Comparative Studies
Comparative Studies 1100 Introduction to the Humanities: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
Multiple Sections
Explores the role of literature and the arts in constructing, maintaining, and questioning the values and beliefs of diverse cultures and historical periods; topics vary. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies. Honors version.
Comparative Studies 2099 The Question of Comparative Studies
Hagerty 451 | M 5:20-6:15 | Philip Armstrong
This course offers an introduction to the Comparative Studies major. It is designed to help students to take advantage of curricular, research, and advising opportunities; to manage the particular challenges of independent and interdisciplinary work; to link classroom work to social and political engagement with relevant communities; and to prepare for life after graduation. This course is graded S/U. Option for distance learning delivery.
Comparative Studies 2101 Literature and Society
Mendenhall 125 | MWF 9:10-10:05 | Jason Payne
Study of relationships among politics, society, and literature; analysis of social and political elements of literature and film from diverse cultures and historical periods. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 2105 Literature and Ethnicity
Mendenhall 125 | TuThu 11:10-12:30 | TBD
Study of relationships between literature and ethnicity; analysis of concepts of ethnicity as represented in literature and film of diverse cultures and historical periods. GE Literature; and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 2264 Introduction to Popular Culture Studies
Multiple Sections
Introduction to the analysis of popular culture texts, with special emphasis on the relationship between popular culture studies and literary studies. Cross-listed in English. GE Cultures and Ideas.
Comparative Studies 2281 American Icons
Psychology Bldg 010 | TuThu 3:55-5:15 | Dan DiPiero
Interdisciplinary methods in American studies; emphasis on the plurality of identities in American culture. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 2301 Introduction to World Literature
Hitchcock 306 | TuThu 11:10-12:30 | Rhiar Kanouse
Analysis of oral and written literatures of diverse cultures and historical periods. GE Literature and Diversity: Global Studies. Option for distance learning delivery.
Comparative Studies 2322 Introduction to Latino Studies
Mendenhall 129 | WF 12:45-2:05 | Miranda Martinez
Introduction to Latino studies; history, politics, and cultural production of Latino/a communities in the U.S. and its borderlands. Cross-listed in Spanish 2242. GE Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 2323 Introduction to American Indian Studies
Lazenby 034 | WF 2:20-3:40 | Gregorio Gonzales
Explores the legal, cultural, historic, and political foundations, experiences, and perspectives and futures of American Indians in the U.S. Prereq: English 1110 or equiv. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 2340 Introduction to Cultures of Science and Technology
Online | TuThu 2:20-3:40 | Jess Holler
Critical analysis of the multiple relations of science to society, with emphasis on knowledge, power, authority, values, and ethics. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 2341 Technology, Science, and Society
Online | TuThu 12:40-1:35 | Seth Josephson
Critical analysis of the relations among science, technology, and culture, with particular emphasis on ethical issues in technology and engineering. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 2350 Introduction to Folklore
Lazenby 002 | TuThu 11:10-12:30 | Emma Cobb
A general study of the field of folklore including basic approaches and a survey of primary folk materials: folktales, legends, folksongs, ballads, and folk beliefs. Cross-listed in English. GE Cultures and Ideas.
Comparative Studies 2360 Introduction to Comparative Cultural Studies
Hopkins 250 | TuThu 12:45-2:05 | Franco Barchiesi
This course is an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of cultural studies, and it is the introductory course to the Cultural Studies track in the Department of Comparative Studies. Rather than a specific field, cultural studies is better thought of as an intellectual project that aims to examine cultural practices and their relationship to power, knowledge and identities, within particular political and social contexts. In addition to studying the genealogy, foundational themes, main theories, and methods of cultural studies, we have an extended section with a thematic emphasis on cultural critiques outside the Western canon or post-Enlightenment humanism, such as postcolonial theory, Black cultural theory, and people-of-color feminism in their questioning of financial capitalism, performance, and consumer culture. A good deal of this course is about applying concepts to contemporary cultural texts, including films and written texts. GE Cultures and Ideas.
Comparative Studies 2367.04 Science and Technology in American Culture
Hagerty 056 | WF 2:20-3:40 | NJ Jesser
Role of science and technology in contemporary American society; their relationship to human values; sources of concern about their impact; evaluation of selected issues. GE Writing and Communication: Level 2 and Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 2367.08 American Identity in the World
Enarson 202 | TuThu 2:20-3:40 | Dan DiPiero
American culture viewed from inside and from the perspective of foreign cultures, as seen in literature, film, art, music, journalism, folklore, and popular culture. GE Writing and Communication: Level 2 and Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S. Option for distance learning delivery.
Comparative Studies 2420 American Food Cultures
Campbell Hall 335 | TuThu 3:55-5:15 | Robert Livingston
Historical perspective on the development of the American food system, including associated discourses and cultures, leading to exploration of contemporary concerns about industrial food, the American diet, and the politics surrounding these issues. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.
Comparative Studies 3302 and 3302E Translating Literatures and Cultures
Hagerty 042 | TuThu 9:35-10:55 | Gregory Jusdanis
Introduction to issues and problems inherent to translating literatures and cultures. GE Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Global Studies. Embedded honors version.
Comparative Studies 3603 Love in World Literature
Psychology Bldg 014 | TuThu 3:55-5:15 | Lucia Bortoli
Selected representations of love in different cultures and time periods. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 3606 The Quest in World Literature
McPherson 1041 | TuThu 9:35-10:55 | Lucia Bortoli
Motif of the quest in world literature; physical and mental journeys as metaphors of personal transformation and salvation. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 3607 Film and Literature as Narrative Art
Mendenhall 125 | M 12:10-2:00 WF 12:40-1:35 | Susan Hanson
Relationships between film and literature; emergence of cinematic art as a form of representation with emphasis on diverse cultural traditions. GE Visual and Performing Arts and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 3608 Representations of the Experience of War
Mendenhall 185 | MWF 3:00-3:55 | Jason Payne
Representations of war in works of literature, religious texts, and film from diverse cultures and time periods. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies
Comparative Studies 3645 Cultures of Medicine
Mendenhall 131 | WF 12:45-2:05 | NJ Jesser
Humanistic, scientific, and clinical perspectives on medical issues; literary uses of medical themes; medicine as art and science. GE Cultures and Ideas; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Comparative Studies 3686 Cultural Studies of American Musics
Mendenhall 115 | TuThu 12:45-2:05 | Dan DiPiero
This course focuses on the critical analysis of 20th and 21st century popular music in the U.S. Students should come away from this class with skills of critical listening and thinking that allow them to trace musical influences across historical periods and musical genres, to understand the impact of commodification and commercialization on the development of popular music, to analyze the relationship of musical performance with embodied identities (especially gender, sexuality and race), and to discuss the social and political grounds of musical pleasure. We will begin by developing an interpretive model that will provide the tools for understanding popular music in its historical and cultural context. We will then read a set of case studies about topics in popular music. The main goal of the case studies is to provoke insight and dialogue about the connections between musical pleasure and social life. An important secondary goal is to provide you with examples of high quality scholarship about popular music. GE Visual and Performing Arts; and Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S. Option for distance learning delivery.
Comparative Studies 3990 Approaches to Comparative Studies
Hale Hall 110A | WF 9:35-10:55 | Maurice Stevens
Introduces comparative studies majors to theoretical tools, methods of investigation, and key concepts in comparative studies research and scholarship. CompStd major, or permission of instructor.
Comparative Studies 4597.02 Global Culture
Mendenhall 173 | TuThu 12:45-2:05 | Kevin Pementel
Examines contemporary global cultural flows, the concepts useful in analyzing them, and the questions they raise about power and cultural change. Prereq: Completion of Second Writing course. Not open to students with credit for 597.02. GE Diversity: Global Studies; and Cross-Disciplinary Seminar.
Comparative Studies 4921 Intersections: Approaches to Race, Gender, Class, and Sexuality
Hale Hall 101 | WF 12:45-2:05 | Maurice Stevens
Examines intersections of race, gender, class, and sexuality in various sites within American culture (e.g., legal system, civil rights discourse, social justice movements). Not open to students with credit for 545, or AfAmAst 4921 (545), or WGSSt 4921 (545). Cross-listed in AfAmASt 4921 and WGSSt 4921.
Comparative Studies 5240 Race and Public Policy in the United States
Page 060 | WF 9:35-10:55 | Miranda Martinez
This course explores Race and Public Policy in the United States from Reconstruction to the present. In particular, the class is designed to look at the long list of "hot topics" in the current policy landscape, including policing, housing, wealth gap, immigration, voting, political representation, and others. Cross-listed in AAAS and PUBAFFAIRS.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies 2102.01 Literature and Religion
Mendenhall 131 | WF 2:20-3:40 | Spencer Dew
Study of relationships between religion and secular literature; analysis of religious and spiritual elements of literature and film of diverse cultures and historical periods. GE Literature; and Diversity: Global Studies.
Religious Studies 2370 Intro to Comparative Religion
Scott Lab E004 | TuTh 9:35-10:55AM | Melissa CUrley
This course is intended to provide a general introduction to the comparative study of religions. It is structured around three fundamental questions: (1) what is (and isn’t) a religion? (2) what are the major similarities and differences among the world’s religions? (3) what is religious pluralism, and what are some of the challenges that pluralism poses for thinking about religion’s place in the world today? We will begin by orienting ourselves to the academic study of religions. We will continue by surveying a range of religious traditions, including Native American religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Finally, we will try to make sense of the contemporary religious landscape by examining some new religious movements, as well as the rise of religious “nones” and the “spiritual but not religious.” The class is open to all students; no prior knowledge is assumed. It fulfills GE requirements in Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Global Studies.
Religious Studies 2370H Intro to Comparative Religion Honors
Enarson 206 | TuThu 2:20-3:40 | Michael Swartz
Introduction to the academic study of religion through comparison among major traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) and smaller communities. GE Cultures and Ideas and Diversity: Global Studies.
Religious Studies 3674 African Religions
McPherson 2015 | TuTh 11:10-12:30 | Spencer Dew
Survey of African traditional religions and their interaction with Islam and Christianity in Africa and the diaspora; emphasis on cosmologies, myth, ritual, ethics, and witchcraft. Cross-listed in AfAmASt.
Religious Studies 3678 Religion and American Culture
Macquigg 162 | WF 12:45-2:05PM | Spencer Dew
Examines contemporary relationships between religion and popular culture, particularly the media in the U.S., from historical, ethnographic, and cultural studies perspectives. GE Diversity: Social Diversity in the U.S.