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Learning Community 1:
“ America After 9-11: Civil Liberties in the Age of New Media”
EN 101 Introduction to Composition Dr. Peter Gray
SS 410: American Government and Politics; Dr. Peter Bales
ST 100: Freshman Seminar Dr. Steve Beltzer
Is it possible that the United States could become like the dystopia George Orwell imagined in his novel, 1984? Are there opposite futures, or utopias, that we can imagine together? To address such questions, we will read texts like George Orwell’s novel, 1984, both from a political science perspective and a writing studies perspective. Our goal, by keeping an eye on current events like the continuing controversy regarding the Patriot Act, is to think and write critically about contemporary politics and society in order to examine political controversies around civil rights and civil liberties in the United States today.
Learning Community 2:
“Humans: How They (and Their Texts) Behave”
EN 101 Introduction to Composition Prof. Elise Denbo
SS 510 Psychology Dr. Jeff Jankowsky
ST 100 Freshman Seminar Prof. Gina Capozzoli
Psychology and the written word go hand in hand. Psychology not only affords us an excellent opportunity to understand human behavior, but also to improve our writing skills, the process of how we express and shape our thoughts. Whereas Psychology unravels the mystery of behavior through careful observation and study, the written word, placed in the context of a narrative, critical essay or journal, becomes the matrix of its expression. During this semester, Psychology 510 and English 101 will inform and enrich each other by focusing on topics such as self-esteem and parenting. Students will explore the importance of parenting through various psychological theories as well as the novel Frankenstein which illustrates, very dramatically, the severe consequences of its lack. As the role of parenting is discussed from a variety of perspectives, students will develop their own written texts, incorporating their own observations, ideas, and theories about parenting with those they have learned.
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