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General Honors Seminars

Spring Semester 2010

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 111HA Walking and Human Experience

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. ~John Muir

Walking is the theme and metaphor that connects the subjects you will explore in this seminar. It is an activity that most of us take for granted, but, when one considers it as a subject matter, it is surprising to realize that it is such an important academic topic. Walking is a universal human activity. It can be relational or solitary. Anthropologists are interested in walking (bipedalism) because it was the evolutionary trait that set us on the course to humanness. We can use it to test our faith or ponder our condition. It is therapy, meditation and exercise. Philosophers, thinkers, and psychologists think about walking and think while walking. Literary types scribble the meditations and emotions evoked by walking. The simple act of moving forward on two feet has thus provoked much thought across many disciplines and arts. Walking is a major literary metaphor and a significant scientific consideration.

Students will be introduced to representations of and about walking. This will help students understand the similarities and differences between various literary movements. The assignments in this class will include a journal of walks and reactions to readings, literary analysis, and creative work, allowing students many ways of examining human experiences, values and ideals. Students will be reading works from a variety of genres and historical periods, from around the world. The main text will be Solnits's Wanderlust: A History of Walking. Through this in depth exploration of walking students will do some serious thinking about what it means to be human. They might be inspired to walk a bit in the world they inhabit. They should receive more from this seminar than they seek.

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

HON 112HA 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

HON 113HA Alienation, Liberation and the Discovery of Zen

Sooner or later nearly all of us embark on a personal inquiry about the meaning of life and our relationship(s) to the rest of the world. Questions about who we are and what it is that is worth doing with our lives arise and often are not easily answered. It sometimes seems as though we are thrown into an increasingly uncontrollable and chaotic world that is indifferent to our presence. Often this "problem" resolves itself into three choices. We may accept the world as it is; we may seek to escape from it; or we may try to change it. Accepting the world as we find it can induce a passivity that leave us alienated and powerless, but is nonetheless perhaps the most common method of coping with these questions. Escapism can express itself in many forms. The fundamental premise of this seminar is that American public life is more and more polarized around including day-dreaming, alcohol and drugs, violence, internal exile or even suicide. Changing the world requires political will, determination, and stamina…with no guarantee of success.

This seminar will examine these issues through an exploration of the literature of alienation and liberation. How have literary protagonists confronted and resolved situations of extreme distress? Why does the search for meaning often result in feelings of estrangement, of being an outsider, of being different? What circumstances lead literary characters to this crossroad? How do they try to solve this problem? What can literature teach us about liberation from conditions that are alienating? Finally, the seminar will explore literature in which protagonists claim to have found a way of dealing with their discontent. These and many related questions will provide seminar participants with many memorable discussions.

Students will lead discussions through seminar presentations and explorations of authors from Kafka, Hesse, and Huxley to Alan Watts, Robert Pirsig, Herbert Marcuse and others. Students will also be asked to write an essay of significant length (10-15 pgs.) addressing the issues of the seminar.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE LITERATURE/PHILOSOPHY COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

HON 121HA The Lives and Leadership of American Presidents

The election of President Barack Obama has generated a level of interest in his presidency and in the institution of the American presidency in general 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 American presidency as an institution has shaped and been shaped by those who occupy that high office. The most recent election inevitably was 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? On what does the legitimacy of Presidential power rest? 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 OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO SCORED 85 OR ABOVE ON THE U.S. HISTORY EXAM

HON 132HA Men and Women of Faith and Courage

Human history has been punctuated by men and women who have been able to influence our sense of humanity and its potentials, the course of social change, and the direction of history itself. Often these individuals have shown great courage and just as often this courage has emanated from a deep faith. Gandhi, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela quickly spring to mind, though there are many others. Often such people have had to endure great suffering or deprivation and have found the strength to do so in their faith. Frequently the lives of these men and women exhibit a "turning point" that forever changed their personal outlook on life to a more global and altruistic outlook on society and the world.

While the lives of these persons are fascinating in themselves, they also raise fascinating questions. What led up to such turning points? How do men and women of faith and courage wrestle with the events and experiences of life and finally pass the turning point? How have they ultimately decided to change not only their own lives, but to act in ways that change the lives of countless others? What are the consequences and costs of such decisions? These and many other questions will occupy the seminar throughout the semester.

To help understand men and women of faith and courage the seminar will draw on a number of developmental theories. Central to the work of the seminar will be James Fowler's theory of the stages of faith development. Fowler's theory offers a framework that provides profound insights into the lives of these men and women. Links between Fowler's theory and the theories of other developmental psychologists such as Piaget, Kohlberg, Maslow and Erickson will also be explored. In exploring and comparing different theories of psychological development, students will be exposed to, investigate and discuss the methods of developmental psychology. Students will gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of men and women of courage who have made an impact on world events. Students will also have a better and richer insight into their own personal goals and ambitions either by re-defining them or by enhancing them for their future contribution to society.

Students will write several short papers based on seminar readings. In addition students will make formal class presentations drawn from the rich resources the seminar will examine.

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

HON 163HA The Culture, Philosophy and Practice of Toga

The popular conception of yoga may include people who manage to get their bodies into strange or unusual positions or postures, it may generate thoughts of exotic places, or, yet again, it may be associated with poorly understood practices of mediation. As with most popular conceptions there is some truth, but also much that is false in these ideas. This seminar provides students with an opportunity to explore and experience yoga under the guidance of a life-long practitioner of yoga.

To understand yoga entails a familiarity with the cultural, religious and historical contexts in which it arose. Students will be introduced to major themes of Indian civilization, especially as these are manifested in the beliefs of Hinduism. The seminar will be based on the concept of time "Yoga of Synthesis" which is the integration of the four main paths of traditional yoga:

These paths will be the basis to inquire into the most fundamental questions of human existence: Who am I? Why am I here? How can I achieve health and peace of mind? What should I do with my life?

The philosophy of yoga introduces students to new perspectives on our perceptions of reality, values and the role of the ego or self in daily life. The practice of yoga provides concrete tools for bridging the discord between the mind and body. It strives for integration and new levels of physical mastery and body awareness. The objective of the seminar is to expose students to all levels of the yoga experience through readings, discussion, yoga exercise and meditation practice. Student evaluation will focus on written papers, class presentations and participation in seminar discussions.

Plans are underway for a weekend "field trip" to the Sivananda Yoga Camp ashram in Val Morin, Quebec. This would allow students to experience first hand the full yoga lifestyle.

For the meditation and exercise portion of the seminar students will need to purchase a mat that Mr. D'Angelo will recommend.

THIS SEMINAR WILL MEET THE OTHER WORLD SYSTEMS COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

HON 170HA Ecology of Wildland Fires

Among the forces that shape the natural landscape, probably none is more powerful than wildland fire. But it is not only the land itself that is impacted by fire, but entire ecological systems that are stimulated, altered and sometimes destroyed by wildland fires. In addition these fires have shaped the lives and societies of peoples living in fire-prone areas and sparked (excuse the pun) political debate about appropriate responses to fire.

What conditions stimulate or retard the development and occurrence of wildland fire? As a force of nature, how should we respond to wildland fire? Should fire be subject to control or should we adopt a "let burn" policy? How does fire impact plant and animal species? How have some species evolved to use fire beneficially? These and many other questions will occupy the inquiry of the seminar.

While wildland fires are a world-wide phenomenon, the seminar will concentrate primarily on the United State, Canada and Australia. The primary reason for this is that most of the scientific research on fire ecology and its applications for public policy have occurred in these countries. It is interesting to note too that fire has been a potent force in the forest lands of the Adirondacks. A few abandon fire towers still dot the peaks of some Adirondack mountains in mute testimony to the history of wildland fire in our own region.

Each student will complete a writing assignment and an oral presentation on the natural ecology of wildland fire. They will also complete another assignment and oral presentation on the human ecology of wildland fire.

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

HON 181HA On Being Free

The idea and ideal of freedom is of interest, and sometimes an issue, in the lives of most people. On the other hand, it is also something that we may, more often than not, take for granted. In both cases, however, the exploration of and reflection on freedom and liberty is a valuable experience. Personal, local, national and global events sometimes have the power to move issues of freedom to the forefront of our thoughts. However, the notion of freedom is very complex, ranging from issues of personal freedom, to inter-personal freedom, to social/political freedom, to the metaphysics of freedom. This seminar will explore freedom in these four contexts and will look for connections (or conflicts) among them.

What is it like to be free and how does this contrast with the experience of a loss of freedom? Do we really want to be free? How does freedom affect our personal identity and the way(s) we see and interact with others? What are the advantages and what are the dangers of a free society? Are there appropriate limits which society can place on freedom? Why is freedom viewed as a threat in some societies and advantage in others? Is the best or most just society the same as the society with the greatest degree of freedom? Is freedom a genuine condition or is freedom a socially constructed illusion that obscures our true condition in a deterministic universe? These and many other questions will form the basis of study and discussion in this seminar.

Readings will be chosen from fictional, political, philosophical and scientific literature. For example, philosophical writers from Plato and Aristotle to Kant and Mill develop the moral and political implications and imperatives of freedom. The Collector, a novel by John Fowles, explores human deterioration when freedom is destroyed. Jean Paul Sartre explores the psychology, ethics and metaphysics of freedom in Nausea. Erich Fromm challenges the myths of freedom from a psychological perspective in Escape from Freedom. The work of these and other authors will provide a rich source of readings for the seminar.

Among other things, students will write a series of short reflection papers based primarily on reading assignments. Each student will also write a more lengthy term paper exploring in depth an aspect of the nature of freedom. Finally students will collaborate with other members of the seminar and will make a group seminar presentation at the end of the semester.

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

HON 302DT Discovering Vietnam: Past and Present

SPECIAL NOTE: This seminar is the third in our effort to provide an innovative educational experience for students through a new seminar model. Students taking this seminar will not only acquire extensive knowledge of Vietnam during the spring semester, but they will travel to Vietnam for approximately three weeks at the end of the Spring Semester. The seminar and the travel are a linked-experience. That is, all students taking the seminar must participate in the travel component and all students participating in the travel component must enroll in the seminar. Together, the seminar and the travel component will earn a total of 4 crs.

As of this writing, travel to Vietnam will probably be from JFK airport in New York City on approximately May 20th. Students will fly as a group to Hanoi, Vietnam. Students will return from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to JFK on approximately June 13th. Final arrangements and dates will be determined soon.

The estimated cost of round trip airfare, transportation in Vietnam, lodging, 2 meals a day, etc. is currently estimated at $3200. We are trying to negotiate this price down. We will communicate directly with all students who sign up for this seminar as soon as we determine new information.

Vietnam has a long and rich history though its place in the consciousness of most people is defined and punctuated by the Vietnam war of the 1960s and 70s. That war left its mark on both the United State and Vietnam and a significant portion of the seminar will be an exploration of how Vietnam and its people have emerged from that war into membership in the "modern world". Yet in order to understand and appreciate that process a deeper understanding of Vietnam's history and culture is necessary. The seminar will examine various perspectives on how the Vietnamese "see the world". What cultural traditions shape Vietnamese society? What historical events have influenced Vietnamese politics? What are the subgroups within the Vietnamese population and how have these groups identified with the Vietnamese nation? How the Vietnamese view of the world shape their experience with colonialism and confrontations with the West? Has the reunification of Vietnam met the challenges of creating the political and economic institutions that meet the needs of its citizens? Answering these and many other questions will prepare members of the seminar for the three week field experience at the end of the semester.

During the field experience portion of the seminar students will explore the ways in which basic human needs are being met in the current political economy. Food production and marketing systems, healthcare systems in rural as well as urban settings and housing variations and adaptations will all become the focus of experience in Vietnam. In addition students will integrate the seminar experience with observations of the remnants of the American War and post-war recovery. The seminar experience will also be integrated with first hand experience of cultural diversity and history.

While in Vietnam, members of the seminar will be guests of the East Meets West Foundation. The foundation has arranged for students to spend 5 days in a service learning project. Travel in Vietnam will move from Hanoi and the northern highlands down to the coastal plain via the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Ho Chi Minh City for a five day stay there and in the Mekong Delta before returning to the US.

Clearly this seminar creates an opportunity unparalleled in its richness and educational opportunity. A more detailed itinerary and cost account will be available soon and students should inquiry about these at the Honors Center.

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

HON 315HA Information, Democracy and Civic Community

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

The American political landscape has recently transformed by the so-called "new media" in various forms blogs to i-reporting to tweets and beyond. The traditional strengths of American democracy have long been dependent on civic literacy that had been cultivated on the basis of what Neil Postman called the "typographic mind", a reference to a word-centered culture where high-level literacy skills (reading and writing) were the prime instruments of information production, distribution and consumption. Now, we live in an information environment which is radically different from the one in which the founders of American democracy formulated the civic trilogy made up of the press [media], self governance processes [democracy] and civic community [citizens]. With the advent and ultimate dominance of image-centered culture, many concerned civic leaders have raised questions about the health and even the sustainability of American democracy as we know it. Whether the original philosophical beliefs about the roles of the press in democracy are still true in the rapidly transforming information environment becomes a critical question.

This seminar is organized around two central questions: 1) What are the most prominent features of the new communication media that prompt professional journalists and media consumers to behave differently in the ways they produce, distribute and consume information? and 2) How are those changes in information behaviors transforming traditional views on the media's civic community building and maintenance functions? The seminar will explore and apply Jurgen Habermas's concept of a public sphere as "a network for communicating information and points of view that is differentiated into two levels according to the density of communication, organizational complexity and range." The seminar will explore different stages of information structures at different stages of American history. The ultimate purpose of this historical review is to raise and pursue questions about the sustainability of civic community in this new communication environment.

This seminar will provide important insights into the political world in which our own lives are embedded. The understand we gain will empower us rather than leaving us helpless victims of forces we don't understand or sometimes don't even see. Perhaps in this there is hope for our democracy and ourselves in our roles as citizens.

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

HON 320HA The Blues and African-American Literature


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

To paraphrase B.B. King, "Everybody gets the blues," and this is your chance. This seminar will investigate and interpret the ways in which the blues, and the oral tradition upon which this tradition is based, resonate in African-American literature. This exploration will be stylistic, but more importantly, "the blues" will serve as a conceptual framework for understanding African-American literature. Scholars suggest that the blues tradition echoes the experience of slavery, a post-traumatic artifact of melancholy, fear, and survival, as well as satire in post-Reconstruction and twentieth century America. We will consider this argument, as well as the ways in which "the blues imagination" continues to influence African-American art. We will also investigate how the blues celebrates the folk tradition, asserts social justice, and requires us to witness the historical trauma of the African-American experience. In a more general way students will develop a theoretical and critical perspective on African-American literature.

Students will read novels, novellas, poetry, short stories, and critical essays. Students will write critical response papers addressing literary works and other readings. The responses will serve as the basis for in-class discussions. A longer analytical research paper will also be required. We will also listen to the blues, and by the time this course is finished, students will "get" the blues and understand the significance of the blues in African-American and the larger U.S. culture.

THIS SEMINAR WILL SATISFY THE ART, LITERATURE AND INTERPRETATION COMPONENT OF THE PLATTSBURGH GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Contact Information

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

Dr. James Armstrong, Associate Director
E-mail:  james.armstrong@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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