A detailed survey of the principal surviving monuments and the overall architectural development of the city of Athens from its origins in the Bronze Age to the end of the 4th century C.E. The archaeological evidence will be discussed against a broader cultural and historical background, with an emphasis on the specific people and events that helped to shape the city and the general social and political circumstances that gave the monuments meaning.

Ocean ecosystems are of tremendous ecological importance and provide many billions of dollars worth of services annually, yet our marine systems face serious threats due to overfishing, climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, and the spread of invasive species. Conservation and management strategies aim to protect our remaining martine resources and restore those that have been lost or damage. In this course, we will study the scientific evidence documenting the most pressing threats to marine ecosystems and examine available strategies for mitigating these threats.

Jean Paul Sartre tells us words are like 'loaded pistols.' They have the power to transform worlds and inspire revolutions. Focusing on the power of language and the ideas they carry, we will look at writers as agents of social and political change. How do governments and society react to their work (censors, the media, readers?). We have two goals: to examine the interaction between aesthetics and politics, and the relationship between writers and governments.

True, pictures are worth a thousand words, but how do we know which thousand words to use? In this seminar, we will read a range of art criticism, art history, and fiction in order to examine the work of language in relation to pictures. We will explore a basic question: Why do pictures compel us to use words? We will learn to distinguish among different kinds of writing, visit the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum regularly, and learn to craft thoughtful words of our own about original works of art.

What social processes and institutions are necessary to bring an end to war? Do the efforts of citizens make a difference? What is the role of beliefs regarding identity? What about access to resources? What is the role of visible forms of restorative or retributive justice? This first-year seminar focuses on wars in Sudan, Somalia, Congo, and Uganda. Course assignments are designed to develop skills in academic writing, historical research, and collaborative learning.

In the summer and fall of 1888, a series of gruesome murders captured the attention of Londoners and brought questions of class, gender, race and social-economic change to the forefront of public debate. Though the culprit was never identified, Jack the Ripper became synonymous with the perceived dangers of late-Victorian London.

We explore how memorialization and reconciliation take place in societies that have experienced extreme violence. How do survivors, perpetrators and their descendants record the experience of atrocity through testimonials and memorials in ways that contrast with 'official' national narratives of the past? In what ways does memorialization end cycles of violence without re-triggering trauma? How does restorative justice, for example, address feelings of despair or guilt that get passed down from one generation to another?

This course examines topics within the physical, mental, psychological and social dimensions of wellness. Current research and trends in health and wellness are emphasized and students will be encouraged to apply this knowledge in practical ways for healthful living. While this course is not activity based, a few classes will involve physical activity to promote wellness.

The course explores comparative racial and ethnic politics in the U.S. during the twentieth century. We will analyze the creation and maintenance of structural inequalities through laws and policies targeted at persons of color in the areas of healthcare, transportation, immigration, labor, racial segregation, and education. Through readings, lectures and films, we will discuss critical histories of community struggle against social inequality, registering the central impact that race, class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship have had on efforts toward social justice.

Maps are essential tools for understanding the world around us. But do our maps show us the world as it is, or do they allow us to choose the world we will see? Texts for the course may include poetry by Elizabeth Bishop, Thomas Hardy and others; short fiction by Borges, Faulkner and others, and visual art from the College Art Museum.