Power has been defined as the ability of one individual to get another to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. But power is more nuanced than this definition: it is multifaceted, relational, dynamic, and manifest in many forms. This course investigates how politicians, advocates, experts, and local organizations harness different forms of power to achieve their goals of policy change and resource allocation. Students explore who wields power and how they utilize it in the context of local policy issues, such as affordable housing, access to healthcare, child poverty and food insecurity. Community engagement and collaborative research on the South Cumberland Plateau inform students’ final projects that analyze power's role in local action (or inaction).
How do states and societies remember political violence? How, and whether, are peace initiatives or nonviolent resistance efforts commemorated across different historical and cultural contexts? Building on the vast and growing interdisciplinary comparative research, political activism, and art on memory studies, truth and reconciliation, and transitional justice, the course will introduce students to various ways in which certain events, individuals, and initiatives connected to conflict and peace are remembered in memorials, museums, monuments, and other commemorative spaces and practices.
How do human thoughts, emotions, and social systems shape our responses to climate change—and how does a changing environment shape us in return? Drawing on intersectional environmentalism, environmental neuroscience, and embodied approaches to wellbeing, students will examine how climate change affects the brain, behavior, and mental health; how environmental harms are unevenly distributed across communities; and how people and institutions respond to these realities. Through field experiences and community-based research, students will learn how a psychological lens can be used to address environmental injustice, support resilience, and inform collective action toward a more sustainable and equitable future.
This introductory-level course explores how drugs impact the human brain, behavior, and society. Students will learn and apply major principles of pharmacology to understand biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that contribute to various patterns of drug use and misuse, including substance use disorders. Students will also learn about current and emerging approaches to addiction treatment and evaluate how drug-related research informs healthcare policy, legalization, mental health services, and approaches to human flourishing. This course is intended for students who do not plan to pursue degrees in psychology and/or neuroscience and does not satisfy requirements for those majors or minors.
A critical exploration of the gospel of Matthew as a prompt to moral self-reflection and possible guide to a meaningful life. Primary focus on the Sermon on Mount throughout the course. Historical, literary, and philosophical methods facilitate close reading and engagement with key interpretive issues and debates. Practical experiments in moral thinking and acting based on the biblical text and biblical reception history facilitate reflection on the place of virtue in a meaningful life. No prior knowledge of the Bible or commitment to a religious tradition assumed.
An introduction to the study of literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking world, taught at the advanced-intermediate language level. Students improve reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills through textual and audiovisual analysis. The course prepares students for advanced courses in the Spanish major and minor.
Discussions will center on students' fiction. Selected readings are assigned to focus on technical problems of craftsmanship and style.
Forestry
An environmental survey course which addresses the important features, processes, and issues of forested landscapes. Topics include major tree species, forest biology and ecology, tree structure and function, silviculture, forest management, forest products, and U.S. forest policy and laws. The focus on North American forests is set within a context of global forest issues. Lab exercises emphasize fieldwork, utilizing the diverse array of local forest types present on the Cumberland Plateau and nearby Appalachian Mountains. Lecture, three hours, laboratory and field trips.
An environmental survey course which addresses the important features, processes, and issues of forested landscapes. Topics include major tree species, forest biology and ecology, tree structure and function, silviculture, forest management, forest products, and U.S. forest policy and laws. The focus on North American forests is set within a context of global forest issues. Lab exercises emphasize fieldwork, utilizing the diverse array of local forest types present on the Cumberland Plateau and nearby Appalachian Mountains. Lecture, three hours, laboratory and field trips.
An introduction to the theory and practice of fisheries science. Particular emphasis is placed on approaches and techniques for assessing and managing fish populations, habitats, and ecosystems under commercial and recreational harvest; on human dimensions in fisheries management and policy; and on case studies of flawed management approaches throughout history.
An introduction to the theory and practice of fisheries science. Particular emphasis is placed on approaches and techniques for assessing and managing fish populations, habitats, and ecosystems under commercial and recreational harvest; on human dimensions in fisheries management and policy; and on case studies of flawed management approaches throughout history.
An exploration of the wide range of edible, medicinal, and otherwise useful forest products found in forests of western and eastern North America, including the forests of Sewanee. In addition to learning about the biology and distribution of these plants, and about how they are gathered and processed, students discuss the ecological implications of harvesting these interesting plants and fungi. Note: The class involves some eating.
A study of soils as they relate to land use, bedrock and geomorphology, site quality, and vegetation processes. Emphasizes field interpretation of soils as one component of terrestrial ecosystems. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips.
A study of soils as they relate to land use, bedrock and geomorphology, site quality, and vegetation processes. Emphasizes field interpretation of soils as one component of terrestrial ecosystems. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips.
Principles and practices of establishing, tending, and harvesting forest stands on a sustainable basis. Emphasis on ecologically sound techniques of managing forests to meet diverse landowner objectives such as watershed management, wildlife habitat enhancement, recreational use, insect and disease control, and/or timber production.
Principles and practices of establishing, tending, and harvesting forest stands on a sustainable basis. Emphasis on ecologically sound techniques of managing forests to meet diverse landowner objectives such as watershed management, wildlife habitat enhancement, recreational use, insect and disease control, and/or timber production.
French and French Studies
An intensive course in the basic elements of the language: pronunciation, structure of sentences, conversation, and reading. Use of language laboratory required. Four hours of class per week.
An intensive course in the basic elements of the language: pronunciation, structure of sentences, conversation, and reading. Use of language laboratory required. Four hours of class per week.
An intensive course in more advanced elements of the language: pronunciation, structure of sentences, conversation, and reading. Use of language laboratory required. Four hours of class per week.
An intensive course in more advanced elements of the language: pronunciation, structure of sentences, conversation, and reading. Use of language laboratory required. Four hours of class per week.