First Year Student Registration

FALL 2008 FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR

The required First-Year Seminar enables students to participate in an active learning environment during their first semester at Lafayette College. Designed to introduce students to intellectual inquiry through engaging them as thinkers, speakers, and writers, each seminar focuses intensively on a special topic, which is articulated with related co-curricular activities.

Limited to 16 students per section, the First-Year Seminar includes significant reading, writing, discussion, and presentation and is affiliated with the College Writing Program. Students in First-Year Seminars are introduced to the use of the library for research.

First-Year Seminars include a scheduled fourth hour, to be used at the discretion of the faculty member. A critical part of the Common Course of Study, these seminars are a co-requisite for other courses taken by students in their first semester and a prerequisite for subsequent courses.

The Fall 2008 menu of First-Year Seminars is enclosed. Students should understand that, in case of a schedule conflict between a First-Year Seminar and a required major degree course, the major course will take precedence, and an alternate seminar option will be assigned.

023.  Baseball: The One Constant through All the Years.  Why is baseball the “American pastime”? What is it about baseball that fascinates millions around the world? This seminar explores the game by examining the role of statistics on decision making, in-game managerial strategy and economics as well as investigating the historical significance of baseball. Students will examine baseball through various writings, films, game attendance and game simulations in which they manage their own teams. Critical thinking skills will be emphasized in the context of baseball.  Mr. Nataro

025.  The American College Student.  This seminar examines the nature of the college student in America, in conjunction with the U.S. system of higher education.  It includes an historical overview of higher education in America; the impact of college on students; students' psychosocial, cognitive, ethical, and career development; and an examination of student cultures and subcultures.  Special attention is given to research on college student characteristics, attitudes, and values.  Mr. Worthen  

043.  Charisma.  Charisma, meaning “gift of grace,” denotes a deeply personal, yet anti-institutional type of authority, shared by certain cult leaders and revolutionaries, religious visionaries and political prophets, antinomians and avant garde artists.  There is also the charisma of place and thing, from sacred shrines and objects, to famous art works and national monuments.  The course will explore the meaning of charisma, with case studies in enthusiastic religion, political revolution, and antinomian avant garde art movements.  Mr. Schneiderman 

047.  Challenging Differences, Discovering the Possibilities of Community.  Our world is increasingly fractured by differences--of race and class, for example--and is characterized by individualism.  In such a world, what kind of community is possible?  How is community created and sustained?  How do communities deal with diversity and balance individual interests with those of the group?  What benefits and responsibilities come with membership in community?  Students in this seminar consider human community through readings from several disciplines, class discussions, films, and a variety of writing and library assignments. Two hours a week of community service locally is a co-requisite.  Mr. G. Miller 

056.  Crisis of Culture in the Making of the Modern German Nation.  This seminar traces political, economic, social, cultural, and military developments in German history.  Select factors are identified that have made Germany’s achievement of nationhood different from that of other major European nations.  Beginning with the political influence of the French revolution, the course highlights recurring conflicts affecting Germany’s struggle to become a nation while suggesting links between German cultural forces and the role that the unified nation was to play in the twentieth century.  Mr. McDonald

062.  Essentials for Multicultural Competence.  This seminar will explore three essential aspects of gaining multicultural competence:  awareness, knowledge, and skills.  Through class lectures, students will have an opportunity to increase their knowledge about biopsychosocial roots of “isms” (e.g., racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and ableism).  Class discussions, exercises, and co-curricular events will create a variety of opportunities to experience growth in one’s multicultural self-awareness and skills.  Mr. Silvestri 

065.  The Uses and Abuses of Science in Science Fiction.  In their novels, science fiction writers incorporate many ideas from cutting-edge science, some imaginative and insightful, others blatantly at odds with established scientific principles.  Students will critically examine applications of science in the novels of Robert L. Forward and Arthur C. Clarke, among others.  Readings from the novels will be interspersed with readings from books such as The Physics of Star Trek, by Lawrence Krauss, which explain the relevant science in terms accessible to non-scientists.  Mr. Hoffman

067.  Simple Rules and Complex Behavior.  Scientists seek to explain the complex nature of the world around us in terms of simple rules.  Sometimes these rules take the form of fundamental principles that attempt to explain a vast array of diverse phenomena. However, at times this approach takes the form of simple models that supposedly contain the essence of numerous but related phenomena.  For example, simple models have been used to relate the behavior of avalanches, weather, earthquakes, fire storms, and erosion.  Similar attempts have been made to understand the nature of the evolution of biological species at all levels and to evaluate various strategies of survival.  We will seek to understand these approaches to knowing and attempt to evaluate their successes, their failures, and what lessons can be learned from this style of investigation.  Mr. Novaco

076.  Land of Mystery:  The Language and Culture of Modern China.  Though China is the world’s most populous nation, a military superpower, and an increasingly dominant presence in international commerce, Westerners often view the Chinese and their rich heritage as inscrutable.  In this seminar, cultural practices and values of modern China are examined through the eyes of traditional society and the “ancient Chinese proverbs.”  As an integral part of this experience, students learn the rudiments of Chinese pronunciation and acquire a basic Chinese vocabulary.  Mr. Yu

079.  The Cactus Throne:  The Changing Image of Mexico and Its People.  Recent events such as the adoption of NAFTA and political turmoil in Chiapas have refocused U.S. attention on Mexico.  This course explores the internal and external influences that have shaped the character of the Mexican nation and its people.  Topics explored include Mexico's evolving global image, its alternating successes and failures at self-government, its cultural achievements, and its multi-dimensional interactions with its giant northern neighbor.  Mr. Shupp

087.  Distant Mirrors, Performing Selves.  Traditional performance has defined the individual self as a mirror of the community that creates and participates in a theater event.  Has the theatricalization of everyday life through television, advertising, and the internet changed this?  Or is the mirror just more high-tech?  We will seek answers to these questions by examining the origins of theater in late medieval Europe.  We will test our assumptions by creating an actual communal performance in which all seminar participants will take part.  Mr. O’Neill 

098. Political Humor:  Solvent and Safety Valve of Civic Discourse.  Political humor is “serious” business!  It deflates the windbag, defiles the true believer, and decries the unjust. Yet humor humanizes with its extraordinary integration of sharpness and lightness.  The seminar perspective will be broad--the human condition in community--and interdisciplinary, including attention to humanistic and social scientific insights.  Significant use will be made of primary sources of political humor from diverse eras, media, and genres.  Seminarians will produce and not merely consume political humor. Mr. Lennertz

104.  Encounters with Infinity.  Infinity and the infinite have occupied the thoughts and inspired the imaginations of artists, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians for centuries, and the history of the study of the infinite is permeated with paradoxes and counterintuitive results.  We will explore some of the infinite, and the related mathematical developments that have been called “the greatest achievements of purely rational human activity.”  Mr. Hill

105. Evolution:  Cosmology, Biology, and You.  The Universe is 12-15 billion years old; the Earth is 4½ billion years old; multi-cellular life has existed on Earth for 500 million years.  It seems odd that we can know anything about times long before any written record of history.  Our knowledge of history is entwined with scientific understanding of the present.  We will examine the theories of the evolution of the universe and of life on Earth focusing on challenging and supporting evidence.  Mr. Stark

107.  Innovation of Warfare.  Advances in military technology, their application in new weapon systems, and the development of tactics that employ them, are strongly influenced by military traditions and politics.  World War II began with open-cockpit, fabric-covered biplanes still in front-line combat service and ended with turbo-jet and rocket-powered interceptors, medium-range guided missiles, and long-range strategic bombers carrying nuclear weapons.  Innovation in air power in the Pacific Theater was of particular importance, as air power quickly became the primary offensive weapon there.  Mr. Van Gulick

117.  Fact or Fiction:  Authenticity and the Artifact.  Are “artifacts” art or facts? Why is a museum display of a Neolithic village more convincing than Bedrock in the Flintstones?  If both are imaginary depictions, then what constitutes authenticity in our culture?  After examining world civilizations, students will design, fabricate and write about objects that appear to be credible artifacts from an ancient culture.  These will be exhibited as an archeological collection in The Williams Center Gallery and “authenticated” in a published catalogue.  Mr. Noble

119.  Great Projects, Innovations, and Disasters.  What if the Manhattan Project had failed?  How did two bicycle mechanics develop the world’s first powered aircraft?  This seminar looks at how great engineering projects have reshaped the earth, transformed cities, saved lives, and altered international politics.  The purpose is analyze the technical achievements, consider the role of charismatic leaders, examine the influence of failure on successful projects, and to consider the points of view of workers, politicians, professionals and the general public. 
Mr. Kurtz

128.  Germany’s Third Reich. Some of the most tragic events in human history took place during the Third Reich in Germany (1933-1945).  This course will take a closer look at the events and policies that caused the creation of the Hitler dictatorship.  Furthermore, the course will analyze the Nazi regime with special attention given to the Holocaust and the Second World War.  Mr. Pribic

134.  Don’t Fear the Reaper: Living and Dying in America.  The main goal of this course is to acquaint students with the ways in which Americans view and react to the whole subject of death.  Reading assignments will focus on the psychosocial, theological and aesthetic ways in which people deal with death and other forms of loss.  This course especially challenges students to reflect on the ways (some surprising!) in which people process different types of loss, both personally and culturally.  Students should be prepared to discuss subjects relating to death openly and honestly.  Mr. Colatch

138.  Politics and Performance: Theatre and Social Change.  For thousands of years, the theatre has both entertained and provided a forum in which social issues can be explored.  This seminar will investigate, through readings and performances, how theatre provides an immediate and strong voice to debate social and political problems.  Students will have opportunities, through writing, discussion and theatrical performance, to explore social and political issues and the ways in which dramatic works can inspire social change.  Ms. Lodge

141.  The Mathematics of Social Justice.  Alexander Hamilton said, “The first duty of society is justice.” Today there is vociferous argument about the prevalence of justice. To what degree is our society just? Are there practical ways to make it more just? This course applies basic mathematics to controversial issues like elections and income distribution in an attempt to look at them objectively. Using mathematics that everybody is taught, we'll try to make sense out of conflicting opinions on these issues, so discovering the practical importance of a solid foundation in mathematics for everyone.  Mr. Root

142.  Taking it to the Streets:  The Theory and Practice of Community Arts in Urban America.  What role does community arts play in helping people articulate their identity?  Whose voices inspire expression?  Students investigate social movements, specifically how community arts began and evolved in urban America.  Students, working in teams, design a project for children and youth that will be implemented through the Kids in Community (KIC) after school program of the Landis Center.  Two hours a week of Civic Engagement in the Easton area.  No artistic experience necessary.  Ms. Winfield

144.  Science:  A Human Endeavor.  How do scientists approach problems?  Do social, cultural, and political factors influence their work?  How has science changed the cultural norms of society?  This seminar explores the world of science and medicine through the biographies and writings of Peter Medawar, James Watson, Rosalind Franklin, Trofim Lysenko, Lewis Thomas, and others. Mr. Miles

145.  Story Quilting.  This seminar examines how women used quilts to tell their life stories. In addition to tracing the history of quilt making (which includes the art, mathematics and mechanics behind a quilt), we will investigate how quilts communicate, inspire and serve social purposes. Students write reaction papers, which lead to substantial research projects. In addition, students author their own stories, which serve as source material for creating personal quilts (no previous knowledge of sewing required).  Ms. Piergiovanni

147.  A War Within a War:  The American Bombing Campaigns Against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.  What is the impact of warfare on the human condition? Students will engage this question through works of history, fiction and film about the massive American bomber campaign against Germany and Japan in World War II. We will examine the military impact of strategic bombing, its morality, and the appalling costs, both mental and physical, inflicted on its victims--both the non-combatants who were bombed and the young air crews who did the bombing.  Mr. D. Miller

152.  Problem Solving Techniques.  Throughout history, people have confronted difficult problems, and devised -- or stumbled upon -- solutions.  For example, problems in the development of the Polaris submarine led to a widely used scheduling technique.  You will study a variety of techniques for solving problems.  The techniques will include articulating the problem, analyzing assumptions, formulating models, and (where appropriate) developing algorithms.  Mr. Collins

155.  Asian Immigration and Assimilation in America.  This course will explore the history and issues involved in the immigration and assimilation of various Asian ethnic groups into the United States and American culture. Students will read and view textual, video and audio material to learn about how a large and diverse group of people have experienced American culture and beliefs and how they have adapted. The students will also learn how issues such as age, ethnicity, gender and religion have affected how these immigrants have perceived American culture and society and vice versa.  Mr. Liew

158.  Nonviolence: Theory and Practice.  This course explores both the theoretical development of nonviolence and the practice of nonviolence as a means for waging and resolving conflict. Using the examples of Mohandas Gandhi and India’s independence movement, the 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe, the power of music in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, as well as the personal testimonies of individuals and various groups pursuing nonviolent change in the Lehigh Valley, this course explores the principles of nonviolence in action.  Ms. Fabian

159.  Building Better Babies:  Modern Efforts to Enhance Human Beings.  What’s best for baby?  What must an infant have to reach its adult potential?  Who is fit to be a parent?  These are some of the questions we will address in this seminar.  Drawing on research approaches in psychology, anthropology, sociology, biology, law and ethics, we will explore many dimensions of our investment in children.  Ms. Pinto

160.  Faith and Good Works.  Volunteering, we are told, is honorable, be it in a homeless shelter or tutoring disadvantaged children. Why then, would volunteering when inspired by religious faith, become a hotly contested political issue? This seminar will examine the history of faith-based activism and how it has fueled a national debate. Students will conduct case studies of local organizations to gain a critical understanding of faith-based humanitarian work in the U.S. and the controversies it has generated.  Ms. Sayeed

161. Crime and Society.  How do we as a society deal with crime? What are the constitutional issues surrounding our laws and their application? What influences our policymakers? This seminar focuses on topics that currently challenge our criminal justice system to operate in an effective, efficient, and constitutional manner; the torture of alleged terrorists, substandard conditions at detention facilities, race and gender issues, the debate over assisted suicide. Students examine cases, attend a criminal trial, and visit a prison.  Ms. Elliott

162.  Music in European Society.  The course does not assume knowledge of music on the students’ part; nor does it require that they master notation or become conversant with musical analysis.  Rather, the course examines developments in European history that have left their traces in the music.  It relates music to developments in European culture and explains the distinctive characteristics of the music of a period in relation to those larger developments that underlie its cultural productivity.  Mr. Cummings

163.  Power and Political Cartoons.  What makes a political cartoon powerful? Through oral and written analysis of cartoons, we will explore the political and cultural power of this important visual medium. As you study political cartoons and craft your own, we will discuss the significance of the creative process, point of view, cultural sensitivity and offensiveness, and censorship. Researching a political cartoon’s and cultural specificity will help us interpret its message and evaluate its creativity and effectiveness.  Ms. Kelly

164.  ‘Us’ and ‘Them’: The Human Group Imperative.  Will our future be one of continued divisiveness? Or are we ‘progressing’ towards global species consolidation and a decline in human diversity? In this seminar, we will examine evolutionary history to understand the human imperative to categorize people, exploring how ‘race’, ethnicity, nationality and religion are used to define ‘ingroups’ and ‘outgroups’. We also will ask if such groups are natural or artificial human constructs, acknowledging that such categorization leads to competition, stereotyping, discrimination and war.  Mr. Leibel

165.  Writing History: Stories and Possibilities.  How do we tell stories about the past? How do we find things to tell stories about? These two questions form the core of this seminar, which introduces students to methods of archival research as well as practices in writing academic and creative narratives based on that research. Readings in history and historical fiction, film screenings, and field trips to historical sites will be among the assignments that build into students’ individual projects.  Mr. Phillips

166.  Atheism and Skepticism.  Why have people chosen to be atheists or skeptics? What arguments have they used to support their positions? Several recent bestselling books have criticized organized religion as a dangerous delusion, and scientists are currently searching for a possible biological (rather tha supernatural) basis for religious faith. Criticism of religion, however, has a long and colorful history. In this course, we will study examples of atheism and skepticism in different cultural contexts from Asia and the West.  Ms. Rinehart

167.  Beyond Belief.  ESP, the occult, urban legends, conspiracy theories, and “weird” science…..Beliefs are perhaps the most central of all cognitive phenomena, yet there is widespread disagreement concerning what exactly beliefs are or how they are to be understood. In this seminar we will use examples of problematic beliefs – that is, those that have been marginalized by mainstream communities – in order to shed light on our own beliefs and how we formed them.  Mr. Shieber

168.  Religion of Peace?  Religion of Mass Conflict?  Religious orthodoxy and practice are expanding in diverse societies in North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.  What are the relationships between religion, community, identity politics and mass violence?  How does one respond to religious militancy?  Can religion be a source of intercultural understanding and peace?  This course examines aspects of Islamism, Hindu Nationalism and Christian Fundamentalism as well as violence between religious communities in order to comprehend complex religious conflicts and create peace.  Mr. Wendt

169.  The 1960s and Social Change.   The Civil Rights Movement, the Antiwar Movement, the Space Race, and, of course, Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll… Through an examination of written and oral histories, documentary film, and the poetry, music and visual arts of the Sixties, students will explore the underlying causes for change during one of the nation’s most tumultuous decades.  In addition to the causes, students will determine for themselves the lasting influences that the 1960s have had on the present day.  Mr. Newman

170. Art, Morality, and the Limits of Expression. “Morally offensive…”, “A Danger to Society…”  Contemporary artistic creations sometimes elicit strong negative reactions, especially when they provoke moral, religious, or other cultural sensibilities, or when they are perceived as potentially influencing people’s behavior in undesirable ways.  In this seminar we will focus on such issues as freedom of expression and censorship, the status and role of propaganda, and the interpretation and reception of art, examining them from philosophical, legal, and social points of view. Mr. Giovannelli