fiction, fantasy, and horror, with special emphasis on film. This course will attept to provide interpretations of some classic examples from these genres, as well as to inquire into the philosophical significance of these literary categories and their relation to mythology and religion. Questions to be addressed will include the problem of knowledge and rationality and its limits, the nature of the human being, and the moral problem of the role of violence in the social order. The class will attempt to identify a continuous tradition between these modern genres and ancient Greek tragedy and mythology.
This course examines the political and philosophical values and ideas which constitute cinema. It analyzes film as an historical, cultural, commercial, and artistic endeavor. Students will develop the skills to watch film actively and critically.
An examination of the philosophical foundations of environmentalism. Addresses both the question of ethical duties we owe to animals and to nature, and also the question of man's relation to the natural world.
This course will examine important ethical issues and value conflicts emerging in computer science, information technology, and artificial intelligence. Through readings and class discussions students will not only have an opportunity to explore the manner in which ethical and technical problems are related, but to develop insight into areas of ethical philosophy and modes of reasoning essential to an intelligent understanding of such issues. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
A study of the multiple relations between science and religion focusing on the theme of creativity. The problem of the various truth claims of the two systems will be subjected to a close analysis and principles developed to understand how conflicts between the them can be understood and resolved.
This class investigates the American fascination with the "rule of law." Questions to be considered include the following: What do we mean by the rule of law? What is the relation between law and morality? How does the rule of law promote justice, and what is its connection with the ideal of equality? What is the role of a written Constitution in protecting the rule of law? Special emphasis will be given to the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution and its role in prohibiting discrimination against disadvantaged groups, including racial minorities, women, and the handicapped. We will also consider in detail some theories of constitutional interpretation, including the Original Intent theory.
Explores the diverse roots of the democratic ideal and the opportunities and dangers associated with democratic politics. The arguments for and against democracy will be analyzed. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
This course explores the historical evolution of capitalism, from its early beginnings in the Enlightenment to the most recent debates about the free market and globalization. The focus will be on the debate over the vitues and vices of capitalism as distinct from other modes of economic and political organization. Concepts to be discussed will include freedom, equality and the distribution of wealth. Readings include Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Joseph S, and others.
The course explores globalization as the process of transformation of regional and national phenomena into global ones, analyzing its social, economic, political, and cultural aspects. Supporters view it as the progress of liberalization and democratization that develop peaceful international cooperation; critics see globalization as the expansion of the profit-seeking global corporations that abuse the less developed and vulnerable regions. The course readings include the works of Amartya Sen, Samuel Huntington, Joseph Stiglitz, and other leading economists, sociologists, and philosophers.
Liberalism stresses the importance of protecting individual people's right to live their lives however they see fit. Feminism strives to show that women are subject to a variety of injustices that prevent them from being able to live lives that are as good as men's. The aim of this course will be to consider whether liberalism and feminism are compatible, or whether the central ideals of liberalism--ideals like equality, automomy, and individual rights--actually function to entrench not just sexism but also racism, classism, and other kinds of oppression. Readings will include both historical and contemporary writers such as Isaiah Berlin, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Catherine MacKinnon, John Stuart Mill, Martha Nussbaum.
This class will examine the moral and political implications of the food we eat. Topics we'll cover include genetically modified organisms, factory farming, animal rights and welfare, agricultural pollution, agricultural subsidies, third world hunger, the obesity epidemic, and the industrial food system and its alternatives.
The aim of this course is to introduce students to both historical and contemporary discussions surrounding the topics of sex and love. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
This course examines theories about why human beings engage in mass killing, the history of moral deliberation about war in major religious traditions, and modern philosophical analyses of the diverse moral principles that those traditions have bequeathed to us. The course comprises three broad ethical questions. First when, if ever, is recourse to arms legitimate (jus ad bellum)? Second, what constraints should apply to military conduct (jus in bellos)? And third, how should wars end (jus post bellum)? These three questions will be systematically discussed by critically examining a selection of writings by historical and modern secular and religious thinkers.
This course examines philosophical theories of peace, pacifism, and nonviolence. We will study ancient and modern accounts, secular and religious traditions, as well as feminist perspectives in the philosophy of peace and nonviolence. We will explore philosophical applications of nonviolence toward nonhuman animals and the natural environment, along with specific cases of nonviolent resistance in contemporary global conflicts.
This course is a philosophical and interdisciplinary examination of prominent issues concerning the meaning of life and death and the ethical concerns involved with life, death and end of life issues. Topics in the course include: definitions of death, metaphysics and death, cultural meanings of death, the ethics of killing vs. letting die, euthanasia and suicide, and rights of the dying. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Examines the views of major philosophers on the beautiful and the nature of artistic creativity. An attempt is made to correlate the views of the thinkers with the works of poets, artists, and composers and the statements the latter have made about their work.
This course analyzes those forms of art/entertainment commonly referred to under the umbrella term "popular culture" through a variety of philosophical lenses. After seeking to establish a categorization of "popular culture," students will examine the mediums of music, film, television, advertisements and sports. Throughout the course, students will read/listen/watch various examples of the mediums listed above and attempt to answer various questions about them such as: what societal values make these examples popular at a current moment? What cultural assumptions do these examples reflect? What is the artistic/aesthetic merit of these examples?
This course addresses the question of justice in regards to immigration policy. We consider a variety of views including Communitarianism, Liberalism, Nationalism, Cosmopolitanism, and Democratic Theory. We will look at how these different positions have answered the following sorts of questions: Do we have duties to strangers of foreigners that are of equal weight to the duties we owe to members of our family, our circle of friends or our nation? Does part of the definition of "self-determined state" include the right to unilaterally reject petitions of inclusion from non-citizens? Does a commitment to equality demand that borders be open?
This course addresses ethical issues that arise in biomedical research and practice including autonomy in the doctor-patient relationship, the duty of confidentiality, the right to refuse treatment, the right to death with dignity, the ethics of experimentation with human subjects, the ethics of genetic enhancement, and justice in health care distribution. The course will combine theoretical perspectives and concrete case studies that illustrate actual dilemmas that the health care profession has in fact encountered over the years.
An introduction to the politics, structure, and behavior of the American National Political Community. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
An introductory survey of the major forces and processes involved in the development of public policy; contemporary issues in public policy will also be considered.
An introductory exploration of basic political concepts, ideologies, and themes. Stresses the importance of understanding politics for everyday life.
An examination of the American election process in this presidential election year. Attention especially is given to candidates, political issues, political parties, and financing, among other factors, within the process and their influence in the election outcome. Strengths and weaknesses of the election process and reform proposals and prospects will also be addressed.
This course introduces major concepts in environmental politics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the formation of environmental policy in the United States. Throughout the course, particular attention is paid to the role of government and markets in creating environmental crises and shaping policy responses.
This course explores the role of the media in American politics and the role of politics in the American media. We focus first on the historical evolution of newspapers, radio, television, and the internet as vehicles of political news reporting. Next, we look at instances of journalistic bias and distortion in order to explore how corporate consolidation and commercial competition have affected the news industry. Finally, by studying a selection of major stories in depth, we will gain a better understanding of the factors involved in the conversion of political events and developments into seemingly significant news.
Analyzes the growing importance of sports in American life. Examines the psychological, political and social impact of sports on society. Discusses how sports have been shaped by such monumental events as war, the civil rights movement, and the changing economy.
This course will examine the influence social media and web connectivity have had on political campaigns, campaign fundraising, political mobilization, and the recent proliferation of democratic movements.
Presents an introduction to the nature of the legal process and the operation of the American legal system. Also discusses considerations of its political and social functions.
A critical survey of the history of Western political thought from Plato to the present.
This interdisciplinary course considers the way we construct self-identity through our affiliation with various cultural and political groups- from the"Red Sox nation" to linguistic, economic, nationalistic and ethnic groups. It examines the central role of nationalism; its symbols, traditions and expectations; the role of the media; and the benefits and risks of our allegiance to these groups.
An examination of the little studied fourth branch of government. Bureaucratic power in the American political system is reconsidered.
Examination and study of politics and government at the state and local levels, with emphasis on Massachusetts and New England. Practitioners from state and local government will meet with the class.
This is a course in designing Quantitative Research and applying statistics for Political Scientific. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Critical Thinking & Problem Solving (CTPS) and Quantitative Literacy (QL).
Pre-Req:POLI.2010 Research Methods in Pol. Sci.
This course provides political science majors with opportunities to hone their research and writing skills. Students analyze representative scholarly and popular sources, explore writing for various venues; and practice editing and revising their work. With prior arrangements students may use this course to complete an honors thesis, pursue an independent research project, or revise and expand an especially promising research paper submitted in a previous course.
America, wrote George Santayana, is a young country with an old mentality. European political thought has deeply shaped American political values and institutions, but at the same time, America is not Europe. America is a young country, with a comparatively short history, that has been shaped by strange things; the "empty" freedom of the frontier, Indigenous occupants, unfathomable natural resources, intense religious fervor, and unprecedented human suffering. In short, America has its own distinctive tradition of political thought. In this course, we will explore the sources and threads of political thought in the American experience, drawing on both canonical political thinkers as well as popular and critical sources. We will begin with the Puritan colonial founding and continue through the present. This course highlights the relationship between learning the history of political theory in America and coming to our own contemporary political understandings. To that end, course work emphasizes reflective and contemplative practices, including a field trip to nearby Walden Pond.
An in-depth examination of the acquisition and role of political attitudes, values, belief systems, and other psychological mechanisms in shaping political behavior and conflict.
An examination of major ideological, philosophical and social currents.
Pre-Req: ENGL 1020 College Writing II, or permission of instructor.
Foundations of Law, Process & Skills" presents a comprehensive introduction to the skills, process, expectations, and substantive law presented in the first year of law school. Many students in the social sciences consider the idea of pursuing law school, but have no meaningful avenue to explore the true flavor of the experience, or the commitment they would be taking on. Law School can be immensely rewarding, yet requires a substantial investment of time, personal dedication and financial obligation. The course will provide everything students need to know about the law school experience, while gaining invaluable academic skills in the process, whether or not they choose the law school path.
This course instructs students on campaign and election law; including all relevant cases, statutes and regulations. Students will gain knowledge and skills useful for both future political campaign activity and postgraduate study.
This course will examine voting behavior in American elections: how voters make decisions, the changing nature of campaigns, the influence of money, media, and polling, and related matters.
An examination of party systems and coalitions in the US, their changing nature over time, the history of realignment, and the relationship of parties to interest groups.
Analysis of the role of film in creating, expressing, revealing, and responding to social and political ideas and values. Examines a variety of film and film styles and introduces students to elements of film theory, the theory of popular culture and the role of film in forming our ideas about the world.
Explores legal constructions of gender by examining Supreme Court cases, federal legislation, historical documents, news stories, and scholarly essays on sexual inequality in the United States. Topics include the evolution of the family as a legal (and illegal) reality; political regulation of reproduction and sexual activity; feminist critiques of economic inequality; the rise and fall of affirmative action; the changing role of gender in class consolidation; and ongoing debates about the relationships between public and private life.
Introductory look at the interaction between the world of baseball and the social and political structures which influence the sport.
How the rise of pro football's popularity reflects changes in American society during the 20th century. An examination of how politics, economics and television created a sport that has become an American obsession, and some argue, a new religion.
Current controversies over the role of college sports within an academic environment with particular attention to Title IX, the pivotal law that altered gender in college sports.
This course examines how the structure of the human/non-human animal relationship affects of determines the nature of public policy formation on issues with impacts on non-human animals, both nationally and internationally.
The course will examine current debates in food politics over: regulatory politics and the appropriate reach of the state in food labeling, safety, and oversight; genetically modified food, organic and sustainable agriculture, the effects of economic globalization of the food supply chain and the future of the world food system.
A study of constitutional law focused on the powers and principles of American government. We will discuss the Declaration of Independence and Revolution, separation of powers, federalism, natural rights, and ordered liberty, emphasizing the case law on the origins of judicial review, the Commerce Clause, war powers, executive privilege, elections, criminal procedure, and search under the Fourth Amendment. Political Science offers two courses in constitutional law for students from any major who are preparing for law school or seeking a background in how constitutional law influences American politics and culture. POLI.3350 or POLI.3370 can be taken alone or both courses in either sequence. On campus and online versions are identical, so student can take each course in either format.
A study of constitutional law focused on rights and liberties. We will discuss the balance of liberty and authority under the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment, due process, and equal protection, emphasizing the case law on freedom of religion, speech, press, gun rights, LBGT rights, race, abortion, gender, and the death penalty. Political Science offers two courses in constitutional law for students form any major who are preparing for law school or seeking a background in how constitutional law influences American politics and culture. POLI.3350 or POLI.3370 can be taken alone or both courses in either sequence. On campus and online versions are identical, so students can take each course in either format.
Political movements; voting and elections, parties and interest groups; civil disobedience in American politics. Consideration of causes, fluctuations and trends.
An advanced examination of the contemporary controversy over judicial activism and constitutional interpretation.
Perspectives on American Politics and Law. Advanced study involving extensive reading, writing and discussion seeking understanding of the major transformations impacting contemporary American Society, Politics, Law, Economics and Culture; consideration of different interpretations of these changes, and the ways in which they are manifested in shifting political attitudes and coalitions, and new problems and conflicts.
Legislative Politics. An advanced study of representation, campaigns and elections, and the functioning of the American national congress within the American political system.
An examination of the nature of the American presidency and its functioning within the American political system. Specific attention is given to the problems and evolution of the presidency since World War I.
A study of the politics of race and ethnicity, focusing primarily on American society, and the racial and ethnic groups of the region.
A study of political power in, and the political structures of urban areas and the major issues and conflicts currently confronting them.
An examination of government's budgetary, taxation and expenditure decisions and activities.
This course examine issues in and techniques utilized in public policy analysis.
This course traces Henry David Thoreau's influence on major social and political transformations in American history from the abolitionist movement to the present day. We will focus first on Thoreau's writings on slavery, commercial development, environmental history, and individual liberty. Then we will study his formative role in the civil rights and environmental movements of the twentieth century. Finally, through a mix of outside speakers and student presentations, we will explore how his writings continue to shape ongoing struggles to contend with climate change, advance social justice, and promote a greater sense of fairness in American life. The course will involve at least one trip to Walden Pond and a tour of Thoreau's birthplace in Concord, Massachusetts. Course page: http://faculty.uml.edu/sgallagher/Thoreau_in_Our_Time.html.
A study of the processes of American foreign policy in the contemporary world.
An advanced study of the international security policies currently pursued by the United States, its allies and its adversaries; evaluation and analysis of the criticism of these policies and of the possibilities of achieving disarmament.
The war against drugs stands as both a major foreign policy priority for the US and the International community in general, and as a constant source of debate and contention. The aim of this course is to provide students with analytical tools, concepts, and information, which will enable them to critically evaluate the war on drugs beyond the common myths and misconceptions that often surround this highly controversial topic. By analyzing a wide range of countries around the world, students would gain an in depth and nuanced perspective of the relation between drug trade, violence, corruption, development, and democracy. Students will also gauge arguments and possible impacts on different drug policy options.
If much of western liberal political thought has been preoccupied with limiting and structuring the power of the state, then the flip side of that preoccupation has been a corresponding commitment to the idea of individual autonomy. In other words, we limit the power of the state in order to protect the autonomy of the individual, and the state's power is justified only as far as it enhances rather than erodes our autonomy. This framework - that state power and autonomy operate in direct tension with one another - is a central paradigm of the western liberal political tradition in which we live. We begin the course within this framework, and then move to trouble, complicate, and critique both the concept of individual autonomy and the concept of political power.
We know that we are part of a global economy and that many of the things we buy and consume are produced in other countries. But what do we know of how they are made? Do we understand that there may be hidden costs in the price we pay for goods at the supermarket, in a department store? Understanding the nature of global trade is critical for us to be effective citizens in the world. Perhaps more important is that we understand how goods are produced and traded - what many think of as "fair" trade. The subject of Fair Trade isn't simply limited to the production and sale of coffee and chocolate. Fair Trade principles encompass environmental issues, human rights, and politics. Once aware of the ramifications of consumerism on all parts of the world, including the United States, people can make informed choices about the products they buy, the companies that employ them, and the political views they support. By the end of this course students should understand the major ideas and tools used to comprehend complex international and global trade relations. Students will understand the way in which goods are produced for global markets and the possible human and environmental costs such production entails.
The study of violence has been a central piece of debates in comparative politics that range from the causes of revolution to the analysis of civil wars. This course aims to provide a broad overview of different bodies of research on violence. The class will also revisit crucial debates in the study of violence, such as the problems of separating criminal and political violence (such as interstate wars). By the end of the class, students will be able to identify major theoretical and methodological approaches to violence, major debates and concepts, as well as key cases across the world.
Junior or Senior Status.
An introductory course on the fundamentals of empirical research in psychological science. Instruction will promote understanding and competence in the basic vocabulary of psychological research, addressing information literacy, measurement, reliability, and validity in observed variables and unobserved constructs. Students will learn critical components of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational designs, as well as the basics of descriptive statistics, hypothesis and statistical testing, and matching design to analysis strategies. Students will demonstrate this knowledge through he preparation of a research proposal. Finally, this course will provide students a strong basis from which to pursue advanced coursework in a variety of methodological approaches to psychological research. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Information Literacy (IL).
Pre-req: PSYC.1010 Intro to Psychological Science, and Sophomore Status (at least 30 credits).
this course is an introduction to many topics representing major fields of study within psychology and law. Topics may include: eyewitness testimony, lie detection, jury selection, child protection, forensic interviews, and the death penalty. In this course, students will be exposed to the diversity of interests among legal psychologists as well as innovative and important ideas, theories, and scientific research findings. Through readings, the study of actual cases, and presentations from guest speakers, students will gain more understanding of how psychologists study and contribute to the legal system.
Pre-Req: PSYC.1010 Intro to Psychological Science .
An introduction to the application of psychological principles and methods to the work domain. Students will develop an understanding of the individual, social, and environmental factors as they relate to organizational performance. Intended as an introduction to the field of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology, topics include personnel selection and evaluation, training and development, attitudes and motivation, leadership, group dynamics, diversity, organizational structure and climate, and job design and working conditions.
Examines the historical roots of psychology from the pre-scientific psychologies of the ancient Greeks to the twentieth century schools of the introspectionists, the Gestalt psychologists, and psychoanalysts. Historical resolutions of recurring issues are contrasted with modern resolutions.
Considers such topics as: the psychology of sex differences; biological bases of psychological sex differences; the nature of female sexuality; clinical theory and practice concerning women; women as mental patients and mental health consumers; implications for psychology and for women's status.
Provides an analysis to the impact of culture, socio-historical, and social influences on psychological processes and outcomes. Students will also learn about techniques for studying the influence of culture including cross-cultural methods and population-specific methods. Through careful analysis of research literature, this class will examine a variety of contexts within the U.S. and internationally. Topics will include identity development, immigration, acculturation, socialization, and social interactions among groups.
The course will cover topics such as motivation, arousal and anxiety in performance, performance enhancement, youth sport and family interactions, leadership, cooperation and competition, team cohesion, gender issues, exercise and mental health, and psychological factors in injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Begins with an overview of recent theoretical perspectives on adult development and aging. In chronological sequence, it presents the stages of adulthood and concludes with death and dying. Topics covered include personal, family, and vocational development through adulthood, gender pattern differences, and the impact of changing demographics, including the lengthening of the life span.
Pre-Reqs: PSYC 1010 General Psychology and PSYC 2600 Child & Adolescent Development.
This course provides students with a wide range of interests and backgrounds with the opportunity to examine their own mental model(attitudes/values/ assumptions) of disability. It includes an overview of the nature of intellectual disability and other disabilities and it provides opportunities to explore and understand the historical social response to disability. Students will look at a range of strategies for providing support and intervention and they will learn about how to effect change through a variety of strategies, including advocacy.
Pre Req: PSYC.1010, General Psychology; student may not enroll if already has credit for 59.363.
An advanced seminar to consider special topics in social psychology, with special focus on critique of the theoretical and empirical literature, identification of future research pathways, and the potential for application with consideration of ethics and social responsibility. Specific topics will vary and may include such topics as social aspects of health and illness; inequalities in education; the impact of globalization; attitude formation and prejudice; and psychology of sex roles. This is a writing intensive course.
Pre-req: PSYC.1010 Intro to Psychological Science, and PSYC.2090 Social Psychology, or PSYC.2550 Community Psychology, and PSYC.2690 Research I: Methods.
Serves as the basic course in sociology. Emphasis is directed at the ways in which social institutions such as government, schools, the economy, social class, and the family develop and influence our lives. It is concerned not only with presenting various ways to understand our relationship to society but also with ways to change it. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA).
Examines major sociological themes through analysis of literature, primarily major works of fiction.
This course is designed to give students the opportunity to survey primary sociological texts and view films, offer commentary on and analysis of social behavior.
This entry level course uses the core concept of social problems to introduce basic social science reasoning-how social scientist define research questions, develop systematic methods to study them, gather evidence, search for pattern, in link findings to existent knowledge,. Cases provide opportunities to discuss how private problems develop into public issue, illustrating sociology as a discipline that evolves in response to social conflicts and inequalities. The course also meets General Education requirements for Ethics and Diversity.
Public sociology includes sociological initiatives targeting non-university audiences and serving the public good. This course will 1) introduce and critique the various conceptualizations of public sociology linking them to broad schools of sociological theory; 2) explore alternative field models and methods, preparing students for field projects in future semesters; and 3) expose students to sociological practitioners and practices compatible with the mission of the university and department. From a liberal arts perspective, the course stresses critical thinking and communication skills.
Pre-Req: SOCI.1010 Intro to Sociology.
This course is about Sociology of food exploring the connection between food, society and culture. Our food choices are influenced by age, gender, ethnicity, class and religion. History of food and methods of food production contribute to understanding of social relations among individuals and social changes in society. This course will examine 1. role of food in society, culture and change, 2. changes in food production from simple to complex societies and 3. problems associated with new systems of food production locally and globally.
Course introduces students to ongoing debates in the field of Sociology regarding the American educational system, its structures and functions and how it relates to issues of inequality by race, class and gender. Students are expected to explore, examine and evaluate the current issues relating to the system of education in the United States.
The United States is frequently described as a country with a proud history of immigration. As a result, citizens and residents of the U.S. often identify their home as a nation of people who make up a melting pot country. While useful and insightful, the melting pot metaphor requires comparison with additional explanations of immigration and immigrant experiences. In order to provide deeper comprehension of the topic matter, this course offers sociological examination of immigration processes, laws, and debates. Three areas compose the main portion of class content: historical accounts and theories, legislation, and the social, economical, and political experiences of immigrants.
Examines the history of modern sports at the amateur and professional levels and international competition. The impact of race, sex, economics, and politics on the institution of sports will also be examined.
The purpose of this course is to examine critically the social forces that contribute to war, war's social consequences, and the possibilities for creating a more peaceful world.
Considers organized action undertaken to alter the social position of a group. Organization, techniques of action, motivation of participants, and group ideologies are studied. Materials from historical, social, psychological, and sociological sources are used.
This course is organized around several key questions that are used to study the concepts of disability and ability from a variety of sociological and interdisciplinary perspectives. Specifically, the course explores representations of disability in popular culture and medical discourses to discuss disability and ability as social constructs. By looking at various literary and cultural representations, this course investigates constructions of the disabled and abled body, how this becomes politicized, and the implications of these constructions.
This course uses a sociological approach to understand family forms, practices, and controversies in contemporary society, with particular emphasis on families in the United States. We will look closely at how family experiences and opportunities have changed over time, and also how they vary by gender, age, class, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation. What functions do families perform in modern society? How are they changing? How do these changes affect our lives?
This course locates and studies the sociological dynamics of race and ethnic relations in the United States as it pertains to all groups. The course material presents theories and models that explain periods of conflict and cooperation between diverse sets of people. While providing some historical background, the course focuses primarily on recent and contemporary situations.
Focusing on case studies of recent and pending environmental disasters, this course will trace how political, social, economic and cultural arrangements and choices contribute to environmental catastrophes and their resolution. In order to identify possibilities for agency, students will play several environmental games in which they will assume roles in the global economy, governmental and civil society to identify possibilities for agency. As a final project, students will describe a recent disaster identifying both structures that create environmental stresses and the options that might exist for structural changes. The project is intended to develop both critical thinking and communication skills.
This course provides an introduction to the sociological analysis of gender in its intersections with sexuality, race, class, (dis)ability, and other identities and inequalities. The focus is on examining the role of gender across a range of social institutions, such as the family, workplaces, schools, and the media, in order to give students the tools to understand the material impacts of gender as well as associated cultural norms. Students will use feminist theory and sociological concepts to critically examine the concepts of sex and gender and to understand the ways in which individuals across gender identity and other identities are impacted. The course counts towards minors in Gender Studies, Labor Studies, American Studies, and Disability Studies.
This foundational course has two overarching learning objectives: (1) to give students basic empirical knowledge and analytical tools to understand the context of work in the United States at the dawn of the twenty-first century and (2) to give students an understanding of how labour unions work, what has been their impact historically, and what their role is in contemporary society. The course will be explicitly interdisciplinary, drawing on readings from history, sociology, economics, political science, and psychology to offer and introduction to understanding work and labor through and analytic lens. In addition, the course will include a service-learning component in collaboration with the UML Labor Education Program.
Analysis of how social institutions define and respond to various forms of social deviance, from individual mental illness to gang violence to illegal acts by governments and corporations. Attention will be paid to the construction and management of deviant identities, the role played by social status, and the social importance of institutions of social control.
Focuses on the development and use of power in modern society. Emphasis is placed on the relationship of American political institutions to economic institutions, to social class, and to supporting ideologies.
An examination of the relationship between individuals and the social world around them. The course examines the underlying structures that pattern human interaction. Topics include the social construction of the self, the construction of social reality, and the sociology of emotions, among others.
In the United States, work is a fundamental part of people's identities, consumes huge amounts of our time and effort, is a vital part of our economic and social development, and is linked inextricably to gender, racial-ethnic, and class inequalities. This course will take a sociological perspective, challenging students to take a step back and look analytically at work, something with which most of us are intimately familiar.
This course examines the social impact of guns on the American psyche, from deer hunters and intergenerational family bonds to street gangs and broken families, from collectors and recreational users to hospital trauma. Self-defense issues are discussed within the context of the Second Amendment. The conflict between pro-gun and anti-gun special interest groups and the evolution of an American gun culture will be studied.
This course is designed to introduce students to the cultural and poplitical qualities of drugs in society. The course provides a historical and cross-cultural overview of the use of organic and simple processed substances, as well as a history of drug policy in the United States.
Examines the politically divergent definitions of rights and freedoms. Attention will be paid to the activities of international human rights organizations to the human rights policies of the major powers. Various current human rights issues will be examined. Case histories may include the Soviet Union, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Afro-Americans, Armenians and Palestinians.
This course will focus on understanding housing insecurity by looking closely at what it means to be homeless in two very different cities, located across the world from each other: Lowell, USA and Mumbai, India. In doing so, we will use this comparison to highlight the root causes of homelessness within a global context, including how certain social situations, policies and innovations may exacerbate and /or improve this situation. Simultaneously, students will gain a first-hand understanding of homelessness in Lowell through performing 3-4 hours of service per week at a local shelter and/or drop-in center.
The complex relationships between science, technology, and society are commonly obscured by a popular belief in the value-neutrality and objectivity of science and technology. Being able to analyze that belief as a myth is necessary in order to engage in critical analysis of the ways in which science, technology and society are mutually constituted. Social inequalities are both built into and perpetuated by science, technology, and engineering. Likewise, science, technology, and engineering shape and are shaped by various societal power relations. This course will provide the analytical tools necessary to understand science, technology, and engineering as fundamentally social enterprises and to understand how they shape society.
Examines some social issues in family law, the changes therein, and the social climate and consequences accompanying these. By using the sociological method of inquiry to examine family law cases, the relationship between law and society as instruments of order and change are exemplified.
Massachusetts is well known for its rich immigrant history and culture. This course examines the social history of and conditions faced by immigrants upon arrival to Massachusetts, the ways they are affected as they settle in communities and their social and cultural impact locally and state-wide. Selected ethnic groups/communities are examined to understand the common processes and experiences as well as differences among them.
Most social interactions and interventions involve communication. Thus, communication patterns present critical issues for sociological inquiry. This course introduces communication as a central yet often ignored element of social life. It surveys existing communication theories, then focuses on models used by marginalized populations in efforts to democratize communication systems. Finally, it introduces tools for communication strategizing. As a final product students will conduct a frame analysis of a current social topic. From a general liberal arts perspective, the course will stress critical thinking and writing skills.
Youth (or adolescence) constitutes a historically and socially constructed stage of the life course between childhood and adulthood. Since the early twentieth century, society's view of this life period has been ambivalent, at once glorifying the age of youth while also fretting over the problems that youth face. This course takes a sociological view of the study of youth/adolescence with particular attention to: (1) how this stage of the life course intersects with race, gender, immigration status and sexuality; (2) how society has responded to youth over time through a range of youth-serving organizations and media representations; and (3) how youth have responded as agents in their own public representations and development.
Course uses fieldwork approach to understand social problems and to discipline study and career pursuit in the area of public service.
With an eye on climate change sustainability, this course maps the social and historical dimensions of crisis and inequalities of food production and distribution. In addition to exploring food security's relation to sustainable food production, students will strengthen critical thinking, writing, and library research skills.
Focuses on the phenomenon of social class distinctions with particular emphasis on social class in America. The approach is both historical and sociological.
Deals with issues related to the quality of life in American cities. Students taking this course may engage in research projects on the city of Lowell and the role of the University of Massachusetts Lowell within that city.
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Health Care system is undergoing a radical change as profound as any in U.S. history including those for minority and woman's rights. A large segment of the population has struggled to obtain even basic health care coverage. The changes taking place are analyzed in a historical and comparative context by examining health care in other countries. Special attention is given to understanding the professions in medicine and the role medical professions have had in shaping medical care. At the micro level, the course examines evolving health care provider/patient relationships to better understand the level of control patients can exert over their health care decisions.
By 2060, Latinos are forecast to comprise over 28 percent of the US population. While the presentation of Latinos/as in public discourse often frames them a recently arrived immigrants, Spanish-speaking peoples in the US have a long and rich history. This course focuses a sociological lens on the historical and contemporary experiences of a community whose emergence requires deep analysis. Emphasis is placed on immigration policy, demographic shifts, labor market discrimination and bilingual education.
An investigation of religious institutions and experiences. Emphasis is placed on the influence of religion on social change.
An analysis of non-violent efforts to achieve social change through demonstrations, civil disobedience, etc. Movements led by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others are examined.
The course examines the role of social forces in defining the law. Topics include the legal profession, white-collar crime, and the importance of race, class and gender in the criminal justice system.
The course examines the development of social welfare policy in the United States as well as alternative strategies for social welfare provision. Particular attention is paid to the role of race/ethnicity, class, and gender in the formation of social welfare policy.
Examines ownership and control patterns of electronic and print media and their impact on media content and censorship.
Provides students with the opportunity to directly observe and participate in a research site. Research sites will vary based on the instructor, and may include the operation of a local social service organization for traditional ethnography, or social media for digital ethnography.
Pre-req: SOCI.4030 Sociological Research 2: Qualitative Approaches, and Sociology Majors only or permission of instructor.
Despite the recent growth of feminist methodologies, there is no one way of doing feminist methodologies. The growing body of literature in this area addresses the distinctive challenges and strengths of doing this research. Gender Studies scholars especially seek to question the framing of a study, managing of emotions, and ethical dilemmas. We will explore feminist strategies for creating, implementing, and analyzing a project that is grounded in the everyday lives of people while situating them in a social, political, and economic context. We will explore the interdisciplinary intersections where these challenges push at the boundaries of the disciplines of your major field of study. We will also investigate how to use as variety of qualitative approaches while doing a feminist project and the ways in which feminism can enlighten understandings of "traditional" qualitative methods.
Study of the family structures and gender roles in various human societies. Prerequisites: 48.101 plus either 48.231 or 48.241.
Sociology (BA) majors only, or Instructor permission.
This course examines a variety of issues, problems and prospects immigrants experience as they attempt to "make it in America". Immigrant America is increasingly ethnically diverse and this course focuses on the factors underlying migration and the ethnic communities migrants settle into with the aim to understand the cultural and contextual basis of their lives, their success and challenges.
Survey of the materials, skills, and techniques of technical theatre (including scenic construction, scene painting, lighting, and sound production) through reading, lecture, and hands-on experience. Replaces 42.252; credits may not be earned for both 42/59.252 and THEA 221.
Discusses the most prominent authors and works of Italian-American Literature as they, by using the ethnic setting, are able to convey universal human concerns and themes. The discussion on Italian-American ethnic issues will include such films as The Godfather, Moonstruck, The Sicilian, Goodfellas, and The Untouchables. Conducted in English.