Spring 2022 Courses

ARAB 150 Language & Culture of the Arab World 

Credit: 3 hours.

Interdisciplinary overview of the major aspects of the contemporary Arab culture. Based on scholarly research, textual resources, media, and literature from both the Arab World and elsewhere, examines the Arab people's historical background; language varieties; literary traditions; and representative social institutions. 

Same as SAME 150.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West

CMN 232  Intro to Intercultural Comm

Credit: 3 hours.

Introduction to the study of intercultural communication in a variety of contexts, including domestic and international; examines theory and research to explain what happens when people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds interact. Requires students to think critically about the ways in which "taken-for-granted" ways of thinking, acting, and interacting are culturally specific.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

CLCV 231  Development of Ancient Cities

Credit: 3 hours.

Monuments, archaeological remains, and histories illustrating the development of the earliest states and urban centers of the Ancient Mediterranean, including Athens, Rome, Carthage, and Jerusalem. 

Same as ARTH 217 and JS 231. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

Instructor: Kaufman        

Online Lecture

CWL 189  Literatures of the Islamic World 

Credit: 3 hours.

Comparative, cross-cultural study of major literary and cultural works from the Islamic world, broadly defined, including pre-Islamic cultures and their interactions with Islamic civilization. All readings in English.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

Instructor: Calderwood 

09:30am-10:50am  TR  

CWL 202  Literature and Ideas

Credit: 3 hours.

Analysis of several important world-views in Western civilization (such as classical, Romantic, modern, and so forth), studied comparatively and in relation to selected figures in Western literature.

Prerequisite: CWL 241 and CWL 242; or one year of college literature; or consent of instructor.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

CWL 271  The Holocaust in Context - ACP

Credit: 3 hours.

The Holocaust in Context: Postwar Holocaust Representation in Literature and Film As the Holocaust recedes into the historical past, our knowledge of it increasingly comes from representations of it in books and films. This course does not focus on the Holocaust as a historical event that remains in the past but instead focuses on how films, books, comic books, and even monuments depict the Holocaust for contemporary audiences. This course will focus on two objectives. First, we will examine the various debates and controversies surrounding the issue of artistic representation of the Holocaust and discuss some of the theoretical and philosophical texts that have formed the core of Holocaust Studies by critics such as James Young and Marianne Hirsch. Second, we will explore the ways in which literature and film, both fictional and documentary, have attempted to represent the events of the Holocaust. We will examine texts from various countries but we will place a particular emphasis on American representations. Central to our investigation will be to question how different times and places affect the way the Holocaust is depicted, what role memory plays, and the problems and limits of language.

Same as ENGL 268 and GER 260. See GER 260.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Advanced Composition
• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

CWL 561 Seminar Genres - Forms

Reading World Literature 

Credit: 4 hours.

May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.

This course is open to graduate students in all fields who want to expand their close reading practices. We'll read a variety of texts and use diverse critical and theoretical skills to approach literary analysis. Polyglots can read in the original languages, but all books are available in English and students will propose some of the readings. Everyone writes short essays throughout the semester that examine the "universe in a grain of sand." 

This course counts towards the certificate in Holocaust, Genocide, Memory Studies, and the Unit for Criticism certificate

Instructor: Kaplan 

3:30-5:50 PM R

135 English Building 

CWL 581 Seminar on Literary Themes 

Spectacles of Terror & Theories of Violence

Credit: 4 hours.

Jean Baudrillard has argued that the power of terror lies not merely in the reality of death and destruction, but in the symbolism of slaughter. Bombings, plane hijackings, suicide missions, kidnapping, torture, infiltrations, assassinations have marked out conflict in violent ways often on an international stage. 

Following 9/11 and The War on Terror, Hollywood reified a heroes/villains formulation. In response Third-Cinema pushed against these stereotypes to challenge the binary representations of perpetrator and victim, with the attendant hero required to save one and destroy the other. Instead, increasingly complex portrayals have emerged that cast terrorists as victims of the situation, and challenge the innocence of victims within the larger arena of global conflicts.

From The Battle of Algiers (1966) to Omar (2014) and Bethlehem (2014) this graduate seminar takes a comparative approach to examining cinematic depictions of terrorism. Addressing Ruby Rich’s call to approach the study of terrorism and film, through “successive schools of scholarly engagement (postcolonial, multicultural, feminist, postfeminist, multiculturalist, queer, anticolonial, antiracist, Marxist, subaltern poststructuralist, genre-based, Lacanian, semiotic, and structuralist) and close textual readings,” this course will consider the connection between real-world catastrophic trauma and our expectations that ‘it looks like a movie’.

Instructor:

Harris  

T 03:00pm-05:30pm  

Online/135 English Building 

EPS 310  Race and Cultural Diversity

Credit: 4 hours.

Study of race and cultural diversity from Colonial era to present; the evolution of racial ideology in an ethnically heterogeneous society; the impact of race on the structures and operations of fundamental social institutions; the role of race in contemporary politics and popular culture.

Same as AAS 310, AFRO 310, EPOL 310, and LLS 310. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Advanced Composition
• Cultural Studies - US Minority

GER 201  German Popular Culture

Credit: 3 hours.

Introduction to the study of modern and contemporary german culture through examining examples of popular culture from the late-eighteenth century to the present. Looks at texts and films as a mirror and critique of modern German society. Topics to be discussed: nationalism, gender, ethnicity, minority cultures, Jewish life in Germany, German images of other cultures, etc. Course taught in English.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

GER 261  The Holocaust in Context

Credit: 3 hours.

Examines cultural representations of the Holocaust in literature, film, and critical essays.

Same as CWL 273, ENGL 269, and JS 261. Credit is not given for both GER 261 and GER 260.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

GLBL 100  Intro to Global Studies

Credit: 3 hours.

Foundation course for understanding a range of contemporary issues and learning to analyze them from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Students consider globalizing trends within themes of wealth and poverty; population, cultures, and human rights; environment and sustainability; and governance, conflict, and cooperation. Course objectives are to enhance knowledge of human cultures, their interactions and impacts on the world; develop skills for successfully negotiating realities of contemporary societies; and promote values for global learning, diversity, and sustainable futures.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

GLBL 392  Int Diplomacy and Negotiation

Credit: 3 hours.

Examines the complexities of international diplomacy and negotiations among states and other actors. Focuses on three main subject areas: negotiation analysis, applied negotiation, and the interaction of practical considerations that affect negotiations. Utilizes theoretical, case-based, and active-learning approaches during the semester as topics are explored in detail. Issues and topics include security, public health, economic development, human rights, and the environment.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Advanced Composition

HEBR 202  Elementary Modern Hebrew II

Credit: 5 hours.

Continuation of HEBR 201, with introduction of more advanced grammar, and with emphasis on more fluency in speaking and reading. Participation in the language laboratory is required.

Prerequisite: HEBR 201 or equivalent.

HEBR 404  Intermediate Modern Hebrew II

Credit: 4 OR 5 hours.

Continuation of HEBR 403. Concentration on ability to engage in reasonable fluent discourse in Hebrew, comprehensive knowledge of formal grammar, and an ability to read easy Hebrew texts. Israeli television programs and movies are used to develop communicative skills and cultural knowledge. Participation in the language laboratory is required.

5 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: HEBR 403 or equivalent.

HIST 135  History of Islamic Middle East

Credit: 3 hours.

Introduction to fourteen centuries of Middle East history from the rise of Islam to modern times. Examines the development of Islamic thought, and of religious, social, and political institutions; as well as the transformations of the 19th and 20th centuries in the area consisting of Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

Intro to Historical Interpretation (Section E) 

Difference and co-existence in the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries 

This course will address questions of difference and co-existence in the Middle East utilizing the central categories of race, culture, gender, class, and ethnicity. The course will provide an introduction to historical analysis through the examination of primary and secondary sources, the reexamination of prevailing stereotypes, and engagement with key terms and concepts. Finally, the students will write a research paper based on original research on a topic of their choice related to the topic of the course. If you want to gain experience in writing and in research, and you want to think outside the box, join us!

Credit: 3 hours.

Instructor: Alon 

1:00-2:20 PM MW

HIST 269  Jewish History Since 1700

Credit: 3 hours.

Explores how life was lived by Jewish women and men through the past three centuries. Will also focus on wider place of the Jews in European society, and the achievements and tragedies of the modern Jewish-non-Jewish relationship.

Same as JS 269 and REL 269.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 202 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

HIST 312 Immigrant America 

Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

History of immigration and immigrant groups in the United States from 1830 to 1980. Covers major waves of immigration and focuses on the diverse cultural heritage, social structure, and political activism of immigrants from Europe, the Americas, and Asia

HIST 353  European History 1918 to 1939

Credit: 3 hours.

Survey of European society from 1918 to 1939, with emphasis on the impact of World War I, the Russian Revolution, fascism, and the intellectual trends of the twenties and thirties.

JS 495  Independent Study

Jewish Life in Small Central Illinois Communities - Workshop in Oral and Archival History

Credit: 2 TO 4 hours.

Readings in selected fields in consultation with the instructor along with the completion of a specified writing assignment.

2 to 4 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 4 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 8 undergraduate hours and 16 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Workshop in Microhistory - the Case Study of the Jewish Communities of Central Illinois This course will introduce students to Microhistory, its' theoretical background and methodology. We will be the first to research the so-far-unexplored documents and archives of the Jewish communities of Central Illinois, and engage with the materials hands on. Join me on this fascinating adventure!

Instructor: Alon 

ARRANGED

CHLH/LLS/SOC/SOCW 473 Immmigration, Health & Society

Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

This interdisciplinary seminar examines the social determinants of US racial and ethnic health inequalities through the lens of (im)migration. Topics to be addressed include: conceptualizations of race and ethnicity, immigrant-adaptation theories, discrimination, place, and the intersections of race, ethnicity, poverty, immigration, gender and health. 

Same as CHLH 473, SOC 473, and SOCW 473. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

PS 152 The New Middle East 

Credit: 3 hours.

Discussion of contemporary sociopolitical change and current events in the Middle East. We will explore the background to these events, the factors that are driving them, and the short-term and long-term implications for the region and the world. Course reflects diverse fields of study, including cultural studies, economics, education, history, law, linguistics, literature, media, religion, political science, and sociology. 

Same as SAME 152.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

PS 201  US Racial & Ethnic Politics

Credit: 3 hours.

Examines efforts by racial and ethnic communities to organize politically and by society to allocate resources based on race or ethnicity. Topical focus includes African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and white ethnics. The primary goal of the course is to develop a more comprehensive understanding of racial and ethnic politics by identifying commonalities and differences among these groups and their relationship to the state.

Same as AAS 201, AFRO 201, and LLS 201.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 202 for:

• Cultural Studies - US Minority
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

REL 110  World Religions

Credit: 3 hours.

Survey of the leading living religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; examination of basic texts and of philosophic theological elaborations of each religion.

Same as PHIL 110.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

REL 120 History of Judaism 

Credit: 3 hours.

Examines the social, political, economic, and intellectual history of the Jews from Abraham to the present-day, with particular attention to Jewish thought and society. 

Same as HIST 168 and JS 120.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Advanced Composition
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

Instructor: Weiss

2:00-3:20 PM TR

REL 134 Religion, Race, and Resistance

Credit: 3 hours.

Examination of religiously-informed responses to and rejections of racialized oppression in the history of North America, focusing on Native American, African American, and Muslim American experiences. 

Same as AFRO 134.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - US Minority

REL 214  Introduction to Islam 

Credit: 3 hours.

History of Islamic thought from the time of Muhammad to the present, including the prophethood of Muhammad, the Qur'an, theology and law, mysticism and philosophy, sectarian movements, modernism and legal reform, and contemporary resurgence. 

Same as SAME 214. Credit is not given for both REL 213 and REL 214.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Humanities – Hist & Phil

REL 223 The Qur'an (Koran)

Credit: 3 hours.

Introduction to the Qur'an (Koran), the holy scripture of Islam, examining its major doctrines, thematic development, literary style, and its relationship to pre-Qur'anic, especially Biblical, traditions. Special attention is given to various methods Muslims have used to interpret the Qur'an. 

Same as CWL 223 and SAME 223. Prerequisite: REL 213 or REL 214.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

REL 403 Women in Muslim Societies 

Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

Examination of gender ideologies and social realities affecting the lives of women in various Muslim countries. 

Same as ANTH 403, GLBL 403, GWS 403, HIST 434, and SAME 403. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: A course in Islam or the Middle East, or consent of instructor.

REL 418 Afterlife in Early Judaism 

Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

Examines Israelite and Jewish attitudes to death and the afterlife from Ancient Israelite belief until the rise of Islam. Topics include death, divine judgement, immortality of the soul, resurrection, and hell. We will also selectively compare Jewish afterlife traditions to those found in early Christianity. Particular attention will be paid to the transformations of belief over time, and to the changing contexts that gave rise to new Jewish soteriologies and eschatologies. 

3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Instructor: Weiss

3:00-5:30 W 

215 Davenport 

REL 535 Historiography of Religion in America 

Credit: 4 hours.

Immerses students in major works of recent American religious history. Written from multiple disciplinary perspectives and wrestling with the knotty problems in which religion has been interwoven, these books will give the student a solid foundation in American religious history. 

Same as HIST 574. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. 

Instructor: Ebel 

3:00-5:30 T

SOC 160  Global Inequality and Social Change

Credit: 3 hours.

Introduces sociological concepts of poverty, inequality, and social change within a global context. Themes explored include basic food security, poverty and hunger; population and resource distribution; foreign aid and development institutions; and social policies and movements for change. Course approach is historical and transnational, and typically includes case studies from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Non-West
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

SOC 163  Social Problems 

Credit: 3 hours.

A study of social problems in the United States necessarily entails a discussion of global issues. To that end, this course will examine many contemporary social issues such as crime, war and terrorism, the environment, inequality, poverty, discrimination, the economic recession, and others, through a global framework. Many of the topics we will cover could motivate an entire semester's study in their own right; indeed, some scholars devote their entire careers to but one of these topics. However, this breadth allows us to think broadly about the issues that are identified as social problems and the ways in which individuals and groups attempt to resolve those problems; both processes are revealing about the time and society in which we live. One of the main objectives of this class is to learn about how sociologists examine social problems through analysis and research. Alongside that process, you will improve your critical thinking skills and become a better/more informed consumer of information.

SOC 225  Race and Ethnicity

Credit: 3 hours.

Sociological and social-psychological analysis of minority groups; illustrative material drawn from representative racial, ethnic, and status groups.

Prerequisite: SOC 100, SOC 101, OR SOC 163.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - US Minority
• Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci

SOC 483 Middle Eastern Societies & Cultures 

Credit: 3 hours.

Overview of the contemporary Middle East from social, political, and cultural perspectives. Explores how the internal dynamics together with the forces of globalization shape the societies of the Middle East today. Topics include social structure, political dynamics, family, gender, urban life Islam, social and religious movements. 

3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One of the following: SOC 100, SOC 101, SOC 163, or six hours of Anthropology, Social Geography, Politics, or Sociology.

SOCW 300  Diversity: Identities & Issues

Credit: 3 hours.

This introductory course explores multiple dimensions of diversity in a pluralistic and increasingly globalized society. Using a social work strengths perspective as well as historical, constructivist, and critical conceptual frameworks; the course examines issues of identity, culture, privilege stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. The social construction and implications of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of difference is examined at individual, interpersonal, and systems levels. Students are expected to use the course material to explore their personal values, biases, family backgrounds, culture, and formative experiences in order to deepen their self-awareness and develop interpersonal skills in bridging differences. Finally, students apply learning from the course to identify characteristics of effective social work and other health and human service provision among people culturally different themselves; and to identify opportunities for change contributing to prejudice reduction and cross-cultural acceptance at home, work and in society.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Advanced Composition
• Cultural Studies - US Minority

YDSH 102 Beginning Yiddish II

Credit: 4 hours.

Continuation of YDSH 101 focusing on comprehension and reading skills. Prerequisite: YDSH 101.

This section is offered through the BTAA Course Share Program and will be taught via video-conferencing by University of Michigan.

YDSH 320 Literary Responses to the Holocaust 

Credit: 3 hours.

Same as CWL 320, ENGL 359, JS 320, and REL 320. See CWL 320.

In this film course we will be watching and discussing Holocaust Cinema.  We will consider different genres, including documentaries, testimony, comedy, drama, musicals and action-adventure films. We consider films from different locations, including the UK, the US, Israel, Poland, Hungary and Italy. We will explore the role of Hollywood in shaping visual imagery, and the role of both popular and artistic filmmaking.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria in Spring 2022 for:

• Cultural Studies - Western
• Humanities – Lit & Arts

Instructor: Harris 

Online course