Global Problems of Population Growth
This survey course introduces students to the important and basic material on human fertility, population growth, the demographic transition and population policy. Topics include: the human and environmental dimensions of population pressure, demographic history, economic and cultural causes of demographic change, environmental carrying capacity and sustainability. Political, religious and ethical issues surrounding fertility are also addressed. The lectures and readings attempt to balance theor
The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food
This course encompasses the study of eating as it affects the health and well-being of every human. Topics include taste preferences, food aversions, the regulation of hunger and satiety, food as comfort and friendship, eating as social ritual, and social norms of blame for food problems. The politics of food discusses issues such as sustainable agriculture, organic farming, genetically modified foods, nutrition policy, and the influence of food and agriculture industries. Also examined are prob
European Civilization, 1648-1945
This course offers a broad survey of modern European history, from the end of the Thirty Years' War to the aftermath of World War II. Along with the consideration of major events and figures such as the French Revolution and Napoleon, attention will be paid to the experience of ordinary people in times of upheaval and transition. The period will thus be viewed neither in terms of historical inevitability nor as a procession of great men, but rather through the lens of the complex interrelations
Dante in Translation
The course is an introduction to Dante and his cultural milieu through a critical reading of the Divine Comedy and selected minor works (Vita nuova, Convivio, De vulgari eloquentia, Epistle to Cangrande). An analysis of Dante's autobiography, the Vita nuova, establishes the poetic and political circumstances of the Comedy's composition. Readings of Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise seek to situate Dante's work within the intellectual and social context of the late Middle Ages, with special attenti
African American History II
African American History II is a course that examines the broad range of experiences of African Americans from the close of the American Civil War to the 1980s. We will explore both the relationship of blacks to the larger society and the inner dynamic of the black community. We will devote particular attention to Reconstruction, the migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, and the political machinations of the African American community.
Women in Islamic Societies
This course serves as a broad survey of women's and gender issues within the contexts of multiple societies in the Islamic world. The first half of the semester will concentrate on the historical position of women in Islamic societies, defined by the normative values of Islam and by cultural traditions and norms that were sometimes at odds with religious prescriptions. We will discuss how the interpretations of these values in diverse circumstances and who gets to do the interpreting have had im
Jews and Christians Through History
This course will explore a number of issues which emerge from the history of Christian theology: How did a negative image of Judaism develop within Christianity? In what ways did these unfavorable teachings contribute toward violence against the Jews over the centuries?What is the relationship between Christian anti-Jewish teachings and Anti-Semitism? Is there any corresponding Jewish hostility towards Christians? In what ways have Jewish authors reacted to developments within the Christian trad
Creole Language and Culture, Spring 2007
This course introduces students to the language of Haitian Kreyòl, or Creole, and to the culture of its speakers. The course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of the language and will develop both reading and writing skills--emphasizing communicative competence as well as grammatical and phonetic techniques. Importantly, this study of Kreyòl explores the language's social and cultural elements, as seen in Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean. The course includes an anthropolo
Medicine and Public Health in American History, Fall 2007
This course offers an introduction to differing conceptions of disease, health, and healing throughout American history, the changing role and image of medicine and medical professionals in American life, and the changing social and cultural meanings and entanglements of medical science and practice throughout American history.
Environmental Philosophy, Fall 2007
The aim of this course is to enable participants to bring together materials from various disciplines bearing on our current environmental crisis, and from this integrated perspective to evaluate possible ways in which the crisis might be resolved. Disciplines to be consulted include ecology, thermodynamics, economics, value theory, and environmental history, among others. This project will rely on the integrative skills of philosophy to discern how materials from these disparate sources fit tog
Nuclear Warfare, Spring 2008
Nuclear Warfare (PHYS20061) is offered by the Physics Department as an introductory course for non-science majors. The course provides an overview of a broad range of topics regarding nuclear weapons. Although the emphasis is on nuclear weapons, we will consider other weapons of mass destruction, particularly in the context of the threat due to terrorism and rogue states. The goal is to be informed of the background history and technical issues so as to know how best to deal with them in the fu
Beyond Burma - Studying Buddhism and Buddhist Culture around the World
In this lesson, students learn about the 2007 military violence against protesting monks in the devoutly Buddhist country of Myanmar. After investigating and “curating” an exhibit on the history, basic tenets, practices, and global influence of this ancient faith, students consider the implications of the military regime’s actions on Buddhist society in Myanmar.
Power Up
Enter the world of PowerUp, a free, online, multiplayer game that allows students to experience the excitement and the diversity of modern engineering! Playing the game, students work together in teams to investigate the rich, 3D game environment and learn about the environmental disasters that threaten the game world and its inhabitants. Teacher's guide and lesson plans included.
An Examination of Interviews from the American Slave Narratives and the American Folklore Collection
Students will examine and interpret interviews obtained by authors working for the Federal Writer's Project during the 1930s. A close study of the narratives will allow students to: Understand the specific tasks undertaken by men and women employed by one of the work relief programs of the New Deal; Obtain a more personal sense of the past by examining the lives and careers of ordinary men and women interviewed during the period of the Federal Writer's Project; Learn about the process and issues
AP Physics B I
This course is divided into two semesters and is designed to acquaint you with topics in classical and modern physics. The first semester discusses topics in Newtonian mechanics including: kinematics, laws of motion, work and energy, systems of particles, momentum, circular motion, oscillations, and gravitation. The first semester concludes with topics in fluid mechanics, thermal physics, and kinetic theory. The second semester discusses the topics of electricity and magnetism, waves and optics,
Introductory Physics II
Welcome to the NROC Introductory Physics course. This course is divided into two semesters and is designed to acquaint you with topics in classical and modern physics. The first semester discusses topics in Newtonian mechanics including: kinematics, laws of motion, work and energy, systems of particles, momentum, circular motion, oscillations, and gravitation. The first semester concludes with topics in fluid mechanics, thermal physics, and kinetic theory. The second semester discusses the topic
College Preparatory Physics II
Welcome to the NROC College Preparatory Physics course. This course is divided into two semesters and is designed to acquaint you with topics in classical and modern physics. The first semester discusses topics in Newtonian mechanics, oscillatory motion, waves and static electricity. The second semester discusses the topics of current electricity, magnetism, electric circuits, sound, fluids and gases, heat, and modern physics. The course emphasizes conceptual understanding of basic physics princ
College Preparatory Physics I
Welcome to the NROC College Preparatory Physics course. This course is divided into two semesters and is designed to acquaint you with topics in classical and modern physics. The first semester discusses topics in Newtonian mechanics, oscillatory motion, waves and static electricity. The second semester discusses the topics of current electricity, magnetism, electric circuits, sound, fluids and gases, heat, and modern physics. The course emphasizes conceptual understanding of basic physics princ
Thomas Jefferson's Plan for the University of Virginia: Lessons from the Lawn
This lesson plan focuses on Thomas Jefferson's belief about the role of education in a democratic society, and the relationship between learning and educational setting. The lesson could be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on Thomas Jefferson and his democratic principles or the history of education in America.
Winslow Homer in the National Gallery of Art
This in-depth study traces Homer's extraordinary career from the battlefields, farmland, and coastal villages of America, to the North Sea fishing village of Cullercoats, the rocky coast of Maine, the Adirondacks, and the Caribbean. Includes zoom option for close study, video clips, and an interactive slide show.
