One of the things that they did, of course, was to treat illness and health very differently. This seminar develops a historical understanding of sickness and wellness in the American past. The readings and discussions range across the still rigidly hierarchical world of the 1750s, to the democratic openings of the 1830s and 1840s, to the relentless professionalization and institutionalization of medicine between 1900 and 1930, to the vast reorganization of health care in the 1980s and 1990s. Readings in both primary and scholarly literature further the discussions of these issues. This class focuses on Tocqueville s Democracy in America through a close reading of an unabridged version of both volumes.
Additional reading provides some historical context.
This course enables students to examine some of the classic literature of Asian religions in English translation. We read selections from Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, including important works such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Tao Te Ching . Reading these texts enables the class to explore the fundamental and enduring questions they raise within the context of Asian religious traditions. Since many of these texts have been read and studied by Western scholars from the time of Thoreau and Emerson, we also discuss the influence that these writings and ideas have had on Western culture. The class is conducted as a seminar with ample opportunity for discussion.