| MLA Course Descriptions |
| Catalog | Courses | Schedules | Applications | Directions | MLA home |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
| 60000 Level Courses (60100-60199)
*60113 MYTHS AND LEGENDS: NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN THOUGHT Luther Standing Bear declares: "The Indian, by the very sense of duty, should become his own historian, giving his account of the race--fairer and fewer accounts of the wars and more of statecraft, legends, languages, oratory, and philosophical conceptions." This course is a survey of the legends and myths and the cultural-agricultural practices of the north American Indian tribes and nations with a focus on the nature of the self (person; tribe), the world (nature; cosmos), and their inter-relationship(s). These concepts are discussed and comparisons with Western philosophy are made when appropriate.
*60123 GLOBAL PERSUASIVE CAMPAIGNS, THEIR INFLUENCE AND IMPACT Global communications have created an international community exposed to persuasive campaigns, some advertising and some informational. This course will examine the influence and impact of global persuasive campaigns through an analysis of the structure of the campaign process and the use of images to create familiarity and experience. The ultimate impact and influence of such campaigns is highly variable, depending on the media in which they appear and the cultural context in which they are interpreted.
*60133 THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR What is deviance? From a sociological perspective, deviance is a matter of social definition, interpretation, and reaction. This seminar examines the story of deviance, a story involving the struggle between rule breakers and those who seek to define them as outside normative boundaries. The goal is to introduce students to substantive topics and scholarly work within the sociology of deviance while providing an opportunity for discussion and critique. Special emphasis will be placed on the interactional dynamics involved in defining and managing deviance and the development of deviant careers.
*60143 ECONOMICS OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Basic concepts and tools used by economists and applications of those tools to analyze contemporary economic and social issues will be discussed. Included among the issues will be drug prohibition, tax reform, Social Security, the minimum wage, and environmental protection.
*60153 CULTURE AND AMERICAN CINEMA An exploration of cinema as a form of American social expression. As cultural artifacts, films are produced in specific historical contexts by and for cultural groups. Films produced for American audiences reflect American values, myths, and behavior and thus constitute an important form of social expression. We will examine movies which depict specific periods, people, and events of American history, and ask questions such as: How do we see ourselves and our history through films? Who are the “heroes” we choose to portray onscreen? How have our notions of “realism” changed over time?
This course examines Hollywood genre films from a cultural perspective. Genres such as the western, the musical, the science fiction film, and the crime film change over time, both reflecting and affecting the cultural attitudes of filmmakers and audiences. This course may be taught as an overview of several genres or as a specific analysis of one particular genre.
*60183 "AFTER DICTATORSHIP: CAN LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY?" The course challenges the facile assumption that because guerrilla wars have ended and the generals have turned power over to civilians, Latin America will necessarily "go democratic." The course focuses on the peace processes in selected Latin American countries in order to explore the serious challenges that confront nations seeking to democratize when they are saddled with deep legacies of authoritarianism.
60193 HIGH CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS: THE AZTECS, THE INCAS, AND THE MAYA An examination of the beginning, development, and decline of the three major aboriginal cultures of the Western Hemisphere. The total culture of each civilization will be explored including religious, social, economic, and military factors. Post conquest developments will also be examined.
|