The cultural life of 19th-century America in selected poetry and prose by Hawthorne, Thoreau, Douglass, Cooper, Whitman, Poe, Melville, and Lincoln. Emphasis on the symbolic and ethical idealism of selected ante-bellum poetry and prose, and on the themes of Puritanism, Transcendentalism, Manifest Destiny, Jacksonian democracy, and slavery.

A small group tutorial discussion: the role science in society combined with discussions of contemporary societal issues involving microbiology such as emerging infectious diseases and microbial biotechnology.

This is an advanced elective course for junior/senior students and is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of modern parasitology. Parasites are still an important threat to our global health and economy, and represent an important branch of infectious diseases. It has been stated that there are more kinds of parasites than free-living animals and plants, providing a wealth of biological diversity to study. Once thought of as strange and bizarre, parasites now serve as model organisms in which to study basic biological principles.

The vast majority of Earth?s biodiversity is microbial. Microorganisms are directly involved in the ecosystem services on which all of life depends. They interact intimately with other organisms and yet we know much less about their biodiversity than we do for plants and animals. Our lack of understanding of the interactions and feedbacks of microbial biodiversity is troubling, given the high rates of environmental change that the Earth is currently experiencing, including man-made global climate change.

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The course covers in depth the most recent cellular and molecular findings related to mammalian fertilization as well as the technical and ethical issues associated with the application of newly developed assisted reproductive technologies such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and cloning of animals. The application of these technologies is discussed whether it applies to animals of agricultural importance, wildlife, or humans. In addition, students are required to select a subject from one of the discussed topics in the class.

In this course, students will have a chance to reflect on their own life goals and aspirations, as well as those of others, and consider the role of gender, economic class, race, and culture in shaping these. Topics may include how social forces influence our desired careers and family life, and our visions for an ideal society.

The evolution and current status of labor and work in the U.S. Examines multiple perspectives on workers, unions, workplace systems, and worker rights.