Spring 2013 General Interest Courses

These courses are of special interest and must satisfy the following criteria:

• Relevant to broad areas of current interest
• New, innovative or experimental
• Interdisciplinary
• Open to non-majors and without specific prerequisites, unless the prerequisite course is taken by many students

Celtic Studies

128 Medieval Celtic Culture (4) A study of medieval Celtic culture, its society, laws, religion, history, and the daily life of the Celtic peoples, as they are reflected in a selection of texts ranging from medieval literary works to legal texts and historical chronicles. All works will be read in English translation. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Social and Behavioral Sciences or Historical Studies.

129 Modern Celtic Cultures and Folklore (4) Comparative introduction to modern Celtic cultures: principally Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Breton. Development of the distinctive cultures of the Celtic "nations without states" from 1500 to the present. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in International Studies or Historical Studies or Arts and Literature.

173 Celtic Christianity (4) Exploration of the history of Christianity among Celtic-speaking populations. Main themes: pre-Christian belief systems; the spread of Christian beliefs; the influence that Celtic Christianity had on the Christian experience in Western Europe and the New World. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Philosophy and Values or Historical Studies.

Classics

17B Introduction to the Archaeology of the Late Greek and Roman World (4) This course provides undergraduate students with an introduction to the archaeology of the ancient Romans from Rome's origins in the Iron Age down to the disintegration of the Roman empire in the 6th century A.D.  It aims to familiarize students with the more significant sites, monuments, artifact classes and works of art, and to introduce students to the important research questions in Roman archaeology, providing them with an appreciation of the methods that archaeologists employ to address these problems.

161 Gender, Sexuality, and Culture in the Ancient World (4) Study of sexuality and gender in ancient Greece and 19th century Europe. Readings and lectures will focus on situating queer sexualities relative to dominant organizations of sex and gender.  Readings include Hesiod, Sappho, Aeschylus, Plato, Wilde, Freud, and Foucault.

Comparative Literature

20 Shakespeare and the World (4) This course will explore Shakespeare's extraordinary literary originality by studying his most influential plays in an international context. We will locate Shakespeare in the culture of his period by reading his plays in dialogue with masterworks from across Renaissance Europe.

German

179 Galicia in History and Imagination (3) This course looks at Galicia as the homeland of Ukrainians, Poles, Austrians, and Jews, tracing it's development from the late 18th century, when it was a province on the map, through the post-communist period, when Galicia has become a site of memory for all the communities that were once neighbors.

History

2 Comparative World History (4) This lower-division lecture course introduces students to the study of history in multiple periods and regions. It will typically be co-taught by faculty members with different geographical and chronological expertise and will center around a particular theme, such as cities, food cultures, or war and society. No prior course-work in the history of any particular part of the world will be expected.

4B Self and Society in Medieval Europe (4) Introduction to the European Middle Ages through both textual and material sources. The course charts the emergence of a distinctively "medieval" civilization after the demise in the west of the late Roman state and then the transformation of this early medieval civilization after the millennium.

5 European Civilization from the Renaissance to the Present (4) Why did Europe--a small, relatively poor, and politically fragmented place--became the motor of globalization and a world civilization in its own right. How did "western" become an adjective that, for better and often for worse, stands in place of "modern." See the Department of History website for more information.

Landscape Architecture

130 Sustainable Landscapes and Cities (3) The course is an introduction to the theory and practice of landscape architecture, a practice that deals with the living contextual environment. It includes art, science and history as well as social, environmental and political issues surrounding the design and use of public and private outdoor spaces.

138AC The Metropolitan Landscape (3) The Bay Area is expecting 1.5 million new residents by 2035. Can an understanding of the process of urbanization in the context of history, culture, and natural resources inform decisions on how the region can grow sustainably? Through the exploration of the San Francisco Bay Area's extraordinary cultural diversity, history, and natural resources, we discuss methods for analyzing and graphically depicting strategies addressing climate-change, overcoming social and functional segregation, and visioning a sustainable region.

Scandinavian

120 The Novel in Scandinavian: The Works of Knut Hamsun (4) Readings and discussion of Hamsun's works. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Arts and Literature.

123 Viking and Medieval Scandinavia (4) Internal and external history of Scandinavian culture and civilization from the late 8th century through the 15th century. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Historical Studies.

C160 Scandinavian Myth and Religion (4) Religious beliefs and practices during the Viking Age in Scandinavia. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Philosophy and Values or Historical Studies. Cross-listed with Religious Studies C108 section 1.

Slavic Languages and Literatures

46 20th Century Russian Literature (3) 20th Century Russia saw major social and political changes brought about by the Revolution in 1917 and its aftermath. The readings: the experimental teens, revolutionary twenties, Stalinist thirties, dissident sixties and seventies, and post-Soviet eighties. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Arts and Literature.

148 Topics in Russian Cultural History: Early Modern Russian Culture (4) An introduction to Early Modern Russian culture encompassing the period from the Time of Troubles (beginning of the 17th century) to the reign of Catherine the Great (1762 - 1796). Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Historical Studies or Arts and Literature.

158 Topics in East European/Eurasian Cultural History: Galicia in History and Imagination (3) This course looks at Galicia as the homeland of Ukrainians, Poles, Austrians, and Jews, tracing it's development from the late 18th century, when it was a province on the map, through the post-communist period, when Galicia has become a site of memory for all the communities that were once neighbors. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Historical Studies or Social and Behavioral Studies.

South and Southeast Asian Studies

120 The City in South and Southeast Asia (4) Examination of the city in colonial South and Southeast Asia in a comparative context.

South Asian

1B Introduction to the Civilization of Medieval and Modern India (4) This course offers a broad historical and cultural survey of the civilizations of the Indian subcontinent from the 12th century to the partition of India in 1947. Attention will be paid to the geography and ethnography of the region, its political history and to the religious, philosophical, literary, and artistic movements that have shaped it and contributed to its development as a unique, diverse and fascinating world civilization.

Southeast Asian

10B Introduction to the Civilization of Southeast Asia (4) Introduction to cultures, histories, and literatures of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and East Timor. Themes will be introduced, through works of fiction and primary source materials in translation. The course has a research component. Methods for original research and use of library collections will lead to a focused research paper.

Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies

10 Introduction to Acting (3) This course is a gateway class to the more advanced acting sequence. It is a theory and performance course which provides an overview of the actor's creative process. Fundamental acting techniques are presented in conjunction with exercises, improvisation, and text work designed to enhance concentration, imagination, vocal resonance and projection as well as self-confidence and communication skills. Audition required (experience not necessary). See the description under Theater, Dance and Performance Studies in the Online Schedule of Classes for more information.

11 Scene Study and Characterization (3) In this course the emphasis of the students' studies shifts from the development of basic skills to the development of skills necessary to the character actor. Whereas Theater 10 students are required to develop and perform characters who are close to themselves in age and background, Theater 11 students are encouraged to stretch their abilities into the development of characterizations which lie outside their personal experience. Students continue to employ the basic acting and vocal techniques introduced in Theater 10.

60 Stagecraft (3) This course is a practical introduction to the theories, approaches, and applications of construction techniques for the scenic environment, and includes attention to such aspects of production as scenery, lights and costumes. Special emphasis will be placed on theater safety, stage machinery and rigging, scenery building, scenery painting and stage properties. The course involves a laboratory dimension. Students will work on departmental productions. Attendance to the first class orientation is mandatory and the class will be closed after the first meeting date.

Democratic Education at Cal (DeCal)

The DeCal program sponsors a wide variety of student-initiated courses each term. Many of these courses cover topics which are not otherwise explored within the existing campus curriculum. All courses are offered for academic credit. For a listing of courses and for guidelines regarding enrollment, go to the DeCal website or visit their office at 320 Eshleman Hall.  To contact them call (510) 642-9127 or send email to decalprogram@gmail.com

Culture And Literature Courses In English Translation

The following courses are offered by faculty in foreign language departments, but no previous training in a foreign language is required for the course. All readings will be available in English, and the language of instruction will be English. Complete course information is available under the department listings.

Celtic Studies 128. Medieval Celtic Culture. D. F. Melia

Celtic Studies 129. Modern Celtic Cultures and Folklore. T. Walsh

Celtic Studies 173. Celtic Christianity. A. C. Rejhon

French 140D. 19th Century Novels of Ambition:  Stendahl, Flaubert, Balzac.  S. Guerlac

Italian Studies 175. Film and Literature. G. J. Moses

Scandinavian 115. Studies in Drama and Film: The Films of Ingmar Bergman. L. H. Rugg

Scandinavian 120. The Novel in Scandinavian: The Works of Knut Hamsun. M. B. Sandberg

Scandinavian 123. Viking and Medieval Scandinavia.

Scandinavian 132. Introduction to Finnish Culture and History. L. L. Weckstrom

Slavic Languages and Literatures 46. 20th Century Russian Literature. H. Ram

Slavic Languages and Literatures 134C. Dostoevsky. O. Matich

Slavic Languages and Literatures 148. Topics in Russian Cultural History: Early Modern Russian Culture. V. M. Zhivov

Slavic Languages and Literatures 158. Topics in East European/Eurasian Cultural History:  Galicia in History and Imagination. D. A. Frick

South Asian C142. India's Great Epics: The Mahabharata and the Ramayana. R. P. Goldman