Second-Year Experience

Micah Wood

This section uses the vehicle of humor to explore different subject matters in several disciplines including: art, literature, and cultural anthropology, amongst others. Humor can present itself in many different forms: absurd, deadpan, camp, ironic, tragi-comic, or gothically dark. Humor is the umbrella term to use while you investigate and research specific areas of interest to you. By examining the role of humor in those various disciplines, you will come to your own conclusions on how to use humor in a creative and intentional way. Humor can effectively be used to deal with some of life's most tragic events and sometimes humor is the only way, in the moment, to process difficult subject matter. Through that radical lens of humor, you will synthesize your own ideas about "the joke" through different projects such as: drawing, performances, public space interventions, and a research project.

Micah Wood

This section uses the vehicle of humor to explore different subject matters in several disciplines including: art, literature, and cultural anthropology, amongst others. Humor can present itself in many different forms: absurd, deadpan, camp, ironic, tragi-comic, or gothically dark. Humor is the umbrella term to use while you investigate and research specific areas of interest to you. By examining the role of humor in those various disciplines, you will come to your own conclusions on how to use humor in a creative and intentional way. Humor can effectively be used to deal with some of life's most tragic events and sometimes humor is the only way, in the moment, to process difficult subject matter. Through that radical lens of humor, you will synthesize your own ideas about "the joke" through different projects such as: drawing, performances, public space interventions, and a research project.

Caroline Toy

How do people in the contemporary United States "imagine" religion? What is it supposed to be, and what is it supposed to do? This course examines how religion is constructed by, and how it influences, other fields of culture and public life, including media, activism, and public space. Students will engage with pop culture portrayals of religion, as well as legal and activist intersections with religion. The course culminates in a research project on a related topic of each student's own choosing.

Kelly Thomas

How can we best understand sexuality and sexual desire? As humans, we are sexual creatures, yet sexual desire is often viewed by society as taboo and carefully regulated. This section examines potential reasons why, and subsequent repercussions. This is not a how-to course on human sexuality; rather, we will inquire into how we are (or are not) formally educated about sexual desire; how our beliefs about sex and sexuality are formed through religious traditions and cultural expectations; how we encounter representations of sex through visual and performing art, and media; and how industries and laws have formed to sell and regulate sexual content.

Kelly Thomas

How can we best understand sexuality and sexual desire? As humans, we are sexual creatures, yet sexual desire is often viewed by society as taboo and carefully regulated. This section examines potential reasons why, and subsequent repercussions. This is not a how-to course on human sexuality; rather, we will inquire into how we are (or are not) formally educated about sexual desire; how our beliefs about sex and sexuality are formed through religious traditions and cultural expectations; how we encounter representations of sex through visual and performing art, and media; and how industries and laws have formed to sell and regulate sexual content.

Erik Shonstrom

You are your body. The 'you' that acts, speaks, falls in love, learns, and moves through the day is bound up in muscle and bone and blood. This course using the emerging science of embodied cognition to explore what it means to have a body. The way our sensorimotor systems interact with the world make us who we are; in large part they determine our behavior and decisions. This is not a traditional lecture-based class. You'll learn to salsa, waltz, swing, and, yes, do the Dougie. You'll jump in the lake, figure out if you can recognize people by their smell, learn to meditate, and pretend to be a lion stalking a gazelle on the savannah. From neuroscience to the Enlightenment; evolutionary biology to implicit bias, we'll scour literature to make sense of our idea of 'Self.' You'll never look at your body—or others'—in the same way again.

Erik Shonstrom

You are your body. The 'you' that acts, speaks, falls in love, learns, and moves through the day is bound up in muscle and bone and blood. This course using the emerging science of embodied cognition to explore what it means to have a body. The way our sensorimotor systems interact with the world make us who we are; in large part they determine our behavior and decisions. This is not a traditional lecture-based class. You'll learn to salsa, waltz, swing, and, yes, do the Dougie. You'll jump in the lake, figure out if you can recognize people by their smell, learn to meditate, and pretend to be a lion stalking a gazelle on the savannah. From neuroscience to the Enlightenment; evolutionary biology to implicit bias, we'll scour literature to make sense of our idea of 'Self.' You'll never look at your body—or others'—in the same way again.

Gary Scudder

We use the word evil all the time—we identify events as evil—we even call people evil, but what do we actually mean? What is more, have we ever really understood what evil means? In this section students will study some of the greatest thinkers from a number of disciplines, ranging from religious to philosophical to psychological and beyond, who have addressed this complicated issue. At the end of the semester we will tackle Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, and try to make sense of one of the most shocking crimes in US history.

Gary Scudder

We use the word evil all the time—we identify events as evil—we even call people evil, but what do we actually mean? What is more, have we ever really understood what evil means? In this section students will study some of the greatest thinkers from a number of disciplines, ranging from religious to philosophical to psychological and beyond, who have addressed this complicated issue. At the end of the semester we will tackle Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, and try to make sense of one of the most shocking crimes in US history.

Rowshan Nemazee

This section speaks to the beauty and enrichment the arts have given us, but it also examines the ways in which the arts teach us about social justice. We will critique the politics of injustice; scrutinize various U.S. and global power-structures, and discuss the ethics and cultural implications of these actions. The idea of suffering is inseparably linked to the human experience: both the inspirational spectacle of human potential and the most inconceivable human brutality. Thus, in its quest to make possible the conditions for every individual's well-being, the arts must also protect us from ourselves and from those who would deny "the other" his, her or their humanity. Through the enlacing of the analytical frameworks of the arts (the Formal, the Personal, the Cultural, and the Contemporary) and the interdisciplinarity of social justice, this class aims to help you decide, for yourselves, how your core ethical beliefs find expression in understanding the values of rights and the desolation of human suffering.

Rowshan Nemazee

This section speaks to the beauty and enrichment the arts have given us, but it also examines the ways in which the arts teach us about social justice. We will critique the politics of injustice; scrutinize various U.S. and global power-structures, and discuss the ethics and cultural implications of these actions. The idea of suffering is inseparably linked to the human experience: both the inspirational spectacle of human potential and the most inconceivable human brutality. Thus, in its quest to make possible the conditions for every individual's well-being, the arts must also protect us from ourselves and from those who would deny "the other" his, her or their humanity. Through the enlacing of the analytical frameworks of the arts (the Formal, the Personal, the Cultural, and the Contemporary) and the interdisciplinarity of social justice, this class aims to help you decide, for yourselves, how your core ethical beliefs find expression in understanding the values of rights and the desolation of human suffering.

Martha Moreno-Linares

For centuries, writing about health and illness seemed to be reserved to medical professionals, but recently there is a growing trend of individuals sharing their own experiences as patients or caregivers. Among these first-hand accounts of illness, many artists are turning to the comics medium to offer their own perspectives on issues of illness—both physical and mental—disability and the isolation that patients often experience. In this course we will use a graphic memoir about the author's experience with epilepsy caused by a brain tumor to explore larger questions such as: Can memories be collective? Is illness really an individual experience? How can comics express emotions when words fail? To study these issues, we will use different theoretical lenses to understand the intersection between comics and medicine.

Isabella Jesso

Some people, when they speak, just seem like they have great wisdom; that they hear and can respond to you at a deeper level of understanding your life situations; that you can trust them with details of life that matter to you; that when they speak, many individuals can relate to what they observe about our lived reality as humans. Well, how did they get to this point of knowing about life's ups and downs? How did they get to this point of being comfortable with both the ups of life, and with its down moments? We will chart some paths to be followed by those who want to develop similar levels of understanding for themselves. This section uses selected theories as lenses through which to examine human life as it is portrayed in difficult college level texts and videos, specifically drawing insights from these analytical frameworks: Deconstructionist Theory; Modern Psychoanalytic Theory; New Historicist Theory and Criticism.

Isabella Jesso

Some people, when they speak, just seem like they have great wisdom; that they hear and can respond to you at a deeper level of understanding your life situations; that you can trust them with details of life that matter to you; that when they speak, many individuals can relate to what they observe about our lived reality as humans. Well, how did they get to this point of knowing about life's ups and downs? How did they get to this point of being comfortable with both the ups of life, and with its down moments? We will chart some paths to be followed by those who want to develop similar levels of understanding for themselves. This section uses selected theories as lenses through which to examine human life as it is portrayed in difficult college level texts and videos, specifically drawing insights from these analytical frameworks: Deconstructionist Theory; Modern Psychoanalytic Theory; New Historicist Theory and Criticism.

Ciaran Buckley

Addressing the US Constitution interdisciplinarily means to draw upon, and then integrate, different disciplines to be able to render a prediction of a SCOTUS decision . Political, legal, economic a business disciplines/knowledge domains or methodologies are most relevant to SCOTUS rulings. Following common methods of research that include framing the legal, or constitutional question, finding and analyzing evidence, the interdisciplinary research process moves to a conclusion that explicitly and intentionally combines insights and evidence from multiple disciplines/knowledge domains for students to come to a conclusion or response that integrates those insights and evidence.

Rowshan Nemazee

This section speaks to the beauty and enrichment the arts have given us, but it also examines the ways in which the arts teach us about social justice. We will critique the politics of injustice; scrutinize various U.S. and global power-structures, and discuss the ethics and cultural implications of these actions. The idea of suffering is inseparably linked to the human experience: both the inspirational spectacle of human potential and the most inconceivable human brutality. Thus, in its quest to make possible the conditions for every individual's well-being, the arts must also protect us from ourselves and from those who would deny "the other" his, her or their humanity. Through the enlacing of the analytical frameworks of the arts (the Formal, the Personal, the Cultural, and the Contemporary) and the interdisciplinarity of social justice, this class aims to help you decide, for yourselves, how your core ethical beliefs find expression in understanding the values of rights and the desolation of human suffering.

Isabella Jesso

Some people, when they speak, just seem like they have great wisdom; that they hear and can respond to you at a deeper level of understanding your life situations; that you can trust them with details of life that matter to you; that when they speak, many individuals can relate to what they observe about our lived reality as humans. Well, how did they get to this point of knowing about life's ups and downs? How did they get to this point of being comfortable with both the ups of life, and with its down moments? We will chart some paths to be followed by those who want to develop similar levels of understanding for themselves. This section uses selected theories as lenses through which to examine human life as it is portrayed in difficult college level texts and videos, specifically drawing insights from these analytical frameworks: Deconstructionist Theory; Modern Psychoanalytic Theory; New Historicist Theory and Criticism.

This section has been cancelled.

Ed Cafferty

Humans have lived together in groups for thousands of years. They have had conflicts with other people and groups. They sometimes treat each other as equals but often they don't. They may dominate others through beliefs, norms, values, violence, and laws. We will explore the many ways people interact with each other and how relationships have change over time. This course will include student group activities, guest speakers, videos, and class discussions.

Ed Cafferty

Humans have lived together in groups for thousands of years. They have had conflicts with other people and groups. They sometimes treat each other as equals but often they don't. They may dominate others through beliefs, norms, values, violence, and laws. We will explore the many ways people interact with each other and how relationships have change over time. This course will include student group activities, guest speakers, videos, and class discussions.

Ciaran Buckley

Addressing the US Constitution interdisciplinarily means to draw upon, and then integrate, different disciplines to be able to render a prediction of a SCOTUS decision . Political, legal, economic an business disciplines/knowledge domains or methodologies are most relevant to SCOTUS rulings. Following common methods of research that include framing the legan, or constitutional question, finding and analyzing evidence, the interdisciplinary research process moves to a conclusion that explicitly and intentionally combines insights and evidence from multiple disciplines/knowledge domains for students to come to a conclusion or response that integrates those insights and evidence.

Ciaran Buckley

Addressing the US Constitution interdisciplinarily means to draw upon, and then integrate, different disciplines to be able to render a prediction of a SCOTUS decision . Political, legal, economic an business disciplines/knowledge domains or methodologies are most relevant to SCOTUS rulings. Following common methods of research that include framing the legan, or constitutional question, finding and analyzing evidence, the interdisciplinary research process moves to a conclusion that explicitly and intentionally combines insights and evidence from multiple disciplines/knowledge domains for students to come to a conclusion or response that integrates those insights and evidence.

Emma Spett

We've been through a lot in the last few years (pandemics, extreme weather, human-induced disasters, economic crises, disruptive technologies, the list goes on and on...). These compounding and complex problems challenge the ability of communities of all sizes to not only "bounce back", but rebuild in a way that is resilient, adaptive, and sustainable. In this course, we will explore the theories behind building community resilience, and investigate the tools and practices employed by planners, policy makers, researchers, and community leaders. We'll hear from folks on the ground around the world who are innovating in their communities, take a critical lens to existing programs, policies, and protocols, and utilize a wide array of resources to develop and propose solutions to social-ecological problems of your choosing.

Ariel Burgess

This course explores theories of "self." We will examine US cultural narratives such as "rugged individualism" and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," alongside non-western theories of relationality, interdependence, and kinship. As we face climate change and the sixth mass extinction, how do these different theoretical perspectives of "self" affect the way we think about, interact with, and navigate the more-than-human world?

Ariel Burgess

This course explores theories of "self." We will examine US cultural narratives such as "rugged individualism" and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," alongside non-western theories of relationality, interdependence, and kinship. As we face climate change and the sixth mass extinction, how do these different theoretical perspectives of "self" affect the way we think about, interact with, and navigate the more-than-human world?

Ariel Burgess

This course explores theories of "self." We will examine US cultural narratives such as "rugged individualism" and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," alongside non-western theories of relationality, interdependence, and kinship. As we face climate change and the sixth mass extinction, how do these different theoretical perspectives of "self" affect the way we think about, interact with, and navigate the more-than-human world?

Al Capone

In this course we will examine the language of rights and the power structures that sustain this dialogue. We will explore the ethical, political and cultural theories and assumptions which provide the foundation for our contemporary use of rights language. We will closely examine how various types of rights (human, political, and social) are conceived and exercised in our world today and how those rights demonstrate an exercise of power. There will be the ability for each student to conduct independent research and analysis in this course using the methodologies of philosophy, political science and sociology.

Al Capone

In this course we will examine the language of rights and the power structures that sustain this dialogue. We will explore the ethical, political and cultural theories and assumptions which provide the foundation for our contemporary use of rights language. We will closely examine how various types of rights (human, political, and social) are conceived and exercised in our world today and how those rights demonstrate an exercise of power. There will be the ability for each student to conduct independent research and analysis in this course using the methodologies of philosophy, political science and sociology.

Weiling Deng

In this course, we will delve into the intersection of gender, race, and technology. We will examine how gender- and race-based biases are encoded in the technology of media, video games, robots, drones, and artificial intelligence. This course brings together insights from fields such as critical media studies, science and technology studies, feminist and queer theory, post-humanism, and racial capitalism. Through analyzing power structures, representation, and inequality in technology design, usage, and access, students will learn to interrogate how the structural violence of antiblack and anti-Asian racism, settler colonialism, and patriarchy are fundamental to human-technology interaction and to the definition of human. Students will engage in class discussions, group projects, and case studies that encourage critical thinking, collaborative learning, a deeper appreciation for the complexities of these issues.

Weiling Deng

In this course, we will delve into the intersection of gender, race, and technology. We will examine how gender- and race-based biases are encoded in the technology of media, video games, robots, drones, and artificial intelligence. This course brings together insights from fields such as critical media studies, science and technology studies, feminist and queer theory, post-humanism, and racial capitalism. Through analyzing power structures, representation, and inequality in technology design, usage, and access, students will learn to interrogate how the structural violence of antiblack and anti-Asian racism, settler colonialism, and patriarchy are fundamental to human-technology interaction and to the definition of human. Students will engage in class discussions, group projects, and case studies that encourage critical thinking, collaborative learning, a deeper appreciation for the complexities of these issues.

David Kite

Ethics is the theory of deliberation and choice in human affairs. Students will study traditional systems of moral philosophy and will use these to analyze relevant issues in personal, social and political spaces. The goal will be to develop skills of thoughtful and reflective deliberation about ethical values, choices and actions.

David Kite

Ethics is the theory of deliberation and choice in human affairs. Students will study traditional systems of moral philosophy and will use these to analyze relevant issues in personal, social and political spaces. The goal will be to develop skills of thoughtful and reflective deliberation about ethical values, choices and actions.

Mike Lange

People make meaning with food. One of the most powerful meanings that can be made with food is personal and cultural identity. How many people have a special dish that they bring to every family gathering? How often do we try a new version of something and think, "that's not what I grew up with"? Why do people argue endlessly about what constitutes "proper" pizza? Because food is a powerful vehicle for meaning and identity. In this section, you will explore two foods (and the processes for acquiring them) that are strongly connected to the culture and identity of Vermont: maple syrup and venison. Whether you grew up here or first stepped foot in the state recently, this section will give you tools and perspectives about the state that surrounds you now.

Mike Lange

People make meaning with food. One of the most powerful meanings that can be made with food is personal and cultural identity. How many people have a special dish that they bring to every family gathering? How often do we try a new version of something and think, "that's not what I grew up with"? Why do people argue endlessly about what constitutes "proper" pizza? Because food is a powerful vehicle for meaning and identity. In this section, you will explore two foods (and the processes for acquiring them) that are strongly connected to the culture and identity of Vermont: maple syrup and venison. Whether you grew up here or first stepped foot in the state recently, this section will give you tools and perspectives about the state that surrounds you now.

Kerry Noonan

The Illuminati? Q-Anon? 5-G? Area 51? Lizard people? Conspiracy theories seem to be everywhere, showing up in politics, healthcare, and other important areas of our lives. What makes these narratives compelling? Why do people come to believe them? What function do they serve? How are they spread from person to person? We will use the tools and theories of folklorists to examine the history of such beliefs, analyze their types and structures, explore psychological and cultural reasons for their acceptance, and delve into the symbolic content and possible meanings of these narratives that offer to explain the inexplicable.

Kerry Noonan

The Illuminati? Q-Anon? 5-G? Area 51? Lizard people? Conspiracy theories seem to be everywhere, showing up in politics, healthcare, and other important areas of our lives. What makes these narratives compelling? Why do people come to believe them? What function do they serve? How are they spread from person to person? We will use the tools and theories of folklorists to examine the history of such beliefs, analyze their types and structures, explore psychological and cultural reasons for their acceptance, and delve into the symbolic content and possible meanings of these narratives that offer to explain the inexplicable.

Gary Scudder

Theory, and using theory to help make sense of the world, is not a new concept. In the 14th century Ibn Khaldun produced the Muqaddimah, described as the greatest work of history in the Arabic tradition but also the first true work of sociology. Ibn Khaldun was interested not simply in what happened in history, but also in how history "worked" - and also how a historian should approach their job of making sense of history, of getting at the truth. In this section, students will use the theories of Ibn Khaldun to make sense of the past and the present, by studying societal, cultural, and religious change.

Gary Scudder

Theory, and using theory to help make sense of the world, is not a new concept. In the 14th century Ibn Khaldun produced the Muqaddimah, described as the greatest work of history in the Arabic tradition but also the first true work of sociology. Ibn Khaldun was interested not simply in what happened in history, but also in how history "worked" - and also how a historian should approach their job of making sense of history, of getting at the truth. In this section, students will use the theories of Ibn Khaldun to make sense of the past and the present, by studying societal, cultural, and religious change.

Kristin Wolf

The natural world is conceived of and defined in countless ways—as a source of subsistence and spirituality, wonder and wanderlust, resources and responsibilities. It is home to humans and non-humans alike, but is often differentiated from the built world as nature is differentiated from culture. What histories, traditions, events, perspectives, and power dynamics define our relationship to the natural world and what do they imply for our future? In this course we will study theoretical perspectives of nature, the environment, and the anthropocene and explore how they influence and are influenced by our relationship to the natural world.

Kristin Wolf

The natural world is conceived of and defined in countless ways - as a source of subsistence and spirituality, wonder and wanderlust, resources and responsibilities. It is home to humans and non-humans alike, but is often differentiated from the built world as nature is differentiated from culture. What histories, traditions, events, perspectives, and power dynamics define our relationship to the natural world and what do they imply for our future? In this course we will study theoretical perspectives of nature, the environment, and the anthropocene and explore how they influence and are influenced by our relationship to the natural world.

Kristin Wolf

The natural world is conceived of and defined in countless ways—as a source of subsistence and spirituality, wonder and wanderlust, resources and responsibilities. It is home to humans and non-humans alike, but is often differentiated from the built world as nature is differentiated from culture. What histories, traditions, events, perspectives, and power dynamics define our relationship to the natural world and what do they imply for our future? In this course we will study theoretical perspectives of nature, the environment, and the anthropocene and explore how they influence and are influenced by our relationship to the natural world.