Although early internet theorists imagined the World Wide Web as a wild frontier where only minds mattered, social media testifies to the lasting force of bodily inscriptions like race, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, and class. In this course, we will consider how identity shapes how we communicate, debate, collaborate, and mobilize online.

An introduction to the archaeology, myth, history, art, literature, and religion of ancient Ireland: 4000 BCE to 1200 CE, from the earliest megalithic monuments to the Norman conquest. Consideration will be given, then, to these distinct periods: Pre-Celtic (Neolithic and Bronze Ages--4000 BCE-700 BCE); Pre-Christian Celtic (Late Bronze & Iron Ages--700 BCE-400 CE); and Early Christian Celtic (Irish Golden Ages and Medieval--700-1200 CE). The emphasis throughout will be on the study of primary material, whether artifacts or documents.

How did Victorians conceive of the body? In a culture associated in the popular imagination with modesty and propriety, even prudishness, discussions of sexuality and physicality flourished. This course explores both fictional and non-fictional texts from nineteenth-century Britain in conjunction with modern scientific and critical perspectives.

This workshop will introduce students to the fundamentals of B&W photography, stop-motion animation, and 16mm analog filmmaking. Students will be expected to learn the basics of these media formats and present work for class critique. Contemporary and historical photographic and film works will be shown and discussed as will assigned critical readings. Students taking this course will be expected to produce two to three extended final projects over the duration of the semester, working individually and in collaboration with others in the class.

In this course, our aim is to study the theoretical and methodological approaches involved in autoethnography. Certainly, autoethnography has attracted much attention in the academy with regard to its role in critical social research; scholars and students feel indifferent about it, attracted to it, or repulsed by it. Autoethnography is based upon developments in the field of anthropology for example, understanding the limits of scientific knowledge, the role of interlocutor, and appreciation for personal narrative.

Abortion rights continue to be contested in the U.S. and throughout the world. Since the legalization of abortion in the U.S. in 1973, there have been significant erosions in abortion rights and access to abortion. Harassment of abortion clinics, providers, and clinic personnel by opponents of abortion is routine, and there have been several instances of deadly violence. This course examines the abortion debate in the U.S., looking historically at the period before legalization up to the present.

The hashtags #sayhername #blackgirlmagic #blackjoy #blacklivesmatter #intersectionalfeminist and others are rooted in a long history of Black Feminist consciousness in the U.S. While these hashtags have made feminism more accessible to people across multiple lines of difference, they have also silenced a rich genealogy of black women and black queer intellectuals, educators, and activists who created the original theories long before the hashtag was created. Thus, the creators are not cited for their work and originality, but rather relegated to the dark corners of history.

From the success of the Oscar-winning film Moonlight to the global popularity of hip-hop stars Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar, America indulges in the cultural work that young black men and boys create to express their unique experiences at the intersections of race, youth, and masculinity in film and music. Yet, when black boys and young men are not on stage or the screen performing to entertain spectators, they are oftentimes perceived as threats and violently policed, incarcerated, and killed.

Lions and Maasai, elephants and Bushmen, camels and Tuareg - Africa is seen as the continent of colorful cultures, picturesque people and thatched huts. This course introduces students to some of the key themes and debates in the anthropology of tourism, exploring the commodification of culture and nature in Africa as objects with marketable value. In this class, we ask: What is a tourist? How do hosts feel about tourists? Why do people travel for leisure to Africa? Does tourism help or hinder African development?

How did Victorians conceive of the body? In a culture associated in the popular imagination with modesty and propriety, even prudishness, discussions of sexuality and physicality flourished. This course explores both fictional and non-fictional texts from nineteenth-century Britain in conjunction with modern scientific and critical perspectives.