Spring 2022 Courses
Spring 2022 registration begins on November 15, 2021.
For the most up-to-date and comprehensive course schedule, including meeting times, course additions, cancellations, and room assignments, refer to the Banner Class Schedule on the Registrar’s website. For curriculum information, see the Undergraduate Full-Time Day Programs catalog.
African American Studies Courses
Instructor: Eric Jackson
CRN: 34256
Days, Time: MR 11:45 – 1:25 PM
Description:
Studies the development and history of jazz in the United States through the life of John Coltrane, who was frequently considered one of the greatest musicians of all time. Considers his impact on the genre and mode of jazz music, including his advanced and innovative conceptions (melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic) and other stylistic contributions to African-American creative improvisation that also changed music across the globe. Emphasizes his impact on jazz and other improvisational music and expressive art forms. Also covers his spiritual legacy, which focused on using music for the improvement of humanity.
Instructor: TBD
CRN: 38025
Days, Time: MWR 1:35 – 2:40 PM
Description:
Examines the basic tenets of “scientific objectivity” “scientific objectivity” and foundational scientific ideas about race, sex, and gender and what these have meant for marginalized groups in society, particularly when they seek medical care. Introduces feminist science theories ranging from linguistic metaphors of the immune system, to the medicalization of race, to critiques of the sexual binary. Emphasizes contemporary as well as historical moments to trace the evolution of “scientific truth” “scientific truth” and its impact on the U.S. cultural landscape. Offers students an opportunity to develop the skills to critically question what they “know” “know” about science and the scientific process and revisit their disciplinary training as a site for critical analysis. Cross-listed with HIST 1225 and WMNS 1225.
Instructor: Matthew Lee
CRN: 36847
Days, Time: MR 11:45 – 1:25 PM
Description:
Examines racism, racial identity, and theories of social change and racial empowerment primarily
within the U.S. context. Highlights different ways in which racism and racial privilege have been experienced by different racial communities, more specifically at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Offers students an opportunity to learn ways to promote racial empowerment and equity. Using theory from primarily psychology and sociology, the course investigates the impact of social systems and institutions on individual-level and group experiences of racism. Investigates students’ own racial identities, a deeper understanding of institutional inequalities and intersectionality, and practical skills in leadership and community building that can promote positive social change and racial equality.
Instructor: Sheila Jackson
CRN: 38026
Days, Time: M 4:35 – 7:50 PM
Description:
Explores how relationships between historical and contemporary representations of African Americans, other persons of the African Diaspora, and the continent of Africa have been presented in film in relation to religious themes. An interdisciplinary study in how race and religion are represented in ways that reflect and actively contribute to “real world” faith beliefs, experiences, and actions. Critically examines how representations of “the Other” compared to “the chosen” relate to the intersectionality of race, religion, class, national origin, gender, sex, and sexuality. Provides a framework for ethical analysis of how societal institutionalized systems of power influence beliefs about racialized identities and religion.
Instructor: Elizabeth Dillon
CRN: 38719
Days, Time: WF 11:45 AM – 1:25 PM
Description:
Explores the various ways in which the city of Boston and its environs are represented in literature and other media. Each semester, the course focuses on a different aspect of Boston in literature, such as representations of Boston’s different communities, different historical eras, particular genres or concepts associated with the city, and so forth. Offers students an opportunity to build upon their readings about the city by experiencing independent site visits, class field trips, guest speakers, and other activities. In addition to a culminating group or individual research project about Boston, students may also have the opportunity to participate in a community-based reading project. AFAM 2690 and ENGL 2690 are cross-listed.
Africana Studies Courses
Instructor: Kwamina Panford
CRN: 34257
Days, Time: MW 2:50 – 4:30 PM
Description:
Uses a multidisciplinary approach to offer an introduction and overview of the geographical, demographic, socioeconomic, and political conditions of the African continent, emphasizing sub-Saharan Africa. Africa, “the cradle of humankind,” is a vast, complex continent of diverse peoples that has fascinated observers and evoked multiple images. Topical areas of interest range from ethnic relations, politics, colonial experience, and international relations to religion, environment, health, economic development, gender, culture, and literature. Course materials aim to provide contemporary African perspectives and analyses that offer students an opportunity to acquire and interpret broad knowledge about the continent.
Instructor: Richard Wamai
CRN: 32788
Days, Time: TF 1:35pm-3:15pm
Description:
This course introduces global health in the context of an interdependent and globalized world focusing on four main areas of analysis: infrastructure of global health; diseases; populations; and terms, concepts and theories. While our focus is on lower-income countries, the course examines issues in a broader global context underscoring the interconnections between global health disparities and global health policy response. Case studies describing interventions to improve healthcare in resource-poor settings in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere are applied to help illuminate the actors, diseases, populations and principles and frameworks for the design of effective global health interventions.
Instructor: Kwamina Panford
CRN:32921
Days, Time: MWR 10:30 – 11:35 AM
Description:
Offers a basic survey of the latest innovations and cultural and socioeconomic trends of 21st-century Africa. Examines the political transformations of some of the 49 Sub-Saharan African nations. Focuses on a culturally and ethnically diverse continent of five regions with linguistic and religious diversity and tribal societies reflecting an ancient triple heritage—Indigenous, Arab, and European. Presents complex and critical perspectives on topics including governance and civil strife, gender empowerment, the impact of globalization, trade and investment developments, public health challenges, the visual and performing arts, identity formation among a rising youth demographic to pervasive mobile technology, food security, and the new “African” passport.
Instructor: N. Fadeke Castor
CRN: 38028
Days, Time: TF 9:50 – 11:30 AM
Description:
Examines religious thought and rituals and the Diaspora in a comparative context. Topics include traditional religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in Africa, and the Diaspora. Emphasizes the transformation of religions practiced in Africa when African captives were forced into the three slave trades affecting the continent of Africa: trans-Saharan, Indian Ocean, and transatlantic.
Asian Studies Courses
Crosslisted as HIST 1150
Instructor: Philip Thai
CRN: 30360
Days, Time: MWR 1:35pm – 2:40pm
Description:
Seeks to provide an understanding of the constituent characteristics that originally linked East Asia as a region and the nature of the transformations that have occurred in the region over the last two thousand years. Concentrates on China and Japan, and addresses Korea and Vietnam where possible. Also seeks to provide students with effective interdisciplinary analytical skills as well as historical, ethical, cultural diversity, and aesthetic perspectives. ASNS 1150 and HIST 1150 are cross-listed.
Culture Courses
Instructor: Alan West-Duran
CRN: 30916
Days, Time: MR 11:45am-1:25pm
Description: Examines the rich interconnections between literature and language and the culture that supports them. Discusses the relationship of language to literature and investigates how language and literatures are embedded in culture. Addresses several very broad and important questions, such as the relationship between language and culture; the relationship between language and thought; the definition of cultural relativism; and how ethical dilemmas are expressed in different cultures. Explores the relationship of esthetic and rhetorical traditions in given languages to the culture from which they sprang. In this context, examines the extremely interesting case of American Sign Language and how a gestural language sheds light on these issues.
Instructor: Daniel Cuenca, Ericka Knudson
CRN: 34726, 39156
Days, Time: Online
Description:
Examines prizewinning Latin American films based on actual events, such as those that occurred during the Argentine military dictatorship of the 1970s, or works of fiction by well-known authors, such as Nobel Prize winner Garcia Marquez. These films ably depict the history and culture of these countries. Conducted in English and the films are in Spanish with English subtitles.
Instructor: Jennifer Cullen
CRN: 38030
Days, Time: TF 1:35 – 3:15 PM
Description:
Provides an introduction to Japanese film through works by such great masters as Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Ozu, as well as works by new directors from the 1980s and 1990s such as Tami, Morita, and Suo. Studies both form and content; relates major works to Japanese culture. Conducted in English.
Instructor: TBD
CRN: 38031
Days, Time: MWR, 10:30 – 11:35 AM
Description:
Introduces modern Chinese history and culture through literary works, films, and historical texts. Examines political, social, and cultural changes in China since 1800: the decline of empire; the New Culture Movement of the 1920s; the rise of nationalism and rural revolution; the changing roles of women; the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s; and China’s cinematic, literary, and economic engagement with the world since 1978. Taught in English and open to all undergraduates. CLTR 1500 and HIST 1500 are cross-listed.
Instructor: Joshua Griffiths
CRN: 32822
Days, Time: MR 11:45am-1:25pm
Description:
Offers a very broad introduction to French “culture,” by which is meant its principal “high” and “low” versions. An attempt is made to reproduce the knowledge base of a typical well-educated French man or woman. Highlights sports, politics, history, intellectual history, and the arts. Also addresses questions of cultural relativism. Students write a major paper on a subject chosen in conjunction with the professor.
Instructor: Shakir Mustafa
CRN: 33230
Days, Time: M 11:45 AM – 1:25 PM
Description:
This survey of Arab culture scrutinizes a vast and important region to locate similarities and differences to make understanding that regioncloser to reality. Our inquiry will focus on significant cultural texts, including literature, visual arts, and performance arts. We will interrogate thesetexts against actual and virtual encounters with Arab communities in the United States and abroad. The hybrid version of the course will enable students to explore more visual material, and to work on such material collaboratively in and outside the classroom. All students will participate in group projects based on an extended encounter with a carefully defined Arab community. The purpose of such an experiential engagement is scrutiny of the course’s principal readings that should lead to production of original cultural material.
Instructor: Luigia Maiellaro
CRN: 32823
Days, Time: MR 11:45am-1:25pm
Description:
Examines chronologically the main aspects of Italian culture, concentrating on the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the modern, post-unification period. Topics include art, philosophy, literature, architecture, film, and historical background. Other topics address significant personages in Italian culture, such as Dante, Boccaccio, Piero della Francesca, Leonardo da Vinci, Alberti, Pico della Mirandola, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli; the differences between northern and southern Italy; and the nature of Italy’s cultural heritage and its influence and status today. Conducted in English.
Instructor: Jennifer Cullen
CRN: 30044
Days, Time: TF 9:50am-11:30am
Description:
Provides an introduction to Japanese popular culture through critical analysis of mass media such as film, television, comics, and animation. Investigates various social and cultural issues, such as gender, family, and education. Films and videos supplement readings. Conducted in English.
Instructor: Alan West-Duran
CRN: 35142
Days, Time: MW 2:50pm-4:30pm
Description:
FIntroduces the study of world cinema from the past several decades as a form of artistic and cultural expression. Emphasizes the way that different ethnicities and cultures mix and even clash within national boundaries. Readings cover such topics as the postcolonial inheritance, immigration, the boundaries of class, the pressures of modernization, ethnic identities, and historical memory. Examines storytelling in its multicultural aspects and deals with the diverse influences of entertainment cinema and art cinema, as well as measures taken by countries to limit the influx of foreign films in order to protect their own cultural productivity. One overall concern of the course is the place of film in contemporary global culture.
Instructor: Amílcar Barreto
CRN: 38033
Days, Time: MR 11:45 – 1:25 AM
Description:
Explores contending theories of identity and nationalism—a powerful force in international and domestic politics. Examines topics such as the process of identity creation, the choice of national symbols, how group boundaries are established, the role of identity in conflict and state building, and the debate over nationalism’s constructed or primordial nature. POLS 3418 and CLTR 3418 are cross-listed.
Instructor: Daniel Noemi Voionmaa
CRN: 35941
Days, Time: MWR 9:15 – 10:20 AM
Description:
Focuses on the construction, characteristics, and representation of poverty/the poor in Latin American texts from the thirties and sixties and in the works of contemporary Latin American writers and film directors. Discusses the relation of these works to a “realist tradition” by studying social, political, and cultural aspects of Latin America from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Considers whether we are facing a new kind of realism. Also engages the problem of representation, the “role of literature” (ethics and literature), and its relation with politics and the global economy (literature and the market) in the Latin American context. Taught in Spanish.
Courses by Requirement
- AFRS 1101 – Introduction to African Studies
- ASNS 1150 – East Asian Studies
- CLTR 1120 – Introduction to Language, Literature & Culture
- AFAM 1135 – John Coltrane and the History of Jazz in the United States
- AFAM 2318 – New England Stories: Storytelling and the African American Experience
- AFAM 2619 – Race and Religion in Film
- AFAM 2690 – Boston in Literature
- AFRS 2410: Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions
- AFAM 1225 – Gender, Race, and Medicine
- AFAM 2355 – Race Identity Social Change Empowerment
- AFRS 1270 – Introduction to Global Health
- AFRS 2307 – Africa Today
- ASNS 2245 – The Asian American Experience
- CLTR 1260 – Japanese Film
- CLTR 1500 – Modern Chinese History and Culture
- CLTR 1700 – Introduction to Japanese Pop Culture
- CLTR 1240 – Latin American Film
- CLTR 1260 – Japanese Film
- CLTR 1500 – Modern Chinese History and Culture
- CLTR 1501 – Introduction to French Culture
- CLTR 1502 – Introduction to Arabic Culture
- CLTR 1503 – Introduction to Italian Culture
- CLTR 1700 – Introduction to Japanese Pop Culture
- CLTR 2001 – World Cultures through Film
- CLTR 3418 – Nationalism
- CLTR 3720 – Literature, Arts, and Poverty in Latin America