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General Honors Seminars

Fall Semester 2008

Please note: Before registering for any of these seminars on Banner Web, be sure your name is on the appropriate sign-up sheet in the Honors Center Office.

Also, please sign-up for only one seminar as they are limited to 15 students and we would like to accommodate as many students as possible.

HON 112A Writing the Coming-of-Age Novella



Coming of age - the passage from childhood to full adolescence or adolescence to full adulthood -  is often tumultuous, frightening and confusing.  Yet what more universal experience is there?  We all make the passage, more or less, and we all, or most of us anyway, come out on the other side.  Small wonder then that this period of life and the experiences it brings are the subject of some powerful novels and stories.  Gibson’s Ellen Foster, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Ann Tracy’s What Do Cowboys Like? all fall within this genre.  But many other writers from Hesse to Hemmingway to John Irving have been attracted to this unique period in life.

This seminar will engage students in reading and writing about the processes and experiences of coming-of-age.  Students will be engaged with issues of identity: Who am I and who would I like to be?; growth and transition: How do I integrate the many changes of life at this period into my personality?; moral responsibility: To whom, besides myself am I responsible? How do I live a life of justice, integrity and courage?; innocence and experience: What do I allow myself to experience? How do I give up innocence and at the same time avoid becoming cynical about life and the world around me?; What should I commit myself to and what should I avoid?  These and many other similar questions  operate on the personal level and at the same time are universal to virtually all people, cultures and times.

As students explore and struggle with such questions they will try their own hand at writing their own coming-of-age novella.  This writing may be entirely fictional or, more likely, may be drawn from personal experience.  In this way the process of writing itself will be a path of self-discovery and self realization that will become part of the coming of age phenomenon.  The work of this seminar will be intense, but exhilarating and the reward will be immense.


THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE HUMANITIES COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER - HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR ROOM A.

HON 116A - Fiction and Creative Non-fiction

Ordinarily the line between fact and fiction seems clear and secure.  Something is either non-fiction or fact, or it is fictional.  Facts are true, but fiction need not be and usually is not expected to be.  But is this line always as clear as it seems?  What happens if we intentionally blur the line?  This seminar explores the familiar fictional genre of literature and the less familiar genre of creative non-fiction, sometimes called the ‘fourth genre’. 

A number of writers, some quite well-known, have regularly crossed the boundary between works of fiction and non-fiction. The seminar will explore the writings of authors such as Annie Dillard, Rita Dove, Joyce Carol Oates and others.  Students will discuss the degree of separation between the two genres, question the meaning of an ‘honest’ narrative voice and explore what we mean when we use the word ‘honesty’ as it applies to the written word.

However, the primary focus and subject matter of the seminar will be the students’ own writing.  Specifically, the seminar will provide students with the opportunity to work on the craft of writing within two disciplines, to read and analyze each others’ writing.  Students will work both individually and collaboratively as a member of a writing group and they will share the experience of reading each others’ writings.  The goal of this will be to help students discover a new voice and new power in their existing voices as they cross and re-cross the boundary between fiction and non-fiction.  Students will write and re-write for clarity of meaning, intensity of expression and precision in their own works of fiction and non-fiction.  In this way each student can expect to become a better writer through the processes of the seminar.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE HUMANITIES COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER - HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR ROOM B.

HON 121A - The  Lives and Leadership of American Presidents

The 2008 Presidential election is generating a level of interest well above that of most recent elections and many might argue that it is among the most important Presidential elections the country has faced.  The United States Presidency as an institution has shaped and been shaped by those who occupy that high office.  The current election inevitably is set against the backdrop of the history of the presidency and our Presidents, making this a perfect time for an in-depth study of this history.

This course will explore the personal narrative histories of American Presidents and cast these narratives in relation to presidential leadership. The seminar will begin with an exploration of the institution of the American Presidency by reviewing classic works in history and political science that address the presidency.  Then through the use of biographies that are both readable and respected as scholarship, students will closely examine the lives of selected American Presidents for insight into those personal experiences and qualities that seem most conducive to leadership, or conversely that lead to ineffective leadership.

What qualities do effective presidents possess?  What powers and constraints of power does the office of the presidency confer on those who hold it?  How have key Presidents responded to or addressed issues and crises that have confronted the United States?  How does the presidency stand in relation to the other branches of government?   How have ‘external’ events shaped the terms of various Presidents?  How have various Presidents handled their failures as well as their successes?  These and many other questions will shape the discussions and explorations of this seminar.

In addition to the readings mentioned above, students will have an opportunity to write several papers reflecting their own explorations of the questions and issues the seminar will explore.  In particular each student will write two short papers (approx. 5+ pgs.) during the course of the semester.  Students will also write a more lengthy research paper focusing on one or another of the U.S. presidents.


 THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE U.S. CIVILIZATION REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO SCORED 85 OR ABOVE ON THE U.S. HISTORY EXAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR RM. B.


HON 130A  National Issues:  From Controversy to Consensus

The fundamental premise of this seminar is that American public life is more and more polarized around issues that divide communities, families and friends.  Often, perhaps too often, real dialogue about these issues degenerates into dissension, and political conflict supplants thoughtful conversation.   According to some, even institutions of democratic decision-making are threatened by manipulations of public opinion and political pressure rather than a deliberative examination of the issues.

Affirmative action, environmental policies, education, freedom of expression, foreign policy, reproductive rights and many other issues are centers of controversy with little apparent prospect for resolution.

Is deliberative decision-making in relation to such issues possible?  How can discussion of public issues move from controversy to consensus?  Can conflicting opinion be resolved into consensus policy?  Is it possible to discover common ground among opposing positions? These and other similar questions define one level of this seminar: an investigation of deliberative decision-making processes.

Another problem that often inhibits democratic decision-making processes is that many public issues involve complex and sometimes technical information.  How can ordinary citizens become sufficiently knowledgeable to formulate coherent and informed opinions on public issues? How can citizens understand their own position within a spectrum of other positions?  Can discussions of public issues avoid becoming a shrill babble of voices?  Another level of this seminar, therefore, is concerned with acquiring background information and defining the issues themselves.

Each student will be required to write a two-page position paper on each issue discussed in the seminar (for a total of five papers).  Each student will develop a binder of outside reading and research the will reflect their exploration of the issues. Additionally the seminar will organize and present three national issues forums to selected members of the college community.  This assignment will be a collaborative effort with one third of the membership of the seminar responsible for each of the forums.  Grades will be based on seminar participation, the position papers and on the collaborative assignment.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE SOCIAL SCIENCE COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR RM. B

HON 137A - Racial Justice in the U.S. Congress

Martin Luther King, Jr. said in the heat of the civil rights struggle that “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.”  The success of the civil rights movement wasn’t inevitable.  It required work, not just the work of protest and civil disobedience, but the work of complex political negotiation and compromise.  This seminar will explore the progression of racial justice in the United States through three distinct periods—the racial injustice period, the undoing of gerrymandering in the 60s and 70s, and the period of reverse racial gerrymandering.  Finally, students will consider whether we have reached a new period of “post-racial politics” in which reverse gerrymandering won’t be necessary. 

Similar to most seminars, “Racial Justice in the U.S. Congress,” will be structured around a set of questions.  Most prominently, the seminar will consider how moral and ethical wrongs are dealt with by a political system?  If systems cannot be improved, should people go outside the system?  When is civil disobedience or even violence justified in the face of injustice? Is it possible to redress historical injustices with the means at our disposal?  How are other groups suffering similar injustices affected by the struggle for justice? 

Much of what students will do in this seminar involves the hands-on examination and analysis of raw data concerning gerrymandering.  Students will actually engage in simulated redistricting to get a sense of the complexity and constraints of this process.  Students will also engage in the analysis of primary sources, such as speeches, the Voting Rights Act, and court cases, important for having a deep understanding of the politics of race in the U.S.

Not only will students engage in hands-on projects, they will write papers and reports about the readings and about their analyses of redistricting problems.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE SOCIAL SCIENCE COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR RM. A

HON 144HC  Calculus I

The Mathematics Department offers this section of Calculus I as a special Honors section. Students in the Honors Program are eligible to enroll in this course in satisfaction of one of the required Honors Seminars. This section of MAT 224, while covering approximately the same material as other sections of MAT 224, is nevertheless taught at greater depth with an emphasis on the construction of proofs.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE MATHEMATICS COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.


HON 157A - The Art of Film

While film clearly is part of the contemporary entertainment culture, it is also an art form. The basic intention of this seminar is to introduce students to a new way of looking at and assessing film.  This will be done by studying the art of film as opposed to the Hollywood type of blockbuster movie that deals with film as a mass entertainment medium.  Since art films aim to use a variety of methods such as camera technique, lighting, and music, the seminar will explore how these elements affect the 'look' of film. Of equal importance are the way directors and actors approach their material and how they achieve their objectives.  Students will be encouraged to view foreign films as an alternative to standard American movies. This seminar, therefore, will introduce students to the art of film by examining a different approach to film technique, subject matter, realism, social statement and cultural views. The seminar will not concentrate on ‘popular’ films, but instead will explore films that extend cinematic art, including foreign films.
The seminar will encourage an active, creative and adventurous exploration of the medium of film and its potential as serious art. The seminar will analyze the visual imagery, character development, camera shots and angles, setting, mood and soundtrack music by studying such films as Richard III or, Henry V, The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman), Roshomon (Akira Kurosawa) and Dr. Strangelove or, A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick).  Students will choose a film from the instructor’s list of prominent directors for a class presentation.
 
What is the magic behind a powerful cinematic scene that lingers in the memory? How are symbolism and metaphor portrayed in film?  How does film exploit illusion to make its point?  How is the filmmaker-as-artist influenced by the medium of film? This seminar will invite students enter into such artistic mystery.
 
A daylong field trip to the Montreal International Film Festival is planned for Saturday, August 30th   leaving at 8:15 a.m. and returning 5:30 p.m. (approx).  This will involve minimal cost of tickets and parking, travel is provided by the Honors Program.  Students in this seminar are expected to attend, so plan ahead.
Note:  Students must have identification to cross the border and foreign students must be able to leave and re-enter the country.
 
THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET THE ARTS COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN YOKUM 209.

HON 164A - In Search of Justice:  The Case of Israel/Palestine

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians seems almost intractable.  Two peoples with their own particular visions of justice claim rights to the same territory.  This seminar focuses on this particularly contentious case as a way of understanding the role of ethnic nationalism in modern societies.  Beginning with the Israel/Palestine case, the seminar poses the following questions: What factors led to the overlapping claims to the same land?  How did Zionism and Palestinian Nationalism construct their own visions of justice, and how did these visions serve to negate each other?  How did the Israelis come to dominate the Palestinians?  What are the consequences, economic, political, social and cultural, of domination and subordination?

A careful analysis of the case will raise questions about ethnic nationalism and ethnic politics.  The seminar will then explore other similar cases in the search for answers.  Can other cases in developed and developing societies (i.e., Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Northern Ireland, Canada and even the United States) shed light on the Israel/Palestine Case? What can we learn about ethnic politics, nationalism, and conflict from comparing the experiences of different societies?   What is the emotional and rational appeal of ethnic nationalism?  What theories have been developed to explain the impact of nationalism on societies in which it is politically and socially significant? 

Finally, returning to the Israel/Palestinian case, the seminar will consider the possible strategies for managing, containing or possibly resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Participants in this seminar can expect an atmosphere of dialogue and discussion, with perhaps a bit of contentiousness, as the issue at hand is emotionally loaded.  Students will be expected to complete writing assignments focused on their readings on a weekly basis.  Other assignments will include a comparison of the Israel/Palestine case to some other instance of ethnic nationalism and a biographical study of one of the important figures in Zionism or Palestinian Nationalism.


THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE WORLD SYSTEMS COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR RM. B.

HON 177A - Plagues, People & History

Thousands of Americans waited in lines at pharmacies and Doctor’s offices to get their flu shot this fall, only to find out that the inoculations they received were not effective against the strains of flu most prevalent this winter. While this episode has been mildly bothersome, it pales in comparison to the fear generated by what seems to be our increasing vulnerability to more serious epidemic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, Bird Flu or Mad Cow Disease.  Many of us are concerned with the potential negative impact that a still unidentified “super bug” might have on the future of our species.   This seminar will explore our vulnerability to epidemic disease in both the past and the present.  How does the human body respond to disease threats?  How do diseases respond to our attempts at control and eradication?  How do plagues evolve? 

This seminar will be a conversation about how human behavior increases or decreases vulnerability to pathogens.  In addition, students will learn how human culture has been shaped by diseases and how our cultural practices improve or diminish our resistance to disease.   What can we learn from past experiences with disease to understand the future?  How do scientists discover the causes of disease?  Are the pathogens winning?

Students will develop a research question and outline of a project in close consultation with the instructor.  An annotated bibliography will also be developed.  Their project will be submitted at the end of the semester.  In addition, each student is expected to bring discussion questions about each of the assigned readings to class and lead a formal discussion in one of the sessions of the seminar.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE SUNY NATURAL SCIENCE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS 121 SEMINAR RM. B 

HON 183A  Iraq & Vietnam:  A Comparative Study

Wars often come to assume mythical stature in the histories of people.  They are celebrated in literature and film and serve to define the civil religions of nation states.  But not all wars, in fact few wars, are virtuous.  The Vietnam Conflict has come to occupy a contested position in U.S. American political history.  It isn’t often celebrated, for good reason.  But it is a good model of how leaders can deceive their people.  Similarly, the recent invasion of Iraq constitutes a divisive experience for the U.S.A.  In this seminar the histories of these two tragic involvements will be explored.  Students will come to see the conflicts, not just from the point of view of American history, but from the perspectives of the people of all the affected societies.

The main goal of this seminar is to compare the similarities and differences between these two conflicts.  What were their objectives?  Were the aims of the wars realistic and achievable?  Did our leaders mislead us or were they, themselves, misled?  Most importantly, what can we learn from these two conflicts in terms of international relations and about our own political culture?

Class-time will be used mostly for discussion.  Occasionally, students will take opposing sides on critical issues. Students enrolled in this seminar will produce a research paper on some aspects of one or both of these conflicts.  These papers will be presented to the class.  Students will also serve as critics for a specific paper.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY WESTERN CIVILIZATION COMPONENT OF THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER     HAWKINS HALL 121 SEMINAR RM. A

AN HONORS TUTORIAL - HON 195A - Organic Farming

Note: This Tutorial meets first five weeks of semester.

For a variety of reasons, ranging from personal preference to concern over the methods of food production by corporate agribusinesses, there is a growing interest in so-called ‘organic’ food production.  What is organic farming and how does it contrast with ‘chemical’ farming?  What is the relationship between organic farming and ‘sustainable’ farming?  What principles and governmental regulations apply to organic farming?  How does organic farming relate to landscape and ecology ?  How do the principles of organic farming relate to contemporary culture and food supply?  These and many other questions will occupy the tutorial.

Students will read both historical and contemporary literature that explores the ideas and practices of organic farming.  They will write several short papers in response to their readings and class discussions; and they will visit an operating organic farm.

What is an Honors Tutorial?  In its effort to continually create new learning opportunities for Honors Program students, from time to time the Honors Program offers Honors Tutorials.  Honors Tutorials are designed to allow students to explore a topic for a portion of a semester, earning 1 or, at most 2 credits.  The tutorial for this semester will earn 1 credit.  Additionally Honors Tutorials have an enrollment limit of 8 students in contrast to the 15 in Honors Seminars.  Though more limited in scope than seminars, tutorials are an interesting and valuable educational experience.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER     HAWKINS HALL 121 SEMINAR RM. A

HON 302A - Contemporary Fundamentalism

Note: Students must have sophomore or higher standing to enroll in this seminar

The destruction of the World Trade Center and parts of the Pentagon on 9/11 and the ongoing war on terrorism have brought a new awareness of cultural, historical and religious differences to many Americans.  In particular, religious fundamentalism is presented as a major factor of conflict across the world.  Likewise, the growing hostilities and violence between Israelis and Palestinians has its roots in fundamentalists on both sides.  Conflict on the Indian subcontinent is, at least in part, a conflict between Hindu and Moslem fundamentalists.  At home, anarchic militia and survivalist movements along with growing Pan-Aryanism with its explicit racism and anti-Semitism are sometimes justified by their fundamentalist Christian supporters as Biblically based.

This seminar offers a forum in which to explore contemporary forms of fundamentalism, whether religious or secular.  Among the questions it will pose are:  What is fundamentalism?  In what ways is fundamentalism different or the same in Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Christianity?  Where does fundamentalism come from?  Why has fundamentalism become an international force in the early part of the 21st century?  How does fundamentalism justify recourse to violence?  What elements in modern and postmodern society does fundamentalism seek to counter?  What if anything can be done to stem the flow of violence that has infected the contemporary world?  These questions are among the most important that can be asked for those interested in understanding the contemporary global situation.

Students in this seminar will read basic texts of and commentaries on some of the world’s great religions in an attempt to understand the phenomenon of fundamentalism.  They will examine the writings of fundamentalists to understand how militancy, violence and even terrorism are justified.  The seminar will help students appreciate the scientific, social and geo-political conditions that continue to nourish fundamentalism.

Students will be assigned written papers and class presentations in which they analyze the connections and disjunctions between and among various fundamentalist movements.  These will form the basis of the seminar investigation.


THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE GLOBAL ISSUES COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS HALL 121 SEMINAR RM. B

HON 313- Deep Ecology:  History, Meaning, and the Environment

Note: Students must have sophomore or higher standing to enroll in this seminar

The word ‘ecology’ has become common in ordinary language and most people may associate it with the environment or with environmentalism.  Some may even connect it with notions of biological communities.  But what is ecology?  And what does it mean to think ‘ecologically’?  The story of ecology as a way of thinking, as a form of consciousness, is a fascinating one that has its roots, at least in North America, in such legendary figures as Thoreau, John Muir, Leopold and Rachel Carson.  A central thesis of this seminar is the notion that “the way in which humanity has tried to reach a balance with nature is one of the most important events of the 20th century.”  How did this happen?  Why did people begin to realize that they needed to think about their relation to the natural world in new and different way?  What ‘old’ ways of thinking did ecology seek to replace?  Understanding derived from questions like these will lead to the emergence of an even more radical way of thinking that is known as ‘Deep Ecology’.

The seminar will explore deep ecology’s advocates, like Anre Naess, George Sessions and Bill Devall, as well as it critics such as Murray Bookchin, various eco-feminists and Ken Wilber.  How should we evaluate and relate to the non-human world?  Do human beings have intrinsic value while the non-human world has only instrumental value? What is the Apron Diagram and what does it tell us about deep ecology and its applications?  What is ecological experience and how does that differ from other modes of experience?  These and many other questions will take students on an intellectual and philosophical journey through a stimulating history and literature of the quest for a better understanding of human place in nature.

Students will be expected to take responsibility for defining the terms of the seminar discussion.  They will submit questions for discussion in advance of each class meeting.  Students will continue the in-class discussion through an on-line discussion on the seminar’s Angel page.  Students will write frequent essays, they will make class presentations, and complete various other assignments.


THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE INDIVIDUAL, SOCIETY AND RESPONSIBILITY COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. 

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET IN THE HONORS CENTER – HAWKINS HALL 121 SEMINAR RM. B

Contact Information

Dr. David Mowry, Director
E-mail: david.mowry@plattsburgh.edu

Colleen Bernard, Secretary
E-mail: colleen.bernard@Plattsburgh.edu

Location: Hawkins Hall 121-123
Address: SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Phone: (518) 564-3075
Fax: (518) 564-3071

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