Seminars

• Dr. Ann Tracy
• TR 3:30 - 4:45
• 3 Credits

The Seventeenth Century was rich in ingenuity and vision, in literature and invention and theology and medicine. There’s no better way to take in the compendium of unfettered delight that’s Renaissance England than to read Aubrey’s Brief Lives, those biographical sketches that suggest a long age of untrammeled individuality — of writers, scientists, inventors, academics, doctors, and madmen — in that sunny patch between the rule of the church and the popularity of reason.

The first part of the seminar will explore Aubrey with close attention to unexpected detail and with supplementary reports or a brief paper. What did intelligent people seem to believe about this or that? Love? Death?

And what happens when individuality goes wild? In the second half of the course we’ll look at the phenomenon known as Revenge Tragedy, the hazardous side of individuality. We’ll read The Duchess of Malfi, a wild and delicious play too little known these days. We’ll write some scenes of our own.

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.

• Dr. Tracie Guzzio
• TR 9:30 - 10:45
• 3 credits

Few other moments in American history continue to fascinate our imagination and inspire further examination like the Salem Witch Trials. This year marks the 325^th anniversary of the trials and the executions of 19 citizens (and two dogs) of Salem Village, and yet American culture and history has been unable to resolve the “problem” of the trials. The Salem Witch trials illustrate numerous characteristics of early America — a powerful tension between politics and religion; a deep mistrust of difference — especially based on race, gender, and religious practice; individuality at odds with community norms; and a troubled relationship with Native Americans and the wilderness. Each of these qualities of early American Puritan life reveals profound paradoxes in the American psyche. In an attempt to comprehend these contradictions and how they persist in our own time, this semester we will examine the trials themselves; how historians have attempted to understand them; their popular representations in literature; and the “witch hunts” of the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

In order to accomplish this, we must consider how the “story” of the Salem Witch trials embodies the history of scapegoating, and its continued practice in American society.  The persecution of “outsiders,” political opponents, and innocents is inevitably called a “witch trial” or a “witch hunt.” We will be taking an interdisciplinary approach as we attempt to understand these practices by analyzing the narratives and transcripts of the trials themselves; the writings of the Puritan writer, Cotton Mather; literature by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Miller (The Crucible) and Maryse Conde (I,Tituba); and films such as The Witch, Good Night and Good Luck, and ParaNorman.

The course will also examine more recent instances of persecution (and hysteria) associated with the internment of Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, McCarthyism, the McMartin Pre-School trial and Satanic ritual abuse stories, the AIDS epidemic, and anti-Islamic sentiment following the September 11^th attacks. And the class will visit the town of Salem and Salem Village (re-named Danvers) to explore the new historical site (under construction); the Peabody Essex Museum; one of the popular, tourist attraction “Witch” museums; and two Salem Witch Trials memorials. One of these official memorials was commemorated in its opening ceremony in 1992 by Holocaust survivor and writer, Elie Wiesel, who cautioned us in his speech that “we still have our Salems.”

Students will be required to give informal oral presentations, write brief response papers, and complete a research project.

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

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

Irish-Americans have contributed much to the dynamic, volatile, and tumultuous history of the United States, as students in this seminar will discover through reading historical and fictional texts, and by viewing films.  The seminar will explore the ways in which an immigrant group ultimately assimilated into white, middle-class, protestant American society between the 1840s to the present.  Although the Irish have been in America since colonial times, during and after the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s, masses of rural, Catholic, Irish-speaking survivors immigrated both voluntarily and involuntarily, to American cities.  They worked as domestics, barmaids, laborers, factory workers, criminals, writers, nuns, priests, union organizers, race-rioters, police, politicians, entertainers, conscripts, prostitutes, and artists.   Their reception was stormy, sometimes admired, more often discriminated against and feared. They slowly became both middle class and “white.”  Increasingly, Irish-Americans are able to become returnees and tourists in an (often romanticized) Ireland their ancestors fled, where they amuse, puzzle, employ and support the Irish who live there. Students will, thus, be grappling with ideas about diaspora, colonial and postcolonial regimes, rural flight, urban communities and poverty, the definitions of race, nostalgia, religious insularity and diversity, and tourism.

The required reading for the course includes The Irish in America, edited by Michael Coffey and Terry Gollway and How the Irish Became White, by Noel Ignatiev.  We will also view films such as Gangs of New York and In America. Students will engage in group research projects and presentations derived from the Irish in America text, such as the Scotch Irish, fleeing the Great Famine, and life in the tenements.  Students will also do a short research paper on their topic.

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

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

 

• Dr. John McMahon
• MW 2:00 - 3:15 p.m.
• 3 Credits

"There’s little doubt that 'do what you love' (DWYL) is now the unofficial work mantra for our time. The problem is that it leads not to salvation, but to the devaluation of actual work, including the very work it pretends to elevate — and more importantly, the dehumanization of the vast majority of laborers. Superficially, DWYL is an uplifting piece of advice, urging us to ponder what it is we most enjoy doing and then turn that activity into a wage-generating enterprise. But why should our pleasure be for profit? Who is the audience for this dictum? Who is not?" – Miya Tokumitsu, "In the Name of Love" (2014)

"Contemporary economies seem riddled with bullshit jobs. ... We have created societies where much of the population, trapped in useless employment, have come to resent and despise equally those who do the most useful work in society, and those who do no paid work at all." – David Graeber, Bullshit Jobs: A Theory (2018)

Why do we work? Should you do what you love? Are we doomed to lives of useless employment? What is the work ethic and how does it manifest in 21st century America? How do the internet, artificial intelligence, automation, the gig economy, debt, and side hustles transform our relationships to work? What are the gendered and racial politics of new regimes of work? What do we do if (when?) human labor is no longer socially necessary? Should we value work?

This seminar engages these questions through scholarship from multiple disciplines about the underlying values, political economy, and changing structures of work, especially in the context of a confluence of changes in technology and in the social functions of work. This discussion-based seminar encourages students to adopt an analytical and critical perspective on normative practices and ideas of work and labor. It will include reflection on the work values, work experiences, and future work aspirations of students. Ultimately, it examines contemporary and future issues of work and labor, with a focus on scholarship that is both theoretically and empirically grounded. 

Students in this course will complete weekly short reading analysis, two take-home essay assignments, and lead one class discussion. They will also make a final podcast about a specific industry, realm of work, work process, work technology, etc. that is relevant to them, involves empirical research on their topic, and provides an opportunity for a rigorous and engaging application of course material.

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 ROOM A

• Dr. Kevin McCullen
• MW 2:00 - 3:15
• 3 credits

Algorithms mediate the world we live in. Algorithms determine the interest rates you pay, the price you pay for products, the news stories that you see, whether you get a job or not, and the treatment you receive in the hospital.

Algorithms are often seen as "pure" or "unbiased" because we think of computers as being calculating engines, incapable of opinion or emotion. Algorithms, in the form of models, make predictions that govern many of the activities in our lives. These models are built on data.

If the data is skewed, then the models are skewed. If the models are skewed, then the predictions are skewed. For example, some teacher assessment tools judge a teacher’s effectiveness by looking at test scores. In 2011, Washington DC fired 206 teachers because a statistical measurement indicated that they were the bottom 5% in effectiveness. In some cases, excellent teachers may have been fired because in prior years standardized tests were altered. Students exited one grade with high test scores (due to cheating) and appeared to have gotten worse in the next grade (where cheating didn’t occur).  The strict measurement policy was based on skewed data, punished honest teachers and rewarded cheating.

Sometimes there are assumptions made that are based on unconscious bias. Clearing snow from streets is obviously the highest priority. However, digging into the numbers in Sweden, they discovered that women are more likely to walk or take public transit, and to “chain trips” (running errands) rather than a to-work and from-work commute. Sweden found that 69% of the injuries to pedestrians during the winter were women. Two-thirds of those had fallen on icy surfaces. The snow clearing schedules prioritized street clearing for men commuting to work over pedestrians and public transit, creating unconscious bias.

Data can be skewed by the “streetlight problem” (looking for your lost keys under the streetlamp, because the light is better there), it can be skewed by random variation (bad luck or poor experimental design), or it can be skewed by intentional bias (data that is deliberately wrong). With respect to bias, it is often the case that data is skewed by availability. If data is only collected from one group of people, then the data is biased. There are numerous examples where medical studies focused on one group, typically Caucasian men, and the results were then applied universally.

In this seminar, we will look at how data is collected, how algorithms and models are developed, and how the results are used. Expectations are that students will engage in vigorous dialogue and debate. Writings will include case studies, a research paper, and a presentation of their results.

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 ROOM B.

• Dr. Jean Ann Hunt
• W 3:30 - 6:45 p.m.
• 3 Credits

 “What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child,that must the community want for all of its children.”  This statement made by John Dewey epitomizes the spirit of a democratic community.  Our course is designed to explore the connection between democracy and education.  Throughout this semester, we will explore two broad questions:

What is democratic education? and Why is it important?

Although all of us have experienced classroom life, we rarely take the time to examine the role of schools in a democratic society.  What did we learn about what it means to be a good citizen through our schooling?  What impact do state approved standards have on the classroom?  How does classroom management impact how we view one another? Should schools implement rewards and punishments?  Should censorship have a role in what children and young adults read?

Exploration of the above questions will be undertaken by drawing upon a variety of sources, including theory, narrative, and film. Since our classroom is collaborative in nature, we are all responsible for contributing to the learning and teaching that takes place.  From time to time we may divide reading assignments and be responsible for teaching them to each other.  Our work in this class is intense and rigorous but provides you the opportunity to delve into the fundamental purposes of education, a deconstruction of your own schooling, engagement with banned books, and the kind of classrooms and schools you want in your communities and why.

This exploration is meant not to answer questions, but to question the answers.

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

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

• Dr. Monica Ciobanu
• TR 2 – 3:15 a.m.
• 3 Credits

The concept of human rights is taken for granted today in the liberal western world. Our culture and our political leaders advocated a set of basic human “rights” which are reinforced in our laws and by our judicial system. The basic principles under which they hold legitimacy have been elaborated in a set of documents from the “Bill of Rights” (1789) to the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The latter document went so far as to declare that its definition of human rights was “universal.” But global inequalities and conflict indicate that the UN declaration of 1948 is aspirational rather than real; however, few in our society would question its basic principles. Do we not all agree that humans are born free and that slavery is wrong? Do we not hold that humans are born free and that slavery is wrong? Do most of us do not agree that cruel and inhumane punishment and torture is wrong?

This course covers the theoretical, legal and political aspects of human rights. It addresses the evolution of international human rights and of legal instruments designed for their protection. It will study the theoretical foundations of the idea of human rights in various civilizations and cultures and examine its relevance in dealing with major issues in the contemporary world. The relationships between political democracy, global civil society, development and economic globalization will be examined.

The following topics will be discussed throughout the semester:

▲The history and theoretical approaches to human rights.

▲ The role of the United Nations.

▲ How human rights works in practice.

▲ Slavery, genocide, apartheid and war crimes.

▲ The International Criminal Court and international ad-hoc tribunals.

▲ The role of transitional justice.

▲ The relationship between human rights and democracy.

▲ Women’s rights as human rights.

▲ Children human rights advocacy.

▲ Human rights and forced migration.

▲ Indigenous people’s human rights

▲ Trafficking for sexual exploitation.

▲ Current controversies related to torture.

▲ Humanitarian intervention.

While the main task of the seminar will be reading and discussing these issues, students will have the opportunity to explore a contemporary human rights issue in the form of a research paper.

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

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

 

 

• Dr. Kevin O'Neill
• TR 9:30 - 10:45
• 3 credits

This course introduces you to system dynamics modeling and systems thinking applied to the analysis of global complexities.  You will learn to visualize the environmental, social, economic, physical and biological policy arenas in terms of the structures that create dynamics and regulate performance.

Accelerating economic, technological, social and environmental change requires policy makers to adapt.  Increasingly, we must learn how to manage complex systems with multiple feedback effects, long time delays, and nonlinear responses to our decisions.  Yet learning in such environments is difficult precisely because we never confront many of the consequences of our most important decisions.  You can probably think of a host of examples illustrating this point from the AIDS epidemic to global climate change.   Effective learning in such environments requires methods to develop systems thinking, to represent and assess such dynamic complexity — and tools that can be used to accelerate learning by policy makers.

System dynamics allows us to create “micro-worlds,” manage flight simulators where space and time can be compressed, slowed, and stopped in order to assess the long-term side effects of decisions.  We can also explore new strategies and develop better understandings of systems.  In this class we will use role playing games, simulation models, case studies, and policy flight simulators to develop principles of policy design for the complexities we now face.

This course will help you understand the dynamic, simultaneous, and inter-relational nature of intra and extra systems activity through causal loop making and system dynamic simulations.  Students will create models that represent complex, non-linear feedback systems of personal or professional interests to them.  Some of the simulations we will explore include global concerns such as population growth, epidemics, economic, environmental and social change, among other policy arenas.

 The course objectives include the following: 

• Understanding of basic positive and negative feedback mechanisms.
• Use of feedback thinking in developing causal loop models of dynamic systems.
• Translation of dynamic causal loop models into system dynamics structures for policy development.
• Development of dynamic, simultaneous understanding of complex systems in the global context.

Students will keep a weekly journal and participate in a group project formulating, designing and simulating a systems project that is interesting to you and your team.  You will also complete other assignments focused on individual modeling and problem solving homework.

Students will need their own laptop computer in order to participate in this class.

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

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

• Dr. Richard Schaefer
• TR 3:30 - 4:45
• 3 Credits

What is history?  Generally, we use the word to refer to the record of people and events we think are important for understanding the shape of things today. This is the history we learn in school and that is memorialized in museums and other ‘official’ sites. It is something that some people find interesting; others do not. But whatever you might think, let me be clear: this seminar is not about history in this sense.

This seminar is not a history class. It is not a survey of particular events or an analysis of why certain things happened in history. Instead, it explores how history functions in the background of pretty much everything we do in our everyday lives: how we think of ourselves and forge identity, how we encounter others, and how we project ourselves into the past and future. It explores how history structures our experience, and indeed is essential for having meaningful experience at all. It is about how history lives in the very pores of each of us as a human being.

For many of you, this seminar will satisfy the ‘Global Issues’ requirement of your general education program. One of our goals therefore will be to understand history as a dimension of human existence that is shared across cultures in time and space, but also how cultural difference is rendered in time and space.

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

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