Peace and Justice Studies

This course explores religious responses to social justice issues such as conflict, poverty, oppression, discrimination, and the environment.

This course summarizes anthropological theories on religious systems and ritual systems. It will also examine relationships between religious systems, population density, and environment in pre-industrial societies. Ethnographic studies from pre-industrial Europe, the Near East, Polynesia, and Asia will be included.

(Normally offered alternate years.)

The analysis of the structure-function of law enforcement and the dilemma confronting the police in relation with the community.

Prerequisite(s): CRMJS 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice and SOC 003 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 004 Social Problems.

(Normally offered alternate years.)

An introductory course designed to help students appreciate the literary record of human relationships with nature, the supernatural, and each other. Each course examines a particular question or condition as it is represented in a restricted number of literary works, with core readings from the Bible, Greek or Roman classical literature, Shakespeare, literature by women, and literature by writers of color. Current offerings include the following:

Encountering Others This course looks at texts that represent moments of contact, conflict, or exchange between different cultures, or between a society and those individuals the society has designated as 'different' in some crucial way.

Coming of Age-Becoming Women, Becoming Men This course looks at texts that represent the forces and processes that are part of maturation, especially those related to gender identity. This course focuses on gender issues and includes feminist perspectives. Note: This course also counts for Gender Studies credit.

Families and Relationships This course will examine how writers from different historical eras and cultural contexts write about family, in every sense of that word. Writing the Self 'Who am I?' This is the quintessential question that all human beings ask. This course examines how writers from different historical eras and cultural contexts use various narrative strategies to construct a sense of self. We will also examine numerous theories that seek to explain what constitutes the 'I' that locates the self as a palpable center of self-awareness, as well as how genre influences the accounting of personal history.

Sexualities This course is designed to help students appreciate the literary record of romantic relationships. Specifically, the course will explore how writers from different historical periods and cultural milieus address the issue of human sexuality. Note: same-sex relationships will be routinely read about and discussed in the class. Note: This course also counts for Gender Studies credit.

Law and Justice The courtroom is a place where one's telling and interpretation of stories can mean the difference between life and death, so the analysis of literature and the practice of the law are already intertwined. This course explores the connection further by focusing on literary works that deal with the principle of justice and the application of law.

Revolution This course looks at texts that represent moments of sudden change, upheaval, and transformation, both within societies and within individuals.

Religion and Spirituality Religion is a virtually universal constant in recorded human history, but with answers of different religions to humankind's big questions have varied enormously. What is the origin and purpose of evil? What is death? What things should be held sacred? What is the nature of the divine? How should we treat other people - and should we distinguish between those who share our beliefs and those who do not? This course will study some of the ways these questions have been answered, from most ancient times to the present.

The Environment How are nature and the natural world imagined through literary texts? In the western tradition, "nature" is usually considered separate from humanity - a passive landscape designed to be dominated and used by humans for human purposes. What is the origin of this cultural attitude? What alternative views do we find in the history of western literature? What does the literary record of nature look like in some non-western cultural traditions? Is nature best understood as a universal category apart from human culture or is the idea of nature created by human culture? This course will explore such questions by reading texts from different eras and cultural traditions.

War Virtually every culture has experienced war, and cultures often define and understand themselves through the memories of their wars. Literature about war, from western civilization's founding epic, Homer's Iliad, to blogs maintained by contemporary soldiers, provides us with not only some of our most memorable images of courage, loyalty, and self-sacrifice, but also compelling evidence of war's cruelty, horror, and senselessness; its themes encompass both enormous historical and cultural change and the most intimate, personal suffering.

Prerequisite(s): ENG 001 English Language and Writing.

An in-depth study of one timeframe 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.

(Normally offered each semester.)

An examination of the Latin American experience from precontact and the earliest Spanish exploration and colonization. The course will examine the progress of Indian/Spanish, Church/State, Spanish/Portuguese/English/French and Spanish/English/United States relations from the mid-1400s into the 20th century. The dynamics of political, religious, and agrarian movements throughout the many Latin American nations will also be discussed, as will the historic trends behind current events in Latin America.

An exploration of the "real" U.S. West, in contrast to the Hollywood version. The course will focus on Native Americans from the days when precontact Native American societies flourished, to subsequent European and Russian domination, and finally their loss of sovereignty under the U.S. government. The course will also emphasize the nineteenth century when the West became a mecca for many people to whom the West represented different visions; to the Chinese, it was the "Golden Mountain;" to Spaniards and Mexicans, it was "El Norte;" to the newly-emancipated Africans, the West represented freedom; to many other newly arrived immigrants, it was a land of opportunity; to the Native Americans, it was their sacred home. Special emphasis will be placed on the above images which have often clashed and erupted into conflict beginning in the nineteenth century and continuing throughout the twentieth century.

A study of environmental history focusing primarily on the United States and including Canada and Mexico as they involve border environmental conflicts. Emphasis will be placed on environmental philosophy, ethnic minorities, power and politics, regionalism, industrialism, gender, and literature. Course format will be lecture, class discussions based on assigned readings from assigned texts, as well as supplemental sources, reports, videos, and field trips.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 001 United States History to 1877 or HIST 002 United States Society and Culture since 1877, or permission of the instructor.

Colonial powers invaded previously occupied America as early as the fifteenth century. The colonial powers dictated the colonists' encounters with indigenous peoples, just as indigenous cultural traditions dictated responses to the colonial regimes. The course will necessarily investigate and compare the colonial experiences of Spain, France, Holland, Russia, and Great Britain in the Americas, as well as indigenous traditions and responses to the colonial invaders.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 001 United States History to 1877.

This course will focus on the history of Mexico through the study of many sub-themes including cultural identity, conquest, stereotypes, economic and political development, the role of the Catholic Church, gender, and political upheaval and reform. This course will rely upon lecture, class discussions based on assigned readings from our text and supplemental sources, reports, and videos to enhance student learning.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 110 Introduction to Latin America or permission of the instructor.

This course provides an introduction to a basic understanding of the concepts of international relations. It focuses on the interrelationship of nations and how they coexist and interact with each other. It will expose the student to the theories of international relations and how these theories apply to current problems and experiences.

In this course the student will examine the theoretical body of literature on international security. We will consider traditional topics in international security, such as the role of conventional and nuclear weapons, arms control, the impact of alliances and collective security agreements, and the stability of bipolar vs. multipolar international systems. We will also broaden our definition of security politics to include environmental degradation, ethnic conflicts, and even organized crime.

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the instructor.

This course investigates ethical issues and moral dilemmas found in the modern business arena. The conflict between an organization's economic performance and its social obligations are studied. Various economic theories, legal regulations and philosophic doctrines are discussed. Contemporary Western moral philosophy, historic and contemporary Christian ethics, and social theory provide a context for the course. Case studies are integrated throughout the semester.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This course allows students to investigate resource scarcity, the energy problem, and alternatives for the future. Emphasis is placed on benefits and costs of environmental preservation and the contribution that the economics discipline makes toward the solution of environmental problems. Selected current problems are integrated throughout the course.

Prerequisite(s): Grade of "C-" or better in ECON 054 Microeconomic Principles or permission of the instructor.

An analysis of labor theory and the labor force including an examination of occupational wage differentials, women in the labor force, investment in human capital, racial discrimination in employment, and the impact of labor unions.

Prerequisite(s): Grade of "C-" or better in ECON 054 Microeconomic Principles or permission of the instructor.

A seminar on the problems of developing nations, using primarily Latin American examples to gain insight into the reasons why poverty persists alongside spectacular affluence. Economic justice is a primary focus. Topics will include the role of gender, transnational corporations, foreign aid, and various proposals to promote change and development, using an interdisciplinary approach.

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing a grade of "C-" or better in ECON 053 Macroeconomic Principles or permission of the instructor.

(Normally offered every other spring semester.)

A course in which selected current topics are studied in depth. The topics could range from local to international economic problems. Extensive use of selected resource materials is required.

Prerequisite(s): Grade of "C-" or better in ECON 054 Microeconomic Principles or permission of the instructor.

The course will investigate American Indian history from the 1790s until the first decades of the early twentieth century, often called the Reservation Era. The course is designed to provide an in-depth analysis of the Reservation experience for American Indians. This is the most popularized period in American Indian history, yet also the most misunderstood and misrepresented in popular culture.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 001 United States History to 1877 or HIST 156 American Indian History, or the permission of the instructor.

A course covering some of the most critical problems facing the world today - those relating to the production, distribution, and use of energy. Text material may be supplemented with films, video tapes, and guest speakers.

Three lectures per week.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

Laboratory experiments associated with PHYS 054 Energy and the Global Environment.
One laboratory per week.

Corequisite(s): PHYS 054 Energy and the Global Environment.

The problems faced by the political systems of the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Specific topics will include their attempts to maintain political stability and resolve such issues as the food and population problems.

Prerequisite(s): POLSC 009 Introduction to International Relations or POLSC 020 Introduction to Comparative Politics and junior standing or permission of the instructor.

An examination of population in its demographic, dynamic, and social aspects. The course also examines the problems associated with the interaction between populations and the environment. Strong cross-cultural emphasis.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This is an advanced level sociology course that uses the basic concepts, theories, and principles of sociology to analyze social inequality and its consequences in society. Emphasis is placed on the American class system and its consequences as they pertain to wealth, poverty, and social mobility. A section of the course will focus on the analysis of global inequality.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 003 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 004 Social Problems.

(Normally offered alternate years.)

This course studies the historical development of social welfare policies, services, and institutions and addresses contemporary policy and service delivery. The social, political, and value systems that create policies are studied. A systems perspective focuses on the relationship between policy, services, and institutions at the local, state, and federal levels. International perspectives on social policy are discussed for comparative purposes. Primary areas of focus are public welfare, aging, and mental health. Policy implementation and change are discussed.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This course deals with Latin American cultures from an anthropological perspective. It will cover 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 a wide range of Native American cultures. It includes an exploration of cultures before contact by European populations and contemporary issues facing both reservation and urban Native American populations.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This course examines selected cultures from Sub-Sahara Africa with careful attention to culture formation before contact with European culture as well as the effects of colonization and the effects of increases in technology.

(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 contemporary European economic community.

(Normally offered alternate years.)

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.

This course, which meets the Nebraska Human Relations Training requirement for teacher certification, focuses on the history, culture, and contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics. In addition, it seeks to sensitize students to dehumanizing biases experienced by groups due to race, ethnicity, gender, social class, religion, exceptionality, sexual orientation, and language background.

Prerequisite(s): Declaration of education major (Elementary Education, Special Education, Middle Grades Education) or a K-12/7-12 Teacher Education Certification program in the Registrar's Office.

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): ENG 001 English Language and Writing and a Masterpieces of Literature course (ENG 101 Masterpieces of Literature, HIST 116 Western Civilization through Literature 1500 - Present, MLANG 134 Masterpieces of European Literature, or THTRE 101 Masterpieces of Dramatic Literature).

This course serves as an introduction to feminist theory and the study of women's experience from biological, social, political, psychological, and historical perspectives. The students will consider images of women in various media compared to the realities of women's lives. Special attention will be given to the differences in women's and men's lives due to race, class, and ethnicity. Field work addresses the problems women confront in U.S. society such as rape, incest, abuse, poverty, and discrimination.

A broad survey of the major themes and issues in African American history from the early slave trade through emancipation to the present. Major topics include the creation of a diverse African American culture, resistance to the dehumanization of slavery, Civil War and Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the movement from Civil Rights to Black Power and contemporary issues such as reparations for slavery.

This course will serve as an overview of American Indian history from precontact to the present. It will explore numerous themes including cultural diversity, initial contact with Europeans, the different styles of interactions (Spanish/English/French), accommodation and dispossession, the American treaty process, concentration, wardship, education, land allotment, termination and relocation, and modern American Indian issues. Utilizing assigned readings, discussion, and some short films, this class will eradicate misconceptions about American Indians and therefore eliminate the roots of discrimination and prejudice against the original Americans.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

A study of chattel slavery in the United States through the words and remembrances of enslaved people from 1600-1877. The course will focus on slave narratives from the Colonial and Antebellum era. Topics include African slavery, the slave trade, slave culture, family life, motherhood, methods of resistance, religion, self-emancipation and the Reconstruction period. The course also explores regional differences between slavery in the urban north, the Chesapeake, the South Carolina low-country and rice country.

This course highlights women's experiences in the American West from precontact to present, and explores topics of myth and stereotypes; women's roles in the home, family and community; and racial, class and ethnic differences in women's experiences.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 001 United States History to 1877 and HIST 002 United States Society and Culture since 1877 or permission of the instructor.

This course introduces students to the major institutions, ethnic communities, and systems of Chicago. Students interact with community organizers, performers, political leaders, and business owners. Students visit neighborhoods, encounter the vast diversity of the city, and experience the connection between world events and urban living.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture Faculty Liaison.

(4 hours - fall or spring semester 3 hours - summer or winter)

Most Americans have some understanding of how the categories of race and gender influence our personal and social identities. Yet many Americans also assume that race and gender are "natural," i.e., that we are born into a certain race and naturally embody a certain sex. In this course, we will examine these assumptions by reading, discussing, and critically assessing the arguments for and against the "naturalness" of race and gender. We will consider how categories of race and gender position us, historically and philosophically, as a person of a certain "type" from whom certain behaviors are expected. We will look at socio-economic conditions and philosophic positions that support or challenge racism, sexism, classism, segregation, and violence.

An exploration of the varieties of contemporary feminist thought. We will examine ideas of convergence among feminist philosophers but also attend to the issues that divide them. Special consideration will be give to race, class, and gender both in terms of the sex/gender distinction and theorists who argue against this distinction. Having established that feminism is not a single, homogeneous system, we will also explore the local, national, and global implications of feminisms for the 21st century.

This course will examine the roles and views of women in religious traditions. Students will encounter scholarship on gender, religion, and feminist theology in different traditions. The primary focus of this course will be on the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, although other traditions and contemporary religious movements may be considered.

Religion in the U.S. is vital and diverse and its study illuminates not only early American society, but also the current pluralism within our contemporary culture. This course will introduce religious traditions in the U.S. through thematic, historical, denominational, and cultural considerations. Though the Puritan roots of U.S. religious history will be considered, this course emphasizes the variety and diversity of religious experiences in the U.S., including Native American, Protestant, Catholic, African-American, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions.

This introductory course presents the basic processes of human interaction in everyday life while introducing students to the theories and methods governing social inquiry. The sociological perspective is used to study the impact of the forces of culture, socialization, social stratification, race, gender, and population on human thoughts and actions.

(Normally offered each semester.)

An analysis of the characteristics and problems of racial and minority groups with special emphasis on the themes of prejudice and discrimination. This course focuses primarily on race relations and minority experiences in the United States.

(Normally offered each semester.)

This course provides an overview of basic concepts related to the inclusive education of differently abled students. A broad understanding of a range of low and high incidence disabilities will be explored. Historical factors, legislation, litigation, service delivery models, and cross-cultural issues are examined in the course. Students will complete a fieldwork experience that will allow them an opportunity to assist kindergarten, elementary, middle school, or junior high special education students for a designated period of time.

An introductory study of theories, models, and key variables of communication within the context of interpersonal relationships. Using primarily an experiential approach, the course covers topics including verbal and nonverbal processes, listening and feedback, communication competence, and goals.

This course will develop competent participation and facilitation of group communication processes. Students will study theories, models, and key variables of communication within groups, and will participate in a variety of group communication activities.

This course introduces students to the basic principles of small group structure and interaction. Topics such as goals, cohesiveness, communication, conflict, and leadership will be investigated.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 003 Introduction to Sociology.

(Normally offered every other year.)

A survey course providing an overall view of the criminal justice system, the law, law enforcement, the courts, and corrections.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)

An introduction to moral philosophy. We will analyze the meanings of moral concepts such as virtue and vice, good and evil, and moral obligation, and consider historical attempts (mostly Western) to determine what, if any, moral system is true. Our aim will be to sustain and strengthen our capacity for the making of moral decisions.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)

An examination of the political role of minorities in U.S. society. The course will focus on the historical evolution of minority rights with emphasis on current debates and controversies. It will also apply political science theories to the relationship between majority and minority communities in the U.S.

This course examines the participation of women in society and politics, and their ability to influence the policy decisions related to the issues of concern to them. The course will take a cross-national perspective, although primary emphasis will be women in Middle Eastern and South Asian societies.

A scientific study of the way in which thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by other people and situational factors. Topics include research methodology, conformity, social cognition, attitudes, persuasion, aggression, prejudice, and interpersonal attraction.

Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychological Science.

A course that emphasizes how the scientific methods and theories of social psychology are used to better understand and solve real-world social issues and problems. The course will include methodological topics such as reliability, validity, establishing causality, and attitude measurement. These methods along with the theoretical content of social psychology will be applied to topics such as persuasion, prejudice, violence, conflict, terrorism, politics, the law, the environment, and health.

Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychological Science and PSYCH 140 Social Psychology, or permission of the instructor.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

By studying the interconnections between social structure, social forces, and societal problems, students learn to apply the sociological perspective to analyze and understand selected social problems in the United States. A primary objective is to show that the social forces which produce institutional arrangements and social problems operate to shape students' own views of those arrangements and problems. Strong emphasis is placed on the relationship between culture and social inequality and the various social problems under study.

(Normally offered each year.)

This course examines the processes of social change from a sociological perspective. In particular, it looks at the origins, dynamics, and consequences of social movements such as the labor movement, civil rights, feminism, gay rights, and the environmental movement. Social movements emphasized vary with instructor.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 003 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 004 Social Problems.

(Normally offered alternate years.)

Survey of the field of professional social work, including the roles, philosophy, values, skills, and knowledge base needed. Areas of practice and career expectations are explained.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)