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FALL 2006 FRESHMAN SEMINARS
The School of Biological Sciences also offers freshman seminars during spring quarter. For more information, please visit http://freshmanseminars.bio.uci.edu/. Please note that students may take a maximum of three freshman seminars for credit, so long as subjects vary, over their entire university career.
CLAIRE TREVOR SCHOOL OF THE ARTS Changing Nature of American Jazz Dance Robert Boross, Dance F 10:00-10:50am, MAB 317 Course Code 87574 American jazz dance has regularly adopted new looks as styles, technology, and popular culture have evolved throughout the twentieth century. Yet, the fundamental basis of jazz dancing - feeing and reacting to rhythm - still remains the same. This seminar will examine the roots of jazz dance, its philosophy, societal influences, and the pioneers of the changing nature of American jazz dance. Bob Boross is head of the jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance areas of the UCI Dance Department, and holds an M.A. in Individualized Study in Jazz Dance from New York University. After performing on Broadway in the 1981 revival of Can-Can, choreographed by Roland Petit, Bob became a teacher and choreographer in jazz dance and musical theatre. In theatres across the country he has choreographed Annie Get Your Gun, Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Pirates of Penzance, and for UCI - Victor/Victoria. His concert dances have been seen in New York City at the Broadway Dance Center Performance Outlet and at Dancespace, in Los Angeles with the 2002 Gypsy Awards show and Spectrum Dance in LA, and Texas with Discovery Dance Group. His piece "Cool," a finalist in the Jazz Dance World Congress Choreography Competition, will soon join the repertory of the London Studio Center Jazz Dance Company in England. High Fashion Style: Where Did It Come From? Who Has It Now Madeline Kozlowski, Drama W 12:00-12:50pm, MAB 302 Course Code 87565 When Elizabeth I of England died, it is said there were 3,000 gowns in her closet. She was the arbiter of high fashion in Renaissance Europe. Today, designers like Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier set the fashion trends. This seminar will examine the basics of 500 years of fashion style. Students will expand their knowledge of fashion icons by using historical and contemporary research. Madeline Ann Kozlowski is an Emmy Award winning costume designer who works in film, televsion, and live stage. She is Head of Graduate Studies in Design in the Department of Drama. Exotica and Erotica: Gender and Asian Performance Daphne Lei, Drama Tu 10:00-10:50am, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Mesa Activity Center Classroom Course Code 87557 NOTE: Professor Lei’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Activity Center Classroom of Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. By examining the exotic and often erotic representations of Asians in performance, this class focuses on gender, cultural, political and artistic issues related to Asian and Asian American performance. Topics include Asian American theatre, Chinese opera, film and performance art. Daphne Lei is assistant professor in Drama, specializing in Asian and Asian American theatre, gender theory and intercultural performance. Her upcoming book Operatic China: Staging Chinese Identity Across the Pacific is a study of Chinese opera and identity performance. Art of Collaboration and Consensus Decision Making Lisa Naugle, Dance Tu 2:00-2:50pm, MAB 317 Course Code 87559 Artistic collaboration requires successful communication where individuals work on steps and procedures that are small portions of a larger accomplishment. Brainstorming, creative thinking and problem solving make valuable skills and can be significant contributions to successful teamwork. The course will feature a map of the territiory of collaborative activity including the instructor's creative projects over the past 10 years with dancers, musicians, visual and new media artists. We will also look at the work of prominent artistic couples and other pathbreaking experiments (groups) fostered by collaboration and partnership. Student will be given tasks, scenarios projects to encourage collaborations that serve to transform individual ideas into meaningful information and representations. Students will participate in various projects (small and large group) over several weeks through face to face and online communication. They will engage in critical and creative thinking as they work together toward deeper levels of artistic awareness and capabilities in problem solving. Lisa Naugle is Associate Professor in the Department of Dance. She holds a Ph.D and MFA in dance from New York University. Her research and publications explore the convergence of contemporary performance and new media technologies. Her work has been performed in London, Amsterdam, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Budapest,Prague, Brazil, Spain, Korea, China and Canada, as well as throughout the USA. SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Why People Believe Weird Things Richard Symanski, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology W 3:00-3:50pm, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Gandalf’s Classroom B Course Code 87561 NOTE: Professor Symanski's seminar is being held in Middle Earth Housing in Gandalf's Classroom B. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. Have you even wondered why some people believe in ghosts or Alien Presence or consult their horoscope regularly? Where do such beliefs come from? Are they harmless? This course explores reasons for contemporary belief in paranormal phenomena and aliens, as well as historical belief in witches. Other topics include fringe science and psuedo-science and how to evaluate claims that a field of study is scientific. The goals of the course are to increase awareness of human susceptibility to weird beliefs and to provide students with skills for becoming more skeptical thinkers. Richard Symanski is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He is the author of six books, including two on conservation issues in the United States and Australia. He teaches courses in introductory biology, conservation, and upper-division writing. PAUL MERAGE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Management and Use of Information Vidyanand Choudhary, Management Th 9:30-11:20 am, SB 116 Course Code 87587 NOTE: Professor Choudhary's seminar will meet Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 only. This course introduces students to database systems and how data can be used in innovative ways to achieve organizational objectives. For example many firms are interested in predicting churn - which customers are likely to jump to another provider while others are using sophisticated consumer databases to provide targeted special offers. Students in this course will examine the basic design and structure of data in a database. We will then examine Business Intelligence methods that enable companies to analyze data that resides in a database, and make decisions based on the insight gleaned from that information. Professor Choudhary earned his Ph.D.in Management (MIS at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University. He has a Masters of Sciences in Industrial Engineering (Operations Research) from Purdue University. His Key Research Areas include Economics of Information Systems, Impact of emerging technologies on firm’s business strategies, analytical modeling of electronic marketplaces, product differentiation and price discrimination for information goods, Intertemporal pricing of software products and upgrades. Finance Theory Ashley Wang, Management Th 2-3:50 pm, SB 116 NOTE: Professor Wang's seminar will meet Weeks 1, 4, 6, 8 and 10 only. This seminar provides an introduction to financial investment theories. It starts with the notion of time value of money, and then progresses into pricing issues of major financial assets including bonds, stocks and options. Because of the quantitative nature of the topic, this course is highly mathematical, therefore best suited for students intending to major in mathematics or engineering. Professor Wang’s primary research interest lies in the area of empirical asset pricing. Her current research involves liquidity risk, institutional equity flows, equity ownership structure and the implications on stock returns. She has worked on the rationalization of Fama-French 3-factor model under the Inter-temporal CAPM framework with a stochastic investment opportunity set. She has also conducted an empirical analysis on whether the electricity forward prices reflect compensation for risk exposures. Her work will appear in Journal of Finance. HENRY SAMUELI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING The Engineering Design Process Derek Dunn-Rankin, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering M 3:00-3:50pm, HH 251 Course Code 87552 Developing useful product solutions to customer and societal needs is the goal of the engineering design process. This seminar allows students to experience this design process by carrying out the design steps on an actual project challenge during the course. Derek Dunn-Rankin is a Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He joined UCI in 1987. His research interests include combustion, laser diagnostics in multiphase flows, and aerosol transport. He usually teaches fluid/thermal science graduate courses and the senior mechanical engineering design courses. COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES Practical Nutrition for College Students Frances Jurnak, Physiology and Biophysics M 3:00-3:50pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Community Center Classroom Course Code 87582 NOTE: Professor Jurnak’s seminar will be held in the Community Center Classroom of Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. Course will focus on the scientific basis for genetic individuality, metabolic role of vitamins and minerals, diet fads, exercise and muscle building fads, improvement in mental acuity, avoidance of contagious diseases, methods to mitigate the negative effects of alcohol on the body, staying younger longer, and lowering the risk for cancer. Frances Jurnak is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics in the College of Medicine. Her research specialty is structural and functional biochemistry, with strong personal interest in nutritional biochemistry. SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Searching for Wisdom Ermanno Bencivenga, Philosophy Th 2:00-2:50pm, HOB2 233 Course Code 87564 Socrates was the first great philosopher of the Western tradition. He published nothing, but spent his adult life having philosophical conversations with his fellow citizens and challenging their wisdom. Eventually, he was tried and executed for disturbing the peace. In this seminar, we will discuss his troubling philosophical practice. Professor Bencivenga has been at UCI since 1979. He is the author of 29 books and over 70 scholarly articles. He is the winner of five teaching awards and is the founding editor of an international philosophy journal and of a book series. Tradition and Storytelling Alexandere Gelley, Comparative Literature Th 3:00-3:50pm, TBA Course Code 87578 Many recent short stories enact a form of storytelling that derives from oral practices, suggesting that the storyteller is in touch with the traditions of a community. Another type of story reflects the "homelessness" of modern life, where communal values are precarious and often survive only at the level of memory and nostalgia. This contrast between types of narrative was suggested by Walter Benjamin, a highly original literary critic of the earlier 20th century. Professor Gelley is a member of the Comparative Literature Department at UCI. He has specialized in the modern European novel, the theory of narrative, and contemporary critical theory. Living With History Lamar Hill, History W 11:00-11:50am, KH 126 Course Code 87579 When we study history -- even if we don't particularly care about the subject -- we become aware of being surrounded by history. It becomes a lens through which we view the world around us; an organizing principle that informs the structure of our experience; and often a guide to future action. In the seminar we shall examine several case studies that will help us to assess the impact of history on contemporary problems. Examples of these cases are the origins of Iraq and Syria following World War I; the 19th "century great game" played to control Afghanistan; China's emergence as a global economic power; and epidemic and pandemic diseases. Lamar Hill has been at UCI since 1968. He grew up in New York City. He was an undergraduate in Ohio and his PhD is from the University of London. His specialty is early modern Britain but he also teaches more general early modern European history. His particular interests are law and religion. Jane Austen & the French Revolution Richard Kroll, English W 3:00-3:50pm, HH 251 Course Code 87556 We'll look at 3 Austen novels in light of arguments about female education & citizenship that were intensified by the French Revolution. Richard Kroll's interests include rhetoric, its history and theory, philosophies of language, history of linguistics, Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature, Milton, history of science, literary theory, drama, British empiricism. He taught on the East Coast for eight years between 1984 and 1992 before returning to California. Kroll has held a number of fellowships, both national and local, and, apart from articles on philosophy, print culture, the novel, and drama, his books include The Material Word: Literate Culture in the Restoration and Early Eighteenth Century; (as editor) Philosophy, Science, and Religion in England, 1640-1700; and two anthologies of essays on the 18th-century novel. He is presently engaged on a book on Restoration drama and seventeenth-century political economy. Art Theft Margaret Miles, Art History W 1:00-1:50pm, HIB 90 Course Code 87583 In this seminar we will examine various types of art theft: plunder in war, stolen paintings, looting of archaeological sites. We will consider why and how art is stolen, and how national and international agreements have evolved to try to stop both plunder in war and looting of antiquities. Margaret M. Miles is a Classical archaeologist who has done fieldwork in Greece and Italy. Her research focuses on a range of ancient topics such as the interaction between ancient Greek religion and architecture, Cleopatra, Cicero’s Rome, and the fate of art in war. History For Life Martin Schwab, Philosophy Tu 2:00-2:50pm, Mesa Court Housing Complex, Mesa Activity Center Classroom Course Code 87560 NOTE: Professor Schwab’s seminar will be held in the Mesa Activity Center Classroom of Mesa Court Housing. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Central Campus. For a map of Mesa Court, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/mc/map.asp. We will study Nietzsche's "On the Uses and Disadvatages of History for Life." In this text Nietzsche develops the idea that our lives need history, but are enhanced by it only if history is performed in a specific way, which Nietzsche calls 'critical.' Questions we will ask: What does it mean that we are historical beings? What are the different ways of 'doing' history? Is there such a thing as 'historical truth?' What can we gain from critical history? In philosophy Professor Schwab’s main intellectual interests are in 20th and 19th century German and French theory. He has also written on paintings, films and literature. DONALD BREN SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMPUTER SCIENCES Future Impacts of Biological and Computer Sciences and Technologies Pierre Baldi, Information and Computer Science F 1:00-1:50pm, TBA Course Code 87572 This seminar will examine some of the current trends in biological and computer sciences and technologies and extrapolate them into the future. Specific topics will be selected depending on student interest. Examples of possible topics of discussion: (a) artifical intelligence; (b) the Internet; (c) embryonic stem cells; (d) human cloning; (e) assisted reproduction; (f) genetic engineering; (g) synthetic biology; (h) nanotechnology; (i) bioethics. Pierre Baldi is a professor in the School of Information and Computer Sciences, in the Department of Biological Chemistry (College of Medicine), and the founder and director of the UCI Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics. Dr. Baldi received his PhD in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology in 1986. Dr. Baldi main areas of research are computational biology, bionformatics, data mining, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He is the author of over 100 scientific articles and several books. Beyond his scientific interests, Dr. Baldi has long-standing interests in more philosophical issues related to bioethics and what it means to be human in light of the current technological revolution in biology and computers, as exemplified by the Human Genome Project and the Internet. He is the author of a trade book on these topics: The Shattered Self--The End of Natural Evolution (MIT Press). Problem Solving Through Recreational Math Amelia Regan, Information and Computer Science Tu 2:00-2:50pm, SSL 159 Course Code 87584 Many important mathematical concepts were developed from problems that were recreational in origin. Though published accounts of recreational mathematics can be found as early as the year 500, a sharp increase in popularity was seen in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Using the book, Problem Solving through Recreational Mathematics by Bonnie Averbach and Orin Chein as our guide, we’ll explore some of the best known and most interesting problems in recreational mathematics. Our class will commence each day with the reading and the collaborative solving of one or more problems. Some interest in mathematics would be helpful of course, but no more than average talent is required. Students from all majors are welcome. Amelia Regan studies applications of information technologies and optimization methods for logistics and supply chain management. She spends most of her time building mathematical models and developing computer based algorithms for solving these problems. SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES Deep Time Gregory Benford, Physics Th 2:00-2:50pm, FRH 4135 Course Code 87551 We seldom think of time as a tool. Yet thinking in deep time scales can serve to solve, or at least frame, some grave current dilemmas. We shall explore how humanity has tried to leave messages and monuments for very long time scales. Gregory Benford is a working scientist, a professor of physics at UC Irvine since 1971. He specializes in astrophysics and plasma physics theory and was presented with the Lord Prize in 1995 for achievements in the sciences. He is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and Phi Beta Kappa. Over the years, he has been an advisor to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United Sates Department of Energy, and the White House Council on Space Policy. Currently he holds research grants from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His first book-length work of non-fiction, Deep Time (1999), examines his work in long duration messages from a broad humanistic and scientific perspective. Mysteries of the Universe Asantha Cooray, Physics M 4:00-4:50pm, FRH 4135 Course Code 87575 The seminar will explore current developments in astronomy and cosmology. We will survey scientific breakthroughs and ideas that shape the modern view of the Universe from the beginning (Big Bang) to the present day. While cosmologists seem to understand many things in the Universe (like stars and galaxies), there are postulated things that they can hardly see (dark matter) or have any clue about (dark energy). We will investigate why such "dark" things are hypothesized and what scientists are doing to learn more about them by following astronomy articles from daily newspapers, magazines, and NASA publications. Assistant Professor Cooray received his bachelor's degrees in Physics and Mathematics from MIT in 1997, his Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from U. of Chicago in 2001, and has been a UCI faculty member since 2005. His current research attempts to understand how the Universe got to be the way it is. He is also interested in understanding the inner workings of the "Big Bang" event, and if there are signatures from the event that we can see and detect today. His website is http://www.cooray.org. Science of Superheroes Michael Dennin, Physics W 11:00-11:50am, FRH 2111 Course Code 87576 Have you ever wondered if Superman could really bend steel bars? Would a “gamma ray” accident turn you into the Hulk? What is a “spidey-sense”? And just who did think of all these superheroes and their powers? In this seminar, we discuss the science (or lack of science) behind many of the most famous superheroes. Even more amazing, we will discuss what kind of superheroes might be imagined using our current scientific understanding. Michael Dennin has been a Physics Professor here at UCI for roughly 10 years. His research interests include understanding how foam and sand flow and how proteins interact with cell membranes. Professor Dennin has given a number of talks to undergraduates on the Physics of Superman, and this seminar provides the opportunity to expand to other superheroes! Last years class was featured in the LA Times and an interview with Prof. Dennin was included as a part of a TV documentary on the Science of Superman. Symmetry in Nature, Art, and Science Robert Doedens, Chemistry Tu 2:00-2:50pm, NSI 4112 Course Code 87577 Symmetry is found widely in nature and has been an important ingredient in art and architecture throughout history. The principles of symmetry have been codified by mathematicians and are useful to scientists in many fields. In this seminar, we will discuss a range of examples of symmetry, explore a few of the simple principles that have been developed to help in understanding symmetry, and see some of the ways symmetry is used in scientific research. Many examples will be taken from current research in the Department of Chemistry. Professor Doedens earned his Ph.D. degree form the University of Wisconsin and has been at UCI so long that he remembers when parking places were easy to find. His research interests are in the general areas of inorganic chemistry and X-ray crystallography. Magnetism: Physics, History, and Applications Herbert Hopster, Physics W 3:00-3:50pm, FRH 2111 Course Code 87580 This course will give an overview of magnetism and its applications over time, from ancient compasses to present-day magnetic imaging techniques in medicine and data storage technology. Professor Hopster received his Diploma in Physics from the University of Munster in 1974 and his Ph.D. degree from the Technische Hochschule Aachen in 1977. After spending one year as a postdoctoral fellow at the IBM Research Center in San Jose, California, he became a staff member at the Institute for Solid State Physics at the Research Center in Julich, Germany. He joined the Physics Department at UCI in 1984. He does experimental solid state physics of nano-scale magmetism. Earthquake! Roger McWilliams, Physics M 10:00-10:50am, FRH B012 Course Code 87567 For those with a shaky understanding, this seminar will study earthquake causes, magnitudes, and how they propagate in the earth and sea. Maybe there will be a some real examples during the quarter. No math background needed, it's not your fault. Professor McWilliams has taught quarter-long introductions to earthquakes several times. This fun introduction will be one magnitude easier. Professor McWilliams is an experimental physicist who has enjoyed sharing with students for 25 years the joys of learning about Nature and discovering new facets of it. Light in a different light Eric Potma, Chemistry F 1:00-1:50pm, HH 251 Course Code 87568 Photons, waves, radiation; what is light exactly? In this seminar we will dissect the deeper meaning of light, and zoom in on enigmatic applications of light such as lasers and quantum computing. Born and raised in the flat plains of the Netherlands, Eric Potma studied chemistry at the University of Groningen. He obtained his PhD degree in chemical physics from the same university before he moved on to Harvard University for a postdoctoral fellowship. His research included the development of laser light sources and nonlinear optical microscopes. Still fascinated by the mysteries of photons, Potma accepted a position at UCI where he is continuing his efforts to construct laser scanning microscopes for chemical imaging of tissues. He has taught quantum mechanics and freshman chemistry at UCI. Chemistry in Film Gregory Weiss, Chemistry F 2:00-2:50pm, HH 251 Course Code 87563 As befits a field termed the “Central Science,” chemistry plays a key role in many movies. This class explores the scientific basis for Hollywood’s flights of chemical fancy. Though many movies deviate considerably from reality, film can provide a forum for exploring the intersection of cultural, scientific and political issues. Movies and background reading will form the basis for discussions about select movies with chemistry themes and plot twists. Professor Weiss received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University. His research explores the interface between chemistry and biology. SCHOOL OF SOCIAL ECOLOGY Feces and Urine: Health and Pollution Sharon Stern, Environmental Health, Science and Policy W 9:00-9:50am, SSL 117 Course Code 87571 Excrement, whether feces or urine, has always been a problem in the environment because it can lead to pollution and can cause disease. It has been used for may purposes including nutrient enrichment of soil, homeopathic medicine, energy production, development of supernatural powers, and as a medium for testing of drugs and pregnancy. We will explore various aspects of these excretory products including bodily production, chemistry of the substances and why there are differences, unusual items digested, their role in pollution and disease, and unexpected uses for these products. The topics will all incorporate interdisciplinary concepts. The format will include lectures by instructor and students and will emphasize active discussions. (Note: This course is listed in WebSOC under an earlier title. The course content is unchanged.) Dr. Shari Stern received her Ph.D. degree in biology, and has been at the UC Irvine for the last 16 years in the Department of Environmental Health, Science, and Policy where she has won numerous teaching awards. She annually teaches two of the three natural science breadth requirements through Social Ecology, as well as additional courses involving pollution, water quality, and public health topics. SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Serious Puzzles Jeffrey A. Barrett, Logic and Philosophy of Science M 12:00-12:50pm, SST 777 Course Code 87573 Each week we will discuss a significant logical, mathematical, physical, or philosophical puzzle. Some of these puzzles can be solved, some might be solvable, some we can show cannot be solved, and some we just don't know. We will discuss puzzles involving the nature of truth, proofs for the existence of God, computation, decisions, time travel, supertasks, and quantum mechanics. We will consider how solving puzzles often requires significant conceptual change. Jeff Barrett is a Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science. Much of his research concerns puzzles that arise in physics and logic. The Evolution of Hearing Bruce Berg, Cognitive Sciences W 7:00-7:50pm, TBA Course Code 87588 A discussion about the evolution of hearing is framed by a comparative approach which considers both the diversity and commonalities of hearing systems - from the lateral lines of fish to the astounding information processing capabilites of mammals. Special emphasis is given to species specializations such as dolphin and bat sonar, mechanisms of hearing in insects, and the relation between hearing sensitivities and ecological niche. Professor Berg earned his Ph.D. from Indiana University, in 1987. His is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at UCI and has twenty years of basic research in Hearing. Race and Gender Discrimination in Jobs and Everyday Life Matt Huffman, Sociology M 11:00-11:50am, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Gandalf’s Classroom B Course Code 87553 NOTE: Professor Huffman's seminar is being held in Middle Earth Housing in Gandalf's Classroom B. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. This seminar addresses the sources and consequences of race and gender discrimination in the United States. In addition to paid employment, we will discuss other "everyday life" contexts shaped by race and gender, such as buying a car or getting a loan. We will also discuss how social scientists approach the study of discrimination more generally. Matt Huffman is an Associate Professor of Sociology. His research focuses on race and gender inequality across jobs, organizations, and labor markets. He has testified about sex discrimination as an expert witness in OC Superior Court. Your Best Foot Forward Mary Louise Kean, Psychology W 12:00-12:50pm, Middle Earth Housing Complex, Whispering Wood/Woodhall Multipurpose Room Course Code 87555 NOTE: Professor Kean's seminar is being held in Middle Earth Housing in the Whispering Wood/Woodhall Multipurpose Room. Please be aware that your travel time will be greater than 10 minutes if you are coming from Mesa Court or the School of the Arts. For a map of Middle Earth, please go to http://www.housing.uci.edu/me/map.asp. Everyone wants to make a good impression on others. A critical element to doing that is to have good manners - knowing how to write a proper thank you note to family vs. business associates vs. friends, knowing how to properly address people, knowing what fork to use at a dinner party. These are the type of topics which will be the focus of this course. Mary Louise Kean grew up in an era where all women typically wore hats and gloves - not just the Queen of England. She has been a student of etiquette since childhood. She finds joy in good manners, humor in many conventions, and feels life is just much easier if people treat each other with respect and consideration. She politely teaches Psychology 9A and other courses. Her research is on bilingualism. Being happy, right here, right now Barbara Sarnecka, Psychology M 2:00-2:50pm, SSPB 2209 Course Code 87585 In this introduction to non-religious Zen practice, students will learn to drink green tea slowly, sit in silent meditation, and discuss questions like "What am I doing in college?" "What do I want out of this experience?" and "How can I be happy here?" Barbara Sarnecka is an Assistant Professor of cognitive science and a longtime practitioner of Zen meditation. Globalization: Problem or Cure-All? David A. Smith, Sociology Tu 10:00-10:50am, SSPB 4206 Course Code 87570 The word "globalization" is familiar to anyone tuned into global media, and is rapidly emerging as the favorite mantras of political leaders, business executives and news reporters all around the world. It is clearly one of those faddish buzzword that is frequently used but rarely defined (and heavily laden with ideological implications). But, after the events of September 11, 2001, the reality of globalization and a growing awareness of global interconnectedness (particularly among usually insular US citizens) is an important issue that seems relevant to our everyday lives. The on-going US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, coupled with heightened awareness of international terrorism, have “brought the world home” to many Americans – for the first time in many years global issues dominate the national political debates. In this seminar we will explore what “globalization” means. We will try to examine the long-term historical origins of a modern world-system, as well as grapple with more recent worldwide political and economic changes that occurred in the last two or three decades that have led some people to argue that “the world has changed." Finally, we’ll analyze and discuss whether a world beset with myriad problems (grinding poverty and inequality, international tension and terrorism, severe ecological threats, etc), is better or worse off given the current level of "globalization." Has an increasingly integrated world led become a better one, where problems are more easily solved? Or, as the globalization critics argue, has this phenomena just made things worse for many or most people on the planet? Finally, how can we as citizens and "ordinary people" constructively participate in our new globalized society? David A. Smith is a Professor of Sociology. He teaches Sociology 3 (Introduction to Social Problems) every year, is a former department Undergrad Director and is Co-Editor of the major sociology journal, Contemporary Sociology. His main scholarly interest is in the political economy of the world system, with expertise in Third World development, global urbanization, global commodity chains, and social change in East Asia. He has recently published articles in academic journals such as Review of International Political Economy, Urban Studies, Studies in Comparative International Development and Social Forces. His books include a co-edited volume entitled, A New World Order? Global Transformations in the Late Twentieth Century, a solo-authored book, Third World Cities in Global Perspective, and two recent co-edited collection, States and Sovereignty in the Global Economy and Labor Versus Empire. China's Rising: Who is Falling? The Losers in China's Capitalist Craze Dorothy Solinger, Political Science W 3:30-4:20pm, SSPB 1208 Course Code 87586 After the 1976 death of China's famous Communist Party leader, Mao Zedong, the country set off on a brand new path, which has ended up in the fabulous capitalist market we see there today. But not everyone in China has benefited from the change. This seminar will explore some of the more complicated human facets of the market economy that has made China appear so successful in the world economy today. Dorothy Solinger has been in the Department of Political Science at UCI since 1986. Before that, she taught at the University of Pittsburgh (since 1975). She also taught one year each at the University of Michigan and Stanford (by invitation in each case). Her Ph.D. is from Stanford, as is her M.A., in both cases in Chinese politics. Her B.A. is from the University of Chicago and is also in Political Science. She has published 5 single-author books, edited three books, and co-edited another, and has also written over 60 articles, all published in journals or as book chapters. All of her publications have concerned China, except for the co-edited book. Some of her published work, as well as some of her teaching, also involves other countries. |
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| Freshman Seminar Program 256 Aldrich Hall Irvine, CA 92697-5675 Phone (949) 824-6987 Fax (949) 824-3469 A Division of Undergraduate Education Program © 2006-2008 The Regents of the University of California All Rights Reserved |
