Peace and Justice Studies

This course explores religious responses to social justice issues such as conflict, poverty, oppression, discrimination, and the environment.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

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.)

This course provides an analysis of the structure-function of law enforcement and the dilemma confronting the police in relation with the community.
Prerequisite(s): CRMJS 1010 Introduction to Criminal Justice.
(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:
Prerequisite(s): First Year Writing.
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 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.

This is a world-history survey designed to introduce students to the sweep of social, political, economic, and cultural changes that took place around the world over the course of the twentieth century. Using primary sources, the course allows students to investigate in-depth themes such as European colonialism, the First and Second World Wars, fascism and its consequences, the transformation of East Asia, the Cold War and its consequences, and new challenges to global stability in the modern era. No P/F.
(Normally offered each spring 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. 

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.

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.

See HIST 4500 Myth and the U.S. West.

A close investigation of the role that myth plays in understanding the history of the TranMississippi West, particularly up to the late 19th century. Students will explore the actual history through primary documents and narrative history.

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.

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 1540 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 1540 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 1530 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 1540 Microeconomic Principles or permission of the instructor.

See HIST 4180 Topics in Indian History.

A study of an American Indian history topic based on the interest of those enrolled and could include topics such as conquest period, Indian Wars, Reservation Era, Indian Civil Rights movement (Red Power), or Sovereignty Issues. Offered as 2 or 4 credits depending on the semester.

A course covering some of the most critical problems facing the world today - those relating to the production, distribution, and use of energy. The basic concepts of heat, work, electricity and energy as they apply to energy use around the world will be studied. The major source of energy, their value and importance, the historical and future demand for energy and the specific environmental problems and benefits encountered will be identified.
Three lectures per week.
Prerequisite(s): One year of high school algebra or permission of instructor.
(Normally offered alternate spring semesters.)

Laboratory experiments associated with PHYS 1200 Energy and the Global Environment.
One laboratory per week.
Corerequisite(s): PHYS 1200 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 1100 Introduction to International Politics and junior standing or permission of the instructor.

See SOC 4370 Social Inequality.

This course explores social stratification, the socially created pattern of unequal distribution of social resources that leads to social inequality. It gives particular attention to social class, but also considers how class intersects with other social categories (such as race/ethnicity and gender) to create even further inequality. It also examines the interconnectedness of social inequality and the primary social institutions of U.S. society. It also explores global social inequality. The requirements of the 4370 course will be the same as the 3370 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number will select additional in-depth readings, writings, and activities that expand on the course materials.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

See SOC 4530 Environment, Food, and You.

This course identifies and explores issues involved in the interacation between humans and the environment. Students are introduced to social impact assessment as a means for identifying the ways resource exploitation leads to both the development and decline of communities. Food production is used to illustrate these impacts because it plays a significant role in community organization, human survival, and environmental resilience. Students enrolled in 4530 complete a semester length experiential field project relevant to the course material.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 2530 Population and Environment.
(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 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 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 development of 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.
(Normally offered each semester.)

This course helps future teachers and coaches recognize and understand biases experienced by groups and individuals due to race, ethnicity, gender, social class, religion, exceptionality, sexual orientation, and language background to help them work effectively with a diverse student or student-athlete population. This course meets the Nebraska Human Relations Training requirement for teacher certification and for the NSAA coaching certification
Pre or Corequisite(s): EDUC 1010 Introduction to Education in the United States or declared Coaching minor, or permission of instructor.
(Normally offered each semester.)

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.

This course provides an overview of key contemporary theories, concepts, issues, and debates in Gender Studies as well as an overview of the historical roots that inform this interdisciplinary area of study. Students will also conceptualize and develop an applied gender-project. While topics may vary by instructor expertise and state of the discipline, currently, focus will be placed upon intersectionality (categories such as gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, citizenship status, social class, caste, ability, and age interlock and work together), transnationalism (no matter one's location or awareness, one is connected to others in different parts of the world) and masculinities (analysis of masculine social formation and feminist masculinities). Students will glean an overview of the field of Gender Studies and its emergence from Women's Studies and advocacy for women's rights. Students will become familiar with key concepts from current gender scholarship. As professors encounter current scholarship they will change the course content to reflect the latest debates in the field. Upon completing the course, students must be able to show that they can conceptualize and complete a substantial project with real-world applications that they can then share with other students.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)

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 includes a service learning component. No P/F.
(Normally offered each fall semester)

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 U.S. 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 help to eliminate the roots of discrimination and prejudice against the original Americans.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)

See HIST 4100 Voices of Slavery.

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 eras. Topics include African slavery, the slave trade, slave culture, family life, motherhood, methods of resistance, religion, self-emancipation and the Reconstruction period. This course also introduces students to basic theoretical approaches to understanding the past through the historiography of slavery. Special emphasis is placed on research methods, resources and the composition of a research essay. This course is designed for majors and students interested in the theories and techniques used by historians to investigate the past through the study of chattel slavery.

See HIST 4550 Women of the American West.

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. [Cross-listed with GEND 3550/GEND 4550 Women of the American West.

4 hours - fall or spring semester
3 hours - summer or winter term
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 term
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.

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.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

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 given 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.
(Normally offered every year.)

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.
(Normally offered every year.)

This course is an introduction to using the sociological perspective as a method of social inquiry. Students explore such basic concepts as culture, socialization, social structure, social interaction, and social change. They study and apply the theories and research methodologies used to investigate human social interaction. These concepts are applied to social topics such as race, class, gender, family, crime, population, environment, and others.
(Normally offered each semester.)

See SOC 2330 Race Relations and Minority Groups.

This course uses sociological perspectives to examine the causes and consequences of a society stratified by racial-ethinic diversity. It looks at the way historical decisions made by the dominant group have impacted the current situation for majority-minority relations in the U.S.A structural assessment of current social relations is emphasized although individual prejudice and discrimination is examined. Concepts such as white-privilege, immigration, and institutional discrimination are investigated. The requirements of the 2330 course are the same as the 1330 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number complete a 20 hour service-learning component which fulfills an experimental learning requirement of the Archway Curriculum.
(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. No P/F.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

Since all social interaction takes place in groups, this course introduces students to the basic principles of small group structure and interaction. Students participate in group activities throughout the semester in order to study and reflect on the way groups function and influence individual behavior and identity. Topics such as goals, cohesiveness, communication, conflict, and leadership are investigated.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 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.)

We are all raised to behave in accordance with some kind of ethical or moral code. It could be a Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist code or even a secular code based on personal freedom and respect. But, the fact remains that we adhere to some kind of moral code, whether reflectively or unreflectively, and bring these deeply inculcated moral beliefs and commitments to bear on any number of decisions we may make throughout our lives. However, these decisions are often the result of mere "knee-jerk" reactions based on our previously held beliefs rather than on a rational principle, criterion or measure. The main purpose of this course is to provide a forum wherein students can examine and scrutinize their own moral commitments, and perhaps make a rational choice as to which moral principles to accept or reject.

Racial politics is one of the most important, contested, and complicated issues in American society today. This course provides an introduction to the topic of minority politics. We will study the way that Black and Latino/a writers and thinkers understand the intersection of race and politics. We will explore the way that race is socially constructed, interrogate concepts of ideology, identity, and intersectionality, and examine the relationship between institutions and racism. At the end of the class, I hope you will have an appreciation for the complexity of racial politics in America. 

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 persepective, 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 1010/PSYCH 1010FYW Introduction to Psychological Science.
Recommended: PSYCH 2100 Psychological Statistics and PSYCH 2110 Research Methods in Psychology
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

See SOC 2120 Social Problems.

This course uses sociological perspectives to emphasize the interconnection between individuals, social structure, social forces, and social problems. Students enlist a sociological focus to study and assess what constitutes a "social problem," what causes a social problem, and how selected social problems are addressed. The requirements of the 2120 course are the same as the 1120 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number complete a 20 hour service-learning component which fulfills an experimental learning requirement of the Archway Curriculum.
(Normally offered once a year.)

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.)