History of Feminisms in the U.S.

HUM1417 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D43
• Friday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D43

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

An exploration of the multiple and often conflicting feminisms which have shaped U.S. history from the 19th century to the present. Emphasis on the second and third waves, on the relationship between feminist thought and political organizing, and on generational divisions across time. Opportunity for students to pursue in-depth research on topics of their own choosing. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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SENIOR SEMINAR IN AMERICAN STUDIES

HUM721 - 2 Credits - Advanced

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D25 (Fac Use Only)

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

The seminar is organized around the different research topics of seniors doing Plan work in American Studies. Students will present their own research in progress and read and critique each other's writing. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor Seminar may be taken for repeat credit

History of Political Life in the U.S. II

HUM741 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in D42
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in D42

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

How have different social groups, in different historical contexts, struggled to define and organize public life in the United States? In exploring this question, the course offers a thematically organized survey of U.S. history from the latter part of the nineteenth century to the present. Central issues to be explored include the nature of democracy in an era marked by a centralization of political and economic power, the role of mass culture in shaping ideas of freedom and the good life, the struggle over national identity in the context of multiculturalism, and the history of social protest in affecting change. The course advances a definition of "politics" which links these issues not simply to the laws, structures and operations of a government but to a more inclusive set of institutions and practices and to an understanding of political life which places at the center the ways in which people imagine and represent the social order. Prerequisite: None

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Introduction to Anthropology

SSC131 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D42
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D42

Faculty: Carol Hendrickson

This course provides a broad overview of cultural anthropology. We start by considering two concepts that are central to the discipline: the idea of "culture" and the research method called "fieldwork." From there, we take up a range of topics (e.g. language, social relations, economic exchange, power and control, belief systems, socialization, and the nature of the person) and consider the issues and approaches important to anthropologists. Class readings will include a number of ethnographic studies based on research in communities around the world. Prerequisite: None

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Seminar in Medical Anthropology

SSC524 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in D33E

Faculty: Carol Hendrickson

People conceptualize health, illness, and healing processes according to the cultural knowledge of the society in which they live. In this course we will examine a range of topics from the perspective of cultural anthropology including concepts of the body, the language of illness and health, systems of medical authority, religion and healing, and pluralistic medical systems. The beginning weeks of the semester will focus on common readings while the latter part will be devoted to student research, class presentations, and the preparation of a final project. Students will be selected on the basis of a statement of interest and proposal for research. Variable credits (2-3). Prerequisite: A proposal plus permission of instructor

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A Fixed Impression: A Hands-On Approach to the History & Techniques of Printmaking

HUM1418 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 9:00am - 11:20am in Apple Tree
• Thursday 9:00am - 11:20am in Apple Tree

Faculty: Cathy Osman, Erin Benay

From its origins in the 15th century to the present day, the print has played an essential role in the history and production of art. In this course we will consider both the history of the medium and its impact on the development of the visual arts, and the making of prints. Class time will be divided evenly between art historical discussions of thematic issues such as the function of prints, notions of reproduction & multiplicity, and prints as translation, and studio time dedicated to the learning of intaglio and relief printmaking techniques such as etching, engraving, and woodcut. By getting our hands dirty making prints, we will experience directly how difficult, diverse, and expressive the print can be. Prerequisite: None

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Art History Survey Part I: Pre-History to Gothic

HUM880 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Apple Tree
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Apple Tree

Faculty: Erin Benay

This course is an introduction to the history of art beginning with pre-history and ending with Italy in the fourteenth century. The focus of the class is on tracing trends of stylistic, functional, aesthetic, material interaction in a series of world cultures including Egyptian, Ancient Near Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Western Medieval. Students are expected to develop skills of visual analysis and a historical sense of changes in world culture. Prerequisite: None

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A Frog Jumps In: Seminar in Japanese History & Culture

HUM1035 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D21 (Harter)
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D21 (Harter)

Faculty: Seth Harter

The ripples of Japanese culture have reached all sides of the Pacific. This seminar will examine selected topics in the origins and development of Japanese culture from the late 8th century to the present. We will begin with a general overview of Japanese language, history and geography. We will then consider the fundamental themes of Japanese history while reading key works on Japanese literature, politics, religion, and contemporary society. Each student will take responsibility for leading discussion, will write weekly commentaries, and will produce two short papers. Knowledge of Japanese language is not necessary, but some prior exposure to Japanese culture will be helpful. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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Anatomy of Movement

CDS564 - 3 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)
• Wednesday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan, Jaime Tanner

In this course we will study human movement from an anatomical and biomechanical perspective. Concepts will be explored through a combination of scientific study, experiential anatomy, and dance movement. Prerequisite: None

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General Biology I Lab

NSC174 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 221

Faculty: Allison Turner

An exploration of biological principles and biological diversity in a laboratory setting. We will spend some of the Fall semester studying South Pond, a remarkable local natural resource, as well as working in the lab with bacteria and mammalian cells. Students will be given opportunities to design their own research projects. Spring semester will include a detailed study of local vernal pools. Recommended for prospective life science Plan students. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in General Biology I or permission of instructor

Genetics & Evolution

NSC224 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in To Be Determined
• Friday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in Sci 221

Faculty: Jennifer Ramstetter

An integration of the major elements of molecular, Mendelian, and population genetics with the principles of organic evolution. Recommended for all students doing Plan work in the life sciences. Prerequisite: College-level biology course

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Scientific Methods in Alternative Medicine

NSC369 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 9:00am - 9:50am in Sci 221
• Thursday 9:00am - 9:50am in Sci 221

Faculty: Allison Turner, Jaime Tanner

A seminar course covering ten to twenty modalities of alternative healing. This course is specifically designed to teach all students how to understand and gain valuable information from scientific literature; we will be reading, exclusively, primary research papers and elucidating the scientific methods used. The course will seek to clarify the difference between belief systems and scientific evidence in alternative medicine. Students will give presentations based on scientific literature from their chosen healing modality. The course will include a short lab component. Prerequisite: None

Natural History of Vermont

NSC467 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:30pm - 4:20pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Robert Engel

An "old fashioned" course where we will study the climate and landscape of Vermont and the kinds of things that live here. While studying all groups, each student will be asked to specialize on one taxon. There will be a lot of work outside. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Corequisite: Enrollment in HUM1332: Environmental Philosophy, William Edelglass

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Animal Behavior

NSC594 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 221
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 221

Faculty: Jaime Tanner

This course will introduce students to basic concepts of animal behavior from a strong evolutionary perspective. We will focus on the evolutionary and ecological significance of behaviors exhibited by a broad range of animals. Prerequisite: College-level biology

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Animal Behavior Lab

NSC595 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 220

Faculty: Jaime Tanner

This laboratory will develop your ability to measure, quantify and assess the behavior of animals. You will receive extensive training on the scientific method and hypothesis testing. Students will gain experience in the research techniques and critical thinking through an independent research topic. Prerequisite: College-level biology, NSC344

General Biology I

NSC9 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 221
• Wednesday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 221
• Friday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 221

Faculty: Jennifer Ramstetter

An examination of the molecular and cellular basis for life. This course serves as the foundation course for further work in life sciences. Prerequisite: Some chemistry recommended

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Ceramics II

ART102 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Wednesday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Woodard Ceramics
• Friday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Woodard Ceramics

Faculty: Martina Lantin

Beginning with diverse assignments and concluding with self-directed projects, this course will develop material understanding and aesthetic choices. Ceramics history and contemporary issues will be discussed. There will be a presentation and written component.

Ceramics I

ART349 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Woodard Ceramics
• Friday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Woodard Ceramics

Faculty: Martina Lantin

This course will introduce students to the primary forming methods in ceramics as well as to creating the building blocks for a technical understanding. Students will be encouraged in a variety of making and finishing techniques working both sculpturally and functionally.

Organic Chemistry I

NSC12 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 216
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 216

Faculty: Todd Smith

Carbon can form bonds with itself and almost all of the other elements, giving rise to an enormous variety of carbon-containing molecules. Early organic chemists struggled with the structure of one particular molecule, benzene, until Friedrich Kekule solved the puzzle in a dream - he saw the carbon atoms "twisting in a snake-like motion.... One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes." In this course we study the chemistry of these carbon-based compounds. Organic chemistry's connection to biology is emphasized through descriptions of molecules and reactions central to living organisms. This is an intermediate chemistry course and is strongly recommended for all biologists, chemists, pre-med and pre-vet students. Prerequisite: General Chemistry I & II

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General Chemistry I

NSC158 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 216
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 216
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 216

Faculty: Todd Smith

Chemistry has a rich history, including ancient theories on the nature of matter and recipes for converting lead into gold. Modern research and applications are equally exciting, and include topics such as creating more efficient solar collectors and the reactions of natural and human-made chemicals in the environment. We will explore these topics as we learn about atomic structure and the periodic table, reaction stoichiometry, chemical bonds, molecular structure, and other concepts central to modern chemistry. Many of these topics are related to current health and environmental issues. For example, discussions of pH and reduction-oxidation reactions include research on the natural chemistry of surface waters and the effects of acid rain on natural systems. Co-requisite: General Chemistry I Laboratory

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Organic Chemistry I Lab

NSC17 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 112

Faculty: Allison Turner, Todd Smith

This laboratory will introduce students to key laboratory techniques in organic chemistry. We will explore reactions and procedures that will illustrate important concepts in organic chemistry, while also employing an approach called "green chemistry": for example, minimizing the use and production of hazardous materials, using more efficient reactions, and using benign and recyclable reagents. We will also employ an inquiry-based approach to laboratory investigations, in which the students will take increasing responsibility for the design, conduct, and analysis of experiments over the course of the semester. Prerequisite: General Chemistry Laboratory I or II

General Chemistry I Lab

NSC444 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Thursday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 112

Faculty: Allison Turner, Todd Smith

In the laboratory, we will apply the same concepts, information and analytical approach we use in the classroom. You will continue to hone problem-solving skills and become familiar with laboratory equipment and procedures. Laboratory sessions will be designed to allow you to explore ideas discussed in class through field and lab work in environmental chemistry. Also, we will try to apply concepts from the field of 'green chemistry' to make our investigations more environmentally sustainable. Prerequisite: Co-requisite of General Chemistry I

Chemistry in the Kitchen

NSC596 - 3 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Sci 216
• Friday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Sci 216

Faculty: Todd Smith

Ever wonder why bread dough rises? Or what makes a chocolate bar melt when it's heated? When we cook, we see food change. Chemistry explains these changes. Harold McGee, author of On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen, agrees: "science can make cooking more interesting by connecting it with the basic workings of the natural world." In this course, we will explore food and cooking through experiments that ask questions such as: How does heat change food? How do bacteria perform fermentation? Why is the fermented food acidic? What is an acid, anyway? Through these explorations we will build an understanding of how chemistry explains cooking. This is a chemistry course - with the kitchen as our laboratory. The course will meet twice a week: once in the classroom, and once in the kitchen. Each week we will discuss a new topic in chemistry and then use our laboratory time in the kitchen to address our questions. Prerequisite: None

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Sex, Violence, & Vengeance: Greek Tragedy for All the Ages

HUM1427 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in D43
• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in D43

Faculty: William Guast

In his own time the Greek tragedian Euripides was accused of making the young idle and corrupting women, and ever since the fifth century BC Greek tragedy has not lost this power to provoke. ‘Feminist' tragedies were read aloud at suffragette meetings at the beginning of the 20th century, while the tragedian Sophocles was reworked during the second world war in occupied to France to encode resistance to the Nazis. In this course we shall consider some of the greatest and most well known Greek tragedies, and explore not only radically different conceptions of justice, fate, theodicy, feminism, and political authority, to name just a few key themes, but also the workings of the unfamiliar and formal literary ‘grammar' of Greek tragedy. It is hoped that the course will culminate in a short performance of extracts from Euripides Medea. Prerequisite: None

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GREEK IA

HUM286 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:30am - 11:20am in D43
• Thursday 10:30am - 11:20am in D43
• Friday 10:30am - 11:20am in D42

Faculty: William Guast

This is a beginner's course in Ancient Greek. Greek is a truly special language, with an incredible variety of expression, beauty of sound, and richness of thought, literature, and history. It is also a challenging language, and students should be prepared for regular short quizzes to reinforce material as we go along, but consistent effort will pay rich dividends. We'll be working from John Taylor's 'Greek to GCSE', which introduces students to the basic elements of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary through stories set in authentic Ancient Greek contexts. Prerequiste: None

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LATIN IA

HUM36 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in D34
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in D34
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in D34

Faculty: William Guast

This is a beginner's course in Latin. Students come to Latin for many reasons: to understand better their own and other languages; to access one of the richest bodies of literature and history in the world; or simply as an intellectual test. Latin is a demanding language, and students should be prepared for regular short quizzes to reinforce material as we go along, but consistent effort will pay rich dividends. We'll be working from Wheelock's Latin (6th edition), which introduces students to the basic elements of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, and offers students original Latin thought and language as soon as possible. Prerequisite: None

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LATIN IIA

HUM427 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D42
• Friday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D42

Faculty: William Guast

This course is a continuation of Latin IA and Latin IB. We will move to translating original Latin in order to build up vocabulary and grammatical knowledge; prose composition will also be a regular feature of our study. We will aim to finish Wheelock's Latin. The choice of texts studied will very much depend on the interests and enthusiasms of students: we could try Catullus' lewd love poems, or Vergil's Dido and Aeneas, or Tacitus' thoughts on living under a dictatorship. Prerequisite: Latin IA and IB

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GREEK IIA

HUM47 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D34
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D34

Faculty: William Guast

This course is a continuation of Greek IA and Greek IB. We will move to translating original Greek in order to build up vocabulary and grammatical knowledge; prose composition will also be a regular feature of our study. The choice of texts studied will very much depend on the interests and enthusiasms of students: we could sample Socrates' thoughts on the good life, or Homer's epic poetry, or try our hand at the New Testament in the original. Prerequisite: Greek IA and IB

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Digital Multimedia

NSC551 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

A workshop in manipulating images, music, animation, and video with a computer, including some background topics in optics, acoustics, and the internet. Where possible, we'll be primarily using open source software systems such as the Gimp (images), Audacity (sound), and Blender (animation). After an initial look at many technologies, each student will choose a single project to focus on for the last third of the term. Prerequisite: None

Introduction to Programming with Python

NSC552 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in Sci 217
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in Sci 217

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

This is a first class in computer programming, and as such serves as a foundation any further work in computer science. Much as a competency with English grammar is required for writing, an understanding of programming is needed for most intermediate and advanced work in computer science. A similar course is offered every fall, though the language chosen varies from year to year. Python is a modern, elegant, high level scripting language, used for scientific programming, web servers, and all sorts of other things; it's been one of the most popular languages among students here at Marlboro lately. Topics will include program design, Boolean logic, debugging, input/output, object oriented programming, as well as a variety of basic computer skills. Prerequisite: None (Yes, it's at 8:30 this time around. If I can get up that early, so can you. Come join the breakfast club, eh?)

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Computer Systems

NSC592 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 217
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

A look at what goes on "under the hood" of a computer, in the implementation in machine code of a C program running on a Linux computer. Sometimes called "Computer Organization", a course like this one is a required part of most computer science degree programs, typically taken by sophomores after a course or two in basic programming concepts. Topics include the C programming language, machine-level data representation and assembly language, processor organization, system performance, memory caching, code compilation and linking, and similar fun stuff. This course is likely to be offered every few years. Prerequisite: Previous programming experience

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Living with War

SSC527 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Apple Tree

Faculty: Dana Howell

Though war seems extraordinary, it is an ordinary presence in our world. Whether distant or close at hand, war is part of how we understand the world. It creates social change and cultural reflection. How are the ruptures of war absorbed into society and culture? We will examine direct experiences of war, the struggles to recover cultural identity after a war, the celebration and memorializing of war as generations pass, and the pervasiveness of war imagery in popular culture. Prerequisite: A course in the social sciences or humanities

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Political Rituals

SSC528 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Greene Room
• Friday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Greene Room

Faculty: Dana Howell

Social life is structured by ritual, and never more so than in public politics. With an introduction to the core ideas of ritual studies, we will consider a cross-cultural selection of political rituals, mostly from the 20th century, and explore the rituals and spectacles of American political life, including a review of the Obama presidential campaign and contemporary observation and analysis of the Fall electoral season in the U.S.. Class discussion of readings and films, plus student research projects on a contemporary or historical topic in political ritual. Prerequisite: None

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Contact Improvisation

ART537 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)
• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan

Contact Improvisation (CI) is an exploration of the movement that is possible when two bodies are in physical contact, using each other's support to balance and communicating through weight and momentum. CI was invented in the United States in the early 1970s and it has since spread all around the world, where it is practiced both as a social dance and as a component of post-modern dance performance. In this class, we will learn basic skills and concepts to enter the practice of contact improvisation. We will work to develop comfort with our bodies, to trust one another, to take risks, to make choices in the moment, and to understand the forces of physics as they apply to the body in motion. We will listen to sensation, communicate through skin and muscles, develop reflexes for falling and flying, and find access to our own strength and sensitivity. Prerequisite: No prior dance experience is necessary

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Choreography

ART850 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

• Friday 1:30pm - 4:20pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan

In this class, students will explore both the art and the craft of making dances. Responding to specific assignments, students will create a number of dances throughout the semester, bringing a new draft to class each week. Class sessions will focus on viewing and discussing students' work, and when appropriate, on exploring tools for the creative process and ideas about composition. Attention will be given to learning how to give and receive choreographic feedback, and to editing and developing existing choreography. In addition, students will study the choreographic methods of other artists through viewing videos and reading texts. This course will require students to work independently and commit a substantial amount of time outside of class to the completion of choreographic studies. Students will present their final projects in an end of the semester showing. This course may be repeated for credit; assignments, readings, and special topics will differ each semester. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

INT/ADV MODERN DANCE TECHNIQUE & REPERTORY

ART934 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)
• Thursday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 101 (Dance Studio)

Faculty: Paula Aarons

This class offers intermediate and advanced dancers an exciting opportunity to dance intensively. The technique class will be a combination of deep technical work, based on Nikolais/Louis, Graham, and Limon principles, combined with the contemporary intellegence of Pilates and other somatic methodologies, all building towards extended phrase material. Because of the Nikolais/Louis base, there will also be some improvisational exploration integrated with the technical work throughout the semester. During the rehearsal portion of the class students will work with the instructor in the process of choreographic revision and resetting. By the end of the semester, students will have participated in the revision and resetting of at least two excerpts from existing work by the instructor that will then be performed. Dancers are required to participate in the tech and dress rehearsals that will be a part of this performance process. In addition to attendance to every class as well as tech and dress rehearsals, there will be some short readings and reflections also assigned.

"What's So Funny?" A Seminar on Comedy

CDS16 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Greene Room
• Thursday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Greene Room

Faculty: Paul Nelsen

This course is a survey of comedy in theory and in manifestations of performance. Readings and projects will support seminar discussion of comic plays, films, TV series, and live performance. Assignments will include creative, interpretive, and analytical exercises as well as consideration of essays written from perspectives of theatre practice/craft, literary theory, psychology, and philosophy. Midterm and final reviews will require informal writing/analysis. Prerequisite: None

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Intermediate Microeconomics

SSC47 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in D33E
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in D33E

Faculty: James Tober

This course considers the theories and methods of contemporary neoclassical microeconomics. We will examine prices, markets, and market failures primarily from the perspectives of individual and organizational decision-makers and in consideration of efficiency and equity, among other performance criteria. Topics include determination of prices, individual and collective decision-making, the organization and regulation of production, and the distribution of income. The course offers solid grounding in the theory and methods of economics as required for further work in the field; it is required or recommended for many graduate and professional programs in business, law, and policy studies. Prerequisite: Introductory economics or permission of instructor

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Global Atmospheric Change

NSC346 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 216
• Wednesday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 216
• Friday 10:30am - 11:20am in Sci 216

Faculty: John MacArthur

An examination of the changes occurring in the earth's atmosphere and climate, both short and long term, and due to natural as well as anthropogenic causes. Prerequisite: None

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How Environmentally Sustainable is Marlboro College?

NSC593 - 3 Credits - Introductory

• Friday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

In our Environmental Mission Statement we commit to "using energy efficiently and resources wisely." Do we? How do we know? In this course we critically compare different methods of assessing environmental impact and dig into the data to evaluate our performance. Through a combination of guest speakers and hands-on activities we range across many topics within sustainability at every level of the Marlboro community. These topics include energy, waste, food, transport, forestry and greenhouse gas emissions. Prerequisite: None

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Who Owns the Land?

SSC400 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in Library 102
• Thursday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in Library 102

Faculty: James Tober

This course examines changing ideas about land, competing claims over rights to land, and resulting patterns of land use and land-use control, primarily in the U.S. The course offers an historical overview but focuses primarily on topics of contemporary interest: zoning, eminent domain, and land-use planning (examining the case of Marlboro, VT); the "public-private" divide and the "wise use" movement; the tragedy of the commons; patterns of human settlement; and economic geography. Prerequisite: Previous work in social science or environmental studies or permission of instructor

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The Films of Robert Altman

ART2250 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Wednesday 6:30pm - 9:20pm in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: Jay Craven

Filmmaker Robert Altman broke stylistic ground and provided unique social commentary with his naturalistic, circular, and multi-layered narratives of fringe characters pursuing off-beat articulations of the American dream. Viewed as controversial, outspoken, and irreverent, Altman was nevertheless loved by actors, for the freedom he gave them. And a devoted legion of critics and fans applauded his unconventional cinema-style and open-ended explorations of society and culture. Pictures slated for screening include MASH (1970), 3 Women (1977), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), The Player (1992), Nashville (1975), Short Cuts (1993), The Long Goodbye (1973), Secret Honor (1984), Vincent and Theo (1990), Gosford Park (2001), California Split (1974), A Wedding (1978), and The Gingerbread Man (1998). Prerequisite: None

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Film Acting, Directing, and Cinematography - Marble Hill

ART2252 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Media Lab

Faculty: Jay Craven

Students will work to produce a series of ten-minute episodes for a web-based TV comedy series, Marble Hill. Actors, directors, cinematographers, sound recordists, music composers, and others are encouraged to enroll so that students can work in groups where they collaborate and draw on each other’s interests and abilities. The goal of this class is to advance production skills development and facilitate the students’ acquisition of the means to achieve more disciplined expression in narrative film. This will involve focused work in film acting, directing, script development, camera coverage, lighting, sound recording, design, and editing. Student production teams will participate in pre-productions planning, location scouting, shot listing, casting, rehearsal, production and post-production. The class will include screenings of outside material and exercises intended to sharpen students’ imaginative capacities and intuitive instincts. Completed episodes that meet rigorous technical and creative standards will be posted online through YouTube and other outlets.

Pre-requisite: Previous film and/or acting study or experience, or by permission of the instructor.

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Screenwriting Workshop

ART2253 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 9:00am - 10:20am in Library 202

Faculty: Jay Craven

This class will continue work started last spring, for any interested writing students, whether or not they participated in that class. Our plan will be to develop characters and dramatic/comedic incidents set on the campus of the small fictional New England liberal arts college, Marble Hill. Completed material that meets rigorous standards for shaping and revision will be considered for production through the on-campus productions class running concurrently – and for possible TV, cable, and radio production. Classroom sessions will include brainstorming, critique, and study of effective screenwriting technique – aimed at the development of scripted scenes and sequences that shape character, theme, tone, and incident to dramatic and comedic effect. Outside scripts and produced episodes will also be studied and discussed. Students may enroll in this workshop for 2 or 4 credits, depending on the amount of work they are prepared to undertake and complete. Pre-requisite: Submission of a writing sample. Pre-requisite: Submission of a writing sample.

Cinematography Workshop

ART2258 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Wednesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Media Lab

Faculty: Jay Craven

This group tutorial will focus on the theory and practice of cinematography for narrative, documentary, or experimental applications—using the motion picture camera to capture imaginative, expressive, and affecting images. Weekly activities will include shooting assignments; in-class critiques; readings; screenings; and discussion. Students who plan to work as cinematographers for the Marble Hill web TV series are strongly encouraged to enroll. Assigned text: Blain Brown’s Cinematography: Theory and Practice. Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers.

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Introduction to Medieval Studies

HUM1384 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43
• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

This course serves as a broad introduction to the Medieval European world. There are two major goals of the course. First, students should become acquainted with the changes and narratives of medieval history as well as its significance to modern history. Second, as an introduction to the historical discipline, this course offers students the opportunity to learn the methods of historical research: how to use primary sources as well as historiography to formulate historical narratives and arguments. The course will look at the medieval world through a variety of lenses, including political, religious, economic and social history as well as looking at the art, music and literature of the time. Prerequisite: None

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Advanced Medieval Studies

HUM1422 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Monday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43
• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

Intended to further advanced work towards a Plan in history or medieval studies, students in this course will build on the background acquired in Introduction to Medieval Studies and expand their knowledge of the techniques used to study the European past during the middle ages. We will cover in greater details techniques including manuscript work, paleography, diplomatics, and archeology. Students will spend part of the semester preparing a research project in their area of interest which will then be presented and discussed as part of the introductory course. An additional weekly 1-hour meeting to be scheduled. Some knowledge of Latin would be helpful, but is not required. Prerequisite: Medieval Studies or permission of instructor

Jewish, Christian, Muslim Relations

HUM1423 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in D33E
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in D33E

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

Viewed alternately as an idyllic time of cultural cooperation - such as in the poetry and art of Andalusia - or as the foundation of the eternal conflicts between the Abrahamic religious sects - from the Crusades to the Inquisition - medieval religious relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been a point of broad contention among medievalists for decades. Through a variety of primary and secondary sources we will investigate the changing social conditions that helped to create religious interactions ranging from cooperation to violence. Topics will include the Crusades, Spanish Convivencia, sermon writing, literary production, and legal culture, among others. These medieval antecedents all resonate clearly in the modern world and often provide the historical/mythic backdrop to contemporary debates on continuing modern conflicts from Israel/Palestine to Afghanistan. While the focus of the course will be the complexities of medieval religious relationships, the end of the course will spend time looking directly at how the medieval past gets used in the framing of modern political rhetoric. Prerequisite: Introductory course in history, religion or equivalent

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Thinking through the Body: A Seminar in Anthropology & Religion

CDS563 - Variable Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Library 102

Faculty: Amer Latif, Carol Hendrickson

This seminar will explore how the body is experienced and used to make sense of the world. A small group of students will be selected to participate based on proposals/statements of interest. We will begin the semester with a close reading of a small set of core works and then move on to identify a broad list of works that will serve as a general bibliography for different topics. During the final weeks of the semester each of us will work on an individual research project as well as a syllabus for an introductory course on the same topic to be offered in spring semester 2011. This seminar is meant for students with some background in the study of religion, anthropology, or related subjects. Variable credits. Prerequisite: A proposal plus permission of instructor

Conflict Resolution: Theory & Practice

SSC529 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in D34
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in D34

Faculty: Gearoid Millar

This class will introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of conflict resolution. Students will read the formative texts in the field and study the basics of negotiation, mediation, dialogue, track II diplomacy, and interpersonal conflict resolution methods. Conflict resolution is a field that has exploded in recent years and extended its influence throughout a number of practical fields, including business, law, and public administration. Through class discussion and in-class simulations students will learn useful skills both for their personal lives and for their future careers. This will be an introductory course and no prior experience or knowledge of conflict resolution is necessary. However, students will be expected to be prepared to read both theoretical and practical literature on the dynamics of social conflict, and to investigate conflicts of all levels of significance and intensity, from latent personal disagreements to violence international confrontations.   Prerequisite: None

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Anti-Disciplinary Studies

SSC530 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in D34
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in D34

Faculty: Gearoid Millar

This class will introduce students to the theoretical, methodological, and practical differences between five social science disciplines. We will investigate the different approaches taken by anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, and economics to two complex social problems, urban youth violence and international development. Students will learn to critique scholarly articles, policy recommendations, and the practical application of theory in the modern world. They will also learn to integrate diverse perspectives in the pursuit of realistic and holistic solutions to complex social problems. Students are expected to engage each week with scholarly articles from a particular discipline pertaining to one of two complex social problems. They will learn to compare and contrast between approaches and outcomes, and to evaluate both the quality of particular analyses and proposed solutions, and the disciplined nature of modern policy formation and application. Prior exposure to two or more introductory social science courses and an interest in scholarly critique will be very important for success in this course. Prerequisite: Two introductory social science classes

BEGINNING MODERN ARABIC IA

HUM1119 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in Media Lab
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in Media Lab

Faculty: Ayman Yacoub

Introduces students to the phonology and script of classical/modern standard Arabic and covers the basic morphology and syntax of the written language. Emphasis on the development of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) at the earliest stages. Samples of modern (contemporary) and classical styles of writing introduced, and audio-visual material from the contemporary Arabic media. Prerequisite: None

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INTERMEDIATE MODERN ARABIC IIA

HUM1120 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Media Lab
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Media Lab

Faculty: Ayman Yacoub

A continuation of elementary Arabic with equal emphasis on aural and oral skills, reading and writing. Selections from contemporary Arabic media are introduced and serve as a basis for reading and conversation. Prerequisite: Arabic IA

Elementary Spanish I

HUM1346 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 8:30am - 9:20am in Gander 1
• Wednesday 8:30am - 9:20am in Gander 1
• Friday 8:30am - 9:20am in Gander 1

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

This course offers a dynamic and interactive introduction to Spanish. This is a language course for first-year students of Spanish and is designed to aid development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course covers the basic grammar structures of the Spanish language along with a variety of vocabulary and cultural topics through extensive use of video, classroom practice, and weekly conversation sessions with a student assistant. It prepares students for the second-semester Spanish course to be offered in Spring 2011. Meets three times a week as a class plus 50 minutes of weekly conversation with an Assistant to be arranged at a later date. Prerequisite: None

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Elementary Chinese I

HUM1357 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 8:30am - 9:20am in D33E
• Wednesday 8:30am - 9:20am in D33E
• Friday 8:30am - 9:20am in D33E

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is for beginners. It is designed to help students develop communicative competence in the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will learn basic vocabulary and sentence structures used in everyday situations through various forms of oral practice. Pinyin (the most widely used Chinese phonetic system) will be taught as a tool to learn the spoken language. Students will also learn Chinese characters in order to be able to communicate effectively in real Chinese situations. While linguistic aspects of the Chinese language are the primary focus, introduction to the social and cultural background of the language will also form an important part of the course. Prerequisite: None

An additional 50 minutes a week is to be added. The specific time is based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll and the instructor

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Intermediate Chinese I

HUM1358 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 10:30am - 11:20am in D33E
• Wednesday 10:30am - 11:20am in D33E
• Friday 10:30am - 11:20am in D33E

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is the continuation of Elementary Chinese II. Students will continue to learn more skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing for daily communication. A broad variety of expressions and complicated sentence structures will be taught so that students can participate in conversations on various topics related to modern Chinese society. While equal emphasis will still be given to both characters and structures, students will be guided to write more Chinese essays. Activities related to the broad spectrum of Chinese culture will be organized to facilitate language learning with knowledge and analysis of the cultural background of the language.

An additional 50 minutes a week is to be added. The specific time is based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll and the instructor.

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Grammar as Science

HUM1413 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in D33E
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in D33E
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in D33E

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is an introduction to syntax as an exercise in scientific theory construction. It engages general intellectual themes present in all scientific theorizing as well as those arising specifically within the modern cognitive sciences. It covers such core topics in syntax as phrase structure, constituency, the lexicon, inaudible elements, movement rules, and transformational constraints, while emphasizing scientific reasoning skills. Prerequisite: None

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Composition, Conversation & Culture

HUM1419 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Gander 1
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Gander 1

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

(Writing and speaking intensive) Although this course is centered on written expression in Spanish, conversation and discussion of short stories from selected Latin American and Spanish writers will serve as models for writing styles. The course reviews briefly difficult grammatical structures or idiomatic usages, sentence and paragraph structure, and making smooth transitions through writing. Using the selected literary texts, we will write short descriptions and narratives, learn how to incorporate dialogue in a short story as well as styles for personal or business correspondence. We will analyze literary texts, do library research and draft and complete full literary research papers. Students will comment on each other's work in the classroom to practice techniques of self-editing and self-criticism. This course serves as one of the foundations for advanced literary studies in Spanish. Prerequisite: at least three semesters of college Spanish/equivalent or permission of instructor

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Survey of Latin American Literature II

HUM1420 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Monday 10:00am - 11:20am in Gander 1
• Wednesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Gander 1

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

(Writing and speaking intensive) An introduction to Latin American texts from Modernismo, first Latin American movement at the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Course will begin with José Martí's célèbre essay "Nuestra América" and end with Subcomandante Marcos' novel Muertos incómodos. Different cultural movements and their sociopolitical contexts are examined through representative works. Class discussions and assigned papers are based on literary analysis and research. Prerequisite: Three semesters of college Spanish plus a writing course

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Elementary German I

HUM1428 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 102
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 102
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 102

Faculty: Michael Huffmaster

As Europe's largest economy and the world's largest exporter, Germany is bound to play an important role in international affairs for the foreseeable future. The German-speaking nations have fascinating, tumultuous histories. German contributions to the world's cultural heritage - n literature, music, art, architecture, philosophy, psychology, and physics - can hardly be understated. This course provides a foundation for students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the German-speaking peoples and their language and culture. All four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) will be practiced to help students acquire communicative competence. In addition, through a wide variety of video, audio, and interactive online materials, students will gain insight into the inextricable relationship of language and culture, providing a basis for critical awareness of both "things foreign" and their own native culture(s). The course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of German. Prerequisite: None

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Language & Power

HUM1429 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Gander 1
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Gander 1

Faculty: Michael Huffmaster

As the children's saying goes, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me." But is that really so? What is the relationship of words to world in a culture where actions are supposed to "speak louder than words?" Language is more than just a means of communicating information. As one of our most characteristic forms of behavior, it constitutes us as individuals and shapes our social reality to an extent that most of us typically remain unaware of. People do things with words and words do things to people. How is it that language can have such power? And how might we obtain a degree of the power of language for ourselves? This course explores the workings of language as social symbolic power in everyday life from a cross-disciplinary perspective, drawing on work in philosophy, history, linguistics, sociology, anthropology, and social and cultural theory. Topics will include the origins and nature of language; the relation between language, knowledge, and ideology; language as symbolic capital; language and identity; institutional discourse and linguistic imperialism; and the possibilities of resignification. Prerequisite: None

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Literature & History of the First World War

HUM1106 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D34
• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D34

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

D.H. Lawrence describes the time period of the First World War as a "tragic age." In this course we will look at that event, making an attempt to analyze some aspects of the social context which allowed it to occur. We will consider the effects of that war on language, on social thought, on institutions. Texts will include D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, Eckstein's The Rites of Spring, Fussel's The Great War in Modern Memory, selections from poets with a focus on Wilfred Owen and Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. Prerequisite: None

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The Gothic Imagination: Walpole to Morrison

HUM1425 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Wednesday 9:00am - 10:20am in D42
• Friday 9:00am - 10:20am in D42

Faculty: Gloria Biamonte

"The Soul Has Bandaged Moments":  The Gothic Imagination:  Walpole to Morrison.  Delving into the darkest recesses of the human soul, the gothic novel of the late 18th century was a new sort of narrative that had at its center the potent intersection of sex, violence, and the law. Beginning with Horace Walpole (The Castle of Otranto, 1764) and the first writers in the "School of Terror" (Ann Radcliffe and Matthew Lewis), we will consider how these authors used Gothic excesses - all types of villainous acts (forced marriages, imprisonment, the desecration of corpses) committed by all sorts of villainous characters (incestuous parents, monks in league with the devil, insane scientists) - to explore the worlds of sexual and social transgressions. We will then move to the19th century transformations of the genre (Shelley, Poe, Stoker, James, Stevenson), and close with the legacy of the Gothic in the 20th and 21st century (Faulkner, Borges, Rushdie, Morrison). Whether set in a castle, a city, or a sleepy village house, gothic literature pushes at the boundaries of what is known and what can be known, asking whether we can separate pain from pleasure, reason from unreason, mind from spirit, self from other, justice from corruption, punishment from tyranny.

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Conflict and Memory in the Contemporary British Novel

HUM1426 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D33E
• Friday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D33E

Faculty: Gloria Biamonte

". . .outliving a time by telling its story": Conflict and Memory in the Contemporary British Novel. "'The proper stuff of fiction' does not exist," wrote Virginia Woolf in 1925, "everything is the proper stuff of fiction, every feeling, every thought; every quality of brain and spirit is drawn upon; no perception comes amiss." The novelists we will be reading in this course - a rather open-ended exploration of the contemporary British novel from the 1980s to the present - would agree with Woolf. In exploring a range of richly diverse and original novels, we will consider the writers' attempts to respond to the major social, economic and political events that shaped their lives: the end of empire; immigration from the former colonies; radical changes in racial and sexual politics; and the increasingly postmodern and postcolonial experience of British culture. Authors may include: Doris Lessing, Julian Barnes, Caryl Phillips, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Pat Barker, Graham Swift, Jeanette Winterson, Angela Carter, A.S. Byatt, Zadie Smith. Prerequisite: One previous literature course

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The Sacrificial Woman in the Western Tradition

HUM1433 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in D38 (Long Room)
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: Eileen Harney

Female sacrifice. A number of images may come to mind: martyrs, mothers, nuns, or lovers. This course will consider differing, and at times seemingly conflicting, interpretations of “sacrifice.” Using primarily ancient and medieval sources, the course will examine the literary presentations of sacrificed women and how those presentations develop over time. Earlier stories’ motifs surrounding willingly or unwillingly sacrificed women will provide comparisons to later stories’ utilization and transformation of these same themes. These comparisons should afford insight into the use of characteristic traits and traditional storylines in the later depictions of heroines and/or victims. Works include Greek and Roman legends, religious writings, and excerpts from medieval epics and romances.

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Plan Seminar in Literature I

HUM1436 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D22A (Geraldine)
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D22A (Geraldine)

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

A course for juniors and seniors on Plan. We will critique the writing of Plans in progress, read selections of articles on the authors, and read relevant essays on literary theory. May be taken for variable credits (1 to 4). Permission of professor.

Modern American Poetry

HUM365 - 4 Credits - COURSE

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in D23 (T. Wilson)
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in D23 (T. Wilson)
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in D23 (T. Wilson)

Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson

An examination in some detail of such poets as William Carlos Williams, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost. Three critical papers. Prerequisite: None

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Shakespeare's Tragedies

HUM459 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Monday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in D34
• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in D34

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

Selected readings from the tragedies of Shakespeare, with an emphasis on King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Coriolanus. An exploration of the themes of language, kingship and ethical choice. Prerequisite: None

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Linear Algebra

NSC164 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 217
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 217

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

Next to Calculus, this is the most important math course offered. It is important for its remarkable demonstration of abstraction and idealization on the one hand, and for its applications to many branches of math and science on the other. Whereas Calculus introduces undergraduates to a large warehouse of constantly used mathematical items, Linear Algebra has the power to use and manipulate those items. Linear algebra in n-dimensional real space. Matrices, vector spaces and transformations are studied extensively. Prerequisite: Calculus (NSC515) or equivalent

Calculus

NSC515 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 217
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 217
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 217

Faculty: Yang Liu

A one semester course covering differential and integral calculus and their applications. This course provides a general background for more advanced study in mathematics and science. Prerequisite: Topics in Algebra, Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus (NSC556) or equivalent

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Writing Math

NSC534 - 1 Credit - Advanced

• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 218

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

We will study the writing and presentation of mathematics. All skills needed for writing Plan-level math will be discussed, from the overall structure of a math paper down to the use of the typesetting package LaTeX. Much of the time will be spent working on writing proofs. Short papers, based on material in your other math classes, will be read and discussed as a group. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Concurrent course or tutorial that includes substantial mathematical content and permission of instructor

Topics in Algebra, Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus

NSC556 - Variable Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 216
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Sci 216

Faculty: Yang Liu

This course covers a wide range of math topics prerequisite for further study in mathematics and science and of interest in their own right. The course is divided into over 50 units (listed on the course web page). One credit will be earned for each group of 6 units completed, and students may register for one to four credits. Students select units to improve their weak areas. There are also tailored streams for students who wish to go on to study calculus or statistics and for those who wish to prepare for the GRE exam. Over this semester and next, 42 units will be offered in the timetabled sessions. Individual tutorial-style arrangements can be made to study the non-timetabled units or to study units earlier than their scheduled session. Prerequisite: None

Statistics Workshop

NSC574 - Variable Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Sci 218

Faculty: Yang Liu, Matthew Ollis

A follow-up to Statistics (NSC123) in which students will acquire and hone the statistical skills needed for their work on Plan. Course content will be driven by the interests and requirements of those taking the class. Variable credit (1-4). May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Statistics (NSC123) or permission of the instructor

Counterpoint I (Sixteenth Century)

ART13 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 104
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 104

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

Study of counterpoint in the style of Palestrina. Two-part and three-part writing. Imitation, canon and free counterpoint will be covered. Prerequisite: Theory Fundamentals; sight-singing ability or permission of instructor

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Music Theory Fundamentals

ART14 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 104
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Serkin 104

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

A study of musical signatures, meter, rhythm, and basic chordal structure. Prerequisite: None

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Popular Music-Cultures of the United States in Historical Perspective

ART2255 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Monday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Serkin 104
• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in Serkin 104

Faculty: Etan Nasreddin-Longo

This course approaches its topic by way of the idea of culture - historically shared behavior among a group of humans, here expressed by way of musical behavior and sound. We will consider our topic broadly, and with a particular emphasis on the theoretical aspects of its study. Thus we will consider Latin-American, African-American, and Country music, among several others, and we will do so not only by thinking of music structurally, but also as a form of behavior - thus anthropological/ethnomusicological concerns will be highlighted. There will be one textbook for the course - Michael Campbell’s “And the Beat Goes On” which is accompanied by several CDs which will serve as listening material for the course. There will be several supplemental readings as well, including works by John Blacking and Laura Malvey. There will be short, weekly writing assignments, a final listening exam, and a final oral presentation.

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JAZZ ENSEMBLE

ART451 - 3 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 1:00pm - 3:50pm in Ragle Hall

Faculty: Eugene Uman

An ensemble that learns and performs jazz music. Repertoire explores a wide range of styles; includes classics by Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Cotrane, Latin and jazz standards plus originals by ensemble and instructor. Arrangements created by the group. Concurrent study and practical application of jazz styles and the basic language of improvisation. All instrumentalists and vocalists welcome. Prerequisite: Ability to read music, play an instrument and/or sing. 3 credit hours

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Chamber Music

ART496 - 1 Credit - Intermediate

• Thursday 6:30pm - 8:00pm in Ragle Hall

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

An opportunity for students to meet on a weekly basis to read and rehearse music from the standard chamber music repertoire. Woodwind, string, brass instruments welcome. Prerequisite: Ability to play an instrument and read music

ELECTRONIC MUSIC I

ART658 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 6:30pm - 8:00pm in Serkin 104

Faculty: Charles Schneeweis

The Electronic Music course offers students with or without music recording experience a chance to explore the historical context of electronic music production and technology while expanding their own understanding of basic sound recording and editing techniques. The course combines lectures, listening examples, demonstrations, projects, assignments, and critique sessions. Topics we will cover include historical artistic movements, composers, and techniques that inform electronic music. Basic computer skills will be helpful, as you will produce a series of computer-based audio projects. Class attendance is mandatory. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisite: None

Medieval & Renaissance Music

ART82 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Serkin 104
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Serkin 104

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

A study of the development of both sacred and secular forms and styles in music and its relation to social and cultural conditions of the time. Prerequisite: None

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Madrigal Choir

ART825 - 1 Credit - Introductory

• Tuesday 4:00pm - 5:30pm in Ragle Hall

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

Ensemble singing for more experienced choristers. Ability to read music and sight-sing. An exploration of repertoire from Renaissance to contemporary music for small choral ensemble. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Audition or permission of instructor

ELECTRONIC MUSIC: STUDIO AND PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

ART832 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 8:15pm - 9:45pm in Serkin Control Room

Faculty: Charles Schneeweis

In this course, we will investigate various studio and performance techniques used by electronic musicians and composers, including analog and digital synthesizer sound manipulation, editing, mixing and mastering practices, as well as live performance methods and practices. Guest lecturers/performers will supplement the syllabus. Assignments will employ hands-on application of course concepts using the computers and synthesizers in the lab. Class attendance is mandatory. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisites: ART 658 or permission of instructor.

ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

HUM1332 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in D42
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in D42

Faculty: William Edelglass

This course is an introduction to prominent questions and themes in environmental philosophy. We will begin with a study of moral and metaphysical approaches to philosophical questions of animals, nature, and the place of human beings in the environment. Then we will consider a number of related issues in environmental philosophy, including questions of place, education, living well, biology, gender, and the role of philosophy in the context of environmental crisis. This course will include leading discussions with small groups of students at the Marlboro Elementary School and doing a collaborative work of environmental art.
Corequisite: Enrollment in NSC467: Natural History of Vermont, Robert Engel
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Marx, Kierkegaard, & Nietzsche: 19th Century Responses to Hegel

HUM1414 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D42
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D42

Faculty: William Edelglass

In the waning years of the Enlightenment, European philosophers were primarily concerned with questions of reason and the subject: how reason can justify itself? is reason autonomous? is the subject autonomous? Kant's critical turn sought to understand the conditions of reason, thereby limiting its reach but also justifying it. Hegel attempted to extend and complete Kant's project, providing both a more historically informed account of the conditions of reason and the promise of transcending Kantian limits. In this course we will examine the nineteenth century philosophers who posed some of the most significant challenges to Hegel's project: Schopenhauer, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Our focus will be on the relation of the subject to history, ideology, reason, morality, religion, politics, economics, and culture, and how philosophical reflections on these issues were dramatically transformed in the context of modernity. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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Women and Gender in the Early Church

HUM1434 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D34
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D34

Faculty: Eileen Harney

The Early Church was a body fraught with debate and controversy. Among the many and varied concerns of the Fathers of the Church was the role of women. This course will consider the diverse positions and situations of women during the formation and formalization of the Early Church’s structure. It will explore fundamental arguments concerning women’s “appropriate” behavior and the principles from which these arguments arose. In addition to the philosophical debates and assertions relative to proper conduct, it will consider accounts of “exemplary” women. Several of these women perform acts and present behaviors that appear contradictory to tenets of the time. While examining the place of women, the course will explore the expected positions and behavior of men. It will also consider the fluidity of gender present in certain early Christian accounts. Readings will include works by Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, John Chrysostom, and Tertullian.

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The Image World

ART2251 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 10:30am - 12:20pm in Woodard Classroom
• Wednesday 10:30am - 12:20pm in Woodard Classroom

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

Historically, the photograph has been understood as a reflection, interpretation, or fragment of reality, as well as a means for constructing or suggesting new realities. In this course we will explore the various possibilities and consequences of these different conceptions of photography and consider some of the many social spheres in which photography participates, from art and journalism, to advertising, politics, and science. Students will produce work in dialog with theoretical and historical texts, experimenting with the relationship between the world of images and the world of everyday experience. Prerequisite: Introduction to Photography

Photography Plan Seminar

ART574 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Tuesday 10:30am - 12:20pm in Woodard Classroom
• Thursday 10:30am - 12:20pm in Woodard Classroom

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

This is a seminar for all students on Plan in photography. In addition to ongoing critiques, students will be asked to present on their work and influences. Prerequisite: Students on Plan in photography

Introduction to Black & White Photography

ART9 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:00pm - 4:20pm in Woodard Classroom
• Thursday 1:00pm - 4:20pm in Woodard Classroom

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

This course provides an introduction to black and white 35mm photography. Students will learn basic camera operation, film exposure and development, and printing. Student work will be discussed regularly in critique where visual communication will be emphasized alongside technique. The course will also introduce some of the fundamental issues and movements within the history of photography. Prerequisite: None (manual 35mm camera)

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General Physics I

NSC223 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 117A
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 117A
• Friday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Sci 117A

Faculty: Travis Norsen

This course is the first half of the year-long introductory physics sequence. It is designed to fit the needs both of students intending to go on Plan in physics or another natural science and also of non-science students who nevertheless desire some firsthand exposure to the scientific method of approaching and understanding the world. We'll cover Galileo's and Newton's discoveries about the motion of familiar terrestrial objects. But we'll also learn some things about the discovery process itself by doing real-life, hands-on experiments. Prerequisite: Mathematical proficiency up through, but not necessarily including, calculus

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Electricity & Magnetism

NSC427 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 117A
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 117A
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in Sci 117A

Faculty: Travis Norsen

A sophomore-level introduction to the physics of electric and magnetic phenomena. Topics include electrostatic forces, electric and magnetic fields, induction, Maxwell's equations, and some DC circuits. Prerequisite: General Physics I and II, Calculus I and II

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Experiments in Physics

NSC558 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Sci 117A

Faculty: Travis Norsen

Intermediate-level lab course for students on (or heading toward) Plan in physics, astronomy, or a related field. Students will perform three or four experiments from a group of possibilities including: weighing the earth (by measuring Newton's gravitational constant "G"), measuring the speed of light "c", investigating the emission spectrum of a near-blackbody radiation source and using it to determine Planck's constant "h", exploring the chaotic dynamics of a driven pendulum, and investigating the diffraction and interference of light. Each lab will culminate with a lab report (written, preferably, using latex; see NSC 534, "Writing Math"). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Course time may change based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll.

Writing Political Theory

HUM1204 - 2 Credits - Advanced

• Thursday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Library 202

Faculty: Meg Mott

This writing seminar develops strategies and skills necessary for completing a Plan in political theory. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: For seniors on Plan in political theory

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Debating the Good

HUM1415 - 2 Credits - Introductory

• Thursday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in Apple Tree

Faculty: Meg Mott, William Edelglass

Training in debate, an important component of education in many traditions, develops skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and the careful construction and assessment of arguments. Debate cultivates the kind of flexibility of thought that enables the sympathetic understanding of opposing perspectives while also helping to clarify one's own moral and intellectual views. It is also fun. Students in this course will learn debate skills; the majority of the class time will be devoted to actual debates. Prerequisite: permission of the instructors

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Human Rights: Past, Present, and Future

SSC531 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Gander 1
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Gander 1

Faculty: Bridget Hynes

In this course, we will interrogate core concepts in international human rights and how they have changed over time. International case studies will complement theoretical debates as we consider the following: cultural foundations of human rights; political and legal aspects of rights enforcement; areas of growth and marginalization in the development and protection of international rights; and the newest challenges brought to bear by the political and economic conditions of the 21st century. Torture, genocide, slavery/human trafficking, the rights of women, children, and minorities, and the rights of civilians in war are among the topics we will cover.

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African Women in Politics

SSC532 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in Gander 1
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in Gander 1

Faculty: Bridget Hynes

The emergence of a new generation of African women leaders in recent politics has been hailed as a shift in course for the continent. Yet, it stands in stark contrast with women's well-being in Africa, which by several demographic trends, is decreasing. In this course, we will consider the political life of African women across the continent, the challenges they face, and the sources of political power and sites of political movements from which new leadership springs. A brief historical frame, the complications of global politics and a look at gender's impact across a lifetime will inform us as we ask: Who are Africa's female leaders? What do their personal and national trajectories share and where do they diverge? What strengths do they bring to their positions that are more difficult for men to bring? What myths, stereotypes, and larger narratives may hold them back? Whom do they represent? How does the presence of female leadership signal a break with tradition and how does it continue a matriarchal trajectory? What challenges do African women leaders face in realizing meaningful change?

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Persistent Problems of Psychology

SSC34 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in D38 (Long Room)
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in D38 (Long Room)
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: Thomas Toleno

An introduction to the history and theory of Psychology, offering a survey of psychology's major perspectives.

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Plan Seminar: Sources & Methods in Religious Studies

HUM1117 - 2 Credits - Advanced

• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Amer Latif

Examination of available sources and current methodologies in the study of religion. Required for juniors on Plan in religion. Prerequisite: Plan in Religious Studies

Introduction to Confucianism & Daoism

HUM1416 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D33E
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D33E

Faculty: Amer Latif, Seth Harter

This course is an introduction two Chinese schools of thought and practice: Confucianism and Daoism. We will read the foundational texts in each school. Discussion will focus on ideas of morality, social relations, self-cultivation, good government, and nature. We will also consider the historical context of the primary texts as well as their influence on religious practice and art. Students will engage in a close analysis of key terms through tests. Prerequisite: None

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Introduction to the Bible

HUM1435 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D13
• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D13

Faculty: Eileen Harney

This course will consider Biblical accounts as works of literature unto themselves as well as religious texts. It will focus on important and recurring narrative themes, plot structures, and symbolic representations within the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Apocrypha. The religious messages and historical interpretations of texts will also be examined. Readings from the Bible will be supplemented with works from Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages that either share qualities with or stem from certain Biblical accounts and models.

Plan Writing Seminar

HUM779 - 1 Credit - Advanced

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in Sci 217

Faculty: Amer Latif

Writing seminar for seniors completing their Plan in religious studies. Prerequisite: Seniors on Plan in Religious Studies

Architectural Interventions

ART2254 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 1:30pm - 4:50pm in Perrine

Faculty: Christopher Oliver

Beginning with a series of drawings, writings, readings and discussions, this workshop will ask students to examine the architecture of our daily lives as forms in space, archeological artifacts, and events in time and place. These preliminary explorations will culminate in two sculptural pieces. The first will be a site-specific installation that will engage and respond to an actual architectural space. The second will take the opposite approach and begin with a salvaged building element and incorporate it into a new and invented context. The language and materials of domestic structures will inform both projects. Students will be introduced to basic woodworking principles and processes. Pre-requisite: Sculpture I or other college-level sculpture course. Note: Course will conclude November 22, 2010. Students may link a 1 credit tutorial to this course for additional credit.

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Sculpture II

ART552 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Perrine
• Friday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Perrine

Faculty: Timothy Segar

This is a course in the identification of and action on sculptural ideas. Projects in conceptual development, figure modeling, and the interaction of drawing and sculpture will be given. Technical areas such as waste-mold making will be introduced. Prerequisite: Sculpture I or permission of instructor

Contemporary American Society

SSC110 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 8:30am - 9:50am in D43
• Thursday 8:30am - 9:50am in D43

Faculty: Gerald Levy

The evolution of and interrelationship between American social, economic and political institutions focusing on the period from the end of World War II to the present. Prerequisite: None

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Community-Based Performance

SSC526 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in Gander 5 (WSP Lounge)
• Thursday 3:30pm - 5:20pm in Gander 5 (WSP Lounge)

Faculty: Ken Schneck

"There is more than a verbal tie between the words common, community, and communication....Try the experiment of communicating, with fullness and accuracy, some experience to another, especially if it be somewhat complicated, and you will find your own attitude toward your experience changing." -John Dewey

So Dewey is telling you to dive into community with unadulterated presence. But what does this even look like? How do you do it?!? Community-based performance (CBP) answers, "Try me!" by challenging participants to immerse themselves in the communication of experience. This isn't about boxing in the artist as a solitary genius, but is instead rooted in that which happens collectively: individuals interact with a group of people with some significant level of shared identity and this lived experience then informs the art, further developing the sense of community. This class combines an overview of methodology, history, and theory with real, live, hands-on experience. In addition to our time together in the classroom, each student will complete a mini-internship working with a local community-based performance group, meeting about 10 times throughout the semester. Internship sites include Sandglass Theater, New England Youth Theater, ActingOut Health Playback Theater and the Mahalo Art Center. Class sessions include discussing readings, screening clips and troubleshooting challenges, and cheering successes.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is all about expanding the conception of the artist. There is zero (ZERO!) artistic experience (in theater or in any other discipline) that is required before participating. The only prerequisites are passion, energy and a commitment to being present in the pursuit of tying together common, community and communication.

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Contemporary Political & Social Thought

SSC63 - 4 Credits - Advanced

• Monday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in D42
• Thursday 1:30pm - 3:20pm in D42

Faculty: Gerald Levy

Issues crucial to an understanding of the crisis of the 20th century will be explored through the work of Arendt, Barnet, Vidich, Kolko and Elizabeth Genovese. Prerequisite: None

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Femininity on Stage

ART2256 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Thursday 6:30pm - 9:00pm in Theater

Faculty: Anna Bean

A stage directing course centered around constructions of femininity on the stage. Theatre has always been a place where the construction of the gender identity of women has readily happened, with or without their participation. Students will direct scenes from plays making significant statements about the role of women in society. We will work especially at learning methods for communicating social commentary on gender through directing choices. Scenes will be gleaned from classic, modern and contemporary plays, such as Euripides' Medea and Iphigenia at Aulis; Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen; Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov; The Lulu Plays by Frank Wedekind; Yerma by Federico García Lorca; Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel; Ruined by Lynn Nottage, among others. Prerequisite: Directing (ART53) or by permission of instructor. If you have not taken Directing, please E-mail instructor at annemariebean@me.com explaining your interest.

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Stage Production: "The Clean House" by Sarah Ruhl

ART2257 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Wednesday 6:30pm - 9:00pm in Theater

Faculty: Anna Bean

A runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize in 2004, The Clean House is set in what the playwright describes as "metaphysical Connecticut," mostly in the home of a married couple who are both doctors. They have hired a housekeeper named Matilde, an aspiring comedian from Brazil who is more interested in coming up with the perfect joke than in housecleaning. Lane, the woman of the house, has an eccentric sister named Virginia who loves housecleaning. She and Matilde become fast friends, and Virginia takes over the cleaning while Matilde works on her jokes. Soon Lane's husband Charles reveals that he has found his soulmate, or "bashert" in a cancer patient named Ana, on whom he has operated. The actors who play Charles and Ana also play Matilde's parents in a series of dream-like memories, as we learn the story about how they literally killed each other with laughter. The play ends with Ana dying while laughing at a joke told by Matilde, who then contemplates if heaven might be a place of untranslatable jokes. Casting: 3 women, 1 man with doubling. Auditions held the weekend of September 18 & 19. Please watch the Town Crier for more information, or E-mail abean@marlboro.edu.

Time/day of ART2257 - Stage Production: "The Clean House" by Sarah Ruhl, Wednesday, 6:30-9:30 (tentative), beginning September 22

Actor as Thinker

ART2259 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Theater
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Theater

Faculty: Paul Nelsen

This course will examine ways that actors purposefully shape interpretation of scripted dramas through choices made about representation of character, modes of interaction in relationships, and implementation of actions that shape performance. We will begin with studies of a few model scripts and actor interpretations, using film/video to examine performance choices and techniques . We will conclude with students’ presentations of capstone character studies. Permission of the instructor required for registration.

Staging the Apocalypse

ART927 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in Library 102
• Friday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in Library 102

Faculty: Brenda Foley

In this course we will explore the ways in which contemporary playwrights portray a vision of the secular apocalyptic. Although the topic has long been a staple of the science fiction genre, the apocalyptic has historically, and increasingly, occupied the theatrical stage as a warning against isolationism and complacency. The plays that make up the content of this class ask us, through their creative constructions of an apocalyptic landscape, to consider Christopher Woodward's deceptively simple statement, "When we contemplate ruins, we contemplate our own future." in addition to analyzing dramatic texts, we will also read Cormac McCarthy's The Road, several science fiction short stories, and view films and film clips as a way of establishing a context for theatrical interpretations.

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SIT

S - Variable Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: TBD TBD

Art Seminar Critique

ART359 - 2 Credits - Advanced

• Tuesday 3:30pm - 7:20pm in Woodard Classroom

Faculty: Cathy Osman, Timothy Segar

This course provides a forum for students to share their plan work with each other and to engage in critical dialogue. This semester the course will include attending the lectures in the series "Celebrating Creativity" and will require students to write and revise a "statement of purpose" regarding their work. This is a required course for seniors on plan in the Visual Arts. Course meets alternate Tuesdays plus Monday night lectures. Prerequisite: A student on Plan in the Visual Arts or by permission

Landscape Painting & Drawing

ART724 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

• Monday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Baber Lower-Drawing
• Thursday 1:00pm - 3:20pm in Baber Lower-Drawing

Faculty: Cathy Osman

The core of this course will be working outside directly from observation, investigating our perception of the landscape through experimentation with various approaches and materials. Initially we will use drawing materials moving into water-based materials and color. Emphasis will be placed on individual response supported by directed assignments. Periodically we will frame our work towards environmental issues. Prerequisite: None

World Studies Program Senior Seminar

WSP2 - 1 Credit - Advanced

• Thursday 3:30pm - 4:50pm in To Be Determined

Faculty: Brenda Foley

A ten-week seminar addressing cultural differences and adaptation, and the integration of international field experiences into senior Plan work. Required of WSP seniors; for students returning from study or fieldwork abroad. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: Study/field experience abroad

Designing Fieldwork

WSP3 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in D33W (Toleno)
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in D33W (Toleno)

Faculty: Thomas Toleno

In collaboration with faculty sponsors, students write Internship Proposals that describe their academic and professional goals, explaining what they expect to learn; the methods of their independent work; resources found and still needed; and how the work will be evaluated. These proposals function as learning contracts for the academic sponsors, requests for funding for scholarship organizations, and presentation pieces for the hosting organization. A midterm review of the draft proposal by all faculty sponsors provides guidance on methodology and feasibility of the proposed internship and independent study. The finished proposal is due upon completion of the course. Additional sessions cover workplace expectations, health and safety on internship, professional ethics, and cross-cultural adjustment. (Pass/fail grade.) Prerequisite: Finding an Internship (WSP50)

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World Studies Program Colloquium

WSP53 - 1 Credit - Introductory

• Thursday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: Brenda Foley

A forum for discussion of cross-cultural experience and international work, with participation by faculty, visiting professionals, alumni and current students. The sessions include an introduction to international resources at Marlboro and SIT, with discussion of area studies, internships, and Plans in international studies. All students are welcome; required for new WSP students.

Course time may change based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll.

Topics in Human Understanding: Writing Strange

WSP74 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 10:30am - 12:50pm in Gander 5 (WSP Lounge)

Faculty: Meg Mott

This class considers the condition of strangeness as well as different strategies available to cope with this condition. Some of the authors practice the close reading of an anthropologist, savoring the differences with thick description. Others use global paradigms (many of which come from Marx) to connect seemingly disparate situations within the needs of an expanding capitalist economy. Our task will be to develop writing skills that (1) capture the particulars of strangeness and (2) situate those particulars within a global political ecology. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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Fiction Workshop

ART6 - 2 Credits - Multi-Level

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 4:20pm in D23 (T. Wilson)

Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson

Class discussion of students' stories. Each student produces work for the class and participates in analysis and discussion. Reading and assignments vary as appropriate (variable credits: 2-5); admission based on consideration of samples of students' work. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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Elements of Style

HUM11 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

• Tuesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Library 102
• Thursday 11:30am - 12:50pm in Library 102

Faculty: Laura Stevenson

The course begins with a review of basic grammatical principles. It continues with exercises designed to increase the students' control of their prose. The second half of the semester is spent partly in revising existing papers, and partly in studying such stylistic niceties as parallel structure, rhythmic control, and felicitous presentation of research. May be a designated writing course (4 credits); otherwise, 3. NOTE: Open to students who have passed the writing requirement but desire to improve their writing for Plan. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

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Writing Seminar: Body & Soul: Health, Disease and Culture

CDS521 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in Library 102
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in Library 102

Faculty: Laura Stevenson

For many centuries, human beings considered life and death mainly in the context of the cosmos-the stars, rivers, spirits, ancestors, demons; healing systems were based on the need for the individual to be readjusted to society and the world. Increasingly, however, the West has come to think of illness and cure as a matter of the body, and Western medicine has probed deeper and deeper beneath human flesh, studying systems, tissues, cells, DNA. One result of this development has been the creation of a powerful Western medical establishment whose cultural importance exceeds its ability to cure the sick. This course is concerned with the development of Western medicine; we will cover ideals of disease and cure, the effect of disease on human history, and the cultural effects of assumptions about sex, heredity, and childbearing. Readings will include a history of medical thinking, a study of the effects of the Black Plague of 1348, and the diary of a midwife at the time of the American Revolution. Three 5-7 page papers, term paper, miscellaneous exercises. Prerequisite: None

Limited to 15 students

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Writing Seminar: Crime & Punishment

HUM1279 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 10:00am - 11:20am in D38 (Long Room)
• Thursday 10:00am - 11:20am in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: John Sheehy

Great Britain's incarceration rate is quite high by world standards: 142 of every 100,000 Britons are currently in jail. That number in China is 118 per 100,00, in France 91, in Japan 58, and in Nigeria 31. The U.S. currently imprisons almost 800 of every 100,000 citizens. In other words, one out of every 135 Americans is currently serving time in jail or prison.

Nearly half of the resulting U.S. prison population - which now numbers almost 2.5 million -- is African American, while African Americans make up only 12% of the U.S. population. And according to a United Nations study, in all the prisons in the world outside the U.S., there are currently 12 minors serving life sentences. In U.S. Prisons today there are more than 2,000.

In this seminar we will examine the reality of crime and punishment in the United States. We will begin by studying cases, to build a sense of the principles and practices behind criminal law and criminal sentencing. Then we will move to the deeper level: we will examine the reasoning for and against the death penalty as decisions on death penalty cases. We will then examine the criminal justice system itself, asking a simple question: How did the U.S. find itself with the highest incarceration rate in the world? How are we to judge the costs and benefits of American crime and punishment?

As in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper of your own design, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. Prerequisite: None

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Writing Seminar: Fear Itself: Policy, Paranoia & American Culture

HUM1424 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43
• Friday 1:30pm - 2:50pm in D43

Faculty: John Sheehy

Consider a strange discrepancy. Between 1989 and 2005, nearly every statistical measure suggested that life for the average American was unprecedentedly safe from physical threat, and getting safer: violent crime rates in almost every category declined steadily throughout the nineties and into the new millennium. Yet during the same period, polls measuring the perceived crime rate consistently showed the same thing: a persistent fear, in almost every segment of the population, that crime was on the rise. Perhaps in response to this fear and others like it, communities across the U.S. participated in the construction of the largest prison system the world has ever seen. At the same time, in response to other perceived threats - those posed by, for example, global terrorism, drugs, and illegal immigrants - American lawmakers have challenged long-held notions of civil liberty as they, and we, have restructured the physical and conceptual architecture of American life. Americans have never been more closely watched nor more thoroughly protected: and yet year after year we report feeling less safe.

In this course we will examine some of the more pervasive fears in American culture and the policies and social architectures those fears have helped shape. Along the way, we will consider the war on terror and the war on drugs; we will think about the ways immigrants may have come to embody our fear of the outsider, the young our fear of the insider. We will operate largely by considering, and conceptualizing, case studies: but throughout we will ask, again and again, the same questions. What are we afraid of? Why are we afraid? And what, if anything, should we do about it?

And, as in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper of your own design, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Expect to read a lot and to write more. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. Prerequisite: None

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Writing Seminar: Beyond the Grave

HUM1431 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D38 (Long Room)
• Wednesday 6:30pm - 9:00pm in D33E
• Wednesday 11:30am - 12:50pm in D38 (Long Room)

Faculty: Brian Johnson

What, exactly, are ghosts? Wandering spirits forced to roam the Earth hoping for some strange closure for their mortal lives, or manifestations of our own social, cultural, and historical need to cement value in the figure of a phantasmal presence? In some sense, the ghost is necessarily a figure of history made "real"-a caricature of the values of the past which manifests, when least expected, to provide evidence of what once was. At the same time, the ghost story acts as modern fairy tale complete with a moral (though rarely does everyone in a ghost story "live happily ever after") to let us know what sorts of values are important, and what sorts of crimes are so heinous that their effect continues even after death.

In this class we will look at ghost stories as cultural artifacts that tell us about the culture in which they were written and by the culture that receives them. We will also be exploring the way the ghost stories have changed over the years to better reflect the beliefs and values of the society that popularizes them. To do this we will be reading and watching a number of works. Most notably, we will be reading, as primary materials, some of the great 19th century ghost stories ("The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "The Yellow Wallpaper," "The Tell-Tale Heart", et. al.), one novella length ghost story: James's The Turn of the Screw, and one work of non-fiction: Mules and Men. However, this class is not entirely devoted to the ghost story as a written form and so we will also be looking at ‘real' haunted locations as much as we will fictional places, and we will be supplementing these works with mainstream films about ghosts. My hope is to get a wide variety of approaches to what a ghost story can mean, and what we can learn from the various things that go bump in the night. Skeptics and believers: as Kane, the evil preacher in Poltergeist would say, "All are welcome."

Ultimately, as a writing seminar, we will use our concerns to generate writing for the class in the form of three major papers. Discussion of the class materials (texts, films, internet material) will alternate with conferences and writing workshops. Prerequisite: None

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Writing Seminar: Culture of Collaboration

HUM1432 - 4 Credits - Introductory

• Monday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 202
• Wednesday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 202
• Friday 9:30am - 10:20am in Library 202

Faculty: Brian Johnson

One of the major movements in twentieth century intellectual development has been the creation of, not just social consciousness, but social reality. From the concentration on the individual as having an interior life in such movements as modern art, to the construction of totalized politics such as the mid-century fascist movements, to the social construction implied early by postmodern theory and later by social construction itself. We have increasingly come to rely on each other to make the laws and values of our culture, just as we have come to place greater emphasis on our role as members of a society involved in projects that extend beyond ourselves. In the 21st century, collaboration has ceased to be the subject of theory and has become a practical consideration. On-line universities turn the world into a campus, MMORPGs like World of Warcraft provide fantasy social lives for their players, and Facebook creates social networks that can span great areas and award us opportunities for friendship in a way (and in numbers) never seen before.

In this class we will look at collaboration as a way of making meaning both theoretically and in practice. We will look at critiques of the collaborative spirit and even engage in some collaboration ourselves via on-line collaborative tools. In order to accomplish our goal, we will be reading and watching a number of works of both non-fiction and fiction. Most notably, we will be reading, as primary materials, Walther Benjamin's seminal essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Thomas Kuhn's now famous (or infamous depending on who you ask) work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, the novels The Crying of Lot 49 and Pattern Recognition (by Thomas Pynchon and William Gibson respectively). We will also be watching and reading short works concerning the social networking revolution (Facebook, Wikipedia, the Blogosphere). However, this class is not entirely devoted to critiquing collaboration from afar. We will also be using internet based tools to allow us to create master documents on some of our readings-versions that will include all of our notes as a class, allowing us to experience the arguments collaboratively, and to engage in the analysis as a social experience.

Ultimately, as a writing seminar, we will use our concerns to generate writing for the class in the form of three major papers. Discussion of the class materials (texts, films, internet material) will alternate with conferences and writing workshops. Prerequisite: None

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