Interesting course offerings, Spring 2011

An ideal liberal arts education provides a broad-based academic curriculum with the purpose of cultivating individuals who think critically, communicate well and realize potential. Such an institution, like Middlebury, must offer a diversity of subjects in a limited number of classes, which both interest students and expose them to areas they might not find comfortable. Although Middlebury offers a great quantity of quality classes, the curriculum does not address many important subjects, despite, I believe, addressing subjects of lesser import. Furthermore, in my experience, the course offerings dictated my academic path, rather than my academic passion directing my learning experience — an unfortunate state of reversal. In this column, rather than opine, I have just copied five class descriptions from the spring 2011 course book that I find particularly odd choices for a liberal arts education. Ask yourself whether these promote the aforementioned tenets of a liberal arts education.

Clam Chowder and Modern Society HIST 0338:
In this course, we will examine the mollusk — in its edible, soupier manifestations (more specifically, as chowder) — in the context of social resistance both historically and contemporaneously. From factory workers to activist sex workers, we will look at the changing roles of New England and Manhattan clam chowder as they pertain to humanoids in global sites of work, family and political activism. As a class we will attempt to answer the following questions: What types of chowder advance universal gender standards? And, is that cumin I taste?  3 hrs. lect.

Heritage and Identity: Lost Commodities INTD 0303:
In this course, we will examine identity and where it resides in society, specifically as it concerns where I left my wallet this morning. First we will discuss the significance of the wallet in many contexts, ranging from the discriminatory policies of prevented building entry as a result of lost access cards, to the dystopian, government-imposed monetary repercussions for replacing driver’s licenses. We will venture to on-site locations such as Shaws, that Mobil, the Movie Theater in town and the recesses of my suede couch. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

Muppets and Transgender Identity WAGS 0231:
In this course, we will critically investigate television as it enabled the category “transgender” to emerge in contemporary society. We will specifically examine the role of prominent Muppet and cartoon characters as they influenced the perception of gender among children. We will ask hard-hitting questions about the intersections of sexuality and the theoretical constructs of communication and meaning-making and other smart things that other academics usually allude to in their course descriptions.  More specifically, we will attempt to answer the following questions: What gender does Elmo most associate with? Why is it a common assumption that the goofy, one-toothed dragon, Magellan, featured on Eureeka’s castle is “male?” For that matter, are mythical beasts even gendered? And, what’s going on with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew? 3 hrs. lect./disc.

Being Politically Correct HIST 0234:
In this course, we will study political correctness and its developing role in society. This is not to imply that you aren’t politically correct, though. We will examine the rhetoric of several politicians, and we won’t place our value judgments on them, but it’s not because yours aren’t correct. We will start by learning how to be humble and to thank people, that’s not to say that I am humble or that I know more about being humble than you, though. Thank you for your understanding. Then we will learn how to acknowledge the importance of the things other people might want you to consider, like how what you’re saying might not be in the interest of someone, somewhere, but also not that that person there isn’t more important than other people, elsewhere, or anything anywhere, wherever it is, or whoever it might be, whenever it occurred to whomever or wherever he she or whatever it is that was, if you think about it. I mean not that you haven’t already thought about it, though. I don’t mean it like that, or anything really. Thanks.  3 hrs. lect.

Easy A AMST 0171:
I take it that you discovered my class perusing the course book, and its description set your academic passions afire. (You heard about it from your friend who did — literally — no work in that class and got an A.)  Expect a heavy workload consisting of nightly readings and essays; class participation is paramount. (Blah blah blah, you only have to write some poetry or something, and discuss that movie you already saw.) My students are passionate about the issues, and revere my intellect. (You are a genius for taking this class.) 3 hrs. sem.