Fall 2025 Seminar Summaries

Under the Covers: Songs and Renditions

From ABBA to ZZ Top, and Afropop to Zydeco; audiences, performers, and songwriters have a rich and complicated history that reveals much about the human experience. By sampling selected works that have been “covered” by multiple artists, we will examine these connected and overlapping groups and then explore what they reveal about artistic expression, commercialism, history, identity, race, and social interaction, among many other concepts. We will consider the art of songwriting and composition, and the role that interpretation plays in changing a given work’s impact and communicative qualities. Together, let’s see what’s Under the Covers.

Does Chocolate Have a Dark Side?

Nearly everyone loves some kind of chocolate but no one thinks enough about where chocolate comes from or how it gets to the stores’ shelves. Chocolate’s versatility reaches back centuries, yet emerges routinely in our social lives, our environmental concerns, our health applications and our aesthetic experiences. This seminar uses chocolate as a context to make connections between the sciences, social sciences, humanities and the fine arts. It also challenges assumptions of students about what “chocolate” really means. Students will critically evaluate sources of chocolate and discuss texts and films that shed light on the past and present of this delightful substance.

Healing Women

This course is a feminist, interdisciplinary exploration of modes of healing employed by women (and others) in different religious and cultural traditions and socio-historical contexts. We will focus on how specific cultural and religious traditions conceptualize gender, gender roles, bodies, health and illness. Some of the questions we will investigate are: Who has the knowledge, power and authority to heal? How does violence impact individual and communal health? What methods are used to heal trauma? How is individual healing connected to communal transformation? What role does story-telling play in healing and transformation? What are the connections between healing and activism?

Heart and Mind: Understanding Love in the Modern World

What is love? We use this word in many ways- we love a new pair of shoes, our dog, our family member, our romantic partners - but what does it mean? Researchers have identified over a dozen different types of love, each with their own cultural definitions. In this seminar, we will explore the concept of love, its historical routes, and social construction. We will ask questions about how our ideas and expressions of love are shaped by our identity and experiences, as well as how we can use this concept for the betterment of society.

Science and Society: Navigating Ethical Frontiers

This seminar helps students explore the ethical issues in science and engineering that influence our world. Through discussions and case studies, we will examine topics like whistleblowing, AI bias, and biotechnology. Students will learn how personal values connect with professional responsibilities and how ethics guide innovation to benefit society. The seminar encourages critical thinking and provides tools for making ethical decisions in a fast-changing, technology-driven world. Students will discover how ethical guidelines are not barriers but essential tools for creating meaningful progress with integrity.

The Hero From the Past to Today

Everyone loves myths, especially those with a hero undertaking dangerous missions and gaining new insights into her or his identity. We encounter these fascinating characters in films, novels, comic books, and video games, to name just a few. Some scholars have argued that these myths appeal to us because they rely on a single myth pattern called the “hero’s journey.” Yet this approach fails to recognize that heroes come in all shapes and sizes and from every part of the world. In this seminar students will explore rich myth traditions from many time periods and cultures through literature, art, and film. Special attention will be given to what we can learn about a society’s worldview, identity, and social values from the attributes it gives to its heroes.

Art and Activism

How can art inspire social and political change? From protest signs to graffiti, this seminar explores how art can highlight injustice and spark activism. Together, we will look at the powerful ways artists drive change in communities across the country and around the world. Through engaging readings and lively class discussions, we examine how art has been used to challenge the status quo and make a meaningful impact on society.

Legends, Myths, and Folktales in East Asia 

Everything has a story. Peoples, states, societies, cultures, traditions, identities, religions, and ideologies are all built on stories, and as these stories traverse the passage of time, they become legends, myths, and folktales. This seminar introduces the world of East Asia through the stories of old. Analyzing various sources such as oral traditions, foundational myths, heroic literature, religious epic tales, historical records, and more, students explore core principles and beliefs which form the basis of East Asian societies. By also examining modern representations of these stories which pervade daily life such as pop music, video games, webtoons, mangas, dramas, and movies, we uncover how these tales contributed to the shaping of East Asia and the world today.

Understanding Race and Racism

This seminar introduces students to college level critical thinking, reading, and writing through looking at what “race” is from several perspectives: scientific racism and the current science of human biological diversity, the historical development of the idea of race, contemporary forms of institutional racism and racism as a lived experience both in the U.S. and around the world, and the movements for Black life and racial justice that have resurged recently. The seminar encourages students to bring a critical academic lens to both the world around them (eg. current events/news) and to their own everyday lives.

Apartheid

This seminar explores the history, impact, and lasting effects of Apartheid in South Africa, a system of racial, gender, and class-based segregation and oppression that lasted from 1948 to 1994. Students will analyze historical documents, speeches, resistance literature, philosophical writings, films, education laws, and music to understand key themes such as the role of law in oppression, relationships, land ownership, the environment, and grassroots resistance movements. By studying Apartheid, this semina will highlight how systems of oppression operate, the importance of clear concepts in understanding history, and the value of using multiple perspectives to examine complex issues.

Your Brain on Art

Why does music give you chills or a painting stop you in your tracks? In this seminar, we will dive into neuro-aesthetics—the science of how the arts impact your brain, emotions, and creativity. Using Your Brain on Art, we’ll explore how creative experiences boost well-being, spark new ideas, and bring people together. Through hands-on activities, discussions, and a cozy café-style vibe, we’ll uncover how small changes in habits and spaces can fuel inspiration. If you’re ready to think differently and tap into your creative potential, join us—one sip and one idea at a time!

Go Touch Grass: Exploring our Relationship with the Outdoors and Public Lands

This seminar explores the relationship between humans and the natural world through the lens of outdoor recreation and public lands. We will explore historical and contemporary concepts of nature, but also discuss our uniquely American perspective on wilderness, wildlife, and the environment. Through readings, discussion, and field trips/hikes, we will investigate themes such as public lands policy, public health and the environment, cultural/spiritual perspectives on nature, access to nature, the economics of outdoor recreation, and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, this seminar aims to foster a deeper understanding of our place within the natural world and inspire responsible, meaningful, and just engagement with the outdoors. Note: this seminar requires student participation in outdoor activities, but these will be inclusive exercises that are accessible to students of different abilities.

Running For Your Life!

Humans depend on movement to maintain health, yet modern conveniences and societal structures often discourage physical activity. To bridge this gap, we must make intentional choices to stay active by integrating movement into our daily lives, rethinking our environments, and shifting cultural norms to align with our evolutionary needs. This seminar will explore the fundamental role of physical activity in human health, examining the biological, historical, and social factors that have shaped our reliance on movement. We will also investigate the growing “pandemic” of physical inactivity and discuss strategies to promote a more active lifestyle in today’s world.

Who Am I: Identity, Society & Me

Who are you, really? Are you defined by your past, shaped by society, or rewriting your own story? College isn’t just about classes—it’s about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. In this seminar, we’ll break down identity, culture, and self-perception, exploring theories from Erikson, Cross, and Allport while diving into personal experiences and social influences. Just like Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us challenges narratives and asserts identity, we’ll critically examine the forces that shape us. If you’re ready to question, reflect, and redefine yourself, this seminar is your space to do just that.

Fixing Broken Minds

The prevalence of mental illness increases with each generation. Its negative effects range from staggering economic costs to unparalleled emotional suffering and lost lives. Mental health professionals across a wide variety of disciplines devote their careers to battling mental illness through understanding and treatment. In this seminar we will explore this battle through open-minded inquiry via readings, discussion, and debate. We will contemplate the meaning of mental illness and grapple with the weight of a profession that holds lives in its hands.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find Out What it Means to You

Something one is expected to show, something we’re encouraged to have for ourselves, and something you can get into trouble for lacking…respect. But what IS respect? Is the respect Aretha Franklin sang about in the late 1960’s the same thing we long for in contemporary U.S. political discourse or relevant to emoji etiquette or digital kindness? What does respect look like under the light of History, Philosophy or cultural context? What’s its social function - encouraging recognition of individual humanity or reinforcing hierarchy? Our interdisciplinary and multi-medium exploration of this subject will inform the project of finding out what it means to YOU.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Exploring Travel and Tourism

This seminar asks you to explore the world of travel and tourism, and to begin asking yourself questions about what it means to be a visitor and a guest. We will think through tourism as a business, as integral to national identity, as a means of cultural influence and exchange, as well as the colonial roots and environmental impact of going places. Students will discover how places are understood through public communication by comparing different tourist destinations and places of public memory using travelogues, travel guides, social media, and web sites. Our goal is to become more informed travelers and better citizens of the world.

Finding Your Roots: Family History

This is a seminar for undaunted adventurers, ready for unexpected discoveries or setbacks. We ask about how, and whether, families determine identities. We learn to find records, to listen and to gather stories. We discuss contexts: old but persistent injustice and hurt, or healing and reconciliation, things both tough and hopeful. You may discover unknown but marvelous connections, or past harsh realities. You may find too much, or nothing. It’s a risky endeavor. But in this seminar, we begin to find the whole family we are, and we do it together.

As Seen on Netflix

Have you ever binged a Netflix show instead of doing homework? Now you don’t have to feel guilty - it’s a requirement for class. In this seminar, we explore how the streaming service Netflix has changed the way we consume and interpret media. We will focus on the international impact of Netflix across continents, and we will look at how Netflix uses a glocal (global-local) business model to create content that bridges cultures. As you watch Netflix programs from five different continents, you will have the opportunity to make connections between the U.S. and other countries.

Sharing Holy Land

This seminar will be a study and discussion about sacred space within the context of Israel and Palestine. We will begin with the perspective of ordinary people, through three films, then through a very brief overview of recent history. We will discuss how people share sacred space, both in our own world and in the Middle East. Finally, students will study a particular site of their own choice, and discuss who shares it, how they do so, and why. Students will 1) Engage in relevant, thoughtful discussion, 2) Improve their writing skills and 3) Explore their own views and connection to sacred places. The overall theme is to begin with the idea that people should coexist (as the bumper sticker says) and ask, “how?”

If Boards Could Talk: Lessons in Board Games

Board games often provide clues about the time and culture in which they were produced. The Landlord’s Game, the game that Monopoly is based on, was originally meant to show how there should be little reward in monopolies and we should distribute property more equally. The original map in Risk shows what regions were important to world powers. In this class, we’ll dive into some classic board games, like Risk and Monopoly, and some more contemporary games to examine the history and lessons they contain. Moreover, we’ll ask what board games have to say about us as a society.

Wake Up! The Science, History, and Culture of Coffee

Taking the liberal arts curriculum as its model, this seminar will take an in-depth look into the history and culture of coffee across the centuries, the science behind caffeine, and the impact of coffee production, consumption, and business practices. From coffeehouse revolutions to fair trade economics, from biochemistry to environmental sustainability, students will develop college-level skills in critical reading, research, and analytical thinking while exploring how this seemingly simple beverage connects to broader questions of science, society, and sustainability.

The Network Effect: Fueling Innovation, Culture, and Sports

In coral reefs, sea creatures like clownfish and seahorses collaborate to evade danger, forming vibrant networks in which information spreads quickly, “Shark incoming, swim away!” Similarly, we are all part of networks, formal and informal, that shape how we share ideas, innovate, and work together. These networks fuel breakthroughs, from scientific research collaborations to museum partnerships sharing art worldwide. They also bring cultural phenomena to life, like the spread of pickleball, popularity of Wemby, or viral trends like baby hippos and “suspect runs.” In this seminar, we will explore the networks around us, examining their structures, dynamics, and impacts across domains.

September 11, Terrorism, and Response 

The shocking event of September 11 merits attention beyond what the media have covered. Why was the U.S. the target of those terrible terrorist attacks? Who was Osama bin Laden, and what have been the goals, strategies, and tactics of Al Qaeda? What explains Islamic terrorism more generally, and how has it evolved with the emergence of ISIS? What explains white nationalist terrorism and its increase? How should the U.S. respond to terrorism? These are some of the main questions that this seminar will address.

From Cancer to Forensics: How is DNA Changing our World?

DNA is the blueprint of life and it is changing the world in ways you might not expect. From solving crimes and tracing ancestry to revolutionizing medicine, DNA plays a powerful role in society. In this seminar, we will explore how genetic discoveries shape society, health, and personal identity. Through discussions and case studies, we will tackle topics like how genes and the environment influence cancer, genetic privacy, and the challenges of using DNA in criminal investigations. Get ready to think critically and uncover the fascinating ways DNA is shaping your life—and the future.