2002-2003 Catalogue
2001-2002 Catalogue

This information was last updated on: 08/29/03 12:51:03 PM

Course Listings for the CBB Study Abroad Programs

Courses for the CBB London Center, Fall Semester, 2003

Philosophy Program (Director Mark Okrent, Bates)

The Concepts of Race and Gender (Mr. Okrent)
British and American societies, among many others, classify persons in terms of their gender and their race. How these classifications are made and who belongs to which class have enormous consequences for the people classified. But the basis for these classifications is anything but clear. Are someone's race and gender social facts about a person, or are they biological facts? How are determinations rooted in the biology of a group different from determinations based on social relations within that group? This course raises these issues in the cross cultural context of the similarities and differences between American and British ways of applying these kinds of concepts and attempts to illuminate the nature of race and gender concepts with the help of the techniques of conceptual analysis which were developed in Britain in the first sixty years of the twentieth century.

The Rise of Philosophical Analysis (Mr. Okrent)
This course explores the history of twentieth century British philosophy by examining the methods and characteristic doctrines of two successive British philosophical movements. The students would first focus on the early twentieth century attempt, pioneered by Russell and the early Wittgenstein, to apply the newly developed techniques of formal logic to the analysis of the cognitive significance of our ordinary ways of talking. The course would then consider the way in which a later generation of "ordinary language" philosophers, including Ryle, Austin, and the later Wittgenstein, reacted against this attempt. This course is a valuable and familiar part of the curriculum for all junior philosophy majors, while at the same time being accessible to non philosophy students. Readings are taken from the works of Russell, G. E. Moore, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Ryle, and Austin.

English Program (Director David Collings, Bowdoin)

London Amusements: 1770-1820 (Mr. Collings)
Examines the emergence of a wide array of new urban pleasures in the era when London took its distinctive shape as a great modern city. Drawing on a number of disciplines, the course will be anchored in the period's literature, especially in readings that depicted or participated in London life (such as Goldsmith, Sheridan, Burney, Wordsworth, Hazlitt, Keats), but will also include discussions of works of art exhibited in its galleries (Gainsborough, Reynolds, Turner, Constable); visits to public gardens, gathering places, and museums which emerged as places of public enjoyment, display, curiosity, and instruction (Kew Gardens, Regent's Park, Covent Garden, the British Museum); visits to buildings that exemplify Adam and Regency style in architecture; and discussions of new styles of clothing, manners, and social behavior, particularly in relation to gender, sexuality, and social class.

Rural England (Mr. Collings)
Discusses writing emerging from rural England during and after the growing dominance of urban centers, primarily in the past two centuries, with emphasis on the way authors conceive of rural life as resistance to urban life, as the cultivation of the local or traditional, as the site for more elemental forms of living or working, or as a world that haunts a largely urbanized present. Authors may include Wordsworth, Austen, Clare, Hardy, Lawrence, Forster, Thorpe, and Sebald.

Biomedical Sciences Program (Director Andrew Roberts, University of East London)

Human Genetics (Mr. Roberts)
This course will explore cytogenetics and genomics, developmental genetics, population genetics, and transgenics. The course will have a small laboratory component, visiting lecturers, and field trips to such places as the Human Genome Project, Cambridge, or a meeting at the Royal Society of London.

Introductory Pharmacology (UEL Faculty)
The course aims to provide an understanding of the mechanisms by which drugs modify cellular processes, and how physiological factors can influence drug action. The course will cover the concepts of drug receptors; pharmacodynamics; types of receptors, criteria, evidence, and diversity of neurotransmittors found in the central and peripheral nervous systems; introduction to Autacoids; and Pharmacokinetics.

Physiological Function and Dysfunction (UEL Faculty)
This course builds on the knowledge of physiological systems introduced in Level 1 Human Physiology, with new information on normal anatomical and histological structure, and the recognition and aetiology of selected disorders. This course will cover: blood; the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and endocrine systems; reproduction; and laboratory/IT skills. Students will learn to communicate the processes of normal structure and physiological function, with examples of disfunction; use laboratory procedures to identify normal and dysfunctional results, and record and analyze data; and use sources to research normal functioning and the aetiology of selected diseases.

Medical Biotechnology I (UEL Faculty)
This course will provide in-depth treatment of selected topics in medical molecular biology and biotechnology, concentrating on the basic techniques and concepts associated with the rapidly advancing field of genetic and protein engineering. It will cover recombinant DNA technology; the molecular analysis of disease; nuclear and organelle genomes; cell communication and adhesion; and glycoproteins, fibrous proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins.

Infectious Disease Process (UEL Faculty)
This course aims to extend students' knowledge and understanding of the interactions between pathogens and their hosts. The course will cover bacterial pathogenesis -- pathogenesis mechanisms, evasion of host response, gene expression, and mycobacterial pathogenesis; virology -- virus pathogenesis, and epidemiology, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of a range of human viruses including HIV and AIDS; and protozoology -- life cycles, pathegenesis, diagnosis, problems of control, with an emphasis on malaria.

Toxicology
This course will cover biological and biological factors that influence toxicity, toxicity testing, reproductive and behavioral toxicology, and social and economic aspects of toxicology. Students will learn to understand the biological and chemical factors that influence toxicity in animals and humans, appreciate and discuss the legislative framework for risk assessment in toxicology, analyze qualitative and quantitative toxicological data, and record and interpret experimental data.

Medical Physiology
The course is designed to increase knowledge of the complexity of the pathogenesis, and current and future treatments of some of the more common cardiorespiratory and neuropsychiatric disorders. On successful completion of the course students should be able to: critically discuss the multifactorial aetiology of, and treatments for, the more common cardiovascular, respiratory, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders; demonstrate an understanding of the effect of exercise and non-exercise stressors on the human body; and collect data from both in vitro and in vivo laboratory studies, and analyze and interpret the findings.

Elective Courses at the London Centre

Performing Arts: Introduction to Acting and Communication Skills
This course aims to explore the theory and practic of public speaking. Students will study styles of public speaking and related texts, ranging from Queen Elizabeth I to Bill Clinton. The course will include visits to the Houses of Parliament an Speaker's Conrer. The course will address the problem of anxiety in speaking publicly and build self confidence through techniques based on the work of leading modern British practitioners. The students will be filmed making short presentations and be given critical feedback by using video playback. This will be an integral part of the course. Student will be able to practice a wide range of presentation styles. The course will consist of two sessions a week and will be divide between theory and practice.

History: Roman Britain: Continuity and Change (Mr. Casey)
This course examines the impact of the Roman Conquest on Britain in the 1st-5th centuries in the light of modern studies of cultural and technological interaction. Emphasis is placed upon the archaeological evidence for cultural change, adaptation and resistance through detailed studies of key monuments and excavations. Material cultural evidence such as coins, pottery, glass and other artifacts will be examined. Contemporary historical narratives will be examined and contrasted with less formal written evidence such as inscriptions and graffiti. A program of site and museum visits will be an essential element of the course. Past fieldtrips have included Hadrian's Wall, Fishbourne Villa, the Roman Baths at Bath, and the British and London Museums. No knowledge of Latin is needed; sources will be studied in translation.

Courses for the CBB London Center, Spring Semester 2004

Government Program (Director Henry Laurence, Bowdoin)

British Media and Politics in Global Perspective (Mr. Laurence)
What effects do the mass media - newspapers, TV, pop culture and the Internet - have on politics and society? Do commercial pressures on media corporations lead to a "dumbing down" of news and a weakening of democratic discourse? Is the alternative - public provision of news and information - any better? Will the Information Technology revolution empower more citizens or exacerbate divisions between information "haves" and "have-nots"? Should the media be regulated, and if so, how, why and by whom?

From the authority of the British Broadcasting Corporation to the sleaze of the "Sun", Britain offers a unique opportunity to study at first hand how these questions are answered, and the course will take full advantage of close proximity of Fleet Street - ancestral home to Britain's most influential newspapers - and Shepard's Bush, headquarters of the BBC.

Specifically, the course examines how differences in the ownership and regulation of media affect how news is selected and presented, and examines various forms of government censorship and commercial self-censorship. Looks at the role of the media and "pop culture" in creating national identities, perpetuating ethnic stereotypes, and providing regime legitimization. Extensive comparisons will be made to other countries including the US and Japan.

London and the Politics of International Finance (Mr. Laurence)
London is the epicenter of the world's financial markets, and has been for the past two hundred years. This course will take advantage of London's unique position as the cradle of economic globalization to examine how international finance affects national politics and vice-versa.

We start by putting globalization in historical perspective: in the late nineteenth century, the "western" world (Europe and North America) was more economically integrated than it is now, and London was the center of both trade and finance. British banks bankrolled America's economic expansion in much the same way that US banks now finance Asia's miracle. As the world's sole economic superpower, the UK set and enforced the rules of the international financial system (the Gold Standard), and undertook to provide stability and political leadership in the world economy. How does British financial hegemony in the 19th Century compare to US hegemony today? What lessons, if any, can we learn from the past?

The second half of the course looks at the interplay of financial globalization and domestic politics today. What are the effects of "hot money" on national sovereignty? On democracy? On equality and social justice? Are governments helpless in the face of the international capital markets, or can they control them? And if so, how and with what consequences? Britain will receive particular attention but we will also look at other countries.

Performing Arts Program (Director Anna Sullivan)

Professional Acting Skills Workshop (Ms. Sullivan)
This is a course for actors and directors developing the professional skills used in theatre, film, and television. Sight-reading, monologue work, scene study, interview technique, and creating a resume are all explored in the first half of the semester, using a wide range of texts and styles from Shakespeare to Harold Pinter. During the second half of the term, the class chooses a project for performance. Past work has included one act plays, devised workshop performances, and Jacobean play texts. A final performance is given for the CBB faculty and students during exam week. This course is taught by Ms. Sullivan and is designed for students with greater acting experience.

Voice and Movement (Ms. Rabinowitz)
This course meets four times a week and is taught by professional voice and movement coaches. Students take one or the other course depending on their previous experience in performing arts.

Contemporary British Theatre (Ms. Sullivan)
This course is a study of the relationship of dramatic text to theatrical performance in the contemporary London theater. A variety of types of theater is explored. Students attend twelve productions. Assignments include exams, quizzes, and analytical papers.

Elective Course at the London Centre (spring only)

History: Stonehenge to the Anglo-Saxons (Mr. Casey)
This course is an introduction to the archaeology of Britain from the introduction of agriculture to the end of the Saxon kingdom (c. 4500 BC-1066 AD). The course will consider the archaeological evidence for the establishment of complex societies in Britain in the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. Type sites will be examined and visited; recent scientific methods of examining the past will be a core component. The impact of Rome on Britain and the effects of its decay and replacement by Saxon settlers will form the second half of the course. The continuity of communities over millennia will be examined as a framework for modern Britain. Fieldtrips to such sites as Stonehenge, Avebury, Bath, Canterbury, York, St. Albans, and appropriate museums would supplement the lectures.

Elective Courses offered both semesters

Art: British Art and Architecture (Mr. Plant)
This course will focus on art, architecture and the British art world between 1700 and 1900. Works by painters such as Hogarth, Wilson, Wright of Derby, Constable, and Turner, the portraitists, and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, will be visited at London museums. Walks around London to view particular architectural monuments will supplement the lectures on British architecture. Most of the course lectures will take place outside the classroom.

Economics: The Economic Integration of the European Union (Mr. Staab)
The course will provide a comprehensive examination of the processes of European economic integration, and offers a critical analysis of EU policies in their broader political-economic context. The course also focuses on the external dimension of Europe in the global economy and is therefore divided into four parts: A historical overview of the main economic events and currents is followed by a brief introduction to the key institutions and processes. The course then shifts its attention to the analysis of the main economic policies which continue to shape the integration processes of the EU, including the Single Market, Economic and Monetary Union, or the Common Agricultural Policy. The course closes with a look at the EU and its impact on global economics, ranging from the WTO to EU enlargement and the Third World.

English: Literary London, Mapping the City (Mr. Lloyd)
This course will examine different literary "mappings" of London by British writers from the nineteenth century to the present. We will read and discuss texts written in a variety of genres (including novels, short stories, and poetry) and concerned with diverse themes to appeal to students with different interests. The course will be center on fieldtrips to relevant sites (these may include Greenwich, the British Library manuscript gallery, a reading by contemporary authors) to give richer and more precise contexts for the set of texts. I will endeavor to keep the volume of reading manageable and to make the course accessible to those without a background in literary studies. Evaluation will be based on a term paper, a written response to one of the field trips, and full participatioin in all class activities.

Government: Contemporary British Politics (Mr. Lodge)
This comparative politics course will examine the British system of government and the most important issues and developments in British politics since 1945. Topics will include parliamentary government, the evolving party system, electoral behavior, the rise and fall of the welfare state, Thatcher's economic revolution, race relations, the break-up of the Empire, NATO, the European Union, Welsh and Scottish devolution, and Northern Ireland.

Performing Arts/Theater: Text and Performance (Ms. England)
This course will explore contemporary modes of physical theatre and performance in British and European Theatre. The students through working together in an ensemble will learn a basic physical theatre vocabulary. The emphasis of the course is to develop new skills, explore the group imagination and apply the techniques to a wide range of large scale playtexts, including Greek Tragedy, Shakespeare, Restoration Comedy, and modern European playwrights. Theatre games will engage the students physically and mentally, encouraging the development of physical and vocal confidence, and by leaning new performance skills the students will create a unique ensemble. Ms. England is a professional British actor and director.

Courses for Cape Town Center, Fall Semester 2003

History Program (Director Randolph Stakeman, Bowdoin)

A History of Apartheid 1948-1994 (Mr. Stakeman)
Whatever else it was, apartheid was a major feat of social engineering. How was it able to become the dominant ideology of South Africa? How was it able to convince people to follow its tenets? How was it able to translate its ideas into practice? This course is a look at the background and events which led to the Nationalist Party victory which instituted apartheid in 1948, the development of apartheid's ideology, its organization and implementation, and its effects on the people of South Africa. The course will examine the anti-apartheid movement, its organization, changing ideologies, iconography, and effects, and then show how the two interacted to end apartheid and form the new South Africa. Students will design and execute a final project that may be a paper, a web page or a video using primary documents, photos and interviews.

The Oral History Workshop (Mr. Stakeman)
South Africa is a place where everyone has a story to tell. How can we translate these stories into a "people's history" of South Africa? The first part of the course will be an explanation and discussion of how to do an oral history project. Topics will include: research design, how to identify subjects, the ethnographic interview, how to use interviews historically, how to coordinate oral and written sources, and practice using equipment to conduct mock interviews. Students will use this knowledge to design and execute approved historical research projects in South Africa.

Courses for Cape Town Center, Spring Semester 2004

From Myth and Folktale to Film and Television (Director Kerrill O'Neill, Colby)

World Myth and Film (Mr. O'Neill)
This class will begin by equipping the students with the theoretical background, methodology and vocabulary to discuss ancient and modern myths whether they are transcribed on paper or recorded on film. There will be a formal section at the start of the semester when students study theories of myth (psychoanalytic, structuralist, etc) and film theory and criticism. For the rest of the semester, we will be studying myths and films grouped around topics of particular relevance to the modern world. The myths will be drawn from all over the globe: Europe, the Near East, Asia, the Americas and Africa. Myths drawn from the oral traditions of South Africa (particularly Xhosa and Zulu myth) will form a major component of all sections of the course. Through discussion and a series of short papers, students will address a variety of questions. Is there a method common to humanity for palliating recurring sexual, social and political dilemmas? Do ancient and modern cultures confront them in similar or different ways? What lessons can we learn from each culture's mediation of the oppositions of male and female, rich and poor, familiar and unfamiliar, etc.? Topics will include: the hero, coming of age, sexuality, gender roles, plague and punishment, rape and society, etc. We will be reading from Beowulf, Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, The Táin, Oedipus Rex, The African Storyteller, and Metamorphoses, inter alia. Some of the films I plan to show are Star Wars, The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Chinatown, Lone Star, Blade Runner and The Usual Suspects.

Crisis and Catharsis: Myth and the Visual Media in South Africa (Mr. O'Neill)
This class will be structured more like a seminar, with a mixture of guest lectures, discussions, student presentations and group outings. South Africa is currently experiencing the excitement, challenges and growing pains of a major social and political transformation. As part of that transformation, South Africa is confronting issues of gender, sexuality, rape, disease, social hierarchy and political change, etc. Film and popular television dramas have become vehicles to explore these themes, which have previously been treated in the myths and folktales of various cultures within and outside South Africa. I will organize a series of guest lecturers to present some of the greatest challenges facing South Africa, e.g. AIDS, race relations, women's rights, rape, etc. I will also screen documentaries and films about these issues. I will then lead class discussions drawing parallels between these social problems and the issues raised in the myths and films they are studying in their other class. Every week, students will be required to submit response papers recording their analyses of the television dramas in light of both the guest lectures and their growing knowledge of mythic treatment of these social issues. As they become more familiar with film theory, myth theory, literary analysis and South Africa, I will require increasingly sophisticated dissection of these programs from them. During the semester, we will regularly go to the cinema as a class to see the latest popular African films. After each such outing, each student will submit a brief response paper, and we will then have a class discussion. At the end of the semester, each student will submit a major research paper providing a detailed analysis of one of the television dramas (or possibly one of the films) making full use of all they have learned about film, myth and the challenges facing South Africa. Each student will also make a formal presentation to the class based on her paper, and will then participate in a discussion of their ideas.

Courses for the Quito Center, Fall Semester 2003

Geology Program (Director Robert Nelson, Colby)

Introduction to Volcanoes and Volcanology (Mr. Nelson)
Course cannot be counted towards a geology major, but does count for science distribution credit at Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Colleges. This course is an introduction to the scientific study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena; and includes an introduction to global plate tectonics, origins and chemistry of magmas and volcanic gases, reasons for differing eruptive styles and the resulting landforms, impacts of volcanic eruptions, distribution of volcanoes, and areas of high volcanic risk. This course would take advantage of the accessibility of the proximity of active volcanoes in the Ecuadorean Andes and the Galapagos Islands for fieldtrips; early in-class labs will present introductions to basic map-reading, rocks and minerals, with emphasis on volcanic materials. This course will be taught during the first half of the semester.

Principles of Geomorphology (Mr. Nelson)
Course can be counted toward the geology major, or for a second science distribution credit at Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Colleges. The origin, history, and classification of landforms and the processes that shape the Earth's surface will be studied. Emphasis will be placed on the study of physical processes. The course will include both lectures and laboratory work. The Laboratory focus will be on aerial photograph and topographic map interpretation, and the ability to recognize the geologic significance of particular landforms. Fieldtrips to areas around Quito illustrating fault- and fold-related structures and resulting landforms, active volcanoes, fluvial phenomena, and alpine glacial features will complement the classes. Will be taught in the second half of the semester.

History, Myth and Culture of Ecuador (Adjunct Faculty)
This course will serve as an introduction to the archaeology, mythology, and culture of pre-Inca peoples; the Inca Empire; the Spanish conquest; and the indigenous peoples and general population of Ecuador. It will take advantage of the museums and archaeological sites in and around Quito for fieldtrips, and some classes may be held outside the classrooms visiting particular sites. Taught in English.