First-Year Seminar Program (2022-2024)

This is a sampling of recent seminars in the program. Except when noted, First-Year Seminars never assume any specific course or background on the student’s part.

Language and Reality in 20th-Century Science and Literature
FRSEM-UA 210 Ulfers. 4 points.
Posits a common ground between the two cultures of science and the humanities and proposes a correlation between postclassical science (e.g., quantum theory) and "postmodern" literature and philosophy. Examines Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle" and the "undecidability" of deconstructive theory. The discussion of these notions and their implications in literary works focuses on their effect on classical logic, the referential function of language, and the traditional goal of a complete explanation/description of reality.

Supreme Court and the Religion Clauses: Religion and State in America
FYSEM-UA 218 Sexton. 4 points.
Should members of the Native American Church be allowed to smoke peyote at religious ceremonies? Can a public high school invite a rabbi to give a benediction and convocation at graduation? Should a state legislator rely on his or her religious convictions in forming a view about the legality of capital punishment or abortion? We divide these questions into three subject areas: religious liberty; separation of church and state; and the role of religion in public and political life. Focuses on how the Supreme Court has dealt with these areas and, more important, invites students to construct anew a vision of the proper relationship between religion, state, and society in a twenty-first-century liberal constitutional democracy.

Latin America at the Start of the 21st Century: Coming of Age or Continuing Chaos?
FYSEM-UA 306 Castañeda. 4 points.
Focuses on longstanding problems and possible solutions to them. Topics include the absence of orderly, peaceful, and steady democratic governance following independence from colonial rule, and the consolidation of representative democracy today; the slowdown of economic growth in the last 20 years and prospects for a new economic takeoff; the phenomenon of widespread violence at a time of growing respect for human rights; and how the traditional weakness of civil society is being overcome. For each topic, there are readings dealing with its political, economic, and cultural dimensions in both past and present.

Journalism of War, Revolution, Genocide, and Human Rights
FYSEM-UA 384 Linfield. 4 points.
We read some of the key journalistic works on these topics that have been written in the past one hundred years. How, and why, has the nature of war changed in the past century? Why do some revolutions, such as those in Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism, largely succeed, while others, such as those of the Arab Spring, fail so miserably? Why do sufferers of violence and oppression so often become perpetrators of it? What is the difference between war and genocide, and why did the latter emerge in the 20th century? Why has terrorism re-emerged with such vengeance in the past two decades? What are “human rights”—another invention of the 20th century—and how, if at all, have they become a reality?

Science and Policy of Climate Change
FYSEM-UA 432 Gerber. 4 points.
Recent years have been the warmest in recorded history. It is likely the hottest the Earth has ever been since the last interglacial period 125,000 years ago. The first predictions of human-induced global warming were made over a century ago, but the topic remains controversial despite the fact that the world has warmed almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the intervening years. Investigates observational evidence as well as the physical and mathematical foundations upon which forecasts of future climate are based. Armed with a scientific and policy background, students conduct a research project on the response to global warming—delving into the details of climate engineering, alternate energy, psychology, ethics, and/or economics—thus giving them a chance to enter the debate, and perhaps even contribute to the solution.

What is College For?
FRSEM-UA 474 Jordan. 4 points.
Why did you decide to attend college? To broaden your intellectual horizons and become open-minded? To gain specialized knowledge in a specific subject? To achieve a financially rewarding career? To satisfy your parents? At the beginning of the twenty-first century, current models and practices of higher education are receiving increased scrutiny. Topics for discussion: Does higher education need to redefine its academic mission? Should everyone attend college? What is the impact of new technologies? How can students, professors, and administrators all contribute to creating a successful college environment?

Global Citizenship: Podcasting Global Issues
FYSEM-UA 484 Baer. 4 points.
Do all people, cultures, and countries value freedom, justice, and personal autonomy in the same way—or do some strike a different balance between protecting individuals while maintaining the common good? Globalization, which describes both the current state of interdependence among people and a mindset that tries to account for everyone on the planet, brings these questions into sharp relief. New York City is a perfect place to test whether there are indeed universal values and how different people who hold disparate values and follow diverse rules can live together. Students produce episodes for the podcast Think About It, dedicated to in-depth conversations on big ideas. They learn how to prepare for intelligent interviews through background research; how to outline questions; how to professionally record someone; and how to edit, format, and upload interviews as professional podcasts.

Work and Family in the New Economy
FYSEM-UA 500 Gerson. 4 points.
The rise of a globalized “new economy” has created jobs with more short-term flexibility but less long-term security. In a parallel way, the rise of more diverse options in intimate relationships has created similar uncertainties in the nature of commitments to partners and children. Taken together, these revolutionary shifts have left recent generations facing deepening conflicts between earning a living and caring for others. To explore the causes, contours, and longer-term consequences of these changes in economic and private life, we first study cutting-edge research on these contemporary trends and, second, draw on these readings as students develop and conduct original research projects on a relevant topic of their choice.

In Search of Lost Time
FRSEM-UA 503 Clements. 4 points.
We read Proust (in translation) as he should be read: hedonistically—with respect and admiration but also with delectation. A prodigious novel of more than 4,000 pages, In Search of Lost Time is still unparalleled in how it combines finesse and wit with raw emotion, self-examination with social history, profound psychological acuity with a dazzling portrait of the French beau monde at the outset of modernity, and how it merges an audacious explosion of literary form with explorations of memory, desire, attachment, deception, lust, jealousy, ambition, and disappointment. We move at a brisk pace through the entire work (reading assignments average 350 pages per week).

Game Theory and the Humanities
FYSEM-UA 506 Brams. 4 points.
Game theory is a mathematical theory of strategy that has been applied to the analysis of conflict and cooperation in such fields as economics, political science, and biology. In this seminar, we discuss more unusual applications—to history, literature, philosophy, the Bible, theology, and law. We discuss Abraham’s decision to offer his son Isaac for sacrifice; the choices made by accused witches and their persecutors in medieval witch trials; Lady Macbeth's incitement of her husband to murder King Duncan in Shakespeare’s play; several strategic games played by presidents and their antagonists in domestic crises (e.g., the Civil War) and international crises (e.g., the Cuban missile crisis), and coping mechanisms used by characters in catch-22 games (including those in Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22).

Xenophon of Athens
FYSEM-UA 514 Renzi. 4 points.
The greatest ancient you’ve never heard of, Xenophon of Athens (c. 425-355 B.C.E.) was a brilliant general, a student of Socrates, and a renowned author. When knowledge of Greek was still required for admission to college, his fame was ubiquitous, as his writings formed the basis of the college preparatory curriculum. Particular attention is given to Xenophon’s literary style and technique, his invention of new literary genres and innovations as a writer of Socratic discourses, and issues of adaptation, as well as to his characterization of Socrates, depictions of women and non-Greek peoples and slaves, theory of leadership, and political thought. Readings, in English translation: Apology of Socrates, Symposium, Memorabilia, Cyropaedia, Cavalry Commander, Anabasis, and the film based on the latter, The Warriors—with a CAS connection—set in 1979 C.E. New York City.

After the End: Post-Apocalypse Novels in the 20th and 21st Centuries
FYSEM-UA 598 Hoover. 4 points.
Many authors have speculated about what would happen if (most) humans were destroyed. Authors have removed humans by natural disasters, or have imagined alien invasions, plagues, epidemics, agricultural collapses, and reproductive failure. More recently, humans themselves have become popular as causes of apocalypses because global thermonuclear war, lethal pollution, disastrous over-population, genetic engineering, and climate change have become realistic possible scenarios for the collapse of our species. We pay special attention to apocalypses that have implications for the nature of humanity and human society. Some treat an apocalypse as a kind of thought-experiment; some focus more on the collapse of human institutions, culture, morality, and religion; others on the challenges the survivors face; and still others address the potential for the re-creation of human society or the creation of an alternative kind of society.

#BlackLanguageMatters
FYSEM-UA 634 Blake. 4 points.
The many ways African Americans use language to express their personal and community identities. We study the linguistic structure of African American English and theories about its origins. We explore how language is used to convey social identity—particularly regarding race and ethnicity—and make meaning of one’s life. Issues addressed include language variation, language contact and change, and social and linguistic discrimination. Finally, we consider African American English as a nexus of ideas on race, identity, sexuality, violence, and equality in the United States and abroad, with reference to Cornel West’s Race Matters (1994) and the more recent #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Adventures in Interviewing: Oral History Theory and Practice
FYSEM-UA 701 Grey, Nyhan. 4 points.
Oral history is compelling in its ability to bring forward the voices of those who were frequently excluded from more typical sources and it often leads to new interpretations of history. As a method it presents both challenges and rewards, as the sources are not confined to the library or an archive. In the process of interviewing, the historian is confronted by sources that speak, think, remember, forget, and recount—human beings. Explores theories of memory, how memory is constructed and forgotten, and how historians contend with this type of source. Preparing for and conducting an oral history interview will be a significant portion of students’ work.

Crystallization in Life: Stories about Shells, Bones, and Kidney Stones
FYSEM-UA 714 Prerequisites: Advanced Placement examination credit in Chemistry, and in either Calculus or Biology. An. 4 points.
Introduces the world of biomineralization, the branch of chemistry that deals with crystal formation under the influence of biomolecules. Studies the fundamentals of crystal formation, crystal properties, and the structure of crystals surrounding us. Begins with solution chemistry, crystallization theory, and various aspects of the crystallization process in nature and then moves on to the specific case studies of the title, with attention to biomolecules (proteins, lipids, etc.) and their roles in controlling the crystallization process. Understanding the biomineralization process in the formation of kidney stones can lead to preventative drug development, which illustrates a practical application of the field in biomedical science. In addition, studying the crystallization process in nature can lead to new bioinspired materials, such as optical fibers.

Nature vs. Nurture: The Neurobiology of Individuality
FYSEM-UA 732 Kaplow. 4 points.
Psychologists, biologists, philosophers, and neuroscientists have historically questioned the impact of heredity vs. the environment in shaping the uniqueness of individuals. Modern scientists have arrived at a consensus whereby both genes and experience contribute to distinct behaviors. Indeed, “nature” and “nurture” are not isolated components. Understanding the constant and complex interaction between the two is the key to unlocking the mysteries of animal and human behaviors. We examine the nature vs. nurture debate over time by studying Darwin and Lamarck, as well as novel genetic tools that explore the interaction between DNA and the environment and papers treating the topic of genes and behavior. Students write research papers on topics and in a style accessible to the general public.

Heroic Journeys: Homer, Vergil, Dante
FYSEM-UA 753 Santirocco. 4 points.
Homer's Odyssey, Vergil's Aeneid, and Dante's Inferno span two millennia and very different cultures—archaic Greece at the dawn of literature, pagan Rome of the first century B.C.E., and Florence during the Christian Middle Ages. Reflecting very different social, political, and religious values, they explore very different visions of what it means to be human, particularly with regard to the individual's role in society and the individual's relationship to the divine. But for all their differences, the three poems self-consciously engage with one another, building on, competing with, and correcting their predecessors' visions. Thus, all are cast as journeys by a hero, and these journeys are both literal and metaphorical. All three also involve a descent into the underworld, from which the hero is, in a sense, reborn with a greater understanding and a new sense of purpose. Emphasizes close reading and discussion of the three poems, as well as development of research skills.

Seeing the Universe
FYSEM-UA 758 Weiner. 4 points.
The universe is full of stuff, but our ability to see it is quite limited. Discusses the universe we can see (and how we see it), as well as how to make visible the universe we cannot see. Examines how we see with different forms of light and also other ways of seeing, such as relying on neutrinos and gravity. Questions include: How can we observe the early universe or things like dark matter? Does it make sense to talk about the reality we cannot see, such as what lies beyond the observable universe? Provides a basic grounding in the history of the cosmos.

Happiness in Film
FYSEM-UA 781 Cortade. 4 points.
Draws on a variety of sources and disciplines, including cinema studies, history, philosophy, positive psychology, ethology, and cultural studies. Views the notion of “happiness” through the lens of different historical and cultural contexts, and considers how film techniques are used in those contexts to convey positive emotions. Topics include: the transformation and rebirth of heroes in myths and fairy tales in film; the building of the self away from social determinisms; “happy endings” in classical Hollywood cinema, including comedies and musicals; the politics of happiness, race, class, and gender in world cinema; happiness and the practice of frugality; and the building of common ground across communities, nations, and species.