Course Descriptions

ARTH 232 Early Christian and Byzantine Arts (3). S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a historical study of the form and function of visual images in the Early Christian and the Byzantine traditions. Special attention is given to the rise of the cult of saints, to the veneration and destruction of religious icons, and to the relationship between sacred images and the imperial court. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

ARTH 233 Medieval Art (3). F, even years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a historical study of the form and function of visual images in Western Europe from 400 to 1400. Special attention is given to the relationship between art and the crusades, to tensions between monastic orders, and to the role of visual images in various kinds of mysticism. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

ARTH 241 Asian Art (3). F, even years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This is a historical study of the form and function of visual images in Asian cultures. Special attention is given to India, China, and Japan. Students address the relationship between visual images and political, religious, and social developments in Asia, including the spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

ARTH 243 Art of the Americas (3). F, odd years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This is a historical study of the form and function of visual images in pre-Columbian and Native American cultures. This course concentrates on cultural developments before contact with Western civilization, but issues of cultural interaction between Native American and immigrant European cultures are addressed. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

ARTH 245 African and Oceanic Art (3). S, even years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This is a historical study of the form and function of visual images in the African and Oceanic (Polynesian, Melanesian, and Australian Aboriginal) cultures. Special attention is given to the relationship between religious commitments and artistic practices within these cultures. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

CAS 330 Global Media, Global Culture (3). I. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course examines communication occurring across international borders, with special attention to the development of a global culture based in media flow. Topics include the history, use and regulation of international communications technologies, information and cultural impacts of media flow, international law, and the role of media in international politics, economics, culture and religion. It includes significant attention to the development of global media organizations and their impacts on indigenous culture.

ECON 237 Regional Economies of the World. This course focuses on the economies of a particular region of the world. African, Asian and Latin American economies will be studied on a rotating bases. For spring 2006 the course will examine economies of Eastern and Southeastern Asia. The course begins with a study of basic differences in economic systems and institutions of modern economies. These concepts are then applied to more detailed historical studies of a number of key Asian economies, such as The Peoples' Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and The Philippines. The possiblity of a distinct Asian Development Model will be considered. Prerequisite: An introductory level course in economics and History 151 or History 152.

ECON 337 World Poverty and Economic Development (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies the characteristics of poor nations in many regions of the world, and of factors which cause and influence economic development within countries. After examining conditions within poor nations and their historical development, students analyze theories of economic growth and economic development. Subsequently, the course investigates differences and similarities in human and capital resource endowments, production, and trade relations. Problems, possibilities, and policies are analyzed in each of these topic areas. Prerequisite: 221.

ENGL 302 British Literature of the Middle Ages (3). F. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course examines the ways in which the literature of the Anglo-Saxon and Middle-English periods both reflect and impact the culture out of which they emerge. In studying an age in which art, philosophy, history, architecture, book making, and social and language issues converge in the literature in strikingly uniform ways, students understand the engagement of many cultural forces and the effect of that engagement upon a culture's expression.

ENGL 318 Non-Western Literature: Africa or South Asia (3). F or S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. A historical survey of significant works of literature from a non-Western region of the world, the focus of the course alternates between the literature of Africa and South Asia.

GEOG 110 World Regional Geography (4). F and S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is an analysis of the earth's principal culture regions from a geographic perspective: Europe, Russia, Middle-East, East, South and South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, Oceania, and North, Middle and South America. One aim of the course is to improve the students' cartographic knowledge of the world. Another is to better understand these regions from several geographic viewpoints: society-environment relationships; spatial interaction among and within regions; locational organization of physical and cultural features; and cultural landscapes.

GEOG 210/ENST 210 Human Modifications of the Global Environment (3). F. Core: Global-Historical Studies. As population and affluence have increased and technology 's role has grown, human activities have transformed natural environments around the globe. This course surveys and examines how a wide variety of human enterprises such as agriculture, industry, recreation, and urbanization have had and continue to have far-reaching environmental consequences everywhere on earth. These impacts are assessed by standards such as ecological well being and sustainability, human habitability, and quality of life. Not open to first-year students.

GEOG 240 The Geography of Latin America (3). S, alternative years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course surveys the geography of Latin America with an emphasis on the region's physical, cultural, and economic diversity. Emphasis is put on historical geography, physical resources, and relative location in the understanding of the formation of regional patterns, as well as the inter-relatedness of North and Latin America, and issues of poverty and development.

GEOG 242 The Geography of Africa (3). S, alternate years. A survey of the geography of Africa with a focus on the region's physical, ecological, cultural, and economic diversity. Featured emphases include the historical experience of colonialism, challenges of environmental degradation, spatial patterns of forced and voluntary migration, intensification of poverty under structural adjustment programs, and the quest for successful development practices.

HIST 231 Ancient Near East (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a cultural history of the ancient Near East from pre-history to Alexander, based on evidences from archaeology and cultural anthropology as well as on ancient texts in translation, biblical accounts, and contemporary historical records. Special consideration is given to geographical setting, artistic and linguistic traditions, and cultural contacts with European civilizations.

HIST 232 Hellenistic and Late Antique Near East (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies the transformation of Near Eastern civilization initiated by the conquests of Alexander the Great, undertaken through archaeological as well as literary evidences. Particular emphasis is placed on the cultural syncretism of the age, which saw the development of Judaism and the emergence of Christianity and Islam. Scientific, technical, artistic, social, religious and political developments all receive attention.

HIST 233 Modern Middle East (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies Near Eastern history from the eleventh century to the twentieth century, with special emphasis on topics concerning the interaction between the Near East and the emerging West, including the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire, the "Eastern Question" in European diplomacy, colonialism, nationalism and Islamic revival. Students analyze modern states in the Near East and their various responses to the impact of the West.

HIST 235 Early India (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This is a cultural history of the Indian subcontinent from the earliest times to the eighteenth century. Primary emphasis is placed on the civilization of Hindustan and the interplay of Hindu and Islamic religious and cultural forces which took place there up to the advent of European imperialism. Archaeological, linguistic, and artistic evidence receive equal attention.

HIST 236 Modern India (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course involves a study of the history of the Indian subcontinent from the seventeenth century to the present, with emphasis on the interaction between South Asia and the modern West. The emergence of the nations of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is examined against the background of British occupation and colonialism. Economic, social, political, religious, and intellectual themes receive consideration.

HIST 238 History of Latin America (4). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a study of continuity and change from pre-Columbian times to the present. Topics covered include the mingling of races and cultures in the Conquest era, the long-term influence of colonial institutions, the paradox of economic development and continuing poverty, the Cold War struggle between the Left and the Right, and the growth of Protestantism in a traditionally Catholic society.

HIST 241 African History and Societies to 1800 (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This wide-ranging survey of prominent themes encompasses several centuries of West African history. The principal aim is to introduce students to some of the main currents of West African history and to provide insights into its society and culture. Themes include: pre-colonial times; culture, commerce, and state building: the Trans-Saharan and Atlantic trade; Islam and the socio-political changes it brought; and the Atlantic Slave trade.

HIST 242 Modern West Africa (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course looks at the historical, political, and economic development of West Africa since 1800. Students examine European imperialism in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the development of African nationalism, resistance and struggle for independence, neo-colonialism, and political problems in the new states of the area.

HIST 245 East Asia to 1800 (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a history of East Asian civilizations from early times until the early modern period. Emphasis is on the history of China and Japan, but the history of Korea is also included. Primary objectives are for students to grasp the essential patterns of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean social structures, political systems, cultural values, and religious and ethical norms as they developed through the late traditional period through to 1800; and also to appreciate the similarities and differences among these civilizations.

HIST 246 East Asia Since 1800 (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. A history of East Asia from 1800 to the present, this course emphasizes the history of China and Japan, but the history of Korea is also included. Primary objectives are for students to grasp the essentials of the patterns of East Asian societies on the eve of the modern period, then to gain an appreciation of the travails of modernity in all three countries, as they were transformed from traditional societies to modern nation-states. Another objective is to gain an appreciation of the inter-relatedness of the East Asian nations' history in the past 100 to 150 years.

HIST 261 Ancient Greece and Rome (3). F and S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies the history of Greece and Rome from the Minoan Age through the reign of the Emperor Theodosius. The emphasis is on the political and economic changes which were the background for the shifts in intellectual styles. Particular problems are studied in depth, including the emergence of the city-state, the Periclean age of Athens, the age of Alexander, the crisis of the Roman Republic, and the Decline.

HIST 262 Europe in Late Antiquity and the Early-Middle Ages (3). F. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a study of the emergence of Europe out of the Roman Empire alongside the Byzantine Empire and Islamic commonwealth. Special attention is given to the Christianization of the Roman Empire, Christian missions to Western Europe, the role of monasticism, and the way that early medieval Europe, like its neighboring cultures, integrated its Roman-Hellenistic heritage into new forms.

HIST 263 Europe in the High- and Late-Middle Ages, 900-1450 (3). S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course includes a treatment of one of the most formative periods in the development of European culture and institutions, when strong monarchies emerged out of feudalism, and a new religious vitality transformed Christian spirituality. These impulses are traced through the rise of schools and universities, the Crusades, and the role of the papacy as a unifying political force in Western Christendom, concluding with the late-medieval economic and demographic crisis and the break-up of the medieval worldview in Renaissance Italy.

HIST 271 War and Society (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This is an episodic survey of world history from a particular perspective, that of the social history of war. The course emphasizes the social, economic, cultural and religious contexts and consequences of warfare. Case studies drawn from various civilizations and from the ancient, medieval and modern eras explore the thesis that armed conflict has been a significant variable affecting the processes of world historical development.

IDIS 242 Global Systems and Sustainability (3). I. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course in an introductory study of earth systems with emphasis on computer modeling as a way to provide insight into societal issues related to global sustainability. Examples of global issues pertinent to the human society include climate change, the ozone hole, bio-diversity, spread of epidemics, and water resources. A primary purpose of the course is to introduce "systems thinking", and to show the web of connections between systems. Hence students are able to comprehend at a deeper level the connections between molecular substances such as chlorofluorocarbons and ozone hole depletion, as well as how government policy affects the economy, and the relationship of population to various ecological issues. One of the ways to deepen understanding of these connections is through computer modeling. Computer applications such as STELLA are employed, making use of a graphical user interface to build the necessary computer models. Not open to first-year students. Prerequisites: four years of high school mathematics or one college-level mathematics or physics course.

PE 310 Dance in World Culture (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course involves a study of the relationship of dance to issues of contemporary culture. The role and power of dance to define and reflect community, societal, and religious values and the role of dance within the arts of diverse cultures are explored. The course is designed to broaden students' cross-cultural understanding through the art of dance.

PHIL 225 Chinese Thought and Culture (4). S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a study of the relationships among Chinese philosophy, art, social life, and society, examining the expressions of Chinese thought in the writings of Confucius, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Mencius, and Mao-Tse Teng. The course also correlates Chinese thought with other aspects of Chinese culture such as tai chi, religious practice, cuisine, calligraphy, poetry, film, painting, and family organization.

POLS 207 Introduction to International Politics (3). F and S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course explores different theoretical approaches to the study of international politics. Students are introduced to a variety of explanatory frameworks for phenomena such as nationalism, neo-colonialism, war, world hunger, economic inequalities, environmental degradation, and international trade.

POLS 271 Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspectives (3). S. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course examines various socioreligious movements that choose to use religion as an agent of political mobilization and change across different cultural contexts. These movements are examined in terms of their historical development, their particular cultural manifestation, and their effects upon the political system in which they are found. Examples of such movements that are likely to be examined in the course are the Christian Right movement in American politics, the Islamic fundamentalist movement in Middle Eastern politics, and the Liberation Theology movement in Latin American politics.

POLS 276 Latin American Politics (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies modern Latin American Politics with special emphasis on how different types of political regimes address the challenges of economic development.

POLS 277 Asian Politics (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a study of the political systems and political developments in east and southeast Asia with particular emphasis on China and Japan. The course begins with China and includes a brief overview of major historical events in China with particular attention to the Maoist communist era followed by an examination of contemporary political, economic, and foreign policy issues. The course then focuses on Japan, presenting a brief historical overview followed by a study of post-World War II political and economic developments that contributed to Japan's recovery. Current economic and political problems are analyzed, as is the prospect for a greater Japanese international role. The course concludes with a study of three or four southeast Asian states such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

POLS 278 Russia and Central Europe (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course studies the former Soviet Union (1917-1991), the new Russia, and other states formerly part of the Soviet Union or its empire. The course begins with an overview of Russian history prior to 1917 followed by an intensive study of the Soviet communist era and the internal and external policies determined by the Soviet communist government during this Cold War era. The Gorbachev era, the collapse of the USSR, and the rise of a new Russia are then examined with a focus on the major political, economic, and social problems confronting Russia today. The course then examines in less detail selected states of the former Soviet Union now loosely aligned in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as central European states such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the former Yugoslavia.

POLS 279 African and Indian Politics (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course is a study of the politics and governments of the African states and India, with emphasis on typical issues and problems facing ex-colonial, developing states in the post-Cold War era. In particular, the course examines how the main goals of political and economic development - stability, democracy, growth, and equity - are interrelated and why some states, e.g., India and Mauritania, make better progress towards these goals than do others. Some of the more specific challenges and issues studied are military rule, corruption, ethnic and religious strife, poverty, population growth, environmental threats, human rights (including women's rights), and the AIDS pandemic.

REL 255 (Formerly 351) World Religions (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. An historical investigation of the nature of religion by examining the chief theories and practices of some of the world’s major, non-Christian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Islam. Emphasis is placed on each tradition’s analysis of the basic human problem and the solution that it offers to the problem. Some attention is also paid to new, emergent religious movements and their relationship to older established traditions. Prerequisite: one religion department course.

REL 352 Judaism (3). A study of the major developments in Jewish history, thought, and practice beginning with the second temple era and extending to the contemporary period. Subjects studied will include rabbinic Judaism and its literature — the Mishnah and the Talmuds, medieval Jewish philosophy and mysticism, emancipation, Zionism, the Holocaust, and North American Judaism. The question of Jewish-Christian dialogue will also be considered. Prerequisite: One religion department course.

REL 353 Islam (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. A historical and comparative study of Islam in its diverse regional and cultural settings, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the West. Topics will include the life and times of Prophet Muhammad, the Quran, the division between Sunni and Shia, and the formation of the traditions of Hadith and Shariah. Prerequisite: one religion department course and sophomore or higher status.

REL 354 Hinduism (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course introduces Hindu religious traditions by examining Hindu mythology, philosophy and society from its beginning to the present. Topics will include the law of karma, class structure, dharma, yoga, devotional traditions, liberation, modern reform movements and Hindu mythology as presented in its sacred texts, including the Vedic hymns, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita. Prerequisite: one religion department course and sophomore or higher status.

REL 355 Buddhism (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. A historical and doctrinal study of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, focusing on Buddhist view of the human predicament and its solution, and different teachings and Buddhists practices in various regions of Asia and the West. Other topics include the historical Buddha's sermons, Buddhist psychology, cosmology, meditation, bodhisattvas, Pure Land, and Zen. Prerequisite: one religion department course and sophomore or higher status.

SOC 153 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3). Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course involves the study of cultural diversity around the globe both historically and geographically. The course introduces the foundational elements of cultural anthropology including topics of fieldwork, cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, participant observation, ethnography, ethnology as well as major anthropological theories. The course addresses the diversity as well as commonality of cultural systems both in time and space through studying major components of cultural systems such as kinship, religion, politics, and economics. Students are exposed to an awareness of their place within a particular cultural context as well as their culture's place within a global and historical context.

SPAN 311 (Formerly SPAN 210) Hispanic Civilization and Culture (3). S, alternate years. Core: Global-Historical Studies. This course involves a study of the history and culture of Spanish and Latin American social, political and religious institutions. The course also incorporates discussions of issues currently facing Hispanic peoples. Reading materials include literary and non-literary sources. The classes are conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 301.

STCH 203 Traditional Chinese Civilization (4). An introduction to Chinese civilization from its earliest times to the end of the Ming Dynasty, including its religious and philosophical underpinnings. Includes 10-day trip to relevant sites. Off Campus

STCH 204 Modern China (4). A study of the history of China from the 17th century through the Revolution, with emphasis on its collision with the West in the 19th century. Off Campus

STHO/SPHO 205 Poverty and Development (3). Analysis of development theories and major issues such as population and the environment ,and how Christian values shape theory. Includes several field trips.

STHU 312 Studies in Central European Culture (4). A topical presentation of East Central Europe -- politics, religion, art and music, and science -- through guest speakers, readings, and excursions. Off Campus

TWDS 201 Introduction to Third World Development (3). S. This course introduces students to life in the world's low income countries and to competing theoretical perspectives on development and change. The course addresses cultural, social, political, religious, economic, and environmental elements of people's lives in the Third World. It also surveys and critiques such dominant perspectives on development as modernization, dependency, world systems, historical culturalism, and sustainable development, and it addresses the question of how Christians think about human and social progress. Prerequisite: sophomore status.