Nation Seminars
CNW 101-41 - Talking the Talk: Great Speeches in American History
MWF 12:30
Prof. Michele Volansky
This course will examine some of the greatest of American speeches through analysis and debate, while laying the groundwork for enhancing students' own writing and oratory skills. As students gain familiarity with the traditions of American political rhetoric over the past three hundred years, they will become active participants in contemporary public discourse.
CNW 101-42 - Readin', Writin' and Fishin' on the Eastern Shore
T Th 2:30
Prof. Sandy Hiortdahl
This course examines life on Maryland's Eastern Shore from a variety of perspectives, including literary, cultural, social, and environmental. While we will focus primarily on fiction and creative non-fiction that examines this diverse region between the Chesapeake and the Atlantic, we will also take the opportunity to step outside and explore the farms, rivers, and local establishments of this wonderful place. Students will see the Eastern Shore in new ways and be given the opportunity to embrace its many contradictions, from the "sho'men" to the local traditions of "breezin' the freeze" to the family farms and the legacies of those who have given much to the area.
CNW 102 11: Human Nature: Sources of the Modern Self
MWF 11:30
Prof. Peter Weigel
Classic and contemporary readings in the theory of human nature help us investigate how modern views of the self emerge from previous eras going back to the Ancients. Topics include: the nature of the person, mind and body, theories of the human psyche, individuals in society, death and the afterlife, free will and meaning, computing machinery and human intelligence. Readings are from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Freud, Sartre, and a variety of contemporary thinkers. The seminars emphasize careful discussion of the readings as well as active written and oral inquiry into various conceptions of the person. This course also introduces students to the character of philosophical thinking and presupposes no previous experience with it.
CNW 102 13: The Wisdom of Mistakes and Failures
T Th 10:00
Prof. Michael Davenport
"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sure sign that you're not trying anything very innovative." (Woody Allen)
Much of today's life is concerned with how to avoid mistakes and failing. But what if this idea itself is a mistake? Mistakes, after all, are essential to learning and progress, and so are failures. The glue in Post-It notes, for example, was invented accidentally by a scientist looking for other kinds of adhesives. It took years for his company to realize that the new, weaker glue had any value. Thomas Edison tried out thousands of plant fibers over many years trying to find the right filament of the light bulb before discovering that cotton worked best. When asked how it felt to fail so often and for so long, he reputedly replied, "I didn't fail. I found a thousand ways that didn't work." And in one of history's more notable mistakes, Christopher Columbus went looking for a westward passage to India but found America instead.
In this course we will read a variety of texts about failures and mistakes. We will examine failures across many key areas in our society such as business, entertainment, and sports, to see what they can tell us about our past, present, and future, and to learn when a mistake can be "useful." We will look at errors that affect one's personal life, to those that have larger impact on communities, nations, and the world. The course will include a field trip pertinent to the readings.
By the end of this course, you will understand the potential value of mistakes and failure, and how a "mistake-positive attitude" can help you to success, regardless of your endeavor. You will be able to sensibly assess the risk of different kinds of mistakes. And you will understand the importance of taking risks and learning from mistakes, and how to turn apparent failure into success, and how these important concepts have a major impact on the world we live in.
CNW 102 15: Literary Laughter: The Past and Present of Comic Forms
MWF 10:30
Prof. Amy Campion
The first comic novel, Don Quixote, still makes us laugh. The comic dramas and satirical poems of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are still funny, in part because their social satire remains fundamentally true. In fact, we can see descendants of this literary humor in modern media examples such as John Stewart's "The Daily Show," the satirical online publication "The Onion," and television shows such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Reading and discussing this comic literature of the past will be the foundation of this course, upon which you will build your skills in analytical thinking and writing. Our primary texts will be serio-comic works in various literary genres, theoretical treatments of the comic, and modern journalistic satire. We will also look at satirical graphic prints from the period and view a modern film and a television program or two. We will use these materials to entertain such questions as: what causes laughter? what are the basic elements of the comic effect? is humor timeless? what kinds of humor are historically bound? how does linguistic humor differ from dramatic or visual humor? is narrative a necessary part of the comic effect?
CNW 102-22: History & Philosophy of Sports in America: 1607 - Present
T Th 1:00
Prof. Thomas Finnegan
This course will provide both the historical and philosophical background which has influenced both the development and impact of on American life. The course will incorporate the religious, social, political, educational, and economic factors which have contributed to pervasive condition of sports in America today at all levels of society. In developing a uniquely American perspective on both the inherent values and importance of sports in our daily lives, the course will explore the major themes and factors which have created this perspective.
Some of the major themes would include: the number and diversity of contributions to our American culture (including sports) which developed from the customs of many countries and societies; how sports in our present day culture have come to symbolize the "good life" as promised in the Declaration of Independence regarding life liberty and the pursuit of happiness; the development of a social stratification within sports due to social and economic realities that created a class system of "wealthy" and "poor" sports relative to one's social and economic position; finally, the confluence of industrialization, technology, immigration, urbanization, and racial integration in the adaptation and development of our sporting heritage from leisure exercise and games to the professional multi-million dollar industry that exists today.
Other specific topics that will be addressed include: educational rationale for sports in the extra-curriculum; the rise of the American sports hero; growth of professional sports; the impact of the media (newspapers, radio, television) on sports and society; the role that professional sports have with regard to minorities and equal opportunity; development of women's opportunities in sports; historical development and perspective of present day issues in intercollegiate and professional sports; and a concluding evaluation of the future course of American sports.
CNW 102-26: America on Film
M,W 6:30 PM
Prof. Beverly Wolff
This "Nation" CNW seminar explores the role of film as a powerful medium for both shaping and reflecting American values, social structures, and history. Students will study film and companion literary works and will be engaged in understanding, interpreting, and exposing such figures of our national heritage as the cowboy, the gangster, the independent woman, and the athlete. We will discuss the elements of bigotry, rugged individualism, and capitalism as they are mirrored in American film. Students will be expected to become active viewers of film and to develop critical writing, reading, and thinking skills.
CNW 102-50: The Spirit of Enterprise
MWF 10:30
Prof. Scott Pearson
This course will examine enterprises and entrepreneurs in history, literature, entertainment, and life. We?ll consider modern entrepreneurs and their impact on technology, business, economics, and culture.
We'll ask:
- What does it take to be an entrepreneur?
- What are the challenges and the rewards?
- How have entrepreneurs affected the course of history and the development of technology?
- How do entrepreneurs benefit society?
- Why is microenterprise so important for addressing poverty in the developing world?
- Why do so many small enterprises fail, or get stuck in a rut, while other entrepreneurs, like Henry Ford, Ray Kroc, Oprah Winfrey, or Bill Gates, go on to build empires?
CNW 102-62: Global Warming and Our Environment: Is the Heat On?
MWF 11:30
Prof. Leslie Sherman
Is our climate changing? How do we know? Are we the cause? What will happen to us?
In this CNW class we will consider why the issue of global climate change, often referred to as "global warming," is so controversial. After an introduction on how air pollution can affect our planets temperature, we will examine the strength of the evidence that suggests that humans are currently warming our planet. We will then turn towards the future and look at what scientists are predicting about climate change. Will sea level rise and flood the area around the Chesapeake Bay? Will the West Nile virus spread in the U.S.? Will New York be submerged under snow, as the movie The Day After Tomorrow depicts?
Everyone is taking notice. The Pentagon has released a report on the potential impact of climate change on national security. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently developed a climate action plan for the state for California, a state leading the way in government activities to address greenhouse gas emissions. Even the business industry is exploring options. What is the solution? Solar power? Nuclear energy? Hydrogen powered cars? The questions are complex and intriguing.
CNW 102-63: Poisons and Plants: Past and Future
T Th 8:30
Prof. Rosemary Ford
Plants and/or their poisons are making the national news: "Global warming boosts poison ivy; Ricin on Capital Hill; Taxol, a cancer aid, may have new benefit." The impacts of plant poisons on nature and on our society are often overlooked. This class explores a variety of plants and their poisons including a number of plants growing on or near our campus. Class discussions will include topics such as why these poisons evolved, why they affect some animals but not others, and why some are useful as medicines. Students will also discuss the ethics of adding poisons to nonpoisonous plants using genetic engineering in an effort to boost food production and reduce the quantity of herbicides added to the environment. In this course students will grow plants and test plant toxins on other organisms. To observe plant diversity a field trip to the US Botanic Garden in Washington D.C. is planned.
CNW 102-64. Generals, Cowboys, & Company Men: Leaders & Followers in the American Tradition
T Th 12:30
Prof. Michael Harvey
Americans are ambivalent about leadership. On the one hand, the American political and cultural tradition celebrates the authority and leadership of great individual leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower. On the other hand, Americans mistrust authority and celebrate the lonely individual: the most heroic figure in American mythology is the cowboy, unfenced and unfettered by ties to others. In this course we'll read a variety of texts from literature, history, and the social sciences, to better understand the complexities of the American leadership tradition. We'll read about leaders and followers from the Founding to the present. We'll also explore local leadership, meeting with civic, political, and business leaders from Chestertown and environs. The course includes a trip to the nation's capital to see how some of the nation's leaders (and followers) are commemorated.
CNW 102-65: These Toxic Times: Are Environmental Contaminants Affecting Our Health?
T Th 1:00
Prof. Hugh Jarrard
The media headlines make quite a splash: "Pesticides cause cancer", "Heavy metal contaminants (like mercury) make tuna unsafe to eat", "Radioactive fallout condemns central Russia to a future of birth defects and rare diseases", " Male sperm counts are declining nationwide", and "The birth rate of boys is declining" to name a few. Agricultural and industrial contaminants in local, regional, and global environments are a reality of our modern age, and the future of human health sounds bleak. But, can we believe everything we read? Does the data from "hard" empirical science support all the claims in the media? And, how can the `hard facts' yielded by science support both sides of an issue anyways?
This course, a basic introduction to the science of ecotoxicology, will address these and other questions in an effort to reach a greater understanding of the `true' risk facing humans (and our animal counterparts) from exposure to environmental contaminants. We will first examine several classic model cases of the toxicological effects of contaminants such as DDT, mercury (in Minamata Disease), and radiation. The course will then move into an examination of the emerging field of the effects of `environmental estrogens', and other pollutant effects such as dioxins and PCBs. We will also discuss the possible sources and effects of contaminants in the Chester River and Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, we will strive to learn more about the often uneasy relationship between science, the media, and policymakers, and become more active, learned, and critical participants in our own analysis of important environmental issues facing our times.
CNW 102-67: Information and Communication in America
T Th 6:30
Prof. David Dudek
The course will cover information technology and information dissemination in the United States from the time of the town crier to today's internet. First, the focus will be on the history of the technology used to bring information to society, and how the change in technology revolutionized the delivery of information. The course will take a close look at the public that receives information and at some of the institutions that control it: the media, corporations, and government. The power of information and its worth to various people and institutions will be studied. There will be a focus on the cultural conditions that give need to the various forms of information and the methods in which they are delivered.
The course includes individual meetings with the writing center, writing assignments, experiential learning opportunities, library instruction, web page creation, oral presentations, and written examinations. The main goal is to create independent thinkers, supply them with the tools to locate, evaluate, process, and utilize information sources. Upon completion of this course, students will know the importance of evaluation and clear presentation of information.
CNW 102-68: American Illustration and Illustrators
T Th 11:30
Prof. Anke Van Wagenberg
Illustration is part of our visual communication, and the illustrator's work may be seen as a mirror of American life and culture in the later 19th and 20th century. This seminar emphasizes visual perception, aesthetic awareness, conceptual problem solving, and the mastery of skills in drawing and painting using both traditional and digital media to promote imaginative illustrations. The seminar offers a broad view of the major personalities who influenced the illustration field. We will examine how past illustrators conceived and produced their artwork for the mass media; this seminar uncovers the roots of style. Through lectures, participation and field trips the major avenues of illustration are revealed.
We will pursue a pragmatic study of the history of American illustration, with a special focus on those aspects and developments most relevant to the student's professional development, such as aesthetic trends, stylistic solutions, technical developments, economic forces, and professional methods and standards. Specific works of significant artists will be analyzed for their styles, techniques, aesthetics, impact, subject matter, and social commentary.
Discussions will focus on the dynamic relationship between changing social conditions and corresponding developments in the form and content of American illustration. Students will gain an appreciation for and understanding of American illustration and the dynamic forces that drive its evolution. Students will analyze the works of the great illustrators to understand their style, methods, techniques, subject matter and historical contributions.
Artists include F.O.C. Darley, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Harvey Dunn, Jessie Willcox Smith, Frank Schoonover, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, just to name a few. Others discussed in the seminar are late 20th-century cartoonists, such as Al Hirschfeld, Charles Addams, Edward Gorey and Charles Schultz; and other illustrators such as Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Charles Santore and Nancy Eckholm Burkert. These are only some of the diverse talents revealed in illustration as a form of art. American illustration enlightens the community and the significance of these artist/illustrators who have contributed to our culture and our American heritage so meaningfully should not be underestimated.
The seminar will be lecture-based; however, active participation is encouraged with class visits to the WC library to get familiar with a broad range of information sources (CNW information gathering, information tools). Each student will be responsible for four writing assignments (topic-based information retrieval), a class presentation (information communication). Fieldtrips will take us on an exploration tour of the National Gallery of Art in Washington and possibly to the National Museum of American Illustration.