In this course we will take a systems approach to understanding the creative problem solving process--from idea stage to implementation. Drawing from the latest theories of design thinking, creativity, complex organizations, leadership, social psychology, negotiations and social change, we will examine the individual, group, organizational and contextual dynamics that enable and constrain creativity and innovation.

Love is constantly thematized in Medieval and Renaissance literature. From a variety of perspectives, authors try to account for what love is, what its effects are on the body and the soul, how one is supposed to obtain it and keep it, and also how and why it can be avoided. Writing about love is also questioning what is considered essentially good or bad for oneself and the community. In this course, students will explore medieval and early modern love theories and practices in a selection of Spanish texts, as they reflect on literature as a means for ethical interrogation.

Contemplative practices and meditative techniques are central to many religious traditions. This course explores such practices, in part, through the study of religious texts that serve as guides to contemplation and 'mindfulness.' We also consider ways in which classical contemplative traditions are being adapted by contemporary spiritual seekers. Students will also have opportunities to engage in various forms of practice from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions, in order to exemplify the traditions being studied.

To be sure, the First Amendment's 'religion clauses,' and the almost two and a half centuries of court interpretations and public debates that have followed their ratification in 1791, are central to the history of religion and politics in America. Yet this history goes well beyond the often-contentious fights over the meaning and limits to constitutionally-guaranteed religious liberty. Considering this fraught history, key questions include: Why does religion enjoy special protection in American law?

Despite predictions to the contrary, the influence of religion on American public life has not waned; 90% of Americans recently reported having some belief in God. From Islamic terrorism (followed by anti-Islamic hate crimes) and America's wars on terror, to Romney's Mormonism and the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate, religion plays a role in almost every major debate in American politics and foreign policy, and often in American popular culture, too. Yet, many journalists and media commentators know very little about religion.

The history of India has been singled out for its complex intermingling of religion and politics. This course will explore the constitution of religious identities in two of India's largest religious communities: Hindu and Muslim. Focusing primarily on the colonial period, we will discuss religious reform movements, communal violence, mass politics, and the partition of the subcontinent into the independent states of India and Pakistan. Throughout we will be interested in the ways that the colonial experience affected the religious thought and practice of Indians.

This course provides a critical introduction to the writings contained in the Hebrew Bible (also known as the Old Testament). It investigates the social and historical context of the ancient Israelites, examines a range of ancient Near Eastern literature, and introduces the principal methods of biblical studies. Participants will read much of the Hebrew Bible as well as select non-Israelite sources.

Deep brain stimulation, genome sequencing, regenerative medicine...Exploring practices of 'participatory governance' of emerging technologies, we will examine the formal and informal involvement of citizens, patients, health professionals, scientists and policy makers. What initiatives exist at local, national and transnational levels to foster science literacy? How do lived experiences of nationality, ability, class, race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality become visible and/or disappear within constructed frameworks of participatory governance?

(Em)bodi/ment: body/mind. How does our culture fantasize about severing them? Where is there ever pure mind, pure body? Who counts as able, as broken, or as food? How does discipline, punishment, and usefulness come into play? What is agency and knowledge in relation to embodiment? We will study different 'problem' cases of embodiment where the fabric of culture begins to unravel: athletics, birthing, breeding and assisted reproduction, chronic illness, dairy, disability, drugs, dying, fatness, pregnancy, queerness, sexuality, speech ('disorder'), and others.

Health is about bodies, selves and politics. We will explore a series of health topics from feminist perspectives. How do gender, sexuality, class, disability, and age influence the ways in which one perceives and experiences health and the access one has to health information and health care? Are heteronormativity, cissexism, or one's place of living related to one's health status or one's health risk?