COURSE SCHEDULE

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Course Listing for FIRST YEAR SEMINAR - Fall 2013
Class
No.		 Course ID Title Credits Type Instructor(s) Days:Times Location Permission
Required		 Dist Qtr
3390 FYSM-101-01 BFF or Strange Bedfellows 1.00 SEM Spezialetti,Madalene TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Is the enemy of your enemy your friend, or will you need to make friends with your enemies? Will you use rhetoric, reason, persuasion, or just plain violence to get what you want? Leave your twenty-first century American sensibilities behind as you assume the roles of a member of an Athenian assembly in 403 B.C. and a member of the 1945 conference in Simla, India, to explore the timeless question of how much one should give up to get his or her political way. Using the role playing/game playing teaching paradigm of “Reacting to the Past,” you will explore pivotal moments in the history of Athens and India from the perspective of a participant. Your character will have goals to achieve and perhaps a hidden agenda or two, and within the dynamic classroom experience of “Reacting to the Past,” your political successes, failures and compromises will shape the outcome of “history.”
3437 FYSM-101-02 The Turmoil of Evolving Belief 1.00 SEM Mauro,David TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This seminar, divided into two parts, considers the nature of evidence in historical and contemporary settings. We begin with the popular “Reacting to the Past” game entitled, The Trial of Galileo, an exploration of the scientific and political forces that accompanied the advancement of the position that the Sun, not the Earth, is the center of an imperfect solar system. In this game, the Catholic Church finds itself under attack. The Protestants of Northern Europe have repudiated the Church’s Aristotelian viewpoint and have embraced the new celestial theories of Copernicus and Kepler. And in Italy, Galileo has bolstered those theories by improving the telescope and publishing new and supporting observations and conclusions. Can the findings of Galileo be true? Should he be brought before the Holy Office for a full examination and censure? Or should the Church discontinue its support of the old cosmology in favor of the new? Using the writings of Aristotle and Galileo, as well as the Bible and other texts pertaining to the times, you will enter this debate by assuming the identity and agenda of some historical figure … a Cardinal, perhaps, or a professor or the Pope! … in the seventeenth century trial of Galileo. But the 21st century holds its own opposing factions in matters pertaining to the nature of the universe, our world, and humanity itself. According to the National Science Foundation, many well-educated citizens of today sincerely declare the reality of such things as ghosts, clairvoyance, communication with the dead, and other “paranormal” phenomena for which belief has endured for centuries within many different cultures. Can millions of adherents be so wrong, as equally many skeptics claim? In the second part of this seminar, you will consider the types and strength of evidence commonly applied in support of (or against) the extraordinary claim, including scientific, anecdotal, historical, ecclesiastical, and statistical. In an environment that invites strong critiques of each argument without criticism of the arguer, you will research the evidence for and against various claims, then present your critiques of that evidence (as well as your conclusions), both orally and in writing. Besides those listed above, topics may include telekinesis, alien visitation (UFOs), night paralysis, faith healing, astrology, telepathy, water dowsing, witchcraft, out-of-body experiences, lucky numbers, magnet therapy, intelligent design, alternative medicine, fire-walking, extra-terrestrial origins of crop circles (and other structures), the existence of rare or unique creatures, and others that have somehow caught your attention.
3367 FYSM-104-01 Food, Fitness, Self-Discovery 1.00 SEM Del Puppo,Dario MWF: 10:00AM-10:50AM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  We are constantly bombarded with advice about food and fitness, much of it confusing, contradictory, and often disturbing. How can something as simple as eating well and keeping fit be so difficult to understand and to do? In recent times, moreover, we have become increasingly concerned about food safety, the environmental impact of food production, and good health. More generally we seek to enhance our emotional well-being through diet and exercise. In this course, therefore, we will examine food and fitness in a historical and cultural perspective with the aim of making sense of them in terms of our own lives. Some of the topics include: the Paleolithic or caveman lifestyle, taste and nutrition across cultures, the Blue Zones (human longevity and aging), concepts of mind and body in Western philosophy, clear thinking and good writing in the literature of food and of sport. Besides reading, discussing, and writing about influential ideas and innovations related to food and fitness, students will also put some of the concepts they learn into practice by creating their own diets and fitness routines. As part of our journey toward self-discovery, there will be frequent extra-curricular activities, such as field trips, cooking meals together, and workouts. In this regard, students enrolled in this First Year Seminar must also register for Wesley Ng's (Head Coach, Women's Rowing) fitness course for both quarters (each .25 of a credit).
3363 FYSM-107-01 Dang Decis or Cheerful Choice? 1.00 SEM Barlow,Rachael E. MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Only first-year students are eligible to enroll in this class.
  In the next few years, you will be asked to make many decisions. What courses will you take? What major will you declare? What clubs will you join? With whom will you live? Will you study abroad? Will you enroll in an internship? Will you go to graduate school? In fact, during your first semester at Trinity, you will also be living the consequence of an important decision you just made: where to go to college! And you are not alone. Every day, adults make decisions that have short and long-term consequences: what house to buy, what car to drive, what retirement plan to invest in, whether to get married or divorced, and whether to change jobs. In this seminar, we will explore how individuals go about making decisions both big and small, and in so doing examine how social, psychological, and physical worlds constrain and enable the choices individuals make. Our readings will touch upon multiple disciplinary perspectives, and will include Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less (sociology) and Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational: the Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions (economics). These books will provide us with a framework for collecting our own data (through in-depth interviews) about those around us and for writing about the data we collect. You will be asked to write “mini” papers every other week in which you either reflect upon your own decision-making process or in which you analyze the decision-making processes of others; one of these papers will become the basis of a larger project due at the end of the semester. Taking this class will provide you with invaluable research, writing, and software skills for success in the social sciences. So why don’t you decide to take it?
3362 FYSM-110-01 Anna Karenina 1.00 SEM Any,Carol J. TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  What is love? That is the question at the heart of Leo Tolstoy’s timeless masterpiece, Anna Karenina. We will undertake intensive, in-depth study of this massive but tightly woven novel which probes the nature of love by considering it within a series of tensions--between individual autonomy and family responsibilities; the physical and spiritual sides of human nature; rational and instinctive behavior; urban versus rural lifestyles; and the threat that technological advances pose to traditional behavior. We will use techniques of close reading to discover the novel’s intricate network of recurring images, and we will seek to understand them as clues to interpreting the novel. Students will learn and practice techniques for leading class discussion, and will also learn how to prepare and write a literary analysis based on close reading and textual evidence.
3370 FYSM-115-01 Math Ideas & Chng Times 1.00 SEM Georges,John P. TR: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  What is mathematics? There is no simple, timeless, or universal answer to this question. Over the years, mathematics has been shaped by, and has given shape to, many societal issues. In this seminar we shall examine and discuss the many aspects of this subject that both describe it and distinguish it from others. We begin with a comparative study of number systems and then trace the evolution of our real numbers. Along the way, we shall encounter rational and irrational numbers as well as many other specialized numbers. We shall also observe patterns in numbers that are surprising, beautiful and, to some, mystical. Our journey will bring us to the threshold of infinity and to the consideration of transfinite numbers, as conceived by Cantor in the nineteenth century. We shall also reflect upon the relationship of mathematics to other disciplines, such as religion, philosophy, and the natural sciences. Students are expected to have solid algebra skills and a sincere interest in the subject. Required readings will include: The Republic, Flatland, The Unfinished Game, and A Mathematician’s Apology. Other required course work will emphasize the importance of good writing and will be judged accordingly. In this seminar we shall examine and discuss the many aspects of this subject that both describe it and distinguish it from others. We begin with a comparative study of number systems and then trace the evolution of our real numbers. Along the way, we shall encounter rational and irrational numbers as well as many other specialized numbers. We shall also observe patterns in numbers that are surprising, beautiful and, to some, mystical. Our journey will bring us to the threshold of infinity and to the consideration of transfinite numbers, as conceived by Cantor in the nineteenth century. We shall also reflect upon the relationship of mathematics to other disciplines, such as religion, philosophy, and the natural sciences. No special preparation in mathematics is required of students taking this course. They are, however, expected to have solid algebra skills and a sincere interest in the subject. Required readings will include: The Republic, Flatland, The Unfinished Game and A Mathematician’s Apology. Other required course work will emphasize the importance of good writing and will be judged accordingly.
3378 FYSM-116-01 Civiliz, Culture & Conservat 1.00 SEM Morrison,Joan MW: 2:40PM-3:55PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Throughout our existence, humans, have relied on natural resources, and ecological services provided by our environment to sustain our lives and our societies. Yet, as our species continues to expand across the planet, our collective ecological footprint is causing changes of unprecedented scope and magnitude to the natural world on which we depend. Why do we foul and destroy our own environment? Can humans live more sustainably with the natural world? How will we feed and provide sufficient water and energy for the projected 12 billion people on Earth, by 2100? This seminar will look into both the past and the future with regards to the impacts of humans on Earth. We will examine interrelationships among humans and the planet's biodiversity by exploring topics in biology, history, economics, energy, and agriculture. We will investigate the science of environmental concerns such as species extinctions, climate change, and population growth. We will also explore aspects of the history of our civilization and culture that have influenced ways in which we perceive technology influenced ways in which we perceive and interact with our environment. How has agriculture changed the way we interact with the land? How has technology influenced ways in which humans interact with their environment? What is sustainability and how do we achieve ti? Seminar activities will include readings, group discussions, written assignments, field trips, community involvement and student presentations. Some activities may occur outside regular class time and off campus.
3375 FYSM-119-01 Mind/Body &the Concept of Self 1.00 SEM Lee,Randolph M. TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM LSC - 213 FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  The study of mind/body interaction has been a topic of scientific, philosophical, and religious speculation for centuries, as theologians, scientists and philosophers have grappled with questions such as, "How does someone become possessed by evil spirits?" or "Exactly where in the body does the mind reside?" In the mental health field as well, questions about how the "mind" influences the body and vice versa have challenged many: What are hallucinations? Is depression physical or psychological? Can stress cause cancer? Just what is the "self?" Can we really rewire our brains? Can different brains communicate with one another without words? Answers proposed to these puzzling interactions have been equally broad ranging. With renewed vigor over the past twenty years, psychology, neuroscience, and, increasingly, medicine have begun to recognize just how complex these issues of mind/body/self interaction really are. New evidence of the effects of stress on health, the capacity of our brains to rewire themselves throughout life, the biological and psychological components of most major mental illnesses, and the psychological components of many physical illnesses have all helped mobilize professional and public attention to these fascinating issues. At the same time, others with less commitment to scientific and scholarly investigation have blurred the lines between legitimate scientific understanding and unsubstantiated sensationalistic rhetoric, sometimes creating the public impression that the entire area of mind/body interaction is really nothing but some kind of pseudo-science or "new age" hyperbole. In this seminar, we will examine the current state of mind/body discussions as they relate to psychology, biology, neuroscience, and other fields, and we will look at the concept of "self" through critical reading, writing and discussion. Students will also help shape and decide some of the specific topics in the seminar based on their own interests and ideas. We will also look at the concept of self from perspectives of religion, literature, drama, philosophy, and biology, as well as psychology.
3368 FYSM-121-01 Color&Money:Race&Socl Class 1.00 SEM Dougherty,John A. MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Who gains -- and who loses -- in the admissions process at Trinity College and other elite institutions? Which racial diversity financial aid policies might meet our desired goals? How do undergraduates experience racial and social class differences on campus? What can we learn from Trinity's own history to recommend meaningful changes? In this seminar, students will role-play a college admissions committee, conduct interviews for a campus research project, and enhance their research and writing skills. Given our controversial topic, participants should be prepared to listen to alternative viewpoints, challenge (and be challenged) on opinions and evidence, and get involved in making change.
3392 FYSM-124-01 Elvis, Billie, and Tupac 1.00 SEM Woldu,Gail H. TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM AAC - 101 FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This course explores the work of iconic figures Elvis Presley, Billie Holiday, and Tupac Shakur in the context of their social times. We will look at Elvis, the so-called “King of Rock and Roll,” in terms of the musical culture of the 1950s and try to understand the many reasons for his rise to pop superstardom, as well as his continued popularity. Along the way, we will read two of the most important studies of Elvis: Peter Guralnick’s Last Train to Memphis and the sequel, Careless Love. Our discussion of Billie Holiday will center largely on her recorded work and its importance in shaping the direction of jazz in the 1940s and 1950s. We will read her controversial co-authored “autobiography” as well as several studies of her life and work. Finally, we will consider the multifaceted personality of Tupac Shakur, looking at his music and his influence on rap and hip-hop culture in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. To these ends, we will read articles in popular culture magazines, including The Source, Rolling Stone, and Vibe, as well as those contained in popular music and culture anthologies.
3382 FYSM-125-01 Emerging Biomedical Tech 1.00 SEM Ning,Taikang TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Health maintenance has been an important issue that sees no borders in ages and countries. Though the focus of health maintenance may vary by specific groups, the goal of health maintenance, however, remains universally similar. The goal can be loosely described as achieving a sustainable means to monitor one’s health condition and to provide timely, required medical services. Needless to say, because of different perspectives and background differences, there are many strategies being proposed to provide sustainable health maintenance. In this seminar, we will examine health maintenance and its relationship to modern biomedical technologies. In particular, we will focus on the research and development of biomedical technologies and their impacts. Students in this seminar will conduct serious reading to understand how government policies and technical advancements in semiconductors, materials, computers, etc. affect the evolution of biomedical technologies and, consequently, health maintenance. Bi-weekly reports are required. In addition, this seminar will provide students with a paper-design experience of biomedical devices. Students will team up in small groups of three or four students, and each team will work closely with the instructor to design a medical device, taking into account realistic marketing and technical considerations. A formal written report of the team-based paper-design is required, and the design will be presented and discussed in class. This seminar does not require a prior knowledge in design, only interest and enthusiasm.
3420 FYSM-129-01 Narrative in Rock Music of the 1.00 SEM Peltier,Robert F. W: 1:15PM-3:55PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  During the tumultuous period we call the sixties (which actually extended—roughly—from late 1963 to early 1976) the arts of all kinds—from painting, sculpture, and architecture, to music, film, literature, and photography, underwent metamorphoses brought on by experimentation in presentation, content, viewpoint, and even in the way we approach and define “reality.” In this course, we will look at one element of these arts: narrative in rock music. We’ll ask such questions as: did it help to shape chaos into meaning? Or did it add to the chaos? Were the narratives epic or personal or both? Which narratives, if any, are relevant decades later? We will begin by looking at the nature of narratives, their elements, their construction, and their purposes. We will also look at the history of narrative and how it has changed—or not—over the last century or so. We will then apply what we find to the songs of Dylan, Lennon, Simon, King, Baez, Guthrie, Ochs, Mitchell, Hardin, Springsteen, and others.
3422 FYSM-130-01 Who Are We? 1.00 SEM Messina,Anthony M. MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Citizenship traditionally has been understood as a bundle of rights and obligations exclusive to formal members, or “citizens,” of territorially bounded nation states. Transnational migration seems to violate this assumption by creating citizens outside and foreign residents inside traditional state territories. Some scholars have suggested that globalization generally--and migration specifically--undermines the value and salience of citizenship and creates popular and policy confusion about who are “we.” This seminar will explore the major political and social challenges transnational migration poses for notions of who “belongs” and who doesn’t within the major immigration-receiving countries, including the United States. No previous knowledge of politics or the phenomenon of transnational migration is required.
3374 FYSM-132-01 The Poetics of Violence 1.00 SEM Lambright,Anne TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  How does a society collectively use artistic expression to digest times of extreme national violence? What role does art, in its various forms, play in the “transitional justice” process—the movement from a time of national conflict and violence to one of democracy and peace? This seminar will look at various instances of extreme conflict and violence in Latin America and examine the role that cultural production—art, music, theater, literature, and film—plays in helping a nation better understand these moments and imagine ways to move forward. Among the works we may study are novels by Peruvian-American Daniel Alarcón (Lost City Radio) and Guatemalan-American Francisco Goldman (Long Night of the White Chickens), Chilean Ariel Dorfmann’s play Death and the Maiden, and recent Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Film “Milk of Sorrow” (Peru, 2010) and “No” (Chile, 2012). We will also look at therapeutic art projects by indigenous victims of violence in Peru, and documentary photography in Guatemala. While we will take Latin America as a case study, our search for a “poetics of violence,” and our discussion of the role art plays in human rights discourse, will be applied to an examination of multiple global representations of the extreme violence, real and symbolic, that marks our world today. Course work will involve active class discussion, oral presentations, and various academic and creative writing projects. A working knowledge of Spanish, while not necessary, may be helpful in this course.
3421 FYSM-138-01 The Lords of Misrule:Clowns 1.00 SEM Farlow,Lesley J. TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Clowns! Most westerners hear that word and think of a tumble of brightly-dressed, brightly-wigged, red-nosed guys in oversized shoes falling out of a VW bug onto the sawdust of the three-ring circus, honking, beeping and screeching. But that is only one, fairly recent representation of the clown. Throughout the ages, the clown, the fool, and the trickster have appeared in many guises and many settings. The Lords of Misrule were powerful figures in medieval festivals. In the American Southwest the sacred Hopi kachina dances are interrupted by the wild antics of mud-smeared Chükü’wimkya clowns. In contrast, Feste, the fool in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, is urbane, witty and devastatingly perceptive. No mud or red nose for him. In this seminar, we will examine the social, sacred and dramatic functions of the clown in a variety of cultures and media. From Native American legends to Indonesian dance/drama, from Shakespeare to Monty Python, we will explore the human need for the unpredictable. Readings will include excerpts from The Book of the Hopi by Frank Waters; Bali Behind the Mask by Ana Daniel; From Ritual to Theater by Victor Turner; Aristotle’s Poetics; Shakespeare’s Clowns by David Wiles; E Pluribus Barnum by Bluford Adams, among other texts. We will watch Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Balinese puppet clowns, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and possibly engage in some clowning behavior ourselves. Writing will focus on analysis and comparison of the various forms and functions of clowns, as well as responses to the readings.
3379 FYSM-140-01 Science & Consumer 1.00 SEM Moyer Jr.,Ralph O. R: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Recent global and national news has once again shown that one of the pressing challenges for the 21st century is to accommodate society’s ever-increasing need for energy. The first half of the semester will be devoted to readings and discussions of the current and alternative sources of energy from the point of view of the science and technology, reserves, economic considerations, environmental impact, government mandates and global choices. The second half of the seminar will be devoted to a very broad look at textiles, the 2nd largest worldwide industry after the food industry. In a very general way we will begin by choosing different kinds of fibers and follow them through their formation, construction, their properties and their ultimate uses. Some field trips are anticipated.
3372 FYSM-147-01 Explorations of Economic Inqui 1.00 SEM Hoag,Christopher S. MWF: 12:00PM-12:50PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This course uses simple economic ideas to explain behavior in a broad range of cross-disciplinary contexts. The class first introduces an important principle of economic analysis, elementary game theory. Then, we employ this principle to investigate behavioral phenomena in the context of anthropology, biology, history, politics, psychology, and sociology. We evaluate the predictions of economic theory in these arenas with case studies, empirical examples, and controlled experimental data. For example, we will discuss the effect of cross-cultural sharing norms on market behavior, competition by genetic selection, economic modeling of political actors, and the impact of geography on long run economic growth. Students will read texts such as Robert Axelrod’s, The Evolution of Cooperation, and Levitt and Dubner’s Freakonomics, in addition to a reading packet. Short summary and response papers will begin the course and a longer paper which will require students to create, motivate, and analyze their own game will conclude the course. No previous exposure to economics is expected, nor will this course count toward or prepare you for a major in economics.
3366 FYSM-150-01 Religion&Science-Frnd or Foe? 1.00 SEM Church,William H. MW: 1:15PM-2:30PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This seminar will explore the historical relationship between science and religion (theology) through critical examinations of both scientific articles (original Watson and Crick paper on DNA structure, Galileo’s Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems) and theological texts (the Bible, Koran, Torah). This course is not a debate about Creationism vs. Evolution. This course is an investigation of the influences and interpretations of major scientific discoveries and developments on the primary tenants of various world religions. In addition to examining historical texts, we will look into contemporary discussions of this relationship. We will use texts such as Alastair McGrath’s Science & Religion: An Introduction, and Dave Pruett’s Reason and Wonder to help us understand the evolution of the relationship. The fields of science covered in this course include geology and chemistry (radiocarbon dating), astronomy (origin/age of the universe), physics (see astronomy; composition of matter) and biology (initial biochemical reactions of life).
3373 FYSM-154-01 Undrstndng Your Digital Self 1.00 SEM Holt,Laura J. WF: 1:15PM-2:30PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  What identity have you created for yourself in cyberspace? How similar or different is it from who you truly are? To what extent have communication technologies enriched or eroded your personal relationships? In the past twenty years the proliferation of e-mail, texting, Facebook, and tweeting has afforded us unprecedented opportunities for self-expression and social connection. But, to what extent could our reliance on these technologies be leading to what MIT professor Sherry Turkle described as “a new solitude”? To what extent might we be losing touch with our actual selves as we increasingly focus on impression management and self-promotion of our “digital self”? Through regular student-led discussions, we will discuss and debate these and related questions. We will read theoretical and empirical articles from developmental, social, personality, and clinical psychology in addition to excerpts from Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other and Larry Rosen’s book iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us. Students will write several argument papers based on the course readings, in addition to several reflective papers based on experiential exercises (e.g., going on a “digital diet” by abstaining from social media or texting; using an app to track and change a behavior). Finally, students will guide Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy students through a six-week digital literacy curriculum in order to explore the role of technology in early adolescent development.
3438 FYSM-159-01 The Practice of Poetry 1.00 SEM Rossini,Clare M. TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Are you a person who loves language and literature and has written a poem or two (or more)? Or do you consider yourself something of a poem-phobe, a person who is curious about poetry but a bit shy when it comes to writing one yourself? Either way, you’ll be welcome in this seminar. All that’s needed is a willingness to immerse yourself in the practice of writing poems—those phenomena Paul Engle once described as “boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words.” More specifically, this course will require you—if only for a semester—to live as a poet lives: keeping a writer’s journal, reading and analyzing some of America’s most accomplished contemporary poets, discussing the poems of your classmates on a weekly basis, and of course, writing your own poems. “Quick Takes”—short critical papers on the poets we read—will be required. We’ll take a trip to the Trinity library to tour the Watkinson’s superb collection of poetry broadsides, then design broadsides of our own; we’ll explore the world of literary publishing; and we’ll finish the semester with a class reading. Attendance at two events in the AK Smith Creative Writer Reading Series will also be required.
3377 FYSM-162-01 Law & Politics in the Streets 1.00 SEM McMahon,Kevin J. TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  It is common for political and legal scholars to attempt to assess the impact of judicial decisions by asking whether a particular ruling had the intended effects on the specific parties involved in the case. In this course, we will consider such questions, but we will also explore the larger consequences of judicial decisions. For example, we will ask such questions as: To what extent did decisions like Brown v. Board of Education spark the civil rights movement? How did the Supreme Court’s busing decisions of the early 1970s alter big city politics across America? Did Roe v. Wade have any impact on the state of the Catholic Church in America? We will not, however, confine ourselves to only Supreme Court decisions. Instead, we examine a range of intriguing cases that have captured the nation’s attention in search of a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of law, politics, and society.
3387 FYSM-167-01 Reel Encounters 1.00 SEM Riggio,Milla C. TR: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  How many movies have you seen in your life? How and when do you watch them? Do you still go out to theaters? Do you depend on cyber-media for most of your viewing? Have you thought about the differences between one form of viewing or another? One of Trinity College’s distinguishing features is Cinestudio, an independent movie theater, housed on the Trinity campus. In this course we will watch one film a week regularly scheduled by Cinestudio. These films are not yet determined, but they will be a fascinating, eclectic mix. We can announce many of them by the end of the summer. There will be a choice of evenings or weekend days on which to see each film. Your reading will consist of one basic film text (probably Looking at Movies by Richard Barsam and Dave Monahan), a few selected screenplays, and the Milla Riggio classroom guide to film analysis. Your writing will consist of weekly MOODLE posts in response to the films, as well as 2 – 3 analytic film packets throughout the semester and one final paper. Assisted by James Hanley of Cinestudio, this course will explore these and other issues related to the role that the movies play in your lives.
3439 FYSM-170-01 Phage Hunt 1.00 SEM Foster,Lisa-Anne
Fleming,Robert J.		 TR: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA FYR3  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Only first-year students are eligible to enroll in this class.
  Students carry out individual, authentic research to discover and describe a previously unknown phage (virus that grows on bacteria). Students learn the concepts and techniques needed to isolate their own phage from environmental samples and characterize the unique viral growth patterns on host bacteria. Students prepare their phage for viewing with the electron microscope so that viral physical structure can be described. Each student isolates the genomic DNA of their phage and analyzes the characteristic DNA fragment patterns. Data collected by each student becomes part of the national database on mycobacteriophage, contributing to the body of scientific knowledge. Critical thinking, analysis, and intensive writing practice are integral to the course and are skills that are applicable to all fields of study. This program focuses on the “life sciences” broadly defined and provides students with the earliest possible exposure to real research in the field. Note: FY 170 Phage Hunt must be taken concurrently with BIOL 182, and is only open to students in the Genomics Research Program. Academically motivated students with a strong interest in biology are invited to apply to this program. See http://www.trincoll.edu/Academics/SpecialPrograms/genomics/Pages/default.aspx for more information and an application form.
3388 FYSM-179-01 The World of Rare Books 1.00 SEM Ring,Richard J. MW: 2:40PM-3:55PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  What is a “rare” book? What determines its scholarly, cultural, and/or monetary value? Students will be introduced in this seminar to the world of rare books, a sub-culture with its own jargon, etiquette, and lore that offer insights into our value systems. We’ll touch on the 5,000-year history of the book “from pen to pixel,” modern book collecting by individuals and institutions, bibliophilic clubs and societies, rare book dealers, book fairs, auctions, rare book libraries, and the discipline of bibliography. We will take one field trip to a book fair on Sunday, October 13, 2013 (The Pioneer Valley Book & Ephemera Fair in Northampton, MA), and there will be guest speakers which will include area book collectors, dealers, and curators. Students will write four (4) essays on topics covered, and will be able to choose their best/favorite one for inclusion in a class publication (print and online). Among our readings will be Nicholas Basbanes’ A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books (1995) which includes the scoop on the greatest book thief of the 20th century.
3386 FYSM-180-01 London:Traditional,Modrn&Glbl 1.00 SEM Regan-Lefebvre,Jennifer M. MW: 1:15PM-2:30PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Do you associate London, England with the Queen and her palaces? Or with the punk movement, global financial markets, or curry restaurants? London is home to all of these. This seminar will explore the history of London from the eighteenth century when imperialism, global trade, and industrial growth swelled its population and burst its boundaries up to the present day. We will examine the contradictions of this booming metropolis: simultaneously steeped in tradition and radically modern, quintessentially “British” and yet one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world. We will use a rich range of sources to read and understand London, including maps, memoirs of visitors and residents, photographs, historic monuments and architecture, literary accounts, and demographic data. Students will learn to think and write critically about these sources, drafting a series of short essays which will be reworked into a final portfolio.
3380 FYSM-187-01 The Culture of Nature 1.00 SEM Nadel-Klein,Jane H. TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  We often think of "nature" as something that exists independently of human beings. But is it? In this seminar, we will consider some of the ways in which people experience, construct and transform nature through such fairly passive activities such as walking, looking, and reading, as well as through the more active practices of farming, gardening and landscaping. We will talk about how all these ways of encountering the "natural world" affect our own sense of living in a particular place and time. We will visit local (greater Hartford area) parks, farms and gardens, take walks on local trails, and read those who have contributed to our historical and contemporary senses of engaging with nature, from Thoreau and Rachel Carson to Douglas Tallamy.
3383 FYSM-188-01 Queer Harlem Renaissance 1.00 SEM Paulin,Diana R. TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This course approaches the Harlem Renaissance or “The New Negro” Movement through the lens of sexuality, paying particular attention to the ways in which historical understandings of racial identity were filtered through representations of sexuality and gender. We will discuss the meaning of the term “queer” and consider how it might provide a distinct window through which to view difference, in various forms, such as written, embodied, and performed representations. We will consider how writers of the Harlem Renaissance explored notions of sexuality and gender given the history of segregation and exploitation that generated rigid formulations of race, sexuality, and gender. How did cultural producers challenge, reinforce, question, and imagine sexuality and its intersection with other aspects of identity, such as class, gender, and national origins? Writers/artists may include, but are not limited to: Countee Cullen, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Angelina Weld Grimke, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Claude McKay, Bruce Nugent, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Jean Toomer, Wallace Thurman, and Carl Van Vechten.
3391 FYSM-190-01 Food&Pwr in Americas:1492-1888 1.00 SEM Wickman,Thomas M. MW: 10:00AM-11:15AM TBA  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  This course examines the history of food in the New World, from Columbus’ first landfall in the Americas to the abolition of slavery in Brazil in 1888. Over four centuries, people in the Americas produced, distributed, and consumed food in new ways that benefited some and harmed others. By growing, storing, trading, cooking, serving, or eating food in specialized ways, some people accrued and maintained religious, political, economic, and physical power. At the same time, some people labored under crushing conditions to produce food for local elites or for transatlantic markets. Other people also feared certain foods as debilitating or poisonous and worried that food shortages might result in impoverishment, dependence, or even enslavement. People believed their fates were tied to the foods they grew, cooked, and ate—and to a large extent they were right! Among the foods to be studied (and sampled in class) will be maize, potatoes, cacao, coffee, maple sugar, cane sugar, wheat, rice, beef, venison, and cod. Students will learn how historians write about food and how to contextualize historical paintings, photographs, travel narratives, autobiographies, cookbooks, and other primary sources.
3364 FYSM-229-01 Physics in Science Fiction 1.00 SEM Branning,David TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Science fiction (SF) has a long history of presenting speculations on the physical laws of the universe and the consequences of these laws for our lives and our civilization. Many of these speculations have turned out to be correct, others have proved spectacularly wrong, and some are so forward-looking that the verdict may not be known for centuries. We will read many science fiction stories, most of them in the "hard SF" genre that is exemplified by Tom Godwin's "The Cold Equations" and Poul Anderson's "Tau Zero." Along with classic masters like Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Larry Niven, we will explore modern award-winning authors such as Greg Egan, David Marusek, and Ted Chiang. In each case, we will consider the role that scientific knowledge and discovery play in the story. We will also use the stories as a starting point for understanding scientific concepts, and we will incorporate these concepts into new original written works.
3385 FYSM-260-01 Changing Your Mind 1.00 SEM Raskin,Sarah A. MWF: 10:00AM-10:50AM TBA FYR  
  Enrollment limited to 16
  Your brain is responsible for everything you experience and everything that you will ever be able to do. We will explore the kinds of activities that improve brain function and those that do not. We will consider research that suggests ways you might improve your ability to pay attention, to remember things, and to solve problems. We will consider whether there are differences in the brain cells, brain structure, and cognition between the sexes and if so, what the implications are. We will read about things that impair brain function and make it harder to think well, such as stress, too much television, and multitasking. We will also consider which of these changes are short-lived and which might last a lifetime by looking at the biological mechanisms responsible for these changes in the brain. There will be time spent in community settings outside of the scheduled class each week and occasional evening events, such as attending theatrical productions.