ANTH B102  INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Susanna Fioratta

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course will explore the basic principles and methods of sociocultural anthropology. Through field research, direct observation, and participation in a group’s daily life, sociocultural anthropologists examine the many ways that people organize their social institutions and cultural systems, ranging from the dynamics of life in small-scale societies to the transnational circulation of people, commodities, technologies and ideas. Sociocultural anthropology examines how many of the categories we assume to be “natural,” such as kinship, gender, or race, are culturally and socially constructed. It examines how people’s perceptions, beliefs, values, and actions are shaped by broader historical, economic, and political contexts. It is also a vital tool for understanding and critiquing imbalances of power in our contemporary world. Through a range of topically and geographically diverse course readings and films, and opportunities to practice ethnographic methodology, students will gain new analytical and methodological tools for understanding cultural difference, social organization, and social change.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

ANTH B213  ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOOD  (1.0 Credit)

Susanna Fioratta

Food is part of the universal human experience. But everyday experiences of food also reveal much about human difference. What we eat is intimately connected with who we are, where we belong, and how we see the world. In this course, we will use a socio-cultural perspective to explore how food helps us form families, national and religious communities, and other groups. We will also consider how food may become a source of inequality, a political symbol, and a subject of social discord. Examining both practical and ideological meanings of food and taste, this course will address issues of identity, social difference, and cultural experience.

ANTH B312  ANTHROPOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION  (1.0 Credit)

Melissa Pashigian

Division: Social Science

This course will examine how power in everyday life shapes reproductive behavior and how reproduction is culturally constructed. Through an examination of materials from different cultures, this course will look at how often competing interests within households, communities, states and institutions (at both the local and global levels) influence reproduction in society. We will explore the political economy of reproduction cross-culturally, how power and politics shape gendered reproductive behavior and how it is interpreted and used differently by persons, communities and institutions. Topics covered include but are not limited to the politics of family planning, mothering/parenting, abortion, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, fetal testing and biology and social policy in cross-cultural comparison. Prerequisite: ANTH 8102 (or ANTH H103) or permission of instructor. Haverford: Social Science (SO), Enrollment Cap: 15; Post Bacc Spaces: 2; If the course exceeds the enrollment cap the following criteria will be used for the lottery: Major/Minor/Concentration; Senior; Junior; Permission of Instructor.

ANTH B343  HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY  (1.0 Credit)

Maja Šešelj

Division: Social Science

In this seminar we will examine various aspects of the human life history pattern, highly unusual among mammals, from a comparative evolutionary perspective. First, we will survey the fundamentals of life history theory, with an emphasis on primate life histories and socioecological pressures that influence them. Secondly, we will focus on unique aspects of human life history, including secondary altriciality of human infants, the inclusion of childhood and pubertal life stages in our pattern of growth and development, and the presence of a post-reproductive life span. Finally, we will examine fossil evidence from the hominin lineage used in reconstructing the evolution of the modern human life history pattern. Prerequisite: ANTH B101 or permission of instructor.

EDUC B200  COMMUNITY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE: PRACTICING PARTNERSHIP  (1.0 Credit)

Eshe Price

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Designed to be the first course for students interested in pursuing one of the options offered through the Education Program, this course is open to students exploring an interest in educational practice, theory, research, and policy. The course asks how myriad people, groups, and fields have defined the purpose of education, and considers the implications of conflicting definitions for generating new, more just, and more inclusive modes of "doing school". In collaboration with practicing educators, students learn practical and philosophical approaches to experiential, community-engaged learning across individual relationships and organizational contexts. Fieldwork in an area school or organization required

(Offered: Spring 2024)

EDUC B210  PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL EDUCATION  (1.0 Credit)

Eshe Price

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

The goal of this course is to introduce students to a range of topics, challenges and dilemmas that all teachers need to consider. Students will explore pedagogical strategies and tools that empower all learners on the neurological spectrum. Some of the topics covered in the course include how the brain learns, how past learning experiences impact teaching, how education and civil rights law impacts access to services, and how to create an inclusive classroom environment that welcomes and affirms all learners. The field of special education is vast and complex. Therefore, the course is designed as an introduction to the most pertinent issues, and as a launch pad for further exploration. Weekly fieldwork required.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EDUC B266  GEOGRAPHIES OF SCHOOL AND LEARNING: URBAN EDUCATION RECONSIDERED  (1.0 Credit)

Kelly Zuckerman

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course examines issues, challenges, and possibilities of urban education in contemporary America. We use as critical lenses issues of race, class, and culture; urban learners, teachers, and school systems; and restructuring and reform. While we look at urban education nationally over several decades, we use Philadelphia as a focal “case” that students investigate through documents and school placements. Weekly fieldwork in a school required.

EDUC B301  CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

Jody Cohen

Division: Social Science

A consideration of theoretical and applied issues related to effective curriculum design, pedagogical approaches and related issues of teaching and learning. Fieldwork is required. Enrollment is limited to 15 with priority given first to students pursuing certification and second to seniors planning to teach.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

EDUC B310  REDEFINING EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE: MAKING SPACE FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION  (1.0 Credit)

Kelly Zuckerman

A course focused on exploring, developing, and refining pedagogical conceptions and approaches appropriate to higher education contexts. Three hours a week of fieldwork are required. Enrollment is limited to 20 with priority given to students pursuing the minor in educational studies.

ENGL B270  AMERICAN GIRL: CHILDHOOD IN U.S. LITERATURES, 1690-1935  (1.0 Credit)

Bethany Schneider

Division: Humanities

This course will focus on the “American Girl” as a particularly contested model for the nascent American. Through examination of religious tracts, slave and captivity narratives, literatures for children and adult literatures about childhood, we will analyze U. S. investments in girlhood as a site for national self-fashioning.

ENGL B348  MEDIEVAL CHILDHOODS  (1.0 Credit)

Jamie Taylor

Division: Humanities

This course examines childhood and adolescence in the Middle Ages, exploring both texts for children and those that portray childhood. We will consider adolescent sexuality, royal primogeniture, childhood education and apprenticeship, and theologies of infancy. Readings will include lullabies; early educational texts; nativity plays; chivalric training guides; poetry written by children; and instructional manuals for toys.

PSYC B203  EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Kimberly Cassidy

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Topics in the psychology of human cognitive, social, and affective behavior are examined and related to educational practice. Issues covered include learning theories, memory, attention, thinking, motivation, social/emotional issues in adolescence, and assessment/learning disabilities. This course provides a Praxis Level II opportunity. Classroom observation is required. Prerequisite: PSYC B105 (Introductory Psychology)

(Offered: Fall 2023)

PSYC B209  CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

This course examines the experience, origins and consequences of psychological difficulties and problems. Among the questions we will explore are: What do we mean by abnormal behavior or psychopathology? What are the strengths and limitations of the ways in which psychopathology is assessed and classified? What are the major forms of psychopathology? How do psychologists study and treat psychopathology? How is psychopathology experienced by individuals? What causes psychological difficulties and what are their consequences? How do we integrate social, biological and psychological perspectives on the causes of psychopathology? Do psychological treatments (therapies) work? How do we study the effectiveness of psychology treatments? Prerequisite: Introductory Psychology (PSYC B105 or H100). Please note that this course was previously known as “Abnormal Psychology” and has now been renamed “Clinical Psychology" and can not be repeated for credit.

(Offered: Fall 2023, Spring 2024)

PSYC B211  LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT  (1.0 Credit)

Jodie Baird

Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

A topical survey of psychological development across the lifespan, focusing on the interaction of personal and environmental factors in the ontogeny of perception, language, cognition, and social interactions within the family and with peers. Topics include developmental theories; infant perception; attachment; language development; theory of mind; memory development; peer relations and the family as contexts of development; identity and the adolescent transition; adult personality; cognition in late adulthood; and dying with dignity. Prerequisite: PSYC B105 or PSYC H100. Interested students can take this course or PSYC B206, but not both

(Offered: Spring 2024)

PSYC B327  ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT  (1.0 Credit)

Dustin Albert

Is adolescence a biologically distinct stage of life, or a social “holding ground” invented by modern culture for young people unready or unwilling to assume the responsibilities of adulthood? Are adolescents destined to make risky decisions because of their underdeveloped brains? At what age should they be held accountable as adults in a court of law? This course will explore these and other questions about the biological, social, and legal forces that define the boundaries and shape the experience of adolescents growing up in the modern world. Students will learn about: (1) historical changes in understanding and treatment of adolescents; (2) puberty-related biological changes marking the beginning of adolescence; (3) brain, behavioral, cognitive, and social development during adolescence; and (4) contemporary debates regarding age of adult maturity, and their implications for law and policy. Prerequisite: PSYC B206 (Developmental Psychology) or PSYC B211 (Lifespan Development) or permission or instructor. PSYC B205 is recommended.

(Offered: Spring 2024)

PSYC B344  EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES & MENTAL HEALTH  (1.0 Credit)

Cora Mukerji

Development represents a unique period during which the brain shows enhanced plasticity, the important ability to adapt and change in response to experiences. During development, the brain may be especially vulnerable to the impacts of harmful experiences (e.g., neglect or exposure to toxins) and also especially responsive to the effects of positive factors (e.g., community resilience or clinical interventions). This seminar will explore how childhood experiences “get under the skin,” shaping neurobiological systems and exerting lasting effects on mental health and well-being. We will examine theoretical models of how early experiences shape development, considering the proposed mechanisms by which different features of childhood environments could shape psychological risk and resilience. We will evaluate the scientific evidence for these models and then apply this knowledge to consider what strategies for intervention–– at the level of the child, family, and society–– could help reduce psychopathology and promote well-being. There is no textbook required for this course. We will read, critically evaluate, and discuss empirical journal articles and explore the implications of this scientific literature for public policy. Prerequisites: PSYC B209 or PSYC B206 or PSYC B218 or permission from instructor; PSYC B205 highly recommended

(Offered: Spring 2024)

PSYC B352  ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Jodie Baird

Division: Social Science

This is a topics course. Topics vary. Prerequisite: PSYC 206 or PSYC B211 or the consent of the instructor.

(Offered: Fall 2023)

PSYC B354  ASIAN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Heejung Park

This course will provide an overview of the nature and meaning of being Asian American in the United States. We will examine the history, struggle, and success of Asian Americans, drawing upon psychological theory and research, interdisciplinary ethnic studies scholarship, and memoirs. Students will also learn to evaluate the media portrayal of Asian Americans while examining issues affecting Asian American communities such as stereotypes, discrimination, family relationships, dating/marriage, education, and health disparities. Prerequisite: Introduction to Psychology (Psych 105) is required, Research Methods and Statistics (Psych 205) is recommended..

SOCL B205  SOCIAL INEQUALITY  (1.0 Credit)

Amanda Cox

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

In this course, we will explore the extent, causes, and consequences of social and economic inequality in the U.S. We will begin by discussing key theories and the intersecting dimensions of inequality along lines of income and wealth, race and ethnicity, and gender. We will then follow a life-course perspective to trace the institutions through which inequality is structured, experienced, and reproduced through the family, neighborhoods, the educational system, labor markets and workplaces, and the criminal justice system.

SOCL B217  THE FAMILY IN SOCIAL CONTEXT  (1.0 Credit)

Nathan Wright

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

The family represents a fundamental and ubiquitous institution in the social world, providing norms and conveying values. This course focuses on current sociological research, seeking to understand how modern American families have transformed due to complex structural and cultural forces. We will examine family change from historical, social, and demographic perspectives. After examining the images, ideals, and myths concerning families, we will address the central theme of diversity and change. In what ways can sociology explain and document these shifts? What influences do law, technology, and medicine have on the family? What are the results of evolving views of work, gender, and parenting on family structure and stability? Prerequisite of one Social Science Course

SOCL B225  WOMEN IN SOCIETY  (1.0 Credit)

Veronica Montes

Division: Social Science

In 2015, the world’s female population was 49.6 percent of the total global population of 7.3 billion. According to the United Nations, in absolute terms, there were 61,591,853 more men than women. Yet, at the global scale, 124 countries have more women than men. A great majority of these countries are located in what scholars have recently been referring to as the Global South – those countries known previously as developing countries. Although women outnumber their male counterparts in many Global South countries, however, these women endure difficulties that have worsened rather than improving. What social structures determine this gender inequality in general and that of women of color in particular? What are the main challenges women in the Global South face? How do these challenges differ based on nationality, class, ethnicity, skin color, gender identity, and other axes of oppression? What strategies have these women developed to cope with the wide variety of challenges they contend with on a daily basis? These are some of the major questions that we will explore together in this class. In this course, the Global South does not refer exclusively to a geographical location, but rather to a set of institutional structures that generate disadvantages for all individuals and particularly for women and other minorities, regardless their geographical location in the world. In other words, a significant segment of the Global North’s population lives under the same precarious conditions that are commonly believed as exclusive to the Global South. Simultaneously, there is a Global North embedded in the Global South as well. In this context, we will see that the geographical division between the North and the South becomes futile when we seek to understand the dynamics of the “Western-centric/Christian-centric capitalist/patriarchal modern/colonial world-system” (Grosfoguel, 2012). In the first part of the course, we will establish the theoretical foundations that will guide us throughout the rest of the semester. We will then turn to a wide variety of case studies where we will examine, for instance, the contemporary global division of labor, gendered violence in the form of feminicides, international migration, and global tourism. The course’s final thematic section will be devoted to learning from the different feminisms (e.g. community feminism) emerging out of the Global South as well as the research done in that region and its contribution to the development of a broader gender studies scholarship. In particular, we will pay close attention to resistance, solidarity, and social movements led by women. Examples will be drawn from Latin America, the Caribbean, the US, Asia, and Africa.

SOCL B232  A SOCIOLOGICAL JOURNEY TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN PHILLY  (1.0 Credit)

Veronica Montes

This course will use the lenses of sociology to critically and comparatively examine various immigrant communities living in greater Philadelphia. It will expose students to the complex historical, economic, political, and social factors influencing (im)migration, as well as how migrants and the children of immigrants develop their sense of belonging and their homemaking practices in the new host society. In this course, we will probe questions of belonging, identity, homemaking, citizenship, transnationalism, and ethnic entrepreneurship and how individuals, families, and communities are transformed locally and across borders through the process of migration. This course also seeks to interrogate how once in a new country, immigrant communities not only develop a sense of belonging but also how they reconfigure their own identities while they transform the social, physical, and cultural milieus of their new communities of arrival. To achieve these ends, this course will engage in a multidisciplinary approach consisting of materials drawn from such disciplines as cultural studies, anthropology, history, migration studies, and sociology to examine distinct immigrant communities that have arrived in Philadelphia over the past 100 years. Although this course will also cover the histories of migrant communities arriving in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a greater part of the course will focus on recent migrant communities, mainly from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean and arriving in the area of South Philadelphia. A special focus will be on the Mexican American migrant community that stands out among those newly arrived migrant communities.

SOCL B258  SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION  (1.0 Credit)

David Karen

Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World

Major sociological theories of the relationships between education and society, focusing on the effects of education on inequality in the United States and the historical development of primary, secondary, and post-secondary education in the United States. Other topics include education and social selection, testing and tracking, and micro- and macro-explanations of differences in educational outcomes. This is a Praxis II course; placements are in local schools.

(Offered: Spring 2024)