Course Catalog

Course Catalog for DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE STUDIES

ARAB 101

Intensive Elementary Arabic I

Designed to develop fundamental skill in both spoken and written Arabic. Since all linguistic skills cannot be fully developed in 101 alone, stress will be placed on the acquisition of basic grammatical structures, which it will be the function of 102 to develop and reinforce. Students who wish to acquire significant proficiency should therefore plan to take both 101 and 102 in sequence. Four hours of class work, plus one required drill hour per week. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)

1.50 units, Lecture

CHIN 101

Intensive Elementary Chinese I

Designed for students who want to acquire a basic command of Chinese language and culture. Through classroom practice and after-class activities, students will develop basic skills in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Chinese. Heritage learners and students with prior Chinese language study must obtain the permission of the instructor to enroll. (HUM)

1.50 units, Lecture

FREN 101

Elementary French I

Designed to develop a basic ability to read, write, understand, and speak French. Since all linguistic skills cannot be fully developed in 101 alone, stress will be placed on the acquisition of basic structures, which it will be the function of 102 to develop and reinforce. Students who wish to acquire significant proficiency should therefore plan to take both 101 and 102 in sequence. Meets 3 hours a week. Students with three or more years in high school French may not enroll in this course. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 101

Intensive Elementary German I

This is a basic four-skill (understanding, speaking, reading, and writing) course with emphasis on developing facility in reading and speaking German within a cultural and historical context. Students with prior German language study must obtain the permission of the instructor. Students taking this course should plan to take German 102 in order to complete the study of essential vocabulary and grammar and to gain practice in speaking and in reading original texts. (HUM)

1.50 units, Lecture

HEBR 101

Intensive Modern Hebrew I

A comprehensive introduction to the basic vocabulary and grammatical rules of Modern Hebrew will be systematically presented and reviewed. Designed to develop a basic ability to read, write, understand, and speak modern Hebrew, this course will also include exposure to appropriate cultural materials. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (HUM)

1.50 units, Lecture

HISP 101

Elementary Spanish I

This course is designed for students with no previous experience in the language. It focuses on communicative skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Also stresses student participation in skills development. Includes high frequency vocabulary, common phrases, cultural aspects, and basic constructions in the present. Students with 3 or more years of pre-college Spanish study will not be allowed to enroll in this course. Any request for exceptions should be addressed to the coordinator of Hispanic Studies. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 101

Elementary Italian I

Designed to develop a basic ability to read, write, understand, and speak Italian. Since all linguistic skills cannot be fully developed in 101 alone, stress will be placed on the acquisition of basic structures, which it will the function of 102 to develop and reinforce. Students who wish to acquire significant proficiency should therefore plan to take 101 and 102 in sequence. Other than beginning students must have permission of instructor to enroll. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 101

Intensive Elementary Japanese I

Designed to develop fundamental skill in both spoken and written modern Japanese. About 200 characters will be learned. Since all linguistic skills cannot be fully developed in 101 alone, stress will be placed on the acquisition of basic structures, which it will be the function of 102 to develop and reinforce. Students who wish to acquire significant proficiency should therefore plan to take both 101 and 102 in sequence. Four hours of classwork, plus one required drill hour. Students with prior background in Japanese must have the permission of the instructor. (Also offered under the Asian studies program.) (HUM)

1.50 units, Lecture

LING 101

Introduction to Linguistics

A general introduction to the study of language. First we will study the fundamental components of language (sounds, words, sentences). We will then examine the crucial question of how words and sentences manage to mean anything. The latter part of the course will be devoted to theoretical approaches to the nature of language, to how and why languages change over time, and to the ways language determines and reflects the structures of society. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 101

Elementary Russian I

This course for beginners emphasizes active command of Russian through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. A web component enhances knowledge of the living language and illustrates cultural differences. This class meets three hours a week and carries one credit. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

ARAB 102

Intensive Elementary Arabic II

Designed to develop basic language skills learned in Arabic 101. Four hours of class work, plus one required drill hour per week. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 101 or equivalent.

1.50 units, Lecture

CHIN 102

Intensive Elementary Chinese II

Continuation of Chinese 101, with increased emphasis on spoken and written Chinese. Students will learn 200 additional characters and more complex grammar structures. By the end of the semester, students are expected to read and write sentences and simple passages, and to perform basic communicative functions using sentences in face-to-face social interactions. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 101 or equivalent.

1.50 units, Lecture

FREN 102

Elementary French II

Continuation of 101, emphasizing oral practice, consolidation of basic grammar skills, compositions and reading comprehension. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 101 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 102

Intensive Elementary German II

Continuation of German 101, with completion of the study of essential grammar, further vocabulary building through oral and written practice, practice in reading, and discussions of cultural contexts. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 101 or equivalent.

1.50 units, Lecture

HEBR 102

Intensive Modern Hebrew II

A continuation of Hebrew 101 with emphasis on increasing vocabulary, understanding, writing and speaking skills with widening exposure to appropriate cultural materials. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hebrew 101 or equivalent.

1.50 units, Lecture

HISP 102

Elementary Spanish II

Continuation of Hispanic Studies 101. This course is designed for students with 1-2 years of high school experience in the language. It focuses on communicative skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Also stresses student participation in skills development Includes high frequency vocabulary, common phrases, cultural aspects, and basic constructions in the past. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic 101 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 102

Elementary Italian II

Continuation of 101, emphasizing oral practice, consolidation of basic grammar skills, compositions and reading comprehension. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Italian 101 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 102

Intensive Elementary Japanese II

Continuation of Japanese 101, with increased emphasis on conversational practice. An additional 120 characters will be learned. Students are expected to master most of the spoken patterns by the end of the semester. Four hours of class work, plus one required drill hour. (Also offered under the Asian studies program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: Japanese 101 or equivalent.

1.50 units, Lecture

RUSS 102

Elementary Russian II

A continuation of Russian 101. Students increase their speaking, reading and writing ability through vocabulary building and learning further grammar structures. This class meets three hours a week and carries one credit. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 101 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 103

Intensive Beginning Spanish

Designed to develop a basic ability to read, write, understand, and speak Spanish. Stress will be placed on the acquisition of basic structures, narrating in the present, past, and future, vocabulary acquisition, introduction to the subjunctive. Acquiring familiarity with the geography and culture of the Spanish-speaking world will also be emphasized. Generally for students with minimal or no previous experience studying Spanish. This intensive course combines covers the material from both HISP 101 and 102. Students who have completed HISP 101 or 102, or the equivalent, are not eligible for this course. Any request for exceptions should be addressed to the coordinator of Hispanic Studies (GLB2)

2.00 units, Lecture

FREN 151

French Film Festival

A half-credit course offered in conjunction with the annual spring French Film Festival. Class meetings and film screenings will take place in March and April. Two mandatory workshops will take place prior to and following the festival at a time to be announced. Students are required to attend all film showings. Students taking the course for credit in French will be required to do all written work in French and to attend French language versions of the two supplemental workshops. Course may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. (HUM)

0.50 units, Lecture

ARAB 201

Intermediate Arabic I

Continuation of Arabic 102, with an introduction to Arabic composition as well as further grammatical study and conversation practice. Required lab work. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 201

Intermediate Chinese I

This course emphasizes the continued development of skill in spoken and written Mandarin. Students will read more advanced texts, practice conversation, and be introduced to additional characters. In order to secure maximum proficiency, students should plan to take both 201 and 202 in sequence. Three hours of class work.(Also listed the Asian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

FREN 201

Intermediate French I

Review of basic grammatical concepts and development of fundamental language skills, with increasing emphasis on written expression and spoken accuracy. Use is made of video-based presentations. Since significant linguistic progress cannot be achieved in 201 alone, students wishing to acquire proficiency should plan to take both 201 and 202 in sequence. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 201

Intermediate German I

This course will aim for intermediate-level proficiency in understanding, speaking, and writing contemporary idiomatic German with emphasis on conversation. Essential grammar review, exercises, and oral reports will be based on the reading and discussion of such materials as edited TV broadcasts, letter-writing, and short essays. Since significant linguistic progress cannot be achieved in 201 alone, students wishing to acquire proficiency should plan to take both 201 and 202 in sequence. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HEBR 201

Intermediate Modern Hebrew I

This course continues the development of skills in conversation, composition, and reading. Advanced grammar and syntax are introduced, as well as expanded readings from Israeli newspapers and literature. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hebrew 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 201

Intermediate Spanish I

Continuation of Hispanic Studies 102. This course is designed for students with 2-3 years of high school experience in the language. It focuses on communicative skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Also stresses student participation in skills development. Includes high frequency vocabulary, common phrases, cultural aspects, and intermediate constructions in the past and subjunctive. Students will work with written texts and other media materials, and produce a variety of written and oral work. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 201

Intermediate Italian I: Conversation and Composition

A review of basic grammar learned in the first-year intensive Italian courses (101 and 102) is integrated with oral and writing practice on topics intended to introduce students to contemporary Italian culture. There will be readings of short stories, newspaper, and magazine articles, viewings of film and video presentations, and weekly compositions and other writing assignments. In order to achieve competence in Italian, students should plan to take 201 and 202 in sequence. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Italian 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 201

Intermediate Japanese I

This course emphasizes the continued development of skill in spoken and written Japanese. Students will acquire more advanced vocabulary, patterns, and characters, practice speaking and listening through audio/video materials, and have more exposure to cultural content. To achieve higher proficiency, students should plan to take 201 and 202 in sequence. (Also offered under the Asian Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: Japanese 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 201

Intermediate Russian I

In this course students will gain intermediate proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Russian. They will learn how to express themselves in Russian through regular conversation practice on topics such as the world of Russian emotions, love and marriage, music and entertainment, and other practical subjects. They will read real Russian literary texts and learn to write about their thoughts and opinions. They will learn about Russian culture by direct experience, including working with the Russian Internet. Students who take this and the next course in the series, Russian 202, will be ready to go on a study abroad program in Russia. Conducted in Russian. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 102 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ARAB 202

Intermediate Arabic II

Continuation of Arabic 201, leading to a completion of essential basic grammatical constructions as well as further conversational practice. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 202

Intermediate Chinese II

Continuation of Chinese 201, with further emphasis on written and spoken development of the current idiom. Three hours of class work. (Also listed under the Asian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

FREN 202

Intermediate French II

Further reinforcement of written and spoken skills, with continuing practice in the use of complex grammatical structures and greater emphasis on the mastery of contemporary usage through extensive class discussion, reading, and writing. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 201 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 202

Intermediate German II

Continuation of German 201, with the addition of expository material on German life and culture for discussion and writing practice. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HEBR 202

Intermediate Modern Hebrew II

A continuation of Hebrew 201 with more advanced grammar and increased emphasis on composition and speaking as well as exposure to appropriate cultural materials. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hebrew 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 202

Intermediate Spanish II

Continuation of Hispanic Studies 201. This course is designed for students with 3-4 years of high school experience in the language. It focuses on communicative skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Also stresses student participation in skills development Includes high frequency vocabulary, common phrases, cultural aspects, and intermediate to advanced constructions in the past, subjunctive, future and hypothetical. Students will work with written texts and other media materials, and produce a variety of written and oral work. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 202

Intermediate Italian II: Composition and Literature

The review of grammar begun in Italian 201 will be completed in this course. Students’ oral and writing skills will be enhanced by further exploration of aspects of Italian culture, through a variety of texts and media. While emphasizing students’ communication skills, this course aims to provide them with the basis for linguistic competence in Italian. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Italian 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 202

Intermediate Japanese II

Continuation of Japanese 201, with further emphasis on written and spoken development of the current idiom. Three hours of class work. (Also offered under the Asian studies program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: Japanese 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 202

Intermediate Russian II

A continuation of Russian 201 in which students will develop a proficiency in Russian that will be adequate for most practical purposes. They will continue to develop their ability to converse on topics such as computers and work, dating, talking about nature, and others. They will start reading and discussing more complex literary and journalistic texts, including works by classic Russian authors. Regular writing assignments will help reinforce what they are learning. Students will continue their examination of the many sides of Russian culture, including Russian etiquette, gesture, music, television, film, etc. Successful completion of this course gives students the Russian they need in order to go to Russia for work or study. Conducted in Russian. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 201 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 203

Italian Design and Culture in a Global Perspective

This course examines the development of Italian design from antiquity to the present in a global and transnational perspective. From Roman aqueducts to the FIAT Cinquecento, from Renaissance gardens and the Italian countryside to the Bialetti coffee maker and other popular products of Italian industrial design, Italy has had an indelible impact on modern and contemporary design cultures throughout the world. Design involves more than 'form' and 'function' and aesthetics. Design also reflects how we engage with our social and physical environment. By studying the history and culture of Italian design in a global perspective moreover, we will also learn more about our own design preferences and sensibility, and how these help shape our identity. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 203

Kanji, Script, and Calligraphy

This course offers a guide to the Japanese script system (kana and kanji) for intermediate-level students and beyond. We will mainly focus on kanji and consider their history, orthography, and analysis, but students will also consider kanji-learning strategies and commit to learning a particular set of kanji over the course of the semester. In a few classes we will study chirography and calligraphy by practicing them. Students are expected to review kanji they have learned while learning new kanji. The course work includes reading articles about Japanese aesthetics and calligraphy. The course is thus intended to support and supplement Intermediate and Advanced Japanese classes. As a supplementary course, this course does not fulfill any Japanese major or minor requirements. This course is repeatable for credit. (HUM)
Prerequisite: Japanese 101 and 102

0.50 units, Seminar

LACS 203

Italian Design and Culture in a Global Perspective

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 204

Extensive Reading in Japanese

This course will help students develop skills and habits that are necessary to read regularly and extensively, for content and enjoyment, in Japanese. Students will choose their own texts according to their language level. They are encouraged to read different genres (poems, picture books, fantasies, biographies, histories, comic books, etc.) and are required to increase the length and complexity of their reading materials. By the end of the semester, students are also expected to develop a reading plan that continues into the following winter or summer break. The course is thus intended to support and supplement Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Japanese classes. As a supplementary course, this course does not fulfill any Japanese major or minor requirements and is repeatable for credit. (HUM)
Prerequisite: Japanese 201 or equivalent.

0.50 units, Seminar

LACS 205

TA Workshop

The TA workshop supports all TAs assisting professors in LACS language courses. Students will be introduced to the profession of language teaching; they will gain familiarity with professional organizations; and they will learn basic principles and best practices of second-language teaching based on the latest research in the field. Students will engage in class observations in focused units that build on workshop readings. Students will reflect on their observations and will create sample activities for their students based on the examples provided. The workshop, conducted in English, meets once weekly and is required to earn 1.0 credits as a TA in LACS. A student's final grade for a TA credit combines the workshop (.5 TUs) and their work assisting a LACS class (.5 TUs). (HUM)

0.50 units, Seminar

LACS 206

Latin American and Latinx Sound Cultures

This class explores how sound is made, used, and heard across the territories now known as Latin America and its diaspora. Through a survey of musical genres, soundscapes, and media expressions, we will examine the ways in which sound contributes to the formation and disruption of national identities since the early aughts of the 20th century to the present. Students will learn how to think critically through sound, as we make connections between sonic markers and political, historical, social, and economic turmoil in Latin America and beyond. In addition, students will have the option of choosing a creative final project to showcase what they have learned. The class will be taught entirely in English, although we will engage with products in various languages. (HUM)

0.50 units, Seminar

RUSS 210

Advanced Russian Conversation

This course will provide training in Russian oral communication and self-expression. Students will lead and participate in class discussions and debates, prepare oral reports, as well as listen to and watch Russian radio and television broadcasts. All work will be oral. The topics of conversations will include family problems and divorce, elections in the U.S. and in Russia, youth music and fashion in Russia, environmental issues, Russian beliefs in the world beyond (UFOs, ESP, etc.) and other current issues. By the end of the course, students will be able to converse in Russian on an advanced level on the ACTFL scale. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) Note: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 212

Border Lives

We live in a bordered world. While some national borders may seem invisible, allowing for easy crossing, others are heavily guarded-stern markers of state sovereignty and protectionism. In this course we will examine the broad political and cultural implications of borders, from the 20th century into the present. Our main focus will be on the lived experience of-and on-the border, with special attention given to transnational travel, migration (increasingly climate related), exile, and the unique cultures that emerge in borderlands. Aside from reading essential texts within the field of Border Studies, we will explore several novels, short stories and films from different parts of the world-from the Berlin Wall to the US-Mexico Border (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 215

Creative Writing in Spanish

This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of writing short fiction in Spanish. Students will examine methods of constructing narrative tension, fictional climaxes, ambiguity, character sketches, portrayals of social class, different kinds of autobiographies, dialogues, monologues, and landscape, interior and object descriptions. This course will enhance students' knowledge of Spanish language by focusing on the writing skills necessary to do so. Students will be encouraged to develop a personal style. They will be introduced to different fictional styles and will analyze vocabulary and narrative techniques of masters of the short fiction such as Ribeyro, Lispector, Borges, Cervantes or Valle-Inclán among others. Students will share and comment on each other's work in workshops and will be required to produce a final short fiction piece. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 215

Reading the Climate: From Literature to Action

In this course we will read major works of contemporary environmental literature that center on the changing climate in the Anthropocene and explore the consequences of global warming: for humanity and the planet as a whole. The novels, short stories and essays-sometimes referred to as "eco-fiction"-are selected from across the globe, and we will read them as literature as well as calls for action to combat the problem that is bound to define the 21st century. We will consider the science behind the stories and examine their social, political and ethical dimensions. The questions that will stay with us throughout are: how to respond meaningfully to the urgency of climate change; and how to turn our reading into action. (HUMW)

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 215

Topics in Russian Grammar

A review and a deepening of the basics of Russian grammar for students of all levels of Russian. Topics will include: the cases, the single-stem verb system, verbs of motion, participles and verbal adverbs as well as other topics that need review. The forms will be reinforced through conversation in class and written home exercises. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 216

Realism(s)

Realism is a term that is often loosely used to describe art, politics, and worldviews Considering realisms in the German context and beyond, this course will explore the dominant cultural, philosophical, and political modes of realism from the nineteenth century to the present. Beginning with the rise of the European middle classes in the nineteenth century, this course will investigate the origins of realism and its various expressions in the forms of literature, art, thought, and Realpolitik. Other topics of interest will include, but are not limited to, the challenges to realism via modernism, socialist realism of the Cold War, as well as contemporary debates concerning realism, such as tensions of fact and fiction with reality television. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 216

Realism(s)

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 217

Critical Legacies of the European Enlightenment

As a movement, the European Enlightenment was ostensibly dedicated to an eradication of sectarianism in all forms, the valorization of science and the advancement of universal human rights. The legacy of these aims is much more complicated (as in the colonialist impulse, for example) and can be traced back to the very way in which these ideals were conceived- philosophically, politically and culturally. This course will proceed in a culturally comparative and interdisciplinary way, in order to track the origins of the European Enlightenment (Rousseau, Diderot, Hume, Kant) along with its early critics (Mendelssohn, Hamann) into the modern era. The course will draw on guest lectures from various disciplines, such as Philosophy, History, French Studies and American Studies. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 217

Critical Legacies of the European Enlightenment

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 218

The Task of the Translator

Translation is one of the most critical skills for navigating our globalized world. Whether we are reading news stories from across the globe, watching Netflix shows from other languages and cultures, or studying abroad, we confront situations in which translation matters. In this course, students will develop practical skills in the art of translation, while also studying some of the crucial theories and questions that inform the field of Translation Studies. From infamous translation controversies to contemporary debates around translation and identity, our readings and discussions will analyze the political, ethical, and cultural stakes of translating. Given the practical component of the course, in which students workshop their own translations-in-progress, an intermediate-level knowledge of any language besides English is required (completion of 202 level or equivalent). (HUM)
Completion of a 202 language course or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HEBR 220

Modern Israeli Literature and Jewish Heritage

Artists, and especially writers and poets, are the seismographs and mirrors of society, anticipating and reflecting its many forces and movements. During the past two hundred years Jewish life has been profoundly affected by such forces and movements as emancipation, the Enlightenment, assimilation, Zionism, and the Holocaust. A primary focus of modern Israeli writers is the birth of the State of Israel and its ongoing struggles, internally as well as with its Arab neighbors. One of the main ways Hebrew literature captures these significant changes is through the use of biblical themes, images and archetypes which resonate through the generations. This course will examine the ways in which modern Hebrew literature enriches and brings deeper understanding of collective Jewish experiences and detects and shapes the reality of modern Israel. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 220

Modern Israeli Literature and Jewish Heritage

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 221

Advanced Grammar and Composition

Emphasis on composition work in conjunction with a review of grammar, especially of the more difficult and subtle aspects, together with a consideration of stylistics. The writings of selected modern Hispanic authors will serve as models. Generally for students with 5+ years or equivalent of high school Spanish. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 221

Afro-European Feminisms

This course looks at the social movements and cultural production of women and gender minorities with Afro-European identities, with an emphasis on the diasporas of North and West Africa. In addition to critical works, readings may include fiction by Léonora Miano, May Ayim, and Assia Djebar, documentaries by Amandine Gay and Dagmar Schultz, and various podcasts and interviews. Key topics will include the relationship between anticolonial struggles and contemporary activism, colonial stereotypes, the influence of US-based black feminist thought on European black feminisms, debates in feminist historiography, and cultural constructions of gender and race. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 222

Women's Contemporary Writing in the Arab World

An exploration of feminist texts, literary texts, and popular fiction. Topics may include: the role of women's writing from the nineteenth century to the present in public life; women's writing in social and political movements such as the Arab Spring; the intersectionality of class, race, gender, and nation in Arabic literature; and the unique challenges faced by Arab women writers. Course conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Arabic is required. (GLB2)

0.50 units, Seminar

HISP 222

Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

An introductory language course designed for students with any prior knowledge of a Romance Language (Spanish, Italian, French, Catalan). Along with the fundamental communication skills—understanding, speaking, reading and writing—the course will focus on those features of Portuguese that are most difficult for Romance Languages speakers: pronunciation, idioms and grammatical structures particular to Portuguese. Students will be introduced to the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world through readings and authentic materials, including films, music and videotapes. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: the equivalent of two semesters of study of any Romance Language (Spanish, French, Italian, Catalan)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 222

Women's Contemporary Writing in the Arab World

0.50 units, Seminar

PORT 222

Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 223

Germany Then, Germany Now: Intro to German Studies

This course is designed as a survey of the most important turning points in German history and in the field of German Studies. This course will take an interdisciplinary look at the German speaking world and its people, culture, politics, and society from the Middle Ages, Thirty Years War, German Unification, WWI and WWII, the Cold War, Reunification up to the present. Questions of gender, race, identity, trauma, guilt, and memory will be explored in depth. The course work will include close readings of literary, philosophical and historical texts, films, music, art and more in order to gain a deeper knowledge of German history, and a deeper understanding of Germany as it exists today. (GLB1)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 223

Germany Then, Germany Now: Intro to German Studies

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 224

Women's Contemporary Writing in the Arab World

0.50 units, Seminar

HISP 224

Spanish for Heritage Students

A comprehensive course for bilingual students who demonstrate spoken ability in Spanish but whose formal education has been in English. The course will cover all basic language skills while targeting the particular needs of bilingual students, including accentuation, homonyms, and usage of complex sentence structure. Special emphasis will be placed on reading and writing. Permission of the instructor is required. Prepares students for Hispanic Studies 221 or more advanced Hispanic studies course. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 224

Women's Contemporary Writing in the Arab World

0.50 units, Seminar

HISP 226

Iberian and Latin American Film and Conversation

In this course students will analyze landmarks of Spanish/Latin American cinema in terms of social, historical, and cultural questions they raise, as well as in terms of ideological, aesthetic, and cinematographic movements to which they belong. The discussion of films will be conducted in Spanish and will provide an academic forum for the exchange of ideas, interpretations, and critique. Heritage speakers, students who have studied in a Spanish speaking country, or students who have taken a course at a higher level (Hispanic Studies 261 or above) are not eligible to enroll. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ARAB 227

Re-imagining Arabs in Film & Literature

This course explores contemporary Arab societies through cinematic and literary lenses in order to examine how the Arab Middle East has been represented in the west. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course investigates how 20th and 21st century visual and literary productions construct and perpetuate an often problematic version of Arab cultural identity. By studying films, novels, short stories, and biographies, students will explore how distinct histories, traditions, and politics are significant factors in reading and analyzing the process of stereotyping. Course conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Arabic is required. Note: students who took this class in J-term 2023 are ineligible to take the course again. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 227

Re-imagining Arabs in Film & Literature

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 228

Arab Publics Through Visual Culture

The course provides a window into Arab public spheres before and after the Arab spring and illuminates how language and culture are interrelated in the Arab Middle East. It explores the diversity of human experience by examining various literary, cultural and political productions, and in particular work by and about youth and women. Students will study a rich tapestry of textual, visual, and oral materials including novels, poetry, (social) media, blogs, music, films and graffiti art. Through these different genres, students will explore themes such as postcolonial legacies, political struggle and nationalism, Arab encounters with the West, and gender and the quest for identity. Course conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Arabic is required. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 228

Italian Language and Society

This course will examine the relationship between language and society in contemporary Italy and in countries with high levels of Italian migration, while also developing students’ linguistic skills. Topics include: geographical, class, and generational differences in language, the effects of mass media on language, and the Italian of immigrants to the United States. As part of their coursework, students will conduct interviews with Italian Americans in the Hartford area. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Italian 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 228

Arab Publics Through Visual Culture

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 229

Desert Fantasies

Deserts comprise approximately one-third of the Earth's surface and take shape in enormous scorching and freezing lands. This courses proposes a study of Latin American literary traditions through an analysis of deserts like Sonora, Patagonia, Atacama, and Antarctica. We will explore images of these particular territories in connection to urgent themes such as global warming, waste, migration, and the effects of feverish developmentalism, always trying to answer a key question: how can humans inhabit the inhospitable? By connecting foreign cultural traditions with contemporary issues very relevant to our planet today, this course hopes to engage with discourses of ecocriticism, visual culture, literary studies, and intellectual history. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 229

Desert Fantasies

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 230

Japanese Ukiyo-e and Manga

This course examines how Japanese manga was formed and developed from ukiyo-e paintings while receiving and giving influences from/to various art forms in foreign countries. Starting with the Japanese old scrolls and ukiyo-e paintings in the Edo period, students will learn about important Japanese ukiyo-e and manga artists and their works. Students are required to think about how manga, as a subcultural form, responds to the "mainstream" society of Japan and elsewhere and what messages they send to the reading public. While learning the history of manga, students will also analyze specific aspects of some Japanese manga works. Course work includes short responses, small quizzes, final projects, and occasional practice of drawing manga characters. (GLB1)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 230

Japanese Ukiyo-e and Manga

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 233

The Godfather: The Art of Hard Choices

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II films are narrative masterpieces that provide many insights into the interplay of character and culture in decision-making in high-stakes situations outside the law. We will interpret the films as illustrations of strategic interaction in stylized mafia settings. We will focus on the psychology of motivations: rationality, interest, emotion, justice, and the mafia’s code of honor (vendetta, omertà, and gender norms). And we will discuss narrative techniques and the relationship between art and life (fiction and reality). (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 233

Digital Italy

This course is a unique opportunity to travel to Italy, learn Italian, enjoy a future-facing experience in the digital world and enrich the professional and educational résumé. Exploring the intersection between arts, humanities, and technology in one of Europe's leading technological hubs – H-Farm – students will learn about the numerous opportunities offered by the digital creative economy. H-Farm is a startup incubator within a historical estate located on the Venetian lagoon. Since 2005 the company has grown to become an international team contributing to the development of almost 100 companies in the digital field. Today H-Farm assists Italian businesses in the process of digital transformation and offers a comprehensive range of innovative educational programs in the fields of art, design, and technology, from kindergarten to postgraduate studies. (HUM)

0.50 units, Seminar

LING 233

Phonetics

This course will examine speech production from the perspectives of articulation (how sounds are formed) and acoustics (waveforms and spectrographs of spoken words). Topics will include airstream mechanisms and the articulation of sounds in the world’s languages, suprasegmental features (stress, tone, rhythm, pitch, intonation, etc.), phonation types, typological approaches to sound systems, and the use of phonetic analysis in research in phonology. Particular attention will be given to developing skills in phonetic transcription using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). We will study and learn to produce all the sounds in all the world’s languages. (GLB5)

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 234

Consuming Spaces : a Cultural History of Parisian Stores and Markets

Described as "the City of Light," Paris is also hailed as the capital of luxury boutiques and prestigious fashionable shopping streets. Students will explore the urban, architectural, social and ideological development of commercial practices in the French capital through the reading of articles, literary texts, and films. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 234

Writing across Borders: Japanese American and Japanese Authors

This course introduces works by Japanese American authors and Japanese authors who write while living in foreign countries. Learning about the early formation of the Japan-U.S. relationship, we will move onto the dark period between the two countries before and during WWII to contextualize Japanese American works about internment camps. To learn how Japanese American literature has developed in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, we will continue to read recent Japanese American works that are hinged upon the theme of cultural borders and differences. We will examine the dynamics of different cultural and linguistic experiences also in Japanese literary works by Yoko Tawada and Ian Hideo Levy. Readings also include works by John Okada, Hisaye Yamamoto, Julie Otsuka, Karen Tei Yamashita, and Ruth Ozeki. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 234

Consuming Spaces : a Cultural History of Parisian Stores and Markets

1.00 units, Seminar

LING 234

Morphology

This course examines how words are put together. We will learn about affixes, reduplication, and other ways words change in order to change their meaning. Special attention will be paid to the difference between inflection and derivation, how morphology relates to phonology and syntax, compound words and headedness, productivity, paradigms, morphological theory, and morphological history. At the end of the course we will use what we know to analyze the morphology of Hawaiian, Finnish, Russian, and the North Atlantic (West African) languages. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 235

Writing across Borders: Japanese American and Japanese Authors

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 236

Japanese Crime Literature and Film

This course examines major works of Japanese crime literature and film from the works of Edogawa Rampo, known as the father of crime fiction in Japan, to those of contemporary writers to explore social and moral issues reflected in them. While Japanese writers and filmmakers of this genre readily acknowledge Western influences, the literary and cinematic explorations of crime in Japan have also developed ona trajectory of their own, producing works that are easily distinguishable from those of other cultures. The course will also consider the mixing of the crime genre with others, such as ghost and science fiction genres. Works studied in this course include those of Edogawa Rampo, Akira Kurosawa, Miyuki Miyabe, Seicho Matsumoto, and Kobo Abe, as well as yakuza movies. Readings and discussion in English. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 236

Japanese Crime Literature and Film

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 237

20th-Century Chinese Literature

This course is a survey of twentieth-century Chinese literature and films. It focuses on the literature, cinema, and essays of three periods in the Chinese 20th century: 1918 ~ 1949; 1949 ~ 1976; since 1976. We read works of Chinese writers such as Lu Xun, Yu Dafu, Zhang Ailing, Mao Dun, ShenCongwen, Yu Hua, Su Tong, etc., and watch selected films of significant cultural and historical meanings. Students are introduced to various essential issues of twentieth-century Chinese cultural modernity and are encouraged to explore in the Chinese context the key tensions between tradition and modernity, native and foreign, and nationalism and cosmopolitanism. (GLB)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 237

20th-Century Chinese Literature

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 238

Japanese Animation Films and Short Stories

In this course, students will engage critically with the Japanese culture. Through animation films directed by Miyazaki Hayao, Kon Satoshi, and others, and modern Japanese short stories, we will examine the ideas of "basic" and perhaps "typical" Japanese cultural aspects and elements, as defined in Roger J. Davies and Osamu Ikeno's The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture. Students are expected to think about these aspects and elements, watching animation films and reading short stories. Most importantly, however, students are required to analyze the Japanese works from a critical perspective and to write "argumentative essays" on them. By close-reading the texts (both films and literary works), students will develop sensitivities toward what flows underneath cultural representations The coursework includes multiple drafts of term papers. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 238

Japanese Animation Films and Short Stories

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 240

Turbulent Tropics. Brazil and Portuguese Language

This course is an introduction to the languages and literatures of the Lusophone world Weekly discussions will focus on literary and filmic production from Brazil but will also include other Portuguese-speaking regions of the globe such as Portugal, Macau, Mozambique, Angola, East Timor, and Cape Verde. Half of the class will be language-instruction, both addressed to beginners and advanced students of the language. Readings will be in Spanish and Portuguese. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PORT 240

Turbulent Tropics. Brazil and Portuguese Language

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 241

Advanced Composition and Style

Development of a high level of proficiency through the reading and analysis of texts and films in contemporary idiomatic French, with considerable emphasis on attainment of grammatical accuracy. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 202 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 241

Cultural Ecologies: Nature, Coloniality, and Environmentalism

This course explores ecological discourses and cultural representations of nature across diverse Latin American/Latinx geographies through various cultural archives (literature, films, photographs, podcasts). Understanding ecologies as spaces of cultural formation, this course deeply engages with topics on environmental humanities such as Extractivism, Capitalism, Environmentalism, and Colonialism. Through an analysis of the political agendas of environmental activists, as well as indigenous and non-indigenous social movements, this course aims to identify how our cultural identities index specific ecologies. The readings, discussions, and compositions that make up this course will help participants to identify how discursive ecologies inform current interpretations of environmentalism and climate crisis. (HUM)

0.50 units, Seminar

LACS 241

Cultural Ecologies: Nature, Coloniality, and Environmentalism

0.50 units, Seminar

FREN 244

France and "Frenchness" in Pop Culture

This course is an exploration of France's culture through contemporary trends and their representation in mass media. In this class, we will reflect on a variety of topics (the #metoo movement, the climate crisis, the 2022 presidential election, debates around racism, secularism, and color blindness in France, etc.) by examining a wide array of popular media (documentary, comic books, music, tv shows, podcasts, cyberculture, and advertisements). Students will investigate the concept of "Frenchness" and explore how France's national identity is constantly shaped, challenged, and redefined in mass culture. The course will be conducted in French and requires successful completion of FREN 241. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 245

Latin American Film

In this course students will analyze landmarks of Latin American cinema in terms of social, historical, and cultural questions they raise, as well as in terms of ideological, aesthetic, and cinematographic movements to which they belong. The discussion of films will be conducted in English and will provide an academic forum for the exchange of ideas, interpretations, and critique. Students who wish to receive credit towards a Hispanic Studies major must complete all written work in Spanish. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 245

Latin American Film

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 247

Race and Empire

What does it mean to study an imperial language in a time of unfinished decolonization? What role have literature, cinema, and the arts played in anti-imperial struggles and liberation movements across the French-speaking world? How is the emergence of French as a global language related to France's status as a (neo-)colonial power? This course focuses on decolonial approaches to the French-language literatures and cultures of Africa and the Caribbean as well as their diasporas. It provides an introduction to the long, ongoing histories of French slavery, colonization, and their afterlives. Through literary texts, film, works of art, and historical documents, students will grapple with unresolved questions related to historical memory, colonial violence, and reparations. Course conducted in French. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 247

Otherness in Italian Cinema

From its beginnings in the early 20th C to the present, Italian Cinema has represented the social and cultural identity of the 'other' and 'otherness', that is, racial, ethnic, and sexual diversity. This course will study the representation of the different kinds of diversity in Italian film, from Neorealism to recent Italian cinema. We will examine films that deal with immigration and the current refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, but also with LGBT culture and other human rights, as well as with Italians' attitudes toward diverse groups and cultures. How does Italian film historically reflect the 'other' in Italian culture and how is film being shaped by diversity? Films include: "Paisà" (Rossellini, 1946), "Una giornata particolare" (Scola, 1977), "Mine vaganti" (Ozpetek, 2010), "Terraferma" (Crialese, 2011). (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 247

Otherness in Italian Cinema

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 248

Revolts and Revolutions

This course explores social, cultural, intellectual, and political uprisings in the francophone world. How are these moments and movements remembered or commemorated? What role does art, literature, and culture play in portraying these struggles and their legacies? This course will explore such questions by putting literature and film in conversation with the socio-political contexts that they represent and out of which they emerge. Possible historical periods and topics include: slave rebellions, the Haitian Revolution, the French revolutions of 1789 and the long nineteenth century (1830, 1848, 1871), student and worker revolts of May 1968, the Algerian Revolution, and the so-called "Arab Spring." Course conducted in French. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 249

Multi-cultural Cities of the Mediterranean

In today's Europe, states generally seek to engender the highest possible degree of cultural and linguistic uniformity within their borders. Many people thus presume that these societies have always been organized upon this principle. However, the history of the Mediterranean basin tells a very different story. There, until quite recently, the cultures of important cities like Trieste, Barcelona, Istanbul, Alexandria, Tunis, Thessaloniki, Gibraltar and Livorno were characterized by a profoundly multicultural and multilingual ethos. In this class, we will study the histories of these “polyglot cities” and retrace the ethnic and commercial networks that often bound them together. We will also explore the forces that eventually undermined their long-standing diversity and webs of interconnectedness in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 202 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 249

Multi-cultural Cities of the Mediterranean

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 251

Language and Identity

This course explores language's dynamic and multifaceted connections to social practices and power relations through literary texts, linguistic research, press articles, and other forms of cultural production in French. In what ways does language facilitate self-expression and interpersonal communication or, conversely, limit and restrict meaning? How have different individuals and groups responded to such constraints? Possible topics will include current and historical developments in French, tensions between national and regional languages (both in and outside of Europe), expressions of gender inclusivity, and language's relationship to power structures and institutions. Course conducted in French. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 251

Spain and the Art of the Journey

Is there a difference between a tour and a journey? Or between a hike and a pilgrimage? Many people believe so, and that the difference lies in the traveler’s openness to internal transformations. Spain has long been a land of travelers that, in more recent times, has also become a magnet for visitors from around world. Why has it inspired so many people go “on the move”? In this class, we will explore this rich history of comings and goings, and the ways filmmakers and writers have portrayed the mysteries of travel over time, with an eye toward helping our internal sojourner challenge the often facile “truths” of its neighbor the tourist. Taught in English (HISP credit available if written work done in Spanish). (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 251

Spain and the Art of the Journey

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 252

Creative Writing in French

This course will help students develop their creative writing skills in French. Through close analysis of francophone texts from a variety of time periods, geographical regions, and genres, students will hone critical reading skills with an eye towards applying techniques and styles to their own imaginative writing. How does one construct a short story, a poem, or an autobiographical text? What are different narrative choices that you, as a writer, can make to build dramatic tension, develop characters, and construct dialogues? Students will have the opportunity to workshop their writing in class, provide constructive feedback to peers, and build a portfolio of creative materials in French. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 252

Archive Fevers

Why do we keep some things and throw away others? How do museums, libraries, or Netflix lists organize our artistic categories? How does our social media activity shape our online profile, and to a larger extent, our identity? At a time when popular gurus like Marie Kondo encourage us to declutter and get rid of everything; but also when photographers like Martin Parr beg us to stop taking pictures and do art with the ones we have, we are compelled to rethink the relationship between archive and memory. This course proposes a conversation about the archive: its purposes, its history, as well as its cultural representations, but above all, its constantly shifting nature. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 252

Archive Fevers

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 253

Barcelona and its Communities of Culture

If there is one thing upon which virtually all analysts of both Barcelona and Catalonia agree it is that they have an unusually active and fertile "associative" culture. People there spend inordinate amounts of time in voluntary civic organizations whose general purpose is the making of one form or another of culture. There are also some of a more official standing, such as the Barcelona Football Club that, owing to the historically precarious nature of political sovereignty in the region, have been imbued by the citizenry with an unusually high degree of civic importance. In this class, which is built around numerous field visits, we will explore the unique and fascinating contemporary history of Catalonia's many, and much beloved, communities of culture. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 253

Barcelona and its Communities of Culture

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 253

Fantasy & Realism

All readings and discussion will be in English. Through the enduring traditions of fantasy and realism, Russian literature has probed human dilemmas and invited self-examination. We shall read these works as art and entertainment, and also for what they help us learn about ourselves. A disturbing world of the uncanny, populated by murderous doubles, human snakes, talking dogs, ghosts, and other diabolical creatures will open up to us and haunt our imaginations. As we consider the realist and fantastic streams, we shall ultimately ask the question: can we really define the difference between them? Authors to be read include Gogol, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and others. This course will introduce the students to some of the greatest works in the Russian literary canon. (Cross listed as RUSS/LACS 253). (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 253

Fantasy & Realism

1.00 units, Lecture

FREN 255

Crime Stories: A Study of Francophone Detective Novels and their Cinematographic Adaptations

Students will explore the evolution of the francophone detective novel through the works of major authors such as Gaston Leroux, Georges Simenon, Didier Daeninckx and Jean-Patrick Manchette. Emphasis will be placed upon narratological, social and political analysis. The study of film adaptations will complement the readings. The class will be conducted in English. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 255

Crime Stories: A Study of Francophone Detective Novels and their Cinematographic Adaptations

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 259

The Postwar German Film

This course will explore the social and political landscape of postwar Germany from 1945 to the present by looking at a broad range of films from East and West Germany, and Austria, that encompass a wide variety of genres, filmmakers, and movements. The themes examined will include, but not be limited to, the creation of a new cinema after World War II, filmmaking during the Cold War, avant-garde cinema, German history through film, socially critical cinema, and Germany today. Directors will include Wolfgang Staudte, Volker Schlöndorff, R.W. Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Margarethe von Trotta, Fatih Akin, and Christian Petzold. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 259

The Postwar German Film

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 260

Knowledge, Evil and a Pact with the Devil: The Legend of Faust

From the epic exploits of Gilgamesh to the myth of Prometheus to the serpent's whisper to Eve, the desire for knowledge and the dire consequences of its attainment is one of humankind's oldest conflicts. This course will take up the legend of medieval scholar Johann Faustus, to examine questions of access, control and power relating to knowledge. The primary sources will be literary versions of the tale, beginning with its medieval chapbook origins and then moving through Christopher Marlowe, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Thomas Mann. In addition to these texts, this course will also engage with various philosophical, theological and sociological readings to contextualize and expand upon how literary versions of the tale frame issues of authority, gender, politics and faith in relation to knowledge. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 260

Knowledge, Evil and a Pact with the Devil: The Legend of Faust

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 261

Berlin to Hollywood

Through close examination of films and readings, this course will explore the influence that filmmaking during the Weimar Republic period of German history had on Hollywood and American popular culture. By looking closely at films and filmmakers, we will examine the continuities and breaks between German film and classic Hollywood film. Starting with the expressionism and new objectivity styles in Germany during the 1920s, we will move on to emigration of filmmakers from the Third Reich and their work in Hollywood. Among others, we will examine genres such as the anti-Nazi film, film noir, and comedies, as well as explore questions regarding race, gender, and ideology. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 261

Iberian Culture I (Middle Ages to the 19th Century)

The course is designed to provide a broad understanding of the primary cultural dynamics of the Iberian Peninsula from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. We will pay special attention to the more important cultural developments during this crucial era of Spanish history. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 261

Berlin to Hollywood

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 262

Not Just for Kids: the World of Fairytales in the German Tradition

For centuries fairytales have served as powerful cultural currency, transmitting ideas about morality, gender, identity, nationalism, and childhood. Running the risk that it will ruin fairytales by vivisection, this course will approach the genre of German-language fairytales from a critical perspective, taking into account their historical context, psychological and philosophical interpretations, and how certain fairytales have changed over time into their contemporary iterations. Special attention will be paid to the fairytales collected by the Brothers Grimm, while also exploring their intersections with fairytales in other cultural and historical contexts. The goal of this course is for students to explore texts with whose content they may be familiar, in order to then gain a deeper understanding of their cultural, historical, and psychological dimensions. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 262

Iberian Culture II (The 20th Century)

This course introduces students to the set of cultural problems that have shaped Spain’s contemporary development. It will do so through the study of novels, films, and historical narrative. Special emphasis given to the cultural history of the Franco years (1939-1975) and the country’s more recent transition to democracy (1975-1992). (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 262

Not Just for Kids: the World of Fairytales in the German Tradition

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 263

Latin American Culture I (Pre-Columbian Era to Enlightenment)

This course examines the history, societies, and cultures of the various regions that today are known as Latin America. The course moves from the major pre-Columbian civilizations, through the first encounter between Europe and these peoples, the subsequent conquest and colonization, and the first manifestations of the desire for independence. The course will concentrate specifically on how the peoples of these various regions and periods explored their social and political concerns through art, literature, and music. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 264

Literature and the Law

In literature and in law, language shapes rhetorical worlds that seek to represent, constitute and interpret the actions of human beings and their world. Therefore, examining how the law is represented in literature gives insight both into how this representation shifts to accommodate historical and cultural differences, and how central the role of narrative is to legal institutions. This course will focus on representations of the law in German-language literature from the late 18th century onward, to examine how literature relates the human condition to law, to other central cultural values (love, honor and justice), and how literature can put the law itself into question. The course will emphasize literary interrogations of National Socialist law, which take up these questions in their most urgent form. Taught in English. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 264

Latin American Culture II (Independence to Present Day)

This course focuses on the social, political, economic, and cultural development of the Latin American nations. Emphasis will be on to the construction of national identities during the 19th century as well as main historic-political events of the 20th century. Discussions will be based on readings, documentaries, and feature films. Latin American newspapers on the Internet are used to inform our debates of current events. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 264

Literature and the Law

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 266

Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

This survey of German intellectual history from 1848 to the present will acquaint students with writings of Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, and the many others who shaped subsequent western culture and thought. Drawing upon close readings of excerpts from pivotal works, we will examine the relevance of such works in the matrix of artistic trends and historical circumstances from which they emerge. Short literary pieces (Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann) will be included. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 266

Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 268

Inside the Third Reich: Culture, Politics, and the Everyday in Nazi Germany

What was the Third Reich? Through the examination of various primary and secondary texts, this course takes an in-depth look at life inside Nazi Germany. Themes include the role of propaganda in the media and entertainment industries, Volk, anti-Semitism, race, narratives of the persecuted, the aesthetics of fascism, gender, youth organizations, resistance, and collapse. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 268

Inside the Third Reich: Culture, Politics, and the Everyday in Nazi Germany

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 269

The Latest German Cinema - The New German and Austrian Film since 2000

This course will examine how current cultural, social, and political themes and debates are reflected in contemporary German and Austrian cinema. Beginning with German Reunification this course will cover a broad range of topics that are relevant in Germany, Austria and Europe today. Of particular interest will be the issues of globalization, migration, race, gender, and the memory of World War II and the Cold War in the new millennium. Among other themes this course will address the topics of nostalgia, the historical film, the Berlin School of film making, Turkish-German cinema, a European identity, and other current topics. All course work will be done in English, and all films will be available with English subtitles. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 269

The Latest German Cinema - The New German and Austrian Film since 2000

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 270

Propaganda on the Big Screen: The Propaganda Film throughout History

Propaganda is everywhere. We see it in politics, in consumer culture, and in entertainment we consume. This course explores the use of cinema as a medium in service of political objectives. Taking a chronological approach, this course will explore the origins of propaganda and film in the early twentieth century up to the present day. Students will be introduced to theoretical models of propaganda and various methods and forms in visual culture. With a primary emphasis on the American and European context, this course will examine how film was weaponized during critical moments in the twentieth century as in World War I and II, during the Cold War, as well as how it is used today. All coursework in English. Films will have English subtitles. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 270

Introduction to Cultural Analysis

This course serves as a transition to advanced courses in Spanish language, culture, and literature. Students will develop analytical skills through an intense exploration of cultural production in the Hispanic world and through an examination of diverse literary genres, film, and current events. The focus will be on improving the necessary linguistic and critical thinking skills that are the fundamental foundation for literary and cultural analysis in advanced Spanish study. (GLB)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221 or 224, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 270

Propaganda on the Big Screen: The Propaganda Film throughout History

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 270

Russian Poetry

Readings in Russian poetry, including verse of the Golden and Silver Ages (the nineteenth century through 1920). Texts will be discussed from the viewpoint of their aesthetic and historical significance. Students will become familiar with the classics of Russian poetry while also developing the critical skills of being able to analyze poetry linguistically and write about it. Stylistic analysis will refine students’ knowledge of grammar; extensive discussion of texts will enhance oral proficiency. All readings and discussion in Russian. NOTE: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 271

Reading the Italian Landscape

All cultures are rooted in geography. Using literary works, images, cartography, and digital mapping technology we will ask how the relationship between culture and geography in Italy has changed over time. Italians have adapted to living in a fragile landscape, prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and floods. Two world wars and industrialization have also left their mark. How, for example, have extreme weather and the climate change crisis in the Mediterranean region impacted the country? Analogous to how we will interpret the Italian landscape students will be encouraged to interpret the challenges and opportunities of their own landscapes that are like open books that tell complex tales. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 271

Reading the Italian Landscape

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 272

Mafia

In contemporary societies there is an intimate contest between two kinds of social order: The rule of law and criminal organization. A remarkable instance may be found in the workings and metamorphoses of the Mafia. From its origins in Sicily, an agrarian society on the periphery of Europe, the Mafia has acquired intercontinental dimensions and a grip on high politics and finance capital. This shadowy phenomenon has been approached and explained in very different ways by historians, anthropologists, sociologists, economists, and political scientists. It has also been the subject of literature and film. We shall discuss outstanding examples of each approach and treatment. The purposes of the course are to make sense of the Mafia, to explore a basic problem of social order and to compare the different styles of reasoning and representation that characterize the various disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Course requirements: seminar reports, several short papers, and full attendance and participation. (Listed as both LACS 272 and ITAL 272.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 272

Mafia

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 274

Food in Italian History, Society, and Art

The saying, “A tavola non s’invecchia” (“One does not age at the supper table”), expresses the importance of food and eating for Italians. In this course, we will examine the relationship between food and culture in Italy, from the Romans to the present, through a variety of readings and tasting experiences. Topics include: the importing and exporting of different foods in antiquity as an instance of cultural and economic exchange; medieval beliefs about intellectual and physical aptitudes associated with diet; the representation of food in art, literature, and cinema; regional cuisines and cultural identities; and the language of food. We will also discuss Italian and Italian-American cuisine as the reflection of related, yet very different, cultures. (Listed as both LACS 274 and ITAL 274.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 274

Food in Italian History, Society, and Art

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 275

Italian Fascism and Antifascism

In this course we will consider the dominant literary, cinematic, and cultural movements of the Fascist Ventennio, such as the poets of the avant-garde, futurism, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Alessandro Blasetti, and others. We will also consider the resistance to the Fascist project through the works of antifascist writers, poets, and filmmakers. Our approach will be necessarily interdisciplinary. While our focus will be on literary, cinematic, and cultural movements, texts will include those by prominent historians as well. This course will be taught in English, and all texts will be in English. Films will be offered with English subtitles. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 275

Italian Fascism and Antifascism

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 277

Women, Italy, and the Mediterranean

This course examines the cultural, political, and social identity of women in contemporary Italy as represented in literature and in film. Italy is also a country of mass migration and, therefore, many recent migrant women from the Mediterranean region are also writing about their experience and about life in Italy. Topics include: Women writers as active agents of social and political change in patriarchal Italy, the clash of cultural identities and roles, and the impact of post-colonial theory and practice on gender in Italy. Authors and filmmakers include Ribka Sibhatu, Randa Ghazy, Gabriella Ghermandi and Cristina Ali Farah (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 277

Women, Italy, and the Mediterranean

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 279

Italian Theater As A Way Of Life

The Nobel prize dramatist, Luigi Pirandello, argued paradoxically that art was more real than life. From Medieval sacred representations and Renaissance comedies of manner to Modernist and contemporary drama, Italian writers and performers have used theater as a vehicle of entertainment, education, and social change. This course examines the influence of Italian theater on the nation's culture, identity, and society. Besides analyzing several 'classics' (Machiavelli's Mandragola, Goldoni's La Locandiera, Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of An Author), 'theater', 'drama', and the 'theatrical' in a wider sense will be explored. Why does Carnival continue to be a ritualistic event for Italians? What role do dramatic religious and secular processions still play? How has theater influenced visual media? How are gender and diversity reflected in Italian drama? (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 279

Italian Theater As A Way Of Life

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 280

Hispanic Hartford

This course seeks to place Trinity students in active and informed dialogue with the Hartford region’s large and diverse set of Spanish-speaking communities. The course will help student recognize and analyze the distinct national histories (e.g. Peruvian, Puerto Rican, Chilean, Honduran, Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican) which have contributed to the Hispanic diaspora in the city and the entire northeastern region of the United States. Students will undertake field projects designed to look at the effects of transnational migration on urban culture, institution-building, and identity formation. (Also offered under the Latin American and Caribbean studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221 or 224, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 280

Japanese Calligraphy

In this course, students will learn the history and theories of shodo, or calligraphy, which Japan adopted from China and developed. They will also learn to practice the art form. Reading essays about the art and drawing various Chinese characters, or Japanese kanji, they will be expected to recognize the values of calligraphy works and learn how to appreciate them along with a few important concepts in shodo such as “nothingness” and “emptiness.” Students will be required to practice patiently and repeatedly important basic brushstrokes in order to draw a few of the kanji used in words. This course will also cover ink paintings occasionally, and, near the end of the semester, Japanese kana systems. No previous experience studying Japanese or Chinese characters is required. (GLB1)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 280

Japanese Calligraphy

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 281

Conversational French: Current Events

This course is designed for students who want to acquire greater proficiency in their oral expression and are interested in current events. We will examine current political, social, historical and educational issues as they appear in French newspapers and magazines such as L’Express, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Observateur and other online resources. Students will participate in class discussions, prepare oral reports and conduct presentations on the issues under study. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 281

Tolstoy's War and Peace

The great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy took on the whole of life within the covers of a single book and forever changed the meaning of the word "novel." Set during Napoleon's invasion of Russia, War and Peace places the intimate trivia of private lives on an equal footing with military strategy and philosophical reflections on "great men" in history. The obscure villager and a nation's autocrat must face the same questions. When can we influence events and when should we submit? Is rational thought superior to instinctive action? This book argues that whether on the battlefield or in the bedroom, the answers are the same. We will immerse ourselves in this novel, exploring it as an aesthetic masterpiece and as a philosophy of life. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 281

Tolstoy's War and Peace

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 283

The Master and Margarita

Which do we love more, truth or power? How do we choose when they conflict? The Russian fantasy novel The Master and Margarita exposes the universal human talent for truth-avoidance. The comic narrative unfolds as the devil arrives in Moscow for a week of mischief-making. In a double plot, supernatural pranks alternate with a fictional "gospel according to the devil." Our intensive study of this unique masterpiece will begin with background readings, including the Biblical book of Job, selections from the New Testament gospels, Goethe's Faust, and memoirs of communist literary culture. Author Mikhail Bulgakov's tale of humor/fantasy/theology has the unique distinction of being a cult novel as well as a literary classic. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 283

The Master and Margarita

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 287

Russian and Soviet Theater

An exploration of a variety of topics in Russian and Soviet theater from the 1830s to the present: the plays, the experiments and developments in acting technique and scenic design as well as their theoretical foundations. Particular emphasis will be given to the 30 years at the beginning of this century and theater developments in the past decade. Discussion will also cover reasons for restaging the classics in recent years and the serious challenges confronting the artistic community during the Stalin years and continuing beyond the Brezhnev era. (Listed both as Modern Languages 233-93 and Russian 337-01; under the Russian and Eurasian concentration of the International Studies Program; and Theater and Dance.) (GLB1)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 288

Who Am I and Where Am I Going?

How many identities do you have? To what extent do you create your own identity? To what extent is identity imposed on you? This course draws upon four disciplines to explore personal identity, group dynamics, and systemic power structures. Our core readings will come from philosophy, psychology, literature, and biblical studies. We will supplement these readings with opinion pieces from the current press on issues of ethnic, racial, religious, and gender identity. Students will consider their own experience of how they "fit" into various social configurations, including family, clubs, and the larger American society. This course seeks to equip students with tools to explore their selves, achieve personal growth and self-knowledge, and better understand and take charge of their interaction with social and political forces. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 288

Who Am I and Where Am I Going?

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 289

Anna Karenina

What is love? That is the question at the heart of Leo Tolstoy's timeless masterpiece, Anna Karenina. We will undertake intensive, in-depth study of this massive but tightly woven novel, which probes the nature of love by considering it within a series of tensions--between individual autonomy and family responsibilities; the physical and spiritual sides of human nature; rational and instinctive behavior; urban versus rural lifestyles; and the threat that technological advances pose to traditional behaviors. In addition, we will consider the differing perspectives that diverse readers have brought to this novel, as well as film adaptations and short stories that may be seen as responses to Anna Karenina. (Students may not receive credit for both FYS 110 and this class.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 289

Anna Karenina

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 290

Studying in the Hispanic World Colloquium

This course is designed to provide students returning from study abroad in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and other Spanish-speaking venues (summer, semester, or year-long programs) with a forum within which they can share, compare, and process analytically and historically the difficulties, conflicts, absences, and discoveries that they experienced in their time abroad. They will then be asked to investigate how these experiences have affected their view of the social and cultural norms of U.S. culture. (Prerequisite: Study abroad in an approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.) (GLB2)

0.50 units, Seminar

ITAL 290

Italian Cinema: Fiction and Film

A study and discussion of Italian cinema from neorealism to the present. The course will cover both formal and thematic trends in the films of the noted postwar Italian directors Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, and Luchino Visconti. The course will also consider the trend away from reliance on literary texts toward the development of personal expressions by such author/directors as Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Lina Wertmüller, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Maurizio Nichetti, and others. Film screenings will be in Italian with English subtitles. Lectures and coursework will be in English. Students wishing to apply this course toward the major in Italian must secure permission of the instructor. They will complete their assignments in Italian and meet with the instructor in supplementary sessions. Faithful attendance is required. (Listed as both LACS 290 and ITAL 290.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 290

Italian Cinema: Fiction and Film

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 299

Language, Culture & Meaning

This course (taught in English) starts from the dual premise that culture is largely a product of communication and that, in turn, communication is a basis and record of culture. Therefore, some of the questions central to this course will be: What is language? How do the many texts around us mediate our understanding of culture? And what happens when ideas and concepts are translated from one language and one cultural context to another? Students will be able to explore these and other questions within the context of their own experience of language and communication. Given the cross-cultural nature of this course, there will be regular guest lectures by faculty from a range of other fields. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 301

Intermediate Arabic III

Continuation of Arabic 202, introducing increasingly complex grammatical structures through culturally based materials and literary texts, with a programmed expansion of vocabulary to 1,500 words. Lab work required. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 301

Advanced Chinese I

Further development of skill in written and spoken Mandarin, with increasing emphasis on longer texts, additional characters, and extensive discussion. In order to secure maximum proficiency, students should plan to take both 301 and 302 in sequence. (Also listed under the Asian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

HEBR 301

Advanced Modern Hebrew I

Emphasis on written essays as well as on comprehension through readings and class discussion of short stories, articles, and poetry. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hebrew 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

JAPN 301

Advanced Japanese I

This course aims at having students develop their communication skills in oral and written Japanese accurately, naturally, and fluently with increased emphasis on reading and writing. Students will expand and improve their Japanese skills acquired in the previous Japanese courses. Activities include discussing contents of dialogues and reading materials, doing role plays, writing essays on given topics, giving formal speeches in class, and having free-style conversations with TAs. Students will learn about 150 new kanji, as well as reviewing 317 kanji from prior Japanese courses. This course is also offered under the Asian Studies program. Prerequisite for the course: JAPN-202 or instructor approval. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: Japanese 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 301

Russian through Literature and Film

This course contains two segments. In one segment students strengthen their grammar and vocabulary through reading authentic literary texts. The other segment improves listening comprehension through the viewing of a Russian film. Students will view the film in installments, using video technology to replay scenes as often as necessary to achieve comprehension. Homework assignments will include film viewing in the video lab. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in one 300 level Russian course, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Lecture

ARAB 302

Intermediate Arabic IV

Continuation of Arabic 301, presenting alternative stylistic tools for oral and written communication, with a vigorous expansion of vocabulary. Lab work required. (Also listed under the African Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 301 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 302

Advanced Chinese II

Concentration on advanced writing and speaking skills, further acquisition of compound characters, and further extensive practice in complex reading. (Also listed under the Asian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

HEBR 302

Advanced Modern Hebrew II

A continuation of Hebrew 301 with emphasis on reading short novels and Israeli newspapers as well as viewing and discussing selected videos and movies. (Also offered under the Middle Eastern studies and Jewish studies programs.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hebrew 301 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 302

Don Quixote: Ethics of Failure

What if you discovered that to be successful you must fail over and over again, until you transform failure into personal ethics and a way of life? In this seminar we will read Cervantes's Don Quixote, considered the most influential and the best novel ever written, as a treatise on the ethical aspects of failure, as well as a manifesto on issues such as inequality, human rights, violence, power, and racial and gender discrimination. We will also examine Cervantes's historical period, the early-modern Spanish empire, as a way to uncover the roots of our contemporary world. Don Quixote is a book that will certainly change your life forever, as well as your ideas on society, politics, and the power of the individual. (HUM)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 302

Advanced Japanese II

This course is a continuation of JAPN 301 to have students develop their communication skills in oral and written Japanese accurately, naturally, and fluently with more increased emphasis on reading and writing toward the end of the semester. Activities include discussing contents of dialogues and reading materials, doing role plays, writing essays on given topics, giving formal speeches in class, and having free-style conversations with TAs. Students will also learn about 150 new kanji. In the second half of the semester, we will start reading one or two works of short stories from Japanese literature and translating some English poems/songs into Japanese. This course is also offered under the Asian Studies program. Prerequisite for the course: JAPN-301 or instructor approval. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: Japanese 301 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 303

German Literature and Film Since 1945

Through close readings and comparative discussions of short prose, poetry, and film from 1945 until the present, students will improve their German comprehension (listening as well as reading), speaking, and writing skills. There will be texts from Austria, Switzerland, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the former German Democtatic Republic, by authors such as Günter Grass, Heinrich Böll, Max Frisch, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, and Christa Wolf, as well as many well-known poets and film directors. Some grammar review will be offered. All work will be done in German. (WEB)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 304

The Wild 18th Century: Goethe on Love, Death and the Devil

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is perhaps the most influential author in German literature, and his works defined some of the most important genres of his lifetime and beyond (1749-1832). This course will explore some of Goethe's greatest masterpieces, as well as selected works by other authors of the era, in order to examine some of the fundamental philosophical and aesthetic questions of the eighteenth century. Readings will include Goethe's "Die Leiden des jungen Werther," "Faust I" and selected poems; Schiller's "Die Räuber" and selected poems; and Kleist's "Das Erdbeben in Chile." We will also focus on the life and times of Goethe in order to understand his influence and role in German and European culture. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

RUSS 304

Current Russian Media

A survey of current Russian newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television broadcasts, and the Internet. Subjects covered will include popular culture, home and family life, environmental issues, economics, and politics. Students will strive to master the special type of Russian used in the media as well as describe how these media reflect or distort the state of Russian society. Prerequisite: Russian 222 or permission of the instructor. (This course is also offered under the Russian and Eurasian Studies program.) NOTE: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 305

German-Jewish Writers

This course will examine the contribution of Jewish writers to German literature, philosophy and culture. Of central concern will be how these writers negotiate and theorize their dual identity as Jew and German through the form and content of their writings. Issues of national, cultural and linguistic identification, acculturation, and self-criticism will be traced out through texts dating from the Enlightenment to the modern era. Readings to include: Mendelssohn, Varnhagen, Schlegel, Heine, Schnitzler, Freud, Kafka, Lasker-Schüler, Arendt, Celan. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 305

Russian Culture and Civilization

An exploration of recurring themes in Russian culture through the examination of prose fiction, poetry, theater, film and the visual arts. Emphasis will be placed on canonical works to give students a foundation in the Russian tradition. Since cultural continuity needs to be studied in the context of cultural change, we will simultaneously do an overview of important moments in Russian history from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries. Students will write a paper every week about an aspect of Russian culture as it appears in the works we are examining. All reading, writing and discussion will be in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 222 or permission of the instructor. (This course is also offered under the Russian and Eurasian Studies program.) (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 306

German Fairytales

Through close readings and comparative discussions of theoretical texts and primary source materials, this course will explore the genre of German language fairytales, with a particular emphasis on the Grimm collection. Readings on the historical context of the fairytale genre, the intersections of fairytales and feminism, and psychoanalytical readings will inform the study of the Brothers Grimm, Andersen, Bechstein, Wolf, and Ende. (WEB)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 306

Politics, Ethnic Identity and Culture in the Hispanic Caribbean: Literature, FIlm and Music

Through the study of film, literary works, and music of the Hispanic Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the course explores major political concepts rooted in the struggles against slavery, racism and colonialism that have given the Caribbean its sense of identity. The course (conducted in Spanish) analyzes this region's artistic production from the early part of the twentieth century to the present helping students understand the cultural, social, and political challenges, setbacks, and triumphs of the Hispanic Caribbean connecting its complex realities with the experience of populations of Caribbean origin in Hartford, CT. The course explores how artists of this region are devising locally inspired solutions to bring to their nations the social justice and racial equality that have eluded them so far. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 270 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 306

Pushkin: The Bronze Horseman

An intensive reading in Russian of Pushkin's iconic narrative poem about the great flood of 1824 in St. Petersburg. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the elements of versification, including meter, rhythm, and rhyme. We will also interpret the poem's plot, including the imaginary "duel" between its central fictional character and the historical figure of Peter the Great (memorialized in the statue known as the bronze horseman). This course also exposes students to the architectural monuments of one of the world's great metropolises. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 202 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 307

Gender-Neutral, Feminist, and Non-Binary French

How can one accommodate non-binary identities in a grammatically bi-gendered language like French? This straightforward yet complex question will guide this interdisciplinary course about literature, power, linguistics, and politics in contemporary France. We will contextualize recent virulent debates about linguistic inclusivity in France by putting them in conversation with the works of experimental feminist authors such as Anne Garréta and Monique Wittig. We will then look at works by queer and transgender authors who practice gender-neutral or non-binary writing techniques such as Adel Tincelin and Alpheratz. In addition to acquiring historical and literary knowledge, students will develop and practice their own techniques for practicing gender-neutral, feminist, and non-binary French. Course conducted entirely in French, though a few readings will be in English. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 307

More than Just Neighbors: Spain and Italy from Early Modernity to the Present

Italy has existed as a nation-state for slightly less than 150 years. For many more years than this, however, the territory it currently occupies was divided into numerous principalities. For more than four centuries starting in in the early 1300s, a number of the more important of these principalities were controlled by monarchies located in today’s Spain. In this course, we will analyze the rich history of Hispanic-Italian coexistence, endeavoring first to discern some of the reasons why this important history is not better known, then examining the many channels of "cultural commerce" between the peoples of the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas in the early modern and contemporary periods, as well as in the context of today in today’s united Europe. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 307

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment is one of the classics of world literature. We will give a close reading of Raskolnikov's crime (the murder of a despicable pawnbroker) and his punishment: guilt, terror of getting caught, difficulties with his mother and sister, a lost friendship, and Petersburg-a beautiful and at the same time punishing city. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 307

Crime and Punishment

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 308

French Slavery & its Afterlives: Literatures & Cultures of Slavery, Resistance & Abolition

France is the only European nation-state to have abolished slavery twice: first, in 1794, following the revolutions in Haiti/Saint-Domingue and France; then, in 1848, almost half a century after the Napoleonic restoration of slavery in 1802. This seminar grapples with the legacy of slavery and its afterlives in the world French empire made by examining the literatures and cultures of French slavery and abolition, from the seventeenth century to the present. The course offers an introduction to contemporary debates around memory, reparations, and reckoning. Students will consult a range of historical and literary texts from the Caribbean, West Africa, and Indian Ocean, including works by abolitionists (Victor Scholcher, Olympe de Gouges), resistance leaders (Toussaint Louverture, Louis Delgrès), and contemporary writers (Aimé Césaire, Édouard Glissant, Maryse Condé, Léonora Miano). (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 308

Workers of the Word: Translation and World Literature in Latin America

What makes a book a bestseller? Why do some languages get more translated than others? Is it that bad to get "lost in translation"? Translation is an intellectual as well a material practice. Every step in the translation process -from the selection of a source text, the development of a discursive strategy, or its circulation in different contexts-, is mediated by values, beliefs, and representations. Yet, all these are determined by the social and economic structure of the actors involved it, such as publishers, distributors, printers, reviewers, and readers. Drawing on scholarship in Book History, Translation Studies, and Comparative Literature, in this course we will study the geopolitics of the translation industry by looking at cases from Latin America. (Taught in Spanish) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 270 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 311

Advanced Readings in Japanese I

This course aims at building students’ skills and speed in reading Japanese. It will draw materials from primary sources in various genres such as novels, poems, newspapers, essays, and instructional materials. Students will develop sentence analysis strategies as well as expand their knowledge of advanced vocabulary and kanji. An appropriate level of oral communication skill is required. (Since the content of this course varies from year to year to focus on the most contemporary materials, students may enroll for credit more than once.)(Also offered under the Asian studies program.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: Japanese 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

ARAB 312

Arab and Queer

This course explores the representations and regulations of non-normative sexual practices in the Arab world, with a focus on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The course is interdisciplinary in scope. In addition to queer studies and a variety of theoretical underpinnings, our readings range from literature, history, sociology, anthropology, as well as media and cultural studies. We will explore issues related to identity, power, and resistance especially in the context of (post) Arab Spring. No knowledge of Arabic language is required. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 312

German Crime Stories

The crime story, or the Krimi, has long held an esteemed place in the literature of the German-speaking countries. While working on improving students’ speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills in German, this course will introduce students to the world of crime fiction. The materials will include both literary and filmic examples of the Krimi that span a broad period of time. In addition to some works from classic German authors, we will also look at more contemporary examples that include films, television series, and short stories. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 312

Theater of Crisis: Politics, Violence & Memory in Spanish America

This course offers an examination of the pervasive topic of violence and its relation to politics in contemporary Spanish American theatre from the second half of the twentieth century to the present. We will center our discussions on three controversial and debated issues: 1) The complex role of politics within the discourse of theatre, 2) the implications and repercussions of staging the violence experienced by the members of society, 3) and the victims' attempts to face their violent past by preserving memory. In this way Spanish American theatre bears witness, documents, and also poeticize the struggle for human rights in the region and the need to never forget. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 312

Advanced Spoken Japanese I

This course aims to develop students’ listening and speaking skills in Japanese. The first half of the course focuses on basic tasks and social situations covered in Japanese 101 through Japanese 202, bringing students’ performance to a more natural and practical level. The latter half will introduce new conversational strategies and diverse topics and situations mostly drawn from current and culture-specific topics. (Since the content of this course varies from year to year to focus on the most contemporary materials, students may enroll for credit more than once.) (GLB2)
Prerequisite: Japanese 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 313

Ideal and Reality: Constructions of Femininity in German Literature from 1750-1920

The ways in which men write about women, and the ways in which women write about themselves have historically often mirrored the divide between a projected ideal and a lived reality. This course will trace the dissonance between these two modes of figuring femininity in German literature from the era of Empfindsamkeit to the fin de siècle in a comparative way. The course will include an introduction to gender theory, and will then proceed to juxtapose the works of such female authors as Karoline von Günderrode, Annette von Dröste-Hulshoff, Lou-Andreas Salomé and Irmgard Keun with works by their male contemporaries, in order to engage the differences in gender coding between the predominately male, literary canon and its female counterpart. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 314

Witches, Child-killers, Poisoners: Criminal Women in the German Literary Imagination

The literary depictions of female transgressors of legal and social norms reveal much about what a culture deems to be acceptable, feminine behavior. Occasioned by Enlightenment thought, reform movements, and shifting educational ideals, the discourse concerning the role of women in society became quite ardent in Germany during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries- and unfolded prominently through a literary engagement with deviant, criminal women. From the witches of the Brothers Grimm, to JW Goethe's Gretchen, and ETA Hoffmann's vampires, this course will trace the ways in which these depictions of female deviancy (authored almost exclusively by male authors) shaped feminine, behavioral norms into the present day. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 314

Contemporary Italian Literature

A critical reading of selected novels, short stories, poetry, and plays from the turn of the 20th century to the present. Authors include: Pirandello, Svevo, Aleramo, Montale, Ungaretti, Morante, Calvino, Petrignani, Fo, and other contemporary authors. Emphasis is on the historical and cultural context of the works and on recent trends in Italian literature. Topics include: literature during both world wars and under Fascism, modernism and postmodernism in literature, contemporary women writers, and the role of Italian intellectuals in society. All work is done in Italian. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

GRMN 316

Deviancy and Madness in German Literature 1700 through 1900

This course examines the ways in which deviant behavior such as murder, infanticide, seduction and "madness" are represented in German literature from the 17th through the 20th centuries. At stake will be tracing out the ways in which literary notions of good and evil reflect larger moral and social issues. The course will focus on poems, short stories, dramas and novellas in order to introduce students to important periods of German literary history while examining the historical changes in the larger German moral sensibility. Close reading of texts, conversation, presentation and varied writing assignments will prepare students to both write about and orally discuss the formal, stylistic and historical elements of the texts. Readings will include: Schiller, Goethe, Hoffmann, Droste-Huelshoff, Hauptmann. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in German 202 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 317

The Limits of Language: Convergence of the Arts in Latin American Literatures

This seminar jump starts from Theodor Adorno's declaration that "in their contradiction, the arts merge into one another. [.] The arts converge only where each pursues its immanent principle in a pure way". This seminar pays homage to the innovation of Latin American writers who have merged other art forms into their literary expression to create referential texts. From José Juan Tablada's calligrams, to contemporary visual artists who are also writers (Verónica Gerber Bicecci and Daniela Bojórquez Vertiz), the objective of this course is to question the aesthetic impact of a text, where words end and the image begins. Theoretical readings from Adorno, Benjamin, Ludmer, Mignolo, and Giunta will guide the exploration of these convergences. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 270 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 318

Conflicting Modernities: Gender, Class, and Revolution in Modern Spain (1812-1936)

During the so-called "long" 19th Century, Spain, like Western Europe as a whole, underwent a series of profound changes, from political, social, and industrial revolution to the challenging of its imperial hegemony; from the birth of nationalism and the modern nation state to that of modern mass-politics and mass-media; from mass-emigration to urban centers and across the Atlantic, to the entry of peasants and women into the industrial workforce. This course aims to explore and analyze these transformations through the careful reading of both popular and canonical literary and artistic sources, from Goya's contrasting visions of enlightenment during the Napoleonic Wars to the Avant-Garde authors, poets, and visual artists of the 1920's and 30's, including Federico García Lorca, Miguel Hernández, and Pablo Picasso. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 319

From Text to Stage: Performing Contemporary Latin American Theater

The goal of this course is to transform the classroom into a theatrical space where collaboration and teamwork are paramount to learning about art and communication. We will examine a corpus of one-act plays from contemporary Spanish America and will perform one of these short plays in the target language. Beyond analyzing these texts from diverse perspectives (that is, from sociopolitical or psychological angles) the journey from text to stage will lead us to examine the intricacies and complexities of directing, acting, learning about stage and costume design, about lighting, diction and pronunciation, memorization, and publicity, among other theatrical aspects. The students will experience firsthand the double nature of theater as they participate in the transformation of a theatrical text to a performative act. (GLB2)
Completion of a HISP 200 level Spanish course or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 320

French Cinema

This course is designed to familiarize students with the development and art of the French cinema as seen through its important phases and movements, and in its relationship to modern France. Relevant literary and critical texts will accompany each film. Lectures and coursework will be in English. (Listed as both LACS 320-01 and FREN 320-01.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 320

Afro-Spanish Colonial Legacies

This course explores the Spanish colonial past in Africa, with emphasis on Equatorial Guinea -a colony of Spain until 1968-, the former Spanish Protectorate of Morocco, and present-day afro-descendant cultural production and representations of race in Spain. Our focus will be on the relationship between imperialism and culture in three moments: Spanish colonial discourse during General Franco's dictatorship; the emergence of post-independence African and Afro-Spanish literature; and current notions of racial identity and the impact of African immigration on 21st-century Spain. Using theoretical concepts from Cultural and Postcolonial Studies, the course will closely look at literature, film, documentary, and other visual cultural objects to question our map of the Spanish cultural landscape. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 320

French Cinema

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 324

Transgender Migrations

This interdisciplinary course explores the concept of migration through narratives of crossing geographical and gender borders. By putting films, memoirs, novels, and graphic novels in conversation with history and sociology, we will consider the ways in which bodies are regulated by political, legal, and economic forces as they come to occupy and invent new spaces for themselves Topics include the metaphor of "border crossing" in narratives of gender transition, interactions between global gender identities and local cultures, neoliberalism and the so-called "migrant crisis," transgender asylum seekers and sexual rights discourse, and representations of sex work. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 330

From Revolution to Globalization in Mexican Literature and Culture

A study of the development of contemporary Mexican literature and culture focusing on artistic productions of the 1910 Revolution and its aftermath. Changes in society, politics and culture, and their impact on literature and film, lead us to reflect on globalization and its effects on current cultural productions in Mexico. Topics to be examined include: narratives of the Mexican Revolution, the changing role of women in a postrevolutionary society, migration and displacement, the Tlatelolco crisis and its repercussions, economic upheavals and the implementation of NAFTA, neoliberalism and its impact on society and culture (feminicides), the fall of the PRI, and the narconovels, among others. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 270 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 332

Counter Narratives in Early Modern Spain

This course will give an overview on the emergence of the Spanish Empire as a global power and its relentless effort to get rid of a problematic past of hybridization with Islamic and Jewish cultures. We will examine selected texts from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries that problematize our ideas and assumptions about the historical context in which they were produced. Taught in Spanish.
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 334

Exile, Displacement, Refuge: Migrations to and from Modern Spain (1492 to the Present)

This course aims to critically discuss the human impact of the numerous sociopolitical exiles, ethnic cleansings, and mass-migrations that have left their mark both inside and outside of modern Spain over the last 500 years. The enduring legacies of these complex processes -intimately tied to histories of colonialism, genocide, and popular resistance to both- will be analyzed through the critical reading of primary and secondary texts, including works of fiction, visual art, photography, and first-hand testimonies of migrants, exiles, and forcibly displaced people of diverse ethnicities, social classes and political affiliations. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 335

Dante: The Divine Comedy

An intensive study of the Divine Comedy (in translation) with particular emphasis on the historical and aesthetic significance of this 'summa.' Students wishing to count this course toward a major in Italian should receive permission of the instructor. (Listed as both LACS 335 and ITAL 335.) (GLB2)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 335

Dante: The Divine Comedy

1.00 units, Lecture

ITAL 336

Empires of the Senses in World Literature

Great literature stimulates the imagination and creates the illusion of transporting us to faraway places and to events that happened long ago. Different cultures throughout history have represented sensory experience differently from one another. In this course, we will discuss works of literature that raise such questions as: "Can we hear 17th C music like people did then?", "How has taste changed over time and in different cultures?", "We preserve visual artifacts of the past in museums, but how and why might we preserve past sounds and smells?" "Do race and ethnicity impact the senses and, if so, how?" Writers include: Epicurus, Lucretius, Giovanni Boccaccio, Marcel Proust, Patrick Süskind, and Toni Morrison. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 336

Empires of the Senses in World Literature

1.00 units, Seminar

RUSS 337

Russian and Soviet Theater

1.00 units, Lecture

HISP 346

Antarctica: Culture and Crisis

Although the Antarctic plateau is a center stage in global discussions of climate change, this desert has been somewhat overlooked in the Latin American cultural tradition; strangely though, given many South American countries' geographical proximity and long-standing claims over parts of its territory. This course recovers extraordinary sources such as the first photographs and images of the continent; the debates over polar sovereignty during the time of the Antarctic Treaty (1959); and the visual work of choreographers, feminist artists, and contemporary musicians from Latin America and beyond, to answer why such an exceptional desert that has become the epitome of inhospitality -a place devoid of native population, political autonomy, and of extreme weather conditions- has continuously conveyed both fantasies of timelessness and of a future of global warming. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 348

Islands and Spanish Colonial Violence across the Globe

Islands are tokens of (colonial) desire. This course aims to explore the relationship between cultural production, geography, and the environment to understand the impact of Spanish imperialism in different islands and archipelagos-African, Caribbean, Atlantic, and Pacific. Using a comparative and intercultural approach that overlaps Environmental Humanities, Postcolonial, and Island Studies, we will examine and confront historic, modern, and contemporary literary texts, films, critical articles, contemporary art interventions, and maps, to think about neo-colonial legacies, displacement, sea-level rising, transoceanic imaginaries, indigenous ecopoetics, and the role of artists and writers as "artivists." Among others, authors may include C. Columbus, Lezama Lima, Unamuno, María Zambrano, Rita Indiana, Mayra Montero, E.J. Mota, and Ávila Laurel. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 349

Binging your Stories: Popular Media of Modern Spain, from Don Quixote to Money Heist

This course is meant to provide an overview of some of the most important mass-market literary, dramatic, and audiovisual cultural products of modern Spain, from the seventeenth century to the present. From Cervantes' classic parody and rewriting of the popular chivalry novel and Lope de Vega's early reflections on popular 'style' and taste in the theater, to the popular episodic and serialized novels of the 19th Century, and the birth of the comic strip and modern TV serial (telenovela), this course is not only meant to familiarize students with some of the most iconic works of Spanish cultural canon, folklore, and 'pop,' it is also meant to engage them in critical discussions concerning their own relationships to the changing technologies of modern culture industries. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Hispanic Studies 221, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 351

Human Rights Literature in Latin America

Throughout its history Latin America has seen many human rights violations: from the colonial period, to the very present with the migration crises, and the political and economic instability of many countries. Nonetheless, through many of the region's efforts, its human rights procedures have established significant precedents around the world. This course explores how literature has become a tool for human rights advocacy in Latin America, as both to show the speaker's humanity and to reflect on a "narrative" that at times counter the "official stories" presented by nation states, and opposes the assumed Western overemphasis on history as a source of legitimacy. Students will recognize the many human rights violations in the region, analyze and reflect on its literary production. Course taught in Spanish. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 353

Narratives of Border Identity

With an emphasis on close reading of literary and cinematic texts, this course will explore the construction of physical, imaginary, metaphorical, and ideological borders in narrative and films that engage the Mexico-U.S. border. In addition to literary texts, students will devote special attention to theoretical and critical frameworks in light of the intersections of identity politics and the effects of the possible delimiting borders within Mexico. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 355

Sex and Gender in Contemporary Franco-Maghrebi Cultures

This course provides an introduction to some of the major issues impacting the countries of formerly-colonized Francophone North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), commonly known as the Maghreb, and their diasporas in France. By putting excerpts of novels, memoirs, films, and other media in conversation with the popular press, this course will encourage students to reflect upon contemporary social issues between France and North Africa from the 1960s to the present. As we learn about race, religion, colonization, and immigration, a particular emphasis will be placed upon how issues of sex and gender impact cultural and literary representations. Topics may include the headscarf debates, family structure, and sexuality. Possible authors and filmmakers may include Leïla Sebbar, Abdellah Taïa, Nina Bouraoui, Farid Boudjellal, and Abdellatif Kechiche. Course conducted in French. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 251 or 252, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 355

Borders, Boundaries, and Walls: Rethinking (Im)Mobility in French and Francophone Literature

Who moves freely across borders? Who can return to one's native land after leaving home? How does one's race, gender, and social class shape access to space? These are the questions that we will explore as we consider three very different, yet intertwined forms of mobilities: tourism, immigration, and exile. If the recent covid-19 crisis has shed new light on the impact and consequences of globalized mobilities, it has also taught us that immobility can be a luxury and a privilege, therefore giving a new meaning to the walls that surround us. This seminar thus aims at developing critical awareness of what mobility and immobility means in our globalized contemporary world. Possible reading list includes works by Bachi, Chevillard, Darrieussecq, Elalamy, Laferrière, Leduc, Mabanckou, NDiaye, Sartre, and Taïa. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 355

Intersectional French Feminisms

This course looks at French feminisms from the 1970s to the present through an intersectional lens. This interdisciplinary course will use sociological, literary, and audiovisual material to cover issues such as reproductive rights, immigration and colonization, lesbian and queer sexualities, working-class experience, and transgender identities. This class will look critically at the canon by reading it in dialogue with lesser-known texts. Possible authors and works may include essays (Helene Cixous, Monique Wittig), sociological interviews (Salima Amari), short stories (Mireille Best), comics, novels, films (Amandine Gay), archival materials, and scholarly articles. Course conducted in French. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 251 or 252, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 355

Literary Games in Postmodern and Contemporary Fiction

What makes literature "new"? This course examines the ways in which French and Francophone writers of the last century have transformed the field of fiction through playful and experimental techniques. We will study the literary games they played in their efforts to break with tradition and expand the boundaries of language, genre, and form. Through a range of texts and audiovisual materials, we will trace this idea of play across the 20th and 21st centuries, with examples taken from the nouveau roman, the OuLiPo, écriture féminine, autofiction, documentary fiction, photo-texts, and digital literature. In the spirit of the materials studied, course assignments will include traditional essays as well as more experimental writing projects. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 355

18th-Century Enlightenment

The Enlightenment can be defined as a movement of political, social, and philosophical contestation advocating the reign of reason and progress. This course will examine the manifestations of this questioning through the study of the dominant genres of the periods: plays, philosophical tales, dialogues, novels. We will also study a selection of films whose subject is the history and cultural life of 18th-century France and examine the relevance of 18th-century issues to the contemporary world. Sample reading list, L'île des esclaves, Marivaux, Le Neveu de Rameau, Diderot Candide, Voltaire, Le Mariage de Figaro, Beaumarchais, Les Infortunes de la vertu, Sade. Films: Que la fête commence, Bertrand Tavernier, Ridicule, Patrice Leconte, L'Anglaise et le duc, Éric Roemer. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 251 or 252, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 356

Francophone Ghost Stories: African and Afro-Caribbean Narratives from Beyond the Grave

Ghosts are part of modern life. The ghost, sociologist Avery Gordon reminds us, is simply a form by which something lost, or barely visible, makes itself known to us. This seminar focuses on ghostly and otherworldly narrators who tell their story from beyond the grave. During the semester, we will encounter narrators who have drowned, exploded, or been devoured by sharks: narrators whose spectral voices provide ghostly supplements to histories of slavery, colonization, gender violence, clandestine migration, and terrorism. In addition to literature and film, we will read key theoretical texts on the uncanny, haunting, African cosmogonies, and narratology. "Ghost Stories" explores how phantom narrators unsettle our understanding of narration and how literature helps us to reckon with what modern history has rendered ghostly. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 356

Germany and the Great War: Destruction, Myths, and Legacy

The outbreak of World War I marks the end of Germany's long nineteenth century and the beginning of a chaotic twentieth century. Its defeat in the war ushered in a period of remarkable social progress, scientific and artistic achievement, as well as unprecedented political instability, which led to some of the greatest tragedies of the twentieth century. This course will examine Germany's entry into the war to its defeat and aftermath. With focus on the totality of the experience of this war in German and Austro-Hungarian regions, we will explore important historical works, primary documents, novels, films, works of art and more. Taught in English. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 356

(Counter)Imperial Subjects in Early Modern Spain:In Defense of Human Equality, Nature,Sustainability

During the 16th and 17th centuries Spain was a Global Empire, which following an imperial logic of endless expansion, implemented policies that put human beings and nature under siege, causing an ecological and political crisis. In this course, we will scrutinize the strategies of resistance employed by imperial subjects through the exploration of a number of topics such as the emergence of an early-modern ecological consciousness, the early-modern boom of debates on equality (debates on the right to self-preservation, on the ways to fight poverty, monetary inflation, etc.) and the revolutionary side of early modern counter-heroes (the rogue, the mystic, the bandit, the pirate.) Materials include literature works, fragments of religious and political treatises, New World Chronicles, Inquisitorial records and visual and musical works. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: HISP 260 or higher, 270 recommended

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 356

Germany and the Great War: Destruction, Myths, and Legacy

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 357

Toxic Tales: Poison, Crime, and Sickness in 19th and 20th- century Francophone Literature

This course investigates the many ways that poison intersects with human action and social practices in literary and cinematic texts. Specific areas of inquiry include criminal cases, developments in arsenic- detection, industrial pollution and 'écocide', accidental poisonings through paints and pigments, urban public health disasters, poison as cure, poison and witchcraft in slave narratives as well as poison pens, censorship, and toxic literature. During each of these units, we will analyze cultural power dynamics in relation to class, gender, and ethnicity. Students will read short stories, court documents, critical articles, listen to podcasts, and view films in preparation for class discussions. Authors may include but are not limited to: Alexandre Dumas, Barbey d'Aurevilly, Maryse Condé, Mauriac, Rachilde, and Agnès Walch. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 247, 251 or 252 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 357

Germany's Roaring 1920s: "Babylon Berlin" in the Context of the Weimar Republic

The recent Netflix series sensation Babylon Berlin (2017-) has sparked renewed international attention to Germany's Weimar Republic (1918-1933). Between two world wars, the Weimar era was a time of political crisis, social revolution, and cultural boom. Today, this period continues to draw much attention and it remains one of the most fascinating periods of twentieth-century European history. This course answers why this series is so popular, and dives deeper into Weimar Republic by looking at a variety of social and cultural issues from this era, including gender relations, political extremism, race, popular culture, and art. Using the series as an introduction to the Weimar period of German history, this course will include, among others,, historical works, literary texts, and films. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

LACS 357

Germany's Roaring 1920s: "Babylon Berlin" in the Context of the Weimar Republic

1.00 units, Lecture

FREN 359

Crime Stories

Conducted in French, this course will explore the detective novel and the roman noir genres exemplified in major francophone novels and their cinematographic adaptations. Texts studied include Georges Simenon’s L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre, Didier Daeninckx's Play-Back and Jean-Patrick Manchette’s La Position du tireur couché. Emphasis will be placed upon narratological, social and political analysis. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in French 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 375

Mythmaking the Italian Nation

This course will be dedicated to a study of the role that 19th century literary and cultural movements played in creating the myths necessary for defining an Italian nation, as well as later "revisionists" of the process of Italian state formation. Texts will include those by the pillars of Italian Romanticism: Foscolo, Manzoni, and Leopardi, as well as later "revisionist" writers like De Roberto, di Lampedusa, Sciascia, and Consolo. Our approach will be necessarily interdisciplinary. While our focus will be on literary and cultural movements, texts will include those by prominent historians as well. This course will be taught in English, and all texts will be in English. Films will be offered with English subtitles. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 375

Mythmaking the Italian Nation

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

CHIN 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

FREN 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

GRMN 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

HEBR 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

HISP 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

ITAL 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

JAPN 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

0.50 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

LACS 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

LING 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

RUSS 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

ARAB 401

Advanced Arabic I: Conversation and Composition

This course builds on grammatical concepts acquired in elementary and intermediate courses (101-302). It introduces alternative stylistic tools for oral, aural, and writing skills with a vigorous expansion of vocabulary related to contemporary Arab culture and daily events in the Middle East. We will focus on two key areas of Arabic grammar: the root and pattern system, and complex sentence structure. Students will gain knowledge of grammatical aspects such as active and passive participles, geminate verbs, passive voice, circumstantial clauses, and nouns of place and time (to name a few) and learn more on idafas, broken plurals and superlatives and comparative forms. We will read and discuss authentic texts (short stories, newspapers, and magazine articles) and view films and various news clips in Arabic. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 302 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 401

Issues in Contemporary China

Using materials from literature, public discourses, film, and the Internet, this course helps students become familiar with and reflect upon important cultural, political, and economic issues of the Chinese speaking world(China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Chinese communities in the West). NO prior knowledge of Chinese language is required. This course is required for students who elect Chinese as the primary language in their LACS-administered Chinese major(Plan B). It also counts toward the International Studies major(as an Asian Studies area course), the LACS-administered Chinese minor, as well as the interdisciplinary Asian Studies minor. (WEB)

1.00 units, Seminar

FREN 401

Senior Seminar: Special Topics

This seminar is required of all seniors majoring or minoring in French. Over the term, students will work collaboratively on the various papers they are writing by way of integrating exercises in their major or minor, and the whole class will undertake a number of readings in common in order to provide informed criticism of one another’s papers. Depending on enrollment, the class may also spend part of the semester considering a special topic, author, or genre in French studies. (WEB)
Prerequisite: C- or better in at least one 300-level course in French literature or the equivalent, and permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

GRMN 401

Senior Seminar: Special Topics in German Studies

This interdisciplinary seminar, devoted to guided, individual research, is required of all seniors majoring in German Studies Plan A or Plan B (German as primary language). Each student may work on any aspect of the history, society, or culture of the German-speaking world. Coursework is conducted in German. The grade is based on seminar participation and a research project. (WEB)
Prerequisite: One 300 level German course and permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

HISP 401

Senior Seminar

Required for graduation with a major in Spanish (Plan A) or Plan B with Spanish as primary language. In this final exercise, students will engage theoretical and critical readings around a common theme related to the Spanish-speaking world and will write a 25-page analytical research paper on a specific topic related to the common theme. (WEB)
This course is open to seniors only.

1.00 units, Seminar

ITAL 401

Senior Seminar: Topics in Italian Studies

This seminar is required of all seniors majoring in Italian: Plan A, Plan B (Italian as primary language.) An interdisciplinary seminar devoted to guided, individual research. Each student may work on any aspect of the history, society, or culture of Italy or of Italians in other lands. Coursework is conducted in Italian. The grade is based on seminar participation and a research project. Prerequisites: At least one 300-level course in Italian literature or equivalent and permission of the instructor. (WEB)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Italian 228 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

JAPN 401

Senior Seminar: Special Topics

This seminar is required of all seniors majoring in Japanese: Plan B (Japanese as primary language). Over the term, students will work collaboratively on the various papers they are writing by way of integrating exercises in their major, and the whole class will undertake a number of readings in common in order to provide informed criticism of one another’s papers. Depending on enrollment, the class may also spend part of the semester considering a special topic, author, or genre in Japanese studies. (WEB)

1.00 units, Seminar

LACS 401

Senior Project

The capstone project for the World Literature and Culture Studies major. To enroll, students must submit a completed special registration form available from the Registrar's Office. (WEB)

1.00 units, Independent Study

ARAB 402

Advanced Arabic II: Composition and Style

This course is a continuation of Arabic 401. We will closely read and analyze complex authentic texts in order to develop a high level of proficiency and grammatical accuracy in Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial Levantine. We will continue to vigorously focus on the root and pattern system. Students will study new grammatical aspects such as the imperative, the prohibitive, hollow and weak verbs, assimilation in and basic meanings of certain awzan, and the different types of grammatical objects (to name a few). Students will learn different styles of narration and significantly expand their vocabulary repertoire. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Arabic 401 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

MDLG 402

Sr Sem:Trnsltn-Thry&Prac

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Seminar

CHIN 411

US-China Relations in Mandarin

This course focuses on conversational Chinese about Taiwanese media coverage on US-China relations. Neither mainland Chinese nor American, Taiwanese opinion leaders offer fresh take on US-China relations and the future of the world. Students will learn and practice advanced expressions on relevant topics in Chinese. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 302 or any 400 level Chinese course

1.00 units, Seminar

CHIN 413

Advanced Chinese III

Students will further develop skills in written and spoken Mandarin, with increasing emphasis on longer texts, additional characters, and extensive discussion. In order to secure maximum proficiency, students should plan to take both 413 and 415 in sequence. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 302 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 415

Advanced Chinese IV

Students will improve skills in written and spoken Mandarin for formal occasions and conversations. Focuses will be given to students' ability to use the language formally and idiomatically. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 413 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Lecture

CHIN 421

Chinese Language and Culture Practicum I

This course aims to prepare advanced students for real-world China. Students will learn about a variety of topics, ranging from host/guest etiquette and cultural habits, to Chinese workplace culture and social networking strategies, to hierarchical systems and relationships. The course consists of intercultural thematic units with level-appropriate learning tasks that help advanced students refine their cultural knowledge, extend their existing language skills into live cultural practices, and acquire more up-to-date information on and a deeper understanding of modern-day Chinese society. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 302 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

CHIN 422

Chinese Language and Culture Practicum II

Continuation of 421, this course mainly focuses on exploring Chinese cultural practices and living in real-world China. Students will engage in real-life tasks and will have opportunities to observe and experience authentic Chinese cultural practices. Through these learning tasks, students will acquire practical knowledge on what to expect while in China, how to get things done in real-life China, and how to respond appropriately in given social contexts. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Chinese 421 or equivalent.

1.00 units, Seminar

ARAB 466

Teaching Assistantship

Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor are required for enrollment. Guidelines are available in the College Bulletin. (0.5 - 1 course credit) .

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

CHIN 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

FREN 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

GRMN 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

HEBR 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

HISP 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

ITAL 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

JAPN 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

LACS 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

LING 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

RUSS 466

Teaching Assistantship

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

GRMN 497

Senior Thesis

Submission of special registration form and the approval of the director are required for enrollment in this thesis course. (WEB)

1.00 units, Independent Study

HISP 497

Senior Thesis

Submission of special registration form and the approval of the director are required for enrollment in this thesis course. (HUM)

1.00 units, Independent Study

RUSS 497

Senior Thesis

This course is a one semester thesis. Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. (HUM)

1.00 units, Independent Study

RUSS 498

Senior Thesis Part 1

This course is the first part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (WEB)

1.00 units, Independent Study

GRMN 499

Senior Thesis

Submission of special registration form and the approval of the director are required for enrollment in this thesis course. (HUM)

1.00 units, Independent Study

RUSS 499

Senior Thesis Part 2

This course is the second part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (WEB)

1.00 units, Independent Study