The course will trace race relations in the United States from Reconstruction, focusing on those events between the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. The course will be based upon the PBS series, Eyes on the Prize, and on the writings and speeches of participants in the events discussed. This course will examine in depth a specific geopolitical conflict in its historical, political, and geographic contexts. In addition to reading and policy writing, ongoing simulation exercises will emphasize strategic planning or negotiations. This course considers how and why the United States became involved in Vietnam and the consequences of this involvement for American society.
Special care is given to understanding the origins and nature of the Vietnamese Revolution.
African Lives A survey of 20th-century African history through the lives of men and women of very different backgrounds and experiences. The study of these lives is linked to an examination of major themes in modern African history and to a critical evaluation of popular perceptions about Africa. In particular, this course addresses the more complex issues surrounding IT and asks students to think critically about technology and the ethical issues surrounding its use. Topics will include women and art, art and the environment, public art, Santeria, folk shrines, border film, and representations of identity in autobiography, poetry, and music. Literary Translation in Theory and Practice Students of any of the modern foreign languages are invited to this experience with the theory and practice of literary translation.