Modern Language Electives

This course examines Latin American cultures from an anthropological perspective. It covers stratification and its effects on indigenous populations and contemporary cultures, and the effects of culture change on them.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

This course examines selected Asian cultures from an anthropological perspective, including the effects of stratification and culture change. It provides a general survey of prehistoric cultures as well as some of the issues related to Western expansion in Asia.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

This course is designed to examine Europe as a culture area. Specific emphasis will be on class systems, peasantry, contemporary life, and tradition and change. Although there are clearly differences among European cultures, they also share common roots in the feudal system. It will also study romance language formation and the drive for the development of the contemporary European economic community.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

Students will investigate the opportunities and challenges facing American companies seeking to expand their markets across international boundaries. Analysis includes a study of international marketing barriers, cultural patterns, adapting the product line to international markets, selecting channels of distribution, pricing strategies, and international communication strategies.
Prerequisite(s): Grade of "C-" or better in BUSAD 2000 Principles of Marketing and a 1000- or 2000-level speaking-instructive course.

The study of cultural differences that influence the exchange of meaning between individuals and groups of different cultural and/or racial backgrounds. The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the uniqueness of cultures and the resulting variations in communication styles and preferences, and to provide strategies and skills for successfully communicating across cultural barriers. Students will spend at least 20 hours during the semester working with community agencies serving clients from different cultures. (Normally offered each semester.)

This course will provide students a direct encounter with the culture of Italy. Specifically, students will study cultural indicators of Florence such as verbal and nonverbal communication, food, transportation, business climate, politics, religious beliefs, and interpersonal relationships. Students live in Florence, read texts, listen/give presentations, view art, attend concerts, experience the culture of Florence through walking, watching, eating, shopping and navigating the city and reflecting on these experiences.
Prerequisite(s): Instructor permission and sophomore standing.
(Normally offered in odd numbered summers.)

A thematic course designed to complement the more traditional offerings in British and American literature. The emphasis will be on the shock of colonization, the oppression of imperialism, and the struggle for independence. Attention will also be paid to the encounter of the individual with the questions of God, family, love, war, work, change, and death.
Prerequisite(s): First Year Writing and Sophomore standing.

A course in which students will concentrate in depth on one subfield or topic in the domain of linguistics. The particular subject will be determined each time the course is offered.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or instructor permission.
(Normally offered every other spring.)

Students study principles of linguistic analysis and survey various theories of English grammar. Topics include: English phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and subfields of linguistics.
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or instructor permission.
(Normally offered alternate fall semesters.)

An introduction to the contemporary Chicano novel, generally including (but not limited to) the work of Sandra Cisneros, Rudolfo Anaya, Helena Maria Viramontes, Ana Castillo, and Dagoberto Gib.
Prerequisite(s): First Year Writing and junior standing or permission of the instructor.
(Normally offered alternate spring semesters.)

Fiction and essays by women from various cultures (including the U.S., Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean) will be the focus of this course. The multicultural, international reading list will provide students insight into the lives and experiences of women most likely very different from themselves; thus they can appreciate and learn from the differences and make connections across cultures.
Cross listed with GEND 3410.
Prerequisite(s): First Year Writing and sophomore standing.

See ENG 3410 Women Writing Across Cultures.

This course will serve as an introduction to the culture and contemporary society of Japan, with an overview of topics such as cultural and religious traditions and celebrations, economics, art, architecture and history.

Though Rwanda is known mainly for the 1994 genocide, this trip gives you the chance to witness a post-conflict country in the process of reconstruction. The international community recognizes Rwanda for having the world's largest number of women in parliament as well as strong governance, low rates of corruption, and low crime rate. Gerise Herndon, Professor of Gender Studies and Global Studies who lived in Rwanda during her sabbatical, will accompany students from University of Missouri-Columbia under the leadership of Rwandan professor of French and Gender Studies, Dr. Rangira Bea Gallimore. We will visit genocide memorials, reconciliation communities, and women's cooperatives. Presentations and testimonials will provide the historical context leading up to the genocide, including the media's role, the responsibility of the international community (UN, France, U.S., etc.), and the Catholic Church's role. Post-conflict issues include memory, genocide denial, and justice systems (regular, Gacaca, and international). Although mostly remaining in the capital, Kigali, we will take brief trips to rural areas. Participants will have a unique opportunity to visit local villages and organizations to observe efforts at recovery and social transformation, including forgiveness and reconciliation. The internship portion will depend on students' major or academic interest. Examples: pre-med students may shadow doctors; psychology students may shadow counselors; future teachers may help teach English as a Foreign Language.

This course delves into the uniqueness of Rwandan history to explore the complexities of this country whose politics and history have generated much debate. Through films and readings, we will explore the pre-colonial era to post-conflict transition with an emphasis on the defining moment of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Artistic expressions of film and literature respond to traumatic collective experiences, but Rwanda is more than genocide. We will analyze globally applauded successes such as women's representation in government and peaceful co-existence of survivors and perpetrators; topics may also include controversies surrounding genocide denial, freedom of expression, political power, and the transition to English. Students will make two presentations demonstrating what they have learned about cinematic representation and cultural difference.

An in-depth study of one time frame across world cultures. The course is designed to introduce students to the uniqueness and interconnectedness of cultures in the global community. Historical dimensions of today's ethical and political concerns will be examined in order to foster responsible world citizenship. Course topics change regularly and may include a global survey of the twentieth century or the history of indigenous nations leading up to the Age of European Exploration. (Normally offered each semester.)

An examination of the Latin American experience with different topics at each offering.  Such topics will include: contact period, transnationalism, indigenismo, the colonial era, agrarian movements, social revolutions, neocolonialism, interamerican relations, narcoterrorism and trafficking, for example. This course will be offered on a regular basis, and students could retake the course as the topics shift. No P/F.

A chronological survey of Western Civilization from 1500 to the present, focusing on the literary record which exemplifies changing societies; artistic and literary styles; and philosophical, religious, and political patterns. The course will include a reexamination of Biblical texts in the Reformation, the revival and imitation of classical texts in the Renaissance, absolutism and its critics, the revolutionary and Romantic movements, ethnic minorities, colonialism, the crisis of Western thought in the twentieth century, and the impact of totalitarianism.  This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major. No P/F.

This course introduces students to major topics in the history of East Asia. Rather than a century-by-century narrative covering prehistory to the present, the course emphasizes the theme of inter-regional relations. Students learn about traditions such as Confucianism and Buddhism that provided a foundation for the development of centralized, Sinicized states in East Asia, as well as the cultural, economic, and political aspects of the tribute system that structured inter-regional relations throughout the pre-modern period. The second half of the semester picks up the theme of inter-regional relations in the modern period by examining the continuing impact of twentieth-century warfare on the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Japanese. Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on East Asian history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

An overview of key themes in early modern and modern Japanese history with an emphasis on the period between the seventeenth and twenty-first centuries. The course concentrates on themes of change and continuity in Japan's political systems, social and economic institutions, and cultural forms. Specific themes include changing notions of samurai identity, the rise of the modern nation-state, imperialism and inter-regional relations, postwar prosperity and Japan's "Lost Decade." Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on Japanese history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

In this course we will survey the historical factors that have shaped China's emergence as one of the dominant players on the global stage in the twenty-first century. We begin by exploring the history of the last imperial dynasty. Emphasis is placed on the historical diversity of Chinese society. After learning about the combination of domestic and external challenges that undermined the last dynasty and led to the overthrow of the imperial system, we look at the impact of the world wars, the civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists, and the establishment of the People's Republic. The course concludes with a section on the transition to "market socialism" and the legacy of the 1989 Tiananmen demonstrations. Our sources include a combination of secondary scholarship by leading experts on Chinese history as well as primary historical and literary sources. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.

See HIST 4030 Founding of the Americas.

A study of the “pioneers” of the Americas (e.g., indigenous, Spanish, French, and Russian) who all came to the continent to explore, negotiate the land and relationships with others they encountered. A mix of narrative and primary document history, the class will discover the true story of the settlement of the Americas.
Hist 4030 meets with HIST 3030. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4030.

See HIST 4350 Nazi Germany.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 1110 World Civilizations, HIST 2170 Body, Mind, Spirit: The Understanding of the Self in Western Culture, or HIST 2180 Science and Religion in Western Tradition, or permission of the instructor.

An examination of Germany in the twentieth century focusing on the rise of Adolph Hitler, the weakness of the Weimar government, the institutions of the Nazi regime, and the events of World War II and the Holocaust. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major.
HIST 4350 meets with HIST 3350. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4350.
Prerequisite(s): HIST 1110 World Civilizations, HIST 2170 Body, Mind, Spirit: The Understanding of the Self in Western Culture, or HIST 2180 Science and Religion in Western Tradition, or permission of the instructor.

See HIST 4700 Revolutions in Latin America.

A study of the causes, course, and outcomes of several 20th century social revolutions in Latin America. The course will use a comparative perspective, paying particular attention to the transformations that accompanied each stage of revolution. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major. HIST 4700 meets with HIST 3700. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4700.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 1010 Topics in United States History to 1877, HIST 1110 World Civilizations, HIST 2110 Introduction to Latin America, or instructor permission.

See HIST 4840 Meiji - The Making of Modern Japan.

The Meiji period in Japan lasted from 1868 to 1912. Over that period of roughly four decades, Japan embarked on an ambitious program of Western-style modernization that left no aspect of the nation untouched. It was a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization that allowed Japan to challenge the Western powers and create its own empire in East Asia by the early twentieth century, but the accompanying social, political, and economic transformations were as dislocating for many Japanese as they were empowering. In this seminar, we will read widely in the political, social, and cultural history of the Meiji period to develop an understanding of the period's powerful shaping influence on the course Japan took in the twentieth century. In addition to secondary scholarship by leading authorities on the Meiji period, we will read works of literature and view several films that illuminate the complexities and tensions within Meiji society. HIST-4840 meets with HIST 3840. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4840.

See HIST 4850 Twilight of the Samurai: Early Modern Japan.

The word samurai derives from the verb saburau, meaning "to serve." Whom did Japan's samurai warriors serve, and what made their "services" necessary in the first place? How did samurai become the dominant political figures during Japan's Middle Ages? After the Tokugawa shogunate succeeded in pacifying Japan in the early seventeenth century, how did a social group whose elite status derived from their role as warriors adapt-or fail to adapt-to a long period of peace? These are some of the questions we will seek to answer through our discussion of primary sources and secondary scholarship on Japan's samurai warriors. We will focus on the early modern period, but the seminar provides an overview of the historical development of the samurai dating back to their origins in the tenth century. Once we arrive in the Tokugawa period, we will also take a broader look at a changing Japanese social structure in which commoners-and merchants in particular-began to overtake the samurai. At the end of the semester, we will consider the ideological development of bushid, or the "Way of the Warrior," as an invented tradition that played an important role during Japan's transformation into a modern nation-state. This also counts as an elective for the Modern Language Studies major. HIST 4850 Twilight of the Samurai: Early Modern Japan meets with HIST 3850. The requirements of the courses are the same EXCEPT that a research paper is required for students in 4850.

See HIST 4860 Japanese Popular Culture, Past and Present.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or instructor permission.

In this course we will be investigating the cultural history of history of Japan in the early modern and modern periods, with an emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Specifically, we will focus on “popular culture,” a term whose multiple (and conflicting) connotations we will consider throughout the semester. Our exploration of “popular culture” will extend to aspects of everyday life (or “lifestyles”) as well as works of art, literature, music, and film. Together we will examine a variety of texts, musical genres, comics, and films (both live action and animation), always attempting to interpret them in the context of historical change. This will be a rigorous and intellectually challenging course, but it is also meant to provide an enjoyable overview of Japan’s rich cultural heritage.
HIST 4860 meets with HIST 3860. The content of the courses are the same EXCEPT students enrolled in 3860 write analytical essays and give presentations, while students enrolled in 4860 concentrate on writing a research paper in lieu of the essays and presentations.

Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or instructor permission.

Key cultural concepts are used to explore music from selected global case studies. Social, cultural, and historical contexts are examined in relation to musical materials and their application in various traditions and repertoires. The fieldwork project (and experiential learning component) for this class requires some off-campus activities to be arranged by the student.

This course provides an introduction to the concepts, theories and methods of international politics. It highlights the similarities and differences between political systems, as well the nature of relations between these political systems. By examining political violence, democratization, security, trade, and development, this class will equip students to analyze current problems and experiences.

A study of the social, historical, and political factors that have affected the countries of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal). The course will examine the historical origins of the culture; the development of Hinduism and Buddhism; and the current political, economic, and social problems that the countries of the region face.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1100 Introduction to International Politics.

This course will examine the current state of politics in Europe. In particular, the course will focus on European integration and expansion, and questions of ethnicity and nationalism. The course will also examine European social policy.

As of 2015, every country in Latin America, with the exception of Cuba, is considered to be an electoral democracy. Many, however, have had limited success addressing poverty, inequality, crime, corruption, and discrimination. Recent indigenous, environmental, and education protests have further evidenced citizens' discontent with the quality of democratic governance. In this class, we will explore the factors that support and challenge the quality of democracy in Latin America. We will focus specifically on the similarities and differences in political, economic and social development, immigration trends, drug trafficking, indigenous protest, and environmental degradation between Latin American countries.

Explore the complexities of creating a comprehensive psychology for a global context. Study cultural concepts and controversies, integrate cultural issues into mainstream psychological science, and develop culturally responsive practices. Elaborate a broad definition of culture (that includes ability status, age, ethnicity/race, gender, geographic location, language, migration, national origin, politics, religion, sexual orientation and social class) to examine the intersectionality of diversity through a sociocultural lens. Cultivate a worldview of psychology outside the dominant perspectives of the Global North and promote human dignity and justice.
Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 1010/PSYCH 1010FYW Introduction to Psychological Science.

This course is a study of the cultural settings, lives of founders when appropriate, oral or written traditions and literature, worldviews, myths, rituals, ideals of conduct, and development of some of the world's religions. Religions studied will typically include tribal religions, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confuciansim, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, and Bahai. Readings, videos, and websites will help introduce and illustrate not only the cultural settings in which these religions appear, but also the voices and faces of contemporary religious practitioners.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

This course seeks to enhance students' understanding of cultural differences by focusing on film representations of different national and cultural groups. We will analyze how nationality and ethnicity affect both the production and reception of film. The course will expose students to various national and transnational values and practices through selected films. How have international cinemas coped with the pervasive influence of the "classic" Hollywood film paradigm? How have they resisted or been shaped by U.S. influence? We will read film criticism and theory of various countries focusing on the idea of national cinemas. Themes to be explored include survival, resistance to oppression, self-representation and visibility (performance of self and culture), intercultural communication, gender and power.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)