Colloquia Course Listing

 

The Honors Colloquium strives to be interdisciplinary in nature and allows faculty members to address historical debates or contemporary issues. The goal is to allow students to participate in and lead discussions on various aspects of issues of contemporary, historical or intellectual significance. The topic of the course is selected by the faculty member offering the Colloquium.

 

Fall 2012

 

 

HON 301-001: The Road Ahead (3 credit hours)

This seminar will examine a series of global trends that will likely transform the world over the next thirty to forty years.  Our journey will involve common readings, web-based materials, individual research, group presentations, and daily class discussion.

HON 300-004: Women in Antiquity (3 credit hours)

This course undertakes to restore women to history and history to women in the context of Greco-Roman antiquity from Archaic Greece to Imperial Rome, by trying to reconstruct women's lives and assess their cultural importance through the study of literature, art, archaeological evidence, and texts on history, religion, medicine and law. 

HON 301-005: The Politics of "Natural" Disasters from Katrina to Fukushima (3 credit hours)

Catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake, BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, and the growing number of so-called "extreme weather events" (droughts, floods, storms, etc.), are still widely and primarily understood as "natural" disasters. While not denying the role of nature, this course explores the interdependence and interaction of nature, society, technology, and human agency concerning the causes, consequences and responses to the disasters mentioned above. 

HON 300-006: Sustainable Food Agricultural Networks (1.5 credit hours)

Students will visit and participate in a local farmer's market through visits as well as assisting with the administration of a local market. Students will explore the potential of Agritourism and visit local successes. Students will also explore CSA (community supported agriculture) programs, their structure, function, and contribution to the local food network.

HON 300-010: Understanding Human Rights (3 credit hours)

The gap between the ideal and the reality of human rights remains massive. Human trafficking, political imprisonments, torture, child soldiers, religious persecution, and restrictions on personal freedoms are just a few of the abuses.

HON 301-011: Community Development (3 credit hours)

This course provides Honors students with hands on experiences in community development. The class meets at Bowling Green High School (BGHS), and is a mix of Honor students and advanced placement high school seniors. They work together to address issues identified by the students, faculty and administrators. Honors students mentor high school students in service learning and community development skills.

HON 300-012: Presenting Science to the Public: Challenges and Controversies (1.5 credit hours)

This colloquium will facilitate students' investigation and understanding of the challenges faced by scientists who present controversial scientific concepts, theories and findings to a lay audience, in fields such as climate change, evolution, gene technology, and biomedical experimentation. We will not focus on learning complex scientific information, but rather on how this information is packaged for the public.

HON 301-014: Controversial Issues in Human Behavior (3 credit hours)

Does divorce harm children? Are humans naturally violent? Does ADHD exist? Do video games lead to violence? Do men and women communicate differently? This course will explore a variety of issues in human behavior from the perspectives of experts in the fields of psychology, medicine, philosophy, ethics, anthropology, biology, communications, social work, pediatrics, psychiatry, and neuroscience.

HON 300-015: The Power of Perspective (3 credit hours)

This seminar will examine a variety of global trend that will likely shape the future. We will focus special attention on the impact that our frame of reference plays in shaping how we understand these trends and on our sense of efficacy.