In order to be a culturally competent global citizen, one must understand the motivations, traditions, and cultural forces that influence the globe, including religion. Though the United States is an increasingly secular state, other parts of the world are strongly influenced by their religious traditions, informing international relations, social values, and the global marketplace. This class will address the religious practices of the major world religions and the vast spectrum of beliefs within each that makes it difficult to generalize about them. To honor the living traditions that we are studying, we will not only examine but will also find ways to experience the Hindu Traditions and various Yogas, Buddhism and Meditation (or the interpretation of a Koan), Taoism and Tai Chi, Islam and Prayer, Christianity and Worship, Judaism and the study of the Torah, and native Aboriginal and American relationships to the Earth. In the midst of this quest, we will consider the way astrology, cults, New Age practices, and mindfulness function as derivatives of religious intent.

This course will explore the legacies of colonialism using Albert Memmi’s framework from the book The Colonizer and the Colonized. Students will investigate the social, cultural, and economic impact of Colonialism on the present day with a specific focus on Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Students will develop an understanding of colonialism and its lasting impact on a nation politically and economically.

Human society has always looked for answers to big questions: Why am I here? What is my place in society? How should I behave toward others? What is the nature of good and evil? This course introduces students to tracts of moral and political philosophy from Aristotle to Nussbaum. Ethical reasoning is applied to an examination of contemporary issues such as bioengineering, human rights, social justice, our relationship to the natural world, and the obligations of citizenship. Students will be encouraged to use what they are learning as a framework to develop and support their own opinions on these topics.

This course will introduce students to systems of social inequality in the United States. We will investigate the structural, interpersonal, and social dimensions of oppression. Course materials will explore the ways that sexism, heterosexism, and racism have developed over time as well as the ways they impact each of us every day. Students will develop language, tools, and skills to create positive social change.