ENROLL

Lei Yang

Behind the skyscrapers and the modern technology of present-day China stand the ancient Chinese philosophers, whose influence penetrates every aspect of society. This course introduces the teachings of various foundational thinkers: Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Sunzi, Zhuangzi, and Hanfeizi, who flourished from the fifth-second centuries B.C. Topics include kinship, friendship, self-improvement, freedom, the art of war, and the relationship between human beings and nature. Aiming to bring Chinese wisdom to the context of daily life, this course opens up new possibilities to better understand the self and the world. No knowledge of Chinese is required.

In translation

Jake N Morton

Greek religion played a crucial role in how the ancient Greeks understood the world around them. Mythology and cosmology shaped their understanding of how the world worked, while the ritual of sacrifice formed the basis of the social fabric underpinning all aspects of Greek society. In this course we will learn about Greece's polytheistic belief system--its gods and religious rites--as well as examining how religion shaped the daily lives of ordinary Greeks, often in surprising ways. We will read the works of ancient authors such as Homer and Hesiod, study the archaeological remains of sacred sites, inscriptions, and curse tablets, as well as engage with experimental archaeology.

Victoria Austen

Ancient Rome has occupied a unique place in the Western consciousness for over 2000 years. It is a city that has inspired many texts, and both its physical fabric and symbolic nature have been reworked and rethought by archaeologists, historians, and literary critics alike. For the ancients, ‘Rome’ took on meaning not just from its concrete monuments, but also from the literary motifs and symbols it evoked. In this class, we will consider how Rome is used as both a setting and inspiration for Latin poetry, and consider how poets both represented and created an image of ‘Rome’.

Noboru Tomonari

This course advances students' proficiency in the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing in Japanese. The course also integrates elements of traditional Japanese civilization and modern Japanese society, emphasizing cultural understanding and situationally appropriate language use.

Prerequisite: Japanese 205 or equivalent

Annette M Nierobisz

Sociology is an intellectual discipline, spanning the gap between the sciences and humanities while often (though not always) involving itself in public policy debates, social reform, and political activism. Sociologists study a startling variety of topics using qualitative and quantitative methods. Still, amidst all this diversity, sociology is centered on a set of core historical theorists (Marx/Weber/Durkheim) and research topics (race/class/gender inequality). We will explore these theoretical and empirical foundations by reading and discussing influential texts and select topics in the study of social inequality while relating them to our own experiences and understanding of the social world. 

Sophomore Priority.

Waitlist for Juniors and Seniors: SOAN 111.WL0 (Synonym 64871)

Jorge Brioso

Prerequisite: Spanish 205 or above