Academic Catalog 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Listing
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Courses listed below are grouped together alphabetically by subject prefix. To search for a specific course, please follow the instructions in the course filter box below and click on “Filter.”
Departments and interdisciplinary programs are described in detail on the Majors, Minors, and Other Programs page within this catalog. Please refer to the detailed sections on each area of study for more information. Requirements to fulfill a major or minor appear within each program or area of study.
All students must also complete the courses in the Common Curriculum (General Education), including Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) requirements and other requirements that pertain to the undergraduate degree. Courses are numbered as follows.
000-049 - Non-credit courses.
050-099 - Common Curriculum (General Education) courses and others that do NOT count toward the major.
100-199 - Introductory-level courses which count for the major.
200-299 - Sophomore/junior-level courses that often may be easily taken by non-majors. (Some departments may use 200-249 and 250-259 to delineate between sophomore and junior level offerings.)
300-399 - Upper-level courses intended primarily for majors - these are courses representing the depth component of the major.
400-499 - All advanced courses for seniors, including those used to fulfill WS (Senior Writing Experience requirement), small seminars, research, thesis, and independent studies.
Wherever possible, the departments have indicated the instructor and the term during which a course is given. Some courses are offered only occasionally and are so indicated. The College retains the right not to offer a course, especially if enrollment is insufficient.
A few courses are not valued at full course credit, and some carry double credit.
A full course unit may be equated to five quarter-credit hours, or three and one-third semester credit hours.
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Music |
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AMU 016 - Union College Camerata Singers Course Units: 0
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The Union College Camerata Singers is a select vocal ensemble that performs music from a span of five centuries. The ensemble performs one concert a year. See Shou Ping Liu.
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AMU 017 - Union College and Community Orchestra Course Units: 0
(Staff) The Orchestra meets once a week and presents at least one concert each term. The Orchestra is open by audition to all students and members of the community. Section and principal chairs are assigned on a rotating basis. See Shou Ping Liu.
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AMU 018 - Early Music Ensemble Course Units: 0
(Staff) The Early Music Ensemble, open to both singers and instrumentalists, is devoted to the study and performance of music from the Middle Ages through the Early Viennese Era. Participants play on both modern instruments and reproductions of historic instruments, including the harpsichord. Emphasis is placed upon historical performance practices, as described in music treatises and other documents and as understood by scholars and performers today. The Ensemble, open by audition, rehearses twice a week. See Professor McMullen.
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AMU 050 - The Language of Music Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An introductory survey of the main aspects of music theory and practice including rhythm, intervals, scales and keys, melody, harmony, and form. Designed for students with no formal background in music. Does not count toward major. CC: HUM
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AMU 060 - From Chant to Mozart Course Units: 1
(Fall; McMullen) A chronological study of compositions from the ninth century through the time of the French Revolution. Gregorian chant; Renaissance court music; the effect of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation on music; Florentine opera; Vivaldi’s concertos; sacred music of Bach and Handel; symphonies, keyboard works, and operas of Haydn and Mozart. CC: HUM
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AMU 061 - From Beethoven to Bernstein Course Units: 1
(Winter; McMullen) A study of composers and their works from the end of the eighteenth century through the present. Beethoven, Chopin, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann, Verdi, Wagner, Brahms, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Ives, Copland, Varese, among others. CC: HUM
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AMU 100 - Elements of Music Theory Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An introduction to the art of music for students already familiar with the basics of notation. A review of musical elements (intervals, triads, scales, durations) complemented by hands-on creative work in the Music Technology Studio. CC: HUM
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AMU 101 - Theory 1: Diatonic Harmony Course Units: 1
(Fall, Spring; Tann) Traditional harmony and modulation approached through short written exercises and listening assignments. Prerequisite(s): ability to read (sing/play) music. CC: HUM
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AMU 102 - Theory 2: Chromatic Harmony Course Units: 1
(Winter; Tann) Chromatic harmony: models drawn from late Classical and Romantic composers. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 110 - Class Piano 1 Course Units: 1
(Winter; McMullen) This course, aimed at students with no experience in piano playing, integrates basics of music theory with learning to play the piano. Students will first learn to read treble and bass clefs at the keyboard and then come to an understanding of keys and basic harmonic principles while learning to play music from a variety of repertoires. CC: HUM
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AMU 111 - Class Piano 2 Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) A continuation of Class Piano I. Students learn to perform intermediate-level piano works from classical and popular music repertoires, develop sight reading skills, and learn to harmonize melodies with more than three chords. Prerequisite(s): AMU 110 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 120 - Introduction to World Music Course Units: 1
(Same as ANT 148 ) (Fall; Matsue) Introduces musics from various world areas including Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe through live performance, lecture, video and audio. Students will increase familiarity with a wide range of musical styles while also exploring the relationship between music and society. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 125 - World Religions and Music Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Music, deemed by some to be a gift from the Divine, continues to play an important role in the histories of all religions. Through an examination of three religions - Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity - students will come to an understanding of the intricate relationships among music, theology, liturgy, ritual, and human religious expressions in different cultures and at different time periods. CC: HUM, LCC
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AMU 130 - American Music Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) American music-cultures approached through performance, lecture, video, and audio. Survey samples from popular, classical, and folk traditions. CC: HUM
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AMU 131 - Music of Black America Course Units: 1
(Fall; Olsen) Black music in America from its African beginnings to present-day pop styles, approached through live performance, lecture, video, and sound recordings. Special emphasis on gospel, blues, jazz, and rap. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. CC: LCC, HUM Note: Not open to students who have taken AMU 132 .
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AMU 132 - The History of Jazz Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) A study of the important personalities and trends in the evolution of jazz, approached through reading, video and sound recordings, and live performance. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. CC: LCC, HUM Note: Not open to students who have taken AMU 131 .
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AMU 133 - Music of Latin America Course Units: 1
(Spring; Olsen) Latin American music-cultures approached through live performance, lecture, video, and audio. Survey samples from folk, popular, and classical traditions, with special emphasis on the musics of Cuba and Brazil. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 134 - Music and Culture of Africa Course Units: 1
(Spring; Olsen) Through an examination of traditional and popular musics from across the continent, students will gain a better understanding of the integral role played by music in African culture. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 136 - Popular Music in Modern Japan Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Explores the development of popular music in modern Japan from Meiji period military music to contemporary urban popular musics. Intended for students interested in Japanese cultural history and Japanese music, as well as popular music and culture more broadly. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 200 - Theory 3: Phrase and Form Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Larger features of music approached through analysis of scores and compositional assignments. Prerequisite(s): AMU 102 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 202 - Music Thinking: World and POP Course Units:
(Winter; Staff) This course will examine music traditions outside the canon of Western classical music, including American folk, jazz and popular musics as well as traditional and popular musics from around the world. In order to better understand the theory and practice of these musics, students will pursue topics including the dichotomy between oral tradition and written notation; various ways of organizing pitch, rhythm, and meter; and the process of transcription. Prerequisite(s): AMU 100 or AMU 101 or permission of the instructor. CC: LCC
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AMU 204 - Introduction to Composition Course Units: 1
(Fall; Tann) The creation and notation of freestyle compositions with emphasis on individual instruction. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 212 - Baroque Music Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course is a study of music composed between 1600 and 1750. Origins and development of opera from Monteverdi through Handel; the influence of dance rhythms; the development of the concerto; harpsichord and organ music by Frescobaldi, Couperin, and Bach; performance practice issues and modern-day musicians; and sacred and secular music of Bach and Handel. CC: HUM
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AMU 213 - Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course is a study of the works and lives of these three composers, students will come to a better understanding of Vienna at one of the city’s greatest musical heights. Emphasis will be placed on the composers’ contributions to the development of the symphony, string quartet, opera, and piano sonata. CC: HUM
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AMU 214 - Romanticism Course Units: 1
(Fall; McMullen) Through a study of scores and historical documents this course examines selected works from a variety of views, ranging from music analytical to historical. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the individual styles developed by composers such as Chopin, Berlioz, Verdi, Wagner, and Brahms over the course of the nineteenth century. CC: HUM, HUL
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AMU 215 - Music in the 20th & 21st Centuries Course Units: 1
(Winter; Olsen) The study of significant styles and developments in the music of the last century (both “classical” and popular), approached through analysis, performance, and/or composition. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 220 - Music and Culture Course Units: 1
(Same as ANT 274 ) (Winter; Matsue) This seminar explores the relationship between music and culture through live performance, discussion, video and audio, and workshops in a variety of world music areas. Students will also consider how one conducts research on performing arts, culminating in a focused project on music-making in the community. Students thus will encounter diverse peoples and their musical practices in cross-cultural comparison while also exploring research methodology through their own work. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 , AMU 120 / ANT 148 or permission of the instructor. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 221 - From Rhythm and Blues to Radiohead: The History of Rock & Roll Course Units: 1
(Spring; Matsue) Explores the historical development of Anglo-American rock-and-roll through lecture, video and sound recordings. This course will rely heavily on film, with an accompanying series featuring documentaries, concert films, musicals and more. Students will gain a greater understanding of the socio-cultural contexts that informed stylistic change, as well as consider the continued relevancy of rock today. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisite.
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AMU 230 - Vocal Workshop Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Performance and historical study of music written for small vocal ensembles. Repertoire from many eras. CC: HUM
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AMU 231 - Chamber Music Workshop Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Rehearsal and performance of chamber music primarily from Classical and Romantic periods. CC: HUM
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AMU 232 - Jazz Workshop Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Students will perform, analyze, and compose music written in jazz idioms; students will develop skills in improvisation. CC: HUM
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AMU 233 - Japanese Drumming Workshop Course Units: 1
(Fall; Matsue) This course introduces Japanese drumming, exploring its origins and subsequent development as a national art form following WWII, and then its ultimate spread globally as a voice of Asian-American activism. The course emphasizes performance on the drums and culminates in a final concert and performance project. No previous musical experience is required. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 234 - Balinese Gamelan Workshop Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course introduces Balinese music and culture, exploring the importance of music, dance, and religion in the everyday life of Balinese people. The course emphasizes performance of Balinese gong kebyar (an orchestral form featuring xylophones, gongs, drums, and cymbals) and culminates in a final concert and performance protest. No previous musical experience is required. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 295H - Music Honors Independent Project 1 Course Units: 0
(Staff)
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AMU 296H - Music Honors Independent Project 2 Course Units: 1
(Staff) Prerequisite(s): AMU 295H
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AMU 302 - Special Topics: Global Popular Music Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This seminar explores popular music around world, considering in particular the culturally-specific adaptations of global popular forms such as pops, hip-hop, reggae, and rock. CC: HUM
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AMU 303 - Special Topics: Conducting Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Fundamentals of conducting vocal and instrumental ensembles, including score reading and preparation, beat patterns, gestures, and rehearsal techniques. Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 304 - Projects in Composition and Performance Course Units: 1
(Spring; Tann) Self-selected group and individual projects in composition or performance or both. Instrumental ability not necessarily a prerequisite. CC: HUM
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AMU 305 - Special Topics: Vocal Arranging Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Writing and arranging for the voice, in folk, classical, jazz, and popular contexts. Prerequisite(s): AMU 102 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 306 - The Evolution of Popular Song Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) From minstrelsy and vaudeville through Tin Pan Alley, Motown, the Beatles, Burt Bacharach, and Billy Joel, this course will examine the creation, performance, transmission, and reception of popular song. In addition to analyzing lyrical/musical content as well as historical context, students will compose words and music in the styles of established master songwriters. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 or permission of the instructor. CC: HUM
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AMU 320 - Encounters with East Asian Music Cultures Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Through live performance, discussion, and composition, this course explores key characteristics of East Asian Music Cultures. Particular attention is paid to the processes of cultural exchange between China, Korea, Japan and the rest of the world that have resulted in the rich breadth of performance traditions expressed today. Prerequisite(s): AMU-101 or permission of the instructor. CC: LCC, HUM
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AMU 340 - Early Music Seminar Course Units: 1
(Spring; McMullen) This course focuses on repertoire from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Baroque Eras, with a particular emphasis on performance practice. Among the genres considered are Gregorian chant, troubadour and trouvere songs, Notre Dame polyphony, Masses, chanson, madrigals, Lieder, motets, dance music, and a variety of instrumental music. CC: HUM
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AMU 490 - Music Independent Study 1 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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AMU 491 - Music Independent Study 2 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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AMU 492 - Music Independent Study 3 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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AMU 497 - Music One Term Senior Project Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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AMU 498 - Music Two Term Senior Project 1 Course Units: 0
(Staff)
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AMU 499 - Music Two Term Senior Project 2 Course Units: 2
(Staff) Prerequisite(s): AMU 498 CC: WS
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WMC 490 - World Musics & Cultures Independent Study Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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Anthropology |
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ANT 110 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) The basic concepts, methodology, and findings of cultural anthropology. Examines the similarities and diversity of human societies through in-depth case studies and cross-cultural comparisons. CC: LCC, SOCS
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ANT 111 - Cultures Through Film Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course explores other cultures as they are portrayed in ethnographic and documentary film. The course introduces students to ethnographic film and to the broad range of cultures and issues that are the subjects of these films. CC: LCC
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ANT 130 - Food and the Self Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) What is the relationship between food and the body? What are the boundaries of food and the body? Are you what you eat or how you eat? This course looks at anthropological approaches to eating, consumption, identity, the body and food, while also examining current controversies such as obesity, genetically modified foods, and food taboos. While much of the course concerns itself with the cultural and historical construction of the American diet, it also draws examples from other cultures. CC: LCC
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ANT 148 - Introduction to World Music Course Units: 1
(Same as AMU 120 ) (Fall; Matsue) Introduces musics from various world areas including Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe through live performance, lecture, video and audio. Students will increase familiarity with a wide range of musical styles while also exploring the relationship between music and society. CC: LCC, HUM
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ANT 170 - Myth, Ritual and Magic Course Units: 1
(Same as REL 170 ) (Not Offered this Academic Year) This course examines some of the theoretical issues surrounding myth, ritual and magic as well as specific examples of their cultural expression. How do people make sense of themselves, their society and the world through myth and ritual? How do cosmology and belief systems help them gain and organize knowledge about the world and themselves? The course will be examining a number of “occult” and “esoteric” practices, that is, practices that were not commonly known to all members of society, including sufism, kabbalah, alchemy, and shamanism. CC: LCC, HUM
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ANT 181 - Anthropology of Sub-Saharan Africa Course Units: 1
(Fall; Osborn) This course offers an ethnographic and ethnological survey of the diverse peoples and cultures of sub-Saharan Africa. To gain insight into the lives and experiences of peoples from across the region, we will examine both historical and contemporary forces that continue to shape political, economic, and sociocultural development. The course is organized thematically around a series of readings that give students an overview of the continent, its history and key topics in African anthropology. Anthropological approaches will be used to understand many of the challenges and innovations experienced across sub-Saharan Africa, including political conflict and democratization, development dilemmas, disease etiologies and witchcraft, popular culture, urbanization and environmental conservation. Through lectures, course readings, and discussions, students will enhance their knowledge of both Africa and anthropology. CC: LCC
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ANT 184 - Contemporary Japanese Society Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An anthropological introduction to contemporary Japanese society and culture. Provides an historical overview, then explores in greater depth such topics as family structure, education, religious traditions, the work place, women, and contemporary social problems. CC: LCC
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ANT 210 - The Anthropology of Poverty Course Units: 1
(Spring; Witsoe) Why has urban poverty remained so entrenched in the United States, even amidst the unprecedented economic expansion of the postwar period? This course will seek to answer this question by exploring the relationships between race, public institutions, economic change and inequality within American society. In doing so, the course will examine the theoretical and practical dimensions of anthropology’s engagement with poverty. We will begin by examining theoretical approaches for understanding the persistence of poverty in the United States, as well as the major policy frameworks that seek to reduce poverty. In addition, the course will cover anthropological critiques of these approaches and anthropological accounts of the everyday realities and struggles of poor people. Students will do internships in local organizations dealing with poverty and will use this experience to reflect on larger debates. CC: LCC
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ANT 214 - Language and Culture Course Units: 1
(Spring; Brison) This course examines the complex relationship between culture and language. Lectures and readings will use case materials drawn from North America, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe to explore theories about how language is shaped by, and in turn shapes, culture and social relations. We will start by looking at the influence of linguistic categories on the way we view the world around us. We will look at color terminology, racial and ethnic categories, pronoun use, and differences in vocabulary used to talk about men and women. Next, we will turn to cultural differences in communicative behavior. We will examine theories that suggest that males and females, and members of various ethnic groups, use language differently in everyday social interaction. These differences in communicative strategies lead to systematic miscommunication and perpetuate stereotypes. We will then turn to the ways changes in communicative technologies such as the internet and cell phones change social relations. Finally, we will explore the ways that language reflects and supports social class, and the patterning of language use in multilingual nations. CC: LCC
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ANT 220 - Women’s Lives Across Cultures Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Examines women’s lives in different cultures through detailed case studies and film, focusing on common experiences (e.g., motherhood, work), gender-based inequality, and sources of women’s power and influence. It also examines topics that exclusively or disproportionately affect women (e.g., female genital cutting, domestic violence, rape, sex tourism) as well as the varied forms feminism takes in other cultures. CC: LCC
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ANT 222 - Childhood in Anthropological Perspective Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course examines childhood across cultures. Lectures and readings will use case materials drawn from North America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Asia to explore ways in which culture affects how parents deal with children. We will also examine the acquisition of culture by young children. We will look closely at ways in which different cultural practices shape the experience of childhood from infancy to adolescence. Topics addressed will include: beliefs about infants, language acquisition, cultural differences in theories about learning, the nature of schools in various cultures, the role of play and mass media in shaping children, the cultural shaping of gender identity, and adolescent initiation rites. CC: LCC
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ANT 225 - Gender and Society Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An examination of the role gender plays in human life. How does being labeled and socialized to be male or female shape peoples’ daily life and life chances? How do our culture and others regard people who do not fit mainstream conceptions of maleness or femaleness? The course will discuss the concepts of gender and sex, gendered behavior and expectations, “third genders” (e.g., the North American berdache, the Indian hijra), homosexuality, transgendered individuals and sex-reassignment surgery, and cross-cultural similarities and differences. CC: LCC
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ANT 226T - Education and Culture Course Units: 1
(Fall; Brison) This course examines the relationship between educational systems, on the one hand, and their cultural and social environment, on the other hand. The course will consider such as issues as: 1) the relationship between schools and ethnic and national identity; how do educational systems attempt to construct national identities? Do they succeed? How are ethnic divisions reinforced or mediated by educational systems? 2) the relationship between imported international educational models and local cultures: how do the assumptions embedded in imported educational models conflict with local understandings about authority, knowledge, and society? 3) the ways that cultural assumptions are implicit in classroom routines; how can we analyze classroom routines to reveal the “hidden curriculum” of assumptions about knowledge, authority, and the qualities needed to be a good and successful person. Students will conduct participant observation in a local school, will read and discuss works on education and society and will analyze local schools in papers. CC: LCC
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ANT 230 - Medical Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Winter; Osborn) An examination of beliefs about illness, healing, and the body and how these are shaped by culture and society. Topics include healing practices across cultures, political forces shaping medical practice in the U.S., and birthing practices in different cultures. CC: LCC
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ANT 232 - Bombs to Buddhism: Fatalism, Technology, and Modern Japanese Culture Course Units: 1
(Winter; Matsue) An exploration of Japanese culture through critical reading of a variety of texts including classic literature, historical accounts, contemporary fiction, manga (Japanese comics), anime (Japanese animation), and film. Throughout the course, students will question what religious beliefs, natural disasters and historical events have shaped Japanese media, which, in turn, will deepen our understanding of contemporary Japanese society. The importance of such disparate phenomena as Buddhism, the dropping of the nuclear bomb, the 1954 film “Godzilla;’ and the mega - manga ”Akira” will be considered. CC: LCC
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ANT 234 - Health and Healing in Africa Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will explore the diversity of health-related beliefs and practices across Africa. We will firmly situate perspectives and approaches to health and illness within a broad sociocultural and historical context, also helping to challenge stereotypes associated with the continent. By cultivating a deeper knowledge of how African communities perceive and treat afflictions as well as international responses to health crises (e.g. Ebola), we will develop a cross-cultural perspective that expands our understanding of global, as well as local, health and healing. CC: LCC
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ANT 237 - Gangs and Youth Violence Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Bloods. Crips. Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). The 18th St. Gang (M-18). Latin Kings. The names have become synonymous with senseless violence. Both feared and fetishized, the street gang became a focal point of urban politics in the United Staves and Latin America during the late twentieth century. Beginning with the neoliberal reforms of the 1980s, young, poor, minorities have found themselves at the center of a socio-economic crisis that has ben accompanied by the rise of zero-tolerance policing. For the purposes of this class, the youth gang phenomenon will serve as a window in to the experience of racial, ethnic and economic marginalization under late capitalism. We will explore the context that gives rise to gang violence through a combination of anthropological, sociological, and historical approaches. By the end of the quarter, students will be familiar with the macro-social factors that shape both gangs and the politics of urban violence in the Americans. CC: LCC
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ANT 239 - Family and Kinship Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course provides an analysis of families in the U.S. and other cultures. The aim is to develop an appreciation for the variety of ways that family life can be organized as well as an understanding of the causes and consequences of different family and kinship patterns. CC: LCC
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ANT 240 - Technology, Culture & Society Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Examines the role of technology in cultural change and the role of culture in technological change. Particular attention will be given to: the Internet and other so-called “virtual community” formations, graphic design and other media, “reality” TV, cross-cultural advertising, and popular music. CC: LCC
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ANT 241 - Environmental Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Fall; Kappeler) This course examines anthropological approaches to the environment and environmentalism. It asks questions such as: How does culture shape our perception of nature? What can conflicts over environmental protection, natural resources and human manipulations of natural materials tell us about contemporary societies? What does it mean to call an issue “political” or “cultural,” versus “scientific” or “technical”? Students will develop the critical analysis skills to examine the natural world as a site of cultural politics, using anthropological concepts to examine environmentalism in diverse geographical and historical settings, including the Amazon, the Niger Delta, the suburban mall, and the Union campus. CC: LCC
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ANT 242 - Economic Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Fall; Kahn) This course explores the social and cultural dimensions of production, exchange and consumption. Do all people everywhere seek to accumulate property, and to maximize profits? Is “rationality” the same in every culture? Do all think the same way about debt, bribery, gambling or marriage payments? Do human economies evolve inexorably-for example, from public to private property, from cowrie shells to electronic money, or from gifts and barter to sale and credit? Or is the picture more complex and the direction inconstant? Is there really any such thing as a “free” gift? What does The Godfather have to do with the exchange of necklaces and armbands in the South Pacific? Who wins and loses from “globalization”? Why do people value things? CC: LCC
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ANT 243 - Anthropology and International Development Course Units: 1
(Spring; Kappeler) Faith in twentieth-century development and progress has been severely shaken by the environmental crisis and the failures of the international development assistance. What is development? What is the third world? How was it made? What problems does it face and how is it changing? What are the causes of failure in development / aid programs? Drawing on a variety of ethnographic materials and case studies, this course discusses the nature of economic and social changes in post colonial societies and underdeveloped areas in the West / North, offers a critical analysis of sustainable development, and introduces the students to the practices, anthropological and otherwise, of planning policy interventions. The course shows how anthropological knowledge and understanding can illuminate “development issues” such as rural poverty, environmental degradation and the globalization of trade. CC: LCC
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ANT 245 - Sport, Society, and Culture Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The comparative study of the role of sport in society. Topics include the meaning of play and sport; the evolution of sport; sport and socialization; ritual in sport; sport and gender; sport and race; sport and education; sport, conflict and violence; and sport and cultural change.
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ANT 246 - Anthropology of Human Rights Course Units: 1
(Fall; Witsoe) In recent years, anthropological discussions of human rights have gone beyond the traditional debate between universalism and relativism sparked by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Marginalized peoples who are the traditional subjects of anthropological research are increasingly using human rights rhetoric to advance their own causes or draw attention to their plight. This course will examine philosophical and anthropological discussions of human rights and contemporary debates and controversies surrounding human rights. In particular, we will examine the deployment of truth commissions in the aftermath of political violence, the role of human rights NGOs, contested claims of suffering, and human rights interventions.
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ANT 247 - Living With Globalization Course Units: 1
(Spring; Kappeler) In recent decades, technologically-enabled increases in flows of capital, people, things, images and ideas around the world have resulted in the process of global integration and compression commonly called “globalization.” In this course we will explore globalization from the perspective of anthropology, tracing its consequences both for the world’s economic and political systems, and for the everyday lives of people around the globe. Topics will include: cultural dimensions of changing labor practices and systems of production, the role of globalization in cultural homogenization and differentiation, the ways the migrants, refugees, tourists and others forge new supra-national forms of sociality and identity, and the role of media flows and commodity consumption in the production of global identities. CC: LCC
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ANT 252 - Anthropology of Christianity Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Although Christianity has its historical roots in the Mediterranean world, during its 2000 year history it has migrated to almost every geographical area of the globe giving rise to many vibrant local Christianities with distinct and culturally specific identities. While many people associate contemporary Christianity with Euro- Americans, scholars point to Christian churches dating from the 5th century in North Africa and in India. Scholars argue that the demographic center of Christianity has already shifted to the Global south. This course investigates the ways Christianity has been shaped by contact with different world cultures and the social processes and religious changes implicit in the acculturation of Christianity in diverse geographical regions and cultural contexts. Questions addresses will include: i) how has Christianity been localized in various areas of the world?; ii) what is the appeal to Pentecostalism in the global south? Is it a conservative force directing attention away from social inequalities or does it challenge social inequalities? iii) what kinds of transnational networks are formed by contemporary Christians and how do these shape new kinds of identities?; iv) what is the appeal of apparently patriarchal and conservative forms of Christianity to women, who form the majority of Christians in most areas? CC: LCC
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ANT 254 - Anthropology of Religion Course Units: 1
(Fall; Kahn) Comparative study of religious behavior and ideology. Examines the ways that a wide array of religions help individuals to cope with life problems and reinforce social groups. Examines debates about the extent to which religion shapes human motivation and about the relationship between religion and society. CC: LCC
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ANT 255T - Culture and Work Course Units: 1
(Winter; Witsoe) This course takes a broad perspective on the relationship between culture and work. Course readings, assignments and discussions, will prompt students to consider how work activities are shaped by culture and the larger social context by examining: I) institutional cultures involving idiosyncratic authority structures, routines, shared knowledge and so on; ii) how local cultures are influenced by their place in larger international production chains. CC: LCC
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ANT 258 - Anthropology of Media Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) How do communications media reshape ourselves and the worlds we inhabit? This course examines the influence of media on contemporary society. It focuses on identity formation and the different ways that scholars have approached the relationship between media and our taken-for-granted norms, practices, and beliefs. Readings draw from a wide range of disciplines and intellectual traditions, including cultural studies, critical media theory, critical race studies, feminist studies and communication. However, the fundamental approach is anthropological. Our aim is to understand how everyday media practices relate to larger issues of personal, social and cultural identity. To this end, the class moves back and forth between theory and ethnography so that students develop both a sense of key questions in the field and an idea about how to answer them. CC: LCC
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ANT 260 - Tourists and Tourism Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course examines the practice of tourism as a way of knowing the world and constituting the self. It also explores the role of tourism in the lives of those who act as hosts to tourists. Topics include the role of tourism in the essentialization and commodification of culture, the emergence, organization, and effects of mass tourism, the cultural dynamics surrounding several kinds of niche tourism, and the possibility of socially and ecologically responsible tourism development. CC: LCC
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ANT 265 - The Museum: Theory & Practice Course Units: 1
(Same as HST 265 ) (Spring; Staff) This course is designed to introduce students to the work of museums through an internship at a Schenectady Museum and accompanying seminar. Articles from anthropology and history (including art history) expose you to the range of practical (e.g., exhibit design, collections policy, planning educational programs) and theoretical issues scholars study (e.g., intellectual property, commodifying culture, whose voice and history should be heard). The internship at a Schenectady Museum gives hands-on experience with museum work and the day-to-day issues museum staff confront. Several fieldtrips introduce different types of museums.
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ANT 270 - Political Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The course introduces anthropological approaches to the study of politics. We will examine influential theories of power, democracy and the state and apply them to understanding particular cases in various areas of the world. Topics covered will include: ethnographies of local politics, democratic elections, ethnographies of bureaucracy and other state institutions, ethnographic accounts of the political implications of development practice, and ethnographies in and of the “world system.” We end by exploring the implications of globalization for studying politics and the state. CC: LCC
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ANT 272 - Psychological Anthropology Course Units: 1
(Winter; Brison) This course examines the influence of culture and society on individual psychology. Readings and class discussions examine the history of the way anthropologists have thought about the relationship between culture and personality. Issues examined will include: Do cultures produce and favor distinctive personality types? How is mental illness shaped by cultural beliefs and social practices? Are there distinctive “culture bound syndromes” and, if so, what produces them? Do cultures provide tools to help individuals adjust to crises? Do some cultures do this better than others? Are emotions fundamentally the same across cultures or does emotional experience vary significantly with culture? Is there a culture of psychiatry in the US? How do our cultural assumptions and our pharmaceutical industries shape our views of personality and mental illness? Cases will be drawn from Oceania, Asia, North America, and the Middle East. CC: LCC
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ANT 274 - Music and Culture Course Units: 1
(Same as AMU 220 ) (Fall; Matsue) This seminar explores the relationship between music and culture through live performance, discussion, video and audio, and workshops in a variety of world music areas. Students will also consider how one conducts research on performing arts, culminating in a focused project on music-making in the community. Students thus will encounter diverse peoples and their musical practices in cross-cultural comparison while also exploring research methodology through their own work. Prerequisite(s): AMU 101 , AMU 120 / ANT 148 , or permission of the instructor. CC: LCC
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ANT 280 - Contemporary India Course Units: 1
(Fall; Witsoe) The second-fastest growing major economy in the world, India is also a country with hundreds of millions of people living in extreme poverty. Arguably the most successful democracy in the postcolonial world, Indian politics is also pervaded by corruption and violence. The course will examine recent political developments in India such as the rise of Hindu nationalism, the spread of lower-caste politics, and economic liberalization. We focus on the challenges that India faces in the twenty-first century, including land and water scarcities, the already visible effects of global warming, and growing inequalities between regions and social groups. This will add complexity and balance to the now widespread image of India as a rising economic superpower within an emergent “Asian Century.” CC: LCC
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ANT 283 - Peoples and Cultures of Latin America Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Examines the peoples and cultures of Latin America in historical and contemporary perspectives. Uses case studies, accompanying articles, and a range of media. Themes include: colonialism, identity politics, expressive culture, religion, gender, race, ethnicity, nationalism, and political economy. CC: LCC
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ANT 285T - Peoples and Cultures of the Pacific Course Units: 1
(Fall; Brisson) An overview of the cultures of Polynesia (including Fiji, Tonga and Samoa), focusing particularly on kinship, religious beliefs, economic systems, and the impact of colonization and missionization. Offered on the Fiji Term Abroad. CC: LCC
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ANT 295H - Anthropology Honors Independent Project 1 Course Units: 0
(Staff) (Tutorial for Union Scholars Sophomores; permission of instructor required)
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ANT 296H - Anthropology Honors Independent Project 2 Course Units: 1
(Staff) (Tutorial for Union Scholars Sophomores; permission of instructor required) Prerequisite(s): ANT 295H
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ANT 363 - Research Methods and Design Course Units: 1
(Spring; Witsoe) An introduction to qualitative research methods in anthropology. The course examines the ways anthropologists collect data through participant observation, non-directive interviewing, questionnaires, examining case studies, and doing symbolic and behavioral analyses. We examine the strengths and weaknesses of these methods and compare them to methods of other social sciences to illuminate the anthropological approach to understanding society and culture. Students learn how to formulate research questions and a research project, apply the best methods to a particular research design, and write a proposal. Prerequisite(s): ANT 110
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ANT 390 - Thinking about Culture Course Units: 1
(Winter; Kahn) A broad overview of the history of American and European anthropological approaches to studying individuals and societies. Students examine the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary and historical paradigms through critical reading and analysis papers. Prerequisite(s): ANT 110 CC: LCC
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ANT 490 - Anthropology Independent Study 1 Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) Tutorial for individual students. Prerequisite(s): A minimum GPA of 3.2.
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ANT 490T - Anthropology Independent Study Abroad Course Units: 1
(Fall; Staff) Tutorial for individual students.
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ANT 491 - Anthropology Independent Study 2 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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ANT 492 - Anthropology Independent Study 3 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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ANT 498 - Anthropology Senior Thesis 1 Course Units: 0
(Staff)
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ANT 499 - Anthropology Senior Thesis 2 Course Units: 2
(Staff)
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TAB 109T - Hindi Studied Abroad 1 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
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ARB 100 - Basic Arabic 1 Course Units: 1
(Fall; Staff) Basic skills for students who begin with no knowledge of Arabic. CC: HUM
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ARB 101 - Basic Arabic 2 Course Units: 1
(Winter; Staff) A continuation of ARB 100 . Prerequisite(s): ARB 100 or permission of instructor. CC: LCCA, HUM
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ARB 102 - Basic Arabic 3 Course Units: 1
(Spring; Staff) A continuation of ARB 101 . Prerequisite(s): ARB 101 or permission of instructor. CC: LCCA, HUM
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