2009 May Seminars
May 5 - 29, 2009
May Seminar applications and timetables are now available! Stop by Global Education (Grant Center, lower level) or download them here: APPLICATION | TIMETABLE
Politics, Power and Policy Challenges
Political Science 300 | Prerequisite: Political Science 393X
Dr. Mike Bath and Dr. Jennifer Bath
Estimated seminar cost: $5,305 plus tuition $2,645
An in-depth look at American public policy challenges will ready us for our journey overseas, where we will experience uniquely European approaches to dealing with the same policy issues. Have British efforts to provide universal health care jeopardized the quality of care? Might France's explicit AIDS education program be adapted to work in the American political context? How have major German auto producers reacted to EU regulations limiting cars' carbon output? To what extent have Swiss needle-exchange programs been successful in dealing with drug addiction and drug-related crime? These are just some of the questions we will explore as we meet with officials in both the public and private sector. All the while, we'll be sure to take full advantage of the best that European culture and scenery has to offer in England, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Germany.
Three Capitals of Europe
Art 300 | Prerequisite: Art 155 or 156
Dr. Peter Schultz, Art
Estimated seminar cost: $5,055 plus tuition $2,645
Fun-loving art fanatics wanted! We’ll travel to London, Florence and Paris to observe and study some of the world’s greatest collections of art in three of Europe’s most dazzling “art capitals.” We’ll tour the museums, cathedrals, galleries and theatres that set these cities apart. Of particular importance will be your ability to demonstrate familiarity with the basic monuments of Western art, place these monuments within meaningful social contexts and to think about the interactions that exist between material culture, the historical process and the nimble human mind. We’ll begin in London and the exquisite collection of ancient Greek art in the British Museum. We’ll stop at the National Gallery, St. Paul’s Cathedral and sample the West End theatre district. Then it’s 10 days in glorious Florence to enjoy the city and spend time at the Uffizi, Duomo, Medici Palace and the Leonardo da Vinci Museum. In Paris we’ll make the most of the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay before exploring the colorful neighborhoods of the City of Light, then move on to Monet’s home at Maison de Monet in Giverny and a trip to incredibly beautiful Versailles.
Green and Peace: The Nordic Way
Scandinavian Studies 300 | Prerequisite: Scandinavian Studies 201
Dr. Milda Ostrauskaite, Scandinavian Studies
Estimated seminar cost: $5,055 plus tuition: $2,645
The Nordic region is a leader in environmental and international peacemaking policies in the world today. This seminar provides insight into the Scandinavian lifestyle, which sets an example of active and responsible engagement in nature protection, change of environmentally harmful habits, and peaceful resolutions of internal and international conflicts. We will incorporate visits to various political institutions, meeting with peacemaking and environmental specialists in the Nordic capitals along with excursions to unique natural and cultural sites (some of them are included on the UNESCO World Heritage list), to an organic farm and an ecological village in Denmark. During our travels, attention will be drawn to peacemaking policies supported by visits to national parliaments and the Peace Center in Oslo. There will also be a unique opportunity to experience the 17th of May national day celebration in Norway.
Exploring Lifespan Development in the Middle East and North Africa
Psychology 300 | Prerequisites: Psychology 250 (Pre-May Seminar) or current or previous Psychology 420 (Cross-Cultural Psychology) of Psychology 206 (Developmental Psychology)
Dr. Mona Ibrahim, Psychology
Estimated seminar cost: $5,650 plus tuition: $2,645
A famous saying goes "Egypt is the mother of the world and Morocco is the father." Would you like to meet the parents? Join us in exploring these two profoundly ancient and traditional, yet amazingly modern, countries. We will soak up the rich cosmopolitan cultures of three of the world's largest and most significant cities: Cairo, Alexandria and Casablanca. We will travel back in time as we take in historical and traditional locations such as the Bedouin oases of Siwa, the Madrasa of Fes, the Madina of Rabat, and the temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan. We will see the pyramids, sail in the Nile, camp in the desert, snorkel in the Red Sea, climb mount Moses, relax on a Mediterranean beach, bargain in the bazaars, visit magnificent mosques and churches, lose ourselves wandering the old streets of Cairo and Fes, watch traditional singers and dancers, ride a camel, feast on heavenly food (koushari, couscous, and baklava are a must taste), sip mint tea, marvel at Pharoanic, Roman, Islamic, and Andalusian treasures, and meet some of the most hospitable, warm, and humorous people in the world as we engage in a daylong service-learning project with them. In the process, we will reflect and learn about the cultural influences on development throughout the lifespan in the Middle East and North Africa. We will combine our travels with Dr. Kamel's seminar exploring the social impact of computers and technology or lack-thereof in these societies. Includes full-board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) most days.
Technological Adventure in the Middle East
Computer Science 300 | Prerequisites: Computer Science 250 (Pre-May Seminar) or current or previous sections of Dr. Kamel's Inquiry 100 Seminar
Dr. Ahmed Kamel, Computer Science
Estimated seminar cost: $5,650 plus tuition: $2,645
A famous saying goes "Egypt is the mother of the world and Morocco is the father." Would you like to meet the parents? Join us in exploring these two profoundly ancient and traditional, yet amazingly modern, countries. We will soak up the rich cosmopolitan cultures of three of the world's largest and most significant cities: Cairo, Alexandria and Casablanca. We will travel back in time as we take in historical and traditional locations such as the Bedouin oases of Siwa, the Madrasa of Fes, the Madina of Rabat, and the temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan. We will see the pyramids, sail in the Nile, camp in the desert, snorkel in the Red Sea, climb mount Moses, relax on a Mediterranean beach, bargain in the bazaars, visit magnificent mosques and churches, lose ourselves wandering the old streets of Cairo and Fes, watch traditional singers and dancers, ride a camel, feast on heavenly food (koushari, couscous, and baklava are a must taste), sip mint tea, marvel at Pharoanic, Roman, Islamic, and Andalusian treasures, and meet some of the most hospitable, warm, and humorous people in the world as we engage in a daylong service-learning project with them. In the process, we will reflect and learn about the social impact of computers and technology or lack thereof in these same societies. We will combine our travels with Dr. Ibrahim's seminar exploring the cultural influences on development throughout the lifespan in the Middle East and North Africa. Includes full-board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) most days.
Education Down Under
Education 300 | Prerequisite: Education 250
Dr. Barbara Witteman, Education
Estimated seminar cost: $6,355 plus tuition: $2,645
G'day! Step ahead in time as we travel Down Under to see how students are educated in Australia. Watching children in schools tells a lot about a country's culture and its priorities. We will visit a variety of schools, from prepatory gender specific, to public high schools with great diversity, to the unique School of the Air in the Outback. We will visit with educational policy makers, principals/headmasters, teachers and students as well as with university professors and students as we gain insights into Australian education. Stops include Sydney, Canberra, Uluru, Alice Springs, Cairns (the Great Barrier Reef), the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
Mathematics in Another Light
Mathematics 300 | Prerequisite: Mathematics 250
Dr. Douglas Anderson, Mathematics
Estimated seminar cost: $6,655 plus tuition: $2,645
We will partake in the broad parallel sweeps of western and mathematical history by visiting Egypt (ancient and Arab; geometry), Greece (classical; proof), Italy (Renaissance; perspective and algebra), Paris (Enlightenment; logic & analysis) and London (Age of Reason; calculus). You will come to understand that knowledge required for the development of the mathematics spans generations, cultures, linguistic and national identities, religions and gender. Mathematics emerges from, reacts to, influences and ultimately transcends each of these distinctions. Yet this broad scope casts mathematics in a different light from that formed by endless problem sets, allowing students to become responsibly engaged in the world through their understanding of the effectiveness of math as a singular human activity of and within the global community.
Theatre in Context: Europe
Theatre 300 | Prerequisite: Theatre 334
Dr. David Wintersteen, CSTA
Estimated seminar cost: $5,605 plus tuition: $2,645
Our Seminar explores European performance spaces, both historic and contemporary. We will research European theatrical traditions by touring ancient hillside amphitheaters, opulent auditoriums, experimental venues and vibrant commercial spaces. We'll investigate the cultural milieu of the ancient and modern streets of Athens, Rome, Venice, Prague, Paris and London by visiting palaces, shops, cathedrals, restaurants and museums. This seminar will help you discover how European cultures have been reflected in their theatre productions, and the many important ways in which theatre serves these societies today.
Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are:
La Gastronomie et l’identité française
French 300 | Pre-requisites: French 255 and French 212 and second-year status at Concordia
Dr. Gay Rawson, French
Estimated seminar cost: $5,655 plus tuition: $2,645
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin uttered these now famous words well over a century ago but their impact remains with us today. This seminar will help us understand who the French are and what being French means by studying the food and cuisine of France. What is the role of food in France? How are the French working to live and eat responsibly? How does "food" and food consumption play a role in our lives and in defining who we are? We have reserved cooking classes with master chefs in Tours, Perpignan, Paris and Rennes. We plan to hear fishermen calling out their return from a boat in the harbor of the Mediterranean and taste the “pré salé” at Mont St. Michel on the northern Channel. We have special “dégustations” organized for regional specialties all across France. From authentic Renaissance meals to French chocolates and olive oil, the French are known for more than baguettes and cheese. Their culinary expertise and taste are legendary and reflect the diverse and rich history of this country. With three homestays and culinary discoveries in several regions, you will be immersed in the food, culture, history, and people of France. All breakfasts and 16 dinners are included in the seminar price. Join this adventure to eat, cook, and learn from the masters!
Office of Global Education
inted@cord.edu
218.299.3927
2009 May Seminars
