The course examines the dynamics of violence as it is engendered and enacted in human collectivities, be they religious, ethnic, or political. The course covers theoretical analyses of social violence and historical instantiations of the social processes by which victims are targeted and attacked. We focus on violent movements in religious traditions and the manner in which religious warrants, discourse, texts, and practices are marshaled in the sacralization of a campaign of atrocity against an enemy perceived as a profane threat to the perpetrating society. Attention is also given to practical means of impeding and interfering in the dynamics of sacralized violence.
An introduction to the culture of Spain emphasizing literature, the arts, and history from 1700 to the present. This course, along with SPAN 301, SPAN 303, and SPAN 304, constitutes the core of the major in Spanish. Students are strongly encouraged to take all four of these courses before undertaking more advanced study.
An introduction to the study of Latin America emphasizing literature, history, and the arts from the independence period to the present. This course, along with SPAN 301, SPAN 302, and SPAN 303, constitutes the core of the major in Spanish. Students are strongly encouraged to take all four of these courses before undertaking more advanced study.
An introduction to the study of Latin America emphasizing literature, history, and the arts from the independence period to the present. This course, along with SPAN 301, SPAN 302, and SPAN 303, constitutes the core of the major in Spanish. Students are strongly encouraged to take all four of these courses before undertaking more advanced study.
This course introduces students to Spanish cinema, from Luis Buñuel’s first films of the 1920s and 30s to the present. Studying both masterpieces and lesser-known works, the course focuses on the representation of national, ethnic, gender, and class identities. It provides students an overview of Peninsular cinema and the critical tools to analyze filmic language.
Based on decolonizing theoretical approaches and following a chronological order, this course examines and analyzes a series of visual and auditory artistic manifestations developed by artists in Latin America Topics include painting, sculpture, architecture, and music of the Indian Baroque; the Casta Paintings; Mexican Muralism; the rise of the Bolero; photojournalism; the Third Cinema and the documentary tradition; the dictatorship aesthetic; the identity politics of telenovelas (soap operas); and pop music.
Shared readings on key topics and concepts related to the Hispanic world. Each student also engages in research on a topic of interest, culminating in a critical research paper and an oral presentation. This seminar serves to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement within the major.
Italian
An intensive, introductory course with emphasis on the fundamentals of grammar (both written and spoken) and extensive practice in listening comprehension and reading. Four class hours per week.
This course serves as a bridge from language and culture courses to literary studies. Students read Italian poetry from the thirteenth century to the present, with discussions focusing on the comprehension of complex grammatical structures, tools for literary analysis, and historical-cultural analysis of Italian poetic works. Taught in Italian.
Latin
An intensive, introductory course in Latin emphasizing forms and syntax and with extensive readings. Four class hours per week.
This course examines a topic in Latin literature/culture for advanced Latin language students. The subject matter and themes vary according to instructor.
Readings in the Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid.
Library Resources
This course introduces students to formulating a research topic, thinking critically about the ideas surrounding it, conducting research with academic library resources, and writing papers that marshal support from primary and secondary sources. Students read, analyze, and interpret information sources, developing research papers on topics in their academic disciplines.
Mathematics
Intended for prospective majors outside of mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences, this course focuses on one or more important areas of mathematics with emphasis on the creativity and power of abstract representation, mathematical inquiry, and logical reasoning. Specific past topics have included calculus, probability, number theory, group theory, and encryption. Current topics vary by instructor.
Intended for prospective majors outside of mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences, this course focuses on one or more important areas of mathematics with emphasis on the creativity and power of abstract representation, mathematical inquiry, and logical reasoning. Specific past topics have included calculus, probability, number theory, group theory, and encryption. Current topics vary by instructor.
An elementary course introducing the student to the basic concepts of calculus: functions, transcendental functions, limits, derivatives, and integrals. Emphasis on problem solving.
An elementary course introducing the student to the basic concepts of calculus: functions, transcendental functions, limits, derivatives, and integrals. Emphasis on problem solving.
A continuation of Calculus I. Topics include further theory and applications of integration, techniques of integration, and introduction to series. Some work with a computer is included.
A course designed to provide some important mathematical tools useful in a variety of fields. Systems of linear equations, vectors and matrices, determinants, vector spaces, linear transformations, inner and cross products, and eigen values and canonical forms are considered.
Ordinary differential equations, with applications. Methods of numerical approximation, power series, and Laplace transforms. Existence and uniqueness of solution.