Events!
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NSO 2007 > Proseminars > Politics, Culture & Society
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to register starting Tuesday, August 7, 2007.
A Natural History of a Japanese Meal
Linda Chance, Associate Professor of Japanese
You've read about four twenty-first century meals in America, but what constitutes a meal in Japan? How do diners in that post-industrial country make choices about what to eat, when, and where? In what ways does Japanese food deserve its reputation for healthfulness? We'll look at fast food, home cooking, and high cuisine, and consider the impact of Japanese food in global culture. It's not all sushi-learn what Japanese food you can eat in Philadelphia, too.
| Location: |
Meyerson Hall, Room B5 |
| Course: |
100-214 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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African Languages and Cultures
Audrey N Mbeje, Ph.D., Director, African Language Program
An overview of African languages: language families, number of languages spoken in Africa vis-à-vis world languages, African languages as a tool for access to African societies for research and academic purposes, Penn resources in African languages (study abroad, African language course offerings at the African studies Center, fulfilling a language requirement in African languages, and African language/culture-related events at Penn).
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 29 |
| Course: |
100-410 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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Architecture and Race in Contemporary Theory
Charles L. Davis II, Lecturer (Spring 2007) - Architecture
This talk will discuss some of the most contemporary aspects of race studies in American architecture, both built and theoretical.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 216 |
| Course: |
100-303 |
| Time: |
3pm |
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Big Love: Religion and Sexuality
Melvyn Hammarberg, Associate Professor of Anthropology
Sex is in the air again-or in the culture, as the HBO blockbuster "Big Love" shows. Some of the issues are not so new, and we can reach back to the Shakers (celibacy), the Mormons (polygamy), and the Oneida community (group marriage) for some of the issues that are current today: family, marriage, gender, and sex, sex, sex.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 306 - *Note the New Location!* |
| Course: |
100-204 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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Eating in France and the USA
Paul Rozin, Professor of Psychology
A discussion of the role of food in life, including both the pleasures of eating and the problems of eating. The major contrast will be between France and the USA, but other countries and subgroups of Americans will be considered.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 201 |
| Course: |
100-312 |
| Time: |
3pm |
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History and Literature in Psalm 29
Michael Carasik, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biblical Hebrew
The Bible is most often taught as a guide to religious belief-but it is also a window onto the ancient world. This proseminar will look at Psalm 29 as a literary creation, one that offers us a tantalizing glimpse of ancient Israel and, further back, the lost city of Ugarit.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 301 |
| Course: |
100-409 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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How to Start Your Own Business
Lawrence Gelburd, Lecturer, The Wharton School, entrepreneur
Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Come learn the basics from an accomplished entrepreneur with an MBA from Wharton.
| Location: |
Huntsman Hall, Room G50 |
| Course: |
100-213 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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Impact of Community and Media Violence
Rhonda C. Boyd, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Community and media violence are prevalent in the U.S. This course will discuss the impact of community and media violence on youth. It will define community and media violence. Also, it will cover how these affect youth physically, emotionally, and behaviorally. It will highlight real-life examples and the costs to our society. Finally, potential interventions will be explored.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 220 |
| Course: |
100-116 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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Introduction to ASL/Deaf Culture
Jami Fisher Clark, American Sign Language Program Coordinator
This proseminar will give an introduction to American Sign Language as well as some foundational ideologies, issues, and controversies related to deafness and Deaf culture. No previous knowledge is required.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 215 |
| Course: |
100-104 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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John Muir's Wilderness Ethic
Frank A. Welsh, Professor of Biochemistry in Neurosurgery
Modern society and urban living have separated us from wilderness. John Muir put into words the feelings he experienced in the wild High Sierras of California in the early 1870s. Muir dedicated his life to preserving these regions and to inspiring his fellow man to experience the spiritual benefits of such wilderness. This proseminar will briefly summarize the formative stages of Muir's life and will sample from his best writings.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 321 |
| Course: |
100-406 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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Missiles and Oil: Russia and the West Today
Kevin M. F. Platt, Associate Professor and Chair, Slavic Languages and Literatures
What does the increasingly authoritarian nature of Putin's Russia mean for the world? We will discuss contemporary relationships between Russia and Western nations, in light of growing economic interdependencies (primarily energy related), and the recent upswing in diplomatic and military tensions. We will also seek to understand how the current international situation relates to a long prehistory of Russia-Western conflict and competition.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 201 |
| Course: |
100-114 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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More than Twinkies, Desis, and FOBs: Penn's APA Community
Benjamin Alisuag, Leslie Mah, APALI Co-Facilitators
Nearly 25% of Penn students are of Asian descent, but how do we fit in? Come learn about what it's like to be Asian Pacific American on campus. Learn about the countless student groups, discover great resources such as Asian American Studies, South Asian Studies, and the Pan-Asian American Community House, and meet other students of East, South and Southeast Asian, as well as Pacific Islander heritage. Coordinated by the Asian Pacific American Leadership Initiative and campus APA leaders.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 202 |
| Course: |
100-110 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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Philadelphia 101 for Foreign Students
Ignacio Tapia, Pediatric Pulmonology Fellow
The main aim of the proseminar is to teach foreign students how to become Philadelphia natives. I will introduce them to the liveliness of the city and activities to enjoy besides studying.
| Location: |
Meyerson Hall, Room B13 |
| Course: |
100-403 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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Philosophy in Film
Karen Detlefsen, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Faculty Fellow, Riepe College House
In this proseminar, we will discuss film as a genre for expressing philosophical themes. We will watch short clips from a few films and then discuss the philosophical content of these scenes, considering the effectiveness of film as a genre for conveying philosophical ideas. Topics to be addressed may include freedom and determinism, self-deception, personal identity, and the nature of consciousness and mind.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 214 |
| Course: |
100-405 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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S.A.F.E. for Penn Women
Michelle D. Ray, Director, Graduate Programs of Sansom Place
S.A.F.E., a two hour women's safety educational awareness and crime prevention program of the National Self Defense Institute, offers strategies, techniques, and personal safety options. Certified S.A.F.E. Instructors facilitate the program designed to assist women to reduce their risk of exposure to violence and introduce physical preparedness and safety awareness information into everyday life. This program helps women to understand that you are your own best defense, and that your safety should be priority one.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 316 |
| Course: |
100-308 |
| Time: |
3pm |
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The Ethics of Belief
Peter Freyd, Professor of Mathematics
A 1998 survey of members of the National Academy of Sciences found that only 7% believed in God. Other surveys say that the figure for Americans in general is 90%. This gulf reflects a huge difference between leading scientists and the rest of the nation when viewing the very ethics involved in maintaining beliefs. How does this affect our education? Our life? Our nation?
| Location: |
Meyerson Hall, Room B3 |
| Course: |
100-208 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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The Gayborhood: Queer Philadelphia Walking Tour
Bob Schoenberg, Erin Cross, Director and Associate Director, LGBT Center
Join us for a walking tour of the Gayborhood and explore queer Philadelphia. Tour highlights include: Giovanni's Room (the world's largest LGBT and feminist bookstore), the William Way LGBT Community Center, and much, much more. So put on your walking shoes and be ready to have fun! Transportation to Center City will be provided.
| Location: |
Carriage House (LGBT Center) *Note the New Location!* |
| Course: |
100-201 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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The Internet and the Social Life of Urban Spaces
Dr. Keith Hampton, Assistant Professor, Annenberg School for Communic
An introduction to the role of the Internet in everyday life including the structure of people's personal social networks, community, and public life. How does the use of "new media" influence our communities? Special attention will be paid to a recently completed summer project that investigated how mobile technologies, such as Wi-Fi enabled laptops, impact the use of public space. The project was based on ethnographic observations made by undergraduate and graduate student researchers of Wi-Fi enabled public parks and plazas in Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 214 |
| Course: |
100-106 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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The Study of Strategy, Policy, and War
Arthur Waldron, Lauder Professor of International Relations
An introduction to the academic study of war and human conflict from a variety of viewpoints, ranging from that of the biologist seeking basic roots of aggressive behavior to the strategist planning a military campaign. Intellectually this is a very challenging and broad field, and one in which Penn has real strength. It is also of great practical importance. Professor Waldron is a China specialist by training, and teaches Asian history, but he also spent nearly a decade teaching Strategy and Policy at the Naval War College in Newport, RI (in effect a graduate school for the services, the state department, the intelligence agencies, and students from 45 foreign countries). The proseminar will look at some exemplary materials, but mostly consist of talk between students and professor.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 202 |
| Course: |
100-311 |
| Time: |
3pm |
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The University and the Future of Philadelphia
Donald F. Kettl, Director, Fels Institute of Government
A new mayor will soon be taking over the reins in Philadelphia. Everyone agrees that the city is in the midst of a fundamental transformation. But which way should the city go? And what should be the University's role in getting there? This session will explore the city's future and the University's changing role.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 301 |
| Course: |
100-205 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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Travel to Far Places
Philip Nichols, Associate Professor of Legal Studies
We often extol travel as a way of expanding the mind and the soul. Travel does that, but it also can be challenging and a lot of fun. Any travel benefits the traveler; unusual destinations offer unusual challenges and benefits. This proseminar looks at unusual destinations and discusses techniques for traveling to places that do not always have extensive-or any-tourist infrastructure.
| Location: |
Huntsman Hall, Room G90 |
| Course: |
100-408 |
| Time: |
4pm |
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Visions for a New World
Rev. Dr. Beverly Dale, Executive Director, Christian Association
Calling all dreamers who believe a better world is possible. We can build a world with no poverty, hunger, racism, classism and no war, but not unless we can dream it is possible. This is a session to meet your new classmates who share our crazy vision of a better world. We will start a dialogue to identify what needs to change and then vision together a transformed world. Come meet other dreamers who not only believe it could be possible, but who are devoting their lives to making it happen. Remember, "without a vision, the people perish." (Isaiah, Hebrew prophet) and "If you build it, they will come." (Field of Dreams, Hollywood) Are your dreams big enough?
| Location: |
Christian Association House |
| Course: |
100-102 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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War, Science and History
Susan Lindee, Professor of History and Sociology of Science
Everyone knows that modern warfare is technically and scientifically sophisticated. Yet crude homemade bombs and IEDS, pieced together from garage door openers and cell phone parts, are also a critical part of modern war. In this proseminar, we will explore the paradoxes of the increasing technical sophistication of war, and of the militarization of science, technology and medicine, over the last century. Drawing on a rich literature in the history of technology and science, we will consider how knowledge and violence intersect in the modern battlefield, and how expertise has often functioned simultaneously to heal and to injure human populations.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 218 |
| Course: |
100-107 |
| Time: |
1pm |
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Why Human Rights Became Important
Henry Teune, Professor of Political Science
A discussion of the emergence of human rights in global politics, the European Union, and U.S. foreign policy the consequence for world order and social justice.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 319 |
| Course: |
100-206 |
| Time: |
2pm |
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Young Kids as Literary Critics
*(This Proseminar Has Been Cancelled)*
Dr. Lawrence Sipe, Associate Professor of Education
This proseminar examines, through many examples, the ways in which young children (Kindergarten through second grade) demonstrate literary understanding through qualitative content analyses of their oral responses as picture storybooks are read aloud to them. Kids say amazingly sophisticated and insightful things that show their developing capacities as literary critics.
| Location: |
Williams Hall, Room 218 |
| Course: |
100-309 |
| Time: |
3pm |
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