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THE FOLLOWING ARE DESCRIPTIONS FOR FALL 2008 COURSES THAT ARE NEW OR CHANGED SINCE THE LATEST VERSION OF THE PRINTED CATALOG, OR THAT ARE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING;

• New Courses

• One Time Only Courses

• One Time Only Courses with MOI Designation

• One Time Only Courses with Writing-Centered Designation

• Special Topics Courses

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New Courses

Art H 345 - Renaissance Art Treatises

The course will provide a historical explanation and a critical reading of the most important art treatises published in Italy during the Renaissance, from the earliest translations of Vitruvius' "On Architecture" (with its influential terminology) to the writings of Leon Battista Alberti (especially "On Painting"), Lorenzo Ghiberti and other humanists. In the second part of the course, particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of Michelangelo's art theory as it has been described in Francisco de Hollanda's "Dialogues", Ascanio Condivi's "Biography", and Giorgio Vasari's "Lives". De Mambro Santos Ricardo
 

English 117W - (sections 03 and 04) - Figuring Faith in British Literature

This course will introduce students to a range of significant texts in British literature. Throughout the semester, we will investigate the concept of "faith" as it was realized by major British authors and discuss how faith is representedmaterially their writings. Our exploration will focus, though not exclusively, on the following texts and authors: the King James Bible, medieval mysticism, Renaissance poets John Donne and John Milton, Romantic poet William Wordsworth, and modern novelist Graham Greene. As we read these authors we will ask ourselves: what constitutes "faith"? How is faith concerned with both practice and belief? How is it both sacred and secular? Put differently, how does faith exist outside a religious context, and how does that possibility complicate a conventional sense of faith as something sacred? Hobgood.
 

English 319 - Titillating Terrors in Early Modern Drama

Scared stiff. A case of the willies. Totally rattled. Getting the heebie-jeebies. Each of these euphemisms suggests that fear is something that affects one's body, changing it in profound and significant ways. This seminar will introduce students to terrifying non-Shakespearean dramas of the 16th and 17th centuries and will investigate the impact those fearsome plays had on the minds and bodies of early modern playgoers. Throughout the semester, we will not only explore plays imagined as terrifying but also historical documents that portrayed the cultural fears that haunted Renaissance peoples. Our close analysis of playwrights like Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, and Thomas Heywood will prompt the following kinds of questions: what sorts of fear existed in the early modern period, how was the early modern body transformed by fear, how did the stage both manifest and confront fear, and, lastly, how might an examination of early modern fear inform our own contemporary terrors and anxieties? Hobgood.
 

HIST 131 - U.S. Labor History

This course examines the history of work, workers, and the labor movement in the United States. We will consider the American worker in many of her and his forms, from slaves to urban workers to immigrant loggers. The course will examine various labor movements and unions, such the AFL-CIO and the IWW, but we will also investigate less formal modes of accommodation and resistance to capitalism, as well as other aspects of working class culture and life. Topics include: race and the working class; consumerism and the labor movement; welfare capitalism and unions; gender and work; and globalization and labor. Since this is a Thinking Historically course, we will pay special attention to the tools historians use to understand the past. Students will conduct primary source research on a topic in US labor history, prepare a research paper, and present their project at the end of the semester. Rheinhardt

HIST 271 02 -- The Modern Middle East

An examination of the history of the Middle East from the Ottoman decline of the 19th Century to the present. The region will be defined as stretching from Turkey to Yemen and from Libya to Pakistan. Issues to be considered include the impact of Western colonialism, the Young Turk Revolution, the impact of two World Wars, the rise of Islamicist movements, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the role of women in the region and the “terrorist war” of recent years.

HIST 342 - U.S. Environmental History

This course focuses on the interaction between nature and culture in the history of the United States. The course elaborates on two basic elements of environmental history. First, we will explore the various ways in which Americans have transformed their environments, from agricultural practices to the development of cities. We will also explore the converse of that relationship-how the environment has transformed Americans and been an active force in U.S. history. Topics include: Native American and Euroamerican approaches to nature; slavery and the environment; contests over natural resources in the American West; urban spaces and sanitation; the Dust Bowl as environmental and human catastrophe; New Deal hydroelectric projects; ecological thought in US history; the role of the "wilderness"; the rise of environmentalism and environmental justice campaigns. Many of these topics are unique to the case of the United States, but this course also uses the U.S. context to expand on some of the themes covered in ENVR 326. ENVR 326 is not, however, a prerequisite for this course. Rheihnardt

"One Time Only" Courses

CS 150 (QA*) Scientific Computing (1)

A first course in computing designed for science majors. Programming examples will be taken from the physical and biological sciences, elg. simulations of preditor-prey dynamics, food webs, forced damped harmonic motion (pendulums), or projectile motion. Programming will be done in Java. Quantitative and Analytical Reasoning*.  Levenick

HIST 388 - Church and State in American History

This course examines the issues and trends in church-state relations in American history, as they affected the nation's social, political, and legal development. The course covers the period from the early British colonies, through the Founding period and the nineteenth century, into the modern era. Prerequisite: HIST 113 or 114. Fall. Green

IDS 131 Elections 2008 (.5)

This course will consist of weekly lectures given by experts from both within and outside of Willamette University on various topics related to election policies. Some possible topics include the United States electoral college, alternative voting systems, mathematical voting theory, and the use of electronic voting machines. Students enrolled in this course will be responsible for attending all the lectures, contributing to the discussion, and writing a paper related to one of the lectures presented. Otto

Special Topics Courses

Biol 470-01 - From Base Pairs to Bears: Applications of genetic data to ecology, conservation biology and forensics

Does DNA fingerprinting lead to more wrongful convictions? Can inbreeding drive rare species to extinction? How can wildlife managers monitor rare and elusive species? Are there fewer humpback whales today than in the 19^th century? Are elephants that live in the forest different from elephants that live on the savanna? Should we protect brown bear populations in coastal Alaska?

In bi-weekly seminars and discussions, we will consider how new technologies in DNA sequencing and genomic surveys can be used to answer these, and other questions. Ideal for students planning careers in biotechnology, environmental science, and conservation biology, this class will involve readings from the primary literature, weekly lectures, and a student research paper. Prerequisite: Biology 130 or permission from the instructor.

BIOL 470-02 Learning to Fly: Drosophila as a Powerful Model System

This Special Topics Course explores the contributions made to our knowledge base by scientists utilizing the common fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. We will examine the use of this model system from its humble beginnings as a tool for classical research areas such as genetics, population genetics and evolution to its impact on current and emerging areas of research including developmental biology, cell biology, neurobiology, cancer biology, addiction research and stem cell biology. We will focus on both the role of Drosophila in key experiments in these research areas and its broader influence on discoveries in these areas. In addition, we will also examine both classical and contemporary techniques that have been developed and employed in this unique model system. Dr. Jason Duncan.

HIST 343-01 - Medieval Borderlands: Spain to Scandanavia

An examination of the periphery of Medieval Europe from 800 to 1400. We will consider the impact of the centre on the periphery – Normans in Ireland, Scotland and Italy, Germans in eastern Europe – but also conflicts unique to borderland regions – Muslim vs Christian in Spain, Byzantine vs Ottoman in southeast Europe, Slavs vs steppe invaders in Russia. Scandinavia from the Viking age to Christian monarchies will complete the circle.

HIST 343-02 - Rome's Decline and Fall -- Or Not

Despite its reputation as a period of decline, the later Roman Empire was also a period of great transformation and innovation. This course will focus on the fourth century CE and consider a number of political, religious, and cultural changes, including relations between Rome and foreign peoples, the division of the Empire into eastern and western halves, the spread of Christianity in Roman society, the growing influence of bishops and ascetics, and the development of new literary and artistic forms. These themes will also be studied in the context of ongoing debates about whether, why, and how the Roman Empire experienced decline. Prerequisite: One History course or consent of instructor

RHET 245 - Media and the Middle East (1)

This course will explore issues related to media use in and media representation of the Middle East. Topics will include the culture wars evoked by music videos and television programming in the Middle East, news coverage of area conflicts from U.S. and Middle Eastern perspectives, the role of mediated public diplomacy, the internet as a political tool, and film depictions of Israel/Palestine. Clark