Spring 2005 Liberal Arts 102 Course Descriptions

Please direct all questions regarding course content to the Department of English at (662) 915-7439. Course content last revised on January 18, 2005.

LIBA 102, Section 01 — The Influence of the Internet and Personal Computers on Information, News, Knowledge, and Art
MWF 8:00-8:50
Steven Davis (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
davis@chemistry.olemiss.edu, 915-5981

Personal computers and the internet have unleashed a tidal wave of information freely available for perusal in the home. In this section of LIBA 102 we will discuss how the internet has changed the way individuals and groups view and use information. In particular, the impact the internet has on large news organizations, politics, the music industry, knowledge sharing (book, periodical, and textbook markets), businesses, and computer software will be discussed. The purpose of this class is not to try to reach a consensus, but have the student develop his or her own opinion and express it through writing. Weekly reading assignments will be taken from the internet, news organizations, periodicals, and company white papers.

LIBA 102, Section 02 — Ancient Greek Literature
MWF 8:00-8:50
Peter Wirth (English)
phwirth@olemiss.edu, 915-5035

We will read in translation the following works of ancient Greek literature:
Homer, The Odyssey, tr. Fitzgerald
Herodotus, selections from The Persian Wars
Thucydides, selections from The Peloponnesian War
Aeschylus, The Oresteia, tr. Lattimore
Euripides, The Bacchae
Aristophanes, Lysistrata or The Frogs
Plato, The Apology
Plato, The Symposium

Some attention will be given to the history and culture of ancient Greece, particularly Athens, but the main focus will be on the literature.

There will be four papers (four or five pages each), regular quizzes on the reading, a midterm examination, and a comprehensive final examination.

LIBA 102, Section 03 — Your Money, My Money, Our Money, Their Money: Developing Economic and Financial Reasoning and a Personal Financial Plan
MWF 1:00-1:50
James Carden (Economics)
jcarden@bus.olemiss.edu, 915-1589 (voice mail)

This seminar will examine the process of how we deal with money. We will examine questions of what is money, who has it, how we get it, how we keep it, how we use it, etc. In the course of our discovery, we will develop the elements of and draft personal financial plans and we will learn how to think about economic and financial issues from a personal perspective. We will look at the life cycle and various life goals such as buying a home, paying for children’s educations, saving for retirement, etc. We will investigate the impact on those goals of various life decisions such as where we work, where we live, how we live. Students will look at how decisions in one area impact decisions in other areas, and will develop the economic and financial reasoning to pursue their personal goals. The student will develop critical thinking, oral argument, and writing skills. Students will read a series of articles, essays, etc., watch videos, do internet research and respond with compositions and oral class presentations. Students will also participate in cooperative activities and lead small group discussions

LIBA 102, Section 04 — Science of the Times
MWF 9:00-9:50
Cliff Ochs (Biology)
byochs@olemiss.edu, 915-7562

Every Tuesday the New York Times publishes a science section. In this section, the latest, most exciting discoveries in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science, and other sciences and in mathematics are reported. These articles are written in ways that make the science understandable to any reasonably educated reader, and make many people wish this to be the way they were taught science in school. Each week, we will read and discuss articles from the Science Times, with regular writing assignments based on articles from this section.

LIBA 102, Section 05 — The Experience of War
MWF 9:00-9:50
Michael Harrington (Philosophy & Religion)
prmlh@olemiss.edu, 915-7020

War and the nature of combat are the focal points of this writing seminar. Starting with what every person should know about war, we will analyze the enduring appeals and horrors of war through films, novels, poetry, photography and art. Of special interest will be the study of "life in the killing zone" through combat memoirs of war on the land, in the sea, and in the air. Formal writing requirements include two cinema reviews, two book reviews, and a short research paper.

LIBA 102, Section 06 — Civil War in Virginia: The Road to Appomattox
MWF 10:00-10:50
Donald Trott (History)
dtrott@olemiss.edu, 915-6963

First Year Seminar is designed to provide an educational environment of a small class setting to enable the students to have direct interaction between instructor and student. This particular section of LIBA 102 will focus on Civil War history in Virginia, presenting the rise and fall of the Confederacy through examination of various strategic battles fought in Virginia. Emphasis will be given to the following battles; First Manassas, Ball’s Bluff, The Peninsula Campaign of 1862 including The Seven Days’ Battles, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Cold Harbor and the entire retreat route from Petersburg to Appomattox Court House.

LIBA 102, Section 07 — Science in the Global Economy
MW 11:00-11:50
Alice Clark (Office of Research)
vcrsp@olemiss.edu, 915-7583

This section will explore the role of science in the global economy, with emphasis on understanding the challenge of scientific literacy in our society. Why is it important to know a quark from a quack? How can understanding science and technology help you make better choices in everything from consumer purchases to political candidates? This section will focus on understanding how basic scientific research becomes the foundation for improving society and the basis for global changes in everything from policies to economies. Students will learn about basic, translational, and applied research and how these advances factor into everyday lives, economies and expectations. We will read 5 different assignments related to life sciences, engineering, physical sciences, and economics to understand the relationships among these apparently diverse areas.

LIBA 102, Section 08 — Great Writing: Its Components and Contours
MWF 10:00-10:50
Scott Morris (English)
smmorris@olemiss.edu, 915-7679

In this class we will be seeking the precise components and contours of great writing; how it is, and why it is, that great writing impacts us. The objective is to discover what Vladimir Nabokov described as “aesthetic bliss.” How does great writing delight us? How does it lead to what C.S. Lewis described as an “expansion of our being”? We will do some critical writing but will also emulate those we have read and attempt to create fictional worlds of our own. There will be one critical analysis paper, 4-5 pages in length, and two short works of fiction 5-15 pages in length, which we will workshop. There will also be quizzes on the reading.

LIBA 102, Section 09 — Economic Thought in Action
MWF 10:00-10:50
Michael Namorato (History)
hsmvn@olemiss.edu, 915-7488

This course will study modern economic thinkers and how they have impacted 20th-century American governmental fiscal and monetary policy. Students will be introduced to classical economics initially and, then, they will read selected works of modern economic thinkers. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of economic thought ranging from Adam Smith to J. M. Keynes to J. K. Galbraith and Milton Friedman. Each economist will be studied in terms of his life, his specific economic writings, and his contributions to modern economic policy-making.

LIBA 102, Section 10 — Politics in Contemporary Novels
MWF 10:00-10:50
Chuck Smith (Political Science)
chucksmith@direcway.com, 915-5145

Many contemporary novels illuminate aspects of the operation of American political institutions as well as or better than textbooks, or journalistic accounts of real political events and actors. Students in this seminar will examine everything from presidential electoral politics to the operation of the courts through the eyes of modern fiction writers. Featured authors will include such familiar names such as Joe Klein and Tom Clancy. Grades will be determined by seminar participation as well as performance on weekly writing assignments.

LIBA 102, Section 11 — Current Theories of Foreign/Second Language Acquisition
MW 2:30-3:45
Susan Major (English)
smajor@olemiss.edu, 915-6655

This seminar will address some persistent questions of college students in foreign language classrooms: Why do adults have to work so hard to learn a new language while children just seem to “pick it up” easily? What are some of the extra-linguistic factors that make adult language learning so challenging? Readings for the seminar will include topics such as foreign language teaching methods, and their comparative efficacy; language attitudes, motivation, and standards; intercultural communication; societal multilingualism; language planning and policy; and World Englishes. Students will first write short analytical papers on articles of their choice from the class readings. Then each student will focus on one topic and write a research paper.

LIBA 102, Section 12 — Islam
MWF 11:00-11:50
Mary Thurlkill (Philosophy & Religion)
maryt@olemiss.edu, 915-1367

This course will examine Islam as a ‘world of meaning’ beginning with the Arabian milieu before Muhammad’s prophetic call and ending with the more recent proliferation of Islamic ‘fundamentalist’ movements. Topics of focus will include the career of the Prophet; the Qur’an; Islamic ritual; and the Sunni/Shi`i division within the Muslim community.

LIBA 102, Section 13 — Wellness: Facts, Fads and Fallacies
TTH 11:00-12:15
Michael Dupper (HESRM)
mad@olemiss.edu, 915-5844

This seminar will explore the facts, fiction and fads related to health and wellness in our society, from a consumer’s perspective. The areas of exercise, nutrition and dietary supplements, surgical enhancement and self-responsibility and informed decision making will be investigated from a pro-active and highly selective and critical approach. Class members will research and review both print and media-produced materials pertaining to the areas of health promotion and lifestyle management in our society.

LIBA 102, Section 14 — Greek Mythology
MWF 11:00-11:50
Ted Capps (Classic)
ecapps@olemiss.edu, 915-7020

The goal of this section will be to explore what ancient Greek myths, as some of the first recorded stories, have to say about human relationships. The assigned reading, English translations of three primary sources--Hesiod's Theogony, the five full-length Homeric hymns, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, will contain many of the Greek myths plus a few Roman ones.

LIBA 102, Section 15 — Monsters of the Medieval World
MWF 12:00-12:50
Daniel E. O'Sullivan (Modern Languages)
dosulliv@olemiss.edu, 915-6693

Monsters provide more than entertaining and spine-tingling stories: they constitute expressions of our deepest fears and thus provide insight into the cultural make-up of every society. Although every culture has its monsters, the medieval world boasted a particularly large and varied cast of beasties. In this course, we will discuss the representation and function of monsters in medieval literature: Grendel of Beowulf, Marie de France’s werewolves and shape-shifters, the myriad fanciful creatures that inhabit the margins of medieval maps and manuscripts, and those that fill the tales of explorers like Marco Polo. Students will be expected to read a selection for every day of class, complete discussion questions, and participate in class discussions.

LIBA 102, Section 16 — On Becoming an Educated Person
MWF 12:00-12:50
Billy Barrios (Counseling Center)
babarrio@olemiss.edu, 915-3784

In an age in which seemingly endless amounts of information are available at our fingertips, what does it mean to be an “educated Person”? And how pray tell does one become such a person? With three small classics as our guides (i.e., On Becoming an Educated Person by Virginia Voeks, Elements of Style by Strunk and White, and Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Marid Rilke), we will read and write, listen and speak, and think and feel our way toward a clearer and deeper understanding of the “educated person” in our modern age. And who knows, we may even find ourselves becoming this person.

LIBA 102, Section 17 — Monster Narratives in Literature and Film
MWF 1:00-1:50
Allison Burkette (English)
burkette@olemiss.edu, 915-6642

This course will explore the human fascination with monsters, in literature and in film. According to Stephen King, monster novels and films are wildly popular because they allow us a safe, imaginary place in which to confront our deepest fears and aggressions. The great monster narratives, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are far more than simple tales of good versus evil. Throughout these novels, readers and characters face some of the most profound human anxieties: the possibility that God is not necessary to the creation of life, the fear that human beings have no soul and are, deep down, no more than amoral, animalistic beings, and the fear that technology can do nothing to save us and may, in fact, be hastening our demise. Each of these famous stories has been adapted to film several times; each time, the filmmakers have adapted the narratives to reflect the anxieties of their own time periods. In this seminar, we will read, analyze, research, and write about these monster narratives as they appear in the classic novels and in film.

LIBA 102, Section 18 — Ganging Up In America
MWF 1:00-1:50
William Franks (Sociology & Anthropology)
wmfranks@olemiss.edu, 234-4671

In this course we will explore and examine the proliferation of street gangs in America, from the sedate and romantic West Side Story image created on film as a musical tribute to juvenile tribalism, to the emerging ethnic organizations that have exploded in the second half of the 20th Century to become manipulators not only of underground economies but of many trends in mainstream popular culture. We will focus on the social causes for the success of gangs, and examine the socialization processes that promise lifelong care and support, and today often rival the beleaguered standards of family and school. Films as cultural texts include Spike Lee’s Clockers, American History X, and Welcome to Death Row. Students will independently research gang influences on various segments of our society, including sports, the military, clothing styles, music, and social problems such as drug addiction, murder, and prostitution. Emphasis in the course will be on active classroom participation and independent student research resulting in focused, well-developed and persuasive pieces of writing.

LIBA 102, Section 19 — History in the Making: The Case of the Early Roman Empire
MWF 1:00-1:50
John Lobur (Classics)
jalobur@olemiss.edu, 915-7020

The greatest transformation in early Western culture occurred when the entire Mediterranean basin became politically unified under the Roman Emperor. In this course, we will study a variety of texts and documents from the period that allow us to make sense of this transformation. The legions of the emperor do not explain his success in maintaining authority and mobilizing support. Our goal will be to investigate the relationship between culture and power, and to observe how the first emperor depended on the educated classes to create his role by reconfiguring Roman history and tradition. We will also investigate how crucial the remembrance, recovery and invention of historical events is to justify power and create national identity, both in this great transformation and in the modern times. We will become much more conscious of the manipulation of history in our own society.

LIBA 102, Section 20 — Understanding Diversity Through Literature, Writing, and Film
MWF 1:00-1:50
Sonja Burnham (Leadership & Counselor Education)
sburnham@olemiss.edu, 915-7198

This course will explore a variety of diversity issues; i.e. race, age, gender, religion, and disability as seen in popular literature, film and daily life. Students will participate in class activities which bring to life what diversity really is and will be required to write 1-2 page essays reflecting on each of the issues presented. A text will be used to introduce students to culture and diversity. Individuals will explore diversity to become more culturally, racially, socially, and politically astute. Readings will come from journals and popular publications, and selected film sequences will be used to dramatize some issues.

LIBA 102, Section 21 — The Role of Financial Markets – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
TTH 8:00-9:15
Phil Malone (Finance)
malone@bus.olemiss.edu, 915-5464

The Role of Financial Markets – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow provides a historical and global perspective of the world’s financial markets. The course focuses upon functions that financial markets perform and why their role is important in a modern society. Desirable characteristics for an efficient market will be detailed. Various participants in the marketplace will be examined. The role that each participant plays in contributing to an efficient marketplace will be scrutinized and contrasted. Specific participants that will be reviewed include: day traders, mutual funds, brokerage funds, specialist, bond traders, commodity brokers, hedgers, arbitragers, market makers, etc. The evolution of the world’s financial markets will be studied. Financial markets that will be considered include: stocks, bonds, options, futures, commodities, etc. Each student will complete a course paper where he/she will trace the historical development of either a participant or marketplace from inception through today. The paper will focus upon the event/changes that have taken place and evaluate the costs/benefits to society that accrued as a result. The paper will also hypothesize how the role of the market or participant will likely evolve in the future and provide recommendations as to how that role could be advanced or improved.

LIBA 102, Section 22 — Vignettes of Evolution
TTH 8:00-9:15
Gail Stratton (Biology)
byges@olemiss.edu, 915-5786

Evolution defines biology and is the bedrock of all modern biology. However, many students come to campuses uncertain about what evolution means to them. In this section of LIBA 102, we will use the writings of Stephen J. Gould to explore examples of and ideas about evolution. We will read some of Darwin's Origin of Species.

LIBA 102, Section 23 — Values-Based Leadership
TTH 8:00-9:15
Harold Whiffen (Military Science)
hwhiffen@olemiss.edu, 915-7085

“He who is ignorant of history is doomed to repeat it.” All too often we fail to learn from the successes and failures of our past. Specifically, we fail to appreciate the impact that ethics, values, and leadership skills have had on our key leaders. This seminar will focus on fundamental leadership dimensions through the study of historical figures and events. Students will explore how the relationship of leadership, ethics and values contributed to the success or failure of leaders throughout history. Students will examine how to correlate the lessons of the past with contemporary activities, to include the growth of their own leadership skills. Students will expand their awareness of why ethics matter, develop an understanding of their own personal ethical code and explore the importance of an organization’s collective values. Throughout the course, students will develop reading, writing, and oral communication skills through the study of individual leadership profiles and organizational case studies. Students will expand their understanding of values-based leadership and its role in accomplishing organizational goals. Assignments will include readings from the text Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface by James G. Clawson, as well as a variety of selected leadership case studies.

LIBA 102, Section 24 — Creative Nonfiction Writing
TTH 9:30-10:45
Ben McClelland (English)
wgbwm@olemiss.edu, 915-5500

What's creative nonfiction? It's the kind of writing that regularly appears in magazines and journals, as well as in book-length essays and memoir collections. Writers use a variety of techniques, including reporting history, narrating imagined scenes, drawing portraits of people, and critically analyzing or interpreting the meaning of events. Students will read contemporary works that examine various aspects of life. One writer explores motherhood, another investigates murder, a third searches for a deceased hero-father, and a fourth takes a personal look into race relations in Mississippi's recent past. Journal entries, class discussions, and writing assignments will come from our engagement with the readings. Students will build essays over time, through writing workshop practices such as responding to drafts and revising.

LIBA 102, Section 25 — Writing About Native America
TTH 9:30-10:45
Annette Trefzer (English)
atrefzer@olemiss.edu, 915-7685

This course samples the growing canon of contemporary Native American literature including the writing of different tribal cultures from the Pueblo Indians of the Southwest to the Cherokee, Creek and Chickasaw of the Southeast. We will look at different genres such as mythology, history, autobiography, poetry, and the novel to study different representations of the contemporary Native experience. We will discuss many issues among them self-determination, identification, and cultural continuance. Literary texts and library research will provide the basis for academic essays that integrate informative, argumentative and personal aspects.

LIBA 102, Section 26 — Detective Fiction: Whodunit and Other Questions
TTH 9:30-10:45
Alida Moore (English)
amoore@olemiss.edu, 915-6772

The Golden Age of detective fiction is over. Or is it? Mysteries have remained the genre of choice for many writers and readers. What is it about the genre that attracts us? What does our culture’s love affair with mysteries tell us about ourselves, particularly as the genre’s preoccupations move from the question of “whodunit” to Who am I?” Detective fiction, it has been argued, is a vehicle of the hegemony, where its logical progression towards the solution of a crime against society, usually murder, will invariable uphold the ideology of the dominant culture. To some, therefore, it remains a genre whose conventions are not suited to the needs of any minority group. Yet the appropriation of detective fiction by numerous different minorities, women, African-Americans, Native Americans, gay men and lesbians, to name a few, is eroding such a proscriptive view of its appeal. This course will follow the evolution of the mystery genre from the middle of the nineteenth century to present day. Readings will include, among others, works by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Walter Mosley, Tony Hillerman, Sara Paretsky, P.D. James, Janet Evanovitch, and Mabel Maney. Students are expected to write literary analyses of several works, a reader’s journal, and a research paper.

LIBA 102, Section 27 — Vice and Virtue in Everyday Life
TTH 9:30-10:45
William Lawhead (Philosophy & Religion)
wlawhead@olemiss.edu, 915-7345

In this course we will read, discuss, and write about ethical questions that everyone has to face. We will be using an anthology of readings that provides a range of conflicting viewpoints on ethical issues. Our focus will not be so much on whether this or that particular action is morally right or wrong as much as it will be on the fundamental issues underlying all ethical discussions. However, along the way, we may discuss a few concrete issues (such as human reproductive cloning). Throughout the semester we will read and discuss a variety of viewpoints on such questions as: Are all ethical judgments completely and irreducibly relative (to either the culture or the individual) or is there an underlying objective basis for ethical judgments? Why should we be concerned with being moral in the first place? What makes an action right or wrong? Is it the consequences of the action, the nature of the action itself, or the person's intentions and motives? What should be the relationship between morality and the law?

LIBA 102, Section 28 — Female Coming-of-Age Stories
TTH 11:00-12:15
Alida Moore (English)
amoore@olemiss.edu, 915-6772

All of living is a process of coming of age. The teen years, in particular, are a time of reconciling our inner selves with the outer world, balancing our needs with those of others. The transition between childhood and young adulthood is often hard and the importance of positive representations of strong females in fiction is paramount. Although the male coming-of-age story has been, and still is, well documented, its female counterpart is not so well known, either in literature or in developmental theories. This course will attempt to fill in the gaps left by adolescent literature’s traditional focus on the lives of young males. We will read a variety of female coming-of-age novels; The following is a tentative list of titles: Coming of Age in Mississippi, An American Childhood, The Joy Luck Club, Charms for the Easy Life, Bastard Out of Carolina, Annie John, In My Mother’s House, and Housekeeping. Students are expected to write literary analyses of several works, a reader’s journal, and a research paper.

LIBA 102, Section 29 — The Civil Rights Movement
TTH 11:00-12:15
Charles Eagles (History)
eagles@olemiss.edu, 915-7733

This course will examine the southern civil rights movement from the 1940s to the 1970s. Two required books will be used: Harvard Sitkoff's The Struggle for Black Equality, 1954-1992, a brief survey of the topic; and Raymond D'Angelo's The American Civil Rights Movement, a collection of documents and essays about the movement. Topics covered will include the civil rights movement in Mississippi, the Brown decision and other actions of the federal government, protests such as the sit-ins and freedom rides, Martin Luther King and other important individuals, the Little Rock crisis and the integration of the University of Mississippi, campaigns for voting rights, and the development of Black Power. Writing assignments will be based on the assigned readings and short research assignments. Emphasis will be placed on rewriting essays

LIBA 102, Section 30 — Catholic Social Doctrine and Justice
TTH 11:00-12:15
John Czarnetzky (Law)
johnmc@olemiss.edu, 915-6807

In the past one hundred years, the Roman Catholic Church has been especially active in formulating a philosophy of society and social relations based upon orthodox religious philosophy. This social doctrine has at times supplemented, and at times conflicted with, modern social philosophy as understood in the West, and as evidenced by the laws of countries such as the United States. The purpose of this seminar will be to become familiar with the Catholic Church's modern social doctrine and critically to apply it to selected issues of particular concern in modern times. Topics to be discussed might include: what is a just war?; the role of international organizations in keeping peace; the regulation of the economy; the role of women in modern societies; etc.

LIBA 102, Section 31 — Literature of the Supernatural
TTH 1:00-2:15
Shari Hodges-Holt (English)
shodges@olemiss.edu, 915-1376

Angels and demons, ghosts and vampires--such supernatural figures possess an undying power in the human imagination. How do we account for their continuing popularity in narrative literature? This seminar will examine how literature of the supernatural addresses humanity’s enduring fascination with the grotesque, the unknown, and the frighteningly inexplicable aspects of the human condition. Our study will consider the symbolic significance of interactions between the natural and supernatural worlds in selected literature from varying cultures and historical periods. Course readings will include short stories, drama, poetry, and novels from authors such as Shakespeare, John Keats, Mary Shelley, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Guy de Maupassant, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Salman Rushdie. Our course will also take a multimedia approach to the works studied, examining the continuing significance of these narratives as they are reinterpreted in other media (film, television, music, art, the Internet, etc.). Students will maintain a journal related to course readings and complete four formal writing assignments that incorporate research and critical thinking skills. In addition, each student will be required to participate weekly in class discussion and prepare a 10-minute oral presentation based upon the student’s independent research.

LIBA 102, Section 32 — Communication and Culture
TTH 1:00-2:15
Terry Swan (Speech)
tjswan@olemiss.edu, 915-3961

This seminar will examine multiple perspectives in intercultural communication that are grounded in the everyday experiences reflected in personal narratives, social science research, modern journalism, and popular culture such as MTV. Readings and seminar discussions will focus on the increasing ethnic and sexual diversity of modern society and the challenges of communicating and living successfully in a multi-cultural world. This course will present intercultural communication scholarship in a way that helps students better understand race relations and improve the quality of intercultural relationships. Students will read a series of essays and respond with compositions reflecting their personal perspectives and experiences. Students will also participate in cooperative activities, lead small group discussions and conduct oral presentations. Topics for study include: Identity and Intercultural Communication; History and Intercultural Communication with respect to race roles in America; Communication and Intercultural Relationships; and Conflict, Communication, and Culture.

LIBA 102, Section 33 — Sports Journalism and American Culture in the 20th Century
TTH 1:00-2:15
Brad Shutz (Journalism)
bschultz@olemiss.edu, 915-5161

This course will focus on the relationship between American culture and sports journalism, with a special emphasis on the 20th century. The importance of sports in American culture, and how American cultural values affect the practice and style of sports journalism and literature will be discussed. Readings include major sports works of cultural significance.

LIBA 102, Section 34 — Somethin’s Happening Here: The History of Student Protest
TTH 2:30-3:45
Sparky Reardon (Leadership & Counselor Education)
sparky@olemiss.edu, 9125-7248

On April 23, 1968, students at Columbia University seized an academic building and one of the deans inside. A member of the Columbia Students for Democratic Society quipped, “We’ve got something going on here and now we’ve just got to find out what it is.” What is student protest and how has it shaped higher education and, thus, the United States and the world? What do Thoreau, Ginsburg, Ghandi, and Mad Magazine have to do with the student protest movement? Do panty raids, pep rallies, and streaking count as student protest? This seminar will examine the history of student protest from Colonial times to the present. Literary influences, political influences, and social situations will all be studied. Particular emphasis will be given to The Sixties and the integration of higher education. Selected readings will come from a variety of texts including American Insurrection (Doyle), Student Protest: The Sixties and After (DeGroot), From Camelot to Kent State: The Sixties Experience in the Words of Those Who Lived It (Morrison), Student Resistance: A History of the Unruly Subject (Boren), Takin’ It to the Streets: A Sixties Reader (Bloom and Breines), and others. In addition, selected video clips, as well as guest lecturers and class discussions, will be utilized. Students will be encouraged to conduct independent research involving student protest, maintain a journal, and make a presentation on their research.

LIBA 102, Section 35 — Social Issues in 20th Century American Musical Theatre
TTH 2:30-3:45
Rene Pulliam (Theatre Arts)
rpulliam@olemiss.edu, 915-6991

This course is an exploration of Twentieth Century American Musical Theatre and it s reflections on the racial, gender, sexual identity, political, and economic issues of the particular eras in which it was written. We 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 nature of their own historical era, many commenting on prevailing social issues of their time period. Some have either changed the direction of theatre in general or have been awarded for their excellence as literature.

REQUIRED MUSICAL LIBRETTI: *Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Showboat book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, music by Jerome Kern (1927)
Of Thee I Sing* book by George S. Kaufman/Morrie Ryskind, lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1931)
South Pacific* book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan, music by Richard Rodgers (1949)
How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying* - book by Abe Burrows, lyrics by Frank Loesser (1962)
Falsettos book by William Finn and James Lapine (1992)
Rent* book, music and lyrics by Jonathon Larson (1996)

Additional video support will be used in class.

LIBA 102, Section 36 — Introduction to Integral Theory
TTH 2:30-3:45
Marilyn Snow (Leadership & Counselor Education)
mssnow@olemiss.edu, 915-1363

For the first time in history, all of the world’s cultures are available to us. This means we are able to obtain the sum total of human knowledge - the experience, reflection and wisdom of all historical and modern civilizations. What if we attempted to use all of the world’s great traditions to create an integral map that includes the best elements? This course will examine the integral or comprehensive map developed by Ken Wilber to facilitate and accelerate cross disciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge. The text will be A Theory of Everything by Ken Wilber, and students will be responsible for listening to topics discussed on the Integral Institute’s web page. As our world becomes more and more complex, an understanding of the intricacies and complexities of all known systems is vital.

LIBA 102, Section 37 — The Fisheries Management Challenge: Past, Present, and Future Conflicts
TTH 4:00-5:15
Stephanie Showalter (Mississippi Law Research)
sshowalt@olemiss.edu, 915-7775

U.S. fisheries management is steeped in conflict and controversy. Fish populations are finite and fishermen are not the only users of the ocean environment. The battle lines are often clearly drawn. Bottom-trawlers vs. longliners; environmentalists vs. fishermen; fishermen vs. aquaculture operators; commercial fishermen vs. recreational fishermen. Students will examine the challenges facing today's fisheries managers by writing about past, present, and developing fisheries conflicts, including the contentious battle between environmentalists and Alaskan pollack fishermen over the potential impact of the fishery on Steller sea lions.

LIBA 102, Section 38 — Ganging Up In America
TTH 11:00-12:15
William Franks(Sociology & Anthropology)
wmfranks@olemiss.edu, 234-4671

In this course we will explore and examine the proliferation of street gangs in America, from the sedate and romantic West Side Story image created on film as a musical tribute to juvenile tribalism, to the emerging ethnic organizations that have exploded in the second half of the 20th Century to become manipulators not only of underground economies but of many trends in mainstream popular culture. We will focus on the social causes for the success of gangs, and examine the socialization processes that promise lifelong care and support, and today often rival the beleaguered standards of family and school. Films as cultural texts include Spike Lee's Clockers, American History X, and Welcome to Death Row. Students will independently research gang influences on various segments of our society, including sports, the military, clothing styles, music, and social problems such as drug addiction, murder, and prostitution. Emphasis in the course will be on active classroom participation and independent student research resulting in focused, well-developed and persuasive pieces of writing.

LIBA 102, Section 39 —Exploring leadership and organization lessons in literature and film
MW 2:30-3:45
Dwight Frink (Management)
dfrink@bus.olemiss.edu, 915-5834

This section of LIBA 102 will explore organizational phenomena in the context of literature and other media. Embedded in most literature across time are lessons about, and perspectives of, various organizational issues and realities. Examples include interpersonal interactions, ethics, motivation, leadership, influence, power, politics, attitudes, effectiveness, success factors, philosophies, and so forth. Focusing on leading and motivating, we will use a broad variety of literature and other media sources, including film, to bridge the gap between academia and the "real world" so that we have clear examples of applications of these phenomena. From these examples, we can explore what is functional versus dysfunctional. This can serve to help us both better understand what goes on around us in all sorts of organizational environments, as well as learn what may be useful for our own selves.

LIBA 102, Section 40 — Contemporary Topics in Multiculturalism on College Campuses
MW 4:00-5:15
Don Cole (Mathematics)
dcole@olemiss.edu, 915-7474

Text: “The Cooper Hill Stylebook” by Gregory Heyworth and Rosette Liberman
Cooper Hill Press; New Haven

This course will require students to research and write about issues on university campuses that have social and political implications. Weekly essays will be required as well as a research paper toward the end of the course.

A sampling of class topics is as follows: Racial Diversity on Campuses; Campus Homosexuality; Race and Ole Miss; Civil Rights on College Campuses; College Admission Practices; and Males and Females – What’s the difference?

LIBA 102, Section 41 — Understanding China Through Film
TTH 2:30-3:45
Xiaobin Yang (Modern Language)
yangxb@olemiss.edu, 915-3140

We will approach different issues significant to modern Chinese culture and society through viewing, discussing and analyzing recent Chinese films, mainly those by such leading filmmakers as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige and Jiang Wen. Attention will also be paid to the various ways in which China represented and interpreted films. The goal for this course is to develop the ability to better understand the sociocultural complexities in modern China through close, critical examinations of cinematic works. Readings of critical essays will be assigned for more profound interpretation and further study. All films are English subtitled. Instruction will be conducted in English. No knowledge of Chinese language is required.

LIBA 102, Section 42 — American Popular Images of Russia
MWF 11:00-11:50
Svetlana Ilianskaya (English)
silinska@olemiss.edu, 915-7684

In this course we will be looking at how America has viewed Russia, in novels, movies, video games and popular stereotypes, from the Tsarist era, through the Soviet era, to today. Are Russians dark, mysterious Asians, with their cold winters and Cossack dances, their heavy drinking and their turbulent emotions? Are they sophisticated European aristocrats speaking French and eating caviar? Are they bloodless atheistic communists coldly calculating the best way to rule the entire world? Are they ruthless masters of organized crime whom even the Sicilians fear? And above all: is Russia really cold and wintry twelve months out of the year? Weekly responses, student presentations, and a research paper will be required.

LIBA 102, Section 43 — Soccer in Society
TTH 9:30-10:45
Andrew Jameson (HERSM)
agjameso@olemiss.edu, 915-5521

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 as much, much more important than that.”—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, biographies and other publications will be used as source material.

LIBA 102, Section 44 — C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud: A Difference in World Views
MWF 2:00-2:50
Scott Morris (English)
smmorris@olemiss.edu, 915-7679

Who has the better worldview–C.S. Lewis or Sigmund Freud? Who has a more compelling picture of sex, love, friendship, religion? We will be reading Harvard psychologist Armand Nicholi’s The Question of God: God, Love, Sex and the Meaning of Life, which comes from his popular class taught at Harvard. There will be three critical analysis papers due, and we will form teams of two and have formal in-class debates.

LIBA 102, Section 45 — Heroes and Quests
MWF 2:00-2:50
Melvin Arrington (Modern Language)
marringt@olemiss.edu, 915-7713

The story of the hero who sets out on a journey in search of a great treasure, secret knowledge, or an 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 heroes setting out in pursuit of their goals and the adventures they encounter along the way. These narratives continue to generate interest among contemporary readers not only because of their intrinsic literary merit but also due to the easily recognizable archetypal patterns they convey, e.g. the notion that life itself is a journey; the metaphor of the voyage as a mystical quest for spiritual enlightenment; etc. Through our readings, discussions, and writings we will: 1) identify and analyze the basic elements and patterns common to all hero/quest narratives; 2) develop an appreciation for some of the early works that established the hero paradigm; 3) discover links to modern versions of the hero's quest, such as the popular Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings film series; 4) seek to understand why this type of story has remained popular up to the present.

LIBA 102, Section 46 — Law and Odor: An Examination of The Law and Lawyers in Popular Culture
TTH 8:00-9:15
Jason Derrick (Law)
wjderric@olemiss.edu, 915-6879

The rule of law is the foundation of our society, yet lawyers–the parents and defenders of the rule itself–are often much maligned in contemporary American life. This course will examine popular narratives, including films, television programs, music, poetry, 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 current dilemmas involving public policy, ethics and morality. The course will also address popular culture’s influence on perceptions of the law, and how those perceptions may differ from reality. The course will use Lewis Nordan’s Wolf Whistle as a text. Other selected readings will be provided.

LIBA 102, Section 47 — History through Children’s and Adolescent Literature
TTH 11:00-12:15
Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham (Curriculum & Instruction)
ringham@olemiss.edu, 915-7589

“The best one-word definition of history is people. Without human beings, whose emotions and actions influence the time, 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 focuses on classic and contemporary works of children’s and adolescent literature which give unique perspectives on major conflicts from our past.

LIBA 102, Section 48 — Contemporary Gothic Fiction and Film
TTH 1:00-2:15
Natalie Schroeder (English)
nschroed@olemiss.edu, 915-7668

In literature the term “Gothic” refers to the principal elements of horror, terror, and the supernatural. Gothic novels are filled with such motifs as dreams, haunted castles, secret passageways, persecuted heroines, threatening villains, noble, but sometimes ineffective heroes. The course will begin with the first Gothic novel written in 1785, Walpole’s Castle of Otranto. Then we will turn to the twentieth and twenty-first century to see how the genre has evolved. Some of the works we will read are Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, King’s Salem’s Lot, Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby, Waters’s Affinity. Films we will consider are “Rebecca” and “Gothika” and some others. There will be short writing assignments on each work. The course will also develop research skills, to prepare for a final 5-6 page paper.

LIBA 102, Section 49 — 20th Century Social and Political Theatre
TTH 4:00-5:15
Brian Evans (Theatre Arts)
bevans@olemiss.edu, 915-3775

This course will explore the works of politically and socially influential dramatists of the twentieth century. Students will read the works of Bertolt Brecht, Arthur Miller, August Wilson, Caryl Churchill, Tony Kushner and Suzan-Lori Parks. Students will discuss and write about the works in terms of their relevance to society within the historical context in which they were written. Each of the plays chosen represents a unique political perspective that will provide material to debate in argumentative writings and discussions. The course will provide opportunities for students to experience dramatic literature as theatre through participation in class readings and the showing of video excerpts.

LIBA 102, Section 50 — The Meaning of Place
MW 4:30-5:45
Hugh Sloan (Marketing)
hsloan@bus.olemiss.edu, 915-7414

Students will review suggested materials that focus upon ideas of PLACE. Student writing components will capture unique aspects of place, as well as offering comparisons and contrasts across places. Examples: What is unique in the whole universe about the house where you grew up? Why is Chicago? Why both an Indian and a Pakistani Kashmir? Where are the Choctaw and Chickasaw? Where is Kurdistan? Simply, the writing will be keyed to the many where’s in life.