Winter Term Course Catalog 2013
Waitlist For Visiting Instructor Courses:
If you would like to be placed on a waitlist for a visiting instructor’s course, please contact Janis Audet at jaudet@middlebury.edu. She will monitor this process until classes begin in January. Contact information for visiting instructors is not provided before classes begin in January, and visitors do not manage their course waitlist before arriving on campus.
Please Note that a waitlist is not generated before registration begins or before a class is fully enrolled.
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ARTS Division |
HUMANITIES Division |
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INTERDISCIPLINARY Division |
LANGUAGE Division |
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LITERATURE Division
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NATURAL SCIENCES Division |
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SOCIAL SCIENCES Division |
OFF CAMPUS |
Interdepartmental or Interdisciplinary Courses
INTD 0273 Solar Decathlon 2013: Construction Documentation (Part I)
The Department of Energy (DOE) and National Research Energy Laboratory (NREL) sponsored Solar Decathlon is a competition to design and construct a solar-powered house. Middlebury College was recently selected to participate in the 2013 challenge. The objective of this studio course is to develop the construction documentation for the approved project in accordance with the deliverables and deadlines set forth by the DOE and NREL. The main components of this course will include: architectural and construction detailing; building code analysis and compliance; building permitting; physical model construction; 3D computer modeling; construction specifications; and structural coordination. Students are expected to continue with INTD 0274 in the spring semester after successfully completing INTD 0273. (Approval required; please contact Andrea Murray prior to registration) (A. Nelson)
INTD 1014 American Sign Language I
In this course students will be introduced American Sign Language (ASL). This course is intended for students who have little or no previous knowledge of ASL. Students will have an opportunity to learn social functions with respect to introducing themselves, exchanging personal information, describing simple narratives, and they will develop beginning conversational skills based on ASL vocabulary and grammatical rules. The fundamentals of the Deaf Culture will be examined through classroom demonstration and readings. LNG (A. Lynch, a visiting winter term instructor)
Alex Lynch has been teaching American Sign Language (ASL) and History of the Deaf Community at the University of Vermont since January 2011. Previously, he taught ASL at the University of Arizona.
INTD 1074 MiddCORE 2013
MiddCORE’s mentor-driven leadership and innovation immersion program builds skills and confidence through collaborative, experiential, impact-focused learning. Through daily, weekly and month-long challenges, students gain experience in leadership, strategic thinking, idea creation, collaboration, persuasive communication, ethical decision-making, conflict resolution and crisis management. By working with mentors from diverse backgrounds, students leverage their liberal arts background to address real challenges faced by both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Students leave MiddCORE empowered to pursue their passions and better prepared for success in their personal and professional lives. (See MiddCORE website for more details- www.middcore.com) (Pass/Fail) (J. Holmes, S. Trombulak)
INTD 1075 Debating Global Literature: Ngugi Wa Thiongo's The Wizard of the Crow
In this interdisciplinary course, we will analyze eminent Kenyan writer Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s magisterial novel The Wizard of the Crow in the context of current debates on globalization, world literature, colonial and postcolonial theory, ecocriticism, and gender studies. Set in a fictional African country, the novel weaves together the stories of corrupt political leaders and the ordinary folk who use extraordinary means—wizardry, underground organizing, and ritual performances—to oppose them and carve out a place for themselves. Readings for the course will include Ngugi’s novel as well as theoretical readings from the fields of postcolonial studies, politics, history, development studies, and anthropology. AAL, LIT, SOC (Y. Siddiqi)
INTD 1089 Middlebury Entrepreneurs
Many people have great ideas for new products or services, but few are willing and able to take the steps necessary to make these ideas a reality. Entrepreneurship is the mindset and skill set that allows passionate people to execute business plans and create lasting, influential companies. Through lecture, class discussion, and hands-on mentoring, students will bring a project proposal from concept to launch quickly and effectively. Key concepts that will be taught include: opportunity analysis, financial planning, team building, and fundraising. Classwork will be supplemented with guest visits from notable entrepreneurs. To qualify for this class, each student must have a business idea—for profit or not for profit—for which they care passionately and are willing to commit the time and energy necessary to give the startup a real chance at success. Students must submit a project proposal describing in less than 500 words: 1). the problem or opportunity they will address; 2). the product or solution they propose to solve this problem; and 3). why they are well suited to tackle this project. Please submit proposals to MiddEnt@middlebury.edu (Approval Required; Pass/Fail) (D. Bradbury, a visiting winter term instructor)
Since 2005, David Bradbury has served as President of the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET), an independent nonprofit technology business incubation program offering business mentoring, venture capital, office facilities, and substantive networking to the region’s entrepreneurs and emerging next generation employers. Andrew Stickney, VCET Vice President will also be assisting David with this course.
INTD 1091 Social Identity and Institutions of Higher Education
College campuses are unique environments that carry the capacity to forge dynamic contemporary change while also sustaining long-standing traditions and legacies. This course offers an opportunity for students to expand their understanding of intergroup relations operating within institutions of higher education, and to broaden their perspectives regarding many of the social influences guiding our daily interactions as members of a learning community. As the dean of Wonnacott Commons, and an alumnus, the instructor of this course has a particular insight and interest in leading the class to consider many of the social dynamics that influence and characterize the undergraduate experience in the new millennium. Course readings will cover social-psychological theories dealing with concepts of social identity and intergroup relations, as well as historical perspectives related to the unique culture of institutions of higher education. Each student will conduct a research study on a topic of their choosing relating to the present day culture of Middlebury College. SOC (M. Longman)
Matthew Longman, ’89, the Dean of Wonnacott Commons, has served as a dean of students at Middlebury College for the past fifteen years.
INTD 1102 Hospice and End-of-Life Care
In this course we will explore psychological, sociological, and cultural experiences involving death, learn about the modern hospice movement, palliative care, community services for patients, spirituality and dying, as well as after-death rituals and grief issues. Guest presenters will include members of the local hospice team (nurses, social worker, chaplain, volunteer coordinator, local palliative care physicians), and specialists in bereavement and dementia. We will examine variables that impact the end of life and ways to create a meaningful dying experience. Each student will select a specific interest to explore in depth. This course will include all the elements required to become a certified hospice volunteer for those wishing to work with hospice patients in the community. (Pass/Fail) SOC (P. Baker, a visiting winter term instructor)
Priscilla Baker is Program Director of Hospice Volunteer Services, a community organization that provides volunteer support to hospice patients, families, and caregivers; bereavement support to anyone who has experienced loss; and community education to promote a healthy understanding of death, dying and loss.
INTD 1105 Adventure Writing & Digital Storytelling
In this class we will explore the adventure narrative in the digital age. Equipped with laptop, camera, audio recorder, and/or video camera--the tools of today's investigative journalists--students will undertake their own adventure in the Middlebury area (anything from dog sledding to ice-fishing on Lake Champlain), then sharpen their skills as writers, focusing on setting, character, history, and narrative thread. In addition to blogs and essays, we will read from adventure books such as Joe Kane’s Running the Amazon and Robyn Davidson's Tracks, and write in the adventure-travel genre, incorporating interviews, photos, audio, and video files in the final writing project. (Students will need a laptop, camera, and a small hard drive to house Final Cut Pro files for video editing. This course counts as a Creative Writing elective. (Approval Required; please complete an application form available on the following website: http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/enam/resources/forms) LIT (P. Lourie, a visiting winter term instructor)
Peter Lourie is the author of many award-winning nonfiction books for adults and children. He is well known for his photographic adventure stories around the globe, and is currently working in the Yukon on a book for Henry Holt about Jack London in the Klondike.
INTD 1108 Design It/Read It
In an increasingly visual world understanding the constructions intertwining image and text are an essential skill. Graphic design explicitly engages these structures, and in this course we will explore its history and practice through the design of a class cookbook. The cookbook format offers a variety of challenges for the beginning designer in its uses of direction, narrative, and illustration. The history and theory of book design will be central to the course. Putting this history into practice, the class will decide on a cookbook format, and students will individually design pages of the collective effort. By term’s end we will have a print-ready project, and in printing the book we will explore the varied mechanics of actual book production. ART (S. Alavi, a visiting winter term instructor)
With an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati, and an MFA in Design from the California College of the Arts, Sepi Alavi has enjoyed designing systems and objects for eight years.
INTD 1112 The Death Penalty in the United States, in Theory and Practice
In this course we will explore one of the most controversial topics in our criminal justice system from both theoretical and practical perspectives, discussing arguments for and against the death penalty, reviewing case law, examining trial transcripts and other media, and conducting a mock trial in which the students act as teams of lawyers handling a capital sentencing. The first two weeks of the course will focus on the theory and history of capital punishment; the second two weeks will focus on capital punishment in practice, with students seeing how sentencing trials really work and participating in one. NOR, SOC (S. Silver, a visiting winter term instructor)
Sam Silver, ’86, is a commercial litigator based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he is a partner in the law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP. He has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. Sam regularly teaches on a variety of topics related to the law. Sam has earned multiple honors for his pro bono work, including the representation of capital case defendants.
INTD 1122 Social Entrepreneurship in the Liberal Arts
What are the goals of the liberal arts? What is social entrepreneurship? In this challenging new century, can these two ideals be complementary or are they at odds with each other? In this course, we will first examine the two-and-a-half millennium history of the liberal arts, asking how ideals rooted in the classical Greek tradition still have meaning in the 21st century. We will also study the recent history of social entrepreneurship, in theory and in practice. We will then conduct research to support the kickoff and strategic planning for the new Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Middlebury College. (Approval Required; Pass/Fail) SOC (J. Isham)
INTD 1123 Communication and Connectedness: The Real and the Virtual
Computers and other digital technologies, rightly called ‘just tools’, do ingenious things, but are they changing our sense of humanity? For millennia, face-to-face communication was our only means for connecting with each other. Two consequences of the new digital media are the blurring of boundaries between what is virtual and what is real and the creation of what is described as ‘new solitude.’ We are now able to ‘bring the distant close’, but in so doing are we making ‘the close distant?’ In this course we will address questions and issues including and related to: What gains and losses do we experience through the use of new technologies? Does the ease of electronic accessibility create or deter yearned for connection? How does the blurring of virtual and real boundaries affect inter-personal problem solving, the establishment of values and trust, intergenerational communication, the importance of family, the expression and experience of love as well as other emotions, and do e-devices affect the way we define life? SOC (R. Marum, a visiting winter term instructor)
Roger Marum, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice, and a School Based Clinician at Middlebury Union High School.
INTD 1126 Philanthropy: Ethics and Practice
In this course we will explore important philosophical, political, and practical questions concerning philanthropy. We will ask philosophical questions about altruism and justice. We will examine organizations within the American charitable sector and the political, material, and cultural forces that shape them. We will combine these two perspectives—philosophical and structural—to gain a better understanding of what philanthropy is or means today. We will then put these perspectives into action: through a generous donation from the Once Upon a Time Foundation, students will have a unique opportunity to award sizeable grant(s) to the charity or charities that the class selects. (S. Stroup, S. Viner)
INTD 1127 Trees and the Urban Forest
Trees play a very important, if often forgotten, role in our towns and cities, and across the globe. Wildlife habitat, pollution and storm water abatement, carbon sequestration, and energy savings all arise from a healthy and active urban forest. In this class we will study the uses and values of the urban forest, basic tree biology and identification, arboricultural practices, planning and design, and resource management and community involvement. By using computer models to calculate factors in an urban forest setting, including carbon sequestration and pollution abatement, the class will help develop a complete tree planting proposal for an area in the Town of Middlebury (Not open to students who have taken BIOL 1003). SCI (T. Parsons)
Tim Parsons is Middlebury College’s Landscape Horticulturist. He is a Certified Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture, a Vermont Certified Horticulturist, and holds a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont.
INTD 1128 The Past and Present Influence of the Silk Road on the Economics of Europe, China, and Central Asia
The Silk Road was the most extensive of the ancient trade routes, and it joined the markets of China with those of Central Asia, the Middle East, India, and Europe. In addition to fostering the economic development of the respective regions, the Silk Road connected the great civilizations of Europe, India, and Asia for over 2,000 years and facilitated the exchange of new goods, ideas, technologies, and religions. Today, the Silk Road is being revitalized and trade is once again flowing. In this course, we will explore the economic impact and influence of the Silk Road from ancient times to the present. AAL, CMP, SOC (K. Millier, a visiting winter term instructor)
Dr. Kimberly Millier focuses on Central Asia and specializes in economic development, entrepreneurship, gender issues, leadership, and organizational development of the region. She teaches at the graduate and doctoral level and has conducted seminars, training, and educational programs to the countries of Central Asia since 1991.
INTD 1129 Writing First Person
Why do we write? Because we love language? Because we love sharing? Because we have something to say? We will look at first-person essays, short stories, and the first pages of favorite books, and discuss voice, character, dialogue, structure, style, plot, and audience. Students will hand in regular 250-word assignments and also follow prompts for writing in class. We will do a lot of supportive critiquing. While we will talk about agents, editors, and how to submit work, the focus will be on writing well -- and then revising until the work shines. CW (C. Weston, a visiting winter term instructor)
Carol Weston, '79, author of 12 books, including Girltalk: All the Stuff Your Sister Never Told You and four Melanie Martin novels, is an advice columnist, memoirist, and essayist who writes for kids, teens, and adults. She majored in comparative literature at Yale and has an M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury.
INTD/PSCI 1130 Statistics for Social Sciences
In this course, which assumes no background in quantitative methods, students will be introduced to the necessary skills to analyze data sets and derive meaningful conclusions and interpretations. We will combine exposition to statistical theory with practical uses of statistical modeling, and we will explore common statistical tools used in both industrial and research environments including STATA and/or R. We will apply the classroom material to real-world data sets in regular lab sessions. We will focus on data and examples from social sciences, but the course will be generally applicable to students of all disciplines. (Political Theory) DED (E. Mezini, a visiting winter term instructor)
Evis Mezini holds an MA in International Studies from Claremont Graduate University and is currently finishing a PhD in Comparative and World Politics. Her research and teaching interests include: political behavior, quantitative and qualitative methods, regime transition, ethnic conflict and nationalism, institutions, and EU integration.
INTD 1131 Visual Data Analysis
If a picture is worth 1000 words, then a graph can illuminate 1000 data points. In this course, we will explore the principles and tools of scientific data visualization, an underutilized but powerful way of understanding patterns in data. Using datasets drawn from a variety of fields such as public health, geography, ecology, political science, and students' choice, we will gently introduce the computing language, R, the premier tool for data visualization and analysis. No previous knowledge of programming is assumed, but by course's end, students will be able to write powerful scripts to analyze and present data in a clear and compelling way. (Pass/Fail) (M. Landis)
INTD 1132 Native Americans of Northern New England
In this course students will be introduced to Native Americans of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine from pre-European contact to present. Following a survey of Abenaki peoples and the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, and Maliseet, we will explore the connection between settlement patterns, population increase, and subsistence economies based on reading assignments. Classroom discussions within a seminar format will focus on the following subjects: peopling of the Americas; wild plant domestication transition to cultigen horticulture; Native American impact on natural ecology; present-day popular myths and misinformation about Native Americans; and the continuing struggle of Native American tribes seeking recognition from state and federal governments. CMP, NOR, SOC (D. Mathewson, a visiting winter term instructor)
Duncan Mathewson is an Anthropologist with over 40 years of archaeological experience. He has a Ph.D. in Education, ABD in Environmental Archaeology and an MA in Anthropology. He is presently writing an up-dated synthesis of the Pre-Contact cultures of the Western Abenaki of Northern New England to be published in 2013.
INTD 1133 From the Inside Out: Developing Skills for Peacetime
How do the skills of Emotional Intelligence (EI)— self-awareness, self-direction, and self-navigation—affect our potential to become self-actualized, effective citizens of the world? How does EI shape our decision-making and the ability to develop and sustain mutually respectful relationships? Might the development of these skills help us understand and respond to the deeply complex social challenges at the core of global human service organizations? In this interactive course we will examine these questions, deepen our own understanding of EI, and critically examine the research on the integration of EI in schools and organizations. SOC (A. Franklin, a visiting winter term instructor)
Amy McConnell Franklin, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.P.H. teaches the skills and concepts of emotional intelligence (EI) nationally and internationally in school communities and human service agencies. She has recently co-created a pilot course in Social Entrepreneurship rooted in EI for the United World College of the American West.
INTD/FMMC 1134 Sound and Story: Documentary for the Airwaves
In this course students will learn the production skills and storytelling sensibility necessary to create compelling radio documentary. Through curated readings and practical exercises, we will cover field-recording basics and interview techniques which each student will use to produce their own short audio piece. At the conclusion of this intensive storytelling production seminar, each student will formally pitch their piece to Vermont Public Radio. Each student will be required to purchase a set of studio quality, noise-canceling headphones (no ear buds) costing approximately $90. ART (E. Davis, a visiting winter term instructor)
Erin Davis’s radio documentary work has aired on NPR's All Things Considered and WNYC's Studio 360. She currently creates documentary for radio and film.
INTD 1135 British Popular Culture
George Orwell once described the English in terms of their fondness for “the pub, the football match, the back garden, the fireside, and the ‘nice cup of tea'." But what would he have made of the Sex Pistols or Amy Winehouse? In this course we will trace a particular arc through post-1945 British popular culture in order to ask how we got from Orwell to The Office, from the Rolling Stones to Radiohead. We will ask how film, music, and TV prepared the ground for important episodes in British history: the “special relationship” with the United States, the modernization of sexuality, the transformation from welfare state to free market capitalism, the slow passage toward a multicultural society. ART, EUR, SOC (B. Graves, a visiting winter term instructor)
Ben Graves is completing a PhD in the English Department at UC Berkeley. His research is directed at contemporary UK culture in transnational perspective.
INTD 1136 The Urban Underclass and Public Policy
Since the late 1980s, a general mood of urgency has swelled around the growing concentration and persistence of poverty in inner-city America. Scholars, policymakers, and practitioners on the front lines noted with alarm that many of the problems seen in distressed urban communities seemed virtually intractable and non-responsive to conventional policy and program approaches. This course will be a critical introduction to some of the most pressing and contentious issues concerning the nation’s inner-cities today: the nature, origins, and persistence of ghetto poverty; racial residential segregation and affordable public housing; social organization, civic life, and political participation; crime and incarceration rates and prisoner re-entry; marriage and family structure; adolescent street culture and its impact on social mobility; women and poverty. In this course, we will also examine the issues of labor force participation and economic dislocation; entrepreneurship and inner-city revitalization; and the seminar makes use of the critically-acclaimed HBO series, The Wire. NOR, SOC (K. Reeves, a visiting winter term instructor)
Professor Keith Reeves (B.A., Swarthmore College; Ph.D., University of Michigan) is a nationally recognized political scientist and policy expert on issues of race politics, urban America, and public policy.
INTD 1137 HIV/AIDS: Science, Society, Myth, and Morality
In this course we will explore HIV/AIDS from a wide variety of perspectives. We will cover the science of HIV, including how the virus works to target the immune system, its discovery, and drug and vaccine design. We will consider the influence of society and disease on one another, for example, the factors contributing to or curtailing this pandemic. Other topics will include the origins of the virus, conspiracy theories, HIV/AIDS in popular culture, and ethical considerations of testing, research, and treatment. Films and guest speakers will augment in-class discussions and debates. This course counts as an elective toward the minor in Global Health. SCI (R. Taurog)
INTD 1138 Methane as an Alternative Fuel for Agricultural and Transportation Applications
In this hands-on course, students will 1) modify a Ford 8N tractor to operate on methane as an alternative fuel, 2) visit local farms and businesses that produce methane from biomass and also use compressed natural gas as a transportation fuel, 3) conduct dynamometer measurements on the modified Ford 8N tractor to measure horsepower, and 4) create action plans that employ methane successfully as an alternative fuel for agricultural and transportation applications. Faculty and experts from the business community will interact with the class to develop projects that will be summarized in final reports and oral presentations. (Approval required, contact Janis Audet, x2207, prior to registration) (Pass/Fail) (D. Catlin, M. Benz, visiting scholars)
Mark Benz, '56, has an Sc.D in Metallurgy from MIT. He is a Researcher at General Electric and Engineering Horizons International, LLC where he is currently engaged in the development of safer technologies for pediatric medical imaging; and processes for production of super alloy and titanium materials for high performance applications. This is his second year as co-instructor for the thesis course on the hydrogen tractor.
Richard Catlin, ’56, founded Timberlock, an Adirondack Family Resort, in 1963. He has developed several businesses, and is currently serving as a volunteer business counselor. This is his second year as co-instructor for the thesis course on the hydrogen tractor.
Departmental Courses
American Studies
AMST 1003 Cultural Studies of Sports
Sports operate as a central cultural institution in communities throughout the world. In this course we will offer a critical investigation into the social and cultural roles of sports in the contemporary United States and beyond. We will analyze the role of sports in shaping cultural meanings by asking the following questions: What constitutes a sport? How should sports be defined? What role do sports play in people’s everyday lives? How do sports reflect and reproduce social differences? Students will be expected to write about sports informed by their own fieldwork observations. CW, NOR, SOC (R. Joo)
AMST 1007 Designing a Field House Museum for Middlebury College
In this course students will help design a museum space dedicated to the history of athletics at Middlebury College. The work we accomplish will contribute to plans for the new Field House, to be erected in 2013-14. Students will conduct archival research on the history of Middlebury athletics, and they will design interpretive exhibits utilizing digital and analog formats for inclusion in the new museum space. Additionally, students will generate an overall design for the Field House museum space. Because the course emphasizes public history and museum design, field trips to regional museums and athletic facilities should be expected. NOR (H. Allen)
AMST 1012 Hollywood’s West: The American West on Film
From its beginnings the Hollywood western has presented an imaginative geography, a powerful popular fantasy expressing deep truths, and perhaps still deeper desires about American identity. Initially the western reasserted 19th century America’s optimistic vision of manifest destiny; ultimately, many westerns challenged that optimism, often explicitly presenting racial, sexual, and political tensions. Over time, westerns have been re-defined, re-invented and expanded, dismissed, re-discovered, and spoofed. Working with a broad range of films, including Stagecoach, High Noon, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Unforgiven, Lone Star, Blazing Saddles—and perhaps even the recent Cowboys vs. Aliens—we will explore the ways in which westerns have both shaped and reflected the dominant social and political desires and anxieties of their respective eras. ART, NOR (D. Evans)
Arabic
ARBC 0102 Beginning Arabic II
This course is an intensive continuation of ARBC 0101. In addition to the goals stated for that course there will be extra emphasis on cultural skills during winter term. (ARBC 0101 or equivalent). LNG (S. Liebhaber, A. Almallah)
Biology
BIOL 0211 Experimental Design and Data Analysis
Experimental design is one of the most important parts of doing science, but it is difficult to do well. How do you randomize mice? How many replicate petri plates should be inoculated? If I am measuring temperature in a forest, where do I put the thermometer? In this course students will design experiments across the sub-areas of biology. We will run student designed experiments, and then learn ways to analyze the data, and communicate the results. Students planning to do independent research are encouraged to take this course. (This course is not open to students who have taken MATH 0116 or PSYC 0201 or ECON 0210) DED (S. Sheldon)
BIOL 0225 Human Genetics
This course incorporates both classical, molecular, and bioinformatics based approaches to study the structure of the human genome, gene function, the effects of mutation, and analysis of the genetic structure of pedigrees and populations. We will examine a collection of human genetic diseases with a focus on their molecular and biochemical basis and medical implications. Further, emphasis is placed on the study of the origin of Homo sapiens, modern genetic diversity in humans, and the molecular evolutionary changes that define humans relative to other primates and animals. (Approval Required; BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145) DED, SCI (J. Ward)
BIOL 0280 Immunology
In this course we will explore the human immune system and how it works to protect the body from infection. Students will be introduced to the cells and molecules of the immune system and how they work together to protect the host from foreign invaders. We will focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate immunity before exploring the cellular and genetic principles that underlie the adaptive immune response. Finally, we will investigate how innate and adaptive immunity work together to combat infection and how disease can arise from inadequacies in this coordinated host response. Not open to students who have taken BIOL 0340 (BIOL 0145) SCI (G. Spatafora)
BIOL 0450 Topics in Reproductive Medicine
In this course we will examine the fundamentals of human reproduction and modern reproductive intervention strategies. Rapid discoveries in medical technologies have allowed us to push the limits of the human body, and we will explore the scientific and medical challenges that surround the control of fertility and infertility, fetal life, birth, and the neonatal period. Through critical review of the primary literature, writing, and informed dialogues, students will gain an understanding of key topics in reproductive medicine. (BIOL 0145 and one other 0200 or 0300-level biology course, or by waiver) SCI (C. Combelles)
BIOL 1004 Large Carnivores and the Conservation of Biodiversity
What is the relationship between top predators and biological diversity? Examples abound of the apparently positive effect that predators can have on ecosystems but scientific opinion about the role of predators remains divided. In this course we will examine the ecological theory that has shaped our understanding of predator-prey relationships and will discuss and critique real-world studies of predation. Along the way, we will consider the practical implications that this research has had for the management of fish, wildlife, and plant populations. Readings will include scientific publications, government reports, and popular accounts, including writings by Aldo Leopold and Cristina Eisenberg’s The Wolf's Tooth: Keystone Predators, Trophic Cascades, and Biodiversity. (This course counts as an elective towards the major in Biology) (BIOL 0140) SCI (J. Lloyd, a visiting winter term instructor)
John Lloyd is the Senior Research Ecologist at Ecostudies Institute, a non-profit organization that conducts ecological research in support of conservation. Dr. Lloyd’s research program is focused on addressing conservation questions within a framework of behavioral ecology, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
Chemistry & Biochemistry
CHEM 0101 World of Chemistry
The goal of this course is to investigate how chemistry impacts our daily lives in both common and extraordinary ways. After learning basic concepts of elements, atoms, and molecules, we will explore topics in energy (petroleum, nuclear, batteries, and solar), environment (global warming and the ozone hole), health (food and drug), and art (color, conservation, and forgery detection). We will perform occasional hands-on activities. SCI (S. Choi)
CHEM 0241 Organic Chemistry I
This course is an introduction to the structure and reactivity of organic molecules. Topics covered include chemical nomenclature, bonding, structure, acid-base relationships, mechanistically simple reactions, and theoretical aspects of structure determination. Laboratory exercises include hands-on introductions to techniques such as distillation, crystallization, chromatography, polarimetry, and modern spectroscopic techniques such as NMR and IR. (Students must have received a grade of B- or better in CHEM 0104 or 0107) SCI (J. Byers, S. Oster)
CHEM 1003 Caveman Chemistry
Beginning with our ancestors’ first control of fire more than a million years ago and sparked by numerous chance discoveries since, humans have transformed mundane natural materials into incredibly useful goods. Mud into ceramics! Stone into bronze tools! Using Caveman Chemistry as our guide, we will create a sampling of our own primitive goods using low-tech methods as we explore the chemistry and significance of these seemingly magical transformations. Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1329. (M. Costanza-Robinson)
CHEM 1004 Science and Public Policy in the U.S.A.
Issues of global climate change, nanotechnology, immunization, genomic sequencing, and alternative energy have become hot topics in scientific policy debates. In this course we will explore how science and technology influence, and are in turn influenced by, U.S. public policy. We will analyze scientific policies pre-and post-WWII, while working to understand the impact of these policies on the development of science as well as that of the nation. At the end of the course we will divide into groups and debate current scientific policies such as current funding for NASA, state mandated immunization, and clean energy incentives. NOR, SOC (W. Ames)
Chinese
CHNS 0102 Continuation of Beginning Chinese
An intensive continuation of CHNS 0101, this course is required of those wishing to take CHNS 0103 in the spring. Students may anticipate learning a significant amount of new vocabulary, sentence patterns and idiomatic expressions. Skits, oral presentations, writing assignments, and cultural activities are also part of this course. (CHNS 0101) LNG (T. Moran, R. Handler-Spitz, K. Wang, Y. Chen, K. Lian)
Classics
CLAS/WAGS 1016 Gender and Sexuality in the Ancient World
In this course we will examine issues of gender and sexuality in ancient Greece and Rome. Through close analyses of ancient texts and material remains, we will discuss representations of gender in literature and art, sexual norms and codes, medical theories concerning the male and female body, and views on marriage, rape, adultery, and prostitution. In addition we will examine the relationship between the construction of gender identities in literature and the actual roles of men and women in society. Authors and texts include Homer, Hesiod, Sappho, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, the Hippocratic Corpus, Livy, Virgil, Ovid, and Catullus. (This course counts as elective credit towards the major in Classics and the major in Women's and Gender Studies) CMP, SOC (J. Evans, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jessica Evans completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin and is currently a lecturer at the University of Vermont.
Computer Science
CSCI 1020 Lego Robot Design Studio
This course gives students the opportunity to design, build, and program small, mobile robots using Lego pieces, tiny onboard computers, and a variety of sensors and actuators. In this context, we will explore important concepts from computer science such as structured programming, abstraction, reasoning under uncertainty, real-time control, and elementary robotics. We will also engage other disciplines, including creative design, mechanics, and electronics. The course will culminate with a light-hearted robot talent show featuring the robots created by each team of 3 students. No prior experience with programming or Lego is required. DED (D. Kauchak)
Dance
DANC 0381 Dance Company of Middlebury
Dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographers as part of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing repertory dances. Those receiving credit can expect daily rehearsals plus technique classes, campus performance, and tour. Appropriate written work is required. Auditions are held in the fall semester for the full year; one credit will be given for two semesters of participation. (Approval Required; limited to sophomores through seniors by audition) (A. Olsen)
DANC 1013 Dancing and Dance Making
This entry-level dance class will include movement improvisation followed by compositional investigations that culminate in informal showings. Improvisational techniques cultivate a “released” or non-habitual dancing body free to move on and off balance with energy, rhythmic sharpness, and fluid range. In composition, students will experiment and collaborate to create solo and partnered work. Readings, research, performance viewing, and reflective writing will round out the experience. This course counts as elective credit towards the Dance major. ART (P. Schmitz, a visiting winter term instructor)
Peter Schmitz is currently performing with Yanira Castro and Company. He has taught for over twenty years in Dance and Theatre programs including Middlebury, Amherst, Bennington, and Bard Colleges and at numerous festivals and workshops internationally. Recent performance work includes Creach/Co, Ann Carlson. His choreographic work is shown internationally.
Economics
ECON 1015 Derivatives Markets and Financial Bubbles
The Western financial system virtually imploded in 2007-2008, an event from which the economy is slowly recovering today. Banks across the US and Europe collapsed and had to be rescued by governments. Policymakers worried that a meltdown on the order of the Great Depression could occur. All eyes turned to a little known set of financial products known as derivatives as the culprits in this near catastrophe. What are derivatives? How did they, almost overnight, cause the destruction of well-known and seemingly solid companies like Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and AIG? This course provides an overview of the derivatives and structured finance markets that traces their development and contribution to the financial crisis. Designed to be accessible to all, we address the building blocks of bonds, futures, swaps, and options. We will explore derivatives from 16th century Japan to the present. Historic asset bubbles, including the 17th century Dutch Tulip mania, the dot com bubble, and the U.S. real estate markets will be considered. All these events will be related to both micro and macro economic concepts. SOC (M. Schozer, a visiting winter term instructor)
Mike Schozer is currently a Vice Chairman of Hadrian’s Wall AG, a Swiss based investment advisor specializing in European infrastructure finance. Previously, he was President of Assured Guaranty Corp, where he was responsible for a $130 billion credit portfolio. He was involved in the derivatives market for many years, including interest rate, currency and credit derivatives.
ECON 1020 Introduction to Financial Accounting Under National and International Financial Accounting Standards
In this course we will explore basic accounting as a management tool. Included will be an in-depth discussion of the development of accounting standards throughout much of the world. Selected chapters from the text Financial Accounting by Rod Monger will be required reading and also be the primary source for assigned homework. (J. Millier, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jerold Millier is an experienced teacher and Professional in National and International Accounting including experience in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
ECON 1023 Extending Financial Services to the Unbanked
In this course, taught by two experienced international development professionals, we will explore different interventions and tools used for poverty alleviation, financial inclusion, and the extension of financial services to the unbanked poor in emerging markets. We will look at the use of microfinance, microinsurance, financial literacy, and the rising use of technology to achieve these goals in developing countries. Guest speakers will discuss case studies and themes from the course. (This course counts as elective credit towards the major in Economics) SOC (P. Oldham, E. Toder, visiting winter term instructors)
Phil Oldham, '90, spent 20 years in international relief and development including postings in Russia, the Balkans, Africa, and Haiti before returning to Vermont to join the staff of Middlebury College in 2011.
Elizabeth Toder, '90, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand 20 years ago, and since then has lived in Brasil, Argentina, Jordan, and Vietnam developing microfinance and microinsurance programs before moving to Haiti in August 2011 to be the Director of the Economic Recovery Program for Mercy Corps.
Education Studies
EDST 0225 Scenarios for Teaching Writing
The purpose of this course is for students to understand how composition, reflective practice, and inquiry-based learning come together in K-12 education in both the classroom and online. Theoretical approaches to the teaching of writing will be put into practice in lesson plans. Students will serve as peer tutors-mentors for Media & Communications High School, in Washington Heights, NY. Readings will include Cross-Talk in Comp Theory, Composing a Teaching Life, The Art of Teaching Writing, Scenarios for Teaching Writing, and Life-Affirming Acts. (Approval Required) CW (H. Vila)
EDST 0317 Children and the Arts
This course will examine the integration of the arts into the elementary curriculum. Students will teach standards-based lessons that include the literary, performing, and visual arts. Activities will include art projects, sketch journals, reading assignments, and the exploration of community and teaching resources. Students will gain an understanding of the important role the arts can play in the curriculum through field placements in local schools (approximately 15 hours/week) and class discussions. (Pass/Fail) ART (G. Humphrey)
EDST 0327 Field Experience in Secondary Education and Special Education
In this course we will examine secondary teaching and special education at the middle school level. Working closely with practicing middle school teachers, students will spend five days a week in the schools, observing, tutoring, directing small-group learning, developing lessons, and assessing student work. In this seminar we will explore, through selected readings and a case study, the policy and pedagogy of special education for students with learning disabilities. Further topics in middle/secondary education will be addressed. Required for students seeking a minor in secondary education. (Pass/Fail) (J. Miller-Lane)
EDST 0337 The New York City Urban Education Internship
This internship provides teaching and learning opportunities at New York City Public Schools. During the term, each student will be assigned to work as an intern with a classroom teacher or program at a New York City school. Tasks will vary but may include: observing classes, tutoring, directing small-group work, working with special education students, working in the computer lab, and working with outreach programs. Students will spend five full days at the school each week, keep a journal, and complete a formal essay about their experience. In addition, there will be visits to other schools and educational programs in the area. (EDST 0115; Approval required, please contact Jonathan Miller-Lane or Trish Dougherty prior to registration). (Pass/Fail) (C. Beato, a visiting winter term instructor)
Carlos Beato, '07, is a Posse scholar from Middlebury College. He became a NYC high school educator after graduating from Middlebury and is now Director of College Counseling in a NYC school through the CollegeBound Initiative. He has an M.A. in Spanish Literature from Lehman College and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from New York University.
EDST 1020 Critical Race: Theory in Education
In 1998 Gloria Ladson-Billings published a landmark piece entitled, “Just what is critical race theory and what is it doing in a nice field like education?” The piece revolutionized the field of education and helped bring an important lens of critique to understanding and working against inequity in schools. In this course we will examine the ways in which critical race theory has been utilized as a lens for interrogating past and current issues of systemic racism and other forms of oppression affecting our schools. We will focus specifically on curricula, funding, desegregation, special education, discipline practices, and federal laws affecting schools. HIS, NOR, SOC (T. Affolter)
English and American Literatures
ENAM 1003 Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary is widely regarded as the first “modern” novel and as one of the best novels ever written. First published in serial form in France in 1856, this story of a deeply dissatisfied provincial wife provoked a sensation, culminating in a spectacular state trial of author and publisher on charges of public immorality. Those events have long since faded into history, but the novel’s freshness, brilliance, psychological power, and literary influence can be felt to this day. In this course we will read the novel in two English translations, briefly review its historical and cultural context and its enduring literary heritage, and conclude with its most recent film adaptation, by Claude Chabrol (1991). LIT (D. Price)
ENAM/THEA 1020 Performing Others: Writing and Staging the Solo Show
Theatre artists such as Anna Deavere Smith, Danny Hoch, and Sarah Jones make a habit of writing and performing roles they were not born to play. Jumping over barriers of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, these soloists are committed to embodying “the other.” In addition to analyzing professional works, students in Performing Others will create and develop a variety of monologues featuring characters that may be fictional, biographical, or based upon interviews. Together we will form an ensemble for developing new material and for processing issues that necessarily arise when we dare to imagine ourselves as others. ART, CW (D. Yeaton)
ENAM 1021 Fictions of the Far North
The far north is the setting for a significant body of North American literature in English. Both “far” and “north” are relative terms defined by cultural parameters rather than strict geographic coordinates. In this discussion-based course we will read novels, short stories, and poems set in Alaska, Newfoundland, the shores of Hudson Bay, and northern Vermont, including such works as The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx; Where the Rivers Flow North, by Howard Frank Mosher; Due North, by Mitchell Smith; Jack London’s short stories of the Klondike, and poems by Robert Service. We will pay particular attention to how these works represent the human relationship to high latitude ecosystems. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1370) LIT, NOR (D. Brayton)
CRWR 0175 The Structure of Poetry
This course is an introduction to the reading and writing of poetry with a focus on its structural aspects. We will look closely at a range of exemplary poems in English to explore how a poem is built through form, image, figurative language, and other poetic tools. Among the poets we shall read are Seamus Heaney and Elizabeth Bishop. Students will write their own poems and give oral presentations on contemporary poets. (Formerly ENAM 0175) ART (K. Gottshall)
CRWR 0380 Workshop: Nonfiction
In this course we will study and practice techniques of nonfiction writing through contemporary essay and narrative nonfiction workshops and readings in the contemporary essay. Class discussions will be based on student manuscripts and published model works. Emphasis will be placed on composition and revision. (ENAM 0170, 0175, or 0185) (Approval Required; please apply at the department office in Axinn) (Formerly ENAM 0380) ART (D. Bain)
CRWR 1001 Reporting from Life
In this course we will discuss and practice methods and standards of current reporting techniques in journalism, creative non-fiction, fiction and even fields such as ethnography and acting. We will devote significant time off-campus collecting and recording first-hand information, and organizing it into stories for the reader’s edification and entertainment rather than for self-expression. We will then write and workshop a story a week, culminating in a 10-15 page final paper. (Approval required; ENAM 0170 or 0300-level writing course). ART, CW (C. Shaw)
Film and Media Culture
FMMC 0105 Sight and Sound I
The purpose of this course is to gain a theoretical understanding of the ways moving images and sounds communicate, and practical experience creating time-based work. We will study texts on theories of moving images and examine examples as we use cameras, sound recorders, and non-linear editing software to produce a series of short exercises that require organizing images and sounds in ways that convey information and express feelings. (FMMC 0101, FMMC 0102, or approval of instructor) ART (D. Houghton)
FMMC/INTD 1134 Sound and Story: Documentary for the Airwaves
In this course students will learn the production skills and storytelling sensibility necessary to create compelling radio documentary. Through curated readings and practical exercises, we will cover field-recording basics and interview techniques which each student will use to produce their own short audio piece. At the conclusion of this intensive storytelling production seminar, each student will formally pitch their piece to Vermont Public Radio. Each student will be required to purchase a set of studio quality, noise-canceling headphones (no ear buds) costing approximately $90. ART (E. Davis, a visiting winter term instructor)
Erin Davis’s radio documentary work has aired on NPR's All Things Considered and WNYC's Studio 360. She currently creates documentary for radio and film.
French
FREN 0102 Beginning French
This course is a continuation of FREN 0101, dealing with more complex French. Oral skills are stressed, and students participate in the French language table at lunch. This course does not fulfill the foreign language distribution requirement. (FREN 0101) (C. Nunley, J. Weber)
FREN 1005 Beyond the Two Solitudes: The Literature of Montréal
In this course, we will use a chronological approach and a sociological lens to examine four classic texts written in and about Montréal: Bonheur d’occasion; Les Belles-soeurs; Comment faire l’amour avec un nègre sans se fatiguer; and Le bonheur à queue glissante. While the first two works present the traditional image of Montréal as a city of “two solitudes,” one French and one English, the last two novels interrupt this trope, giving voice to ever-growing immigrant populations that do not fit neatly inside it. This course counts as elective credit towards the major in French. (FREN 0210 or 0221 or 0230) LIT, LNG, NOR (W. Poulin-Deltour)
Geography
GEOG 1005 Conservation Planning for the Town of Middlebury
The Middlebury Town Plan calls for the identification of lands important to the community’s long-term sustainability. In this course we will work with the Middlebury Planning Commission to identify priority conservation lands, including wildlife corridors and core habitat areas, recreation lands, scenic view-sheds and other important natural areas worthy of long term conservation. We will explore the legal context of land use planning for conservation in Vermont, how the current Middlebury zoning impacts land use and how other communities have developed conservation plans. Using ARCGIS, we will create our own model to identify and prioritize conservation lands in Middlebury. (GEOG 0120 or GEOG 0320) SOC (A. Sheldon, a visiting winter term instructor)
Amy Sheldon, '88, holds a MS in Natural Resource Planning from UVM. She has been working in the natural resource field for over twenty years on watershed assessments, conservation and restoration planning and project management. Amy is also a senior level faculty at the National Outdoor Leadership School based in Lander, WY.
Geology
GEOL 1006 Energy Resources: Geological Origins and Environmental Impacts
In this course we will discuss how different types of energy resources are formed by geological processes, how they are extracted and used, and how these activities impact the Earth’s environment. We will discuss traditional fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas, as well as nuclear, wind, and solar power. A portion of the class will focus on major energy issues facing the northeastern United States, such as the role of nuclear power in Vermont, hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) for natural gas in New York and Pennsylvania, and the wide spread installation of wind turbines and solar farms. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1120) SCI (D. West)
GEOL 1008 The Future of Earth's Climate as Revealed by its Past
Climate change in the 21st century poses a number of significant questions. For instance, how much will temperature and sea level rise? What is a ‘safe’ level of CO2? How robust are climate models? What is the likelihood of an abrupt climate shift? In this course we will explore the central issues surrounding global warming, particularly as viewed through the lens of Earth’s climate history. We will link climate theory, global warming projections, and the geologic record of past climate to understand the scientific basis for and level of certainty about our climate future. SCI (J. Shakun, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jeremy Shakun, '03, is a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University who studies the paleoclimate record in cave deposits, ocean sediments, and glaciers to better understand future climate change.
GEOL 1009 Geology of National Parks
The collision of continents, the passage of glaciers, and time itself have sculpted our country, creating landscapes that have captivated humankind's attention for generations. In this course we will develop the sequence of events that have led to the formation of many such natural wonders found in our national parks. We will proceed through lectures focused on basic geology and plate tectonic theory; textbook readings about specific parks; in-class and homework exercises that develop familiarity with important geologic materials and methods; and a number of virtual excursions to the parks. SCI (P. Manley)
GEOL 1052 Multi-Dimensional Scientific Visualization
There is an increasing requirement for sophisticated visualization tools to help solve spatially complex systems (n parameters in 2D or 3D). This course will provide hands-on experience with a commercially available multi-dimensional software package. Students are encouraged to provide their own data sets if at all possible, but will be provided data sets otherwise. Classroom instruction will concentrate on the aspects of learning how to transform observational data into multi-dimensional visual imagery, validation of the results, and subsequent manipulation of the imagery. A final project will be orally presented. SCI (T. Manley)
German
GRMN 0102 Beginning German Continued
This course is the intensive continuation of GRMN 0101 which will further the development of students’ language skills in an immersion-like environment. Classes meet for two hours each morning, then lunch at the language tables, in addition to afternoon and evening activities. Completion of this course is a prerequisite to enrollment in GRMN 0103. (GRMN 0101 or equivalent) LNG (F. Feiereisen, R. Russi)
GRMN 0210 German Radio Play Workshop (Cancelled)
(B. Matthias)
Hebrew-Classical
HEBR 0101 Beginning Classical Hebrew I
The goal of the Hebrew sequence is to develop students' ability to read the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) and later Hebrew literature. An introduction to classical Hebrew, this course presupposes nothing, begins with mastery of the Hebrew alphabet, and leads students through the noun and the basic structure of the Hebrew verbal system. By the end of the course, students will be reading and translating brief biblical narratives with the use of a lexicon. LNG (R. Schine)
History
HIST/JAPN 1022 Tokyo: Between History and Utopia
In this course we will explore the history of Tokyo – from backwater village in the 16th century to the cosmopolitan metropolis of the 20th century – and trace how Tokyo has captured the imagination as a space of possibility, play, consumption, and, for many, decadence. Through a range of sources, including film, novels, ethnographies, and historical essays, we will use Tokyo as a lens through which to explore broader questions related to capitalist modernity, the formation of the modern nation-state, cultural identity, the politics of gender, and mass-culture. AAL, HIS (M. Ward)
HIST 1023 Unnatural Border
In this course we will explore how the U.S.-Mexico border transformed from a “line in the sand” to a place of increasing physical presence. The 20th century brought customs stations and fences to channel bodies through a federally regulated space. Over time, fences and check points transformed into walls, buildings, and a network of roads built to control the movement of mobile nature: people, animals, and pathogens. Using both primary and secondary texts, documentaries, and news articles, we will learn why federal agencies created an unnatural border and how it has affected immigration and the environment in the borderlands. This course counts as elective credit towards the History major. NOR, SOC (M. Mendoza, a visiting winter term instructor)
Mary E. Mendoza , '06, is a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Davis, and she has a Master’s Degree from American University, 2010.
History of Art and Architecture
HARC 0130 Introduction to Architectural Design
This is a studio course that introduces its members to the values and methods used in the practice of architecture, landscape architecture, and environmental art. A daily journal and intensive group and individual work within the studio space are requirements. This course demands an exceptionally high commitment of time and energy. The course's goals are to use the process of design to gain insight regarding individual and community value systems, and to provide basic experience in the design professions. It is recommended for anyone wishing to improve his or her appreciation for the built environment. Students should anticipate that substantial additional time will be required in the studio in addition to the scheduled class time. ART (A. Murray)
HARC 0301 Objects and Analysis
In this college writing course, we will take a selection of artworks from the Middlebury College Museum and from the campus at large and study them in relation to a variety of art-historical approaches such as Formalism, Marxism, Feminism, Iconography, and Social Art History. We will use these and other approaches to art-historical analysis as lenses through which one can view and understand works of art and architecture. Strongly recommended for recently declared art history majors. ART, CW (E. Garrison)
HARC 0710 Senior Thesis, Supervised Research
This course is a continuation of HARC 0700 which provides a framework for intensive research for the senior thesis in the history of art. We will work as a small community of scholars on the research process, meeting regularly to discuss the refinement of topics, methodologies of research, and thesis construction, as well as the actual process of writing and editing. During the third week of the course, we will observe art history in action by traveling to a major center for art and architecture, to visit museums, auction houses, galleries, and other institutions that gainfully employ art historians. The culmination of the course will be a thesis symposium at the end of winter term, when students present the fruits of their research to the faculty and the larger community. (HARC 0700; Approval Required) (E. Vazquez)
HARC 0731 Senior Architectural Design Research
This studio course constitutes the first part of the two-term senior design project in Architectural Studies. It is devoted to the study, acquisition, and development of tools of architectural design analysis and research. These tools are then applied to generate a thorough understanding of a variety of contexts, including the natural and cultural environments. The course culminates in the formulation of individual building programs and initial concept developments of the senior architectural design projects, presented in both written and graphic formats. The course includes a field trip to a major center for art and architecture, to experience the professional world of architecture in action. (Approval Required) (J. McLeod, S. Kredell)
HARC 1010 Museum Studies: Exhibit Design
In this course we will explore the many aspects of the exhibit design process in a museum setting–from object care and interpretation through space analysis, display furniture design, graphics, and lighting. Utilizing slides, readings, and discussions, the class will explore the history of exhibit design from Victorian curiosity rooms to current trends in interactive exhibits and designing for the disabled. Through hands-on exercises, model making, and electronic CAD and graphics programs, students will experiment with exhibit lighting, gallery layouts, and graphic design. ART (K. Pohlman)
Ken Pohlman is the museum designer for the Middlebury College Museum of Art. In 25 years as a designer, he has designed over 150 installations. He has previously co-taught a course called Early Scientific Instruments:Exhibiting Artifacts from Middlebury's First Century.
HARC 1014 Experiencing the Bauhaus Vorkurs
The Bauhaus, in the words of its originator, was an ‘idea’. This idea—a state run experiment in arts education during the Weimar Republic—remains one of the most powerful underlying generators for modern design from buildings to furniture available at IKEA. Fundamental design principles were introduced through an intensive course, the Vorkurs, taught by luminaries Itten, Kandinsky and Albers. In this course we will experience a condensed Vorkurs. Content will include historical background for design principles which will be explored through hands-on design workshops. No prior artistic proclivities needed, just a desire to experience expressing one’s inner self through form. ART, HIS (W. Cox)
HARC 1015 “Beyond Europe” in Early Modern European Art
An elephant from India for the pope, turbaned Muslim merchants in Venice, a samurai ambassador to European courts, and appalling cannibalism in the New World—the visual arts of Europe from the fifteenth to seventeenth century reflected Europeans’ increasing encroachment on, and interaction with, the world beyond. By considering works by artists such as Bellini, Dürer, Raphael, Bernini, and Rubens, we will examine how Europeans depicted peoples and animals from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas in the early modern period. We will also examine the artistic exchanges between Europe and beyond as consequences of trade and missionary activities. ART, EUR, HIS (M. Fujikawa)
Italian
ITAL 0102 Intensive Beginning Italian II
This course is a continuation of ITAL 0101, and emphasizes spoken and written Italian and the mastery of more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Students continue to work with conversation partners, but will also incorporate more specific cultural references in oral presentations and in written assignments. Students attend the Italian table and mandatory film screenings. (ITAL 0101 or equivalent) (P. Zupan, I. Brancoli Busdraghi, S. Mula)
Japanese
JAPN 0102 First-Year Japanese
This course is an intensive continuation of JAPN 0101. This course is required for those students wishing to take JAPN 0103 in the Spring. (JAPN 0101) LNG (K. Davis, M. Hoye, Y. Adachi)
JAPN/HIST 1022 Tokyo: Between History and Utopia
In this course we will explore the history of Tokyo – from backwater village in the 16th century to the cosmopolitan metropolis of the 20th century – and trace how Tokyo has captured the imagination as a space of possibility, play, consumption, and, for many, decadence. Through a range of sources, including film, novels, ethnographies, and historical essays, we will use Tokyo as a lens through which to explore broader questions related to capitalist modernity, the formation of the modern nation-state, cultural identity, the politics of gender, and mass-culture. AAL, HIS (M. Ward)
Latin
LATN 0101 Beginning Latin I
The course offers an intensive introduction to the Latin language that prepares students to read the major authors of ancient Roman literature. In addition to their systematic study of grammar and syntax, students translate excerpts from Vergil, Seneca and the Vulgate Bible. This course is designed for students who have had no previous experience with Latin, as well as those who have had some Latin but want to review the fundamentals of grammar. LNG (R. Ganiban, A. Fishbone)
Linguistics
LNGT/SPAN 0317 Spanish Pronunciation: How to Sound Like a Native Speaker
Why do language learners have a “foreign” accent? Why do native Spanish speakers roll their r’s so effortlessly? In this course we will explore basic concepts in phonetics and phonology in order to demystify the difficulties that second language learners face while learning Spanish pronunciation. By comparing and contrasting the sound systems of Spanish and English, as well as how their sounds are produced and perceived, students will acquire the theoretical and practical tools to make your Spanish pronunciation more native-like. (SPAN 0220 or equivalent) LNG (M. Rohena-Madrazo)
LNGT 1001 Introduction to Translation Studies
Combining both theory and praxis, this course is geared towards students with an advanced knowledge of modern languages who are contemplating a career in translation. During the first part of the course in the lecture/discussion format, we will analyze key concepts of translation studies such as Katharina Reiss’ and Hans Vermeer’s “skopos theory” and Lawrence Venuti’s “the translator’s invisibility.” We will also explore political and ideological influences on translation, specifically gender. Throughout the course, students will be required to translate different non-literary texts into their native languages and present their translations in class. This course counts as elective credit towards the Linguistics minor. (K. Hanta)
Karin Hanta is the Director of Chellis House at Middlebury College, and has an ABD in translation studies.
Mathematics
MATH 1007 The Combinatorial Gardner
It has been said that the Mathematical Games column written by Martin Gardner for Scientific American turned a generation of children into mathematicians and mathematicians into children. In this course we will read selections from three decades of this column, focusing on those that deal with combinatorics, the “science of counting,” and strive to solve the problems and puzzles given. An example problem that illustrates the science of counting is: what is the maximum number of pieces of pancake (or donut or cheesecake) one can obtain via n linear (or planar) cuts? (MATH 0116 or higher; Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1314). DED (J. Schmitt)
MATH 1008 The Arithmetic of Elliptic Curves
Elliptic curves have played a central role in number theory and algebraic geometry for the last 100 years. Elliptic curves were crucial in Wiles’ proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem, they provide the fastest known algorithms for factoring integers, and there are cryptosystems based on their arithmetic. Elliptic curves arise in the congruent number problem, in the search for Mersenne primes, and a myriad of other applications. They sit at the confluence of geometry, algebra, and number theory. They are also just plain fun. There are many unanswered questions about elliptic curves that involve some of the deepest mathematics of our times, and will provide us a springboard for active mathematical investigation and adventure. (MATH 0121) DED (D. Dorman)
MATH 1712 Trigonometric and Exponential Functions Workshop - Cancelled
(J. Clookey)
Music
MUSC 0235 Introduction to Field and Laboratory Techniques in Ethnomusicology
In this course we will study various methods for conducting ethnomusicological research. Field activities will include writing ethnographic notes, making audio/video recordings, conducting interviews, and photography. Students will learn how to design feasible music research projects, acquire research clearance through the Institution Review Board (IRB), document musical cultures and practices, analyze and interpret collected data, and present our findings through written research reports and oral presentations. Students will need access to digital cameras, audio/video recording devices, and editing software. Some music background will be assumed. ART, SOC (D. Kafumbe)
MUSC 1013 The American Musical in Performance
A survey of the American Musical will lay the groundwork for a fully-mounted production of a significant work. The production, staged at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater, will be a collaboration of college faculty, student actors, musicians and designers, and area residents. The production also involves collaboration with the Department of Theater. A theater major gets advanced credit for designing and building costumes for the show. (Approval required; please contact Doug Anderson at danders@middlebury.edu or Carol Christensen at christen@middlebury.edu) ART (D. Anderson, T. Guiles, visiting winter term instructors; C. Christensen Evancho)
Douglas Anderson is the executive director of Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. Carol Christensen teaches voice in the Department of Music at Middlebury College. Tim Guiles has been doing musical theater directing in Vermont for the last 20 years.
MUSC 1066 The History of The American Negro Spiritual and Its Influence On Western Civilization
In this course we will survey the gathering of indigenous African peoples from numerous tribes and countries for the New World 'slave trade' and its impact on the burgeoning economies. We will discuss the role of religion and music in controlling and focusing the slave population in the agrarian economy. We will discuss and compare influences, changes, and trends to modern technologies. We will discuss the role of universities and churches (specifically the Fisk Jubilee Singers and other university choirs). Further development will center on how gospel music emerged from this tradition, and how the two are interwoven in today's church. We will review the lives of abolitionists and their legacy. In addition, we will explore the uniqueness of the Harlem Renaissance, its writers, artists, and musicians, and the role of the American Negro Spirituals in their lives and work. Singers and non-singers will be welcome. During the month of January, participants will be required to attend 4 regular Tuesday and Thursday evening chorus rehearsals from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Mead Chapel to put our classroom theory into practice. As a bonus, the combined ‘ad hoc chorus’ will be asked to sing 3 or 4 Negro Spirituals at the traditional Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. ART, NOR (F. Clemmons)
Philosophy
PHIL 1010 The Philosophy of Happiness
This is a course on the philosophy of happiness, well-being, and human flourishing. We will consider both the big questions about the nature of these states (for instance, “What is happiness?” and “Is it necessary for a worthwhile life?”) and the specific topics typically taken to be essential to these states, such as pleasure, life satisfaction, virtue, and agency. While working from a philosophical perspective, we will integrate psychological research from the field of “positive psychology” into our analyses. Our readings will draw on contemporary works by both philosophers and psychologists, and will include works by Haybron, Feldman, Csikszentmihalyi, Diener, and Seligman. PHL (L. Besser-Jones)
PHIL/PSCI 1032 Plurality: Philosophy and Politics from Plato to Arendt
Western philosophy insists that by thinking alone we can better learn to live together. Yet starting with Plato's description of the philosopher who must be forced back to society after ascending to the realm of ideas, this tradition often finds itself caught between individual reflection as a means of overcoming common prejudices and the need to find meaning in a common world. In this course we will explore questions of justice, liberty, and authority in Ancient Greek and Enlightenment texts before turning to the early 20th century forms of existentialism that, in their intense focus on individual experience, provide Hannah Arendt with surprising resources for conceptualizing humans as fundamentally plural beings who are both equal and distinct. (This course counts as elective credit towards the Political Science major). (Political Theory) EUR, PHL (J. Champlin, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jeffrey Champlin, ‘95, received his Ph. D. from New York University and is a post-doctoral fellow at the Hannah Arendt Center of Bard College. His teaching and writing focus on political theory, German literature, and aesthetics.
Physics
PHYS 0111 Thermodynamics, Fluids, Wave Motion, and Optics
This lecture and laboratory course covers concepts from classical physics that are not included in PHYS 0109 and PHYS 0110, and that serve as a bridge between those two courses. Topics include thermal properties of matter, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, wave motion, sound, and geometrical and physical optics. This course is strongly recommended for all students otherwise required to take PHYS 0109 and PHYS 0110 as part of a major or a premedical program, and is required for physics majors. (PHYS 0109, MATH 0121, or equivalent) DED, SCI (S. Ratcliff)
Political Science
PSCI 0104 Introduction to American Politics
This course introduces the institutions and practices of American government and politics. The aim is to give students a firm understanding of the workings of and the balance of power among the American Congress, President, bureaucracy, and court system. We begin with the Constitution, which provides the set of founding principles upon which the American government is based. We then look at how American citizens make decisions about politics. Finally, we examine how political institutions, interest groups, parties, elections, and legislative bodies and rules aggregate diverse, often conflicting preferences and how they resolve or exacerbate problems. (American Politics) NOR, SOC (B. Johnson)
PSCI 1003 Euro-Atlantic Relations
In this course we will examine the history, current condition, and prospective future of US-European relations, focusing primarily on security aspects but with reference to political and economic contexts. The learning process will include lectures, class discussions, guest speakers, a role-playing exercise, and a final policy options paper. Issues covered will include: persistent and changing aspects of the “transatlantic bargain”; impact of 9/11 and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; Obama administration policies; US and European interests; NATO relations with Russia; NATO, the European Union and the UN; burden sharing; NATO’s new strategic concept; implications for NATO of US security focus on Asia. (This course counts as an elective towards the major in Political Science). (International Relations and Foreign Policy) CMP, EUR, SOC (S. Sloan, a visiting winter term instructor)
Stan Sloan, a retired U.S. government foreign and defense policy analyst and research manager, is one of America’s top experts on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and author of numerous opinion and journal articles, monographs, and books including Permanent Alliance? NATO and the Transatlantic Bargain from Truman to Obama (Continuum Books, 2010), and The Use of U.S. Power, Implications for U.S. Interests (Georgetown University, 2004).
PSCI 1016 Dictators and Democrats
How do dictators come into and stay in power? Why and how do they relinquish control of their nation and government? What distinguishes democrats from dictators? This course explores the processes through which charismatic individuals create, transform, or circumvent state institutions to seize and/or maintain political power. We will examine individual, national, and international factors that propel dictators to leadership positions. We will also look at the historical context and personal circumstances that lead to a dictators' demise, and that sometimes result in the establishment of a democratic regime. We will study cases from Europe (Churchill, Hitler, Atatürk, Milosevic), Asia (Ghandi, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin), America (FDR, Clinton, G. W. Bush, Pinochet, Perón, Duvalier), and Africa (Mandela, Mobutu, Idi Amin, Mugabe). (Comparative Politics) AAL, CMP, SOC (N. Horning)
PSCI 1019 War Games
Why do wars happen? Social interactions often follow basic patterns whether the individuals in question are negotiating minor issues, like prices at a farmer’s market, or major issues, like the terms of settlement in war. We are familiar with many of these in the form of children’s games or games of strategy. In this course we will connect these games to broader non-cooperative interactions, particularly to wars between and within nations. While not a course on tactical behaviors, this course is an exploration of strategic behaviors (bargaining, bluffing, and learning) that lead nations into very costly conflicts. (International Relations) SOC (A. Yuen)
PSCI 1029 Vermont Government and Politics
Vermont is the second smallest state in America. Its state government is similarly small and accessible. How does it work? Does it work well? Are there lessons for other states that haven't fared as well during the recent economic downturn? Are there lessons Vermont can learn from other states? This course will offer an insider's perspective on the political landscape and governmental system of our host state. We will meet with those involved in the process and discuss the intricacies of state government and how the political system affects it. (American Politics) NOR, SOC (J. Douglas)
PSCI 1031 Protest Music in Comparative Perspective
In this course we will examine how marginalized populations around the world use music to interpret, explain, and respond to political, racial, socioeconomic, and gendered inequities. Because music is produced for a wide audience, it is important for the construction of group identity and a useful means of protest. We will discuss the domestic politics of countries such as Nigeria, Jamaica, the U.S., and Brazil by reading the literature of comparative politics, sociology, and critical race and gender theory. Our discussion of these topics will help us better understand how power in various forms is used to repress, and how music challenges existing hegemonies. (Comparative Politics) AAL, ART, CMP, SOC (K. Fuentes-George)
PSCI/PHIL 1032 Plurality: Philosophy and Politics from Plato to Arendt
Western philosophy insists that by thinking alone we can better learn to live together. Yet starting with Plato's description of the philosopher who must be forced back to society after ascending to the realm of ideas, this tradition often finds itself caught between individual reflection as a means of overcoming common prejudices and the need to find meaning in a common world. In this course we will explore questions of justice, liberty, and authority in Ancient Greek and Enlightenment texts before turning to the early 20th century forms of existentialism that, in their intense focus on individual experience, provide Hannah Arendt with surprising resources for conceptualizing humans as fundamentally plural beings who are both equal and distinct. (This course counts as elective credit towards the Political Science major). (Political Theory) EUR, PHL (J. Champlin, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jeffrey Champlin, ‘95, received his Ph. D. from New York University and is a post-doctoral fellow at the Hannah Arendt Center of Bard College. His teaching and writing focus on political theory, German literature, and aesthetics.
PSCI 1033 Reading Adam Smith
In this course we will read Adam Smith’s two great works, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and The Wealth of Nations (1776). Smith’s The Wealth of Nations is known for its elaboration of the principles of liberal capitalism. However, understanding Smith’s full teaching requires a study of The Theory of Moral Sentiments, which contains a full discussion of the human passions, especially sympathy. Both works contain Smith’s famous “invisible hand” metaphor. As both Jefferson and Hamilton admired Smith’s work, and as Americans continue to debate the relationship between politics and economics, we will conclude by considering the application of Smith's principles to America. (Political Theory) NOR, SOC, PHL (M. Dry)
PSCI/WAGS 1034 Women in American Politics
In this course, we will cover a wide variety of issues concerning women in American politics, examining a mixture of sources from history, political science, and popular culture. In part one of this course, we will discuss highlights of the history of women in politics in the United States. In parts two and three we will build on this knowledge by exploring how the legacy of women’s political activism affects women in America today: part two addresses women’s political behavior outside of elective office, and part three addresses women in elective office. (This course counts as elective credit towards the major in Political Science and the major in Women's and Gender Studies) (American Politics) NOR, SOC (C. Ridge, a visiting winter term instructor)
Charlotte Ridge has taught courses at the University of Iowa and Colby College.
PSCI/INTD 1130 Statistics for Social Sciences
In this course, which assumes no background in quantitative methods, students will be introduced to the necessary skills to analyze data sets and derive meaningful conclusions and interpretations. We will combine exposition to statistical theory with practical uses of statistical modeling, and we will explore common statistical tools used in both industrial and research environments including STATA and/or R. We will apply the classroom material to real-world data sets in regular lab sessions. We will focus on data and examples from social sciences, but the course will be generally applicable to students of all disciplines. (Political Theory) DED (E. Mezini, a visiting winter term instructor)
Evis Mezini holds an MA in International Studies from Claremont Graduate University and is currently finishing a PhD in Comparative and World Politics. Her research and teaching interests include: political behavior, quantitative and qualitative methods, regime transition, ethnic conflict and nationalism, institutions, and EU integration.
Portuguese
PGSE 0102 Intensive Beginning Portuguese
This course is a continuation of PGSE 0101 and a pre-requisite for PGSE 0103. (PGSE 0101) LNG (F. Rocha)
Psychology
PSYC 1020 Moral Minds: The Psychology of Morality
We have all “taken one for the team,” stood loyally by friends, overcome desires to cheat, and helped others before ourselves. We have also all stretched the truth to make ourselves look better, treated others intolerantly, and given preferential treatment to a friend. What motivates us to act in these moral and immoral ways? Are these actions guided by emotion or by reason? Are there moral limits of tolerance or helping others? What makes these actions “moral” in the first place? In this course, we will grapple with these issues by exploring moral psychology from developmental, evolutionary, and cultural perspectives. We will consider whether humans are innately selfish, how we come to have a sense of right and wrong, and whether our moral psychology is shaped by our culture. Is there one moral mind or many moral minds? We will apply theories and concepts of moral psychology to issues debated in Supreme Court cases, while also becoming attuned to the subtle, often unnoticed patterning of moral psychology in our everyday lives. Throughout this course, we will try to step outside our own moralities to consider the moral motives of people with whom we do not necessarily agree. This course counts as elective credit towards the Psychology major. SOC (A. DiBianca Fasoli, a visiting winter term instructor)
Allison DiBianca Fasoli, '04, is currently completing her PhD in Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago.
PSYC 1021 Stress & Emotional Regulation
How does our emotional experience influence our well-being, relationships, and daily lives? How does stress affect our ability to manage emotion? In this course we will explore the links between emotion, emotional regulation, stress, self-awareness, and well-being. We will discuss theoretical perspectives and explore the physiological, experiential, and behavioral aspects of emotion regulation. We will consider how stress and other factors influence our ability to manage emotion, especially during adolescence and emerging adulthood. In addition, we will utilize film and music to highlight how emotion is experienced and will explore strategies for enhancing emotion regulation, including mindfulness practices. This course counts as elective credit towards the Psychology major. SOC (C. Wagner, a visiting winter term instructor)
Caitlin Wagner, ‘02, is currently a doctoral candidate in the Developmental Psychology department at the University of Vermont. She is also a licensed substance abuse counselor and has provided mental health and substance abuse counseling services for adolescents and families in a variety of settings, including an outpatient treatment facility, a therapeutic boarding school, and the wilderness of Montana.
Religion
RELI 1028 Religion and Environmental Ethics
What is the relationship between religion and ecology? We will examine how religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism) have characterized the human-nature relationship by studying such themes as: dominion vs. stewardship, restraints on human impact, concepts of interdependence, and ideas of sacred space. Later in the course, we will study contemporary religiously-based environmental activism, examining the possibilities and problems that emerge when religion is mobilized on behalf of the environment. We will read works by Sallie McFague, Mary Evelyn Tucker, Thomas Berry, and Rabbis Arthur Waskow and David Haberman. We will also take a field trip to an "eco-Catholic" monastery in Vermont. (Not open to students who have taken RELI 0395). PHL (R. Gould)
RELI 1029 Global Pentecostalism
In this course we will explore developments in contemporary Pentecostal and charismatic movements, rapidly growing forms of global Christianity that emphasize direct personal experience with God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and “speaking in tongues.” We will begin with an exploration of the central beliefs and practices in Pentecostalism, its modern origins in the Azuza Street Revival, and racial tensions among the early “classical denominations” of North America. Then we will turn our attention to the global spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century, examining its cultural and ethnic variations in South America, Africa, and China. Finally, we will consider how these diverse global movements and neo-charismatic mega churches (especially their use of the media and endorsement of prosperity theology) are re-shaping the face of traditional Christianity. CMP, NOR, PHL (E. Bagley)
RELI 1030 Jews and the Russian Empire in Crisis
S. An-sky (1863-1920) was a Russian-Jewish writer, ethnographer, and social activist. A prolific author, he wrote in two languages in every imaginable genre: articles, novels, plays, and songs. His best known work, The Dybbuk, immortalizes the legendary figure of a dead soul that takes possession of a living body to right an injustice suffered during its lifetime. We will study An-sky’s collected “works”: his fiction, play, memoirs, photographs, artifacts, and folk music. Our goal is a greater understanding of the cultural borderland between the two worlds, Russian and Jewish, which An-sky inhabited and portrayed at a time of crisis. (This class counts toward a concentration in Judaism within the religion major or as an elective credit towards the religion major). EUR, CMP (M. Katz, I. Schiffer)
Russian
RUSS 0102 Beginning Russian
This course is a continuation of RUSS 0101. (RUSS 0101 or equivalent) LNG (K. Moss, S. Titkova)
RUSS 1002 Black Russians
In this course we will examine the history of Blacks in Russia, from the earliest mentions in the writings of Ovid and Pindar through to present day Russia, paying particular attention to the African American experience. We will consider questions such as how did Blacks first arrive in Russia? How were they treated then, throughout Soviet and Russian history, and how are they treated today? With which group, Black or Great White Russian, do Blacks born and raised in Russia identify? We will look closely at the contributions of Black Americans to the Soviet and Russian experience. (This course counts as elective credit towards the Russian major) CMP, EUR, HIS (R. W. Boone, a visiting winter term instructor)
Ralph William Boone, '91, '95, is currently working on a book about the geographic origins of the Blackamoors of Peter the Great.
Sociology/Anthropology
SOAN 1023 Organizing for Social Change
In this course we will examine the theory and practice of building peoples’ movements for social change. We will consider problems of power and powerlessness, political organization, collective action, social movements, and reform versus revolution. As a crash course in organizing for change, we will practice the hands-on tactics and strategies that social movement organizers employ to foment social transformation from the grassroots: creating a campaign strategy, mobilizing workers and communities, power structure analysis, and leadership development. Students will craft political manifestos, draft strategy reports and press releases, and respond to readings and films. SOC (J. McCallum)
SOAN/IGST 1070 Introduction to Swahili and East African Culture
This course introduces students to Swahili, the lingua franca of East Africa. Students will acquire a foundation for speaking, reading, and writing Swahili, and will learn how to use it appropriately in East African culture. The use of English in the classroom will be kept to a minimum. The course also provides an introduction to the geography and history of East Africa. This course is particularly useful for students who intend to visit Kenya, Tanzania, or Uganda, because its linguistic and cross-cultural training will give them the resources to maximize such an experience. AAL, LNG (B. Kafumbe, a visiting winter term instructor)
Betty Kafumbe holds a B.A. in music from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda with voice and piano as her major instruments. Having been born in Kenya, spent part of her childhood in Tanzania, and grown up in Uganda, Mrs. Kafumbe’s knowledge of Swahili is fairly eclectic. She also has experience in teaching Luganda, one of the main dialects used in Uganda.
Spanish
SPAN 0102 Intensive Beginning Spanish
This course is a continuation of SPAN 0101. This course may not be used to fulfill the foreign language distribution requirement. (SPAN 0101) (I. Feldman, M. Portugal)
SPAN/LNGT 0317 Spanish Pronunciation: How to Sound Like a Native Speaker
Why do language learners have a “foreign” accent? Why do native Spanish speakers roll their r’s so effortlessly? In this course we will explore basic concepts in phonetics and phonology in order to demystify the difficulties that second language learners face while learning Spanish pronunciation. By comparing and contrasting the sound systems of Spanish and English, as well as how their sounds are produced and perceived, students will acquire the theoretical and practical tools to make your Spanish pronunciation more native-like. (SPAN 0220 or equivalent) LNG (M. Rohena-Madrazo)
SPAN 0394 Contemporary Youth Cultures in Latin America
Music bazaars, DJs, and rave parties, barras de fútbol (soccer fan clubs), and loitering are some of the manifestations associated with young people in Latin American literature, film, music, and journalism. How do these literary, artistic, and media representations of youth enter into dialogue with recent events in which young people have been at the center of efforts to bring about political changes in Latin America? How do those representations compare with the ones produced by young people in political movements such as revolución de los pingüinos in Chile and Yo Soy 132 in Mexico? Examining short fiction, film and documentaries, rock and reggaeton songs, blogs, and other cultural materials (YouTube clips, images, graffiti), we will identify and compare different contemporary youth cultures in Latin America in relation to their productions, representations, and actions in the public sphere. (At least two Spanish courses numbered 0300 or above, or by waiver). AAL, LIT, LNG (J. Sierra-Rivera)
Studio Art
ART 0159 Studio Art I: Drawing
This course is a complete and thorough basic drawing course. Mediums used will be pencil, charcoal, and ink, among others. Work will be done from observation and invention. Line, perspective, value, composition, and introduction to color will be discussed. Assignments will involve students with the formal and technical aspects of drawing and with the idea of drawing as an individual means of expression. No prior drawing experience is assumed or expected. This course is required of all art majors and minors. ART (H. Wallner, a visiting winter term instructor)
Heimo Wallner is a visual artist from Austria. His main focus is drawing, animation, and sculpture.
ART 1025 Sculpture-Material Lab
As an exploration through experimentation, this course aims to expose students to the widest array of sculptural materials possible in a limited amount of time. Each class will begin with an experiment designed to reveal the inherent properties of a new material, while also providing greater understanding of its traditional usage. Using a variety of casting techniques (rigid, flexible, lost, life) and the Smooth-on catalog (an industry standard and the origin of nearly all movie makeup special effects) as our guide, we will unleash our triple beam balances and mix up, urethane rubber, foam rubber, alginate, plaster, latex rubber, hard and soft plastics, and more. Fast-paced individual and collaborative projects will eliminate any sense of preciousness towards final outcomes emphasizing the journey and not the end product. Slide lectures showcasing contemporary artists including Folkert de Jong, John Isaacs, Tim Hawkinson, and David Altmejd will place these materials in context. This course is designed for the art major and non-major alike. Materials will cost approximately $90 per student. This course counts as an elective towards the major or minor in Studio Art. ART (S. Mirling)
ART 1125 Introduction to Traditional Black & White Photography
In this course we will explore traditional black and white photography. Photography as a form of personal and artistic expression will be emphasized and various approaches to the medium will be explored through assignments and slide lectures. Students will learn technical aspects of exposure, development, and printing in a B&W darkroom. Students must provide their own 35mm film camera with manual controls. Each student will be required to contribute $100 towards the cost of materials. This course counts as an elective towards the major or minor in Studio Art. ART (M. Mantell, a visiting winter term instructor)
May Mantell has an MFA in Studio Art from Stanford University and a BFA in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. She has taught Photography and Studio Art courses at Stanford, The San Francisco Art Institute, UVM & Middlebury College.
ART 1126 Introduction to Drawing: “Alien Eyes”
Drawing is a fundamental and direct means of communication, documentation, and investigation. Students will be introduced to the process of drawing as if seeing the world for the first time. A variety of media will be used including pencil, charcoal, ink, and color conte/pastel on white, toned, and color papers. Projects will challenge students both technically and conceptually. We will work primarily from observation integrating personal expression and ideas about abstraction. The goal of this course is to establish a fluid connection between seeing, thinking, and mark-making. Each student will be required to contribute $75 towards the cost of materials. This course counts as an elective towards the major or minor in Studio Art. ART (J. Nissen, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jessica Nissen, ’90, is an artist living and working in NYC and Vermont.
Theatre
ARDV 0116 The Creative Process
Focused on the production of autobiographical performance, this course will provide students with the unique opportunity to dig deeply into their selves and explore the processes by which ideas emerge and are given shape. The experiential nature of this course integrates cognition and action, mind and body. This course will offer students a range of modes of discovering, knowing, and communicating designed to push them beyond their present state of awareness and level of confidence in their creative power. The course will culminate in each student's performance of a self-designed solo piece that reflects their individuality. Daily journaling required. ART (A. Smith)
THEA 1012 The Plays and Theories of Howard Barker
In this course we will explore the plays of contemporary British playwright Howard Barker. Barker is the author of the Theatre of Catastrophe, a theory that tests the validity of moral categories and abolishes the routine distinctions between good and bad actions. He often presents desperate situations in bawdily humorous contexts. Barker’s work has always been surrounded by controversy. The plays covered in class will be No End of Blame, Scenes from an Execution, The Castle, Victory, Hard Heart, The Europeans, and The Possibilities. EUR, LIT (R. Romagnoli)
THEA 1015 The Art and Science of Preparation
In this course we will introduce students of theatre to various areas of the discipline, including audition techniques, portfolio preparation, critical analysis of text, and appropriate research for plays and characters. Our work will include readings, practice auditions, interviews, and on-camera work for those students with an acting focus. Students will be required to keep a journal of their process and research. Specific opportunities may arise for off campus work in the areas of acting, directing, dramaturgy, and criticism. (THEA 0102; Approval Required) ART (A. Draper)
THEA 1016 Writing American Theatre
We craft plays in time and space. This course shows how. Students will read scenes from select plays by living American playwrights, including A.R. Gurney, Katori Hall, David Ives, Theresa Rebeck, and David Henry Hwang. We’ll focus on when and why drama works. Students will write their own short plays, perform them in class, and rework them according to what they learn. This course is not for the faint of heart, but students will come away appreciating dramatic technique, and knowing a lot more about how to use it. ART, CW (R. Ackerman, a visiting winter term instructor)
Rob Ackerman, '80, is a playwright in New York City. His plays include Call Me Waldo (2012, Working Theater, Off Broadway and Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca), Tabletop (2001, American Place Theater, Drama Desk Award Winner for Best Ensemble Performance), Volleygirls (2009, American Conservatory Theater, commission and world premiere) Icarus of Ohio (2008, NYU's Tisch School of the Arts), Disconnect (2005, Working Theater, Classic Stage Company).
THEA/ENAM 1020 Performing Others: Writing and Staging the Solo Show
Theatre artists such as Anna Deavere Smith, Danny Hoch, and Sarah Jones make a habit of writing and performing roles they were not born to play. Jumping over barriers of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, these soloists are committed to embodying “the other.” In addition to analyzing professional works, students in Performing Others will create and develop a variety of monologues featuring characters that may be fictional, biographical, or based upon interviews. Together we will form an ensemble for developing new material and for processing issues that necessarily arise when we dare to imagine ourselves as others. ART, CW (D. Yeaton)
Women’s and Gender Studies
WAGS/CLAS 1016 Gender and Sexuality in the Ancient World
In this course we will examine issues of gender and sexuality in ancient Greece and Rome. Through close analyses of ancient texts and material remains, we will discuss representations of gender in literature and art, sexual norms and codes, medical theories concerning the male and female body, and views on marriage, rape, adultery, and prostitution. In addition we will examine the relationship between the construction of gender identities in literature and the actual roles of men and women in society. Authors and texts include Homer, Hesiod, Sappho, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, the Hippocratic Corpus, Livy, Virgil, Ovid, and Catullus. (This course counts as elective credit towards the major in Classics and the major in Women's and Gender Studies) CMP, SOC (J. Evans, a visiting winter term instructor)
Jessica Evans completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin and is currently a lecturer at the University of Vermont.
WAGS/PSCI 1034 Women in American Politics
In this course, we will cover a wide variety of issues concerning women in American politics, examining a mixture of sources from history, political science, and popular culture. In part one of this course, we will discuss highlights of the history of women in politics in the United States. In parts two and three we will build on this knowledge by exploring how the legacy of women’s political activism affects women in America today: part two addresses women’s political behavior outside of elective office, and part three addresses women in elective office. (This course counts as elective credit towards the major in Political Science and the major in Women's and Gender Studies) (American Politics) NOR, SOC (C. Ridge, a visiting winter term instructor)
Charlotte Ridge has taught courses at the University of Iowa and Colby College.
Off-Campus Courses
Monterey Institute of International Studies
INTD 1074C MiddCORE@Monterey – Monterey, California*
MIIS 8500A Development Project Management Institute (DPMI) – Monterey, California*
MIIS 8500B Team El Salvador – El Salvador*
MIIS 8500C Transitional Injustice and Chile’s Vulnerable Populations – Chile*
*The deadline for applying for these courses, as advertised in an October email to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, was October 21.