Previous CLAC Courses
- Spring 2019
ARHA 208/CGST 208: ¿Convivencia o conflicto?: Las tres culturas de la España medieval a través del arte [Spanish], Prof. Melissa R. Katz
For eight centuries, Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived side by side as neighbors on the Iberian Peninsula in a carefully negotiated state of coexistence known as "convivencia." While much of the written record is full of enmity, religious polemic, and mutual suspicion, the artistic record tells another version, of lives lived in close proximity giving rise to shared cultural practices, artistic tastes, and long interludes of mutual wellbeing. This Spanish-language section complements the ARHA 310 curriculum, by exploring the resonance between medieval experiences of identity, pluralism, appropriation, and exchange and our own uneasy attempts at building a multiethnic, multicultural society.
Parent Course: ARHA 310/MDST 310 (Muslims, Jews, and Christians: Convivencia in Medieval Iberia)
HIST 281/GRST 350/CGST 281: Global Economy: Germany and the World in an Age of Extremes, 1870-1957 (Weltwirtschaft: Deutschland und die Welt im Zeitalter der Extreme, 1870/1957) [German], Prof. Erik Grimmer-Solem
Learn about the history of globalization in German! This CLAC section will explore the experience of globalization in the German-speaking world from German unification in 1870 and the rise of Imperial Germany as a global economic power to the disaster of the world wars, the postwar “economic miracle,” and formation of the European Community in 1957. We will be using select German-language primary sources to explore this topic, supported by short secondary source narratives in both German and English pitched at intermediate-advanced German speakers and readers. Unlike the parent lecture class, this is a discussion course aimed at expanding vocabulary and practicing fluent discussions in the fields of history, politics, and economics.
Parent Course: HIST 280 (The Industrial Revolution in Global Context: Economic History Since 1800)
CJST 413/CGST 413/HEBR 413: From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to a new film course, taught in English and offered in spring 2019. The film course is entitled CJST 249: From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema, a Melting Pot Fragmented. This course is targeted towards heritage Hebrew speakers and students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will view the same films as the parent class with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. In addition, students will be required to attend all the screenings in the Ring Family Wesleyan University Israeli Film Festival and to meet with native guest speakers. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. This course may be repeated for credit.
Parent Course: CJST 249 (From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema, a Melting Pot Fragmented)
- Fall 2019
CGST 231/LAT 230: Love and Suffering in Ancient Rome [Latin], Prof. Serena Witzke
In this CLAC course, students with some background in ancient Latin will read selections of the extant sources on love and suffering in Roman myth, history, and thought. The sources that we will cover will be drawn from diverse genres and periods: historiography, epic poetry, lyric poetry, and comedy. This diversity will offer a unique opportunity for students to identify and analyze the intersections of age, class, status, gender, and ethnicity and the way they shaped Roman ideology on "love." We will be looking at how cultural practice shapes language, how ideology shapes law, and how literature challenged cultural norms of love and marriage, all the while unpacking and interrogating the Roman belief that love had no place in the citizen life dedicated to serving the state: love produces suffering. In turn, we will reflect on the ideological shift in the last 150 years that has come to dominate "western" beliefs on love and marriage, that is, "all you need is love," over family, friends, and society, despite the obstacles: suffering produces love.
The selections of readings will be drawn primarily from what the students read in translation in the parent course. The final selection will be based on the level of the students. This CLAC is conceived as appropriate for students on the intermediate and advanced level of ancient Latin.
CGST 250/GRK 250: Body, Soul, and Afterlife Journeys in Ancient Greece [Greek], Prof. Eirene Visvardi
The connection between body and soul and their journey in the afterlife were at the center of how the ancient Greeks thought not only of mortality but also of the good life itself. This CLAC course is connected to the Classical Civilization course titled "Death and Afterlife in Egypt and Greece" that will be taught in the fall by Kate Birney. The parent course explores the archaeology of death and burial in Egypt and Greece. It examines how the funerary practices and the very notions of death, the soul, the body, and the afterlife operated in these societies by drawing upon diverse evidence--archaeological, art historical, and mythological.
In this CLAC course, students with some background in ancient Greek will read selections of the surviving evidence on death and the afterlife. Sources will be drawn from diverse genres and periods: historiography, Homeric poetry, Platonic philosophy, and religious tablets. This diversity will offer a unique opportunity to identify different registers and to explore how language itself reflects and in turn shapes the ideas and practices for which it is used. We will thus be looking at: how different media and performances are used to express loss, hope, and heroism in the face of death; how social class, gender, and political ideology are reflected in these media and how they influence ideas about death and the afterlife; and, last, how we are to create adequate methodologies as "readers" of such diverse evidence.
The selections of readings will be drawn primarily from what the students read in translation in the parent course. The final selection will be based on the level of the students. This CLAC is conceived as appropriate for students on the intermediate and advanced level of ancient Greek.
CGST251/CHIN 351/PHIL 251: Classical Chinese Philosophy: Chinese Lab [Chinese], Prof. Stephen Angle
This 0.5 credit course is conducted in Chinese and designed to supplement the standard English-language Classical Chinese Philosophy (PHIL205) course. Students must have taken PHIL205 in the past or be enrolled in it simultaneously. The course will have two main foci: introducing students to modern and contemporary Chinese-language debates about Chinese philosophy and exploring in greater depth the meaning of key passages from the classical works students are reading in translation in PHIL205.
Both advanced learners of Chinese (fourth-year level or above) and native speakers are welcome. Familiarity with classical Chinese is desirable but not required. Assignments will include presentations in Chinese and some written work in English; evaluation will be tailored to each student's language background. If you are unsure whether your language background is sufficient for the course, please contact the instructor.
CGST255/KREA 255: Modern History and Culture of Korea: From Imperialism to Two Koreas [Korean], Prof. Hyejoo Back
This course will serve as an introduction to the more recent history and culture of Korea; South Korea's rebirth from the remnants of a devastating war into a globalized country whose cultural influence has grown drastically since the 2000s. We will be discussing politics and diplomacy, economic development and industrialization, the growth of mass culture, and social changes concerning Korean women and family. Key topics will include the colonial period, the Korean War and national division, the struggle for democracy, and Korean pop culture. Course material will include films, dramas, and literature on these topics.
This course will be conducted in Korean. Students who have either completed three years of Korean or meet the language fluency equivalent are encouraged to take this course. Native speakers of Korean are also welcome.
CGST290/GRST 330/COL 287/PHIL 353: Nietzsche als Versucher [German], Prof. Daniel Smyth
The term "Versucher" combines three meanings: (i) a writer of essays, (ii) a maker of experiments and hypotheses, and (iii) a tempter who seductively tests convictions and provokes latent desires. Friedrich Nietzsche draws on all these senses when he proposes "Versucher" as "the not-undangerous name [he] dares to bestow" on the "philosophers of the future"--a coming generation of free spirits who will (finally) be capable of appreciating and continuing his intellectual legacy (Beyond Good and Evil, §42).
This course will interrogate Nietzsche's conception of a philosophical Versucher and examine how this concept might apply to Nietzsche himself: as an experimenter with literary style and genre (including the essay form) and as a polarizing cult figure who has attracted the fascination of generations of teenagers and the most diverse (often diametrically opposed) ideological movements. How is it that Nietzsche inspires such passionate attachment in such radically different readers? What is it about his philosophical style and literary form that cultivates a feeling of intimacy and fierce allegiance while also admitting such aggressively divergent interpretations? To explore these questions, we will read and discuss excerpts from Nietzsche's writings and correspondence alongside texts by his friends and interlocutors--such as Richard Wagner, Paul Rée, and Nietzsche's unrequited paramour, Lou Andreas-Salomé. We will also look at prominent cases of his cultural reception--notably by the Nazi party (due to the influence of Nietzsche's sister, who was a party member) and simultaneously by opponents of totalitarianism such as Robert Musil, Karl Löwith, and Walter Kaufmann.
This course is part of the Fries Center for Global Studies' Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) initiative. It is taught in German and associated with COL290/PHIL252 "Nietzsche - Science, Psychology, Genealogy," though students can take either course independent of the other. No background in philosophy or literature is required for this course, but advanced-intermediate (B2+) reading and spoken German is a must.
- Spring 2020
CGST 291/GRK 291: "Sexuality" in the Making: Gender, Law, and the Use of Pleasure in Ancient Greek Culture [Greek], Prof. Eirene Visvardi
The parent course (CCIV 281/FGSS 281) examines the construction of gender roles in ancient Greece and approaches gender as an organizing principle of private and public life in ancient Greek society by using literary, scientific, historical, and philosophical sources as well as material evidence. Issues addressed include: the creation of woman, conceptions of the male and female body, the legal status of men and women; what constitutes acceptable sexual practices and for whom (e.g., heterosexual relationships, homoeroticism, prostitution, etc.); ideas regarding desire, masculinity and femininity, and their cultivation in social, political, and ritual contexts such as rituals of initiation, marriage, drinking parties (symposia), the law court, and the theater.
The textual sources used in the course cover a spectrum of genres: medical texts, Homer, lyric poetry, tragedy, comedy, law-court speeches, and philosophy among others. In the CLAC connected to this course students with some background in ancient Greek will read selections from these genres and will be able to compare different discourses and registers in the original. In the past, even though brief lexical examples--e.g., pointing at the use of ta Aphrodisia (the things/matters related to Aphrodite) in a culture that has no one term/concept for our notion of "sexuality"--students were intrigued by how different terms and discursive media in the original may offer access to perspectives, visions, and values that differ from and can, in turn, inform our own. The CLAC will create an opportunity precisely for this kind of access and a better informed and nuanced conversation.
CGST 352/HIST 352/REES 352: The Communist Experience in the Soviet Union [Russian], Prof. Victoria Smolkin
Like the parent course, HIST353: The Communist Experience in the 20th Century, this CLAC course will engage with the problem of experience through a series of themes: subjectivity; engaging in the political process of building socialism; aesthetics; travel and tourism; East and West; race and ethnicity; production and consumption; time and space; political engagement and disengagement; science and technology; and emotions. We will work with sources from oral histories, diaries, film, television, and the press. The final project would involve close reading and paper on a theme covered in class using both primary and preapproved secondary sources in Russian. The student language background appropriate for this class is (preferably advanced) intermediate to native.
CJST 413/CGST 413/HEBR 413: From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to the English-language film course, From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema, a Melting Pot Fragmented. This course is targeted towards heritage Hebrew speakers and students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will view the same films as the parent class with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. In addition, students will be required to attend all the screenings in the Ring Family Wesleyan University Israeli Film Festival and to meet with native guest speakers. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. This course may be repeated for credit.
Parent Course: CJST 249 (From Black and White to Colors: Israeli Cinema, a Melting Pot Fragmented)
CEAS 302/CGST 302: Narrating China in the Chinese Original [Chinese], Prof. Mengjun Liu
This 0.5 credit course is conducted in Chinese and designed to supplement the standard English-language Narrating China: Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature (CEAS 202) course. It allows students to encounter a selection of modern and contemporary Chinese literary texts in their original Chinese. As the parent course guides students through major literary movements and themes from 20th-century China, students in the CLAC tutorial will read poems, short stories, or excerpts of longer texts from the same periods in the original Chinese. In weekly meetings, students will discuss the readings in Chinese, to delve deeper into their stylistic and linguistic characteristics unobservable in translations.
Both advanced learners of Chinese (fourth-year level or above) and native speakers are welcome. Evaluation is based on students' preparedness, participation, and formal oral presentations, and will be tailored to students' language background. If you are unsure about whether your language background is sufficient for the course, please contact the instructor.SPAN 265 / CGST 265: History of Spanish Cinema for Spanish Speakers [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Gonzalez
Students with proficiency in Spanish and who are enrolled simultaneously in SPAN 301 will have the opportunity to further their knowledge of Spanish cinema in its cultural and historical context through secondary readings in Spanish. Discussions in this class and all written work are conducted in Spanish, and they will pertain to the films and other readings included on the syllabus for SPAN 301. - Fall 2020
Fall 2020
CGST 221/CEAS 211: Food in Japanese Media (CLAC .25) [Japanese], Prof. Takeshi Watanabe
This 0.25 CLAC section is conducted in Japanese and will feature Japanese-language media (documentaries, films, TV shows, anime, and some texts such as news articles and manga). It is designed to supplement CEAS 210: From Tea to Connecticut Rolls: Defining Japanese Culture Through Food. All materials and discussion will be in Japanese. There may be some writing assignments depending on ability. The section is open to anyone with Japanese-language ability, from beginners to native speakers. With the instructor's approval, this section may be taken independently of the parent course. Evaluation will be primarily based on participation, effort, and completion of assignments.
CGST 245/ ITAL 245: Not Just Neorealism: Italian Cinema, its History and Politics (CLAC .50) [Italian], Prof. Ellen Nerenberg
This 0.5-credit course is conducted in Italian and designed to supplement the English-language Italian cinema course "Not Just Neorealism: Italian Cinema, its History, and Politics" (RL&L 245). The presentations that are part of the requirements for the parent course (RL&L 245) will serve as our basis in this discussion-based section: Students will be responsible for screening films in addition to those required for 245, for presenting them, and, during the discussion sections in Italian, responsible also for linking them to the course material. Further, students enrolled in the CLAC will also make mini-presentations to the broader body of the students enrolled in the parent course only, linking the extra screenings to those that are part of the course syllabus, and enriching the discourse and knowledge base.
Students are required to be simultaneously enrolled in the parent course in order to enroll in the CLAC section. For this reason, enrollment is granted on a POI basis.
Students must have advanced competency in Italian: completed ITAL 221 or a course with a higher number, spent a semester (or more) in Wesleyan's Program in Bologna, or be linguistically proficient. For any questions about linguistic preparation, please contact the instructor.
Please note that at present this section is not acceptable as one of the nine required courses for the ITST major.
CGST 255/KREA 255: Modern History and Culture of Korea: From Imperialism to Two Koreas (CLAC .50) [Korean], Prof. Hyejoo Back
This course will serve as an introduction to the more recent history and culture of Korea; South Korea's rebirth from the remnants of a devastating war into a globalized country whose cultural influence has grown drastically since the 2000s. We will be discussing politics and diplomacy, economic development and industrialization, the growth of mass culture, and social changes concerning Korean women and family. Key topics will include the colonial period, the Korean War and national division, the struggle for democracy, and Korean pop culture. Course material will include films, dramas, and literature on these topics.
This course will be conducted in Korean. Students who have either completed three years of Korean or meet the language fluency equivalent are encouraged to take this course. Native speakers of Korean are also welcome.CGST 320: La cultura y la historia de la España islámica (CLAC .50) [Spanish], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course will be taught in Spanish, and spans a timeline between 711 and 1492, i.e., from the date of the conquest/invasion of Iberia by Muslim troops to the fall of Granada and the expulsion of Muslims and Jews from Spain. Before starting discussion of the course material, students will be introduced to Arabic sound and script, as well as some common vocabulary and lexical concepts shared between Spanish and Arabic. This makes sense because Muslim culture and the Arabic language were present in Iberia for the better part of 800 years.
We will discuss not only the main events that took place during the Muslim occupation of parts of Iberia but also the cultural legacy Muslims and Jews left behind in the peninsula after they were expelled in 1492, especially in the realms of art, science, language, architecture, and le savoir-vivre. We will look at the different theories put forth by scholars about the conquest/invasion of the peninsula, in regard to the ease and speed with which the peninsula was overrun by Muslims. We will examine the hereafter and the consequences of the expulsion of Muslims and Jews on the Iberian peninsula as well as the neighboring territories. Finally, we will make a jump to the 21st century and try to connect some dots by looking at the current situation in and around the Strait of Gibraltar, particularly the influx of illegal immigrants from North Africa and sub-Saharan countries, and the ensuing issues.
CGST 330/REES 330/RUSS 330: Reading Tolstoy in Russian (CLAC .50) [Russian], Prof. Susanne Grace Fusso
In this half-credit course, students will read excerpts from works by Lev Tolstoy in Russian. Class will be devoted both to translating the Russian texts and to discussing them in Russian. Non-native speakers should have studied Russian for at least four semesters.
- Spring 2021
Spring 2021
CGST 220/ITAL 220: Italian Gaming Lab: Project-Based, Gameful Pedagogy for Language Learning (CLAC .50) [Italian], Prof. Camilla Zamboni
In the past two decades, crowdfunding and renewed interest in games (board games, role-playing games, digital games, and instructional games) have created an increased and diverse gaming production, which has become the subject of several studies, articles, and projects related to all areas of education, including second-language acquisition. In an effort to explore how a game-informed pedagogy can work in Italian language and culture classrooms and to highlight analog gaming approaches that have worked inside and outside the language classroom, this course will explore the basics of Game-Based Learning (GBL) applied to second-language acquisition, as well as present a selection of classroom projects informed by its principles.
"Italian Gaming Lab" is designed as a project-based Italian language laboratory that will focus on why and how analog games can be effective tools for language learning; examples will include board games and role-playing games. Participants will discuss the application of gaming principles to second-language/L2 acquisition and either adapt existing games for language learning or create brand new educational games. The course offers students the opportunity to use language creatively and to develop critical knowledge within the rising and innovative field of Game-Based Learning.
The course will be conducted in Italian, and games will be created in Italian. Both intermediate/advanced learners of Italian (second-year level or above) and native speakers are welcome. If you are unsure about whether your language background is sufficient for the course, please contact the instructor.
CGST 262/KREA 262/MUSC 262: Korean Music from Shamanism to Television (CLAC .50) [Korean], Prof. Jin Hi Kim
This course is open to intermediate learners, advanced learners, and native speakers. The discussion topics will be broadly approached, utilizing various music video examples as vehicles to deeper social, religious, and cultural understanding. These various music examples are from ancient to current Korean music practices. Historically, Korean music was integrated with dance, literature, art, song, and ceremony. Therefore, music (sound) was not separated from other elements but was essential to daily life, community activities, religious practice, artistic collaboration, costumes, food, and the very soul of the Korean people. Traditional Korean music is imbued with the history of court ritual, folk village stories, and myths, in addition to religious rituals of Confucianism, shamanism, and Buddhism. The music is central to a broad range of cultural, social, and humanitarian aspects of Korean life.
Korean traditional music has been evolving for over 2,000 years, and it is now rapidly moving in many directions with contemporary life and influence from Western culture. Historically, music was created as a group activity by village people oftentimes working with a spiritual leader shaman. Currently, the most acceptable music is created and performed by individual performers as a repertoire for TV programs. In the 21st century, as society changes, Korean music is changing also, with differing values of popular culture brought in through recordings, film, and of course the internet. Young musicians go beyond traditional music and are developing a new repertoire that mixes Western instruments or electronics with various traditional instruments. This is a new Korean identity. Newly created Korean ensembles and bands such as K-pop are successfully beginning to dominate the international music scene. In contrast to the formerly inner-looking "Hermit Kingdom," Korea has now entered into instant global communications with the production of more individual music in various styles.
CGST 273/GRST 273: Tatort - Window into Germany (CLAC .50) [German], Prof. Martin Baeumel
Few television shows have become anchored in German cultural discourse as firmly as "Tatort," a weekly crime show produced and broadcast by public television since 1970. Watched by up to 40% of all potential viewers, new episodes are prominently reviewed in major daily newspapers and serve as a focus for discussions about German politics, culture, and society. Episodes have tackled questions of police brutality, immigration, gentrification, and the surveillance state, while also shining a light on Germany's changing conception of itself. Over the years, the show has attracted some of the major directors and actors from German-speaking regions, such as Wolfgang Petersen, Margarethe von Trotta, Dominik Graf, Sibel Kekili, and Götz George. In this course, we will watch current and canonical episodes of the show, using it as a way into discussions about Germany's past, present, and future.
CGST 380/ARAB 380: Arabic in Translation: Arabic-English & vice versa (CLAC .50) [Arabic], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course is aimed at introducing students of Arabic, who are already advanced in the Arabic language and have a decent command of it, to the art of translation--namely, translation between Arabic and English. After an overview of translation concepts and techniques, we will study and tackle samples from news media, literature, publicity announcements, novels, and a wide range of actual translation assignments. The course will be conducted in Arabic, except for the parts where English has to be used as part of the translation processes.
CGST 413/CJST 413: Israeli Cinema (CLAC 1.0) [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to the film course, taught in English, entitled CJST 250: Eyes Wide Shut: The Eternal Presence of the Absent Arab in Israeli Cinema. This course is targeted toward students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will mostly view the same films as the parent class, with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. Scholar visits will be part of the course, and students will attend a few cultural enrichment activities. This course may be repeated for credit.
- Fall 2021
CGST 224/PHIL 151: Living a Good Life: Chinese Lab(CLAC .25) [Chinese], Prof. Stephen Angle
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking PHIL 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to classical Chinese. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of the classical Chinese language--the written language of pre-20th-century China. Students will be able to read (in Chinese) and discuss (in English) key passages from the Confucian classics on which the Living a Good Life courses is partly based. No previous knowledge of Chinese (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 225/ PHIL 152: Living a Good Life: Greek Lab (CLAC .25) [Greek], Prof. Tushar Irani
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking Phil 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to Classical Greek. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of Attic Greek--the written language of most of the Greek texts we will be studying this semester. Students will be able to read (in Greek) and discuss (in English) key passages from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Epictetus' Encheiridion, on which the Living a Good Life course is partly based. No previous knowledge of Greek (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 240/LANG 160: Introduction to TamazightThe Native Language of North Africa and beyond (CLAC .50) [Tamazight], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course will introduce students to the language (sounds and script) and culture of the Amazigh people, an ethnic group (commonly known as Berbers) native to North Africa and West Africa, specifically Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, northern Mali, and Niger, with some oases in Egypt and the Canary Islands.
The Tamazight language--the alphabet of which is called Tifinagh--has been a written language for almost 3000 years, although it was disrupted throughout history due to various invasions and conquests of the area. The Tuareg people of the Sahara desert in Northern Africa, and as of late Morocco and Algeria, have been using the Tifinagh alphabet (oldest dated inscription from about 200 BC) and the Tamzight language as a secondary national language.
The objectives of this course are: 1. To introduce students to the sounds and script of Tifinagh; 2. To teach students basic conversation and essential elements of the Tamazight language; and 3. To familiarize students with the culture of the different Amazigh peoples.CGST 256/KREA 256: Exploring Korea Through a Multifacted Cultural Lens (CLAC .50), [Korean], Prof. Hyejoo Back
This course will address a variety of aspects of traditional and modern Korean culture, ranging from traditional cuisine, music/art, religion, and the modernization of Korea in the 20th century to the Korean Wave, films, education, and the history of Korean pop music. Video clips, movies, and other multimedia materials will be utilized to better facilitate students' learning of Korean culture and heritage.
This course will be conducted mostly in Korean. Students who have either completed one or two years of Korean or meet the language fluency equivalent are encouraged to take this course. Native speakers of Korean and heritage speakers are also welcome.CGST 266/ENVS 188: Neotropical Acuatic Ecosystems: Their Importance, Sustainable Use and Conservation (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
This course will examine why the Orinoco and Amazon basins in South America harbor a biological richness much larger than other river basins around the world. About 50% of all higher plant species of the world are included in these basins. Data on vertebrates showed that about 3,000 freshwater fish species, thousands of birds (migratory and local), and hundreds of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals have been found so far in those basins geographically included in six countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. We will examine the key factors that have affected their historical-geological development, the actual richness, and the threats to sustainable development and conservation. We will ask questions about the nature and interactions of the key factors and agents that harbor and transformed the high ichthyological and other aquatic biota diversity, reflected by the wide range of landscapes and aquatic ecosystems included in those basins. We will try to identify fragile aquatic ecosystems depending upon the biological richness, endemicity, importance for local communities, and potential threats. We will examine the current trends in the fisheries, forest exploitation, and agriculture for human consumption, noting that stocks of many species of fish are in steep decline, and that current fishing practices are not sustainable. Finally, the major impacts and threats faced by the fishes and aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco River Basin are discussed with the purpose of studying potential plans for sustainable development. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
- Spring 2022
CGST 252/CHIN 303: Chinese Calligraphy (CLAC .25) [Chinese], Prof. Mengjun Liu
This 0.25 CLAC course will provide students with a brief understanding of the art of Chinese calligraphy through calligraphy practice. They will learn about the characteristics of Chinese calligraphy from the "Four Treasures of the Study," as the tools of calligraphy (writing brush, ink stick, ink stone, and paper). They will understand the development history of Chinese calligraphy from five basic scripts of Seal (zhuanshu), Clerical (lishu), Standard (kaishu), Semi-cursive (xingshu), and Cursive (caoshu). The course focuses on imitation and practice of the Standard script kaishu. Prerequisite: Current or future Chinese class students are preferred.
CGST 262/KREA 262/MUSC 262: Korean Music from Shamanism to Television (CLAC .50) [Korean], Prof. Jin Hi Kim
This course is open to intermediate learners, advanced learners, and native speakers. The discussion topics will be broadly approached, utilizing various music video examples as vehicles to deeper social, religious, and cultural understanding. These various music examples are from ancient to current Korean music practices. Historically, Korean music was integrated with dance, literature, art, song, and ceremony. Therefore, music (sound) was not separated from other elements but was essential to daily life, community activities, religious practice, artistic collaboration, costumes, food, and the very soul of the Korean people. Traditional Korean music is imbued with the history of court ritual, folk village stories, and myths, in addition to religious rituals of Confucianism, shamanism, and Buddhism. The music is central to a broad range of cultural, social, and humanitarian aspects of Korean life.
Korean traditional music has been evolving for over 2,000 years, and it is now rapidly moving in many directions with contemporary life and influence from Western culture. Historically, music was created as a group activity by village people oftentimes working with a spiritual leader shaman. Currently, the most acceptable music is created and performed by individual performers as a repertoire for TV programs. In the 21st century, as society changes, Korean music is changing also, with differing values of popular culture brought in through recordings, film, and of course the internet. Young musicians go beyond traditional music and are developing a new repertoire that mixes Western instruments or electronics with various traditional instruments. This is a new Korean identity. Newly created Korean ensembles and bands such as K-pop are successfully beginning to dominate the international music scene. In contrast to the formerly inner-looking "Hermit Kingdom," Korea has now entered into instant global communications with the production of more individual music in various styles.
CGST 267/ENVS 294/LAST 290: Current Environmental Issues in Latin America (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
This course will provide historical and current information on the development of environmental issues in Latin America. The information will be divided into assessing the use of the environment during (a) pre-Columbian and colonial periods and (b) the modern period. The organization, structure, and governance of the environment will be discussed, as will the development of public policies, management plans, factors that deteriorate, and the potential sustainable uses of the environment and its resources. We will be reading interdisciplinary literature including academic, reports, official governmental documents, and NGOs' projects dedicated to the diagnostic, development, and use of resources in Latin America. Finally, particular cases of Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela will be studied. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 268/ENVS 297/LAST 298: Food Security and Environemntal Conservation (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
In this course students will research and discuss food security and the use of the environment in a selection of Latin American countries. We will ask questions about the basis of food production and availability. We will also examine the available information from public and private agencies about programs established by countries to ensure the food security of their inhabitants and the sustainable use and conservation of the environment. We will discuss concepts such as: food sovereignty and security as a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution; nutrition as a global and particular standard of food consumption; social justice related to the accessibility of food; and the human right to adequate food and freedom from hunger as one of the United Nations' objectives of the millennium. Students will look at particular cases in Latin America. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 281/HIST 281: Global Economy: Germany and the World in an Age of Extremes, 1870-1957 (CLAC .50) [German], Prof. Erik Grimmer-Solem
This Center for Global Studies discussion course explores the experience of globalization in the German-speaking world from the war of German unification in 1870 to the emergence of the European Community in 1957. It will analyze German imperialism and overseas investment before 1914; the deglobalization of the German economy in the First World War; the problem of reparations and other economic challenges faced by the Weimar Republic; and the impact of global protectionism and the Great Depression, the economic forces allowing the rise of Hitler, the economics of war, and the Nazi "New Order." We will explore the reasons for the ultimate failure of the German war effort and the country's catastrophic destruction and defeat in 1945, as well as Germany's postwar division and occupation as well as the gradual reconstruction and reintegration of the West German economy into a European and global division of labor beginning with the Bizone Agreement and GATT (1947), the Marshall Plan (1948), and the London German External Debt Agreement (1953), culminating in the Treaty of Rome (1957) creating the European Economic Community. The course will be using select German-language historical primary sources to explore this topic, supported by short secondary source narratives in both German and English pitched to intermediate to advanced German speakers/readers. Unlike the parent History lecture class (HIST 280: The Origins of Global Capitalism, 1800-present), this is a discussion course aimed at expanding vocabulary and practicing fluent discussions in the fields of history, politics, and economics.
CGST 350/RUSS 350: Twentieth Century Russian Poetry (CLAC .50) [Russian], Prof. Natasha Kerageorgos
Taught in Russian, this course is dedicated to the reading of 20th-century Russian poetry in the original (Blok, Mayakovsky, Mandesltam, Akhmatova, Brodsky, Prigov, etc.). The course is appropriate for native speakers, heritage speakers, advanced and intermediate learners (with the minimum of four semesters of Russian).
CGST 380/ARAB 380: Arabic in Translation: Arabic-English & vice versa (CLAC .50) [Arabic], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course is aimed at introducing students of Arabic, who are already advanced in the Arabic language and have a decent command of it, to the art of translation--namely, translation between Arabic and English. After an overview of translation concepts and techniques, we will study and tackle samples from news media, literature, publicity announcements, novels, and a wide range of actual translation assignments. The course will be conducted in Arabic, except for the parts where English has to be used as part of the translation processes.
CGST 414/CJST 414: Israeli Cinema (CLAC 1.0) [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to the a parent film course, taught in English. This course is targeted toward students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will mostly view the same films as the parent class, with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. Scholar visits will be part of the course, and students will attend cultural enrichment activities as part of the course curriculum. This course may be repeated for credit.
- Fall 2022
Fall 2022
CGST 218/SPAN 204/EDST204: Teaching Spanish K-12: Second Language Pedagogy (CLAC .50) [Spanish], Prof. Ana Perez-Girones
This is a service-learning course in which students learn basic principles of language pedagogy and language acquisition to inform their teaching of Spanish to children at one of the Middletown public schools. Readings in English and Spanish; class discussion and assignments in Spanish.
CGST 221/CEAS 211: Food in Japanese Media (CLAC.50)
This 0.50 CLAC section is conducted in Japanese and will feature Japanese-language media (documentaries, films, TV shows, anime, and some texts such as news articles and manga). It is designed to supplement CEAS 210: From Tea to Connecticut Rolls: Defining Japanese Culture Through Food. All materials and discussion will be in Japanese. There may be some writing assignments depending on ability. The section is open to students with Japanese-language ability, from intermediate level to native speakers. With the instructor's approval, this section may be taken independently of the parent course. Evaluation will be primarily based on participation, effort, and completion of assignments.
CGST 224/PHIL 151: Living a Good Life: Chinese Lab(CLAC .25) [Chinese], Prof. Stephen Angle
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking PHIL 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to classical Chinese. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of the classical Chinese language--the written language of pre-20th-century China. Students will be able to read (in Chinese) and discuss (in English) key passages from the Confucian classics on which the Living a Good Life course is partly based. No previous knowledge of Chinese (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 225/ PHIL 152: Living a Good Life: Greek Lab (CLAC .25) [Greek], Prof. Tushar Irani
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking Phil 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to Classical Greek. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of Attic Greek--the written language of most of the Greek texts we will be studying this semester. Students will be able to read (in Greek) and discuss (in English) key passages from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Epictetus' Encheiridion, on which the Living a Good Life course is partly based. No previous knowledge of Greek (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 266/ENVS 188: Neotropical Acuatic Ecosystems: Their Importance, Sustainable Use and Conservation (CLAC 1.0)
This course will examine why the Orinoco and Amazon basins in South America harbor a biological richness much larger than other river basins around the world. About 50% of all higher plant species of the world are included in these basins. Data on vertebrates showed that about 3,000 freshwater fish species, thousands of birds (migratory and local), and hundreds of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals have been found so far in those basins geographically included in six countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. We will examine the key factors that have affected their historical-geological development, the actual richness, and the threats to sustainable development and conservation. We will ask questions about the nature and interactions of the key factors and agents that harbor and transformed the high ichthyological and other aquatic biota diversity, reflected by the wide range of landscapes and aquatic ecosystems included in those basins. We will try to identify fragile aquatic ecosystems depending upon the biological richness, endemicity, importance for local communities, and potential threats. We will examine the current trends in the fisheries, forest exploitation, and agriculture for human consumption, noting that stocks of many species of fish are in steep decline, and that current fishing practices are not sustainable. Finally, the major impacts and threats faced by the fishes and aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco River Basin are discussed with the purpose of studying potential plans for sustainable development. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 285/MUSC 285: Global Hip Hop of the Non-Anglophone World (CLAC.50) [multiple languages], Prof. Eric Charry
This optional lab class is intended for students who are currently taking MUSC295: Global Hip Hop. Proficiency in a language other than English is required. Each student will present to the class a single piece of their choice in a non-English language every other week (for a total of five presentations). Presenters will provide the class with written lyrics, both in the original language and in English translation. In lieu of analyzing recordings by others, students have the option to compose their own non-English rap songs and record (or perform) them for in-class discussion. The final paper will tie the five presentations together in a single format document (or website). Class discussion will be in English, but the topics will all be rap lyrics and hip hop/youth culture in the non_anglophone world.
CGST 320: La cultura y la historia de la España islámica (CLAC .50) [Spanish], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course will be taught in Spanish, and spans a timeline between 711 and 1492, i.e., from the date of the conquest/invasion of Iberia by Muslim troops to the fall of Granada and the expulsion of Muslims and Jews from Spain. Before starting discussion of the course material, students will be introduced to Arabic sound and script, as well as some common vocabulary and lexical concepts shared between Spanish and Arabic. This makes sense because Muslim culture and the Arabic language were present in Iberia for the better part of 800 years.
We will discuss not only the main events that took place during the Muslim occupation of parts of Iberia but also the cultural legacy Muslims and Jews left behind in the peninsula after they were expelled in 1492, especially in the realms of art, science, language, architecture, and le savoir-vivre. We will look at the different theories put forth by scholars about the conquest/invasion of the peninsula, in regard to the ease and speed with which the peninsula was overrun by Muslims. We will examine the hereafter and the consequences of the expulsion of Muslims and Jews on the Iberian peninsula as well as the neighboring territories. Finally, we will make a jump to the 21st century and try to connect some dots by looking at the current situation in and around the Strait of Gibraltar, particularly the influx of illegal immigrants from North Africa and sub-Saharan countries, and the ensuing issues.
CGST 323/CJST 315: Hebrew in the Media: From National Literature to International Films and TV Shows (CLAC .50)
This new language course is offered as an enrichment opportunity to students with intermediate or advanced Hebrew skills who are interested in improving all their language skills and/or acquiring additional linguistic and cultural preparation for study abroad in Israel. Cultural activities including participating in the series Contemporary Israeli Voices and Lunch and Learn meetings with native speakers are part of the course. The course explores the changes in Israeli society as it moves from national ideological literature to the exploration of new multi-cultural media such as films and TV shows and thus gaining swift international fame.
CGST 331/LAT 330: Love and Suffering in Ancient Rome (CLAC .50)
In this CLAC course, students with some background in ancient Latin will read selections of the extant sources on love and suffering in Roman myth, history, and thought. The sources that we will cover will be drawn from diverse genres and periods: historiography, epic poetry, lyric poetry, and comedy. This diversity will offer a unique opportunity to students to identify and analyze the intersections of age, class, status, gender, and ethnicity and the way they shaped Roman ideology on "love." We will be looking at how cultural practice shapes language, how ideology shapes law, and how literature challenged cultural norms of love and marriage, all the while unpacking and interrogating the Roman belief that love had no place in the citizen life dedicated to serving the state: love produces suffering. In turn, we will reflect on the ideological shift in the last 150 years that has come to dominate "western" beliefs on love and marriage, that is, "all you need is love," over family, friends, and society, despite the obstacles: suffering produces love.
The selections of readings will be drawn primarily from what the students read in translation in the parent course. The final selection will be based on the level of the students. This CLAC is conceived as appropriate for students on the intermediate and advanced level of ancient Latin. - Spring 2023
Spring 2023
CGST 234/RUSS 234: Introduction to Russian and Soviet Cinema (CLAC.50) [Russian], Prof. Roman Utkin
This course provides an introduction to the history and poetics of Soviet and Russian cinema-in Russian. From the avant-garde experimentation of Lev Kuleshov, Sergei Eisenstein, and Dziga Vertov to the masterpieces of Andrei Tarkovsky, Sergei Parajanov, and Kira Muratova, the course will explore the development of Russian films as artistic medium and as national tradition. The discussion and comparative analyses of different forms and genres, including silent cinema, propaganda films, blockbusters, and auteur cinema, will be situated within the cultural, political, and aesthetic contexts of the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia. Students will learn the key works, names, events, and concepts of the Russian cinematic tradition. They will develop skills in analyzing and interpreting films and will acquire the basic critical terminology of film studies in Russian and English. They will also learn how film form and aesthetics are conditioned by technology, ideology, economics, theory, tradition, and culture. The overarching goal is to see how cinema in Russia and the Soviet Union has created and contested narratives of history and identity, how cinema has served the interest of the state, and how it has defied them. This class consists of lecture and focused discussion of films. It will be taught in Russian and is open to students who have successfully completed RUSS202, as well as to heritage and native speakers. Students can expect to practice speaking Russian and honing their writing skills.
CGST 252/CHIN 303: Chinese Calligraphy (CLAC.25)
This 0.25 CLAC course will provide students with a brief understanding of the art of Chinese calligraphy through calligraphy practice. They will learn about the characteristics of Chinese calligraphy from the "Four Treasures of the Study," as the tools of calligraphy (writing brush, ink stick, ink stone, and paper). They will understand the development history of Chinese calligraphy from five basic scripts of Seal (zhuanshu), Clerical (lishu), Standard (kaishu), Semi-cursive (xingshu), and Cursive (caoshu). The course focuses on imitation and practice of the Standard script kaishu. Prerequisite: Current or future Chinese class students are preferred.
CGST 267/ENVS 294/LAST 290: Current Environmental Issues in Latin America (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
This course will provide historical and current information on the development of environmental issues in Latin America. The information will be divided into assessing the use of the environment during (a) pre-Columbian and colonial periods and (b) the modern period. The organization, structure, and governance of the environment will be discussed, as will the development of public policies, management plans, factors that deteriorate, and the potential sustainable uses of the environment and its resources. We will be reading interdisciplinary literature including academic, reports, official governmental documents, and NGOs' projects dedicated to the diagnostic, development, and use of resources in Latin America. Finally, particular cases of Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela will be studied. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 268/ENVS 297/LAST 298: Food Security and Environmental Conservation (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
In this course students will research and discuss food security and the use of the environment in a selection of Latin American countries. We will ask questions about the basis of food production and availability. We will also examine the available information from public and private agencies about programs established by countries to ensure the food security of their inhabitants and the sustainable use and conservation of the environment. We will discuss concepts such as: food sovereignty and security as a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution; nutrition as a global and particular standard of food consumption; social justice related to the accessibility of food; and the human right to adequate food and freedom from hunger as one of the United Nations' objectives of the millennium. Students will look at particular cases in Latin America. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 304/HIUR 303: Urdu Literature and Poetry (CLAC 1.0) [Hindi-Urdu], Prof. HM FazaleHaq
This course is specifically designed for students who have advanced skills in the Urdu language. The syllabus includes readings that range from classic to current traditions. You will read Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, Iqbal, Nasir Kazmi, Sadat Hassan Manto, Ishfaq Ahmad, Bano Qudsia, Abdullah Hussein, and many more. The main goal of the course is to familiarize you with Urdu literary traditions. You will also have opportunities to improve your expository and creative writing skills in Urdu by completing various projects and assignments. Course topics include the development of Urdu, Urdu poetry, and Urdu prose.
CGST 333/ITAL 333: The Cosmos of Dante's Comedy-Medieval Italian Lab (CLAC.50) [Italian], Prof. Marco Aresu
This optional lab class is dedicated to students who are taking or have taken RL&L 226 (The Cosmos of Dante's Comedy) and want to read and discuss sections of Dante's masterwork in Italian. The lab is designed for upper-intermediate and advanced learners of Italian, but students with reading knowledge of Italian should contact the instructor if they feel this course may be appropriate for them.
CGST 380/ARAB 380: Arabic in Translation: Arabic-English & vice versa (CLAC .50) [Arabic], Prof. Abderrahman Aissa
This course is aimed at introducing students of Arabic, who are already advanced in the Arabic language and have a decent command of it, to the art of translation--namely, translation between Arabic and English. After an overview of translation concepts and techniques, we will study and tackle samples from news media, literature, publicity announcements, novels, and a wide range of actual translation assignments. The course will be conducted in Arabic, except for the parts where English has to be used as part of the translation processes.
CGST 414/CJST 414: Israeli Cinema (CLAC 1.0) [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to the a parent film course, taught in English. This course is targeted toward students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will mostly view the same films as the parent class, with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. Scholar visits will be part of the course, and students will attend cultural enrichment activities as part of the course curriculum. This course may be repeated for credit.
- Fall 2023
CGST 224/PHIL 151: Living a Good Life: Chinese Lab (CLAC .25) [Chinese], Prof. Stephen Angle
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking PHIL 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to classical Chinese. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of the classical Chinese language--the written language of pre-20th-century China. Students will be able to read (in Chinese) and discuss (in English) key passages from the Confucian classics on which the Living a Good Life course is partly based. No previous knowledge of Chinese (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 225/ PHIL 152: Living a Good Life: Greek Lab (CLAC .25) [Greek], Prof. Tushar Irani
This optional "lab" class is intended for students (1) who have taken or are currently taking Phil 210: Living a Good Life; and (2) who have little or no exposure to Classical Greek. Each weekly session will introduce students to aspects of Attic Greek--the written language of most of the Greek texts we will be studying this semester. Students will be able to read (in Greek) and discuss (in English) key passages from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Epictetus' Encheiridion, on which the Living a Good Life course is partly based. No previous knowledge of Greek (classical or modern) is necessary.
CGST 240: Introduction to Tamazight: The Native Language of North Africa and Beyond (CLAC.50) Prof. Amir Aissa
This course will introduce students to the language (sounds and script) and culture of the Amazigh people, an ethnic group (commonly known as Berbers) native to North Africa and West Africa, specifically Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, northern Mali, and Niger, with some oases in Egypt and the Canary Islands.
The Tamazight language--the alphabet of which is called Tifinagh--has been a written language for almost 3000 years, although it was disrupted throughout history due to various invasions and conquests of the area. The Tuareg people of the Sahara desert in Northern Africa, and as of late Morocco and Algeria, have been using the Tifinagh alphabet (oldest dated inscription from about 200 BC) and the Tamzight language as a secondary national language.
The objectives of this course are: 1. To introduce students to the sounds and script of Tifinagh; 2. To teach students basic conversation and essential elements of the Tamazight language; and 3. To familiarize students with the culture of the different Amazigh peoples.CGST 256/KREA 256: Exploring Korea Through a Multifaceted Cultural Lens (CLAC.50) [Korean] Prof. Hyejoo Back
This course will address a variety of aspects of traditional and modern Korean culture, ranging from traditional cuisine, music/art, religion, and the modernization of Korea in the 20th century to the Korean Wave, films, education, and the history of Korean pop music. Video clips, movies, and other multimedia materials will be utilized to better facilitate students' learning of Korean culture and heritage.
This course will be conducted mostly in Korean. Students who have either completed one or two years of Korean or meet the language fluency equivalent are encouraged to take this course. Native speakers of Korean and heritage speakers are also welcome.CGST 266/ENVS 188: Neotropical Acuatic Ecosystems: Their Importance, Sustainable Use and Conservation (CLAC 1.0) [Spanish] Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
This course will examine why the Orinoco and Amazon basins in South America harbor a biological richness much larger than other river basins around the world. About 50% of all higher plant species of the world are included in these basins. Data on vertebrates showed that about 3,000 freshwater fish species, thousands of birds (migratory and local), and hundreds of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals have been found so far in those basins geographically included in six countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. We will examine the key factors that have affected their historical-geological development, the actual richness, and the threats to sustainable development and conservation. We will ask questions about the nature and interactions of the key factors and agents that harbor and transformed the high ichthyological and other aquatic biota diversity, reflected by the wide range of landscapes and aquatic ecosystems included in those basins. We will try to identify fragile aquatic ecosystems depending upon the biological richness, endemicity, importance for local communities, and potential threats. We will examine the current trends in the fisheries, forest exploitation, and agriculture for human consumption, noting that stocks of many species of fish are in steep decline, and that current fishing practices are not sustainable. Finally, the major impacts and threats faced by the fishes and aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco River Basin are discussed with the purpose of studying potential plans for sustainable development. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 323/CJST 315: Hebrew in the Media: From National Literature to International Films and TV Shows (CLAC .50) Prof. Dalit Katz
This new language course is offered as an enrichment opportunity to students with intermediate or advanced Hebrew skills who are interested in improving all their language skills and/or acquiring additional linguistic and cultural preparation for study abroad in Israel. Cultural activities including participating in the series Contemporary Israeli Voices and Lunch and Learn meetings with native speakers are part of the course. The course explores the changes in Israeli society as it moves from national ideological literature to the exploration of new multi-cultural media such as films and TV shows and thus gaining swift international fame.
CGST 334/CHUM 380: Exploring Personhood in the 20th and 21st Centuries (CLAC 1.0) [French]
The goal of this course is to provide a thorough examination of the concept of personhood in the 20th century by studying how it has been portrayed and understood in diverse cultural contexts across Arabic, English, and Francophone cultures. Through the use of comparative analysis and an interdisciplinary approach to cultural artifacts--such as works of literature, art, and religious texts as well as current debates around AI and personhood--students will explore how different cultures have approached the question of what it means to be a person and how this has evolved over time. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper comprehension of the various ways in which personhood has been created and perceived throughout different cultural and historical contexts.
The impact of historical occurrences and cultural movements on the construction of personhood, the influence of religion and politics or the fictional writing on conceptions of personhood, the representation of personhood in literature and art, and the emergence of AI as a new frontier in the investigation of personhood are some of the major topics covered in the course. This will open up new discussion topics about posthuman beings and persona status, particularly in science fiction.CGST 497A/E&ES 497A: Introduction to Portuguese and the Azores (CLAC.25), [Portuguese], Prof Elizabeth Jackson
This course will be an introduction to Portuguese/Azorean history and geography. It will include an introduction to Portuguese pronunciation, greetings, basic expressions, food, weather, and vocabulary related to the geology and culture of the islands.
- Spring 2024
CGST 218/SPAN 204/EDST 204: Teaching Spanish K-12: Second Language Pedagogy (CLAC.50) [Spanish] Prof. Ana Perez-Girones
This is a service-learning course in which students learn basic principles of language pedagogy and language acquisition to inform their teaching of Spanish to children at one of the Middletown public schools. Readings in English and Spanish; class discussion and assignments in Spanish.
This course will familiarize students with characteristics of second language (L2) learning and teaching, a basic know-how on analyzing and preparing materials for language learning/teaching, and L2 teaching as a profession.
Language and course requirement: Students must be simultaneously enrolled in a SPAN course numbered 221 or above. Preference will be given to EDST and HISP majors and to the more advanced students in Spanish.CGST 222/JAPN 285: Translating Modern Japanese Song Lyrics (CLAC.50) [Japanese] Prof. Scott Aalgaard
This course offers students the opportunity to build skills and experience as translators of cultural texts by producing Japanese-to-English translations of the lyrics to select modern Japanese popular songs. Students will formulate their own individual translations of the assigned song each week, and then work together in class sessions to amend and further develop those translations, learning from each other's choices and strategies in order to arrive at the most effective rendering possible. Successful completion of JAPN 218 required; heritage learners, native speakers of Japanese, and others with advanced Japanese language skills (both spoken and written) are welcome in the course, with advance permission from the instructor.
CGST 252/CHIN 303: Chinese Calligraphy (CLAC.25) [Chinese] Prof. Wei Gong
This 0.25 CLAC course will provide students with a brief understanding of the art of Chinese calligraphy through calligraphy practice. They will learn about the characteristics of Chinese calligraphy from the "Four Treasures of the Study," as the tools of calligraphy (writing brush, ink stick, ink stone, and paper). They will understand the development history of Chinese calligraphy from five basic scripts of Seal (zhuanshu), Clerical (lishu), Standard (kaishu), Semi-cursive (xingshu), and Cursive (caoshu). The course focuses on imitation and practice of the Standard script kaishu. Prerequisite: Current or future Chinese class students are preferred.
CGST 267/ENVS 294/LAST 290: Current Environmental Issues in Latin America (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
This course will provide historical and current information on the development of environmental issues in Latin America. The information will be divided into assessing the use of the environment during (a) pre-Columbian and colonial periods and (b) the modern period. The organization, structure, and governance of the environment will be discussed, as will the development of public policies, management plans, factors that deteriorate, and the potential sustainable uses of the environment and its resources. We will be reading interdisciplinary literature including academic, reports, official governmental documents, and NGOs' projects dedicated to the diagnostic, development, and use of resources in Latin America. Finally, particular cases of Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela will be studied. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 268/ENVS 297/LAST 298: Food Security and Environmental Conservation (CLAC 1.00) [Spanish], Prof. Antonio Machado Allison
In this course students will research and discuss food security and the use of the environment in a selection of Latin American countries. We will ask questions about the basis of food production and availability. We will also examine the available information from public and private agencies about programs established by countries to ensure the food security of their inhabitants and the sustainable use and conservation of the environment. We will discuss concepts such as: food sovereignty and security as a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution; nutrition as a global and particular standard of food consumption; social justice related to the accessibility of food; and the human right to adequate food and freedom from hunger as one of the United Nations' objectives of the millennium. Students will look at particular cases in Latin America. The course is presented in a reading/discussion format in which all readings, writings, and discussions will be in Spanish.
CGST 324/CHUM 315: Cuban Literature and Film: Imagination, Revolt, and Melancholia (CLAC 1.0) [Spanish]
This course surveys the major aesthetic and socio-historical movements in modern and contemporary Cuba. Since the late nineteenth century, the island of Cuba has been at the center of a number of key epochal disputes: between colonialism and independence, racism and racial justice, neocolonialism and revolution, liberalism and socialism, isolationism and globalization. In the arts, the turn of the century launched a period of great imaginative invention. Considering the singular place of Cuba in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the globe, this course addresses some of the most representative works of Cuban literature and film since independence until the present time. Imagination, revolt, and melancholia are the three concepts that will orient our discussion. Imagination refers both to artistic creation and to the collective capacity of projecting new worlds, utopias, or impossible realities. Revolt, as opposed to revolution, is not restrained to politics as usual but relates rather to a deep experience of discontent and a return (from the Latin revolvere) to ancient psycho-social strata. Finally, melancholia serves as a point of view to understand what happens when history does not live up to emancipatory expectations. Special attention will be given to Afrocubanismo, ethnographic literature, the avant-garde aesthetics of the group Orígenes, Marvelous Realism, testimony, revolution, socialist experimental film, diaspora, the Special Period, and post-Soviet life. Reading materials and in-class discussions will be in Spanish. Hence, knowledge of advanced Spanish is required.
CGST 350/RUSS 350: Twentieth-Century Russian Poetry (CLAC.50) [Russian], Prof. Natasha Karageorgos
Taught in Russian, this course is dedicated to the reading of 20th-century Russian poetry in the original (Blok, Mayakovsky, Mandesltam, Akhmatova, Brodsky, Prigov, etc.). The course is appropriate for native speakers, heritage speakers, advanced and intermediate learners (with the minimum of four semesters of Russian).
CGST 414/CJST 414: Israeli Cinema (CLAC 1.0) [Hebrew], Prof. Dalit Katz
This Hebrew course will be linked to the a parent film course, taught in English. This course is targeted toward students with very advanced knowledge of the Hebrew language. Students will mostly view the same films as the parent class, with special attention to the Hebrew language. We will analyze, discuss, and write on each of the films. The focus of the course will be to map the cultural and social changes in Israeli society reflected in the transformation in format and themes of Israeli films. Scholar visits will be part of the course, and students will attend cultural enrichment activities as part of the course curriculum. This course may be repeated for credit.