Washington College

GRW Program

GRW Course Descriptions - Fall 2012

GRW 101 10 History of Freedom

TTH 11:30AM–12:45PM Professor Finnegan

Throughout Western history the concept of freedom has been both greatly debated and analyzed by historical figures. Each of these individuals has advanced the concept of freedom in their respective historical perspectives. This course will engage in discussing the significant contributions that these great figures and the events that occurred during their lifetimes have made in the evolution of Western freedom; students will explore the similarities between the concepts, issue and obligations of individual and societal freedom from ancient models up to our present decade.

GRW 101 11 Vikings: The Original Globetrotters

MWF 09:30AM–10:20AM Professor Markin

Between A.D. 800 and A.D. 1100, the Norsemen of Scandinavia, or Vikings, developed into a powerful global force, expanding eastward into present day Russia and westward across the Atlantic, reaching present day Newfoundland. What drove the Vikings into a colonization frenzy? How did they coordinate such lengthy and costly expeditions? What happened to all of these colonies? How are these early Viking colonies connected to the world today? What lessons might we learn from these early global travelers? To answer these questions, we will use archaeology, history, literature, and paleoecology. We will read selections from the sagas and historical accounts written during and after the Norse expansion. We will also look at current research that places migration, settlement, and decline in an environmental, political, social, and economic context. In addition to group exercises and discussions, students will perform several focused writing exercises, complete a final research paper, and present the results of their research to the class.

GRW 101 13 Global Theater

MWF 11:30AM–12:20PM Professors Volansky, Daigle, & Rubin

Balinese dancers. Bunraku puppets. British farce. While these three styles of play making may seem to be completely unrelated, they were all created to express, share and celebrate what it means to be human. Using live performance as a springboard, this class investigates three questions: What are the fundamental elements that go into making theater, regardless of where they occur or the form they take? What are the key theatrical traditions from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Australia and Europe? How have these traditions been transformed, combined and altered as the globe has become smaller? Students explore their own notions of what theater is, present research about traditions other than their own, develop their own aesthetic based on watching and discussing plays in performance and participate in the creation of a theatrical event.

GRW 101 18 World Cinema

MWF 01:30PM–02:20PM & W 2:30–4:30pm Professor Martin

This course is an exploration of non–western films from the following regions: Asia, Africa, India, the Middle East and Latin America. Rather than compare these films to European cinema, we will attempt to examine them on their own terms. Special attention will be paid to the different conditions of production, generic conventions, and cultural contexts of so–called “Third Cinema.” Students will write brief analytical papers in process form with drafts and revisions. In addition there will be group presentations based on internet and library research. Films are screened each Wednesday afternoon as a required “lab” component of the course.

GRW 101–23 Islam and the Muslim–Christian Experience

MWF 12:30PM–01:20PM Professor Prud'homme

This course will explore the religion of Islam and the interactions between the Muslim and Christian worlds. Attention will be given first to the essential teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. The course will then explore the history of the interaction between Muslims and Christians, with focus both on the problem of religion and violence and the grounds for Abrahamic solidarity and mutual respect. We shall explore this interaction from the time of the Crusades until the contemporary period. The course will offer students special enrichment activities, including field trips to the National Islamic Center in Washington, D.C. and guest lectures.

GRW 101 25 Plants for People: Global and Local Impact

TTH 8:30AM–09:45AM Professor Gladu

With our current world population over 7 billion and further increases predicted, even more people will have to be fed, clothed, and housed. How will we do this? Of the 300,000 known edible plants, 1500 have been used commercially and only 20 (highly modified by man) are of major economic importance. The way we grow, harvest and manipulate these plants to be more productive, to thrive in different climates, and to taste and look like we want –– both from the perspective of scientific processes and also evolving global tastes and production networks –– will be the discussed in this class. Students will be introduced to the variety of agricultural products they commonly see and the many parts of the world from which they come. Cultural practices of agriculture – both positive and negative – also will be discussed, debated, and deliberated. Assigned readings and in–class discussions will highlight such questions as: How does our desire for teak furniture affect the rainforests? How do humans modify plants and animals? Are they safe? To what extent can science, medicine, and industry use wild plants as a source for ingredients of new products?

GRW 101 26 Navigating Maps

MWF 08:30AM–09:20AM Professor Bruce

Maps hold a unique place in history as they helped civilizations comprehend the world around them. In this course we will immerse ourselves into the history of maps by closely examining historical maps and navigating our way to a deeper understanding of how maps helped shaped the perceptions of the world through time – from the earliest known maps dating back to Babylon, through the Greek and Romans, Chinese and Islamic civilizations, the European Age of Exploration, the American Revolution, and culminating in today’s modern technology. A field trip to the Library of Congress to explore their map collection will aid in our examination of historical maps. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology will also be utilized to allow students to compare and contrast the perceived world with the real world and to chart the paths of some of the famous navigators who bravely went forth into the unknown world.

GRW 101 35 American Roots: Jamestown, the Chesapeake, and a Nation’s Global Origins

TTH 02:30PM–03:45PM Professor Goodheart

Four hundred years ago, the cultures of three continents – Europe, North America, and shortly thereafter, Africa – came together at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to form the nucleus of a new society. This course will trace the far–reaching roots – and the national and global legacy – of Jamestown. We will look at history, literature, art, landscape, and legend (such as the much–retold, much–debated story of Pocahontas) to investigate the ways that a tiny outpost on the edge of a vast wilderness shaped the identity of the future American nation. On expeditions beyond campus, we will explore the current–day Chesapeake landscape, searching for the imprints left by Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans. Students will also experiment with different ways of writing about the past, drawing on original documents, the work of scholars, and their own observations and insights.

GRW 101 40 Good Works: Global Agents for Social Responsibility

MWF 10:30AM–11:20AM Professor Vowels

Not–for–profit philanthropic agencies like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders typically come to mind when thinking of those who do good works; however, it’s becoming more and more common to see for–profit firms link social benefits to corporate objectives through corporate social responsibility initiatives. In fact, the global social responsibility ecosystem – the network of entities focused on mitigating suffering and improving our world – comprises a spectrum of organizational models. We’ll examine exemplars of these models to better understand how each addresses the challenge of ensuring effectiveness and sustainability. Students will further research one such case on their own, and present findings both in groups and individually. Field trips to local organizations and guest speakers from such groups also are planned.

GRW 101 45 Shamans, Witchdoctors, and Wild Plants

MWF 11:30AM–12:20PM Professor Lampman

Shamanism, or the magico–religious and ritual mediation between the natural and supernatural worlds, is a global phenomenon that reaches as far back in time as the earliest humans. Despite the advance of modern medicine, shamanism is growing in popularity today. This Global Research and Writing course will teach the techniques of academic writing through the lens of global shamanistic use of wild plants to heal sickness, access alternate worlds, punish criminals, and solve community problems. Students will apply the skills of academic inquiry to study the techniques that shamans use to influence the supernatural world, and they will examine the scientific principles that serve as a foundation for use of plant chemicals for good or for harm.

GRW 101 49 The Moral of the Story

TTH 01:00PM–02:15PM Professor McCabe

This course will introduce first year students to global perspectives in ethical theory through exploring the medium through which many moral values are expressed in society: fictional and nonfictional narratives. Stories from cultures across the globe, past and present, will be used to reveal, discuss, and ultimately write about ethical theories ranging from Confucian Virtue Ethics to Immanuel Kant’s Ethics of Respect for Persons. Stories will be drawn from literary sources, movies, episodes of television series, and the internet. Students will conduct research beyond course materials on two examples introduced in class and present their findings in writing and orally.

GRW 101 50 Mysteries of the Ancient World

TTH 11:30AM–12:45PM Professor Markin

The ancient world is often portrayed in terms of mysteries that need to be solved. Frequent topics involve the disappearance of the Easter Islanders, the construction and use of Stonehenge, and Mayan calendar predictions of the end of the world. More mysterious occurrences include the existence of pyramids, Great Flood myths, and dragon symbolism in seemingly unrelated cultures across the globe. This course will investigate these ancient mysteries and debunk pseudoscientific explanations for cultural collapses or the global occurrence of certain cultural traits through the examination of archaeological data, environmental/climatological records, and historical documents where available. Students will engage with specific mysteries by creating a popular–TV–styled documentary that addresses pseudoscientific and scholarly explanations. They will also prepare and present a brief PowerPoint presentation on a mystery that has been solved through archaeological investigation and will write a research paper on a particular mystery that captures their interest.

GRW 101 25 Title TBA

TTH 10:00AM–11:15PM Professor Dasgupta

Course description TBA

GRW 101 Sections Offered by Time Slot – Fall 2012