Fall 2008 Courses

Registration for open ExCollege courses continues on SIS until Tuesday, September 16. This page was last updated 9/9/08.

EXP-0002-F: The Transformation of Print and Visual Communication
Tuesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Braker 001
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03960
Since the rise of the book, words have become visual icons, not just the phonetic representations of speech. How did we get from hand-scribed books to hand-set moveable type and, from there, to hand-held PDAs?

This course will first lay out the history of the printed word and image in the West (Europe and North America), including technological developments, political and cultural impacts and non-western influences, and then use these studies to examine the current state of visual culture. Students will acquire a better understanding of the development and history of books, printed text and imagery in Western society and its subsequent impact on modern visual culture. By analyzing the evolution of print and visual media, students will be engaged in rethinking their relationships and interactions with books, text messaging devices, advertising, newspapers and other text-based visual communication media.
This course has been approved by Art and Art History to fulfill the Arts Distribution requirement. This course also will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a Humanities elective.

Jennifer Hughes is a printmaker and book artist who is well versed in visual media and iconography. She has studied printmaking, book arts and art history at the University of Iowa and Wellesley College, and currently teaches an advanced studio seminar course at Framingham State College.

EXP-0004-F: Empresses, Saints, and Scholars: The Women of Byzantium
Tuesday and Thursday, 6:00-7:15 PM, Eaton 206
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03961
Irene, Mary of Egypt, Theophano, Anna Comnena — their names echo through time. They are women who helped shape empires, the Christian religion, and the discipline of history.

In this course we will examine the lives of these, and other women of Byzantium.We will attempt to to come to terms with their significance as reflections and commentaries on political legitimacy, spirituality, education, the spread of Byzantine culture, and the evolution of Christian theology. Our focus will be on the Byzantines, yet our journey will also take us to Russia, the kingdoms of Armenia, the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe.
This course has been approved to count toward the History major and the Women’s Studies major. It has also been approved to count under the Classics rubric toward the Culture requirement.

David J. Proctor is a double, soon to be triple, Jumbo, earning his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Tufts. He counts History 10 and 11, as well as previous incarnations of Empresses, Saints, and Scholars, among the classes he has taught to Tufts undergraduates.

EXP-0005-F: Faith and Social Action: How Faith Inspires Activism
Thursday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Olin 101
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03962
How does an individual’s faith or belief system impact their commitment to social justice? What role does faith play in shaping social and political movements? What role does religion play in fueling conflicts?
In this course, we will examine the role faith plays in a variety of types of social action. We will look at the lives and work of famous faith-based social activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Thich Nat Hanh, and others, and examine the role that faith played in the development of their personal narrative, ideas, and ideals. We examine the role of faith in creating large-scale social change movements, as well as the role religion has played in creating social and political conflict. The format of the course will be dialogue-based, with students engaging in conversation about the personalities being studies and also sharing their own perspectives on the intersection of faith and activism in their own lives.
This course has been approved by the Religion Department to count toward Humanities Distribution credit.

The course is part of the Pathways Interfaith Initiative at Tufts. The Mission of Pathways is to engage students of different religious/spiritual backgrounds in dialogue.

Najiba Akbar and Shai Fuxman are co-facilitators of Pathways — Tufts Interfaith Initiative. In this role, they have facilitated several Experimental College seminars, developed and helped launch Tufts Multi-faith Council, and run other type of dialogue activities at Tufts, MIT, Wellesley College, and Brandeis University.

EXP-0006-F: Medical Spanish
Monday and Wednesday, 6:00-7:15 PM, Olin 001
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03963
What are the practical and ethical issues involved in treating medical patients who do not speak English? In an era when doctors and patients find themselves unable to communicate across language barriers, and Spanish-speaking communities continue to grow rapidly throughout the United States, the ability to use medical Spanish has taken on new importance.

This course provides an overview of the practice of Spanish medical interpretation. Students will build upon their communication skills and medical vocabulary, while exploring cultural and advocacy questions. Not only will we reinforce our knowledge of Spanish grammar, but we will also focus on interpreting skills and techniques, the code of ethics for medical interpreters, health beliefs and practices in a range of Spanish-speaking cultures, and cross-cultural communication challenges.

Instruction is geared toward students with intermediate to advanced Spanish language skills.
Josep Vicente is a medical interpreter with Medical Interpreters of the North Shore. Born and raised in Spain, he holds a degree in Romance Languages and Linguistics from the Universitat de Barcelona.

EXP-0007-F: The Writer's Craft: Practical and Theoretical Approaches
Tuesday and Thursday, 4:30-5:45 PM, Eaton 202
1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03964
This course explores current research in the field of composition. It is designed to provide theoretical grounding to the practice of peer tutoring and the teaching of writing. Students will study writing theory and consider its practical application in the classroom and the writing center. Topics will include: the role of peer tutors, conferencing techniques, writing in the disciplines, English as a Second Language, and discourse communities. Always, as we explore the issues pertaining to writing, we will be looking for meaning on a practical, as well as theoretical, level. Discussions of student papers will be a standard means of applying acquired knowledge to the reality of peer tutoring.
NOTE: This is a mandatory course for Writing Fellows and Writing Tutors and enrollment is limited to these groups.

Amalia Jiva has an M.S. in Applied Linguistics and is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Interpretation Theory, Literature, and Religion through Boston University’s University Professors Department. Amalia joined the staff of the ARC and Writing Fellows Program in August 2005 and has co-taught The Writer’s Craft course since 2005.

Carmen Lowe directs the Writing Fellows Program and the Academic Resource Center at Tufts University. She came to Tufts in 1994 to pursue graduate studies, earning a Ph.D. in English in 2003. She became Assistant Director of Writing Resources in Fall 2001, and Director of the ARC in June 2005. Carmen has co-taught The Writer’s Craft since 2002.

EXP-0010-F: Moving Beyond Diversity
Tuesday, 4:30-7:00 PM, Lane 100
1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03965
We want a college with "diversity," but what does that mean? Once we find ourselves members of this "diverse" community, then what? This discussion course explores topics of diversity in the U.S. that are seldom mentioned openly. For example, when students of color sit together in the dining hall, why do we think they are "segregating" themselves? Do we ever think the same of a group of white students? How do we use words like "queer" and "gay"? And how do we understand class privilege? We will focus on topics (e.g. stereotypes, power, privilege, oppression) and experiences related to growing up in the U.S., especially as they pertain to the work of the Group of 6 (Africana, Asian American, International, Latino, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender, and Women's Centers). We'll have opportunities for self-exploration through readings, discussions, and interactive exercises. Is this for you? Definitely, if your mind opens onto a willingness to learn and be personally challenged in a supportive atmosphere.
This is a first year advising seminar and enrollment is only open to those new students assigned to this section.

Linell Yugawa is the Director of the Asian American Center and on the Dean of Student Affairs staff at Tufts University.  She has an M.Ed. and M.S.W. and a strong interest in social justice education which she incorporates in her work with student peer leadership training and her course, Moving Beyond “Diversity.” She has taught this course since the Fall of 2002.

EXP-0011-F: Class Matters
Wednesday, 4:30-7:00 PM, Latino Center
1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03966
How do we define class in the United States? What is the relationship between socio-economic class, race and ethnicity? Do we live in a meritocracy? Do we all have an equal chance of achieving the American Dream? These and other questions will be the focus of this full credit, pass/fail advising course. At a time of growing inequality in the United States, the issue of socio-economic class is often left out of discussions on diversity, particularly in our universities. This course will attempt to provide a safe environment where students from all walks of life can discuss these issues openly. The course will include readings, films, interactive activities, field trips and outside speakers. Additional topics to be discussed include financial aid, homelessness, Walmart, globalization, healthcare, the working poor, and the undocumented.
This is a first year advising seminar and enrollment is only open to those new students assigned to this section.

Ruben Salinas Stern is the Director of the Latino Center at Tufts University.

EXP-0012-F: A History of Graphic Design
Thursday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Aidekman 9
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03983
Gothic Revival, Art Nouveau, Futurism, Dada, Bauhaus, Art Deco, Psychedilia, and more!

This course will focus on the history of graphic design in Europe and the United States during the main span of the twentieth century. We will trace the development of the different styles and examine the connections between industrial design and social change. And we will also assess how these dynamics shaped graphic designers’ work and discourse. Overall, the class will be geared toward analyzing material and images that elucidate particular concepts in relation to design in an effort to enhance the students' design performance.
This course has been approved by Art and Art History to fulfill the Arts Distribution requirement.

Nelida Nassar is the principal of Nassar Design, a communication and branding company based in Brookline, Massachusetts. She holds an M.F.A .in architecture from the Ecole Nationale des Arts Descoratifs in Paris and an M.F.A. in design and typography from the Allgemaine Gewerbeschule, Basel, Switzerland.

EXP-0017-F: The Comic Book in American Culture
Monday, 6:00-8:30 PM, East 016
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03990
How do comics work as a medium of communication? To what degree can comics be considered literary art?

In this course, these two questions will be at the heart of our discussions, as we explore the world of comics from strips to graphic novels. We will tackle some of the canonical comics, with due consideration to current scholarly discourse on the topic. We will also cover the history of comics and their place in American popular culture from the early 20th century through today, and address how the use of words and static sequential images can be employed as a means of communication that differs from static or moving pictures. Finally, we will assess the medium’s literary and cultural value in today’s society.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a  Humanities elective.

Lance Eaton received his M.A. in American Studies from the University of Massachusetts Boston and has written about the role of comics in American life for several publications.  Currently, he serves as an adjunct faculty member at a number of area schools.

EXP-0019-F: Research for Success: Using the Library for Thesis and Capstone Projects
Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Tisch 223
0.5 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #30991
This is an eight-week course beginning Tuesday, Sept. 16. A preview of the class will take place on Tuesday, September 9, anytime between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the ERC (Room 223), Tisch Library. Refreshments will be served.

Are you thinking about writing an honors thesis your senior year? Would you like to get a head start or immediate help understanding the research process? Would you enjoy sharing what you learn as you become an expert in the subject area you are investigating? This course will introduce students to the major research tools and techniques at an intermediate-to-advanced level specific to their subject area. Each student will also develop a working bibliography of resources, as well as a plan for continuing his/her research.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an eight-week course.

Regina Raboin is the Science Reference Librarian and Reference Microforms/Current Periodicals Coordinator at Tisch Library.

Laurie Sabol is the Coordinator of Library Instruction at Tisch Library.

EXP-0020-F: Forensic Science and the Investigation of Crime Reconstruction
Thursday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Barnum 114
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03992
CSI, Law and Order, Dexter… add up the hours that TV devotes to crime-solving, and it’s off the charts. But how real is it?

In this course students will be introduced to the realities of this fascinating process. Students will gain an understanding not only of crime-specific investigation procedure, but forensic science, the practice of criminalistics, and crime-scene processing.

This will be done by focusing on the steps involved in the aftermath of a criminal act, including discovery and police response, processing of the crime scene for physical evidence, forensic analysis, arrest, court presentation and pursuit of conviction. Finally, special emphasis will be placed on the presentation of evidence in a mock trial.
James Jabbour recently retired from his position as a Police Inspector in the Office of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney. He has had more than twenty-five years experience in law enforcement, dealing with homicide, sexual assault, arson, and robbery. Inspector Jabbour holds a M.S. in Forensic Science with a concentration in Advanced Investigation and was appointed an Education Commissioner for the American College of Forensic Examiners in 2007.

EXP-0021-F: Eco-Psychology
Thursday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Anderson 309
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03984
Is increased exposure to nature an effective therapeutic tool for children diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder? Are inner-city populations at a greater risk for developing the health problems (e.g., asthma), associated with environmental hazards? What does the discipline of psychology have to offer today’s environmental crises?

In this course, we will investigate the interplay between human behavior and the natural environment. As we examine the relationships between environmental justice, environmental racism, and environmental policy - while closely considering community based social marketing, norms, and values - we will discuss how an understanding of psychological theory and research can encourage conservation behavior.
This course will count toward Environmental Studies Track III or Core #3.

Jeffrey Perrin is an advanced doctoral student in the University of New Hampshire Department of Psychology, and counts Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, and Statistics in Psychology, among the university level courses he has taught. He has also taught environmental education at several outdoor centers, and has facilitated leadership and team-building workshops for Outward Bound.

EXP-0023-F: Animals for People with Disabilities
Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Olin 101
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03985
Have you ever heard of a service monkey? How about a guide horse?

In this course we will explore a field unlike any other therapeutic tool or assistive technology available: the various forms of animal therapy, from service monkeys, to therapy cats, to hippotherapy. We will then address the complex laws and guidelines that govern these animals and their handlers. Students will consider the reasons why animal service and therapy are becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the United States. And we will pay particular attention to those animals that have unique abilities when it comes to aiding people with disabilities.

Jen Dapice Feinstein (J’ 98) is a pediatric occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital Boston and volunteers with Canine Companions for Independence, a non-profit organization that provides service dogs to people with disabilities. She has been involved in the animal therapy community for more than five years and holds a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Tufts.

EXP-0025-F: Arrested Development: Transitions to Adulthood
Wednesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Eaton 204
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03993
What is adulthood? Over the past half-century, movies such as The Graduate, Reality Bites, Garden State, and, most recently, Knocked-Up, have painted recent generations of young adults as lost in a state of confusion, lacking any professional direction, and unable to sustain adult relationships. Is this accurate or even fair? 

In this course, we will explore individual development in broader social contexts, the development of adulthood as a stage over the past century, and finally, the variability of adulthood over time and between cultures, ethnicities and classes. We will also exlpore the media images of transitioning into adulthood, trying to decode why they are seemingly stereotypical and what they may represent. Finally, we will pay special attention to the complex and interrelated set of social, historical and cultural conditions in which the current transition to adulthood is embedded.

Sylvie Honig (J ‘00) is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Sociology department at the University of Chicago, focusing on the delayed transition to adulthood among middle-to-upper class young adults, and its connection to high levels of dependency. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she taught at the elementary and secondary level.

EXP-0027-F: Perspectives on Psychopathology: Personalizing Mental Illness
Monday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Halligan 108
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03986
How are we to understand the experience of mental illness in its full complexity and individual nature? Students in this course will explore how we, as a society, have always struggled with this issue, with no satisfactory conclusion.

This course will consider why [a] stigmas and stereotypes plague the general public’s understanding of the experience of psychiatric disorders, [b] the current state of health care requires a revolving door approach to treatment, and [c] students of psychiatry often come away with an overly analytical and depersonalized understanding of psychopathology. Building on these contexts, and in order to develop a more nuanced and deep understanding of the experience of mental illness, we will then examine together a variety of disorders and treatment issues from multiple frameworks. These avenues of approach will include works of autobiography, literature, scientific journal articles, and film and television portrayals. We will consider what each of these avenues offer us in terms of accuracy, intricacy, and depth.
This course will count as a free elective within the Psychology major (see Item VII in the Psychology department’s major descriptions) and will also count toward the Social Science Distribution requirement.

Sarah Cavanagh holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Tufts. Her research interests include the cognitive and psycho-physiological mechanisms in the regulation of emotion, the role of emotion in dissociation, and post-traumatic stress.

Jennifer DiCorcia is a Ph.D. candidate in Experimental Psychology at Tufts. She studies emotional development in infancy and childhood. Both instructors have co-taught summer courses through the Summer Institute on College Teaching at Tufts University and taught an Ex College course called Portrayals of Mental Illness in Popular Film.

EXP-0029-F: Looking at Science Through the Eyes of Other Disciplines
Wednesday, 7:00-8:15 PM, Metcalf Hall
0.5 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03994
This special seminar will address many interdisciplinary topics, most of which will relate science, medicine, and genetics, and their roles in the political climate of fall 2008. We will be analyzing, researching, and discussing topics based on recent events. Students will also be able to explore their own interests. Then, as a group, we will work together to find creative solutions to these issues.
This course is designed for residents of Metcalf Hall as part of the Bridge Program. Permission of the instructor is required.

Ronnee Yashon holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Education, and Law. She has taught human genetics and general biology, as well as bioethics and the law for more than twenty years. She is also the author of a series, Case Studies in Bioethics, and a book entitled, Landmark Legal Cases for Scientists.

EXP-0032-F: Mythbusters: Archaeology, Mass Media, and Pseudoscience
Wednesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Braker 001
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03987
Did Mayans really predict a global cataclysm in 2012? Where is Atlantis and how can I get there? Isn’t there some story about the pyramids in Egypt being a lot older than they say? Are archaeologists hiding evidence that proves Mesoamerican civilization came from Africa or China?

This course promises to answer those questions, and more, through an introduction to the field of archaeology and the examination of prominent pseudoscientific claims and hoaxes that color our history. Case studies will include the Atlantis legend, pyramid builders, ancient travelers, Stonehenge, colossal heads and the 2012 prophecy, among others. Coursework will focus on highlighting specific pseudoscientific claims, and examine how they are depicted in the media in comparison to archaeological data.

Matthew Moriarty is a professional archaeologist who has worked in Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, Ireland and the United States. His current research focuses on the interplay between trade, politics and ritual at Trinidad de Nosotros, an ancient Mayan port in Guatemala. Recent projects include a study of ancient Mayan feasting, and an edited volume on ancient Mayan trade. He is currently finishing his Ph.D. at Tulane.

EXP-0035-F: Rape Aggression Defense
Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00PM, South Hall Basement
0.5 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03995
The Rape Aggression Defense System (R.A.D.) is based on the philosophy of choices: “to develop and enhance the OPTIONS of self defense, so that they become more viable considerations for the woman who is attacked.”

While it is completely natural to resist, unless a woman is trained to do so the resistance she attempts may be futile. This course will try to strengthen innate survival techniques by making more options available. Preparation through education and training is usually the best way to survive an assault situation.

Issues that will be addressed include awareness and prevention, sexual assault definitions, patterns of encounter, the decision to resist, basic principles of self-defense, and the defensive mindset. This course will end with realistic simulation training.
Kerri Dervishian and Darren Weisse are members of the Tufts University Police Department and certified R.A.D. instructors.

EXP-0036-F: Soccer, Society, and Immigration
Tuesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Pearson 104
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03988
As society evolves and changes with immigration, so do its sports. Yet how does this evolution take place? Do Americans today embrace the same sports they did at the turn of the century, or in the 1950s?

This course will address these questions, while paying special attention to the evolution of society in Massachusetts and its affect on the development of sports, in particular soccer. We will also examine what we have come to know as modern team sports, and explore how issues of class and economic development have shaped these perceptions.
This course has been approved by History to fulfill the Social Sciences or Humanities Distribution requirement.

Steven Apostalov is a doctoral candidate at the University of Paris 8 at Saint Denis, and was awarded the scholarship Joao Havelange by Zurich-based FIFA. He has taught French language and civilization at Simmons College and the University of Massachusetts, and is both a soccer referee and freelance sports writer.

EXP-0037-F: Road Trip: The Automobile, Tourist Traps, and Modern America
Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Bromfield-Pearson 07
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03996
From New England diners to California hot rods – and all the tourist traps in between – the American landscape reflects our love affair with hitting the road.

This course examines tourism in the automobile age, and how it reflects our culture, tastes and values. We will consider the extent to which automobile tourism is a classically American phenomenon that has come to define us as a nation and as individuals. Coursework will include a sampling of literature, film, advertisements, and pop culture, an examination of famous highways, an in-depth study of automobile culture, destination planning and road archaeology, and one road trip of your own! Haven’t you always wanted to be a “Roads” Scholar?

Dan Yaeger is a destination planning professional who has developed tourism programs across the U.S. and abroad. He was born on the “Mother Road”, Route 66, and has practiced road archaeology for more than twenty-five years. He is currently a fellow at Brown University’s John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of Public Humanities.

EXP-0042-F: Bullying in Social Context
Tuesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Anderson 206
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03989
How do individual, familial, and environmental factors influence youth involvement in bullying? In what ways has technology shaped the face of bullying in recent years?

In this course students will gain a better understanding of bullying dynamics, in both traditional and online contexts, from both a social and ecological perspective. Students will examine statewide legislation and school-based policies, as well as evaluate existing prevention programs. Finally, students will assess the accuracy and depth of media representations of this nation-wide phenomenon.

This course will count as a related course toward the Child Development major.
Melissa Holt holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center.

EXP-0044-F: Science Education Elementary Partnerships
Wednesday, 4:00-5:15 PM, Barnum 104
1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03997
Do you enjoy working with young kids - showing them hands-on activities and demonstrating how learning can be fun? Are you wondering if teaching might be a career for you? This is your chance to work with 1st through 5th graders in one of our host community schools, and effect a real change in elementary school students! SEEP is an initiative that relies heavily upon science experiments and activities to engage young students, and allows Tufts undergraduates to work alongside public school teachers in their own classrooms. Tufts students will meet together regularly in a seminar to share experiences, discuss current educational issues, learn effective teaching strategies and work through interesting, hands-on science lessons. In addition to the seminar, students will spend two-to-three hours per week in a host school helping with science activities.
This course represents a partnership between Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and the Experimental College.

Ronnee Yashon holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Education, and Law. She has taught human genetics and general biology, as well as bioethics and the law for more than twenty years. She is the author of a series, Case Studies in Bioethics, and a book entitled, Landmark Legal Cases for Scientists.

EXP-0047-F: Separation of Church and State in American Life
Tuesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Eaton 202
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03998
What do we think the First Amendment means when it says: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

In this course we will attempt to find answers to questions such as this by examining the complex history of this amendment and its impact in today’s educational and political spheres as well. Topics to be explored include: Is the USA a Christian or constitutional nation? And what’s the difference? Is the principle of “separation of church and state” still relevant in the 21st Century? Why is God in the Pledge of Allegiance and on our currency?
This course has been approved by Comparative Religion to fulfill the Humanities Distribution requirement.

Ellery Schempp (A ‘62) holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University. He is a well-known speaker on the issue of separation of church and state, noted for his role in a Supreme Court case, Abington vs. Schempp and Murray vs. Curlett, decided June 1963.

EXP-0049-F: New Media, New Politics?
Wednesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Braker 226
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03999
From broadsides to blogs, media and politics have been bound together throughout American history.

In this course we will set the context by exploring the defining characteristics of this complex relationship. Then we will focus on how the traditional forms of political coverage have both shaped and been abandoned  by the blog-driven “information revolution” which we are undergoing now. Finally, we will consider to what extent these new media are changing the landscape of  American politics, at present and in the future.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a  Social Sciences elective.

Alex Whalen worked for over a decade on the front-lines of the dot com revolution, before returning to academia to study the causes and effects of this overwhelming change in the American political process. He is a Ph.D. candidate in the Boston University Department of Political Science.

EXP-0050-CF: Media Literacy and Social Change
Monday, 1:30-4:00 PM, Rabb Room, Lincoln Filene Center
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03979
In a media-saturated world, endless possibilities exist for what we can watch, read, listen to, and create. Yet all too often, the flood of images overwhelms us, paralyzes us, and shapes our perceptions of ourselves, others and the world.

This class will focus on how we can deconstruct these images in order to use the media for positive social change, and avoid being used by it. We will examine media stereotypes of gender, ethnicity, race, and class, explore the role of the “citizen journalist,” discuss the ways new media has changed the traditional media landscape, and think about the impact of media convergence and the ethical issues that arise when only a few corporations own the majority of news, entertainment, publishing, and internet outlets. Finally, by examining scholarly research, film clips, TV news and hearing guest speakers, we will focus on the importance of media literacy in our everyday lives, and how to use the media to become an active citizen.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a Social Sciences elective.

This course represents a partnership between the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and the Communications and Media Studies program.

Julie Dobrow is Director of Communications and Media Studies and the Media and Public Service program at Tufts. She holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania.

EXP-0052-F: Birth of the Tube: A History of Early Television
Thursday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Tisch 310
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04000
Television in its early days transformed American society with such force, and so dramatically, that it can be hard for those who didn’t live through it to imagine.

This course will explore the beginnings of this medium, and will attempt to come to terms with its significance in our lives as the central means of processing and disseminating entertainment, news and information. We will deal with issues of journalism, politics, censorship and consumerism, and address the cultural trends that were influenced by, and influencers of, television. We will also look at the exciting adventures of the people who pioneered the medium, and the events that shaped its birth, including its radio origins, and the advent of experimental television.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a  Humanities elective.

Henry Dane is a career media communications professional who has been a writer, producer and editor of on-air promotion at New England TV stations and national networks.

EXP-0053-CF: Producing Films for Social Change
Tuesday and Thursday, 6:00-8:30 PM, 105 Halligan Hall
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04001
Are you ready for an intensive, hands-on course that allows you to produce your own news documentaries? Do you care about social issues such as poverty, education, the environment, health care, human rights, gender and race? Are you interested in covering community issues and using documentary film to help inform the public?

This course will address the powerful role of video journalism as an advocacy tool to shape perceptions of policy and society. Students will learn the principles and techniques of documentary and TV news magazine journalism including directing, camera work, and editing. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of media ethics, First Amendment principles, and current news events. This course will also emphasize citizenship, active community leadership, and creative approaches to civic engagement. Class enrollment will be limited to sixteen students.

This course will count toward Mass Communications and Media Studies minor credit as a Media Practice elective and toward Film Studies minor credit as a Film Practice elective. It also has been approved to count toward American Studies major credit.

This course represents a partnership between the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and the Communications and Media Studies program.

Margaret Lazarus is an Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker. Her documentaries have addressed such issues related to social justice as domestic violence, the impact of the media, political history, US international policy, rape and health issues.

EXP-0055-CF: History of Documentary Films
Wednesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Tisch 310
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04002
Thanks to digital video, cable TV, the web, and the unprecedented box office success of such films as An Inconvenient Truth and Sicko, documentary film is enjoying a modern day renaissance.

In this course, students will develop critical viewing skills, as they learn the language and structures of film and television documentaries. We will examine the varied forms of documentary filmmaking, including historical films, advocacy videos, political satire, propaganda, cinema verité and other depictions of “reality.” We will discuss the evolution of documentary filmmaking, and explore how these films have commented on, and have been influenced by, society. Viewings will include Salesman, Primary, Roger and Me, and Titicut Follies, to name a few.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a  Humanities elective and toward the Film Studies minor as a Film Studies elective.

Don Schechter (A ‘01, M ‘03) is the founder of Charles River Media Group, a Boston-based production company. He has worked on numerous documentaries and multimedia projects for such clients as A&E, NBC, The Rolling Stones, and The New York Times. Segments from his current documentary, A Good Whack, were recently shown on M.S.NBC and broadcast on the BBC.

EXP-0058-CF: Marketing for Social Change
Monday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Braker 220
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04005
Want to learn how to use marketing tools and connect with broad segments of society to bring about positive change?

In this course students will be gaining the fundamental knowledge base, skills and tools to understand who an audience is, what their perceptions are, and what the internal and external obstacles are when it comes to creating an affinity with that audience. Using such information, students will then be able to develop effective goals and strategies for a successful implementation plan geared toward social change. As part of our work, we’ll review many cases studies, both domestically and internationally, and take a look at social marketing campaigns in areas ranging from environmental programs to health initiatives, human rights issues to women’s rights.

This course will count toward Mass Communications and Media Studies minor credit as a Social Science elective.

This course represents a partnership between Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and Communications and Media Studies.

Dorie Clark, principal of Clark Strategic Communications, is a media consultant with extensive experience at the national, state and local levels. She specializes in communications for socially-responsible non-profits, candidates and businesses.

EXP-0059-F: Media and the Construction of Reality
Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Anderson 309
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04006
How has the proliferation of media, via information neworks, over the last twenty years altered the reality in which we live?

This course explores the nature of social discourse, and how it’s both adapted to, and altered by, networked electronic media. In doing so, we will seek answers to such questions as do unlimited media choices produce better products and greater consumer satisfaction? Or are they a source of increased stress and anxiety? Will the “democratization” of the media lead to the nuanced exchange of ideas? Or will it undermine standards and professionalism? In addition, we will address a variety of issues about the effects of widespread information networks on news, entertainment, education, social interaction and politics.
This course will count toward the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor as a Social Sciences elective.

Wolfgang Brauner, a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at Darmstadt University in Germany. He is a lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a research fellow at the Commonwealth Institute in Cambridge.

James Williams has over twenty years experience in marketing and advertising. He currently works as an Interactive Strategy consultant, helping companies like Bose, Hewlett-Packard and Sony, find creative ways to utilize the internet and other developing technologies.

EXP-0060-F: Contemporary Studies in Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Olin 107
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03982
What is terrorism? How has it evolved and changed? Is there a “New Terrorism?” How do those who engage in this kind of violence organize, accumulate funds, amass support, and use the media? What is counterterrorism? In other words, what are the dynamics of terrorism and counterterrorism?

In his course, readings, research, reports, films, case studies, simulations and other class exercises will be used to help students explore these questions, and better understand the concept and origins of terrorism. We will also address the similarities and differences in the way terrorists and counterterrorists organize and strategize, engage in conflict and, in some cases, resolve their conflicts.
This course can count toward the Peace and Justice Studies major, pending Adviser’s approval.

Ivan Sascha Sheehan teaches Dispute Resolution at the graduate level at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He specializes in the current conflict between global terrorism and counterterrorism, and is a frequent speaker on US foreign policy in the Global War on Terror. He holds a Ph.D. from George Mason University.

EXP-0064-F: Genocide, People, and Politics
Monday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Barnum 114
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04008
What are the impacts of technology on war?

In this course we will examine both historical and current incidence of genocide, and investigate the interplay between media technology and politics in the international theater relative to ethnically driven mass murder and its aftermath. We will also address the warning signs and key indicators of genocide, the laws and legal issues thrown into question during war-time, and the authority of the international community, in times of socio-political unrest. We will cover a wide variety of topics and time periods, ranging from the 100 Years War, to the Holocaust, the Armenian and Sudanese genocides to Pol Pot’s Cambodia, and 1930s Japan to Stalin’s Russia. Other areas of study include Rwanda, China and Chechnya.
This course can count toward the Peace and Justice Studies major, pending Adviser’s approval.

Don Thieme II is a Senior Mentor for the Auschwitz Summer Service Academy Program  and a leader in the Genocide and Mass Atrocities Responses Project at Harvard’s JFK School of Government. He has also served as a Marine and Navy Attaché with assignments that ranged from northern Iraq (Kurdistan) to the Philippines, the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Eastern Africa, the Thai-Cambodian border, and the borderlands of Eastern Europe.

EXP-0070-F: The Constitution and American Education
Wednesday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Pearson 104
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03981
Think back fifty years. The changes in American education over this time have been deep and far reaching.

This course will explore how constitutional law has shaped the contours of the American educational system. Particular areas of concentration will include school desegregation and modern public school populations, affirmative action and admissions, gender discrimination, separation of church and state issues including prayer in school, creationism versus evolution and the Pledge of Allegiance, access to public facilities, sex education and censorship. We will also focus on the historical, political, and sociological factors underlying the seminal cases, and ask students to explain how these factors defined and formed constitutional law in these areas. Students will then analyze how these cases impacted educational institutions, and consider how they shaped the future of jurisprudence.
This course has been approved by the Education department to count for Social Science Distribution credit and by the History department for Social Sciences or Humanities Distribution credit.

Steve Sharobem is an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He previously clerked for the Massachusetts Appeals Court, as well as the judges of the Superior Court of Massachusetts.

Doug Martland is a licensed attorney in Massachusetts, previously having clerked for the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Superior Court of Massachusetts.

Audrey Perlow is presently a student at Northeastern University’s School of Law and has interned at the Office of the General Counsel for Partners Healthcare, the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the District of Columbia’s Public Defender Service. Audrey holds a M.P.H from Harvard University.

EXP-0075-F: Victorian Crime, Victorian Law: Historical and Social Contexts
Monday, 6:30-9:00 PM, Barnum 104
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04009
What was the nature of crime in the 19th century? How did the law impact women and children and other marginalized groups? What were the similarities and differences between the American, Canadian and English experiences during this time?

Focusing on Anglo-American sources, we will study the interplay between the law and society, and how it impacted those who were formally and socially marginalized, placing particular emphasis on women and children. Topics to be covered include family violence (e.g. spousal murder, spousal abuse, infanticide, and child abuse), public violence (e.g. capital crimes, sexual assault), the regulation of sexual activity (e.g. seduction, breach of promise to marry, prostitution), crime and delinquency (e.g. petty crime, juvenile delinquency), child labor; deconstructing murder trial narratives; and informal law (e.g. whitecapping, shivarees, lynching). We will then examine how these tenets have helped shaped the contemporary legal system.
This course has been approved by the History Department to count toward either Humanities or Social Sciences Distribution credit.

Ian C. Pilarczyk is the Associate Director of the L.L.M. Program in International Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He has taught this course, among others, as an adjunct faculty member at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. He holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, and an L.L.M. and D.C.L. from McGill University Faculty of Law, where he concentrated on comparative Anglo-American legal history.

EXP-0080-F: Investing in Stocks
Monday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Tisch 314
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03967
Have you ever wondered why stocks go up and sometimes even skyrocket? Think Google or Microsoft, or even the once-despised Apple. Have you ever wondered why – much to the grief of investors – stocks go down? Think Enron, WorldCom, or even the highly-regarded Motorola. Do you know that, despite the stock market’s upward bias, the majority of individual investors don’t beat the market?

In this course we will review a range of possible investments – from bank accounts to hedge funds – however our main focus will be on stocks. We will study how to screen for potential stock investments and size up corporations, understand corporate financial statements and various styles of investing, evaluate stocks for investment, and appreciate psychological sources of investor mistakes. We will also consider the ways in which investors attempt to use the market as a means to generate capital for such large expenses as a car, a house or retirement.

Steven Manos was the Executive Vice President of Tufts University from 1981 to 2007, and is an avid individual investor. He developed an understanding of investing by evaluating money managers for the American Bar Association and Tufts University, and through his own investing experiences over the past 25 years. He currently serves as an arbitrator for the National Association of Security Dealers and holds a J.D. and M.P.A. from New York University.

EXP-0084-F: The Business of Sports: A Study of the NBA
Monday, 6:00-8:30 PM, Braker 226
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #04010
Professional sports has evolved from the “mom and pop” environment of 30 years ago, to that of a sophisticated, high risk, high profile, “big business.” Current events in pro sports are documented in virtually every major newspaper and periodical in the country. In our daily lives it’s hard to avoid exposure to sports in some form or another, yet many off-field issues are confusing to the casual (and maybe not so casual) fan.

This course is intended to make sense out of the confusion by providing an overview of the pro sports industry as a business. Subjects for inquiry will include the development of the National Basketball Association from the late 1960s through the present. Assigned readings will be principally from original NB.A. operational documents, and will provide a fundamental understanding of the concepts, theories, and terms related to general sports business/legal issues, and the NB.A. in particular.

Jan Volk currently serves as a consultant to a number of NB.A. teams. After earning a J.D. from Columbia in 1971, he went to work for the Boston Celtics and, in 1984, was named General Manager, a position he held until May 1997. As GM, he was responsible for the acquisition, contractual negotiation, renegotiation, and ultimate signing of all Celtics players.

EXP-0090-AF: Teaching an Explorations Seminar
Monday, 12:00-12:50 AM; Thursday, 9:30-10:20 AM, Pearson 112
1.5 credits, Pass/Fail, Call #03968
This course is designed to facilitate undergraduate team-teaching for those leading first-semester seminars for incoming freshmen. Weekly group meetings will be held, in which student teachers will be exposed to a range of teaching techniques and theories, asked to articulate their course goals, and given a forum for discussing the unique problems that new teachers often encounter. Students will be required to keep journals, and reflect upon the concerns and questions that arise over the course of the semester.
Note: 90AF is a mandatory course for students leading Explorations seminars, and enrollment is limited to these student-teachers.

Robyn Gittleman, Director of the Experimental College and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, coordinates the Explorations program.

EXP-0090-BF: Teaching a Perspectives Seminar
Monday & Wednesday, 12:00-12:50 PM, Miner 112
1.5 credits, Pass/Fail, Call #03978
Similar to the Explorations Seminar, this course supports students teaching a Perspectives course, all of whom will work under the umbrella topic of movies as both art and industry.
Note: 90BF is a mandatory course for students leading Perspectives seminars, and enrollment is limited to those student-teachers.

Howard Woolf, Associate Director of the Experimental College, and Cindy Stewart, Assistant Director of the Experimental College, coordinate the Perspectives program.

EXP-0091-AF: Inquiry Teaching Group
ARR, 96 Packard Avenue
1.0 continuing credit, Letter-graded, Call #03977
Inquiry is a global-issues simulation for high school students, and forms an integral part of the year’s activities for EPIIC. Students in this course will help design and enact a simulation on Global Cities, to be held during the Spring 2009 semester. In the process, students will mentor a high school delegation and prepare them for this simulation — helping them understand all the materials and issues involved. Students in Inquiry will receive one credit for the full academic year.

Steve Cohen teaches in the Education department at Tufts.

Heather Barry is the Associate Director of the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts.

EXP-0091-F: EPIIC: Global Cities
Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00-5:45 PM, Barnum 08
1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03976
In 2000 there were 18 megacities – conurbations such as Tokyo, New York City, Mexico City, Bombay, Sao Paulo, and Karachi, that have populations in excess of 10 million inhabitants. The UN forecasts that today’s urban population of 3.2 billion will rise to nearly 5 billion by 2030, when three out of five people will live in cities. Meanwhile, today’s slums are unprecedented in their sheer magnitude, rapidity of growth, and worldwide distribution. They represent a fundamental transformation of the physical and social environment of urban life and human health. In fact, one billion people, one-sixth of the world’s population, now live in shanty towns, which are seen as “breeding grounds” for social problems such as crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, poverty and unemployment, and a third of the world’s population, and more than three-fourths of the least developed countries’ urban population, live in slums.

What are the global pressures impacting urban governance? What innovations are currently taking place in urban government? What strategies might lead to prosperous, innovative multi-cultural cities -– cities that enhance global equity and the quality of life for all citizens? In this course we will explore how the shape of our cities affects the future of our planet and the lives of over three billion urban dwellers.
This course is structured as HIGH DEMAND. Interested students must go to the first class in order to have a chance at being selected.

Sherman Teichman is Director of the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts, and the founding director of EPIIC (Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship). He holds an M.A. from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

EXP-0096-F: Auditing for Breadth
ARR
0.5-1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03975
This program is intended to provide students with an opportunity to broaden their education by attending courses in which they might not otherwise enroll. With the approval of the instructors in question, students may elect to audit any three full-credit university courses (or the equivalent) during their four years as an undergraduate. (One course credit is awarded upon completion of the three audits.) Please note: graduating seniors may audit two courses and receive one-half credit.
For more information about this program and an application, contact Robyn Gittleman or Cindy Stewart, at the Experimental College office, 95 Talbot Ave, x73384.

EXP-0099-CF: Media Internships
ARR
1.0 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03974
This course allows students to take part in a supervised internship in communications and mass media. Students can intern at a newspaper, magazine, book publishing company, film production company, television or radio station, advertising or public relations firm, or other media outlet approved by the instructor. Students must intern a minimum of 150 hours during the semester (usually 12-16 hours a week), fulfill written assignments, and meet regularly with the instructor. Registration is contingent upon instructor’s consent. Student should consult with instructor prior to researching and applying for internships, and must submit an Internship Agreement Form, signed by the internship site supervisor prior to being allowed to register.
This course will count toward Mass Communications and Media Studies minor credit as a Media Practice elective and toward Film Studies minor credit as a Film Practice elective.
Please note: enrollment is by consent only. For more information, contact Julie Dobrow, Director of Communications and Media Studies, 95 Talbot Avenue, x74744.

Julie Dobrow is Director of Communications and Media Studies and the Media and Public Service program. She holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania.

EXP-0101-CF: Advanced Filmmaking
ARR
0.5 - 1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03973
Based on a directed study model, this course provides the means by which students who have completed EXP-0056-S “Making Movies” – or who are able to demonstrate equivalent competence – can continue their training as filmmakers. Students who initially qualify will present a “business plan” for their project and, if accepted, will receive credit, access to TuftsFilmWorks’ production and editing equipment, and a supervised context within which to work. In return, they agree to watch a negotiated number of “source” films, keep a “Producer’s Log,” and write a final assessment, taking into account both the process they went through to produce their film and their reactioni to the film once it’s done.
This course will count toward Mass Communications and Media Studies minor credit as a Media Practice elective and toward Film Studies minor credit as a Film Practice elective.
Please note: Enrollment is by consent only. For information on eligibility and registration, contact Howard Woolf, howard.woolf@tufts.edu, x73384.
Advanced Filmmaking is supported by the generosity of Lisa and Bruce Cohen (J86 and A83, respectively).

Howard Woolf is Associate Director of the Experimental College, as well as Director of Media Technology. He is the founder of TuftsFilmWorks (the ExCollege’s filmmaking center), co-chairs the Multimedia Arts interdisciplinary minor, and is advisor to TUTV.

EXP-0102-CF: Advanced Electronic and Digital Media
ARR,
0.5 - 1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03972
Based on a directed study model, this course provides the means by which students who are able to demonstrate an appropriate degree of competence can continue their training in the multimedia arts.
This course will count toward Media Practice credit for the Multimedia Arts minor and for the Mass Communications and Media Studies minor.
Please note: Enrollment is by consent only. For information on eligibility and registration, contact Howard Woolf, howard.woolf@tufts.edu, x73384.

Howard Woolf is the Associate Director of the Experimental College, as well as the Director of Media Technology. He is the founder of TuftsFilmWorks (the ExCollege’s filmmaking center), co-chairs the Multimedia Arts interdisciplinary minor, and is advisor to TUTV.

EXP-0190-BF and CF: CMS Senior Colloquium
Wednesday, 12:00-12:50 PM, Tisch 316
0.5 credit, Pass/Fail, Call #03971
All C.M.S. seniors thinking about completing a Senior Project must register for one of the two sections of the C.M.S. Senior Colloquium. The colloquium aims to help seniors develop their ideas, provides them with a forum for sharing resources and work strategies, and trains them in the scheduling and time management procedures necessary for successful completion of projects.
Registration for this course will be done in person with CM.S. Director Julie Dobrow. Bring an ADD form to her office at 95 Talbot Ave on Tuesday, Sept. 2, between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Leslie Goldberg (J ‘84), the instructor for section BF,  is the founder of Blue Sun Communications, a corporate communications consulting firm. Among her clients are the Tufts University College of Engineering. She holds a M.S. in Mass Communication from Boston University.

Julie Dobrow, the instructor for  section CF, is Director of Communications and Media Studies and the Media and Public Service program. She holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania.

EXP-0192-F: Independent Study
ARR
0.5 - 1.0 credit, Letter-graded, Call #03969
By arrangement only. For more information, come by the Experimental College office, Miner Hall, or call us at x7338.