Spring 2007 Liberal Arts 102 Course Descriptions

Sections 1-9 : Sections 10-19 : Sections 20-29
Sections 30-39 : Sections 40-49 : Sections 50-51

Please direct all questions regarding course content to the Department of English at (662) 915-7439. Content last revised on October 19, 2006 at 2:30 PM.

LIBA 102, Section 01 — The Influence of the Internet on Society
MWF 8:00-8:50
Steven Davis (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
davis@briar.chem.olemiss.edu, 915-5981

The advent of the internet has unleashed a tidal wave of information freely available for perusal in the home, school, and workplace. This section of LIBA 102 will discuss the impact the internet has on society including businesses, academic institutions, and individuals. We will explore how these segments of society are evolving to take advantage of this recent phenomenon. It is expected that students will have varied opinions on these topics and each opinion will be equally respected and discussed. The purpose of this class is not to try to reach a consensus, but have the students develop their own opinions and be able to express them through writing. Weekly reading assignments will be required from sources including the internet, news organizations, periodicals, and books. Eight writing assignments will be required (1-5 page range) with the last being a research paper ten pages in length. Our discussions will include the impact of the internet on news organizations, privacy and security, commerce, academics, and entertainment.

LIBA 102, Section 02 — Judaism in Modern Novel
MWF 8:00-8:50
Patricia O'Sullivan (Philosophy and Religion)
posulliv@olemiss.edu, 915-7020

The question of religious and national identity permeates contemporary novels about Judaism. In this section of Liba 102 we will explore the internal and external struggles of Jewish adolescents coming of age in novels such as The Chosen, Daniel Deronda, and A Conspiracy of Paper. In particular we will explore themes of survival, prejudice, and redemption in these narratives. Students will be expected to read between 150-200 pages each week, participate in class discussions, and complete several writing assignments including short, in-class essays, an annotated bibliography on a research topic and a final paper based on an analysis and comparison of the novels.

LIBA 102, Section 03 — Greek Mythology
MWF 1:00-1:50
Ted Capps (Emeritus Professor of Classics)
ecapps@olemiss.edu, 915-7679

The main goal of this section will be to explore what some Greek (and a few Roman) myths, being among the first stories recorded, have to say about human relationships. The reading will be translations of three ancient sources of these myths, Hesiod (most of his Theogony and a couple of selections from his Works and Days), many of the Homeric Hymns (the five full-length hymns and four shorter ones), and the Metamorphoses of Ovid.

LIBA 102, Section 04 — Research in Personal Accounting
MWF 10:00-10:50
Judith Cassidy, Accountancy
jcassidy@olemiss.edu, 915-5445

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 with include development of personal goals, budgeting, performance evaluation, and analysis of current business events. The goal of this class is use the readings, class discussions, and written assignments to become more financially responsible individuals.

LIBA 102, Section 05 — The Writer's Presence
MWF 9:00-9:50
Cliff Ochs (Biology)
byochs@olemiss.edu, 915-7562

This section of LIBA 102 will be based on letters, essays and short stories collected in the anthology "The Writer's Presence: A Pool of Readings" (Bedford/St. Martins). Readings will address a range of ideas, philosophies, and opinions about a wide variety of subjects including family, politics, race, identity, and social issues. In class we will discuss one or more readings every week. The primary objectives for the class are to improve capabilities in verbal and written expression, introduce new ideas and perspectives about subjects of interest, and promote critical thinking.

LIBA 102, Section 06— Civil War in Virginia: The Road to Appomattox
MWF 10:00-10:50
Donald Trott (Music)
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, Spotsylvania and Wilderness, Cold Harbor and the entire retreat route from Petersburg to Appomattox Court House.

LIBA 102, Section 07 — Youth Culture, Mass Media, and Gangsterism
MWF 11:00-11:50
William Mark Franks (Department of Sociology and Anthropology)
wmfranks@olemiss.edu, 234-4671

Never has there been a more exciting time for students of popular culture and mass media to research and write about the influence of popular music and the commercial spinoffs for youth culture, i.e. attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and concern for certain material objects. This course will take a look at the mainstreaming of "gangsterism" during the past 15 years, the impact of "hip hop culture" on clothing styles, language, attitudes regarding gender and race, and the many aspects of political and commercial packaging that have become dependent upon playing to these now entrenched aspects of youth culture. Students will follow a pattern of: read, reason, write, and repeat, throughout the semester; and regardless of where the student begins in terms of composition and critical thinking skills, we will produce students who are more competent, confident and curious about the media, selling, politics and some of the powerful social forces acting upon us all during this fascinating time in American society.

LIBA 102, Section 08 — Humor in America
MWF 10:00-10:50
Patricia Krueger (Law School)
pkrueger@olemiss.edu, 915-6889

In this LIBA 102 section, we will read American humor writers and lots of them. We will start with early works of humor and read our way up to the present. While we are reading and laughing, we will look at different types of humorous characters such as the wise fool, the story teller, and the little soul. We will also examine different types of humorous writing such as satire, dark comedy, and parody. Our texts will be American Humor: An Anthology and Handbook and Crème de la Femme: The Best of Contemporary Women's Humor. Writing will focus on responses to the works.

LIBA 102, Section 09 —Judaism in Modern Novel
MWF 10:00 - 10:50
Patricia O'Sullivan (Philosophy and Religion)
posulliv@olemiss.edu, 915-7020

LIBA 102, Section 10 — Youth Culture, Mass Media, and Gangsterism
MWF 10:00-10:50
William Mark Franks (Department of Sociology and Anthropology)
wmfranks@olemiss.edu, 234-4671

LIBA 102, Section 11 — Understanding Evolution
MW 2:00-3:15
Gail Stratton (Biology)
byges@olemiss.edu, 915-5786

Evolution defines biology and is the bedrock of all modern biology. However, because it is often not taught in high school, many students come to campus unclear about what evolution really is. In this section of LIBA 102, we will explore examples of evolution and ideas about evolution. We will address some of the myths and misunderstandings of evolution. Readings will include Darwin's Origin of Species and essays about human evolution. Formal writing requirements will include weekly responses to readings, a book review and a research paper. The class will also provide opportunities for cooperative activities leading to better understanding of evolution. Class discussions will be augmented by lectures.

LIBA 102, Section 12 —Your Money, My Money, Our Money, Their Money: Developing Economic and Financial Reasoning and a Personal Financial Plan
MWF 1:00-1:50
J. Carden (Economics Department Instructor)
jmcarden@olemiss.edu, 915-5700

This seminar will examine the process of how we deal with money. We will examine questions of what is money, who has it, how do we get it, how do we keep it, how do 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 education, 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 develop the economic and financial reasoning to pursue their personal economic and financial goals. The student will develop critical thinking, oral argument, and writing skills. Students will read 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 13 — The Western as a Cinematic Art Form
TTH 11:00-12:15
Whitney Hubbard (English)
wahubbar@olemiss.edu, 915-7718

This section of LIBA 102 is intended for film enthusiasts. In this course we will study and watch Westerns directed by the likes of John Ford, Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah. We will place each film in a historical and present day context, studying and writing about their content. We will do the same for each director's cinematic style as it pertains to the way their artistic visions reshape the genre.

LIBA 102, Section 14 — Science and the Global Economy
MWF 11:00-11:50
Alice Clark (Research Dept)
alice@research.olemiss.edu, 915-7583

This section will explore the role of science in the global economy, with emphasis in 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 different assignments related to life sciences, engineering, physical sciences, and economics to understand the relationships between these apparently diverse areas.

LIBA 102, Section 15 — Blackness, Culture, and Literature
MW 11:00-12:15
Adetayo Alabi (English)
aalabi@olemiss.edu, 915-6948

Over the years, the word "Blackness" has attracted several meanings ranging from "lack" to "presence" and from mono-dimensional representation to complicated multi-layers or blacknesses. This course will explore the different meanings and interpretations of blackness and consider how color manifests itself in the cultures and literatures of people of African descent. We will start by reading essays on blackness, including Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s "What's in a Name?: Some Meanings of Blackness" and Bell Hooks' "Postmodern Blackness." We will then consider the representation of blackness and cultures in selected texts from black Africa, Caribbean, and the United States, including Maya Angelou's "The Heart of a Woman", Isidore Okpewho's "Call Me by My Rightful Name", and Marlene Nourbese Philip's "Looking for Linvingstone: An Odyssey in Silence". Writing assignments will include responses to our texts and a research essay.

LIBA 102, Section 16 — Current Theories of Language Learning
MW 2:30-3:45
Susan Major (Linguistics)
smajor@vista-express.com, 915-6655

Why do adults have to work so hard to learn a new language while children just seem to "pick it up" easily? How do young children attain mastery of their native language/languages in such a short time, largely without guidance? Do all language learners go through similar stages? This course will explore current theoretical approaches to such questions. We will also look at insights provided by research on language acquisition by deaf children. Students will first write short analytical papers on articles of their choice from the class readings. Then each student will focus narrowly on one topic and write a research paper.

LIBA 102, Section 17 — Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult
MWF 1:00-1:50
Jeff Watt (History)
hswatt@olemiss.edu, 915-5805

This particular seminar will examine the history of magic, witchcraft, and the occult. Special attention will be paid to early modern Europe (particularly ca. 1450-1650), but we will also consider witchcraft and magic in medieval Europe, colonial America, and non-Western societies. Topics discussed will include the witch-hunts of the Reformation era, the relationship between magic and religion, misogyny and witchcraft, and changing beliefs in diabolical power. We will begin the semester with a set of common readings that will introduce students to some important issues pertaining to the history of witchcraft and magic.

LIBA 102, Section 18 — Italian Culture Through Cinema, Literature & Art
MWF 11:00-11:50
Angela Tumini (Modern Languages)
atumini@olemiss.edu, 915-7298

This course aims at providing the students with a stimulating Italian cultural experience, while improving their composition skills and their ability to think critically. Each section of the course will explore how Italian culture is best expressed trough cinema, literature and art, and how these three areas are inter-related. The students will also analyze the importance of these three elements in Italian culture and life and why is Italian identity so strong and so recognizable throughout the world. The students will have the opportunity to deal with an interesting topic with the help of the professor who is a native of Italy, while doing writing based on their understanding of the course material, as well as on their own independent research on the subject.

LIBA 102, Section 19 — Literature of Resistance
MWF 1:00-1:50
Max Hipp (English)
mbhipp@olemiss.edu, (662) 801-2531

This literature class will focus on what power structures and systems-sociological, political, economic, and ideological-writers resist just to get words down on paper. This class will focus as much on why a text is written as what the text means to us. The goals for this class are modest: I want you to improve your critical thinking and writing skills and become the best person you can be. We'll read novels, essays, poems, interviews, and autobiographies: George Orwell, John Steinbeck, William S. Burroughs, Gary Snyder, Carolyn Forche, Adrienne Rich, Richard Wright, Audre Lorde, Studs Terkel, Howard Zinn, Allen Ginsberg, Neil Postman, Noam Chomsky, bell hooks,Derrick Jensen, and Helene Cixous.

LIBA 102, Section 20 — Satire: A Roman Original
MWF 9:00-9:50
Charles Gross (English)
jcgross@olemiss.edu, 915-7679

This seminar will examine the origins of satire among the Romans. Students will read selected satires of Horace and Juvenal as well as the Satyricon of Petronius. Johnson's London, and Swift's Gulliver's Travels will be among some additional readings. Students will do research leading to their selection of some more modern examples of this literary genre. These could include selections from books, the theater, cinema, and television.

LIBA 102, Section 21 — Aspects of America in the 1960's
TTH 8:00-9:15
Peter Wirth (English)
phwirth@olemiss.edu, 915-5035

We will read the following works:

Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One
Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), Dutchman
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Norman Mailer, The Armies of the Night

We will also listen to songs by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and the Grateful Dead.

Our primary focus will be on the individual books, and to a lesser extent on the songs, but we will try to understand the cultural, social, and political changes taking place in the 1960's in America. This will involve some attention to the civil-rights movement, the movement against the Vietnam War, and what is generally called the counterculture.

There will be a midterm examination, four papers, frequent quizzes on the reading, and a comprehensive final examination.

LIBA 102, Section 22 — The Art of Storytelling in Western and Native American Writer
TTH 8:00-9:15
Anna Baker (English)
ambaker1@olemiss.edu, 915-3173

We will look at the art of storytelling in Western and Native American writers: why we tell stories, how to tell a good story, and most importantly, how to write a good story. In addition to the research component of the class, we will write both fiction and non-fiction pieces. This will be a writing based class. We will study the following authors: Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie, James Welch, Debra Magpie Earling, Richard Hugo, Steven Rinella, and Kevin Canty.

LIBA 102, Section 23 — Developing the Leader Within You
TTH 8:00-9:15
Neil Reinwald (Military Science and Leadership)
reinwald@olemiss.edu, 915-7086

To a culture confused over the difference between management and leadership, this seminar will focus on what sets "leader-managers" apart from "run-of-the-mill managers." Few of us are natural-born leaders, though fortunately the traits that are the raw material of leadership can be acquired. By focusing on a definition of leadership and exploring leadership defined by five levels of leadership, the student will participate in self-assessments and group interactions to develop and expand their own leadership skills. Throughout the course, students will develop reading, writing, and oral communication skills through the study of individual leadership profiles, organizational case studies, video presentations, group practical exercises and readings from the required texts, Developing the Leader within You, by John C. Maxwell and Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface, by James G. Clawson.

LIBA 102, Section 24 — The Western as a Cinematic Art Form
TTH 9:30-10:45
Whitney Hubbard (English)
wahubbar@olemiss.edu, 915-7718

LIBA 102, Section 25 — Developing Communication Strategies
TTH 9:30-10:45
Jere Littlejohn (Management)
jlittlejohn@olemiss.edu, 915-5728

Everyday we face situations in which communication choices produce a wide spectrum of results. From satisfying exchanges with friends or family to a total impasse in workplace politics, we can take the communication process for granted, or we can actively pursue a plan destined for effective outcomes. Students in this seminar will examine the process of communicating to discover the possible strategies that will produce what they would like to achieve. Through the reading of selected books and current topical research, they will view the most recognized approaches to a variety of circumstances, analyze the effectiveness of those styles, and develop their own strategies.

LIBA 102, Section 26 — Wellness: Facts, Fads and Fallacies
TTH 9:30 - 10:15
Dr. Michael A. Dupper (HESRM)
mad@olemiss.edu, 915-5564

The 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 27 — The History of New York through the Arts
MWF 8:00-8:50
Laura Antonow (Art)
lantonow@hotmail.com, 915-7193

Once the nation's capital, New York City is considered by some "the center of the universe." While its political importance may have diminished, the city's significance to the art world is immeasurable. From skyscrapers to street performers, New York's cultural influences are undeniable. This course examines New York City through the visual and performing arts. Architecture and urban design will be explored so students can gain an appreciation of the cityscape. Painting, sculpture, photography and film by New York artists and about New York themes will also be examined. Important events in the arts -- the gift of the Statue of Liberty, the Harlem Renaissance, the establishment of New York's great museums, the development of the skyscraper, and development of artistic movements such as the Ashcan School, the New York School and Pop Art -- will be explored. Readings will include selections from several texts including How the Other Half Lives, Inventing the Skyline, Off the Wall, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol and The New York Times.

LIBA 102, Section 28 — The Celts: Archaeology, History, and the Construction of Cultural Identity
TTH 11:00-12:15
Matthew Murray (Sociology and Anthropology)
mlmurray@olemiss.edu, 915-3995

Most Americans are familiar with the Celtic peoples of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales in the far northwestern margins of Europe. Few may realize, however, that Celtic traditions originated in central Europe more than 3000 years ago. In fact, before Roman (and subsequent Germanic) territorial conquest and colonization after about 58 B.C., nearly all of Europe from the Atlantic to the Black Sea belonged to a thriving late Iron Age Celtic civilization. Celtic identity has recently become a subject of contention as the European Union seeks ways to foster a pan-European political, social, and economic integration. The shared Celtic heritage of many European nations offers a possible argument for unity. In this course, we will examine the prehistoric roots of Celtic cultural traditions and the processes that led to the marginalization of Celtic populations. Students will also explore the nature of ethnicity as a cultural construction, and use the archaeological, historical, and ethnographic record of Celtic identity to consider how groups of people actively create and continuously negotiate their identities.

LIBA 102, Section 29 —The Role of Ceramics in Art and Culture
TTH 10:00-11:15
Ashley Chavis (Art Dept.)
akchavis@olemiss.edu, 915-

Due to its abundance and versatility, clay has been used for artistic expression as well as utilitarian means for a long time. In this section of LIBA 102, we will survey ceramics' history and analyze the role of handmade ceramic objects as they pertain to fine art, utility, and ritual. Students are expected to establish a basic understanding of the elements and principles of art and design and how they apply to ceramic art. We will discuss how ceramic art was created and viewed during major art movements such as the Renaissance, the Arts and Crafts Movement, and Abstract Expressionism. We will also discuss recent experimentations and trends in ceramic art and ceramic technology. Most of the classroom lectures will be taught using visual examples. Students are expected to complete assigned readings and essay questions, participate in class discussions, and complete one research project.

LIBA 102, Section 30 — Beyond Protest: Music Affecting Social Change
TTH 11:00-12:15
Greg Johnson (Library)
gj1@olemiss.edu, 915-7753

While music often simply mirrors cultural, societal, and political landscapes of the time in which it is composed, it is also used to affect changes and directly influence societies and institutions. Throughout history, musicians have written music critical of oppressive governments, disagreeable political policies, dangerous societal attitudes, and hypocritical religious leaders or teachings. This course will examine the many varied ways music has been used as an agent of social change throughout history, in various cultures, and through different musical genres. Students will learn about music of the /Nueva Canción/ movement in Latin America; Mapfumo and other protest musicians of Africa; war protest songs from the American Revolution, Vietnam, and today's war in Iraq; counterculture protest in the Medieval /Carmina Burana/ and in modern day Korea. From Victor Jarra to Frank Zappa, Pete Seeger to Green Day, Josh White to Willie Nelson, and Dmitri Shostakovich to Bob Dylan, students will be exposed to a wide array of musical dissent of varying genres and time periods. In addition to critical listening and analytical skills, the student will learn to utilize library resources to improve research quality.

LIBA 102, Section 31 — Women, Power and Society in Pre-Colonial Africa
TTH 1:00-2:15
Lamide Alabi (Higher Education)
lalabi@olemiss.edu, 915-7094

This course will focus on the role of women in pre colonial Africa. Students in this course will read, research, and write about the social, political and economic conditions of traditional African women.

Our discussion will include family, marriage, sexuality, motherhood and economic structures of some African tribal societies that conceived the position of women as complementary to that of men.

Writing assignments will consist of short research assignments, responses to readings, and in-class essays, culminating in a formal research paper by semester's end. Films, news articles and other publications will be used as source material.

LIBA 102, Section 32 — Mathematics in real life
TTH 1:00-2:15
Haidong Wu (Mathematics)
hwu@olemiss.edu, 915-7416

What is the mathematics behind the popular Internet search engine Google? When you put your credit card number in the web site, are you worried that somebody else will see it? What is the mathematics used to protect your information? What are the best ways to rank college football teams? What is the mathematics behind the popular show "Deal or No Deal"? In this course, we will talk about applications of mathematics in real life. Students will have opportunities to learn the mathematical ideas used in these real life applications from different perspectives (including historical perspective). Reading and writing assignments will be assigned from sources such as books and the Internet.

LIBA 102, Section 33 — History of Economic Thought
TTH 1:00-2:15
Michael V. Namorato (History)
hsmvn@olemiss.edu, 915-7488

This course will study the development of economic thought from the classical school to modern times. Students will be exposed to the major economic thinkers and schools of thought from the 17th and 18th centuries on. Each economic thinker will be examined in terms of his/her life, his/her economic writings, and his/her contributions to understanding economic behavior. Special emphasis will also be placed on how each economic thinker and his/her theories are still applicable to today's economic systems.

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 — So you want to go to law school?
TTH 2:30-3:45
Jason Derrick (Law)
wjderric@olemiss.edu, 915-6879

Did you know, in the world right now, there are more people in law school than there are actual practicing lawyers? If you're thinking about law school, this course offers a survey of the law school experience, and goals for the course include understanding both state and federal court structures, understanding the procedural aspects of lawsuits, and mastering legal research and writing techniques. The course also includes a survey of some first-year law school classes, including Torts and Contracts. Students will prepare several interoffice legal memos, negotiate a contract, and hone their advocacy skills. Additionally, we'll take a look at pop culture perspectives on the law school experience in literature and film. Texts include Robert H Miller's Law School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience and Scott Turow's One L. Additional readings will be provided.

LIBA 102, Section 36 — 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 to be covered 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.

LIBA 102, Section 37 — Faulkner's Mysteries
TTH 4:00-5:15
Chatham Ewing (Library)
cewing@olemiss.edu, 915-7408

In this course we will read Faulkner short stories and selections related to mystery and detection, visit Rowan Oak and Faulkner's grave, consider some of the special collections in the library having to do with Faulkner's film career, and critically consider a film that Faulkner worked on as a screenwriter, The Big Sleep.

LIBA 102, Section 38 — Existential Ecology
TTH 11:00-12:15
James Anderson (Center for Wetland and Water Resources)
jandersn@olemiss.edu, 915-5804

In this course, we will consider the contemporary human condition from the perspective of ecology/environmental science. We will read and discuss parts of two books: "PLAN B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble", by Lester Brown. Also, we will discuss excerpts from, "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed", by Pulitzer prize winning author Jared Diamond (Guns, Germs, and Steel). Students will choose a chapter to present to the class via Power Point, plus subjects for 3-4 essays, and be expected to dig into the scientific and humanistic literature (as well as their own personal feelings) for answers. We will touch on such topics as environmental ethics, demography, comparative ecology, the evolutionary basis of human nature, the tragedy of the commons, the evolution of cooperation, exponential population growth, bio-complexity, and existential philosophy. Some class meetings will be at the UM Field Station, an off-campus ecological preserve for scientific research.

LIBA 102, Section 39 — Contemporary Topics in Multiculturalism on College Campuses
MW 2:30 - 3:45
Donald Cole (Mathematics)
dcole@olemiss.edu, 915-1712

The course will consist of library research, style book assignments and writings on many diverse topics that are of current interest and debate on college campuses. Students will be able to select from a number of topics on which to write (weekly) papers. In addition, a cumulating "Term Paper" will serve as a final project. The course will follow a standard English Stylebook Handbook and the student must demonstrate mastery of material covered in this text from quizzes and in the writing of short papers on various topics relating to multiculturalism. The papers will increase in length and complexity as the course progresses. Students will be allowed to choose topics from an assigned list. Students will be expected to attend several seminars, performances and/or campus lectures related to the course's contents. Many assignments will parallel current debate and editorials regarding multicultural topics in the academy. Student's papers will discuss fact and opinions on these topics.

Text:

"The Cooper Hill Stylebook" by Gregory Heyworth and Rosette Liberman Cooper Hill Press; New Haven
Library Material, Handouts, (Local/National) Newpapers

LIBA 102, Section 40 — Great Political Speeches
MW 4:00-5:15pm
Robert B. Albritton (Department of Political Science)
ralbritt@olemiss.edu, 915-7401

This is a course about analytical thinking and writing. Your ability (or inability) to write will reflect in the future on the image of yourself communicated to others. Does your writing show you to be hasty, careless, uncaring, and uninformed? Does it indicate that you are a faulty thinker, not a detail person, sarcastic, pretentious, aggressive? Although there are many alternatives to the use of standard English, you will be judged in all aspects of life by your ability to use standard English (regardless of what language you choose to use informally), therefore, it will be the standard for this course.

Each Section has its own theme. The one chosen for this Section is "Great Speeches in History." The course will require analysis and an analytical essay on each of nine speeches that have been selected by the instructor on the basis of their power of ideas and the eloquence of the delivery. Each essay will be evaluated on three criteria:

Summary and Analysis: Extracting and restating the material's main message or central point;
Development of an argument evaluating the thesis.
Grammar, spelling, and style of your essay. (As someone has said, "Grammar is the basis for good writing.")

With the exception of the first week, the general procedure will be to spend Mondays discussing the "case" for that week. Essays will be turned in on Monday of each week . On Wednesdays, we shall address problems that arise in the writing from papers turned in on the previous Monday. You will be allowed to rewrite your essay - once. Remember that the rewrite will be the basis of your grade if you choose to pursue this course and it will be subjected to much more stringent standards. There will be some errors that will not be tolerated in this course. The presence of each in your essays will mean deduction of a full 10 points from your grade. (See attached list.) Issues of grammar will conform to the principles in the Handbook for Writers. There will be no extenuating circumstances for failing to turn in an essay on time, unless the instructor has been consulted in advance and given permission or the student is in emergency care in a medical facility. Extemporary vacations and romantic crises are not considered grounds for missing an assignment. In all cases the student will be penalized for cheating and for plagiarism of written work. The penalty will be failure in the course.

Materials for the Course:

Speeches on reserve in the John D. Williams Library

Grades:

Essays: Each essay will count 10 points toward the final grade. Research paper: The research paper will count 30 points toward the final grade. There will be a total of 120 points in the course (no extra credit or make-up). The grade scale will be:

108+ = A
96-107 = B
84-95 = C
72-83 = D
Below 72 = F

LIBA 102, Section 41 — Vice and Virtue in Everyday Life
TTH 2:30-3:45
Robert Westmoreland (Philosophy)
prrbw@olemiss.edu, 915-7302

"Vice and Virtue in Everyday Life," based on anthology of same title, ed. Christine and Fred Sommers. The course will explore both concrete issues in moral life, and certain ethical theories intended to illuminate those issues.

LIBA 102, Section 42 — Psychological Theory and Literature
MWF 8:00-9:15
Scotty Hargrove (Department of Psychology)
pydsh@olemiss.edu, 915-1213

The fiction of Anne Tyler presents an excellent opportunity to understand one's own family and a particular psychological theory. Using Bowen Family Systems Theory, students will read Tyler's work, analyze it, and make comparisons with their own experience. This writing-intensive course provides opportunities to write, edit and revise one's own work, and make oral presentations relating psychological theory to the literature of Tyler.

LIBA 102, Section 43 — Diversity and Socio-ethnic Issues in Contemporary Dramatic Literature
TTH 9:30-10:45
Joe Turner Cantú (Theatre Arts)
jtcantu@olemiss.edu, 915-5745

This course is an exploration of cultural, ethnic and gender diversity in contemporary dramatic literature. The course explores the contributions to contemporary American drama of women, African Americans, Latinos and Gay Americans. A significant portion of the course of study is devoted to the perspectives of these contemporary ethnic/cultural groups through the characters in the plays. Students will consider the playwright's use of dramatic action in communicating themes and stimulating emotional and thoughtful responses from an audience. The chosen contemporary plays are all indicative of the social nature of the themes they represent, and will develop critical thinking skills, to better analyze the playwright's creative choices. 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 essays and one research paper. The plays contain mature themes and mature language.

LIBA 102, Section 44 — American Popular Images of Russia
MWF 2:00-2:50
Svetlana Ilinskaya (English)
silinska@olemiss.edu, 915-7684

This course is about the images of the outside world we create in our heads. Are we always independent thinkers, listeners and viewers? Can we always see, hear and even smell things objectively? What makes us construct stereotypes? Is it a stereotype to say that all stereotypes are bad?

We will be reading Walter Lippmann's ageless classic Public Opinion, which covers some of the important issues of political science, psychology, communications, history and logic, and applying it to a couple of books written during the Cold War: Mickey Spillane's One Lonely Night and Karen Karbo's Trespassers Welcome Here; movies like Ninotchka and The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!, and our daily lives.

We will be using the tumultuous relationship the US has had with Russia for over seventy years as our primary example. The textbook that will help us see what it was like is one of the most beautifully illustrated books I have ever seen: Red Scared! Michael Barson and Steven Heller provide us not only with historic data, excerpts from real newspapers, magazines and other mass media productions, and their analysis of them, but also with pages and pages of colorful reprints of original posters, pamphlets and book covers that your parents and grandparents may still remember!

At the end of our class we will take a brief look at some of the attitudes Russians have towards America today. Are their views and opinions objective?

Quizzes, bi-monthly one-page analytical papers, one presentation, and two 5-to-10-page research papers will be required.

LIBA 102, Section 45 — Music and Identity
MWF 2:00-2:50
Matthieu Dessier, (Sociology)
mdessier@olemiss.edu, 915-7295

This seminar proposes to stir students’ curiosity about the social world through the study of a familiar object. Contemporary literature in social sciences suggests that music plays a significant role in the construction of our sense of identity. Through the direct experience of music, we place ourselves in imaginative cultural narratives. In other words, the music that sounds good, the musical experience we value, is the one that allows us to construct an ideal perception of social reality. Likewise, if “bad” music is so unbearable, it is because the cultural narrative it embodies is wrong, offensive, even humiliating. By analyzing music as a social phenomenon, students will be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills about the social forces that impact their perception of the world and construction of identity. The material will consist of academic articles and books from cultural studies and social sciences dealing with the production, diffusion and experience of music and its role in the construction of the social self. Throughout the semester, short writing assignments will encourage students to reflect on the concepts encountered in the readings. A final research paper will lead them to apply the material to their own understanding and experience of music.

LIBA 102, Section 46 — Hemingway & Company
TTH 2:00-3:15
Phyllis Nobles (English)
pnobles@olemiss.edu, 915-7718

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.
-Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Gertrude Stein in her Autobiography of Alice B.Toklas remembers Ernest Hemingway newly-arrived at 27 rue de Fleurus as "an extraordinarily good-looking young man, twenty-three years old . rather foreign looking with passionately interested, rather than interesting eyes." This is an immersion course in new people coming together to look passionately upon new ideas and new ways of seeing the world. We will take for our model Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, his remembrance of the artists' studios and the bars and cafés of Montparnasse in the 1920s and those he encountered there-Paul Cézanne, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ford Madox Ford, et al. In the process of resurrecting these artistic movers and shakers we will attempt to re-create our very own Paris here at home by producing our own moveable feast of new ideas and individual works of art. This interdisciplinary course is designed for students who are artistically inclined and also for students who are yet to discover their creativity.

LIBA 102, Section 47 — Satire: A Roman Original
TTH 11:00-12:15
Charles Gross (English)
jcgross@olemiss.edu, 915-7679

LIBA 102, Section 48 — Hemingway & Company
TTH 1:00-2:15
Phyllis Nobles (English)
pnobles@olemiss.edu, 915-7718

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.
-Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

LIBA 102, Section 49 — It's News to Me: The Role of the Writer in the Media
TTH 4:00-5:15
Robin Street (Journalism)
rbstreet@olemiss.edu, 915-5081

Explore the world of newspapers, magazines, broadcast news, public relations and advertising. These forms of media share one skill in common: good writing. Media writers educate, entertain and influence us, using a style and format unlike any other writing.

This class will examine the role of the media in our lives and the role of the writers in those media. We'll learn the "who, what, why, where and how" of writing for the various forms of media, practicing each form of writing. We'll look at behind-the-scenes decisions such as how reporters decide something is newsworthy, how advertising and public relations writers influence public opinion, and how magazine writers develop articles.

No journalism skills or experience are needed for this class.

LIBA 102, Section 50 — Banned and Challenged Books
MW 4:30-5:45
Michelle Emanuel (Library)
memanuel@olemiss.edu, 915-7953

Books are usually challenged with the best intentions: to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information, with parents challenging materials more often than any other group. Books are most commonly suppressed in school and public libraries on political, social, sexual and/or religious grounds. This course will examine four books from the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books" list, maintained by the American Library Association, looking at why and where the books have been challenged or banned, and the dangers to intellectual freedom that censorship presents. Assigned readings will also include popular press and scholarly articles. Writing assignments will include minute papers, critical essays, and a final project in which the student will choose an additional challenged/banned book to analyze and present to the class.