Fall 2002 Liberal Arts 102 Course Descriptions
Content last modified on June 14, 2002.
LIBA 102-1 :A History of Social Issues Reflected in Music for the Stage During the Twentieth Century
MWF 8:00-8:50 Barr 317
Aubrey, R., Music (915-5278; raubrey@olemiss.edu)
The seminar will view and discuss the setting in which each stage work was written, and include the music, the lyrics and dialogue, and the composers and authors of innovative musical drama of the 20th century. Music to be studied include the 1927 production of Showboat, the efforts of Rodgers and Hammerstein which recall cultural discrimination, Bernstein's West Side Story, the treatment of the Jews in Fiddler on the Roof, the impact of rock on musical theatre during the early 1970's, Protest Musicals of the same era, and John Adams' opera, Nixon in China. The major innovations of the past twenty-five years, including the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, and Claude-Michel Schoenberg will also be among the twenty musical dramas to be discussed during the semester.
LIBA 102-2 : The Women of the Bible
MWF 8:00-8:50 Hume 200
Harrington, M., Philosophy and Religion (915-7020; phmlh@olemiss.edu)
This course will be taught from a scholarly rather than a dogmatic perspective. The course will rely upon the Bible, scholarly texts and works of fiction to introduce these often overlooked matriarchs. Students will learn how and why the female significance was deliberately downplayed, and the ways in which these women were the feminists of their times. Lecturing will be minimal to allow student discussion and presentations of essays and research papers.
LIBA 102-3 : Children at Risk
MWF 8:00-8:50 Hume 215
Shackleford, K., Department of Social Work (915-1563; kshackel@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will explore the context of child development in family systems exposed to various social and family problems. The class will discuss issues such as divorce, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, poverty, mental illness, and incarcerated parents in relation to the risk factors for children. Ideas regarding parenting and social environments that promote healthy, optimal development for children will be discussed along with possible community factors that could promote healthy development of children even when the family and social problems exist. Readings and research regarding the previously mentioned issues will serve as the foundation for this seminar in developing students’ written and oral communication skills.
LIBA 102-4 : Significance of Place: Land and Landscapes in American Writing
MWF 9:00-9:50 Farley 303
Gowdy, A., English (915-7439; gowdyar@icx.net) TBA
LIBA 102-5 : Soccer in Society
9:00-9:50 Hume 215 code#5224
Jameson, A., Exercise and Recreation Management (915-5565; agjameso@olemiss.edu)
The seminar will view and discuss the role of soccer in British society. "Some people believe football (soccer) is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." B Bill Shankly (Liverpool FC Manager). This quote encapsulates the importance of soccer in Britain. Major issues such as crowd violence, stadium disasters along with cultural, religious and racial discrimination will be identified and the resulting implications discussed. News articles, official government reports and other publications will be used as source material.
LIBA 102-6 : Monster Narratives in Literature and Film
MWF 10:00-10:50 Bishop 328
Bellin, S., Department of English (915-7439; sbellin@olemiss.edu)
According to Stephen King, monster novels and films are so wildly popular because they allow us a safe, imaginary place in which to confront our deepest fears and aggressions. Furthermore, critics have long recognized that the great monster narratives of the 19th century—Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—are far more than simplistic stories of good and evil meant solely to entertain readers. Rather, in these horror novels, readers and characters face down some of the most profound human anxieties of their age and ours: the possibilities that God is unnecessary to the creation of life, that the deepest core of human beings is not a soul but a mass of amoral, animalistic appetites, that technology can do nothing to save us and is in fact on the verge of destroying us. In the 20th and 21st centuries, these stories have been filmed repeatedly; each time, the filmmakers have adapted the narratives to anxieties provoked by their own time periods. The monster is a being through which we confront what it means to be human. Students in this seminar will read, analyze, conduct research, and write about these monster narratives and their adaptations (both strict and loose) in film. Students will be introduced to fundamental research sources in literature and film, and will learn a critical vocabulary for analyzing these media. For Frankenstein, films to be viewed include James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) and John Frankenheimer’s Seconds (1966). For Dracula, we will view Tod Browning’s Dracula (1931) and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). For Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, we will view Rouben Mamoulian’s Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932), Stephen Frears’ Mary Reilly (1996), and Tom Shadyac’s The Nutty Professor (1996).
LIBA 102-7 : Poverty in America
MWF 10:00-10:50 Hume 200
Braseth, R., Professor of Journalism (915-5503; jnrbb@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will provide students with the opportunity to gain an understanding and a definition of what it means to be socially and economically poor. An unsentimental approach to the subject will allow students to examine the contributions of the poor to the arts in the United States. Economic struggle is the soul of some of the greatest books in American literature. An entire music genre, the blues, was spawned from poverty. The ministry of Jesus Christ addresses poverty in hundreds of scripture references. Students will examine the politics and policy of poverty. Who cares about the poor? Will the poor always be with us? How much money is spent taking care of the poor? Do the poor have a voice in American politics? While this is primarily a writing class, students will also be expected to conduct field research to collect oral histories of poor people. To complement the writing requirement, students will use tape recorders and disposable cameras to document poverty in Lafayette County. Along with required papers, students will make oral presentations of their research and other findings. As a jumping off point, students will be required to read The Grapes of Wrath.
LIBA 102-8 : Culture and Personality
MWF 10:00-10:50 Hume 215
Snow, M., School of Education (915-7063; mssnow@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will investigate the basic elements of personality and how culture influences the development of self. The class will explore whether people share on some psychological level ways of experiencing the world, distinctive needs, and modes of thinking. We will examine how such characteristics as gender identity, body image, the experiences of pain and trauma develop within a cultural frame. Readings for the course will include the book Rethinking Psychological Anthropology along with assigned readings from other cultures. Students will also have an opportunity to explore different cultures through movies and experiential exercises.
LIBA 102-9 : Southern Childhoods
MWF 11:00-11:50 Hume 230
Hall, Joan, English (915-7286; egjwh@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will examine portrayals of the griefs and joys of Southern childhood in non-fiction and fiction by William Faulkner, Anne Moody, Zora Neale Hurston, Willie Morris, Eudora Welty, Richard Wright, and several other authors. Our main selections are found in two anthologies: Dorothy Abbott's Mississippi Writers: Reflections of Childhood and Youth, Volume II: Nonfiction and Suzanne Jones's Growing Up in the South: An Anthology of Modern Southern Literature. Special features of this seminar include a tour of our library's Special Collections and attendance at one or more local presentations by authors whose recent books describe Southern childhood. In addition to discussion and essays on regular reading assignments, each student will report on a book-length autobiography or memoir by such authors as Janisse Ray, Harry Crews, and Bobbie Ann Mason.
LIBA 102-10 : Heroes: Journeys and Quests
MWF 11:00-11:50 Bishop326
Arrington, M., Modern Languages (915-7713; marringt@olemiss.edu)
The story of the hero who sets out on a journey in search of a great treasure, secret knowledge, or elusive ideal is one of the most enduring themes in literature. From ancient times to the present, storytellers from all over the globe have told of the hero's pursuit of his goal and the adventures he encounters along the way. In this course students will identify and analyze the basic elements and patterns common to all quest narratives and seek to discover why this type of story has remained popular up to the present.
LIBA 102-11 : The Wives of Henry VIII
MWF 11:00-11:50 Hume 215
Landon, M., History (915-7105; hslandon@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will explore the ways in which the various ramifications of the marital relations of the much-married King Henry VIII, of England (1509-1547) with his succession of six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr did a great deal to lay the groundwork for the future development of our modern, world-wide, English-language culture. The textbook will be The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Antonia Fraser. Each student in the class will be expected to research, write-up, and orally report on the career either of one of the six wives or of some other major figure in the history of Henry’s marriages, such as Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Cromwell, Erasmus, or Thomas More.
LIBA 102-12 : Adventures in Biological Exploration
MWF 12:00-12:50 Bishop 328
Buchholz, R. Biology (915-5012; byrb@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will focus on men and women who have advanced our knowledge of biology at great personal or professional risk--people who have had the ability and character to "go against the grain." Reading assignments will combine biography and autobiography with background reading in biology and the process and politics of science.
LIBA 102-13 : American Dialects
MWF 12:00-12:50 Bishop 333
Burkette, A., English (915-7439; burkette@olemiss.edu)
Differences between American English dialects can be as obvious as saying "y'all" versus "you guys" as a plural pronoun or as subtle as using "quarter til" versus "quarter to" in telling time. This course surveys the wide range of information available about the different dialects found in American English. We will talk about what a dialect is (and is not), how dialects are formed, and where today's American English is going. We will examine what the different American English dialects are and who uses them. In addition to the ‘what’ and ‘who,’ we will also explore the ‘why’ of dialects - the relationship between language and social factors (such as age, sex, ethnicity, social class, and region), as well as the way that speech is connected to identity. This class offers students the unique opportunity to learn about the dialect diversity present in American English and, more importantly, to appreciate that diversity is a natural part of any language.
LIBA 102-14 : Autobiography and Identity
MWF 12:00-12:50 Chemistry 212
Nelson, J., Women's Studies (915-7758; nelsonj@newpaltz.edu)
This course will examine the relationships between autobiography, identity, memory and history. We will explore how personal experience and historical context interact to constitute identity. Students will be encouraged to discover their own personal voice by reading the autobiographies of others and by experimenting with a variety of writing styles. Requirements include: a weekly journal that connects the assigned readings to personal experiences and a historical research paper that involves interviewing a relative or member of the community. Required texts include: Dorothy Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina, Gloria Anzaldua, Borderlands/La Frontera, Jamaica Kincaid, The Autobiography of My Mother, Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior and Deborah E. McDowell, Leaving Pipe Shop.
LIBA 102-15 : The Danzig Trilogy
MWF 1:00-1:50 Barnard 202
Everett, G., Modern Languages (915-1213; mlgae@olemiss.edu)
This course will study "The Danzig Trilogy," Nobel Prize winner Guenter Grass' three novels concerning Europe before, during and after the Nazi Third Reich@ and its relevance to modern times -including ethical, sociologic, and political considerations. Texts to be read: The Tin Drum, Cat and Mouse, Dog Years and assorted selections from journals, histories, etc.
LIBA 102-16 : Sex, Drugs, and Oh, Never Mind: The Narrative of Generation X
MWF 1:00-1:50 Bondurant 202
Klodt, J., (; klodtjas@msu.edu)
The 1990's witnessed an international youth subculture emerge as prominent and oftentimes controversial voice in narrative and popular culture. This seminar will examine these voices, members of a so-called Generation X, through novels from North America (Douglas Coupland’s Generation X), Great Britain (Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting), Spain (Ray Loriga’s My Brother’s Gun and Benjamín Prado’s Never Shake Hands with a Left-Handed Gunman) and China (Wei Hui’s Shanghai Baby), as well as through short fiction, popular media, film (Richard Linklater’s Slacker and Kevin Smith’s Clerks), and music (Nirvana’s "Nevermind" and the suicide of Kurt Cobain).
LIBA 102-17
MWF 1:00-1:50
Bishop 333
Westmoreland, R. Philosophy and Religion (915-7020; prrbw@olemiss.edu) TBA TBA
LIBA 102-18 : History of American Higher Education
MWF Barr 317
Ponton, M., School of Education (915-7350; mponton@olemiss.edu)
The seminar on the history of American higher education will require the student to develop a perspective of many of the events that have shaped our current system of postsecondary education. Topics will include the colonial colleges, the curriculum and elective system, graduate education, land grant institutions, women in higher education, community colleges, minorities in higher education, philosophy of higher education, and religion in higher education. Using the library, students will be required to develop a perspective associated with each week’s topic as well as be prepared to engage in scholarly dialogue with their peers. Weekly writing assignments and a research paper will be required in addition to a classroom presentation on the researched topic of interest.
LIBA 102-19 : Autobiography and Identity
MWF 2:00-2:50 Bondurant 114 E
Nelson, J., Women's Studies (915-7758; nelsonj@newpaltz.edu)
This course will examine the relationships between autobiography, identity, memory and history. We will explore how personal experience and historical context interact to constitute identity. Students will be encouraged to discover their own personal voice by reading the autobiographies of others and by experimenting with a variety of writing styles. Requirements include: a weekly journal thatconnects the assigned readings to personal experiences and a historical research paper that involves interviewing a relative or member of the community. Required texts include: Dorothy Allison, Bastard Out of Carolina, Gloria Anzaldua, Borderlands/La Frontera, Jamaica Kincaid, The Autobiography of My Mother, Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior and Deborah E. McDowell, Leaving Pipe Shop.
LIBA 102-20 : Shakespeare and the Nature of Man
MW 4:00-5:15 Bondurant 114 E
Murchison, M., Office of Summer Programs (915-7621; mmurchis@olemiss.edu)
In King Lear, the characters each take a stab at answering the basic question, "Why do these things happen to me?" The final answer to the question Shakespeare puts into the mouth of the villain Edmund: "We do it to ourselves." What Shakespeare seems to be saying is that each person's choices in life determine his/her fate. This is the question this course will examine. As we look at character development in the lesser known of Shakespeare's plays, with an occasional look at the more commonly studied ones, we will look for examples of that character type/behavior in the news events of the day. As an additional aspect to the course, students will be required to visit with a senior citizen as a conversation partner discussing certain elements of human nature. They will be supplied with a format for questions and discussion for each visit. They will be looking for the kinds of characteristics of mankind shown in the plays as they are exhibited in real life. Part of the course will involve each student's presenting a formal, oral character analysis, using both Shakespeare and the news. In this manner we should cover several plays. With each play the students will complete a reading quiz prior to discussion of the play. Also, I subscribe to a learning technique called "writing to learn." Each student will be required to keep a journal in which he/she will record reactions to the material while reading the plays and newspapers; writing some journal entries in class on a specific topic prior to discussion is a way for students to organize thoughts prior to oral discussion; and students will employ journaling regarding discussions with the senior citizens. At the end of discussion of each of the plays, students will be required to present a formal paper addressing a theme, characterization, or some other aspect of the play, keeping in mind that a second aspect is always what is going on in current events. The papers should build on one another allowing for comparison/contrast, classification/division, and other forms of discourse and expository methods. The final paper will involve a research assignment that in essence is cumulative, requiring the student to assimilate and discuss the materials of the course. They will also present their senior citizen with a journal reacting to the discussions they have together.
LIBA 102-21 : Sex, Drugs, and Oh, Never Mind: The Narrative of Generation X
MW 4:00-5:15 Bondurant 116W
Klodt, J., (; klodtjas@msu.edu)
The 1990's witnessed an international youth subculture emerge as prominent and oftentimes controversial voices in narrative and popular culture. This seminar will examine these voices, members of a so-called Generation X, through novels from North America (Douglas Coupland's Generation X), Great Britain (Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting), Spain (Ray Loriga's My Brother's Gun and Benjamín Prado's Never Shake Hands with a Left-Handed Gunman) and China (Wei Hui's Shanghai Baby), as well as through short fiction, popular media, film (Richard Linklater's Slacker and Kevin Smith's Clerks), and music (Nirvana's "Nevermind" and the suicide of Kurt Cobain).
LIBA 102-22 : Reading Nature Poetry in an Environmental Age
TT 8:00-9:15
Education 208
Frazier, J., English (915-7439; janefraz@aol.com)
In this class, we will be discussing and writing papers on several modern American nature poets. We will be looking at Gary Snyder, Wendell Berry, Robert Bly, W. S. Merwin, Mary Oliver, Theodore Roethke, and James Wright. Part of the focus of the class will be upon how these poets are looking at nature: are they looking at nature as a real, ecological entity or are they looking at it as an imagined, mystical realm. We will also be reading a few assigned essays on the topic of nature and looking at some environmental films in order to discover how modern Americans are treating and perceiving the nature around them.
LIBA 102-23 : Science and Society in the Early 20th Century
TT 8:00-9:15 Barr 317
Avery, B., Pharmacy (915-5880; bavery@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will examine the impact of science on culture, politics, education and health. Students will have an opportunity to further develop their written and oral communication skills while exploring the cause and effect of some of the greatest scientific discoveries on the early 1900's. Specifically we will be diving into "The Shocking Tragedy at Deptford", the murder case, which became the first in the United Kingdom which was solved through the use of fingerprint evidence. We will also explore the sights, sounds and secrets of "The Manhattan Project", the making of the atomic bomb. Last we will take a look at Mary Anning, a poor uneducated beachcomber, who spent 30 years digging up giant marine reptiles and pterosaurs on the south coast of England.
LIBA 102-24 : Psychotherapy in Literature and Other Media
TT 8:00-9:15 Hume 200
Cooker, P., Counselor Education (915-7069; cooker@olemiss.edu)
The course will focus on how psychotherapy is depicted in literature and in film/video. Students will have the opportunity to further develop written and oral communication skills while exploring the role of psychotherapy in our culture. Approaches to treatment, role of the therapist, ethical issues, and client/patient involvement in the process will be some of the topics to be considered.
LIBA 102-25
TT 8:00-9:15 Bishop 333
Staton, W., Math (915-4722; mmstaton@olemiss.edu) TBA TBA
LIBA 102-26 : An Introduction to Observation, Reflection, and Writing
TT 9:30-10:45 Chemistry 212
West, C., Family and Consumer Science (915-5321; cwest@olemiss.edu)
The overall purpose of this course is to provide undergraduate students with a basic introduction to qualitative research methods and the importance of good writing to all research. Each class will engage the participant in hands-on activities and discussions designed to help her/him observe, reflect on, and then write about various internal experiences, social experiences, and reading experiences. In addition to reading assignments, several writing projects (including a brief literature review) will be assigned, along with a final oral presentation. In this process students will explore the biases brought to observation and research. Each student will do research and write on a topic chosen with the approval of the instructor. Common reading for the course will include the following: Wolcott, Harry (2001). Writing Up Qualitative Research; and Lankford-Rice, S. (2000). The Dislocated Textile Worker in Rural Alabama. The Qualitative Report.
LIBA 102-27 : Research in Personal Accounting
TT 9:30-10:45 Bryant 307
Cassidy, J., Accounting (915-5445; jcassidy@olemiss.edu)
This freshman seminar will explore the managerial accounting topics of developing a mission, setting goals and objectives, and personal planning and performance evaluation. Readings will come from a variety of sources including newspapers, business periodicals, the internet, and library resources. Viewing of television programs related to business will also be assigned. Written assignments will include development of personal goals, budgeting, performance evaluation, and analysis of current business events. The goal of this class is to use the readings, class discussions, and written assignments to become more financially responsible individuals.
LIBA 102-28 : About Language
TT 9:30-10:45 Bishop 328
McCoy, P., Linguistics (915-7439; pmccoy@socrates.berkeley.edu)
This seminar provides a forum for students to explore, reflect on, and write about topics related to issues on language and linguistics. Students will read and analyze research articles and other selected texts that focus on: Origins of Language; Brain and Language; Child Language Acquisition; The History of Linguistics; Speech Recognition; Speech Synthesis; Machine Translation. This course offers students the perfect opportunity to learn about the tool we use on a daily basis and most certainly take for granted --language.
LIBA 102-29 : Britain, Ireland and "The Troubles"
TT 9:30-10:45 Bishop 333
Laurenzo, F., (915-7529; hsfel@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will explore the relationship between Britain and Ireland in the 20th century and in particular the development of the current political situation in Northern Ireland. Within the context of this topic, the class will discuss issues such as the nature of prejudice, the meaning of nationalism, and the impact of history and religion on politics. Readings for the course will include a general introduction to the topic and articles from newspapers and magazines published during the period.
LIBA 102-30 : Philosophical Themes in Text and Film
TT 11:00-12:15 Barnard 202
Barnard, R., Philosophy and Religion (915-7020; rwbjr@olemiss.edu)
This seminar will explore the expression of major themes from the history of philosophy in the alternative and often more vivid medium of film. The core of the course will involve a close reading of three texts from the history of philosophy: Plato’s Republic, J. S. Mill’s Utilitarianism, and the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu. Over the course of the term, students will also be invited to view three films that address central themes from each text. Written work and class discussion will consider the issues common to both text and film as well as how the alternative modes of presentation influence our understanding of these philosophical themes. Likely topics of discussion include the relationship of individuals to the government, to society, and to nature, as well as alternative conceptions of the good life for humankind.
LIBA 102-31 : Regional Culture in America
TT 11:00-12:15 Bishop 326
Abadie, D., History (915-7148; dabadie@olemiss.edu)
The course will examine some aspects of regionalism and culture in America during the last half-century as viewed through travel accounts. Class discussion will use the following works as points of departure: John Steinbeck, TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY: IN SEARCH OF AMERICA; John Howard Griffin, BLACK LIKE ME; and William Least Heat Moon, BLUE HIGHWAYS; A JOURNEY INTO AMERICA. Writing assignments will be based upon these books and research assignments.
LIBA 102-32 : The Odd Edges of Behavioral and Humanistic Psychology
TT 1:00-2:15 Bondurant 114 E
Wilson, Kelly (915-7383; kwilson@olemiss.edu)
Behavioral psychology is often characterized as conceiving humans as mechanical beings-as flesh and blood stimulus-response machines. Humanistic perspectives have, by contrast, been characterized as conceiving humans in terms of their potential for self-actualization, creativity, and free choice. In the proposed seminar, we will examine readings from behavioral and humanistic psychology. We will explore in discussion and writing the possibility of a behavioral approach to psychology that can embrace the highest human aspirations.
LIBA 102-33 : Social Issues in 20th Century Musical Theatre
TT 1:00-2:15 Barnard 202
Pulliam, R., Theatre (915-6991; rpulliam@olemiss.edu)
An exploration of Twentieth Century American Musical Theatre and its reflections on the racial, gender, sexual identity, political, and economic issues of the era in which it was written. The course will cover basic script/libretto analysis and examine the form as well as the content of each libretto. The musical libretti/script will be examined as literature and theatre, as well as used as a springboard for discussion of current vs. historical American issues. The Musicals chosen are all indicative of the social/political status of their own historical era, many commenting on current prevailing social issues. Some have either changed the direction of theatre in general or awarded for their excellence as literature.
LIBA 102-34 : History through Children's/Adolescent Literature
TT 1:00-2:15 Bishop 333
Oliphant-Ingham, R., Secondary Education (English) (915-7589; ringham@olemiss.edu)
The best one-word definition of history is people. Without human beings, whose emotions and actions influence the times, there is no history. (Darigan, et al) Literature is the story of the emotions and actions of these people; therefore, history and literature must be taught hand-in-hand. This seminar will focus on classic and contemporary works of children’s and adolescent literature which give unique perspectives on major conflicts from our past. We will read, discuss and write about the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II.
LIBA 102-35 : The Literature of Blues and Jazz
TT 1:00-2:15 Peabody 210
Gussow, A., English (915-7439; asgussow@aol.com)
This course will explore the ways African American (and selected white American) writers have made ethical and aesthetic sense of blues and jazz music, with special attention to the social context out of which both musics have emerged. In particular, we'll devote considerable time to the way in which adverse social conditions in the early modern South--lynching, segregation, and sharecropping economics--are represented and contested by blues texts and their jazz cousins up north. The subversive pleasures of "signifying" (sexual and other forms of double entendre) will be explored, as will the laughing-to-keep-from-crying paradox at the heart of the blues. We'll read short stories, novels, poetry, plays, and critical essays by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Herbert Simmons, August Wilson, Stanley Crouch, Sherley Anne Williams, James Baldwin, and others. Writing assignments will include both critical and autobiographical essays, plus a chance to experiment with the jazzy, free-blowing "spontaneous prose" made famous by Jack Kerouac in his chronicle of the Beat Generation, On the Road.
LIBA 102-36 :Law and Ogre: An Examination of The Law and Lawyers in Popular Culture
TT 2:30-3:45 Hume 200
Derrick, J., Law (915-7361; wjderric@olemiss.edu)
The rule of law is the foundation of our society, yet lawyers are often much maligned in contemporary American life. This course will examine works of popular culture including films, television programs, music, fiction and non-fiction, to uncover how they help us to understand the troubling paradox between the law and lawyers. As legal texts, these works of popular culture will assist in exploring contemporary dilemmas involving public policy, ethics and morality. The course will also address popular culture’s influence on perceptions of the law, if and how those perceptions differ from reality, and whether any difference has an impact on our society. The course will use Richard Sherwin’s When Law Goes Pop: The Vanishing Line Between Law and Popular Culture as a text.
LIBA 102-37 : Cryptography from Ancient Times to the Present
TT 2:30-3:45
Bondurant 111E
Gordon R., Electrical Engineering (915-5538; eegordon@olemiss.edu)
Since humans first began to communicate they have sought to conceal certain of their communications through the use of such devices as codes, ciphers, and hidden messages. Examples include the use of a code to warn Athens and Sparta of the impending invasion by the Persians in 480 B.C., the German Enigma cipher, the breaking of which by British cryptanalysts in World War II was critical to Allied success, and the codes used every day to encrypt e-mail and commercial data on the Internet. In this course, the students will study the history of codes and ciphers from ancient times to the present, learn some of the basics of encrypting messages, and investigate some of the techniques used to break secret codes. The required texts for the course are The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh and In Code: A Mathematical Journey by Sarah Flannery. Students will be required to read these texts, selections from various books, and journal articles.
LIBA 102-38 : Science and Pseudoscience
TT 2:30-3:45 Bishop 324
Tew, M., Electrical Engineering (915-5384; eemdt@olemiss.edu)
What differentiates science from pseudoscience? Is science just one of many equally valid competing models on which to base beliefs? Students in this seminar will explore not only historical myths and frauds (Piltdown man, for example), but also the edges of science today. Readings in "The Borderlands of Science--Where Sense Meets Nonsense" will be supplemented by research using the library and the web. Students completing this seminar should not only improve their writing skills, but also their ability to analyze and judge competing stances on contemporary topics.
LIBA 102-39 : Drugs, Science, and Culture
TT 4:00-5:15
Hume 200
Hamann, M., Pharmacy School (915-5730; pghamann@cotton.vislab.olemiss.edu)
This seminar will examine the science and culture of the world's most popular drugs of natural origin.
It will explore the historical, scientific, and public policy references on legal and illegal drug usage and the role of naturally derived drugs and herbal products on society. Historically tolerated psychoactive drugs such as coffee and tobacco will be contrasted with prohibited drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and the opiates, with an emphasis on the chemistry, biology and pharmacology of these drugs. The class will provide a forum for discussion and readings about the scientific, economic, political, and cultural impact of drug use.
LIBA 102-40 : "Magic Realism" in Literature --Writings from an Alternate Tradition
TT 4:00-5:15
Bondurant 114E
McGehee, J., Education (915-7100; jmcgehee@olemiss.edu)
The course will explore the genre of literature know as magic realism. This form appeared mid-twentieth century and has grown in popularity, particularly in the writing of marginalized peoples. Authors representative of magic realism include Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, and Laura Esquivel. Most students’ sense of what constitutes knowledge and meaning derives from Western Cultural Tradition. Writers of magic realism feel themselves estranged or alienated from that tradition; in their writing they challenge Western cultural epistemology. They demand of us, as readers, that we develop alternative strategies of reading and comprehension. We will attempt to do so as we explore texts based in magic realism and write about our perspectives from points of view relative to race, ethnicity, religion, geography and politics.