INQS 125 Animals in U.S. History – Explores the problems and possibilities inherent in studying the human-animal relationship in historical perspective. Central questions include: how have Americans defined what is “animal” and what is “human” at different points in time and why? When and why did Americans value some animals and vilify others? Have animals been historical agents, driving how historical events unfolded? Are the relationships Americans have developed with animals natural or cultural in nature? What is the difference? 4 credits.
INQS 125 Chemistry in the Atmosphere – This course promotes intellectual challenge and creativity by requiring students to read, write, and discuss the basics of how the atmosphere works and atmospheric chemistry. Students will learn to read, analyze, and write about topics related to chemistry in the atmosphere, especially two important to our world today: depletion of stratospheric ozone and the pair of issues, global warming and climate change. In addition to mastering an elementary scientific understanding, students also obtain practical experience in writing about scientific ideas; develop research skills, create an annotated bibliography, and prepare and present research results. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Demons in Our Midst: The Dead and the Un-Dead: The Rise of the Literary Vampire from Folklore to Stoker – Study the evidence presented in folklore descriptions of the dead who were assumed to be Vampires (Paul Barber’s Vampires, Burial and Death). Trace the evolution of that folklore creature (transformed from a corpse into an elegant and dangerous near-immortal) through several Romantic and Victorian incarnations (Polidori’s Vampyr, LeFanu’s Carmilla, Stoker’s Dracula). Consider the rise of this figure in the enlightened West and our continued fascination with its descendants. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Divide and Conquer: Controlling Cancer – Explore cancer as a scientific, personal, medical, social, and economic dilemma. Through the reading of both scholarly and popular sources from scientists, historians, ethicists, and patients, students will discover that cancer is more than simply a diagnosis. These discoveries will provide the foundation for critical analysis and interpretation of information about cancer and will enable students to develop their written and oral communication skills. 4 credits.
INQS 125 The Genius of East Asia: An Introduction to the Cultures of China, Korea and Japan – An introduction to the philosophical foundations of East Asian culture and examination of the cultural highlights of the three major civilizations in East Asia: China, Korea and Japan. Examine the visual arts, music and literature of these three civilizations through readings and electronic media. All works will be read in English translation and no background in an Asian language is required. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Globetrotters – Explore a variety of ways that people encounter, and experience, other cultures: in their own families, through study abroad, international travel, immigration/emigration, pioneering, business, love, etc. Course materials include readings of travel writings, journal articles, a historical novel, and other written texts; oral histories (including family interviews), video and audio materials, and international guests. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Graphic Novels: “Coming-of-Age” – Focus on “coming-of-age” stories that are told as graphic novels. Study the complexity of entering adulthood and examine the narrative conventions authors use to present the psychological and moral conflicts their young protagonists confront. Such common experiences as a first job, first love, discovering independence and confronting loss will be explored. Read several graphic novels that use personal memoirs to tell “coming of age” stories that reveal ethical uncertainties complicating the human condition such as Craig Thompson’s Blankets, Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, and Art Spiegelman’s Maus. Examine word and image dynamics, to assess the degree to which graphic novels are uniquely suited to tell stories about characters entering the so-called adult world. Discussion on the power of pictorial narratives to reveal the ethical responsibilities humans share regardless of one’s personal and/or cultural identity. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Human Experience of War – What is the human experience of war – not battle strategy, not politics, but the experience of it, as soldiers know it, as families know it? War is an abstraction but its experiences are daily. Looking at nonfiction, at fiction, and poems, this course addresses the range and intensities of war experiences and how they reverberate. 4 credits.
INQS 125 In Search of the Good Life – What is the “good life”? This is perhaps the deepest human question. It is not only a question recipients of a liberal arts education should ask, it is also a question that permeates film and literature. Looking at thinkers as ancient as Aristotle and films as contemporary as Food, Inc., this class will discuss and evaluate different conceptions of a good life and provide a place for students to engage in their own inquiry. In short, we will ask big questions and answer them through thinking, reading, discussing, and writing. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Language Matters – A historical study of the American English language and examination of the influence of other languages (e.g. German and Spanish) on the development of the American idiom as well as the role of dialects (especially rural folk speech) and slang (group-centered informal speech) in constant linguistic renewal. The course’s main text is a non-traditional, informal history of the United States as seen through a linguistic lens, illuminated musically through introduction of American folk songs, the texts of which often shed important light on our social and linguistic past. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Life/Story: Memoir, Narrative and Personhood – In the literary genre of memoir, a writer tells the story of significant events, phases or conditions in his or her own life: childhood, love, work, faith. What do we learn about truth, art, and memory from these texts? How does a writer use literary elements, such as characterization, metaphor, and structure, to create a vivid representation of his or her unique life experience? In this course we consider these questions as well as others bearing on the craft of “storying” a life. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Living Well, Living Long – An investigation of factors that contribute to longevity, with emphasis on culture, lifestyle, and spiritual influences. Examines personal lifestyle choices and behavior change theory as they relate to health and well being in the present and for the future. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Meditation: From Monks to Modern Times – What is meditation? How does it affect the brain, behavior and general well being? And how can we know? Increasingly, techniques for cultivating mindfulness drawn from Buddhism and other religious traditions are being studied scientifically and applied in many different contexts, from prisons to schools and hospitals. Focusing primarily on the study of Buddhist techniques, explore the topic of meditation, its apparent effects on the brain, and the various contexts in which its practice has entered the mainstream of our modern, globalized culture. Methods of analysis drawn from the academic study of religion, anthropology, history, neuropsychology and philosophy. Experiential learning through guided and individual practice of meditation. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Muhammad and the Origin of Islam – It is clear that the three Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – are major and vibrant traditions in the contemporary world. Each tradition continues to grow and exert a significant impact on the shaping of world events. The Middle East, which is the place of origin of each of these faiths, continues to be a place which ranges from violent confrontation to movements of inspired hope. The Israeli-Palestine state issues remain incredibly complex in the same region that has witnessed political transformations triggered by what has been called the “Arab Spring.” At the heart of events is the story of Islam. It is becoming increasingly evident that those of us who will live our lives in the 21st century must become familiar with the story of Muhammad and the origin of Islam in 7th-century Arabia. It sometimes comes as a surprise that Muslims share many of the same stories and heroes foundational to the faith of Jews and Christians. We are all kinfolk, as it were, children of Abraham. The primary goal of this inquiry seminar is to engage the story of Muhammad and origin of Islam. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Multicultural America – Develop a deeper understanding about the complexity of both the concept of pluralism and multi-culturalism and how this concept impacts our lives (personally, professionally, ideologically and socio-politically) in contemporary America and beyond. Define the term multiculturalism means, and negotiate the internal meaning of the term within the context of our own geographical, sociological, economic and political frameworks. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Music and Change – Explore the process of change in music as a way to study musical repertories, genres and styles. Examine music in diverse musical traditions from around the world, including case studies in classical, folk, rock and pop music. Study how music moves and changes over time and place, and how music is preserved, transmitted and transformed, and understand music in context as a cultural experience. Participate in collaborative fieldwork discovering local music soundscapes. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Nuclear Society – Nuclear technologies are ubiquitous, and they influence energy policies, foreign policies, religious debates, pop culture, and contemporary medicine. An understanding of the underlying science and history of nuclear technology is useful for framing the complex nature of nuclear science into an informed context. From the discovery of radioactivity, the creation of the atomic bomb, the development of nuclear power and other modern nuclear technologies, students will explore the fundamentals of nuclear science and investigate its societal impact. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Pseudo Science, Myths, and the Paranormal – From UFO and ghost sightings to miracle cures, we are often faced with incredible claims. Learn how to analyze such claims while maintaining an open mind and non-dogmatic attitude. We will explore why people are drawn to myths; practice the skills of critical thinking, writing, and argumentation; and learn how to evaluate evidence for the paranormal. 4 credits.
INQS 125 (Re)Imagining the Other in the “New World” – A study of cultural (mis)encounters between Europeans and natives in the Americas through the lens of class, race and gender. Focus on conquest and colonization periods with some examples from 19th and 20th century independence and indigenous movements. Examination of concepts of intercultural communications as well as interrogation of issues surrounding identity formation, self-determination and, nationalisms. Analysis of representations of otherness in visual media and readings from travel narratives, historical sources, critical essays, and literature. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Self and Story in Russian History – Explores how Russian intellectuals told the stories of their lives amid the revolutionary upheavals in Russia in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Central questions include: how did Russian writers and revolutionaries define a sense of self in first-person narratives, memoirs, and other autobiographical texts? How did they understand, and how should we understand, the relationship between their stories, their lives, and the wider historical context? How did they seek to rework the dominant models of the self available in Russian culture, and how did their projects for the remaking of the self shape or reflect their visions for a revolutionary remaking of Russian society? 4 credits.
INQS 125 A Serious Look at Laughter – An investigation of laughter – what it is, why we do it, and what it means. Explore the causes of laughter, the various forms of laughter, the health benefits of laughter, variations in humor over time and across cultures, and whether other species laugh. Examine various forms of comedy and endeavor to find out what makes something funny. A multidisciplinary investigation into the fields of philosophy, history, dramatic arts, mass communication, psychology, sociology, biology and zoology. 4 credits.
INQS 125 The Tragic Side of Life – What is specifically tragic about a tragedy? How is “tragic” different from “very sad”or “dramatic”? Through discussion of the ascreption of the name “tragedy” to several plays, from “Oedipus Tyrannus” to “Exit the King,” students will speculate about what they have to say about suffering, transcendence and fate, as well as society and gender, and more generally, about human self-understanding. Students will also explore the presence of a tragic dimension in other creative venues. 4 credits.
INQS 125 What is Love? – An interdisciplinary approach to explore the broad and imprecise concept of love beginning with the wide variety meanings of the English term “love.” Explore the cross-cultural manifestations of romantic love. Focus on where notions of romantic love come from by critically investigating ideas of romantic love in children’s and teen’s literature and media in the U.S. 4 credits.
INQS 125 Women’s Voices: Demanding the Vote – Explore why and how individuals in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries created new opportunities for women to speak in public, forged the Woman Suffrage Movement, and campaigned for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that guarantees women the right to vote. Studies will include an investigation of the life, work and speeches of Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Abigail Scott Duniway, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Mary Church Terrell, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, and others. 4 credits.