Seminars
Please note: Honors Program students may register for one honors course per semester.
Fall Semester 2025
Seminar Descriptions
- HON 115 — Queer Theatre
- Beth Glover
- T, Th from 2 – 3:15 p.m.
- 3 credits
From Mae West to Aziza Barnes, this course will explore the historical, aesthetic, and political aspects of queer theatre and performance. We will explore this through the following set of interrelated questions: Is queer theatre and performance inherently political? When did queer theatre and performance become mainstream? Or is it? In addition to queer plays -- films, performance art, and television shows will also be examined to answer these questions. We will consider the stereotypical and groundbreaking portrayals of queer people, themes of homophobia, self-hatred, acceptance, AIDS, and familial interaction, all within the heteronormative society.
This seminar satisfies the Individual Expression component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Humanities component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 135 — Consumer Society
- Dr. Lauren Eastwood
- M, W from 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
- 3 credits
Shop ‘til you drop. Retail therapy. Consumer confidence. Family vacations to the Mall of America. Fast Fashion. In what context do these things make sense? How is it that consumerism has infiltrated so many aspects of our lives? This course explores the history and current context of a “consumer society” while also looking at the implications for the environment, labor, our communities, and our wellbeing. We will discuss theories of consumption that address individual wants and desires along with those that point to the workings of the global economy. Based on a sociological analysis of the intersection between larger structures and individual engagement with/participation in those structures, as we engage with the literature, we will also be using the society in which we find ourselves daily as a means to investigate our “consumer society.”
This seminar satisfies the Human Communities component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Social Sciences component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 136 — Exploring (M)Otherworlds
- Dr. Akanksha Misra
- T,Th from 12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
- 3 credits
In this seminar, we will collectively explore the various representations and ideas of the 'mother' — as an embodiment and discourse — in pop culture, literature, policy, public opinion, news, and social, digital, visual, and audio media. Looking at mothers, care work, forms of emotional and physical labor, and mothering bodies and sexualities through the lens of gender, intersectionality, and global political economy, we will examine how mothers and mother figures are central to the creation of (non)humans, nations, and institutions, while being conspicuously absent in shaping our educational and political lives. By engaging with the media, we consume our commonly held beliefs around mothers and mothering, and discourses that inform motherhood in popular culture and policy through this gendered perspective, we will be creating at once both disruptive and affirming representations of mothers and motherhood through a final multisensory exhibition.
This seminar satisfies the Human Communities component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Social Sciences component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 163 — Culture & Philosophy of Yoga
- Dr. Shawna Mefferd Kelty
- M, W, F from 10 – 10:50 a.m.
- 3 credits
In this seminar, we will explore both the philosophy and practice of yoga. Students will learn about its foundational concepts through both philosophical and religious texts. We will also regularly practice together, learning and practicing asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breath/energy techniques), dhyana (meditation), mudra (hand/finger positions), and mantra (various sound vocalizations, e.g., “om“).
We will study the origins of yoga, Sanskrit terminology as well as the Eight Limbs, the Yamas and Niyamas, and Four Paths of yoga — these are foundational concepts for practice and for everyday life. This class will give students insight into their own behavioral patterns, habits, and thoughts. Questions that we will explore range from the personal to the practical, from the individual to our communities: How can yoga philosophy help with daily life challenges? How can yoga practice cultivate a more balanced and mindful approach to life? What are some of the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga? How can yoga philosophy guide ethical decision-making and promote a sense of interconnectedness with oneself and others? How can yoga philosophy foster a sense of community and shared practice?
Students will write a series of reflective papers over the course of the semester, reflecting on the readings and their experiences through yoga practice. Other assignments include in-class exercises and activities such as short presentations and demonstrations and a final project/paper.
This seminar satisfies the World Cultures component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Other World Civilizations/World Systems component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 182 — Democracy & Education: Banned Books
- Dr. Tracie Church Guzzio
- M, W, F from 11 – 11:50 a.m.
- 3 credits
This course is designed to explore the connection between democracy and education. Throughout this semester, we will explore the broad question: what role does education have in a democracy? We will discuss the recent rise in “book bans” in public schools and libraries. How does this activity threaten our view of democracy and the First Amendment? Reading actively and widely is seen as a pathway to individual agency, economic mobility, and civic engagement. Historically, philanthropists have funded libraries in communities and in schools to support democracy and encourage economic mobility. Other questions we will consider include: Should censorship have a role in what children and young adults read? Why has banning or restricting access to books become so politicized? What are the motivations and effects of censorship in a democratic society? What is the history (and outcome) of censorship in our society? How is book banning a method of silencing diverse or divergent voices? What role do parents have in making decisions about school libraries and classrooms in public education?
Exploration of the above questions will be undertaken by drawing upon a variety of sources, including history, theory, and the critical analysis of banned and challenged titles. Besides class discussion, there will be presentations, papers, and projects. We will read several challenged or banned titles in the course.
This seminar satisfies the World Cultures component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Western Civilizations component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program
- HON 183 — Rebellion & the Status Quo
- Dr. Richard Schaefer
- T, Th from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.
- 3 credits
What forces move us to consent to the status quo? And what forces move us to rebel? What drives us to settle with the way things are and what drives us to want to change them? I think we can all agree that these are important questions to ask, but they are not easy to answer. This seminar invites students to ask these questions in the spirit of mutual curiosity and dialogue. Together, we will read a selection of texts from a wide array of sources, texts that open us to new possibilities for how we understand human individuals and groups and their place in a variety of social institutions and the state. Our approach will be philosophical as well as historical, but it does not take for granted any prior knowledge in either of these areas.
This seminar satisfies the World Cultures component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Western Civilizations component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 189 — Intro to Human Rights
- Dr. Monica Ciobanu
- T, Th from 12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
- 3 credits
The concept of human rights, which seemed to be taken for granted after the end of the Cold War, is becoming more challenging in the liberal western world. It appears that 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, numerous protracted armed conflicts, the forced displacement of 1% of the total global population, and the recent crises provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 satisfies the World Cultures component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Western Civilizations component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program.
- HON 315 — Climate Politics in Fiction & Film
- Dr. John McMahon
- T, Th from 2 – 3:15 p.m.
- 3 credits
How have fiction and film responded to climate change, and transformed our cultural
and political understandings of climate change in the process? When we turn to “cli-fi”
(climate fiction) or films about climate change, are we seeking to find political
ideas and inspiration, hope, disaster, a wake-up-call, survival, doomism, resolve,
persistence, or something else entirely? To explore these and related questions, this
class will engage climate politics through the humanities in order to think about
the significance of fiction and film in confronting something as daunting as climate
change. We will also reflect broadly on what film and fiction can (and cannot) teach
us about politics and consider how genre expectations shape the political thought
expressed through film and fiction.In this seminar, we will read the novels Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and The Deluge by Stephen Markley and watch both scripted feature films (such as How to Blow up a Pipeline and Don’t Look Up) and documentaries (such as Taming the Garden). Please note that these works will contain sensitive and challenging material; we will establish classroom norms about discussing this material. Readings from political science, philosophy, and literary studies will guide our consideration of environmental fiction and film.
Engaging with these materials through note-taking/journaling, dialogue, writing, and creative work will challenge and change our own environmental political thinking and environmental imaginations.
This seminar satisfies the Individual Expression component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the Humanities component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program
- HON 324 — Big Ideas & Current Issues
- Dr. Jeff Hornibrook
- M, W from 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
- 3 credits
In this seminar we will examine several of the most important political and social issues facing us today. What should be the current and future role of higher education in a modernizing world? What are the realities and consequences of climate change and the destruction of our rivers, air, and soils and how do we address the actions of those responsible? What should be the military and diplomatic framework of the United States and other countries for us to maintain global peace and stability? And what are the most effective economic policies for helping the next generation in these times of expensive housing and financial insecurity? Rather than debating the stances of Republicans vs Democrats or the administrative clashes of the three branches, this course focuses on current thinkers, or “public intellectuals,” including scholars, newspaper writers, and social leaders who write books or articles or make podcasts and speeches. Their ideas are often sweeping and multifaceted while ignoring the red vs blue ruts that define so much of the current political diatribe.
This course also provides us an opportunity to study effective argumentative and rhetorical skills from people who employ sharp writing and taut analysis to debate complex subjects aimed at the general public. And by doing deep dives into their work, the course asks you to think about your own ideas, biases, and positions in society and the ways that you might make an impact on the world in the future. What can you do with specific data that refutes your own belief or understanding of a topic? What are the core issues that makes someone see an issue the way they do?
This seminar satisfies the U.S. Identities component of the Cardinal Core Curriculum and the American History/Western Civilization component of the Plattsburgh General Education Program
- HON 399HA — Peer Mentoring
- Dr. Tracie Church Guzzio
- Weekly meeting times variable and TBA
- 3 credits
- BY PERMISSION of the director only – at least sophomore status and in good standing in the Honors Program.
Students will read and respond to several essential studies on peer mentoring for first-year students. They will discuss the readings and findings with the instructor (who is also the Honors Program director). Students MUST be available to attend training sessions in the first week of classes with other peer mentors. And students MUST be able to meet regularly with their assigned first-year students. Additionally, students will be meeting weekly with the director and other mentors.
The intent of the independent study is to guide the student through their work with first-year students in the Honors Program. Analyzing the best practices and scholarship, as well investigating other Honors Program Peer mentoring programs, will enable the student to most effectively facilitate the transition of the first-year students into the community and contribute to their success. Mentors’ experiences with first year students and their examination of the scholarship in the area will help develop and improve peer mentoring in the Honors Program. Students will regularly write reflection pieces on their experiences and what they have learned to aid their own growth as a mentor and in the assessment of the peer mentoring program.
Students will be graded on their reflective writing and a final project, as well as attendance at mentor meetings and individual meetings with their assigned first-year students.