Brilliantly articulated in the expression La Bella Figura, a way of life emphasizing beauty, aesthetics and image, Italian culture is internationally renowned for its attention to quality and craftsmanship. The course covers different time periods in modern and contemporary Italian history (Unification, Fascism, post-war economic reconstruction, counter-cultural movements, up to the present day) and students learn how Italian traditional artistic and craft excellence was negotiated with technological modernization and the creation of a mass-consumer society.

Topics course. Despite the particular degradation, violence and despair of enslavement in the United States, African American men and women built families, traditions and a legacy of resistance. Using the WPA interviews-part of the New Deal Federal Writers Project of the 1930s-this course looks at the historical memory of former slaves by reading and listening to their own words. How did 70- through 90-year-old former slaves remember their childhoods and young adulthoods during slavery?

Analysis of the historical realities, social movements, cultural expression and political debates that shaped U.S. citizenship from the Declaration of Independence to the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment. From the hope of liberty and equality to the exclusion of marginalized groups that made whiteness, maleness and native birth synonymous with Americanness. How African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants and women harnessed the Declaration of Independence and its ideology to define themselves as also citizens of the United States.

An introduction to spoken and written German, and to the culture and history of German-speaking people and countries. Emphasis on grammar and practical vocabulary for use in conversational practice, written exercises, and listening and reading comprehension. By the end of the year, students are able to read short, edited literary and journalistic texts as a basis for classroom discussion and to compose short written assignments. Yearlong courses cannot be divided at midyear with credit for the first semester.

Topics course. In this seminar, we examine how popular French comedies have recently relied on stereotypes to promote a national conversation about social, racial, sexual and religious identities. Among the issues considered: Why are these comedies popular? What are the cultural and national boundaries of comedy? Who is laughing (or not) and why? Are all stereotypes equal? Can laughter promote social progress? Is it possible to identify larger political or cultural concerns hidden behind the use of stereotypes in these films? Weekly or biweekly film showings.

Topics course. From Paris to Fort-de-France, Montreal to Dakar, we study how various filmmakers from the Francophone world present urban spaces as sites of conflict, solidarity, alienation and self-discovery. How do these portraits confirm or challenge the distinction between urban and nonurban? How does the image of the city shift for "insiders" and "outsiders"? Other topics to be discussed include immigration, colonialism and globalization. Works by Sembene Ousmane, Denys Arcand, Mweze Ngangura and Euzhan Palcy. Offered in French.

Sectioned course. This course introduces the fundamentals of rock climbing to the beginner. It emphasizes smooth climbing technique as well as familiarity with the equipment, various knots, belaying and rappelling. Basic top-rope anchor building is also covered. Safety issues are a strong emphasis in this course. The majority of class time is spent on the Ainsworth Gym climbing wall, but also includes two off-campus trips. Enrollment limited to 12.

A study of whether sport has served to promote or inhibit ethnic/minority participation in the American Dream. Biological and cultural factors are examined to ascertain the reasons for success of some groups and failure of others as high-level participants. The lives of major American sports figures are studied in depth to determine the costs assessed and rewards bestowed on those who battled racial, ethnic or sexual oppression in the athletic arena. 

Alice Munro has won extraordinary and steadily growing recognition as one of the very finest and canniest writers of our time. The subtlety of her narrative skills and the subdued brilliance of her moral insights mark her as a major figure. And yet this has not translated into the kind of attention one might expect in college and university curricula, although this is likely to change with the recognition following on her winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature (2013).

In this workshop, more advanced fiction-writing students pursue two chief aims: to become stronger, more sophisticated writers in ways that feel natural to them, and to broaden their horizons by pursuing experimentation in new styles and subjects. At the same time, students continue to work on honing their observational and revision skills through attention to their own work and work of their peers. Coursework includes emphasis on becoming a skillful and sophisticated critic, readings from diverse contemporary writers and occasional ad hoc exercises.