LS696: Telling Your Story: Theory and Practice of Autobiographical Solo Performance
Autobiographical Solo Performance has been on the rise ever since Spalding Gray redefined the form over thirty-plus years of self-chronicling. Looking at performers working today, and drawing on the personal stories of students in the class, the course experiments with a variety of techniques for creating autobiographical solo work, as well as the many shapes the work can take. The culmination will be a public performance of works-in-progress by students in the course.
Dr. James Bunzli, Wednesdays (1/18/12–4/18/12, no meeting 3/7) LS713: The Many Faces of Immigration
The United States has long been known as a nation of immigrants. Most current residents originally came from someplace else, or at least their forebears did. This course will examine the process and the history of immigration to North America across a broad cross-section of individuals of numerous national origins and ethnic groups. There will also be a consideration of the political, social, and economic conditions in both the native country and the receiving country which might have encouraged a person to emigrate or influenced his or her reception in the adopted country. Students will also have an opportunity to consider the subject from the vantage point of their own family background.
Dr. Randall Donaldson, Tuesdays (1/17/12–4/17/12, no meeting 3/6) LS751: Holy Land: Freedom and Truth in a Violent World
Jews, Christians, and Muslims have long debated and fought among themselves and between each other over “the holy land”. Why? This course will pursue the question by reading, talking, and writing about (i) traditional Jewish, Christian and Islamic scriptures as well as (ii) competing contemporary accounts – including competing accounts urging religious views of the whole planet as holy as well as non-religious views of land as not holy at all.
Dr. James Buckley Thursdays (1/19/12–4/26/12, no meeting 3/8, 4/5) LS660: Practicing Death
This course will examine the notion of “practicing death” as a uniquely philosophical/religious way of approaching life, noting some historical philosophical/theological foundations and locating its more immediate presence in specific examples from literature and film. Underlying our examination will be the question of the creation of individual value and the determination of individual meaning in response to the inevitability that is one’s death.
Dr. Steven Burr, Thursdays (1/19/12–4/26/12, no meeting 3/8, 4/5)
Required of all students in their first semester. LS 655: World Short Fiction: Diversity and Common Ground
This course will examine a variety of modern and contemporary short stories by authors from all over the world. Students will learn about other cultures yet also discover that many of the themes and emotions revealed in the stories are universal. Readers can connect with the stories even if the specific experiences are not ones they themselves have had. All works will be read in English.
Dr. Timothy Houghton, Wednesdays (1/18/12–4/18/12, no meeting 3/7) LS 715: Detective Fiction and Film
Students examine those special, unique appeals the detective story has. We reflect on what it may tell us about what we as a culture believe in and we study theories developed to discover to what psychological and cultural needs the fantasy of the detective-hero responds. Readings and film adaptations include stories or novels by Poe, Doyle, Hammett, Chandler, Parker, Grafton, Lippman, and others.
Dr. David Dougherty, Mondays (1/23/12–4/23/12, no meeting 3/5, 4/9) |
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