International Studies

First-year students considering a major in International Studies should take at least one of the core courses – ECON 110 (Principles of Economics), POLS102, POLS103, ANTH101 –  during their first year.

If you are starting a new language, you will need to begin that as well during your first year in order to achieve the level of proficiency required for study abroad during your junior year. 

It is a good idea to consult with the Director of International Studies, Prof. Judith Chubb, as you consider course selection.



ANTH 101
Anthropological Perspective
Common Area: Cross-Cultural Studies or Social Science

Anthropological Perspective is a one-semester introduction to sociocultural anthropology, a discipline that explores what it means to be human by considering the diverse ways that people in different societies make sense of themselves and the world around them. Through ethnographic fieldwork, anthropologists explore how individuals and communities define their values, form relationships with each other, and construct social, economic, and political institutions.

Long concerned with the study of “exotic,” “traditional,” or “remote” peoples, cultural anthropologists now work on subjects as diverse as popular culture, medicine, global capitalist markets, mass media, human rights, and religious ritual in urban, suburban, and rural communities in Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the U.S. The course also explores how anthropology contributes to practical concerns today, including social justice issues such as struggles for indigenous rights and debates about economic inequality. This introductory course is designed for students who are considering a major or minor in anthropology, as well as all students who wish to explore culture and cultures worldwide.

ECON 110
Principles of Economics
Common Area: Social Science

Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources among competing uses.  Microeconomics investigates how households and firms make individual decisions concerning the allocation of resources. Macroeconomics studies aggregate level economic outcomes such as growth, inflation, unemployment, interest rates, exchange rates, technological progress, and government budgets. This course introduces the central topics of both microeconomics and macroeconomics in one semester.

HIST 127
Modern Latin America
Common Area: Cross-cultural Studies or Historical Studies

Surveys the history of 19th- and 20th-century Latin America, focusing on six countries. Topics include the formation of nation-states, the role of the military, the challenges of development and modernization, the Catholic church and liberation theology, social and political movements for reform or revolution, slavery, race relations, the social history of workers and peasants, and inter-American relations. Fulfills one non-Western requirement for the major.

HIST 155
World War II in East Asia
Common Area: Historical Studies

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and Asia-Pacific War (1941-1945). Students will also gain a working familiarity with the history of early and late twentieth-century China and Japan as they study the political and cultural contexts of prewar and postwar East Asia and East Asia-U.S. relations through engagement with a wide variety of primary sources. By exploring a number of issues such as nationalism, popular memory, morality, identity, race, gender, and refugees, students will be exposed to a number of recent and classic debates in the historiography on modern China and Japan.


HIST 198
Modern Africa Since 1800
Common Area: Cross-Cultural Studies or Historical Studies

A survey of Africa’s complex colonial past, this course examines dominant ideas about colonial Africa and Africans’ experiences during colonialism. We explore the historical debates on pre-colonial Africa’s place in the global world; resistance and response to the imposition and entrenchment of colonialism; and the nature of colonial rule as revealed in economic underdevelopment, ethnicity and conflict, and the environment. The course concludes with an evaluation of the post-colonial outcome in Africa, particularly focusing on the challenges and promises facing present-day African nations as they grapple with neo-colonialism marked by dependency, political instability, ethnic conflicts, disease, over-population and indebtedness.

ITAL 199-F01
Narratives in Afro-Italian Lit
Common Area: Cross-Cultural

This course focuses on emerging writers whose increasingly ¿ourishing literary production has been reshaping Italy’s contemporary literature, but whose voices have been often excluded by the dominant literary discourse. These writers’ narratives o¿er an original, multifaceted, and complex portrait of contemporary Italy while providing insights into the ways in which they express their feelings of belonging and/or alienation.

POLS 102
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Common Area: Social Science

This course provides a comparative analysis of political processes and institutions in Western liberal democracies, Communist and post-Communist states, and democratic and non-democratic countries in non-Western states. The course will focus on alternative models of modernization and on the causes of, and prospects for, attempts to democratize in countries throughout the world.


POLS 103
Introduction to International Relations
Common Area: Social Science

This course introduces students to major theories and concepts in international politics and examines the evolution of the international system during the modern era. Principal topics include the causes of war and peace, the dynamics of imperialism and postcolonialism, the international sources of wealth and poverty, the nature and functioning of international organizations, the legal and ethical obligations of states, and the emergence of global environmental issues.


RELS 106
Buddhism
Common Area: Cross-Cultural Studies or Studies in Religion

An introduction to the Buddhist tradition, from its founder’s life and Indian origins, its spread to the Himalayas and East Asia, to its modern spread to the West. The course surveys basic doctrines and central practices, drawing on texts that have inspired Buddhists for millennia. This class will have a weekly plenary lecture on Monday evenings; students will also take part in a small discussion section.


RELS 107
Islam
Common Area: Cross-Cultural Studies or Studies in Religion

Examination of Islamic religious beliefs and practices from the origins of Islam to the present. Particular stress is placed on Islamic religious ideals, institutions and personalities. Central topics include: Islamic scripture and traditions, prophecy, law, rituals, theology and philosophy, sectarianism, mysticism, aesthetic ideals, art and architecture, pedagogy, and modern reinterpretations of the tradition. Also explores wider issues of religious identity by looking at the diversity of the Islamic tradition, tensions between elite and popular culture, and issues of gender and ethnicity.

RELS 108
Hinduism
Common Area: Cross Cultural or Studies in Religion

An examination of Hinduism and the Hindu tradition from the Vedas to the present day. Among the subject considered: the Upanishads; the Ramayana and Mahabharata; village Hinduism; Gandhi; and contemporary Hindu political thought. Evaluation will include both examinations and essays.


RELS 147
Judaism
Common Area: Studies in Religion

Introduction to the history, theology, and practices of the Jews which uses the evidence of Judaism to exemplify the interrelationship between a religious civilization and the historical and cultural framework within which it exists. How does what happens to the Jews affect their formulation of their religion, Judaism? By answering this question and by learning the details of Jewish belief and practice, students will come to comprehend both Judaism and the social construction of religion in general.

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