Academics

Fall 2010 Courses

Generally speaking each course at Marlboro College requires a minimum number of contact hours with teaching faculty based on the credits to be earned. Usually 50 minutes or more of weekly contact time per credit earned is required. Contact time is provided through formal in-class instruction as well as other instructional activities facilitated by the teaching faculty member.

The book lists that follow each course are subject to change. Please also note that students enroll in classes at the beginning of the fall semester and some class sizes are limited, therefore students are urged not to purchase books in advance of the beginning of term, unless they are certain that they will be attending the class. All books required for courses at Marlboro College are available in the College Bookstore.

Courses that begin with a DW are Designated Writing Courses.
Courses that begin with a WS are Writing Seminar Courses.

Last Updated 09/08/2010

Courses by Field of Study

American Studies

History of Feminisms in the U.S.

HUM1417 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

An exploration of the multiple and often conflicting feminisms which have shaped U.S. history from the 19th century to the present. Emphasis on the second and third waves, on the relationship between feminist thought and political organizing, and on generational divisions across time. Opportunity for students to pursue in-depth research on topics of their own choosing. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
No Permanent WavesHewitt 9780813547251 $29.95
World Split OpenRosen 9780140097191 $19.00

SENIOR SEMINAR IN AMERICAN STUDIES

HUM721 - 2 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

The seminar is organized around the different research topics of seniors doing Plan work in American Studies. Students will present their own research in progress and read and critique each other's writing. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor Seminar may be taken for repeat credit

History of Political Life in the U.S. II

HUM741 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

How have different social groups, in different historical contexts, struggled to define and organize public life in the United States? In exploring this question, the course offers a thematically organized survey of U.S. history from the latter part of the nineteenth century to the present. Central issues to be explored include the nature of democracy in an era marked by a centralization of political and economic power, the role of mass culture in shaping ideas of freedom and the good life, the struggle over national identity in the context of multiculturalism, and the history of social protest in affecting change. The course advances a definition of "politics" which links these issues not simply to the laws, structures and operations of a government but to a more inclusive set of institutions and practices and to an understanding of political life which places at the center the ways in which people imagine and represent the social order. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Age of Great DreamsFarber 9780809015672 $16.95
Unstead MarchKlinkner 9780226443416 $22.00
Story of American FreedomFoner 9780393319620 $18.95
Takin' it to the StreetsBloom 9780195142907 $49.95

See Also:

Anthropology

Introduction to Anthropology

SSC131 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Carol Hendrickson

This course provides a broad overview of cultural anthropology. We start by considering two concepts that are central to the discipline: the idea of "culture" and the research method called "fieldwork." From there, we take up a range of topics (e.g. language, social relations, economic exchange, power and control, belief systems, socialization, and the nature of the person) and consider the issues and approaches important to anthropologists. Class readings will include a number of ethnographic studies based on research in communities around the world. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Reflections on Fieldwork in MoroccoRabinow 9780520251779 $19.95
Firewalking and Religious HealingDanforth 9780691028538 $37.50
Cultural Anthropology 7thSchultz 9780195338508 $84.95

Seminar in Medical Anthropology

SSC524 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Carol Hendrickson

People conceptualize health, illness, and healing processes according to the cultural knowledge of the society in which they live. In this course we will examine a range of topics from the perspective of cultural anthropology including concepts of the body, the language of illness and health, systems of medical authority, religion and healing, and pluralistic medical systems. The beginning weeks of the semester will focus on common readings while the latter part will be devoted to student research, class presentations, and the preparation of a final project. Students will be selected on the basis of a statement of interest and proposal for research. Variable credits (2-3). Prerequisite: A proposal plus permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Reader in Medical AnthropologyGood 9781405183147 $59.95

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Art History

A Fixed Impression: A Hands-On Approach to the History & Techniques of Printmaking

HUM1418 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Cathy Osman, Erin Benay

From its origins in the 15th century to the present day, the print has played an essential role in the history and production of art. In this course we will consider both the history of the medium and its impact on the development of the visual arts, and the making of prints. Class time will be divided evenly between art historical discussions of thematic issues such as the function of prints, notions of reproduction & multiplicity, and prints as translation, and studio time dedicated to the learning of intaglio and relief printmaking techniques such as etching, engraving, and woodcut. By getting our hands dirty making prints, we will experience directly how difficult, diverse, and expressive the print can be. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Prints and PrintmakingGriffiths 9780520207141 $31.95

Art History Survey Part I: Pre-History to Gothic

HUM880 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Erin Benay

This course is an introduction to the history of art beginning with pre-history and ending with Italy in the fourteenth century. The focus of the class is on tracing trends of stylistic, functional, aesthetic, material interaction in a series of world cultures including Egyptian, Ancient Near Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Western Medieval. Students are expected to develop skills of visual analysis and a historical sense of changes in world culture. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Gardner's Art Through the Ages V. 1 13thKleiner 9780495115496 $153.95

Asian Studies

A Frog Jumps In: Seminar in Japanese History & Culture

HUM1035 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Seth Harter

The ripples of Japanese culture have reached all sides of the Pacific. This seminar will examine selected topics in the origins and development of Japanese culture from the late 8th century to the present. We will begin with a general overview of Japanese language, history and geography. We will then consider the fundamental themes of Japanese history while reading key works on Japanese literature, politics, religion, and contemporary society. Each student will take responsibility for leading discussion, will write weekly commentaries, and will produce two short papers. Knowledge of Japanese language is not necessary, but some prior exposure to Japanese culture will be helpful. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Embracing DefeatDower 9780393320275 $19.95
Liquid LifeLaFleur 9780691029658 $30.95
Essential HaikuHass 9780880013512 $16.00
SilenceEndo 9780800871864 $11.95
Japanese ExperienceBeasley 9780520225602 $21.95
Moon in a DewdropTanahashi 9780865471863 $17.00
Book of TeaOkakura 9781933330174 $9.95
Bushido: Samurai Ethics and the Sould of JapanNitobe 9780486433912 $6.95
Japan After JapanYoda 9780822338130 $25.95

See Also:

Biology

Anatomy of Movement

CDS564 - 3 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan, Jaime Tanner

In this course we will study human movement from an anatomical and biomechanical perspective. Concepts will be explored through a combination of scientific study, experiential anatomy, and dance movement. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Biomechanical Basis of Human MovementHamill 9780781791281 $103.95
Trail Guide to the Body 3rdBiel 9780965853453 $52.95

General Biology I Lab

NSC174 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Allison Turner

An exploration of biological principles and biological diversity in a laboratory setting. We will spend some of the Fall semester studying South Pond, a remarkable local natural resource, as well as working in the lab with bacteria and mammalian cells. Students will be given opportunities to design their own research projects. Spring semester will include a detailed study of local vernal pools. Recommended for prospective life science Plan students. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in General Biology I or permission of instructor

Genetics & Evolution

NSC224 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jennifer Ramstetter

An integration of the major elements of molecular, Mendelian, and population genetics with the principles of organic evolution. Recommended for all students doing Plan work in the life sciences. Prerequisite: College-level biology course

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Strickberger's Evolution 4thHall 9780763700669 $120.95

Scientific Methods in Alternative Medicine

NSC369 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Allison Turner, Jaime Tanner

A seminar course covering ten to twenty modalities of alternative healing. This course is specifically designed to teach all students how to understand and gain valuable information from scientific literature; we will be reading, exclusively, primary research papers and elucidating the scientific methods used. The course will seek to clarify the difference between belief systems and scientific evidence in alternative medicine. Students will give presentations based on scientific literature from their chosen healing modality. The course will include a short lab component. Prerequisite: None

Natural History of Vermont

NSC467 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Robert Engel

An "old fashioned" course where we will study the climate and landscape of Vermont and the kinds of things that live here. While studying all groups, each student will be asked to specialize on one taxon. There will be a lot of work outside. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Corequisite: Enrollment in HUM1332: Environmental Philosophy, William Edelglass

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Winter WorldHeinrich 9780061129070 $14.99
Summer WorldHeinrich 9780060742188 $14.99
Field Guide to Eastern ForestsPeterson Kricher 9780395928950 $20.00

Animal Behavior

NSC594 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jaime Tanner

This course will introduce students to basic concepts of animal behavior from a strong evolutionary perspective. We will focus on the evolutionary and ecological significance of behaviors exhibited by a broad range of animals. Prerequisite: College-level biology

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Animal Behavior 9thAlcock 9780878932252 $87.95

Animal Behavior Lab

NSC595 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jaime Tanner

This laboratory will develop your ability to measure, quantify and assess the behavior of animals. You will receive extensive training on the scientific method and hypothesis testing. Students will gain experience in the research techniques and critical thinking through an independent research topic. Prerequisite: College-level biology, NSC344

General Biology I

NSC9 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Jennifer Ramstetter

An examination of the molecular and cellular basis for life. This course serves as the foundation course for further work in life sciences. Prerequisite: Some chemistry recommended

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Biological Science 3rdFreeman 9780321543271 $192.67

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Ceramics

Ceramics II

ART102 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Martina Lantin

Beginning with diverse assignments and concluding with self-directed projects, this course will develop material understanding and aesthetic choices. Ceramics history and contemporary issues will be discussed. There will be a presentation and written component.

Ceramics I

ART349 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Martina Lantin

This course will introduce students to the primary forming methods in ceramics as well as to creating the building blocks for a technical understanding. Students will be encouraged in a variety of making and finishing techniques working both sculpturally and functionally.

Chemistry

Organic Chemistry I

NSC12 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Todd Smith

Carbon can form bonds with itself and almost all of the other elements, giving rise to an enormous variety of carbon-containing molecules. Early organic chemists struggled with the structure of one particular molecule, benzene, until Friedrich Kekule solved the puzzle in a dream - he saw the carbon atoms "twisting in a snake-like motion.... One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes." In this course we study the chemistry of these carbon-based compounds. Organic chemistry's connection to biology is emphasized through descriptions of molecules and reactions central to living organisms. This is an intermediate chemistry course and is strongly recommended for all biologists, chemists, pre-med and pre-vet students. Prerequisite: General Chemistry I & II

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Organic Chemistry 6thBruice 9780321663139 $213.00

General Chemistry I

NSC158 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Todd Smith

Chemistry has a rich history, including ancient theories on the nature of matter and recipes for converting lead into gold. Modern research and applications are equally exciting, and include topics such as creating more efficient solar collectors and the reactions of natural and human-made chemicals in the environment. We will explore these topics as we learn about atomic structure and the periodic table, reaction stoichiometry, chemical bonds, molecular structure, and other concepts central to modern chemistry. Many of these topics are related to current health and environmental issues. For example, discussions of pH and reduction-oxidation reactions include research on the natural chemistry of surface waters and the effects of acid rain on natural systems. Co-requisite: General Chemistry I Laboratory

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Principles of General Chemistry 2ndSilberberg 9780077274320 $192.80

Organic Chemistry I Lab

NSC17 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Allison Turner, Todd Smith

This laboratory will introduce students to key laboratory techniques in organic chemistry. We will explore reactions and procedures that will illustrate important concepts in organic chemistry, while also employing an approach called "green chemistry": for example, minimizing the use and production of hazardous materials, using more efficient reactions, and using benign and recyclable reagents. We will also employ an inquiry-based approach to laboratory investigations, in which the students will take increasing responsibility for the design, conduct, and analysis of experiments over the course of the semester. Prerequisite: General Chemistry Laboratory I or II

General Chemistry I Lab

NSC444 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Allison Turner, Todd Smith

In the laboratory, we will apply the same concepts, information and analytical approach we use in the classroom. You will continue to hone problem-solving skills and become familiar with laboratory equipment and procedures. Laboratory sessions will be designed to allow you to explore ideas discussed in class through field and lab work in environmental chemistry. Also, we will try to apply concepts from the field of 'green chemistry' to make our investigations more environmentally sustainable. Prerequisite: Co-requisite of General Chemistry I

Chemistry in the Kitchen

NSC596 - 3 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Todd Smith

Ever wonder why bread dough rises? Or what makes a chocolate bar melt when it's heated? When we cook, we see food change. Chemistry explains these changes. Harold McGee, author of On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen, agrees: "science can make cooking more interesting by connecting it with the basic workings of the natural world." In this course, we will explore food and cooking through experiments that ask questions such as: How does heat change food? How do bacteria perform fermentation? Why is the fermented food acidic? What is an acid, anyway? Through these explorations we will build an understanding of how chemistry explains cooking. This is a chemistry course - with the kitchen as our laboratory. The course will meet twice a week: once in the classroom, and once in the kitchen. Each week we will discuss a new topic in chemistry and then use our laboratory time in the kitchen to address our questions. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
On Food and CookingMcGee 9780684800011 $40.00

Classics

Sex, Violence, & Vengeance: Greek Tragedy for All the Ages

HUM1427 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: William Guast

In his own time the Greek tragedian Euripides was accused of making the young idle and corrupting women, and ever since the fifth century BC Greek tragedy has not lost this power to provoke. ‘Feminist' tragedies were read aloud at suffragette meetings at the beginning of the 20th century, while the tragedian Sophocles was reworked during the second world war in occupied to France to encode resistance to the Nazis. In this course we shall consider some of the greatest and most well known Greek tragedies, and explore not only radically different conceptions of justice, fate, theodicy, feminism, and political authority, to name just a few key themes, but also the workings of the unfamiliar and formal literary ‘grammar' of Greek tragedy. It is hoped that the course will culminate in a short performance of extracts from Euripides Medea. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Frogs and Other PlaysAristophanes 9780140449693 $11.00
OedipusSophocles 9780521010726 $11.00
AntigoneSophocles 9780521010733 $11.00
HippolytusEuripides 9780521678278 $11.00
MedeaEuripides 9780521644792 $11.00

GREEK IA

HUM286 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: William Guast

This is a beginner's course in Ancient Greek. Greek is a truly special language, with an incredible variety of expression, beauty of sound, and richness of thought, literature, and history. It is also a challenging language, and students should be prepared for regular short quizzes to reinforce material as we go along, but consistent effort will pay rich dividends. We'll be working from John Taylor's 'Greek to GCSE', which introduces students to the basic elements of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary through stories set in authentic Ancient Greek contexts. Prerequiste: None

 

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Greek to GCSE Pt. 1Taylor 9781853996566 $27.00

LATIN IA

HUM36 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: William Guast

This is a beginner's course in Latin. Students come to Latin for many reasons: to understand better their own and other languages; to access one of the richest bodies of literature and history in the world; or simply as an intellectual test. Latin is a demanding language, and students should be prepared for regular short quizzes to reinforce material as we go along, but consistent effort will pay rich dividends. We'll be working from Wheelock's Latin (6th edition), which introduces students to the basic elements of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, and offers students original Latin thought and language as soon as possible. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Wheelock's Latin WorkbookWheelock 9780060956424 $17.99
Wheelock's Latin, 6th RevisedWheelock 9780060783716 $21.99
38 Latin StoriesGroton 9780865162891 $19.00

LATIN IIA

HUM427 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: William Guast

This course is a continuation of Latin IA and Latin IB. We will move to translating original Latin in order to build up vocabulary and grammatical knowledge; prose composition will also be a regular feature of our study. We will aim to finish Wheelock's Latin. The choice of texts studied will very much depend on the interests and enthusiasms of students: we could try Catullus' lewd love poems, or Vergil's Dido and Aeneas, or Tacitus' thoughts on living under a dictatorship. Prerequisite: Latin IA and IB

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Cambridge Latin AnthologyCarter 9780521578776 $20.00

GREEK IIA

HUM47 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: William Guast

This course is a continuation of Greek IA and Greek IB. We will move to translating original Greek in order to build up vocabulary and grammatical knowledge; prose composition will also be a regular feature of our study. The choice of texts studied will very much depend on the interests and enthusiasms of students: we could sample Socrates' thoughts on the good life, or Homer's epic poetry, or try our hand at the New Testament in the original. Prerequisite: Greek IA and IB

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Greek AnthologyJACT 9780521000260 $32.99

See Also:

Computer Science

Digital Multimedia

NSC551 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

A workshop in manipulating images, music, animation, and video with a computer, including some background topics in optics, acoustics, and the internet. Where possible, we'll be primarily using open source software systems such as the Gimp (images), Audacity (sound), and Blender (animation). After an initial look at many technologies, each student will choose a single project to focus on for the last third of the term. Prerequisite: None

Introduction to Programming with Python

NSC552 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

This is a first class in computer programming, and as such serves as a foundation any further work in computer science. Much as a competency with English grammar is required for writing, an understanding of programming is needed for most intermediate and advanced work in computer science. A similar course is offered every fall, though the language chosen varies from year to year. Python is a modern, elegant, high level scripting language, used for scientific programming, web servers, and all sorts of other things; it's been one of the most popular languages among students here at Marlboro lately. Topics will include program design, Boolean logic, debugging, input/output, object oriented programming, as well as a variety of basic computer skills. Prerequisite: None (Yes, it's at 8:30 this time around. If I can get up that early, so can you. Come join the breakfast club, eh?)

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Python ProgrammingZelle 9781887902991 $40.00

Computer Systems

NSC592 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jim Mahoney

A look at what goes on "under the hood" of a computer, in the implementation in machine code of a C program running on a Linux computer. Sometimes called "Computer Organization", a course like this one is a required part of most computer science degree programs, typically taken by sophomores after a course or two in basic programming concepts. Topics include the C programming language, machine-level data representation and assembly language, processor organization, system performance, memory caching, code compilation and linking, and similar fun stuff. This course is likely to be offered every few years. Prerequisite: Previous programming experience

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective 2ndBryant 9780136108047 $108.00

Cultural History

Living with War

SSC527 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Dana Howell

Though war seems extraordinary, it is an ordinary presence in our world. Whether distant or close at hand, war is part of how we understand the world. It creates social change and cultural reflection. How are the ruptures of war absorbed into society and culture? We will examine direct experiences of war, the struggles to recover cultural identity after a war, the celebration and memorializing of war as generations pass, and the pervasiveness of war imagery in popular culture. Prerequisite: A course in the social sciences or humanities

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
On the Natural History of DestructionSebald 9780375756573 $15.00
Fallen SoldiersMosse 9780195071399 $19.99
Destruction of MemoryBevan 9781861893192 $20.00
Sarajevo BluesMehmedinovic 9780872863453 $13.95
9/11: The Culture of CommemorationSimpson 9780226759395 $15.00
Living and the DeadTumarkin 9780465041442 $24.00
Virtuous WarDerian 9780415772396 $25.95

Political Rituals

SSC528 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Dana Howell

Social life is structured by ritual, and never more so than in public politics. With an introduction to the core ideas of ritual studies, we will consider a cross-cultural selection of political rituals, mostly from the 20th century, and explore the rituals and spectacles of American political life, including a review of the Obama presidential campaign and contemporary observation and analysis of the Fall electoral season in the U.S.. Class discussion of readings and films, plus student research projects on a contemporary or historical topic in political ritual. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Media EventsDayan 9780674559561 $27.50
Hitler SaluteAllert 9780312428303 $13.00
Ritual, Politics and PowerKertzer 9780300043624 $22.50
Blood Sacrifice and the NationMarvin 9780521626095 $43.00
Sacred and the ProfaneEliade 9780156792011 $14.00

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Dance

Contact Improvisation

ART537 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan

Contact Improvisation (CI) is an exploration of the movement that is possible when two bodies are in physical contact, using each other's support to balance and communicating through weight and momentum. CI was invented in the United States in the early 1970s and it has since spread all around the world, where it is practiced both as a social dance and as a component of post-modern dance performance. In this class, we will learn basic skills and concepts to enter the practice of contact improvisation. We will work to develop comfort with our bodies, to trust one another, to take risks, to make choices in the moment, and to understand the forces of physics as they apply to the body in motion. We will listen to sensation, communicate through skin and muscles, develop reflexes for falling and flying, and find access to our own strength and sensitivity. Prerequisite: No prior dance experience is necessary

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Sharing the DanceNovack 9780299124441 $21.95

Choreography

ART850 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Kristin Horrigan

In this class, students will explore both the art and the craft of making dances. Responding to specific assignments, students will create a number of dances throughout the semester, bringing a new draft to class each week. Class sessions will focus on viewing and discussing students' work, and when appropriate, on exploring tools for the creative process and ideas about composition. Attention will be given to learning how to give and receive choreographic feedback, and to editing and developing existing choreography. In addition, students will study the choreographic methods of other artists through viewing videos and reading texts. This course will require students to work independently and commit a substantial amount of time outside of class to the completion of choreographic studies. Students will present their final projects in an end of the semester showing. This course may be repeated for credit; assignments, readings, and special topics will differ each semester. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

INT/ADV MODERN DANCE TECHNIQUE & REPERTORY

ART934 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Paula Aarons

This class offers intermediate and advanced dancers an exciting opportunity to dance intensively. The technique class will be a combination of deep technical work, based on Nikolais/Louis, Graham, and Limon principles, combined with the contemporary intellegence of Pilates and other somatic methodologies, all building towards extended phrase material. Because of the Nikolais/Louis base, there will also be some improvisational exploration integrated with the technical work throughout the semester. During the rehearsal portion of the class students will work with the instructor in the process of choreographic revision and resetting. By the end of the semester, students will have participated in the revision and resetting of at least two excerpts from existing work by the instructor that will then be performed. Dancers are required to participate in the tech and dress rehearsals that will be a part of this performance process. In addition to attendance to every class as well as tech and dress rehearsals, there will be some short readings and reflections also assigned.

See Also:

Drama

"What's So Funny?" A Seminar on Comedy

CDS16 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Paul Nelsen

This course is a survey of comedy in theory and in manifestations of performance. Readings and projects will support seminar discussion of comic plays, films, TV series, and live performance. Assignments will include creative, interpretive, and analytical exercises as well as consideration of essays written from perspectives of theatre practice/craft, literary theory, psychology, and philosophy. Midterm and final reviews will require informal writing/analysis. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Lysistrata and Other PlaysAristophanes 9780140448146 $9.00
ComedySypher 9780801823275 $20.95
Twelfth NightShakespeare 9781904104094 $15.95
Misanthrope, Tartuffe and Other PlaysMoliere 9780199540181 $8.95
School for Scandal and Other PlaysSheridan 9780199540099 $11.95
Ubu RoiJarry 9780486426877 $3.50

Economics

Intermediate Microeconomics

SSC47 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: James Tober

This course considers the theories and methods of contemporary neoclassical microeconomics. We will examine prices, markets, and market failures primarily from the perspectives of individual and organizational decision-makers and in consideration of efficiency and equity, among other performance criteria. Topics include determination of prices, individual and collective decision-making, the organization and regulation of production, and the distribution of income. The course offers solid grounding in the theory and methods of economics as required for further work in the field; it is required or recommended for many graduate and professional programs in business, law, and policy studies. Prerequisite: Introductory economics or permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Microeconomics 7thPindyck 9780132080231 $180.00

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Environmental Studies

Global Atmospheric Change

NSC346 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: John MacArthur

An examination of the changes occurring in the earth's atmosphere and climate, both short and long term, and due to natural as well as anthropogenic causes. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Global Warming 4thHoughton 9780521709163 $59.00

How Environmentally Sustainable is Marlboro College?

NSC593 - 3 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

In our Environmental Mission Statement we commit to "using energy efficiently and resources wisely." Do we? How do we know? In this course we critically compare different methods of assessing environmental impact and dig into the data to evaluate our performance. Through a combination of guest speakers and hands-on activities we range across many topics within sustainability at every level of the Marlboro community. These topics include energy, waste, food, transport, forestry and greenhouse gas emissions. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Sharing Nature's InterestChambers 9781853837395 $34.95

Who Owns the Land?

SSC400 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: James Tober

This course examines changing ideas about land, competing claims over rights to land, and resulting patterns of land use and land-use control, primarily in the U.S. The course offers an historical overview but focuses primarily on topics of contemporary interest: zoning, eminent domain, and land-use planning (examining the case of Marlboro, VT); the "public-private" divide and the "wise use" movement; the tragedy of the commons; patterns of human settlement; and economic geography. Prerequisite: Previous work in social science or environmental studies or permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Land Use and Society, Rev.Platt 9781559636841 $75.00
Planet of SlumsDavis 9781844671601 $19.95
Bulldozer in the CountrysideRome 9780521804905 $28.99

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Film/Video Studies

The Films of Robert Altman

ART2250 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Jay Craven

Filmmaker Robert Altman broke stylistic ground and provided unique social commentary with his naturalistic, circular, and multi-layered narratives of fringe characters pursuing off-beat articulations of the American dream. Viewed as controversial, outspoken, and irreverent, Altman was nevertheless loved by actors, for the freedom he gave them. And a devoted legion of critics and fans applauded his unconventional cinema-style and open-ended explorations of society and culture. Pictures slated for screening include MASH (1970), 3 Women (1977), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), The Player (1992), Nashville (1975), Short Cuts (1993), The Long Goodbye (1973), Secret Honor (1984), Vincent and Theo (1990), Gosford Park (2001), California Split (1974), A Wedding (1978), and The Gingerbread Man (1998). Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Altman on AltmanThompson 9780571220892 $17.00

Film Acting, Directing, and Cinematography - Marble Hill

ART2252 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jay Craven

Students will work to produce a series of ten-minute episodes for a web-based TV comedy series, Marble Hill. Actors, directors, cinematographers, sound recordists, music composers, and others are encouraged to enroll so that students can work in groups where they collaborate and draw on each other’s interests and abilities. The goal of this class is to advance production skills development and facilitate the students’ acquisition of the means to achieve more disciplined expression in narrative film. This will involve focused work in film acting, directing, script development, camera coverage, lighting, sound recording, design, and editing. Student production teams will participate in pre-productions planning, location scouting, shot listing, casting, rehearsal, production and post-production. The class will include screenings of outside material and exercises intended to sharpen students’ imaginative capacities and intuitive instincts. Completed episodes that meet rigorous technical and creative standards will be posted online through YouTube and other outlets.

Pre-requisite: Previous film and/or acting study or experience, or by permission of the instructor.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Directing ActorsWeston 9780941188241 $26.95

Screenwriting Workshop

ART2253 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Jay Craven

This class will continue work started last spring, for any interested writing students, whether or not they participated in that class. Our plan will be to develop characters and dramatic/comedic incidents set on the campus of the small fictional New England liberal arts college, Marble Hill. Completed material that meets rigorous standards for shaping and revision will be considered for production through the on-campus productions class running concurrently – and for possible TV, cable, and radio production. Classroom sessions will include brainstorming, critique, and study of effective screenwriting technique – aimed at the development of scripted scenes and sequences that shape character, theme, tone, and incident to dramatic and comedic effect. Outside scripts and produced episodes will also be studied and discussed. Students may enroll in this workshop for 2 or 4 credits, depending on the amount of work they are prepared to undertake and complete. Pre-requisite: Submission of a writing sample. Pre-requisite: Submission of a writing sample.

Cinematography Workshop

ART2258 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Jay Craven

This group tutorial will focus on the theory and practice of cinematography for narrative, documentary, or experimental applications—using the motion picture camera to capture imaginative, expressive, and affecting images. Weekly activities will include shooting assignments; in-class critiques; readings; screenings; and discussion. Students who plan to work as cinematographers for the Marble Hill web TV series are strongly encouraged to enroll. Assigned text: Blain Brown’s Cinematography: Theory and Practice. Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Cinematography: Theory and PracticeBrown 9780240805009 $49.95

See Also:

History

Introduction to Medieval Studies

HUM1384 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

This course serves as a broad introduction to the Medieval European world. There are two major goals of the course. First, students should become acquainted with the changes and narratives of medieval history as well as its significance to modern history. Second, as an introduction to the historical discipline, this course offers students the opportunity to learn the methods of historical research: how to use primary sources as well as historiography to formulate historical narratives and arguments. The course will look at the medieval world through a variety of lenses, including political, religious, economic and social history as well as looking at the art, music and literature of the time. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Short History of the Middle Ages 3rdRosenwein 9781442601048 $46.95

Advanced Medieval Studies

HUM1422 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

Intended to further advanced work towards a Plan in history or medieval studies, students in this course will build on the background acquired in Introduction to Medieval Studies and expand their knowledge of the techniques used to study the European past during the middle ages. We will cover in greater details techniques including manuscript work, paleography, diplomatics, and archeology. Students will spend part of the semester preparing a research project in their area of interest which will then be presented and discussed as part of the introductory course. An additional weekly 1-hour meeting to be scheduled. Some knowledge of Latin would be helpful, but is not required. Prerequisite: Medieval Studies or permission of instructor

Jewish, Christian, Muslim Relations

HUM1423 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

Viewed alternately as an idyllic time of cultural cooperation - such as in the poetry and art of Andalusia - or as the foundation of the eternal conflicts between the Abrahamic religious sects - from the Crusades to the Inquisition - medieval religious relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims have been a point of broad contention among medievalists for decades. Through a variety of primary and secondary sources we will investigate the changing social conditions that helped to create religious interactions ranging from cooperation to violence. Topics will include the Crusades, Spanish Convivencia, sermon writing, literary production, and legal culture, among others. These medieval antecedents all resonate clearly in the modern world and often provide the historical/mythic backdrop to contemporary debates on continuing modern conflicts from Israel/Palestine to Afghanistan. While the focus of the course will be the complexities of medieval religious relationships, the end of the course will spend time looking directly at how the medieval past gets used in the framing of modern political rhetoric. Prerequisite: Introductory course in history, religion or equivalent

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam 2ndPeters 9781558763593 $26.95
Medieval IberiaConstable 9780812215694 $34.95
Ethical WritingsAbelard 9780872203228 $13.95
Church, State, and Jew in the Middle AgesChazan 9780874413021 $24.95
Under Crescent and CrossCohen 9780691139319 $25.95

See Also:

Interdisciplinary

Thinking through the Body: A Seminar in Anthropology & Religion

CDS563 - Variable Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Amer Latif, Carol Hendrickson

This seminar will explore how the body is experienced and used to make sense of the world. A small group of students will be selected to participate based on proposals/statements of interest. We will begin the semester with a close reading of a small set of core works and then move on to identify a broad list of works that will serve as a general bibliography for different topics. During the final weeks of the semester each of us will work on an individual research project as well as a syllabus for an introductory course on the same topic to be offered in spring semester 2011. This seminar is meant for students with some background in the study of religion, anthropology, or related subjects. Variable credits. Prerequisite: A proposal plus permission of instructor

Conflict Resolution: Theory & Practice

SSC529 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Gearoid Millar

This class will introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of conflict resolution. Students will read the formative texts in the field and study the basics of negotiation, mediation, dialogue, track II diplomacy, and interpersonal conflict resolution methods. Conflict resolution is a field that has exploded in recent years and extended its influence throughout a number of practical fields, including business, law, and public administration. Through class discussion and in-class simulations students will learn useful skills both for their personal lives and for their future careers. This will be an introductory course and no prior experience or knowledge of conflict resolution is necessary. However, students will be expected to be prepared to read both theoretical and practical literature on the dynamics of social conflict, and to investigate conflicts of all levels of significance and intensity, from latent personal disagreements to violence international confrontations.   Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
White Roots of PeaceWallace 9780940666368 $14.95
Functions of Social ConflictCoser 9780029068106 $16.95
Getting to YesFisher 9780140157352 $16.00
Power and StruggleSharp 9780875580708 $9.95

Anti-Disciplinary Studies

SSC530 - 4 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Gearoid Millar

This class will introduce students to the theoretical, methodological, and practical differences between five social science disciplines. We will investigate the different approaches taken by anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, and economics to two complex social problems, urban youth violence and international development. Students will learn to critique scholarly articles, policy recommendations, and the practical application of theory in the modern world. They will also learn to integrate diverse perspectives in the pursuit of realistic and holistic solutions to complex social problems. Students are expected to engage each week with scholarly articles from a particular discipline pertaining to one of two complex social problems. They will learn to compare and contrast between approaches and outcomes, and to evaluate both the quality of particular analyses and proposed solutions, and the disciplined nature of modern policy formation and application. Prior exposure to two or more introductory social science courses and an interest in scholarly critique will be very important for success in this course. Prerequisite: Two introductory social science classes

Languages

BEGINNING MODERN ARABIC IA

HUM1119 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Ayman Yacoub

Introduces students to the phonology and script of classical/modern standard Arabic and covers the basic morphology and syntax of the written language. Emphasis on the development of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) at the earliest stages. Samples of modern (contemporary) and classical styles of writing introduced, and audio-visual material from the contemporary Arabic media. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Al-kitaab Part 1 2ndBrustad 9781589011045 $59.95
Alif Baa 3rdBrustad 9781589016323 $59.95

INTERMEDIATE MODERN ARABIC IIA

HUM1120 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Ayman Yacoub

A continuation of elementary Arabic with equal emphasis on aural and oral skills, reading and writing. Selections from contemporary Arabic media are introduced and serve as a basis for reading and conversation. Prerequisite: Arabic IA

Elementary Spanish I

HUM1346 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

This course offers a dynamic and interactive introduction to Spanish. This is a language course for first-year students of Spanish and is designed to aid development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course covers the basic grammar structures of the Spanish language along with a variety of vocabulary and cultural topics through extensive use of video, classroom practice, and weekly conversation sessions with a student assistant. It prepares students for the second-semester Spanish course to be offered in Spring 2011. Meets three times a week as a class plus 50 minutes of weekly conversation with an Assistant to be arranged at a later date. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Vistas: Introduccion a la lengua Espanola 3rdBlanco 9781600071041 $143.45
Vistas 3rd MAESTRO WebSAM PasscodeBlanco 9781600071928 $65.00

Elementary Chinese I

HUM1357 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is for beginners. It is designed to help students develop communicative competence in the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will learn basic vocabulary and sentence structures used in everyday situations through various forms of oral practice. Pinyin (the most widely used Chinese phonetic system) will be taught as a tool to learn the spoken language. Students will also learn Chinese characters in order to be able to communicate effectively in real Chinese situations. While linguistic aspects of the Chinese language are the primary focus, introduction to the social and cultural background of the language will also form an important part of the course. Prerequisite: None

An additional 50 minutes a week is to be added. The specific time is based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll and the instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Chinese Link: Elementary Chinese Workbook Simplified Character VersionWu 9780131546691 $68.80
Chinese Link: Elementary ChineseText Simplified Character VersionWu 9780131946040 $101.00

Intermediate Chinese I

HUM1358 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is the continuation of Elementary Chinese II. Students will continue to learn more skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing for daily communication. A broad variety of expressions and complicated sentence structures will be taught so that students can participate in conversations on various topics related to modern Chinese society. While equal emphasis will still be given to both characters and structures, students will be guided to write more Chinese essays. Activities related to the broad spectrum of Chinese culture will be organized to facilitate language learning with knowledge and analysis of the cultural background of the language.

An additional 50 minutes a week is to be added. The specific time is based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll and the instructor.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Chinese Link: Intermediate Chinese Text Level 2 Part 1Wu 9780131947665 $53.33
Chinese Link: Intermediate Chinese Workbook Level 2 Part 1Wu 9780132249775 $33.33

Grammar as Science

HUM1413 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Grant Li

This course is an introduction to syntax as an exercise in scientific theory construction. It engages general intellectual themes present in all scientific theorizing as well as those arising specifically within the modern cognitive sciences. It covers such core topics in syntax as phrase structure, constituency, the lexicon, inaudible elements, movement rules, and transformational constraints, while emphasizing scientific reasoning skills. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Grammar as ScienceLarson 9780262513036 $45.00

Composition, Conversation & Culture

HUM1419 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

(Writing and speaking intensive) Although this course is centered on written expression in Spanish, conversation and discussion of short stories from selected Latin American and Spanish writers will serve as models for writing styles. The course reviews briefly difficult grammatical structures or idiomatic usages, sentence and paragraph structure, and making smooth transitions through writing. Using the selected literary texts, we will write short descriptions and narratives, learn how to incorporate dialogue in a short story as well as styles for personal or business correspondence. We will analyze literary texts, do library research and draft and complete full literary research papers. Students will comment on each other's work in the classroom to practice techniques of self-editing and self-criticism. This course serves as one of the foundations for advanced literary studies in Spanish. Prerequisite: at least three semesters of college Spanish/equivalent or permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Composicion: Proceso y sintesis 5thValdes 9780073513140 $92.30
Treinta anosBoullosa 9789707310070 $12.95

Survey of Latin American Literature II

HUM1420 - 4 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Rosario de Swanson

(Writing and speaking intensive) An introduction to Latin American texts from Modernismo, first Latin American movement at the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Course will begin with José Martí's célèbre essay "Nuestra América" and end with Subcomandante Marcos' novel Muertos incómodos. Different cultural movements and their sociopolitical contexts are examined through representative works. Class discussions and assigned papers are based on literary analysis and research. Prerequisite: Three semesters of college Spanish plus a writing course

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Voces de Hispanoamerica 3rdChang-Rodriguez 9780838416532 $157.95

Elementary German I

HUM1428 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Michael Huffmaster

As Europe's largest economy and the world's largest exporter, Germany is bound to play an important role in international affairs for the foreseeable future. The German-speaking nations have fascinating, tumultuous histories. German contributions to the world's cultural heritage - n literature, music, art, architecture, philosophy, psychology, and physics - can hardly be understated. This course provides a foundation for students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the German-speaking peoples and their language and culture. All four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) will be practiced to help students acquire communicative competence. In addition, through a wide variety of video, audio, and interactive online materials, students will gain insight into the inextricable relationship of language and culture, providing a basis for critical awareness of both "things foreign" and their own native culture(s). The course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of German. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Kontakte 6thTschirner 9780073535333 $173.25
Kontakte Workbook/Lab Manual 6thTschirner 9780073355153 $79.50

Language & Power

HUM1429 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Michael Huffmaster

As the children's saying goes, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me." But is that really so? What is the relationship of words to world in a culture where actions are supposed to "speak louder than words?" Language is more than just a means of communicating information. As one of our most characteristic forms of behavior, it constitutes us as individuals and shapes our social reality to an extent that most of us typically remain unaware of. People do things with words and words do things to people. How is it that language can have such power? And how might we obtain a degree of the power of language for ourselves? This course explores the workings of language as social symbolic power in everyday life from a cross-disciplinary perspective, drawing on work in philosophy, history, linguistics, sociology, anthropology, and social and cultural theory. Topics will include the origins and nature of language; the relation between language, knowledge, and ideology; language as symbolic capital; language and identity; institutional discourse and linguistic imperialism; and the possibilities of resignification. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
How to Do Things with Words 2ndAustin 9780674411524 $20.50
Excitable SpeechButler 9780415915885 $36.95
Discipline and PunishFoucault 9780679752554 $15.95
Language and Symbolic PowerBourdieu 9780674510418 $37.00

See Also:

Literature

Literature & History of the First World War

HUM1106 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

D.H. Lawrence describes the time period of the First World War as a "tragic age." In this course we will look at that event, making an attempt to analyze some aspects of the social context which allowed it to occur. We will consider the effects of that war on language, on social thought, on institutions. Texts will include D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, Eckstein's The Rites of Spring, Fussel's The Great War in Modern Memory, selections from poets with a focus on Wilfred Owen and Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Collected PoemsOwen 9780811201322 $12.95
All Quiet on the Western FrontRemarque 9780449911495 $15.00
Rites of SpringEksteins 9780395937587 $16.00
Great War 2ndFerro 9780415267359 $14.95
Waste LandEliot 9780393974997 $15.65
Lady Chatterley's LoverLawrence 9780375758003 $11.95
Great War and Modern MemoryFussell 9780195133325 $19.99
To the LighthouseWoolf 9780156907392 $13.95
Nervous SplendorMorton 9780140056679 $16.00
Mrs. DallowayWoolf 9780156030359 $15.00
Penguin Book of First World War PoetryWalter 9780141181905 $17.00

The Gothic Imagination: Walpole to Morrison

HUM1425 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Gloria Biamonte

"The Soul Has Bandaged Moments":  The Gothic Imagination:  Walpole to Morrison.  Delving into the darkest recesses of the human soul, the gothic novel of the late 18th century was a new sort of narrative that had at its center the potent intersection of sex, violence, and the law. Beginning with Horace Walpole (The Castle of Otranto, 1764) and the first writers in the "School of Terror" (Ann Radcliffe and Matthew Lewis), we will consider how these authors used Gothic excesses - all types of villainous acts (forced marriages, imprisonment, the desecration of corpses) committed by all sorts of villainous characters (incestuous parents, monks in league with the devil, insane scientists) - to explore the worlds of sexual and social transgressions. We will then move to the19th century transformations of the genre (Shelley, Poe, Stoker, James, Stevenson), and close with the legacy of the Gothic in the 20th and 21st century (Faulkner, Borges, Rushdie, Morrison). Whether set in a castle, a city, or a sleepy village house, gothic literature pushes at the boundaries of what is known and what can be known, asking whether we can separate pain from pleasure, reason from unreason, mind from spirit, self from other, justice from corruption, punishment from tyranny.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Castle of OtrantoWalpole 9780199537211 $8.95
Turn of the ScrewJames 9780486266848 $2.00
BelovedMorrison 9781400033416 $15.00
FrankensteinShelley 9780141439471 $8.00
MonkLewis 9780199535682 $9.95
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeStevenson 9780199536221 $7.95
DraculaStoker 9780141439846 $11.00
Mary ReillyMartin 9780375725999 $13.95

Conflict and Memory in the Contemporary British Novel

HUM1426 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Gloria Biamonte

". . .outliving a time by telling its story": Conflict and Memory in the Contemporary British Novel. "'The proper stuff of fiction' does not exist," wrote Virginia Woolf in 1925, "everything is the proper stuff of fiction, every feeling, every thought; every quality of brain and spirit is drawn upon; no perception comes amiss." The novelists we will be reading in this course - a rather open-ended exploration of the contemporary British novel from the 1980s to the present - would agree with Woolf. In exploring a range of richly diverse and original novels, we will consider the writers' attempts to respond to the major social, economic and political events that shaped their lives: the end of empire; immigration from the former colonies; radical changes in racial and sexual politics; and the increasingly postmodern and postcolonial experience of British culture. Authors may include: Doris Lessing, Julian Barnes, Caryl Phillips, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Pat Barker, Graham Swift, Jeanette Winterson, Angela Carter, A.S. Byatt, Zadie Smith. Prerequisite: One previous literature course

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
AtonementMcEwan 9780385721790 $14.95
ShameRushdie 9780812976700 $15.00
WaterlandSwift 9780679739791 $15.95
Oranges are Not the Only FruitWinterson 9780802135162 $14.00
English PatientOndaatje 9780679745204 $15.95
Pale View of the HillsIshiguro 9780679722670 $14.00
On BeautySmith 9780143037743 $15.00
RegenerationBarker 9780452270077 $15.00

The Sacrificial Woman in the Western Tradition

HUM1433 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Eileen Harney

Female sacrifice. A number of images may come to mind: martyrs, mothers, nuns, or lovers. This course will consider differing, and at times seemingly conflicting, interpretations of “sacrifice.” Using primarily ancient and medieval sources, the course will examine the literary presentations of sacrificed women and how those presentations develop over time. Earlier stories’ motifs surrounding willingly or unwillingly sacrificed women will provide comparisons to later stories’ utilization and transformation of these same themes. These comparisons should afford insight into the use of characteristic traits and traditional storylines in the later depictions of heroines and/or victims. Works include Greek and Roman legends, religious writings, and excerpts from medieval epics and romances.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Trojan WomenEuripides 9780195179101 $12.95

Modern American Poetry

HUM365 - 4 Credits - COURSE

Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson

An examination in some detail of such poets as William Carlos Williams, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost. Three critical papers. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Gertrude Stein: SelectionsStein 9780520248069 $19.95
Complete PoemsMoore 9780140188516 $16.00
Selected PoemsWilliams 9780811209588 $12.95
Poetry of Robert Frost 2nd RevisedFrost 9780805069860 $22.50
Selected PoemsPound 9780811201629 $9.95
Collected Poems, 1909-1962Eliot 9780151189786 $25.00
Collected PoemsStevens 9780679726692 $18.00

Shakespeare's Tragedies

HUM459 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

Selected readings from the tragedies of Shakespeare, with an emphasis on King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Coriolanus. An exploration of the themes of language, kingship and ethical choice. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Complete WorksShakespeare 9780205606283 $93.40

See Also:

Mathematics

Linear Algebra

NSC164 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

Next to Calculus, this is the most important math course offered. It is important for its remarkable demonstration of abstraction and idealization on the one hand, and for its applications to many branches of math and science on the other. Whereas Calculus introduces undergraduates to a large warehouse of constantly used mathematical items, Linear Algebra has the power to use and manipulate those items. Linear algebra in n-dimensional real space. Matrices, vector spaces and transformations are studied extensively. Prerequisite: Calculus (NSC515) or equivalent

Calculus

NSC515 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Yang Liu

A one semester course covering differential and integral calculus and their applications. This course provides a general background for more advanced study in mathematics and science. Prerequisite: Topics in Algebra, Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus (NSC556) or equivalent

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Single Variable Calculus: Early Transcendentals V. 1 6thStewart 9780495384250 $114.95

Writing Math

NSC534 - 1 Credit - Advanced

Faculty: Matthew Ollis

We will study the writing and presentation of mathematics. All skills needed for writing Plan-level math will be discussed, from the overall structure of a math paper down to the use of the typesetting package LaTeX. Much of the time will be spent working on writing proofs. Short papers, based on material in your other math classes, will be read and discussed as a group. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Concurrent course or tutorial that includes substantial mathematical content and permission of instructor

Topics in Algebra, Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus

NSC556 - Variable Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Yang Liu

This course covers a wide range of math topics prerequisite for further study in mathematics and science and of interest in their own right. The course is divided into over 50 units (listed on the course web page). One credit will be earned for each group of 6 units completed, and students may register for one to four credits. Students select units to improve their weak areas. There are also tailored streams for students who wish to go on to study calculus or statistics and for those who wish to prepare for the GRE exam. Over this semester and next, 42 units will be offered in the timetabled sessions. Individual tutorial-style arrangements can be made to study the non-timetabled units or to study units earlier than their scheduled session. Prerequisite: None

Statistics Workshop

NSC574 - Variable Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Yang Liu, Matthew Ollis

A follow-up to Statistics (NSC123) in which students will acquire and hone the statistical skills needed for their work on Plan. Course content will be driven by the interests and requirements of those taking the class. Variable credit (1-4). May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Statistics (NSC123) or permission of the instructor

See Also:

Music

Counterpoint I (Sixteenth Century)

ART13 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

Study of counterpoint in the style of Palestrina. Two-part and three-part writing. Imitation, canon and free counterpoint will be covered. Prerequisite: Theory Fundamentals; sight-singing ability or permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
CounterpointJeppesen 9780486270364 $16.95

Music Theory Fundamentals

ART14 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

A study of musical signatures, meter, rhythm, and basic chordal structure. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Music TheoryJones 9780064671682 $17.00

Popular Music-Cultures of the United States in Historical Perspective

ART2255 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Etan Nasreddin-Longo

This course approaches its topic by way of the idea of culture - historically shared behavior among a group of humans, here expressed by way of musical behavior and sound. We will consider our topic broadly, and with a particular emphasis on the theoretical aspects of its study. Thus we will consider Latin-American, African-American, and Country music, among several others, and we will do so not only by thinking of music structurally, but also as a form of behavior - thus anthropological/ethnomusicological concerns will be highlighted. There will be one textbook for the course - Michael Campbell’s “And the Beat Goes On” which is accompanied by several CDs which will serve as listening material for the course. There will be several supplemental readings as well, including works by John Blacking and Laura Malvey. There will be short, weekly writing assignments, a final listening exam, and a final oral presentation.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Popular Music in America 3rdCampbell 9780495505303 $91.95
Popular Music in America 3rd 3 CD SetCampbell 9780495566113 $71.95

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

ART451 - 3 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Eugene Uman

An ensemble that learns and performs jazz music. Repertoire explores a wide range of styles; includes classics by Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Cotrane, Latin and jazz standards plus originals by ensemble and instructor. Arrangements created by the group. Concurrent study and practical application of jazz styles and the basic language of improvisation. All instrumentalists and vocalists welcome. Prerequisite: Ability to read music, play an instrument and/or sing. 3 credit hours

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Jazz EarRatliff 9780805090864 $15.00

Chamber Music

ART496 - 1 Credit - Intermediate

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

An opportunity for students to meet on a weekly basis to read and rehearse music from the standard chamber music repertoire. Woodwind, string, brass instruments welcome. Prerequisite: Ability to play an instrument and read music

ELECTRONIC MUSIC I

ART658 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Charles Schneeweis

The Electronic Music course offers students with or without music recording experience a chance to explore the historical context of electronic music production and technology while expanding their own understanding of basic sound recording and editing techniques. The course combines lectures, listening examples, demonstrations, projects, assignments, and critique sessions. Topics we will cover include historical artistic movements, composers, and techniques that inform electronic music. Basic computer skills will be helpful, as you will produce a series of computer-based audio projects. Class attendance is mandatory. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisite: None

Medieval & Renaissance Music

ART82 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

A study of the development of both sacred and secular forms and styles in music and its relation to social and cultural conditions of the time. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth C.Taruskin 9780195384819 $39.95

Madrigal Choir

ART825 - 1 Credit - Introductory

Faculty: Stanley Charkey

Ensemble singing for more experienced choristers. Ability to read music and sight-sing. An exploration of repertoire from Renaissance to contemporary music for small choral ensemble. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Audition or permission of instructor

ELECTRONIC MUSIC: STUDIO AND PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

ART832 - 2 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Charles Schneeweis

In this course, we will investigate various studio and performance techniques used by electronic musicians and composers, including analog and digital synthesizer sound manipulation, editing, mixing and mastering practices, as well as live performance methods and practices. Guest lecturers/performers will supplement the syllabus. Assignments will employ hands-on application of course concepts using the computers and synthesizers in the lab. Class attendance is mandatory. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisites: ART 658 or permission of instructor.

See Also:

Philosophy

ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

HUM1332 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: William Edelglass

This course is an introduction to prominent questions and themes in environmental philosophy. We will begin with a study of moral and metaphysical approaches to philosophical questions of animals, nature, and the place of human beings in the environment. Then we will consider a number of related issues in environmental philosophy, including questions of place, education, living well, biology, gender, and the role of philosophy in the context of environmental crisis. This course will include leading discussions with small groups of students at the Marlboro Elementary School and doing a collaborative work of environmental art.
Corequisite: Enrollment in NSC467: Natural History of Vermont, Robert Engel
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Marx, Kierkegaard, & Nietzsche: 19th Century Responses to Hegel

HUM1414 - 4 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: William Edelglass

In the waning years of the Enlightenment, European philosophers were primarily concerned with questions of reason and the subject: how reason can justify itself? is reason autonomous? is the subject autonomous? Kant's critical turn sought to understand the conditions of reason, thereby limiting its reach but also justifying it. Hegel attempted to extend and complete Kant's project, providing both a more historically informed account of the conditions of reason and the promise of transcending Kantian limits. In this course we will examine the nineteenth century philosophers who posed some of the most significant challenges to Hegel's project: Schopenhauer, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Our focus will be on the relation of the subject to history, ideology, reason, morality, religion, politics, economics, and culture, and how philosophical reflections on these issues were dramatically transformed in the context of modernity. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Concluding Unscientific PostscriptKierkegaard 9780521709101 $39.99
Selected WritingsMarx 9780872202184 $15.95
Beyond Good and EvilNietzsche 9780199537075 $11.95

Women and Gender in the Early Church

HUM1434 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Eileen Harney

The Early Church was a body fraught with debate and controversy. Among the many and varied concerns of the Fathers of the Church was the role of women. This course will consider the diverse positions and situations of women during the formation and formalization of the Early Church’s structure. It will explore fundamental arguments concerning women’s “appropriate” behavior and the principles from which these arguments arose. In addition to the philosophical debates and assertions relative to proper conduct, it will consider accounts of “exemplary” women. Several of these women perform acts and present behaviors that appear contradictory to tenets of the time. While examining the place of women, the course will explore the expected positions and behavior of men. It will also consider the fluidity of gender present in certain early Christian accounts. Readings will include works by Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, John Chrysostom, and Tertullian.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Women in Early ChristianityMiller 9780813214177 $29.95
Women in the Early ChurchClark 9780814653326 $24.95

See Also:

Photography

The Image World

ART2251 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

Historically, the photograph has been understood as a reflection, interpretation, or fragment of reality, as well as a means for constructing or suggesting new realities. In this course we will explore the various possibilities and consequences of these different conceptions of photography and consider some of the many social spheres in which photography participates, from art and journalism, to advertising, politics, and science. Students will produce work in dialog with theoretical and historical texts, experimenting with the relationship between the world of images and the world of everyday experience. Prerequisite: Introduction to Photography

Photography Plan Seminar

ART574 - 4 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

This is a seminar for all students on Plan in photography. In addition to ongoing critiques, students will be asked to present on their work and influences. Prerequisite: Students on Plan in photography

Introduction to Black & White Photography

ART9 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Lakshmi Luthra

This course provides an introduction to black and white 35mm photography. Students will learn basic camera operation, film exposure and development, and printing. Student work will be discussed regularly in critique where visual communication will be emphasized alongside technique. The course will also introduce some of the fundamental issues and movements within the history of photography. Prerequisite: None (manual 35mm camera)

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Photography the Essential WayLondon 9780136142768 $80.80

Physics

General Physics I

NSC223 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Travis Norsen

This course is the first half of the year-long introductory physics sequence. It is designed to fit the needs both of students intending to go on Plan in physics or another natural science and also of non-science students who nevertheless desire some firsthand exposure to the scientific method of approaching and understanding the world. We'll cover Galileo's and Newton's discoveries about the motion of familiar terrestrial objects. But we'll also learn some things about the discovery process itself by doing real-life, hands-on experiments. Prerequisite: Mathematical proficiency up through, but not necessarily including, calculus

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Understanding Physics Part 1Cummings 9780471464358 $71.00

Electricity & Magnetism

NSC427 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Travis Norsen

A sophomore-level introduction to the physics of electric and magnetic phenomena. Topics include electrostatic forces, electric and magnetic fields, induction, Maxwell's equations, and some DC circuits. Prerequisite: General Physics I and II, Calculus I and II

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Understanding Physics Part 3Cummings 9780471464372 $68.20

Experiments in Physics

NSC558 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Travis Norsen

Intermediate-level lab course for students on (or heading toward) Plan in physics, astronomy, or a related field. Students will perform three or four experiments from a group of possibilities including: weighing the earth (by measuring Newton's gravitational constant "G"), measuring the speed of light "c", investigating the emission spectrum of a near-blackbody radiation source and using it to determine Planck's constant "h", exploring the chaotic dynamics of a driven pendulum, and investigating the diffraction and interference of light. Each lab will culminate with a lab report (written, preferably, using latex; see NSC 534, "Writing Math"). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Course time may change based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll.

Politics

Writing Political Theory

HUM1204 - 2 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Meg Mott

This writing seminar develops strategies and skills necessary for completing a Plan in political theory. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: For seniors on Plan in political theory

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Writing LifeDillard 9780060919887 $11.99
Why I WriteOrwell 9780143036357 $10.00
Imaginative ArgumentCioffi 9780691122908 $24.95

Debating the Good

HUM1415 - 2 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Meg Mott, William Edelglass

Training in debate, an important component of education in many traditions, develops skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and the careful construction and assessment of arguments. Debate cultivates the kind of flexibility of thought that enables the sympathetic understanding of opposing perspectives while also helping to clarify one's own moral and intellectual views. It is also fun. Students in this course will learn debate skills; the majority of the class time will be devoted to actual debates. Prerequisite: permission of the instructors

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Princeton Readings in Political ThoughtCohen 9780691036892 $45.00
Rulebook for Arguments 4th Rev.Weston 9780872209541 $7.95

Human Rights: Past, Present, and Future

SSC531 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Bridget Hynes

In this course, we will interrogate core concepts in international human rights and how they have changed over time. International case studies will complement theoretical debates as we consider the following: cultural foundations of human rights; political and legal aspects of rights enforcement; areas of growth and marginalization in the development and protection of international rights; and the newest challenges brought to bear by the political and economic conditions of the 21st century. Torture, genocide, slavery/human trafficking, the rights of women, children, and minorities, and the rights of civilians in war are among the topics we will cover.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Reinventing DevelopmentGready 9781842776490 $34.95
Torture Debate in AmericaGreenberg 9780521674614 $27.99
International Human Rights 3rdDonnelly 9780813343266 $32.00
History of Human RightsIshay 9780520256415 $29.95
King Leopold's GhostHochschild 9780618001903 $15.00
We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow?Gourevitch 9780312243357 $15.00

African Women in Politics

SSC532 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Bridget Hynes

The emergence of a new generation of African women leaders in recent politics has been hailed as a shift in course for the continent. Yet, it stands in stark contrast with women's well-being in Africa, which by several demographic trends, is decreasing. In this course, we will consider the political life of African women across the continent, the challenges they face, and the sources of political power and sites of political movements from which new leadership springs. A brief historical frame, the complications of global politics and a look at gender's impact across a lifetime will inform us as we ask: Who are Africa's female leaders? What do their personal and national trajectories share and where do they diverge? What strengths do they bring to their positions that are more difficult for men to bring? What myths, stereotypes, and larger narratives may hold them back? Whom do they represent? How does the presence of female leadership signal a break with tradition and how does it continue a matriarchal trajectory? What challenges do African women leaders face in realizing meaningful change?

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Nervous ConditionsDangarembga 9780954702335 $17.95
UnbowedMaathai 9780307275202 $15.00
Women in African Colonial HistoriesAllman 9780253215079 $24.95
Men and Masculinities in Modern AfricaLindsay 9780325002545 $37.50
African Women's MovementsTripp 9780521704908 $25.99
Hustling is Not StealingChernoff 9780226103525 $25.00

See Also:

Psychology

Persistent Problems of Psychology

SSC34 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Thomas Toleno

An introduction to the history and theory of Psychology, offering a survey of psychology's major perspectives.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Psychology 8thGleitman 9780393932508 $147.70
Introductory Lectures on PsycholanalysisFreud 9780871401182 $16.95
Principles of Psychology V. 1James 9780486203812 $18.95
DoraFreud 9780684829463 $14.99

See Also:

Religion

Plan Seminar: Sources & Methods in Religious Studies

HUM1117 - 2 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Amer Latif

Examination of available sources and current methodologies in the study of religion. Required for juniors on Plan in religion. Prerequisite: Plan in Religious Studies

Introduction to Confucianism & Daoism

HUM1416 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Amer Latif, Seth Harter

This course is an introduction two Chinese schools of thought and practice: Confucianism and Daoism. We will read the foundational texts in each school. Discussion will focus on ideas of morality, social relations, self-cultivation, good government, and nature. We will also consider the historical context of the primary texts as well as their influence on religious practice and art. Students will engage in a close analysis of key terms through tests. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Zhuangzi: Basic WritingsZhuangzi 9780231129596 $25.00
MenciusLau 9780140449716 $16.00
Analects of ConfuciusAmes 9780345434074 $15.00
Dao De JingAmes 9780345444196 $13.95
Daoism: A Beginner's GuideMiller 9781851685660 $14.95

Introduction to the Bible

HUM1435 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Eileen Harney

This course will consider Biblical accounts as works of literature unto themselves as well as religious texts. It will focus on important and recurring narrative themes, plot structures, and symbolic representations within the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Apocrypha. The religious messages and historical interpretations of texts will also be examined. Readings from the Bible will be supplemented with works from Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages that either share qualities with or stem from certain Biblical accounts and models.

Plan Writing Seminar

HUM779 - 1 Credit - Advanced

Faculty: Amer Latif

Writing seminar for seniors completing their Plan in religious studies. Prerequisite: Seniors on Plan in Religious Studies

See Also:

Sculpture

Architectural Interventions

ART2254 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Christopher Oliver

Beginning with a series of drawings, writings, readings and discussions, this workshop will ask students to examine the architecture of our daily lives as forms in space, archeological artifacts, and events in time and place. These preliminary explorations will culminate in two sculptural pieces. The first will be a site-specific installation that will engage and respond to an actual architectural space. The second will take the opposite approach and begin with a salvaged building element and incorporate it into a new and invented context. The language and materials of domestic structures will inform both projects. Students will be introduced to basic woodworking principles and processes. Pre-requisite: Sculpture I or other college-level sculpture course. Note: Course will conclude November 22, 2010. Students may link a 1 credit tutorial to this course for additional credit.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
How Buildings LearnBrand 9780140139969 $30.00

Sculpture II

ART552 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Timothy Segar

This is a course in the identification of and action on sculptural ideas. Projects in conceptual development, figure modeling, and the interaction of drawing and sculpture will be given. Technical areas such as waste-mold making will be introduced. Prerequisite: Sculpture I or permission of instructor

Sociology

Contemporary American Society

SSC110 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Gerald Levy

The evolution of and interrelationship between American social, economic and political institutions focusing on the period from the end of World War II to the present. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Moral MazesJackall 9780199729883 $19.95
White CollarMills 9780195157086 $34.99
Soul of the SalesmanOakes 9781573925594 $23.98
In Search of RespectBourgois 9780521017114 $24.99

Community-Based Performance

SSC526 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Ken Schneck

"There is more than a verbal tie between the words common, community, and communication....Try the experiment of communicating, with fullness and accuracy, some experience to another, especially if it be somewhat complicated, and you will find your own attitude toward your experience changing." -John Dewey

So Dewey is telling you to dive into community with unadulterated presence. But what does this even look like? How do you do it?!? Community-based performance (CBP) answers, "Try me!" by challenging participants to immerse themselves in the communication of experience. This isn't about boxing in the artist as a solitary genius, but is instead rooted in that which happens collectively: individuals interact with a group of people with some significant level of shared identity and this lived experience then informs the art, further developing the sense of community. This class combines an overview of methodology, history, and theory with real, live, hands-on experience. In addition to our time together in the classroom, each student will complete a mini-internship working with a local community-based performance group, meeting about 10 times throughout the semester. Internship sites include Sandglass Theater, New England Youth Theater, ActingOut Health Playback Theater and the Mahalo Art Center. Class sessions include discussing readings, screening clips and troubleshooting challenges, and cheering successes.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is all about expanding the conception of the artist. There is zero (ZERO!) artistic experience (in theater or in any other discipline) that is required before participating. The only prerequisites are passion, energy and a commitment to being present in the pursuit of tying together common, community and communication.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Theatre for Community, Conflict and DialogueRohd 9780325000022 $16.95
Theatre of the OppressedBoal 9780930452490 $15.95
Beginner's Guide to Community-Based ArtKnight 9780976605430 $21.95
Local ActsCohen-Cruz 9780813535500 $24.95

Contemporary Political & Social Thought

SSC63 - 4 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Gerald Levy

Issues crucial to an understanding of the crisis of the 20th century will be explored through the work of Arendt, Barnet, Vidich, Kolko and Elizabeth Genovese. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
After SocialismKolko 9780415395915 $49.95
Sane SocietyFromm 9780805014020 $18.00
Land of the LivingBorish 9781577331087 $34.95
Origins of TotalitarianismArendt 9780156701532 $19.00
Death Without WeepingScheper-Hughes 9780520075375 $31.95

See Also:

Theater

Femininity on Stage

ART2256 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Anna Bean

A stage directing course centered around constructions of femininity on the stage. Theatre has always been a place where the construction of the gender identity of women has readily happened, with or without their participation. Students will direct scenes from plays making significant statements about the role of women in society. We will work especially at learning methods for communicating social commentary on gender through directing choices. Scenes will be gleaned from classic, modern and contemporary plays, such as Euripides' Medea and Iphigenia at Aulis; Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen; Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov; The Lulu Plays by Frank Wedekind; Yerma by Federico García Lorca; Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel; Ruined by Lynn Nottage, among others. Prerequisite: Directing (ART53) or by permission of instructor. If you have not taken Directing, please E-mail instructor at annemariebean@me.com explaining your interest.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Clean House & Other PlaysRuhl 9781559362665 $18.95
Women on the EdgeBlondell 9780415907743 $39.95
America Play and Other WorksParks 9781559360920 $15.95

Stage Production: "The Clean House" by Sarah Ruhl

ART2257 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Anna Bean

A runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize in 2004, The Clean House is set in what the playwright describes as "metaphysical Connecticut," mostly in the home of a married couple who are both doctors. They have hired a housekeeper named Matilde, an aspiring comedian from Brazil who is more interested in coming up with the perfect joke than in housecleaning. Lane, the woman of the house, has an eccentric sister named Virginia who loves housecleaning. She and Matilde become fast friends, and Virginia takes over the cleaning while Matilde works on her jokes. Soon Lane's husband Charles reveals that he has found his soulmate, or "bashert" in a cancer patient named Ana, on whom he has operated. The actors who play Charles and Ana also play Matilde's parents in a series of dream-like memories, as we learn the story about how they literally killed each other with laughter. The play ends with Ana dying while laughing at a joke told by Matilde, who then contemplates if heaven might be a place of untranslatable jokes. Casting: 3 women, 1 man with doubling. Auditions held the weekend of September 18 & 19. Please watch the Town Crier for more information, or E-mail abean@marlboro.edu.

Time/day of ART2257 - Stage Production: "The Clean House" by Sarah Ruhl, Wednesday, 6:30-9:30 (tentative), beginning September 22

 

Actor as Thinker

ART2259 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Paul Nelsen

This course will examine ways that actors purposefully shape interpretation of scripted dramas through choices made about representation of character, modes of interaction in relationships, and implementation of actions that shape performance. We will begin with studies of a few model scripts and actor interpretations, using film/video to examine performance choices and techniques . We will conclude with students’ presentations of capstone character studies. Permission of the instructor required for registration.

Staging the Apocalypse

ART927 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Brenda Foley

In this course we will explore the ways in which contemporary playwrights portray a vision of the secular apocalyptic. Although the topic has long been a staple of the science fiction genre, the apocalyptic has historically, and increasingly, occupied the theatrical stage as a warning against isolationism and complacency. The plays that make up the content of this class ask us, through their creative constructions of an apocalyptic landscape, to consider Christopher Woodward's deceptively simple statement, "When we contemplate ruins, we contemplate our own future." in addition to analyzing dramatic texts, we will also read Cormac McCarthy's The Road, several science fiction short stories, and view films and film clips as a way of establishing a context for theatrical interpretations.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Far AwayChurchill 9781559361996 $12.95
God of HellShepard 9781400096510 $12.00
Mercy SeatLaBute 9780571211388 $13.00
ArsonistsFrisch 9781408103937 $14.95
In the Heart of America and Other PlaysWallace 9781559361866 $18.95
RoadMcCarthy 9780307476302 $14.95
Journal of the Plague YearDeFoe 9780199555727 $9.95
HiroshimaHersey 9780679721031 $7.50
Angels in America Part IKushner 9781559360616 $12.95
BlastedKane 9780413766205 $13.95

See Also:

Visual Arts

Art Seminar Critique

ART359 - 2 Credits - Advanced

Faculty: Cathy Osman, Timothy Segar

This course provides a forum for students to share their plan work with each other and to engage in critical dialogue. This semester the course will include attending the lectures in the series "Celebrating Creativity" and will require students to write and revise a "statement of purpose" regarding their work. This is a required course for seniors on plan in the Visual Arts. Course meets alternate Tuesdays plus Monday night lectures. Prerequisite: A student on Plan in the Visual Arts or by permission

Landscape Painting & Drawing

ART724 - 4 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Cathy Osman

The core of this course will be working outside directly from observation, investigating our perception of the landscape through experimentation with various approaches and materials. Initially we will use drawing materials moving into water-based materials and color. Emphasis will be placed on individual response supported by directed assignments. Periodically we will frame our work towards environmental issues. Prerequisite: None

See Also:

World Studies Program

World Studies Program Senior Seminar

WSP2 - 1 Credit - Advanced

Faculty: Brenda Foley

A ten-week seminar addressing cultural differences and adaptation, and the integration of international field experiences into senior Plan work. Required of WSP seniors; for students returning from study or fieldwork abroad. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: Study/field experience abroad

Designing Fieldwork

WSP3 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Thomas Toleno

In collaboration with faculty sponsors, students write Internship Proposals that describe their academic and professional goals, explaining what they expect to learn; the methods of their independent work; resources found and still needed; and how the work will be evaluated. These proposals function as learning contracts for the academic sponsors, requests for funding for scholarship organizations, and presentation pieces for the hosting organization. A midterm review of the draft proposal by all faculty sponsors provides guidance on methodology and feasibility of the proposed internship and independent study. The finished proposal is due upon completion of the course. Additional sessions cover workplace expectations, health and safety on internship, professional ethics, and cross-cultural adjustment. (Pass/fail grade.) Prerequisite: Finding an Internship (WSP50)

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Research Methods in Anthropology 4thBernard 9780759108691 $64.95

World Studies Program Colloquium

WSP53 - 1 Credit - Introductory

Faculty: Brenda Foley

A forum for discussion of cross-cultural experience and international work, with participation by faculty, visiting professionals, alumni and current students. The sessions include an introduction to international resources at Marlboro and SIT, with discussion of area studies, internships, and Plans in international studies. All students are welcome; required for new WSP students.

Course time may change based on the mutual agreement of those who wish to enroll.

Topics in Human Understanding: Writing Strange

WSP74 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Meg Mott

This class considers the condition of strangeness as well as different strategies available to cope with this condition. Some of the authors practice the close reading of an anthropologist, savoring the differences with thick description. Others use global paradigms (many of which come from Marx) to connect seemingly disparate situations within the needs of an expanding capitalist economy. Our task will be to develop writing skills that (1) capture the particulars of strangeness and (2) situate those particulars within a global political ecology. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Thin PlacesArmbrecht 9780231146524 $35.00
MultitudeHardt 9780143035596 $17.00
Marketing DemocracyPaley 9780520227682 $24.95
Interpretation of CulturesGeertz 9780465097197 $26.00

Writing

Fiction Workshop

ART6 - 2 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson

Class discussion of students' stories. Each student produces work for the class and participates in analysis and discussion. Reading and assignments vary as appropriate (variable credits: 2-5); admission based on consideration of samples of students' work. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Narrative DesignBell 9780393320213 $18.95

Elements of Style

HUM11 - 3 Credits - Intermediate

Faculty: Laura Stevenson

The course begins with a review of basic grammatical principles. It continues with exercises designed to increase the students' control of their prose. The second half of the semester is spent partly in revising existing papers, and partly in studying such stylistic niceties as parallel structure, rhythmic control, and felicitous presentation of research. May be a designated writing course (4 credits); otherwise, 3. NOTE: Open to students who have passed the writing requirement but desire to improve their writing for Plan. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Grammar, Style and StructureStevenson $10.20

See Also:

Writing Seminars

Writing Seminar: Body & Soul: Health, Disease and Culture

CDS521 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Laura Stevenson

For many centuries, human beings considered life and death mainly in the context of the cosmos-the stars, rivers, spirits, ancestors, demons; healing systems were based on the need for the individual to be readjusted to society and the world. Increasingly, however, the West has come to think of illness and cure as a matter of the body, and Western medicine has probed deeper and deeper beneath human flesh, studying systems, tissues, cells, DNA. One result of this development has been the creation of a powerful Western medical establishment whose cultural importance exceeds its ability to cure the sick. This course is concerned with the development of Western medicine; we will cover ideals of disease and cure, the effect of disease on human history, and the cultural effects of assumptions about sex, heredity, and childbearing. Readings will include a history of medical thinking, a study of the effects of the Black Plague of 1348, and the diary of a midwife at the time of the American Revolution. Three 5-7 page papers, term paper, miscellaneous exercises. Prerequisite: None

Limited to 15 students

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Mountains Beyond MountainsKidder 9780812973013 $16.00
Midwife's TaleUlrich 9780679733768 $16.95
Spirit Catches You and You Fall DownFadiman 9780374525644 $15.00

Writing Seminar: Crime & Punishment

HUM1279 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: John Sheehy

Great Britain's incarceration rate is quite high by world standards: 142 of every 100,000 Britons are currently in jail. That number in China is 118 per 100,00, in France 91, in Japan 58, and in Nigeria 31. The U.S. currently imprisons almost 800 of every 100,000 citizens. In other words, one out of every 135 Americans is currently serving time in jail or prison.

Nearly half of the resulting U.S. prison population - which now numbers almost 2.5 million -- is African American, while African Americans make up only 12% of the U.S. population. And according to a United Nations study, in all the prisons in the world outside the U.S., there are currently 12 minors serving life sentences. In U.S. Prisons today there are more than 2,000.

In this seminar we will examine the reality of crime and punishment in the United States. We will begin by studying cases, to build a sense of the principles and practices behind criminal law and criminal sentencing. Then we will move to the deeper level: we will examine the reasoning for and against the death penalty as decisions on death penalty cases. We will then examine the criminal justice system itself, asking a simple question: How did the U.S. find itself with the highest incarceration rate in the world? How are we to judge the costs and benefits of American crime and punishment?

As in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper of your own design, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Are Prisons ObsoleteDavis 9781583225813 $11.95
Debating the Death PenaltyBedau 9780195179804 $14.95
Would You Convict?Robinson 9780814775318 $21.00

Writing Seminar: Fear Itself: Policy, Paranoia & American Culture

HUM1424 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: John Sheehy

Consider a strange discrepancy. Between 1989 and 2005, nearly every statistical measure suggested that life for the average American was unprecedentedly safe from physical threat, and getting safer: violent crime rates in almost every category declined steadily throughout the nineties and into the new millennium. Yet during the same period, polls measuring the perceived crime rate consistently showed the same thing: a persistent fear, in almost every segment of the population, that crime was on the rise. Perhaps in response to this fear and others like it, communities across the U.S. participated in the construction of the largest prison system the world has ever seen. At the same time, in response to other perceived threats - those posed by, for example, global terrorism, drugs, and illegal immigrants - American lawmakers have challenged long-held notions of civil liberty as they, and we, have restructured the physical and conceptual architecture of American life. Americans have never been more closely watched nor more thoroughly protected: and yet year after year we report feeling less safe.

In this course we will examine some of the more pervasive fears in American culture and the policies and social architectures those fears have helped shape. Along the way, we will consider the war on terror and the war on drugs; we will think about the ways immigrants may have come to embody our fear of the outsider, the young our fear of the insider. We will operate largely by considering, and conceptualizing, case studies: but throughout we will ask, again and again, the same questions. What are we afraid of? Why are we afraid? And what, if anything, should we do about it?

And, as in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper of your own design, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Expect to read a lot and to write more. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Culture of FearGlassner 9780465003365 $16.95
Murder CityBowden 9781568584492 $27.50
Condemnation of Little BBrown 9780807009758 $21.00
War on our FreedomsLeone 9781586482107 $15.00

Writing Seminar: Beyond the Grave

HUM1431 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Brian Johnson

What, exactly, are ghosts? Wandering spirits forced to roam the Earth hoping for some strange closure for their mortal lives, or manifestations of our own social, cultural, and historical need to cement value in the figure of a phantasmal presence? In some sense, the ghost is necessarily a figure of history made "real"-a caricature of the values of the past which manifests, when least expected, to provide evidence of what once was. At the same time, the ghost story acts as modern fairy tale complete with a moral (though rarely does everyone in a ghost story "live happily ever after") to let us know what sorts of values are important, and what sorts of crimes are so heinous that their effect continues even after death.

In this class we will look at ghost stories as cultural artifacts that tell us about the culture in which they were written and by the culture that receives them. We will also be exploring the way the ghost stories have changed over the years to better reflect the beliefs and values of the society that popularizes them. To do this we will be reading and watching a number of works. Most notably, we will be reading, as primary materials, some of the great 19th century ghost stories ("The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "The Yellow Wallpaper," "The Tell-Tale Heart", et. al.), one novella length ghost story: James's The Turn of the Screw, and one work of non-fiction: Mules and Men. However, this class is not entirely devoted to the ghost story as a written form and so we will also be looking at ‘real' haunted locations as much as we will fictional places, and we will be supplementing these works with mainstream films about ghosts. My hope is to get a wide variety of approaches to what a ghost story can mean, and what we can learn from the various things that go bump in the night. Skeptics and believers: as Kane, the evil preacher in Poltergeist would say, "All are welcome."

Ultimately, as a writing seminar, we will use our concerns to generate writing for the class in the form of three major papers. Discussion of the class materials (texts, films, internet material) will alternate with conferences and writing workshops. Prerequisite: None

 

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Ghostly MattersGordon 9780816654468 $22.50
Turn of the ScrewJames 9780199536177 $6.95
Mules and MenHurston 9780061350177 $13.99

Writing Seminar: Culture of Collaboration

HUM1432 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Brian Johnson

One of the major movements in twentieth century intellectual development has been the creation of, not just social consciousness, but social reality. From the concentration on the individual as having an interior life in such movements as modern art, to the construction of totalized politics such as the mid-century fascist movements, to the social construction implied early by postmodern theory and later by social construction itself. We have increasingly come to rely on each other to make the laws and values of our culture, just as we have come to place greater emphasis on our role as members of a society involved in projects that extend beyond ourselves. In the 21st century, collaboration has ceased to be the subject of theory and has become a practical consideration. On-line universities turn the world into a campus, MMORPGs like World of Warcraft provide fantasy social lives for their players, and Facebook creates social networks that can span great areas and award us opportunities for friendship in a way (and in numbers) never seen before.

In this class we will look at collaboration as a way of making meaning both theoretically and in practice. We will look at critiques of the collaborative spirit and even engage in some collaboration ourselves via on-line collaborative tools. In order to accomplish our goal, we will be reading and watching a number of works of both non-fiction and fiction. Most notably, we will be reading, as primary materials, Walther Benjamin's seminal essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Thomas Kuhn's now famous (or infamous depending on who you ask) work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, the novels The Crying of Lot 49 and Pattern Recognition (by Thomas Pynchon and William Gibson respectively). We will also be watching and reading short works concerning the social networking revolution (Facebook, Wikipedia, the Blogosphere). However, this class is not entirely devoted to critiquing collaboration from afar. We will also be using internet based tools to allow us to create master documents on some of our readings-versions that will include all of our notes as a class, allowing us to experience the arguments collaboratively, and to engage in the analysis as a social experience.

Ultimately, as a writing seminar, we will use our concerns to generate writing for the class in the form of three major papers. Discussion of the class materials (texts, films, internet material) will alternate with conferences and writing workshops. Prerequisite: None

 

 

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Structure of Scientific Revolutions 3rdKuhn 9780226458083 $13.00
Pattern RecognitionGibson 9780425192931 $14.00
Crying of Lot 49Pynchon 9780060913076 $12.99

Designated Writing

History of Political Life in the U.S. II

HUM741 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff

How have different social groups, in different historical contexts, struggled to define and organize public life in the United States? In exploring this question, the course offers a thematically organized survey of U.S. history from the latter part of the nineteenth century to the present. Central issues to be explored include the nature of democracy in an era marked by a centralization of political and economic power, the role of mass culture in shaping ideas of freedom and the good life, the struggle over national identity in the context of multiculturalism, and the history of social protest in affecting change. The course advances a definition of "politics" which links these issues not simply to the laws, structures and operations of a government but to a more inclusive set of institutions and practices and to an understanding of political life which places at the center the ways in which people imagine and represent the social order. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Age of Great DreamsFarber 9780809015672 $16.95
Unstead MarchKlinkner 9780226443416 $22.00
Story of American FreedomFoner 9780393319620 $18.95
Takin' it to the StreetsBloom 9780195142907 $49.95

Introduction to Medieval Studies

HUM1384 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Adam Franklin-Lyons

This course serves as a broad introduction to the Medieval European world. There are two major goals of the course. First, students should become acquainted with the changes and narratives of medieval history as well as its significance to modern history. Second, as an introduction to the historical discipline, this course offers students the opportunity to learn the methods of historical research: how to use primary sources as well as historiography to formulate historical narratives and arguments. The course will look at the medieval world through a variety of lenses, including political, religious, economic and social history as well as looking at the art, music and literature of the time. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Short History of the Middle Ages 3rdRosenwein 9781442601048 $46.95

Literature & History of the First World War

HUM1106 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

D.H. Lawrence describes the time period of the First World War as a "tragic age." In this course we will look at that event, making an attempt to analyze some aspects of the social context which allowed it to occur. We will consider the effects of that war on language, on social thought, on institutions. Texts will include D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, Eckstein's The Rites of Spring, Fussel's The Great War in Modern Memory, selections from poets with a focus on Wilfred Owen and Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Collected PoemsOwen 9780811201322 $12.95
All Quiet on the Western FrontRemarque 9780449911495 $15.00
Rites of SpringEksteins 9780395937587 $16.00
Great War 2ndFerro 9780415267359 $14.95
Waste LandEliot 9780393974997 $15.65
Lady Chatterley's LoverLawrence 9780375758003 $11.95
Great War and Modern MemoryFussell 9780195133325 $19.99
To the LighthouseWoolf 9780156907392 $13.95
Nervous SplendorMorton 9780140056679 $16.00
Mrs. DallowayWoolf 9780156030359 $15.00
Penguin Book of First World War PoetryWalter 9780141181905 $17.00

The Gothic Imagination: Walpole to Morrison

HUM1425 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Gloria Biamonte

"The Soul Has Bandaged Moments":  The Gothic Imagination:  Walpole to Morrison.  Delving into the darkest recesses of the human soul, the gothic novel of the late 18th century was a new sort of narrative that had at its center the potent intersection of sex, violence, and the law. Beginning with Horace Walpole (The Castle of Otranto, 1764) and the first writers in the "School of Terror" (Ann Radcliffe and Matthew Lewis), we will consider how these authors used Gothic excesses - all types of villainous acts (forced marriages, imprisonment, the desecration of corpses) committed by all sorts of villainous characters (incestuous parents, monks in league with the devil, insane scientists) - to explore the worlds of sexual and social transgressions. We will then move to the19th century transformations of the genre (Shelley, Poe, Stoker, James, Stevenson), and close with the legacy of the Gothic in the 20th and 21st century (Faulkner, Borges, Rushdie, Morrison). Whether set in a castle, a city, or a sleepy village house, gothic literature pushes at the boundaries of what is known and what can be known, asking whether we can separate pain from pleasure, reason from unreason, mind from spirit, self from other, justice from corruption, punishment from tyranny.

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Castle of OtrantoWalpole 9780199537211 $8.95
Turn of the ScrewJames 9780486266848 $2.00
BelovedMorrison 9781400033416 $15.00
FrankensteinShelley 9780141439471 $8.00
MonkLewis 9780199535682 $9.95
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeStevenson 9780199536221 $7.95
DraculaStoker 9780141439846 $11.00
Mary ReillyMartin 9780375725999 $13.95

Modern American Poetry

HUM365 - 4 Credits - COURSE

Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson

An examination in some detail of such poets as William Carlos Williams, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost. Three critical papers. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Gertrude Stein: SelectionsStein 9780520248069 $19.95
Complete PoemsMoore 9780140188516 $16.00
Selected PoemsWilliams 9780811209588 $12.95
Poetry of Robert Frost 2nd RevisedFrost 9780805069860 $22.50
Selected PoemsPound 9780811201629 $9.95
Collected Poems, 1909-1962Eliot 9780151189786 $25.00
Collected PoemsStevens 9780679726692 $18.00

Shakespeare's Tragedies

HUM459 - 4 Credits - Multi-Level

Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle

Selected readings from the tragedies of Shakespeare, with an emphasis on King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Coriolanus. An exploration of the themes of language, kingship and ethical choice. Prerequisite: None

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Complete WorksShakespeare 9780205606283 $93.40

Topics in Human Understanding: Writing Strange

WSP74 - 4 Credits - Introductory

Faculty: Meg Mott

This class considers the condition of strangeness as well as different strategies available to cope with this condition. Some of the authors practice the close reading of an anthropologist, savoring the differences with thick description. Others use global paradigms (many of which come from Marx) to connect seemingly disparate situations within the needs of an expanding capitalist economy. Our task will be to develop writing skills that (1) capture the particulars of strangeness and (2) situate those particulars within a global political ecology. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

Textbooks

TitleAuthorISBNNew Price
Thin PlacesArmbrecht 9780231146524 $35.00
MultitudeHardt 9780143035596 $17.00
Marketing DemocracyPaley 9780520227682 $24.95
Interpretation of CulturesGeertz 9780465097197 $26.00