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2015-2016 First-Year Seminar (FYS) selections (UPDATED 5/6/15)
Fall Semester FYS
Section A: Scarcity and choice: a pop culture economics course
This course explores aspects of economics in literature and popular media through books, graphic novels,
movies and music. In particular we will focus on the consequences of behavior that results from scarcity, and
study economics as presented in literature and popular media. Key objectives include: 1. Identify and
investigate scarcity constrained behavior in popular culture 2. Study how societal norms, literature and
popular media shape an infrastructure that drives poverty and inequality. Instructor: Dr. Sonia Aziz
Section B: The History of Rock 'N' Roll: What does Rock ‘N’ Roll mean to you?
What kind of Rock ‘N’ Roll do you like? To help answer these questions, students will research and explore the
history of Rock ‘N’ Roll via papers, journal-keeping, drafting, interviews, and readings. Each student will
develop a personalized sense of the history of Rock ‘N’ Roll by studying and writing about three rock bands (or
soloists): a current band chosen by the student that was established since the year 2000, an earlier band that
influenced the 2000s band, and a band from the 1950s/60s that influenced the second band. Instructor:
Professor Jim Barnes
LIVING-LEARNING Section C: Where do ideas come from? The nature of creativity
Little kids often draw or paint quite happily, build structures with Lego, blocks, or cardboard boxes, and tell
magical stories (both real and imaginary) about their experiences. Why do most of us stop making things once
we become teenagers and adults? What if we could start making things and telling and writing stories again
with that same freedom and joy? This course will examine the origin of ideas and consider the nature of the
creative process. Instructor: Dr. Kristin Baxter [Note: Students who choose this option must agree to live in
The Hill.]
Section D: From Text to Film: Exploring Spanish Literature Adaptations
Many of us often find the visual nature of film more accessible than works in print. By using literature and film
together, students can transfer techniques from active viewing to their experience with reading literature.
Students will learn how, by doing this transfer, they can enhance their skills as active readers and respond, in
writing, to a variety of media with more depth than a simple film review. We will study the techniques used by
Spanish directors to make an original literary story (narrative or theater) function well on the screen. Through
writing and peer-editing, students will create their visions of the literary works and then, compare them to the
film. Instructor: Dr. Carmen Ferrero
Section E: Analyzing Public Spaces, Mapping Public Arguments
How does one’s gender, race, socioeconomic status, ability level, sexual orientation, education level, religion,
and other aspects of an individual’s identity affect how one experiences (and possibly contributes to the
inequalities found in) various public spaces? To investigate this and other related questions, students in this
course study spatial rhetoric. Specifically, we explore how the location, materiality, and discourse of public
spaces contribute to arguments that welcome some people while silencing others. Examples of possible
discussion and writing topics include the characteristics of “safe” spaces, power dynamics in classrooms,
American border issues, gender discrimination in online gaming spaces, and the connection between grocery
store layouts and personal buying habits. Emphasizing the development of college-level critical thinking,
research, and writing skills, this course asks students to rhetorically analyze public spaces of personal
significance, research and digitally map local spaces that exhibit compelling and/or controversial public
arguments, and create multimodal public arguments related to those spaces. Instructor: Dr. Crystal Fodrey
Section F: Living on Earth: Topics in Sustainability
In “Living on Earth,” we consider the pressing challenge of the 21st century to create sustainable modes of
living and working in a global environment that is increasingly at risk. Through a variety of readings,
discussions, and writing assignments, students in this course will examine how threats to the natural
environment are influencing our ways of living, and how communities are working to create more balanced
lifestyles, social structures, and economies. This seminar introduces first-year college students to a liberal arts
education that emphasizes critical thinking, effective writing, and civic engagement. Instructor: Professor Mark
Harris
Section G: The Power of Stories
Our lives are rooted in stories. We understand ourselves, and our place in the world, through the stories we
are told from the time we are young children: fairy tales, stories from classical mythology, stories from the
bible and other religious texts, and more. We learn about the world around us through news “stories.” We
understand the field of medicine--our bodies and our health--in the language of stories. In this class we will
explore the use of stories in many contexts--written and visual texts, radio dramas and podcasts, storytelling
events such as story “slams,” texts from the field of narrative medicine, and more. We will read, discuss, and
write a range of texts--academic and creative, informative and persuasive, personal and research-based--that
include narratives, or story-telling, at their core. Instructor: Dr. Joyce Hinnefeld
Section H: Raise Your Voice!
In times of joy, exhalation, despair, and sorrow, people sing. One of the oldest forms of communication, songs
have unified, defended, protected, and built community. What is it about bringing voices together that is so
powerful? How is it that, through song, we can understand the experience of others? Through singing,
readings, lectures, and even songwriting, we will explore the power of communal singing historically and
culturally. While the course will be very experiential in nature, no prior musical experience is necessary - just a
love of song! Instructor: Dr. Joy Hirokawa
LIVING-LEARNING: Section I: The History of Disease
The definition of “disease” has been revised multiple times over the ages. Early ideas ranged from a belief
that disease was a punishment from the gods for alleged wrong-doings to it being caused by an imbalance
amongst the four humours. Today, we have an advanced scientific understanding of the molecular basis for
many types of disease, yet we still struggle with classifying mental health disorders, obesity, or addictions as
diseases. And as we witness new diseases emerge (e.g. AIDS, SARs, Ebola), the fears that have long
accompanied illness persist, and society doesn't necessarily act any more rationally than it did at the time of
the Great Plague! In this course, we will examine the myths, metaphors, and science associated with illness
and how these influence perceptions of diseases and our treatment of individuals who suffer from them.
Instructor(s): Dr. Diane Husic and Dr. Bryon Grigsby
Section J: Express Yourself: The Power of Words in Song
What is it about your favorite song that makes it so meaningful to you? For many of us, the words are a large
part of the power that music holds. In this course, we will discuss music in its pure form (instrumentals) and in
relation to lyrics, understanding the intersection of music and language by analyzing the songs we love. We
will learn about psychological theories of the representation of language in memory, explore structural
similarities between language and music, and consider how language and music can be used to provoke
certain feelings in the audience. We will also discuss poetry and speeches, and the roles of prosody and
emotional expression. While examining the importance of a writer’s choice of words to convey a particular
meaning, we will also confront the consequences of the words we choose ourselves in our own
communication, both formal and informal. Instructor: Dr. Sarah Johnson
Section K: Energy: from fossil fuels to nuclear reactors
The recent disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has brought renewed interest in our energy
usage habits coupled with an increasing need to understand the science of energy. This first year seminar
course will incorporate writing as a process while we examine the wide variety of energy sources available
today, focusing on their science and technologies and addressing concerns such as policy, waste,
sustainability, and resources. Instructor: Dr. Kelly Krieble
Section L: Germany. A History of Art, Sports, and the Obsession with the Body
Germans are obsessed with art, the body, and sports. When, why, and how did this obsession begin? This is
your First Year Seminar (FYS), an introduction to college-level thinking, writing, and work. The topic is
Germany and its obsession with the body, art, and sports. We explore how Germans have imagined their
bodies through paintings, sculptures, dance, and music, and sports. We engage these themes through
readings, discussions, films, images, and writing. Instructor: Dr. Heikki Lempa
Section M: Writing through Experience
In this course we will demystify academic writing by exploring the idea of metacognition, or thinking about
one’s own thinking, as it relates to the writing process. To facilitate this discovery, we will discuss the merits of
various composition theories and apply an array of writing process strategies to writing and discussion
assignments. While conventions of academic writing will be our primary focus, personal perspectives will be
the means through which students explore and develop writing skills and strategies. By the culmination of this
course, students will develop a metacognitive awareness of their own writing habits and become more
confident with the skills necessary to make meaningful contributions to academic conversations. Instructor:
Professor Meg Mikovits
Section N: Natives and Newcomers: Colonial Encounters in Seventeenth-Century America
Modern Americans have almost no contact with Native Americans. Wars, removals, and reservations have so
marginalized and isolated Native peoples that they seldom intrude on the popular imagination except as
distorted stereotypes. Consequently, Pocahontas, Sitting Bull, and the Thanksgiving at Plymouth have
effectively replaced the reality of historic Native American cultures and experiences. Recently, scholars
working in diverse fields have begun to challenge depictions of Natives as simply victims or resisters. Native
peoples were and continue to be actors in their own history, and rather than a story of decline, their history is
one of resilience and persistence. This seminar will take an interdisciplinary approach to reconsider the early
contact period from a Native American perspective and as a consequence force us to rethink American history.
Instructor: Dr. Jamie Paxton
Section O: Bible and Religion in Popular Culture
This course will explore how ancient, classic religious ideas continue to experience new life and transformed
meanings in popular culture. We will study fiction, television, and film with an eye to two major questions: 1.
How "accurate" are modern artistic and popular presentations of biblical and religious themes and stories? 2.
Every modern retelling of a biblical or a religious idea is in itself a new composition. How do modern
transformations of religious ideas reflect concerns and interests of our own time? You will be encouraged to
bring in modern representations of biblical and religious materials that you've found, to share with the class,
and we will use our tools of analysis to study the examples brought to class. Instructor: Dr. Jason Radine
Section P: I Can’t Breathe: Race Matters in America:
This course challenges the assertion that the U.S. has moved into a post-racial society. While progress over
the specifics of the institutionalized racism of the Jim Crow era has been made, race remains a profound point
of division in America as well as an engine for political conflict and social change. The course will examine the
contemporary role of race in our social, economic and cultural relations and how race has been a significant
factor in the current divisions of political power in the U.S. Instructor: Dr. John Reynolds
Section Q: Journalism: The Art, the Craft, the Market
This class, taught by a New York Times bestselling author of eight books, will focus on the instruction of how to
write for the marketplace as well as the academic field. Do you want to write? Instruction in research and style
skills will help you realize your passion, qualify you to write an academic research paper, and sharpen your
craft...and your art. Instructor: Professor Peter Richmond
Section R: How Not to Be Wrong
Using Jordan Ellenberg's book, "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking," as a guide, we
will analyze real life situations using the powerful tools of mathematical thinking without using technical
jargon or equations. (Ok, maybe we use the area of a circle.) We will consider war, healthcare and politics
among many other topics. Instructor: Dr. Shannon Talbott
Section S: Intrigue, Violence & Love: Hispanic Cinema Takes on the Contemporary World
Latin American and Spanish filmmakers weigh in on globalization, revel in an over-stimulated media age,
venture into the chaos of the megacities, and turn the spotlight onto social issues. While entertaining, the
films raise ethical dilemmas we must face. We will create our own narratives in many forms to respond to
these complex questions. Instructor: Dr. Erica Yozell
Section T: Habits for Life: Promoting healthy behaviors in young adults
What do we mean by culture? What do we mean by health? Have you ever wondered why some people
exhibit healthy attitudes and behaviors while others may be influenced easily and engage in unhealthy habits
and activities? Students will explore human behavior in general and describe how behavior effects health
promotion, education, and prevention. Students will explain the relationship between behavior and health as
evidenced by a literature review of current and ongoing health problems in young adults. Students will
develop an understanding of the various theoretical approaches that are used in developing and implementing
healthy behaviors. Instructor: Professor Janice Farber
Section U: Critical Thinking/Argumentative Writing: College Composition and the Discourse Community
The goal of this course is for each of you to become a more capable and confident writer. In working to
achieve that goal, you will learn to read critically and express your ideas clearly in well-reasoned
argumentative essays. Students will develop and support ideas in three drafted and revised essays. Each of
these essays will be generated by students’ ideas based upon our reading about multidisciplinary subjects
(including: visual literacy, educational aims, and the art of making arguments) and focused discussions of
those readings. Together, we will engage in a semester filled with active inquiry, respectful communication,
and lively debate. You will also develop an awareness about the importance of revision and come to see how
your discourse community and purpose help to shape your writing. Instructor: Dr. Nicole Tabor
Section V: Down, Out, and Disdained. Drawing on this year’s InFocus programming on “Poverty and
Inequality” and leveraging the summer’s common reading Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith,
this seminar will read, reflect on, discuss, and compose reactions to plays, stories, poems, and memoirs about
being poor and facing discrimination. Words, read and written, have power. Let’s see what light critical
thinking, collaboration, and creative problem solving can shine on the darkness. Instructor: Dr. Martha Reid
Spring Semester FYS
Section S-A: Experiencing Colonial Pennsylvania
As one of the nation's oldest colleges, Moravian seems to be a uniquely suited place to study United States
history. In this course we will examine colonial and revolutionary Pennsylvania, and as often as possible we
will conduct our inquiries outside of the classroom at historic sites. Being on site will help us more clearly see
the intersection of Native, European, and African cultures that shaped Pennsylvania and give us a chance to
think about how the history we read about in academic settings connects to the history that is presented to
the public. Because of time and distance Saturday availability will be necessary for some of these field trips,
and additional fees will apply. Instructor: Dr. Muhlfeld [Because of Saturday trips, this section is not
recommended for spring-term NCAA athletes: baseball, softball, basketball, track, and lacrosse]
Section S-B: Blessed are the Poor: Faith, Caring and the Helping Professions
Caring for the poor and disadvantaged has been, and continues to be, a major theme for all major religious
traditions. In this course, we will explore the roots for modern theories of caring and our contemporary
helping professions as well as how they can aid in meeting the continuing, and changing, needs of the poor
and disadvantaged in the 21st Century. Instructor: Dr. Bill Falla
Section S-C: Notes from the Toy Department: Reading and Writing about Sport
This course will explore the unique relationship between sport and American society by examining the best (as
well as the worst) of sport journalism dating back to the late 19th century through the present. Throughout,
we will be reading, writing, and speaking about sport while tracing the evolution of a cultural change that
takes sport from its place among the fringes and into the mainstreams of contemporary life. Instructor: Dr.
Joel Nathan Rosen
Section S-D: Music of Controversy
Controversial artistic output is often a response to political and social issues. From the earliest manuscripts of
Medieval France to current recordings and music videos, musicians have reacted to social and environmental
upheaval. Social media has allowed musicians instant access to a world audience, a perfect platform for
expressing dissension. Students will examine, choose, and write about some of the most controversial music
and music videos produced internationally while exploring specific facets of the issues involved. Instructor: Dr.
Debra Torok
Section S-E: (same as section M) Writing through Experience
In this course we will demystify academic writing by exploring the idea of metacognition, or thinking about
one’s own thinking, as it relates to the writing process. To facilitate this discovery, we will discuss the merits of
various composition theories and apply an array of writing process strategies to writing and discussion
assignments. While conventions of academic writing will be our primary focus, personal perspectives will be
the means through which students explore and develop writing skills and strategies. By the culmination of this
course, students will develop a metacognitive awareness of their own writing habits and become more
confident with the skills necessary to make meaningful contributions to academic conversations. Instructor:
Professor Meg Mikovits (students interested in this section should choose Section M)
Section S-F: Water in a Thirsty World.
A scientific, social and literary inquiry on water, the substance without which life would not exist. Only 1
percent of the Earth’s water is fresh and non-frozen; about one-fourth of the Earth’s human population lives
where water is not readily available. How do we acquire water, how does water get to our homes, how do we
treat water as a commodity, how can we make water accessible to everyone? Instructor: Dr. Carl Salter