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| 60000 Level Courses (60200-60299) *60213 CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS LITERATURE OF MEXICO A study of literary works by outstanding, contemporary writers hailing from a variety of Mexican Indigenous ("Indian") ethnic groups: Nahuatl, Zapoteco, Yucatec Mayan, Mazateco, Trotzil, among others. The pre-Hispanic roots of this new literature will be examined, as will recurring themes and other ancient motifs which persist in today’s writers. Short stories, poetry, and drama will be studied within their specific ethnic contexts, and also within a broader literary analytical framework. Recent English translations by Dr. Frischmann and his personal research experiences will make this course accessible to all MLA students. *60233 CONTROVERSIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Our relationship with the Earth is changing at an unprecedented rate. The pace of change is accelerating not only from our advancing technology, but also from world population growth, economic growth, and increasingly frequent collisions between expanding human demands and the limits of the Earth's natural systems. It appears that catastrophe looms ahead unless major changes are made in a short period of time. Or does it? Fortunately, human beings are capable of changing their behavior and values, which are then reflected in changes in national and international priorities. Such changes happen when people are confronted with new information or new experiences. This is a discussion and debate style course. The objective is to introduce students to controversies in environmental policy and science. The readings, which represent the arguments of leading environmentalists, scientists, and policymakers, reflect a variety of viewpoints and have been selected for their liveliness and substance. They are organized topically around major areas of study within environmental studies, and include environmental ethics, water resources, energy, global climate change and population. 60253 KING ARTHUR MEETS QUEEN VICTORIA: ARTHURIAN LITERATURE IN THE VICTORIAN AGE An examination of the roots of current American interest in Arthurian legend in Queen Victoria's reign. Students will read important literary works, including Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, William Morris’s "Defense of Guenevere," and Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and explore the historical and political conditions surrounding the 19th-century medieval revival. The course concludes with a screening of Excalibur (1981) and discussion of its indebtedness to the Victorian era. *60263 THE US ECONOMY: ANALYSIS AND OUTLOOK The study of economics involves the learning of abstract theories about the workings of the economic system and the study of various policy tools that may be used to guide the economy toward specified targets. The course will focus on the historical development of the theories developed to explain our major economic issues, on the controversies surrounding these theories, and on the different policy conclusions that arise from the different theories. The major economic issues on which the course will focus include inflation, unemployment, business cycles, economic growth and development, international trade deficits and surpluses, federal government budget deficits and surpluses, income distribution, and globalization.
*60273 ECONOMIC POLICY AND ITS IMPACT: A SIMULATION APPROACH Computer simulation models will be used to learn important economic concepts and to analyze current economic problems. Students will assume the role of economic policymakers and as such will initiate policy changes and examine their effects on various aspects of the economy, such as the national output level, the inflation rate, the unemployment rate, and the distribution of income. No prior computer experience is necessary. 60283 A WORLD OF WEATHER: FUNDAMENTALS OF METEOROLOGY Do you have a fascination with the Weather Channel? Are you interested in a non-mathematical treatment of the principles of meteorology and climatology? Students in this course will develop a working understanding of general meteorological and climatological processes, develop an understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of these processes, and begin to understand how these factors influence the climate of a region. Basic information about the earth/energy system will pave the way for an examination of simple dynamic relationships, synoptic circulation, global climate and climate change.
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