College Writing Program

Reasoning & Writing in the College WRT 105/105E and 245

(formerly CAS 105/105E and 245)

Fall 2012

Each section has a unique content and grows out of the general WRT 105/105E course description developed by the Interdisciplinary College Writing Committee.

Content Areas:
Cultural Studies
English Language & Literature
History
Philosophy
Psychology
Science & Engineering
Extended Courses (WRT105E)
ESOL Program Courses

**Courses address issues of diversity

Writing about Cultural Studies

Noisy Identity: Music in Contemporary American Society
Berg, Erin
TR 11:05-12:20 Morey 524 CRN 68994

What would the world be like without music? It is a hard world to imagine due to the pervasive presence of music within our society. Assuming that music is a medium for us to express emotions and experiences that language cannot, then our engagement with music functions in a way that allows for us to articulate our individual and social identities. Thus, music becomes a process for testing and shaping identity. How does music impact self-expression and identity formation? How has the development of modern technology affected the process of identity formation through music and the relationship between individual identity and music? In order to explore these questions, students will engage with short stories, non-fiction essays, song lyrics and one or two films (Songcatcher) through group discussions and formal and informal writing assignments. Formal papers will be developed through a process of self-assessment, peer review, and revision, preparing students to complete a final 8-10 page research paper.

Narratives of and as Medicine
Boyar, Jenny
TR 4:50-6:05 Morey 402 CRN 69224

Some argue that contemporary medicine, with an increasing emphasis on technology and quick precision, is losing the necessarily human component to its practice. Narrative Medicine, a burgeoning interdisciplinary movement, encourages patients and professionals to practice storytelling as a holistic alternative to traditionally clinical modes of communication. This course will examine some of the fundamental questions Narrative Medicine raises. Do narratives have healing properties and if so, how and for whom? How much of contemporary medicine is or should be a narrative practice? Course content will cover works of fiction (perhaps short stories by Chekhov, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Lorrie Moore), nonfiction, poetry, and film (such as Mike Nochols' Wit and episodes of "House M.D."), and students can expect to perform their own writing-related "diagnostics" and "treatments" through peer review and self-assessment. Writing requirements will include several short assignments and an 8-10 page research paper.

No Place Like Home: Constructing Utopia
Bunker, Sarah
MW 6:15-7:30 Morey 524 CRN 68879

In literature, utopia is a paradox, the perfect place that is nonexistent. Yet history is filled with attempts to make utopia a reality; from communes to colonies to intentional communities, utopia has long been an important (if often peripheral) part of many societies. While reading several early modern and classical utopias and examining more recent utopian communities, students will explore the following questions (among others) through writing, class discussion, and critical reading: Where can utopia be found? How and why is utopia constructed? How does utopia reflect the concerns of the larger society? We will consider society's influence upon the construction of utopia, as well as utopian influences inherent in social reform. Students will produce a series of short critical papers, which will culminate in an eight to ten page argumentative research paper. Peer review, self-assessment, and consistent revision will be central to the work of this course.

**Bind Us Together, Drive Us Apart: American Ideals of Community and the Individual
Burger, Stephen
MWF 11:00-11:50 Meliora 206 CRN 69176

Barack Obama praises a traditional American belief "that we have a stake in one another, and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart." Newt Gingrich prefers to focus on individual rights: "Acceptance of this simple hierarchy--God, then the individual, then government--set America apart." Does the tradition of community belong to the Left? Individualism, to the Right? What does the development of these traditions show us about the apparent (but entrenched) American political divide? Are these traditions of communalism and individualism as rigidly divided as they seem? We will explore this "divide's" development, beginning with John Winthrop, Edmund Burke, Emerson, and Lincoln as we explore current political debates between candidates and movements (such as The Tea Party and Occupy). We will use peer reviews, self assessment, and revision as we write informal assignments, shorter papers, and an 8-10 page argumentative research paper to help us test analytical ideas about these issues.

**Not Just a Game: Exploring Issues of Identity in Sports Films
Chasin, Carly
TR 11:05-12:20 Hylan 105 CRN 69213

Sports movies hold a special place in our hearts. We cheered for the underdog in Rudy, we held our breath during the game-winning shot in Hoosiers, and Jerry McGuire had us at "Hello." But are sports films just exciting stories, or do they reveal greater truths about our values and American culture? In this course, we will address these questions by using sports movies as a vehicle for examining issues of individual and social identity. Analyzing films, such as Remember the Titans, A League of Their Own, and The Blindside, we will consider how issues of race, gender, and the family inform individual values and shape larger social morés. Students will engage these topics through group discussions, formal writing assignments, and an 8-10 page final research paper. This course will also emphasize peer review, self-assessment, and revision as integral parts of the writing process.

Digital Culture and Counterculture
Fisher, Michael
TR 2:00-3:15 Morey 502 CRN 69044

We live in a digitized world. Whether it's the constant glitter of iPhones reflecting on the faces of our friends and loved ones, or the relentlessly convenient status updates we receive on Facebook, there is scant escape from the many screens that comprise our lives. But isn't this what progress looks like? In this class we will examine a series of arguments about the causes and consequences of digital culture, ranging from the effects of television to the significance of Facebook. Sherry Turkle, Steven Johnson, and Jonathan Franzen are a few of the writers we will read, but the menu is diverse. The main goal of this course will be to acquaint students with argumentative writing through multiple stages. Class meetings will include discussion of reading material, weekly writing assignments, and peer-review designed to develop attention to audience, self-assessment, and revision skills. By the end of the semester, students will be ready to write an 8-10 page research paper on a topic of their choosing.

Remembering the Future
Glogower, Abby
TR 9:40-10:55 Dewey 4162 CRN 68857

Why is it so difficult to predict the future? Why are so many of our visions of the future—from moon colonies to flying cars—likely to go unrealized? And how do new innovations that once seemed remarkable or impossible—such as satellites, cellular phones and video chatting—become so commonplace that we take them for granted? Often, our visions of the future not only express our hopes and dreams, but also describe the world we currently inhabit. As such, historical perspectives on the future become useful for understanding the past. In this class we will investigate the relationships between technological and social change by examining ideas about the future from the early nineteenth century through the present. Engaging with theoretical texts, popular readings, films and advertisements, we will build skills in analysis, interpretation and argumentation and students will utilize, short writing exercises, self-assessment, peer review, and revision, to craft several short papers and one 8-10 page research paper.

Navigating Multiple Worlds: The Language of Science Fiction
Grenert, Alison
TR 11:05-12:20 Dewey 4162 CRN 68967

How do filmmakers and writers visually and discursively shape our participation with the text, enabling us to successfully navigate unfamiliar worlds? How do these imaginative, alternative spaces interact with our own? In order to answer these questions, we will focus on the conventions of Science Fiction, specifically the construction of time and space. This course will bring into conversation a range of science fiction texts from literature and film. The broad range of texts and the diversity of media will provide students with a variety of entry points for their writing assignments. Through peer assessment and revision, students will develop the ability to produce clear and engaging arguments, providing them with a foundation to produce knowledge, advance claims, and conduct research in future college courses and their professional lives. The final project will consist of an 8-10 page research paper, critically engaging the themes and questions generated through readings and class discussion.

Madness Unmediated
Lamperez, Joseph
MW 3:25-4:40 Dewey 4131 CRN 69231

Socrates said long ago that "madness comes from the Gods, whereas sober sense is merely human." Yet many would disagree: D.H. Lawrence, for example, writes that "If we lose our sanity/ we can but howl the lugubrious howl of idiots." In this course, we will explore both understandings of insanity through a discussion of the ways varying media have represented this mysterious condition. What differing views of madness do short stories, films, paintings, and graphic novels all produce? What new views of insanity emerge in the collision of madness's multiple media? Pursuing these questions through short response papers and in-class discussion, we will also compose formal essays and a final research paper due at the end of class, each undergoing significant revision through self-assessment and peer-review. Texts may include the novella The Turn of the Screw; the graphic novel Arkham Asylum; the paintings of Charles Dodd; the short stories of J.G. Ballard; and films by directors such as Teinosuke Kinugasa.

**Defining Marriage in Modern America
Lang, Amanda
TR 4:50-6:05 Meliora 218 CRN 68930

In 2011, New York State lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage, making New York the largest state to provide equal marriage rights to same-sex couples. Today, we are reassessing marriage as a cultural institution. In this course, students will read texts, participate in discussions, and consider how marriage has been redefined throughout the 20th century. How have social movements and political climates forced us to reconsider what marriage means? How do representations of marriage relate to the time periods in which they were constructed? We will read texts such as Kate Chopin's The Awakening and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. We will also look at portrayals of marriage on television and in film. Students will complete short writing assignments, participate in peer reviews, and consider their own writing through self-assessment. This course aims to equip students with essential skills for academic writing, which will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper.

Nature Writing, Plain and Complex
Nelson, Daniel
TR 11:05-12:20 Hylan 202 CRN 69079

Where do we draw the line between nature writing—traditionally the domain of natural historians—and creative writing? In this course we will be reading texts that straddle the genres of fiction, poetry, diary, and nature writing, and posing the questions: What, besides nature, are these texts about? What ideological or aesthetic commitments influence their depictions of nature? Can a poem or work of fiction be just about nature, or would it at that point cease to be creative literature and become "merely" nature writing? By exploring these issues we will learn how to ask probing questions about texts, and how to develop those questions into a cogent argument founded on textual evidence. These skills will be fostered through a series of writing projects, culminating in an 8-10 page paper, and through a revision process based on peer review and class discussion. Readings may include: Li Bai, Bai Juyi, the Wordsworths, Darwin, Thoreau, John Muir, Marianne Moore and Annie Dillard.

Comparative Cosmologies: World Creation Stories
Newmark, Samantha
TR 2:00-3:15 Hylan 303 CRN 69033

Whence do we come? Mythology seeks to understand and explain the existence of humankind and the world around it. Many societies created a cosmology that explained the creation of the world in which they live. What can one understand about a culture through its cosmology? What elements do stories from different parts of the globe share? Why might these topics be so common in creation stories? This course will examine cosmologies from around the world and across time. Texts will include the Maya Popol Vuh, the Babylonian Enuma Elish, and even a part of J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarilion, along with other excerpts. We will examine myths through an anthropological lens, seeking to understand why societies created the creation stories they did. The emphasis of the course will be argumentative writing, with several short papers and a final 8-10 page research paper. Students will learn basic argumentative and rhetorical skills and use peer review and self-assessment in order to improve their academic writing.

**Speaking the Speech: Reimagining Writing as a Performative Process
O'Neil, Scott
MW 3:25-4:40 Hylan 303 CRN 69025

Poet David Morley has argued that "All writing is performance." In this class, we will test Morley's assertion on two levels. First, we will analyze a wide variety of texts, including speeches, blogs, letters, and scenes from such films as The Lord of the Rings and The Shawshank Redemption. Are all of these texts performative? Can a text not intended for performance carry performative subtext? We will also explore the uses of performance in our own writing. Using activities adapted from the Folger Shakespeare Library, we will question how our writing process can change when we treat it not as a wholly cognitive act, but as a performance text. To be clear—though this class will require you to perform your own writing, it is not an acting class. The act of preparing your writing for performance will be our primary concern, and we will use that approach in pre-writing, peer review, self-assessment and the revision process in order to create well-organized essays, culminating with an 8-10 page research paper.

**American Dreams
Sydelnik, Stefanie
MW 2:00-3:15 Rush Rhees Library G-108A CRN 69388

The American Dream: this phrase permeates our national discourse, shaping conceptions of success and failure, but we rarely step back to critically evaluate its meaning. What is/are the American dream/s? Is the dream realizable? We will explore these questions by considering and critically analyzing a diverse group of texts—film, scholarly articles, journalism—that reflect a variety of historical and disciplinary perspectives. For example, we will view Sugar, a contemporary baseball film about a Dominican player's aspirations to play in the U.S., and Forrest Gump, a Hollywood blockbuster about unlikely success. Through discussion, activities, and informal and formal writing, we will embark on an analysis of the role of American dreams in shaping individual and national identities. Students will develop strategies for academic writing by engaging in self-assessment, peer review, and frequent revision. Formal assignments include three shorter analytical papers and a ten page argumentative research paper.

**Sports, Identity and the American Dream
Vandenbossche, Lisa
TR 12:30-1:45 Morey 505 CRN 69161

"It is hard not to be romantic about baseball" –Moneyball

What is it about American culture that makes us romanticize sports? How is this desire connected with our tendency to romanticize what it means to be American? This class will question whether sports reinforce or dismantle values considered essential to what it means to be American. We will develop an understanding of what we mean by the term "American Dream" and then explore economic, social and political realities of American sports culture. Course material will include documentary film, with selections from ESPN 30 for 30, sociological pieces and writing across multiple genres (both fiction and nonfiction). Students will think critically to develop written arguments and complete in class assignments, short papers and a final research paper based upon class discussion and readings. Participation in discussion, peer review and self-assessment activities will be important, as they are fundamental to the success of the writing and revision process.

**Black or White: Race, Identity and Representation
Vogel, Joseph
TR 4:50-6:05 Meliora 206 CRN 69000

This course explores our notions of race, identity and representation by evaluating their constitutive role in popular culture. These roles are examined with an interdisciplinary approach, which focuses on music, film, media, and literature as sites of serious expression, contestation and struggle. How has blackness been represented historically? Is there such a thing as a "black aesthetic"? What do we do with art and/or subjects that resist easy categorization? We will use the work of Michael Jackson, Spike Lee and Toni Morrison, among others, to explore and write in response to such questions. The goal of the course is to use the subject matter, and its surrounding "conversations," to help students produce a series of informal, exploratory papers and two short, critical papers, all of which will prepare for the final, 8-10 page argumentative research paper. Class discussion, instructor feedback, peer feedback, self-assessment and revision will play a significant role in this course.

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69104

From whalebone objects, to Beowulf, Moby Dick, and Maori myths of the whale rider, to the blue whales' song recorded off the New York harbor, the elusive big fish continues to roam large on the horizon, raising searching questions about humans' place in the interconnected natural world. How have whales shaped memories of marine communities in the world? Feared and revered, whales have also been intensely pursued for lucrative trades involving virtually every part of their body. What are the key topics in the current debates over whaling? In this course we will consider materials that cut through genres and media in search of the monstrous fish that are neither fish nor particularly monstrous but, for all we know, are of deep psychological and ecological significance. We invite writers to join our interdisciplinary investigations while sharpening their academic writing skills through active class participation, informal and formal writing, peer review, revision, self-assessment, and a final research project.

**Culture and Learning
Woodring, Suzanne
TR 4:50-6:05 Lattimore 413 CRN 69208

Metaphoric narrative, family traditions, and apprenticeship are all ways of learning through participation in culture. As human beings, we are constantly acquiring new knowledge that shapes how we perceive the world around us. What kinds of cultural beliefs and values influence not only what is learned, but also how knowledge, skills, and traditions are taught? How are learning methods different or similar across cultures? Are there learning norms across all human cultures? Students will explore answers to questions like these through course readings and writing assignments focusing on diverse cultural perspectives from disciplines such as education, psychology, and anthropology. This course culminates in an 8 to10 page argumentative essay where students will demonstrate an ability to craft an argument, conduct critical analysis, and present multiple perspectives on the topic. It also emphasizes the importance of the writing process through the use of peer feedback and revision.

Animal Allegories
Yee, Pamela
TR 3:25-4:40 Harkness 210 CRN 69155

WARNING: Please be aware that this course includes sexual content that some may find upsetting. Feel free to contact the instructor at pyee@z.rochester.edu for more information. The Big Bad Wolf. Beauty and the Beast. Reynard the Fox. These are a few of the animal characters that pervade our culture. Why? What do animal characters offer that human ones don't? What do beast narratives reveal about our society and values? We will explore various perceptions of essential difference between humans and animals. We'll also see how beast narratives act as social commentary, tackling issues like morality, politics, religion, gender and sexuality, and Otherness. Readings include works from Aesop, Apuleius, the Brothers Grimm, Hopkins, Kafka, Angela Carter, David Sedaris, Disney, and Aronofsky. The course will emphasize the importance of dialogue, self-assessment, peer review, and revision to the writing process. Assignments include a series of short argumentative essays culminating in an 8-10 page research paper.

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Writing about English Literature & Language

Noisy Identity: Music in Contemporary American Society
Berg, Erin
TR 11:05-12:20 Morey 524 CRN 68994

Narratives of and as Medicine
Boyar, Jenny
TR 4:50-6:05 Morey 402 CRN 69224

**Bind Us Together, Drive Us Apart: American Ideals of Community and the Individual
Burger, Stephen
MWF 11:00-11:50 Meliora 206 CRN 69176

**Creepy Encounters and Strange Fantasies: Controversial Issues Rendered and Reflected in Fantasy and Science Fiction
Ewans, Dave
TR 12:30-1:45 Meliora 206 CRN 69057

It's been said that "truth is stranger than fiction," but it's also been said that "art imitates life." Nowhere is the confluence of truth and fiction, life and art, reality and unreality made more evident than in fantasy and sci-fi. This course will involve exploring texts such as Kindred and Fledgling that straddle the line between fantasy and sci-fi, as well as genre-bending films like Dune and Avatar that posit social and cultural questions concerning, among other things, ideas about medical ethics, religion, identity, and environmentalism. We will examine the ways in which these two genres reflect, distort, and critique our society, and we'll explore the overall value of these materials as social commentary. The course readings, screenings, and discussion will all be geared towards helping us generate ideas that will be further examined in 3 3-5page essays and a final 8-10page research paper.

Navigating Multiple Worlds: The Language of Science Fiction
Grenert, Alison
TR 11:05-12:20 Dewey 4162 CRN 68967

Questioning Contemporary Poetry
Helm, Daniel
TR 3:25-4:40 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 69193

When contemporary poets explore and extend what poetry can do, they often produce some strange results. Can poets write whatever they want? Are poems just personal expressions? This course investigates poems that might provoke such questions, supposing—since contemporary poets challenge how people interact with words—that they imply further questions about the limits and possibilities of language. In addition to poetry, we will read and discuss relevant theory and criticism to help us articulate and critically engage problems posed by contemporary poems. We will use writing to think, even to discover what we think, as well as to participate intelligibly in an enduring conversation about an enduring art. The purpose of the course is to practice constructing clear and convincing argumentative papers. Because thoughtful arguments require development, the course utilizes peer review, self-assessment, and revision. Requirements are regular reading and writing assignments, and an 8-10 page research paper.

Madness Unmediated
Lamperez, Joseph
MW 3:25-4:40 Dewey 4131 CRN 69231

**Staging American Society
Negley, Amy
MW 12:30-1:45 Bausch & Lomb 315 CRN 68956

Thornton Wilder's Our Town, with its charming depiction of small town life and its cast of humble, likeable characters, is widely regarded as one of the most "American" plays of all time. But does it truly represent the American experience? In this course, we will explore how American playwrights like Thornton Wilder, Susan Glaspell, Hanay Geiogamah, and Arthur Miller communicated their visions of identity, community, and morality via the stage to define their own vision of American society. We will examine dramatic pieces from various time periods that explore themes like class, race, gender, and ethnicity. While discussing how these playwrights communicate their messages to their audiences, we will also explore effective communication in our own speaking and writing. In this course, students will learn critical skills of writing and revision. They will take part in a peer review process, perform self-assessments, and write several small papers. The course will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper.

Nature Writing, Plain and Complex
Nelson, Daniel
TR 11:05-12:20 Hylan 202 CRN 69079

Ancient Greek Drama: Then, Now, and In-Between
Shukla, Abhishek
MW 12:30-1:45 Morey 505 CRN 68981

Written to be staged in the annual festivals of fifth-century Athens, the plays of classical Greece rank among the finest and most enduring works of western literature. The tragedies of Aeschylus or Sophocles, and the comedies of Aristophanes, have inspired artists, writers, and philosophers over twenty-plus centuries. What is it about the plays that has caused them to be studied and adapted through the ages?--all the love, lust, murder, and revenge? their mythology? or their enquiry into psychology and morality? We shall try answering such questions by reading--and, more importantly, by writing about--both the plays themselves as well as their adaptations in art, literature, film, and on stage. In the process, students shall be introduced to the different aspects of academic writing. Students will write a number of short essays during the semester as well as a final paper of 8-10 pages, and classes will consist of peer-reviews, self-assessments, and revisions.

Alternate Histories: Why Ask "What If"?
Sidhu, Hardeep
TR 9:40-10:55 Morey 505 CRN 69110

In recent years, historians and artists have been increasingly willing to play speculative games with history—to imagine what could have happened, but didn't. What if the South had won the American Civil War? What if Nazi Germany had defeated the Allies in World War II? In this course, we will take seriously "counterfactual" or "alternate" histories ranging from pop culture like Inglourious Basterds and Watchmen to work by novelists and professional historians. Through in-class discussion and argumentative writing assignments (including an 8-10 page research paper), students will investigate not only how these works re-imagine history but also why we should bother asking "what if" at all. Our course will feature a multi-step writing process, which will include critical self-assessment, peer review, and various revision strategies. Please be advised: this course will deal with potentially unsettling topics. Contact the instructor (hsidhu@z.rochester.edu) with any questions.

Animal Allegories
Yee, Pamela
TR 3:25-4:40 Harkness 210 CRN 69155

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69104

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Writing about History

Sacred Violence in the Middle Ages
Claussen, Samuel
TR 9:40-10:55 Dewey 4131 CRN 69149

Religion and violence have been combined throughout human history in powerful and sometimes terrifying ways. Religious violence took numerous forms throughout the medieval period. Can there be any value in combining religion and violence? Should religion and violence be mutually exclusive? We will investigate sacred violence through a series of writing assignments and discussions. Students' questions concerning sacred violence in the Middle Ages offer a starting point for the development of writing and self-assessment tools. We will debate the combination of religion and violence and people's embrace of the resulting forms. Using this topic, students will improve their critical and argumentative writing skills. Through discussion of texts, regular writing assignments, peer-review, self-assessment, and revisions, students will hone their skills in the craft of writing. This will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper considering the general theme of the class.

Digital Culture and Counterculture
Fisher, Michael
TR 2:00-3:15 Morey 502 CRN 69044

Remembering the Future
Glogower, Abby
TR 9:40-10:55 Dewey 4162 CRN 68857

**Defining Marriage in Modern America
Lang, Amanda
TR 4:50-6:05 Meliora 218 CRN 68930

**"Tea Partying" and "Occupying" in the 1960s
Portlock, John
MW 2:00-3:15 Goergen 110 CRN 69066

All those "occupying" and "tea partying" in this age owe a debt of gratitude to those who brought democracy to the streets in the 1960s. It was then, amidst the chaos of race riots, Vietnam, and a "war on poverty," that a "New Right" and "New Left" emerged, so as to re-invigorate and re-imagine our Democracy. This course will examine the rise of these antecedents to the "Tea Party" and "Occupy" movements, asking: Why did they come about when they did? What were their effects on the country? And, what legacies have they bequeathed later generations? We will consider both primary documents from and secondary sources about these movements. The course will aim not only to bolster students' understanding of the topic and the time period; it will also seek to improve students' critical thinking, as well as their analytical writing skills. Therefore, all written work will be discussed, peer-edited, revised, and self-assessed. The course will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper on the course topic.

Alternate Histories: Why Ask "What If"?
Sidhu, Hardeep
TR 9:40-10:55 Morey 505 CRN 69110

**Alcohol's Role in American History
Sutherland, Serenity
TR 11:05-12:20 Lattimore 413 CRN 68898

Average American bars often display Benjamin Franklin's quote "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." The quote's pervasiveness demonstrates how alcohol is and was an important component of American life. In this class we will explore the importance of alcohol in American society, culture and politics. How did perceptions of alcohol change from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War? What did Prohibition accomplish? What role do mega-corporations like Anheuser-Busch play in alcohol legislation? The class is historical in focus but we will also relate historical questions to today's issues. Broad topics such as how alcohol influences issues of ethnicity, class, gender and race, and vice versa, will inform our discussions, in-class writing assignments, essays and final 8-10 page research paper. The goal of this class is to learn about the writing process through self-assessment, revision and peer review. Films, commercials and images will supplement our readings and writings about alcohol.

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69104

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Writing about Philosophy

Ethics in the Age of the Internet
Arellano, Adrian
MW 2:00-3:15 Dewey 4162 CRN 69011

Although the Internet has proved tremendously beneficial, this technology also raises many difficult ethical questions: How much privacy is one entitled to? Does WikiLeaks do more harm than good? Should all forms of intellectual property be protected? We will explore these questions through the lens of ethical theory, using the views of Kant and Mill to analyze such topics as social justice, individual rights, and human flourishing. The goal of this course will be to think critically about these issues, exploring them through discussion and argumentative writing. Readings will include academic works—such as a textbook and journal articles—as well as newspaper and magazine articles, blog entries, and legal documents. Assignments will include in-class writing, informal writing assignments, and formal writing assignments. The formal assignments will go through draft revision, self-assessment, and peer review, and our final project will be an 8-10 page argumentative research paper.

Digital Culture and Counterculture
Fisher, Michael
TR 2:00-3:15 Morey 502 CRN 69044

**Translation as a Window into the Mind
Gegg-Harrison, Whitney
TR 9:40-10:55 Hylan 306 CRN 68903

In an increasingly interconnected world, we need to communicate ideas across language boundaries, and companies like Google are working to create automatic translation systems to keep up with the demand. But the problem of translation raises fascinating questions about the relationship between language, meaning, and the mind. How do we know what someone means by what they have said or written in a particular language? Is human intelligence required for translation? Can we really create machines capable of translating? In this course, we will use the topic of translation as our launching pad for exploring these questions through writing, drawing from a variety of perspectives: science fiction, philosophy, linguistics, artificial intelligence, and psychology. While learning to think critically about language and the mind, students will work to develop the skills to extract and evaluate arguments from texts, and to construct, defend, and clearly articulate arguments of their own in writing.

Biomedical Enhancement: Ethics on the Frontiers of Medicine
Greenlee, Andrew
TR 11:05-12:20 Dewey 4131 CRN 69082

Should parents use reproductive technologies to determine the traits of their children? Should athletes be able to physically enhance themselves through genetic engineering? Should people without psychological disorders use mood-enhancing drugs? These kinds of questions have become pressing in light of advances in medical technology that give us an unprecedented ability to enhance and manipulate our emotions, physical traits, and intellectual capacities. However, this is, in a sense, uncharted territory; it is often unclear how biomedical enhancements relate to issues concerning personal identity, well-being, and human rights. In this course, students will attempt to develop and articulate their own views on the ethics of biomedical enhancement. They will learn to extract and evaluate arguments from relevant articles, and will write original argumentative essays, including an 8-10 page research paper. The writing process will be facilitated by class discussion, peer-review, self-assessment, and revision.

The Science of Good and Evil
Phillips, Kathryn
TR 9:40-10:55 Hutchens 138 CRN 68948

Traditionally philosophers have examined ethical questions but recently scientists have been experimenting about what is right and wrong. Can entrenched philosophical problems like whether one ought to kill one person to save ten be solved with brain scans? Are there questions that cannot be answered by science? Students will develop writing skills by investigating what scientists can tell us about ethics. We will explore the limits of science through an investigation of ethical theory and utilize various media including podcasts, popular science magazines and classical philosophical works to compare and contrast ethical and scientific methods. Students will evaluate the arguments in short essays to enhance critical analysis skills. We will focus on creating written work that is clear, organized and thoughtfully elaborates on arguments based on a clear thesis. This will be accomplished through class discussion, peer-review, self-assessment and revision. The course will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper.

Ethics in Biomedical Research
Rowley, William
TR 6:15-7:30 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 68929

Biomedical research continues to extend our knowledge of how our bodies work and how to treat our diseases and injuries. Does this value license just any research or are there ethical lines that must not be crossed? Through philosophical readings, in-class discussion, and writing, students will explore these and other puzzles at the crossroads of ethics and science: May we create and destroy embryos in the search for therapies using stem cells? When may we use animals in research? If data came from grossly immoral experiments, may we use it? In the near future, we may be able to enhance our children. But should we? While engaging with conversations in ethics, students learn to extract and critique arguments from readings, discuss them critically, and develop their own argumentative writing. Each student writes several papers during the course, including an 8-10 page research paper. Writing these papers will be supported by in-class exercises, informal writing assignments, peer review, and self-assessment.

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Writing about Psychology

Noisy Identity: Music in Contemporary American Society
Berg, Erin
TR 11:05-12:20 Morey 524 CRN 68994

Digital Culture and Counterculture
Fisher, Michael
TR 2:00-3:15 Morey 502 CRN 69044

**Translation as a Window into the Mind
Gegg-Harrison, Whitney
TR 9:40-10:55 Hylan 306 CRN 68903

Madness Unmediated
Lamperez, Joseph
MW 3:25-4:40 Dewey 4131 CRN 69231

**Culture and Learning
Woodring, Suzanne
TR 4:50-6:05 Lattimore 413 CRN 69208

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Writing about Science & Engineering

Narratives of and as Medicine
Boyar, Jenny
TR 4:50-6:05 Morey 402 CRN 69224

Scientific Controversies
Dirksen, Sharon
TR 9:40-10:55 Morey 502 CRN 68866

When Dolly the sheep was cloned, one of the most popular debates in science was prompted–should science proceed in the direction of human cloning? Would it be ethical or even legal? This course will investigate various scientific controversies and consider how our views are influenced by our education, culture, and belief systems, along with what is written in the scientific literature and how it is interpreted by the media and special interest groups. Drawing from various forms of written communications such as press releases, journal and newspaper articles, students will analyze how different writing styles contribute to shaping the views of the target audience. Students will write 2-3 argumentative essays geared toward different audiences. Students will also choose a topic and, using primary research articles, reviews, and policy communications, will more closely examine the evidence in an 8-10 page research paper. Each assignment will use peer review and self-assessment to foster revision and improvement.

Biomedical Enhancement: Ethics on the Frontiers of Medicine
Greenlee, Andrew
TR 11:05-12:20 Dewey 4131 CRN 69082

**Preventable Disease
Kaminski, Denise
TR 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108A CRN 68912

Humans can prevent disease via sanitation, nutrition and lifestyle choices, vaccination, and pollution control. Ironically, preventable diseases still occur. For example, we have ample information about the causes and clinical consequences of obesity, yet this condition continues to increase in the U.S., and is predicted to spread to developing nations. Who is responsible for executing disease prevention? How does socioeconomic status affect the likelihood of developing a preventable disease? Should anyone be allowed to decline vaccination against devastating communicable infections? In this course, we will address these questions through literature, discussion, and writing.

We will analyze primary research articles, reviews, and policy communications addressing these issues. Each student will write three argumentative essays and one 8- to 10-page research paper. Each assignment will be peer- and self-critiqued to foster revising and improvement. These processes will help us advance as both writers and critical readers.

**Preventable Disease
Kaminski, Denise
MW 2:00-3:15 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 69132

**Preventable Disease
Kaminski, Denise
TR 9:40-10:55 Hylan 305 CRN 69187

Ethics in Biomedical Research
Rowley, William
TR 6:15-7:30 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 68929

Disease & Society
Schaefer, Katherine
MW 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108A CRN 69128

In 2011, health care spending consumed 18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. We as a society must make choices about spending, balancing the desire to achieve the best possible health for everyone with the reality of limited resources. Underlying these decisions are ethical and practical concerns, and any policy requires answers to many questions. For instance, which diseases get the most attention? Are contagious diseases in a different class from heart disease and cancer? When may we infringe on someone's rights in the name of better health? We will explore these issues using a mix of critical reading, discussion, and writing, drawing from sources that look at the sociological, psychological, linguistic, artistic, economic, ethical, and medical aspects of these questions. This class will emphasize developing a personal writing process, and incorporate peer feedback, self-assessment, informal writing, and revision, and requires writing three shorter papers and one 8-10 page end of term paper.

Disease & Society
Schaefer, Katherine
TR 12:30-1:45 Dewey 4162 CRN 68882

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 12:30-1:45 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69104

WRT 105E (extended)

**The Civil War in Cinema
Arnold, Esther
MW 3:25-4:40 Rush Rhees Library G-108A CRN 69245

The years 2011-15 mark the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, an ideal time to reflect not only on the war itself but on how it has been remembered in art and popular culture. This course will examine films--from various time periods, genres, and points of view--that depict the Civil War era. Among other topics, we will consider how movies have framed the causes of the North and the South, how they have emphasized reconciliation between the two sides, and how they have approached (or neglected) the issue of slavery. Our viewings will lead us to ask critical questions about the motives behind, and implications of, the film industry's treatment of the war. Students will watch films closely and read selections by film scholars that serve as models of academic writing. Discussions and informal writing assignments will lay the groundwork for formal essays. There will be several short, analytical papers and one 8-10 page research paper, all involving multiple revisions, peer reviews, and self-assessments.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69290

**Concepts of Childhood
Bayne, Matthew
TR 11:05-12:20 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69397

Despite the seeming universality of the subject, notions of the "child" as we know it emerged in the 18th century. We will begin by looking at historical and psychological depictions of childhood; this will be followed by a variety of disciplines—from anthropology to contemporary cultural studies. The course will highlight how notions of the child, even in their most clichéd forms, present children in contradictory ways: as both "almost"- adults and an entity that is non-human. We will proceed to analyze instances of "odd" children who do not conform to adult norms—i.e., investigating the fantasy worlds that children build, their relations to animals/objects, and their gender identifications. We will explore these topics through formal and informal writing assignments that foreground writing as a process. Furthermore, we will utilize writing as a tool to explore matters of audience, context, and purpose. The course will culminate in an 8-10 page research paper that addresses class themes.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69427

The Laboratory of the Mind: Reading and Writing Thought Experiments
Bell, Laura
TR 9:40-10:55 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 69286

How can we put ideas to the test that would be impossible to conceive of outside our imaginations? Why is this even a useful thing to do? Famous examples of thought experiments, such as the Prisoner's Dilemma or Schrödinger's Cat, have shown that investigating the impossible can provide deeper insights into the principles of economics, mathematics and physics. But what about the imaginary scenarios that we often see in fiction, art and film? Can movies like The Matrix or the images created by M.C. Escher also be seen as thought experiments, and if so, what can we learn from them? Writing about and questioning these issues helps us to grasp abstract ideas, organize logical arguments, and anticipate and resolve problems. From Galileo's experiments to Philip K. Dick's science fiction and Michel Gondry's films, this course will focus on a wide range of material. Students will be assessed through class participation, self-assessments, peer review, short writing assignments, and a final 8-10 page research paper.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69322

**Fighting Words, Fractured Imaginings: Writing through Our Images of War
Knopf, Nicholas
TR 11:05-12:20 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 69364

America currently fights multiple wars on multiple fronts. Commitments abroad solicit debate from ivory towers to brick tenements as civilians discuss the motives, costs, and rewards of America's international role. Closer to home, long lasting "wars" on drugs, poverty, and other social challenges raise related questions of their rationale and consequences. Vigorous argument placing citizens in dialogue with each other and their leaders arises in response to both wars on the battlefield and on social issues. This course will help you engage your writing in this ongoing discussion by teaching you a process to write persuasive academic essays, through both individual work and self-assessments and peer engagement and review. Multimedia materials, featuring published writing, film, and music will expose you to representations of war since Vietnam. Some include violent content. Written assignments culminate in an 8-10 page research paper.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69353

**Who Is Being Left Behind?—Unpacking Equity Issues in American Education
Lu, Shaofei
TR 9:40-10:55 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69262

Despite the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind bill and the Obama administration's Race to the Top project, every year, there are still students dropping out of their schools. Who is left behind in the American educational system and why? In this course, students will explore equity issues in American education through critically reading of Mike Rose's book Lives on the Boundary: A Moving Account of the Struggles and Achievements of America's Educationally Underprepared and watching the recent documentary Waiting for "Superman". Students will develop skills in academic writing through free-writing, constructing effective arguments, peer reviewing, revising and editing. The class will form a supportive community of writers who give each other encouragement and constructive feedback. Upon completion of the course, students will turn in a portfolio consisting of analytical papers, a research proposal, an 8-10 page research paper, peer reviews and self-assessments.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69306

Technology on the Silver Screen
McShane, Kara
TR 2:00-3:15 Rush Rhees Library 304 CRN 69370

Technology has dramatically changed the way we live our lives; for example, most of you are reading this course description via the internet rather than in print. One technology, film, is now being used to tell the story of other technologies. Documentaries about Facebook, science fiction accounts of cloning, and stories of superheroes powered by technology all shape how we understand the increasingly technology-driven world we live in. How do these films present technology? How have film's depictions of technology changed? How do these depictions of technology compare to scientific, medical, or political descriptions? How do these many perspectives on technology shape our society? Students will explore these questions and develop their own through informal writing, short papers, and class discussion. Each student will refine his or her thinking and writing through workshops, peer review, self-assessment, and revision. The class will culminate with an eight to ten page research paper, designed by the student.

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69438

**American Dreams
Sydelnik, Stefanie
MW 2:00-3:15 Rush Rhees Library G-108A CRN 69388

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69341

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 3:25-4:40 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69416

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69401

**Searching for Whales: Myth, Science, and Ecological Sustainability
Wang, Stella
TR 11:05-12:20 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 69277

Recitation—students must register for this with CRN 69335

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ESOL Program Courses

WRT 101 (ESOL 101 Speaking and Listening II)

TR 9:40-10:55 Hylan 307 CRN 68751
F 12:30-1:45 Hylan 303 CRN 68778
F 12:30-1:45 Hylan 307 CRN 68799
F 2:00-3:15 Hylan 303 CRN 68765

WRT 103 (ESOL Research, Reading and Writing)

MW 2:00-4:40 Rush Rhees Library G-108 CRN 68825
Castleberry, Kristi
Students registering for this section must also register for CRN 68751

MW 3:25-6:05 Hylan 307 CRN 68800
Sloan, Paige
Students registering for this section must also register for CRN 68778

TR 9:40-12:20 Hylan 206 CRN 68811
Tinelli, Lisabeth
Students registering for this section must also register for CRN 68799

MW 12:30-3:15 Hylan 303 CRN 68844
Tinelli, Lisabeth
Students registering for this section must also register for CRN 68765

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