New Wintersession and Spring 2007 Courses

(Pending approval by Academic Council)

Department of Anthropology

ANTH 260 Cultures and Peoples of Mesoamerica

Fox Tree

This course explores the complex history, politics, and cultures of the region that includes Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, and Nicaragua. Critically examining diverse scholarship, we will examine ancient, colonial, and "post-colonial" Mesoamerican civilizations, and their continuing influence on North American society. Topics include the legacies of pre-Hispanic civilizations; colonization and conflict; indigenous identity and activism; political-economic changes; ethnicity and gender; and transnational flows of people, commodities, and ideas. Special attention is given to the Maya Area and to recent political and cultural activism in Chiapas, Guatemala, and Mesoamerican enclaves in North America. Lectures, readings, and discussions will draw parallels to other parts of the world.

Prerequisite: None

Distribution: Social and Behavioral Analysis

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Biological Sciences

BISC 198 Statistics in the Biosciences

Hughes (Biological Sciences) and Taylor (Quantitative Reasoning)

This half-unit Wintersession course combines statistical theory and practical application, the latter using examples from ecology and experimental biology to illustrate some of the more common techniques of experimental design and data analysis. Students will learn how to plan an experiment and consider the observations, measurements, and potential statistical tests before data are collected and analyzed. Other topics include graphical representation of data, probability distributions and their applications, one- and two-way ANOVA and t-tests, regression and correlation, goodness-of-fit tests, and non-parametric alternatives. Students will design and analyze their own experiment in the interactive laboratory component of class. Not offered every year. Subject to Dean’s Office approval.

Prerequisite: Fulfillment of the basic skills component of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement and one course in biology, chemistry, or environmental science.

Distribution: Natural and Physical Science

Semester: Wintersession Unit: 0.5

BISC 231 Topics in Human Genetics with Laboratory
Donis-Keller (Olin)
While addressing traditional concepts of human genetics including pedigree and chromosome analysis, linkage mapping, genetic testing and counseling, we will study human genetics through a molecular lens. For example, the molecular basis of inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis, hypercholesterolemia, and familial cancers will be studied, as will gene imprinting and imprinting-related abnormalities (e.g. Angelman and Prader-Willi syndromes). Gene therapy, reproductive technologies, cloning (stem cell, germ line) and the associated ethical implications will be considered. Laboratory experiments include human genomic DNA preparation and analysis of gene variation. Students who are interested in the genetics of the human organism as well as those interested in medical school or bioengineering should find this course useful. Not to be counted toward the minimum major in Biological Sciences.

Prerequisite: 110
Distribution: Natural and Physical Sciences
Semester: Wintersession Unit: 0.5

Department of Chemistry

CHEM 306 Seminar

Gunawardane

Topic for 2006-07: Industrial Chemistry. The main aim of this seminar is to expose students to the reality and the challenges of the modern chemical industry. This seminar will focus on underlying chemistry, stages in the manufacture/ production, flow charts, quality control, research and development, pollution control and industrial safety aspects of selected industries with particular emphasis on industrial inorganic chemistry. The course also involves a visit to an industrial site followed by a report, an interview with a person from industry, one assignment on an industrial chemical, and a project on an industrial topic followed by a poster presentation. A few lectures on specific topics will be delivered by experts from industry.

Prerequisites: CHEM 105 and 205 or CHEM 120 or CHEM 105 with the approval of the instructor.

Distribution: Natural and Physical Sciences

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Classical Studies

CLCV 218 Prehistoric Aegean Archaeology

Schon

This class explores the archaeology of the Aegean from the Neolithic period (ca. 6000 B.C.E.) through the development and collapse of the Mycenaean palatial system (ca. 1100 B.C.E.). Beyond studying the primary cultures of the Aegean (Minoan, Cycladic, and Helladic), we will examine the current theoretical approaches scholars employ to research prehistoric Greece (such as state formation, island colonization, and craft specialization), with the broader goal of learning to interpret the past through archaeological evidence.

Prerequisites: None

Distribution: Historical Studies

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

CLCV 225 Empires of the Ancient World

Schon

For over four millennia, empires have been a widespread and dominant form of social organization. This course explores ancient empires from their origins in Mesopotamia to the fall of Rome (including Egypt, Persia, and Macedonia) utilizing evidence from ancient texts (such as Hammurabi's Code and Herodotus's Histories), archaeology, art, and social theory. We examine various aspects of imperialism hoping to discover broader patterns that help us better understand how empires form, function, and eventually disintegrate.

Prerequisites: None

Distribution: Historical Studies

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Computer Science

CS 249 Topics in Computer Science

Reinstated Topic

Topic A: Systems Programming

Sheldon

An introduction to systems programming. Topics include linking, loading, memory management, file systems, concurrency, and device drivers. Students will explore these topics in the context of programming assignments involving the C programming language and the Linux operating system.

Prerequisite: 230 or by permission of the instructor.

Distribution: Mathematical Modeling

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

New

Topic B: Science of Networks

Bilar

This course will give an overview of the theory and practice of complex networks. We will introduce basic concepts in network theory (graph and probability theory), analyze scaling phenomena and power laws, discuss metrics, models, processes and algorithms, and use software analysis tools to experiment with real-world network data. Models of networks include random graphs, the small-world model, preferential attachment, Pennock models and hierarchical networks. Real world networks we will study may include socail/friendship networks, networks of the internet (routers and WWW), comic book characters networks, transportation and ecological networks.

Prerequisite: 230 or by permission of the instructor.

Distribution: Mathematical Modeling or Social and Behavioral Analysis

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures

CHIN 339 Popular Culture in Modern China (in English)

Wang

This course provides a comprehensive examination of modern Chinese popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other transnational Chinese communities in the past century. We discuss important issues in the field of popular culture across a variety of Chinese media, including film, literature, opera, theater, music, vintage photographs, and comic books. In doing so, this course will probe popular culture as it has manifested itself in the dynamic dialogue between high art and mass culture, and trace its sociopolitical, cultural, and aesthetic impact on modern China.

Prerequisites: One course on China (e.g. CHIN 208, CHIN 243, ANTH 223, HIST 278, ARTH 255), or by permission of the instructor.
Distribution: Language and Literature
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Education

EDUC 221 Museum Education and the Art Encounter

Miller

Study of the theory and practices of museum education. Through fieldwork, readings and discussion, we will examine how museums relate to the world and how art is encountered in a museum environment. How do works of art communicate with audiences? Where is the interface between art history and art-making? How do people learn in different museum settings? Working directly with objects in the collections of the Davis Museum and Cultural Center, we will explore means of engaging viewers to interact with works of art. Highly recommended for students interested in becoming docents for Davis Museum and Cultural Center programs. Not offered every year. Subject to Dean’s Office approval.

Prerequisite: At least one Education or Art course, or by permission of the instructor.

Distribution: Arts, Music, Theatre, Film, Video

Semester: Wintersession Unit: 0.5

Department of Environmental Studies

ES 225 Race, Identity and Environment

Finney

This course introduces students to the ways in which race and identity politics are central to understanding human-environment relationships. We will consider the construction of environmental narratives and how race affects environmental participation. There are three primary goals for this course: First, to study the foundations of environmental ideas and attitudes towards the natural environment and the connections to contemporary environmental practices. Second, to explore the role of images and narratives in defining notions of racial and place identity. Third, to examine how representations of the natural environment construct racially unequal social hierarchies, within environmental institutions and the media, thereby inhibiting greater participation by diverse communities. Additionally, we will consider how the concept of race and environmental narratives differ throughout the world in order to acknowledge the complexity of environmental interactions.

Prerequisites: None

Distribution: Social and Behavioral Analysis

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

ES 299/HIST 299 United States Environmental History
Turner
This course examines the complex relationship between nature and society in American history. We will consider topics such as the decimation of the bison, the rise of Chicago, and the emergence of modern environmentalism. There are three goals for this course: First, we will examine how humans have interacted with nature over time and how nature, in turn, has shaped human society. Second, we will examine how attitudes toward nature have differed among peoples, places, and times and we will consider how the meanings people give to nature inform their cultural and political activities. Third, we will study how these historical forces have combined to shape the American landscape and the human and natural communities to which it is home. While this course focuses on the past, an important goal is to understand the ways in which history shapes how we understand and protect the environment today. Students may register for either ES 299 or HIST 299 and credit will be granted accordingly.

Prerequisites: ES 100, an American history course, or by permission of the instructor.
Distribution: Historical Studies
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

ES 381/POL1 381 United States Environmental Politics
Turner

This course examines the politics of environmental issues in the United States. The course has two primary goals: First, to introduce students to the institutions, stakeholders, and political processes important to debates over environmental policy at the federal level. Second, to develop and practice skills of analyzing and making decisions relevant to environmental politics and policy. Drawing on the literature of environmental politics and policy, this course will consider how environmental issues are framed in political discourse, various approaches to environmental advocacy and reform, and the contested role of science in environmental politics. The course will be organized around environmental case studies, including endangered species conservation, public lands management, air and water pollution, and toxics regulation. Students may register for either ES 381 or POL1 381 and credit will be granted accordingly.

Prerequisites: ES 100, POL1 200, or by permission of the instructor.

Distribution: Social and Behavioral Analysis
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of History

HIST 254 Anglo-Saxon England and its Connections to the Continent
Davis
This course examines the history of Anglo-Saxon England, from its abandonment by the Romans in the early fifth century to the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Anglo-Saxons maintained deep connections with their ancestral homeland on the Continent, and we will use these connections as our window into the culture and society of Anglo-Saxon England. Themes will include settlement structure and trading networks, the conversion of England by papal missionaries, the Anglo-Saxon missions to their pagan cousins on the Continent, and the modeling of Alfred the Great's court on Carolingian examples. We will draw on sources ranging from translated papal letters, to Asser's biography of Alfred the Great, to archeological excavation reports.

Prerequisites: None
Distribution: Historical Studies
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

HIST 299/ES 299 United States Environmental History
Turner (Environmental Studies)
This course examines the complex relationship between nature and society in American history. We will consider topics such as the decimation of the bison, the rise of Chicago, and the emergence of modern environmentalism. There are three goals for this course: First, we will examine how humans have interacted with nature over time and how nature, in turn, has shaped human society. Second, we will examine how attitudes toward nature have differed among peoples, places, and times and we will consider how the meanings people give to nature inform their cultural and political activities. Third, we will study how these historical forces have combined to shape the American landscape and the human and natural communities to which it is home. While this course focuses on the past, an important goal is to understand the ways in which history shapes how we understand and protect the environment today. Students may register for either HIST 299 or ES 299 and credit will be granted accordingly.

Prerequisites: ES 100, an American history course, or by permission of the instructor.
Distribution: Historical Studies
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Italian Studies

ITAS 214 Comedy Italian Style
Laviosa
This course will explore the development of comedy as a cultural, aesthetic, and political force. Presented through different artistic expressions, comedy will be examined as a reflection of Italian society and customs. Italian comedy often revolves around dramatic human themes and controversial political subjects, while the point of view of the author is humoristic or satirical. This course will discuss De Filippo's tragic-comic Neapolitan theater, Fo and Rame's subversive theatrical texts, and the political satire of contemporary women comedians such as Finocchiaro and Guzzanti. Comedy will be analyzed also in cinema through the performances and directorial styles of Totò, Troisi, Benigni, Nichetti, and Verdone. Finally, this course will discuss poetic texts by Dalla, De Andrè, and Gaber, authors and performers of satirical songs.

Prerequisites: 202 or equivalent or by permission of the instructor.
Distribution: Language and Literature or Arts, Music, Theatre, Film, Video

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Jewish Studies

JWST 230 Contemporary Israeli Culture through Literature, Music and Film (in English)
Ronell
This course will use the lens of cultural studies through selected examples from film, music and literature by various authors to discuss an array of issues defining contemporary Israeli culture. It will examine how Israeli popular culture, secular and religious identity, the legacy of state-building and the Holocaust as well as the encounter with the Other (new immigrants, non-Israelis and non-Jews) are reflected in the text and on the screen. We will look at the changing images and self-representations of Israelis in diverse social and cultural contexts. The course will focus on primary and secondary readings, discussion, music, and films and music videos (with English subtitles).

Prerequisites: None
Distribution: Languages and Literature

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Music

Reinstated with New Topic:

MUS 225/325 Topics in Ethnomusicology: Global Pop

Barzel

Topic for 2006-07: Global Pop. For as long as Western popular music has been available on records, musicians from around the world have been blending it with their own local idioms, often with spectacular results. In this course we will address several recent examples of this phenomenon, with a focus on projects that have reached a relatively wide audience. We will investigate how the featured musicians have drawn on a variety of popular and traditional idioms, instruments, and playing/singing techniquest to develop something new and distinctive. Critical analysis will help us understand how the music is framed, with attention to issues of collaboration, appropriation, and representation. Students who enroll at the 300-level will be expected to include musical analysis in their final papers. This course may be taken as either 225 or, with additional assignments, 325.

Prerequisite: 100, 111, 111x, 122, or by permission of the instructor. In addition, for 325, 200 or 201 is required.

Distribution: Arts, Music, Theatre, Film, Video

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Political Science

POL1 381/ES 381 United States Environmental Politics
Turner (Environmental Studies)
This course examines the politics of environmental issues in the United States. The course has two primary goals: First, to introduce students to the institutions, stakeholders, and political processes important to debates over environmental policy at the federal level. Second, to develop and practice skills of analyzing and making decisions relevant to environmental politics and policy. Drawing on the literature of environmental politics and policy, this course will consider how environmental issues are framed in political discourse, various approaches to environmental advocacy and reform, and the contested role of science in environmental politics. The course will be organized around environmental case studies, including endangered species conservation, public lands management, air and water pollution, and toxics regulation. Students may register for either POL1 381 or ES 381 and credit will be granted accordingly.

Prerequisites: ES 100, POL1 200, or by permission of the instructor.
Distribution: Social and Behavioral Analysis
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Department of Women’s Studies

WOST 323 Sexuality and Childbirth
Freidenfelds
Sex and childbirth are generally among some of the most private of our acts. This course looks at the history of sexuality and childbirth in America, from the Colonial period to the present, with special attention to gender, race, class and sexual preference as they have affected sexual and reproductive experiences. Historians of sexuality and the body have cleverly and creatively drawn upon an amazing array of sources, from seventeenth-century court records in which defendants testify about the details of their alleged fornication, to early twentieth-century psychiatric patient records documenting the sexual acts and attitudes of rebellious teenage girls institutionalized for their transgressions. In this course, we examine both the sources themselves and the ways in which historians have analyzed them and constructed persuasive historical narratives with the evidence they provide.

Prerequisite: One course in history or women's studies, or by permission of the instructor.

Distribution: Historical Studies

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

Writing Program

WRIT125/14 Modern North African Writers

Rollman (History)

Since independence (1956-1962), North African writers have played a prominent, often courageous, role in the ongoing struggle to turn the promises of national liberation from colonial rule into daily life realities for the people of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. This course focuses on works in English translation by four women writers who have spoken especially eloquently and strongly for human rights and against the harsh realities of the post-colonial order: Laila Lalami, Assia Djebar, Monia Hejaiej, and Leila Abouzeid. Student writing projects will examine the issues (identity, patriarchy, democracy, poverty, freedom of expression) addressed by these authors, as well as the evolution of their writing form and style in response to the intensely contested linguistic, cultural, economic, and political terrains that configure North Africa today.

Prerequisite: None

Distribution: None

Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

WRIT 125-19 Communication in Early America
McCarthy (History)

A survey of the history of oral and written modes of communication in early America. What did early Americans read? How many could write? How did their reading or face-to-face communications shape their experiences of the world? Dissecting some of the reading matter available to Americans from the colonial period into the nineteenth century will allow us to explore their religious beliefs, intellectual and cultural life, and help us construct the changing worldviews of men, women, Native Americans, and African Americans. Students will be asked to account for what reading mattered in early America by analyzing primary texts and determining how this printed material, such as almanacs, newspapers, sermons, or travel literature, reflected its historical time and place.

Prerequisite: None
Distribution: None
Semester: Spring Unit: 1.0

WRIT 222 Women's Public Voices

Lackey

This course is linked to a multi-college, internet-based initiative, which seeks to heighten female participation in the arena of public opinion. (http://apps.nitle.org/moodle/). Recent studies indicate that men outnumber women as public intellectuals by a considerable margin, thus minimizing the role women play in shaping public opinion. This imbalance had led to an inaccurate perception that equates men with authoritative knowledge and women with unjustified opinion. In this course, we hope to identify and examine some of the causes of this gender imbalance and subsequently develop strategies for changing the general perception about the female public intellectual. Students should expect to write frequently in this course, often but not always in the form of blog entries. The course will also include interaction with influential women leaders and writers, who will share some of their thoughts and experiences with students. Mandatory credit/noncredit. Not offered every year. Subject to Dean’s Office approval.

Prerequisites: None

Distribution: None

Semester: Wintersession Unit: 0.5

• Jennifer Lewis, Curriculum Coordinator
• jlewis@wellesley.edu
• Office of the Registrar
• Date Created: October 13, 2005
• Last Modified: November 22, 2006
• Expires: June 1, 2007