Fall 2022 HNRS Courses

Extreme weather events prompt profound change upon the coastal regions. Hurricanes, nor'easters, tornadoes, lightening, and floods can all preferentially occur in coastal environments, but why do these events happen? Why are they so common in coastal regions? This course will explore the science behind extreme coastal weather. 

Almost all of the approximately 30 major deltas of the world are at risk of sea level rise due to coastal subsidence (sinking land) and rising eustatic sea level (rise of the sea itself). This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the value and complexity of deltas, with... Read More...

Make your own fresco!  Paint with egg yolk like medieval artists!  Create your own oil paints. Learn why Jackson Pollock used Duco paint! Learn how oil paint is different than acrylic paint.

Our goal is to learn how visual art through the ages has been influenced by the development of... Read More...

This course will attempt to answer the question Bob Dole asked in his eulogy: why was Richard Nixon the most enduring political figure of the twentieth century? Exploring Nixon’s life and career, including the infamous Watergate scandal, we will investigate Nixon’s role as a foreign policy architect and a domestic... Read More...

C.S. Lewis is one of the most widely read authors of the 20th century. Millions have read his children’s novels The Chronicles of Narnia, and his popular theological books, yet much of Lewis’ thought remains unappreciated. Why did C.S. Lewis say a theocracy was the worst form of government? Why did he... Read More...

This course will address questions such as:

• Is spending in college sports out of hand?
• Should the authority of the NCAA be reigned in?
• Should student-athletes be paid?
• What are some of the issues facing women athletes, athletes of color, and the LGBTQ+ community? 

This course is designed as an interdisciplinary exploration of Brazil. Brazil’s turbulent political history and contemporary struggles with violence, economic disparity, and inclusion have become cultural currency producing some of the most globally recognizable cultural production—particularly cinema and music. Students will survey different types of scholarship on Brazil--journalism, social sciences,... Read More...

COVID-19 has reminded us of the questions we wrestle with in the care of our health. Does care belong to us, is it bequeathed to us or something we borrow for a bit, only to be taken away? This isn’t anything new or novel, African Americans and other marginalized communities... Read More...

Under what political conditions did feminism emerge in Muslim societies? What are the issues involved in feminist debates on Islam today? Are there ways in which we can accommodate practice of religion and cultural diversity with equal opportunity and freedom for both men and women? This course will allow students... Read More...

This course will begin with a discussion of bioethics and its past abuse, rapidly move on to the foundational principles in medical ethical decision making, and spend the rest of the semester discussing controversial topics ranging from assisted suicide and brain death to human enhancement and manipulation of our genetic... Read More...

This course is designed to deepen understanding of the complexity of the intersections of rhetoric, religion, and race. We will explore the religious foundations of racial categories in America and the role of these ideas in sustaining hierarchies of being. Ultimately this class will invite critical thought regarding how race... Read More...

Political representation in the United States is at its highest level ever with the most diverse Congress currently serving. Issues of gender identity, racial identity, sexual orientation, social class, and the intersection of these identities, are increasingly relevant and visible political issues.

We will examine intersectionality broadly looking at the... Read More...

In our course, we’ll look across the history of religious cultures, ancient as well as modern, by way of the following idea:

“This world is not all there is! There are many worlds, each populated by different kinds of intelligence, and which we can access and explore under certain conditions!”... Read More...

“Who should I vote for? Who stands for what? What do the TV spots mean? How will they govern?”

If you’ve asked any of these questions, this course is for you. “See How They Run” will explore the 2022 mid-term elections on different levels and from various perspectives. Through readings... Read More...

Explore methods, theory, ethics, and practice of doing oral history with Louisiana Veterans. Examine cultural, institutional, and relational dimensions of military and veteran history and culture through the study of war literature, history, and individual experiences. Create primary documents to be archived jointly at the T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History... Read More...

This class will give students an opportunity to explore in-depth the interrelationship between art and the Western colonial conquests in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia between 1750 and 1950 from a variety of perspectives (art history, history, political economy, social studies, etc.). We will investigate... Read More...

This seminar examines the Pop Art movement of the late 1950s to early 1970s from an international perspective. British artist Richard Hamilton penned the first definition of Pop art in 1957, describing it as “popular, transient, expendable, low-cost, mass-produced, young, witty, sexy, gimmicky, glamorous, and Big Business.” His words foretell... Read More...

Designed as an exploratory survey on the visual arts of Vietnam, this course will cover all major historical periods. Emphasis will be placed on 1) the interactions between Vietnam and the various colonial presences in the region: Chinese, French, and the United States; 2) the historical interactions between the Vietnamese... Read More...

This course is an introduction to contemporary global cinema covering the films of internationally recognized filmmakers from a diverse range of countries. We will examine the aesthetic, cultural, and political aspects of the films; their cinematic techniques and major genres; their distinctive national cinemas; and the composition of their film audiences.... Read More...

Tap into the power of spontaneous creativity with a philosophy you can use in every aspect of your life. Discover why doctors, lawyers, and the most successful companies in the world are doing improv training. Learn where improv came from and where it is going. Explore a type of teamwork that reinforces individuality... Read More...

Tap into the power of spontaneous creativity with a philosophy you can use in every aspect of your life. Discover why doctors, lawyers, and the most successful companies in the world are doing improv training. Learn where improv came from and where it is going. Explore a type of teamwork that reinforces individuality... Read More...

In Songwriting, students will learn methods to craft their own songs (lyrics, melody, and chords). The course presents songs from the past and present for analysis. Students engage in weekly “roundtable” discussions workshopping their songs. There are no required pre-requisites for the course.

A typical class will start with group... Read More...

This course will examine German historical and cultural roots in the state of Louisiana from the 18^th Century to present day. We will concentrate on the early arrival of German settlers, the historically German geographic areas of Louisiana, the influence of German customs on Louisiana culture, and the shared traditions... Read More...

This course examines several works of Charles Dickens (such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Little Dorrit, and Great Expectations) along with a range of important film, television, and dramatic adaptations from 1837 to 2018. Dickens wrote while acting his characters in front of a mirror, laughing out loud along... Read More...

As Rembrandt captures so wonderfully in his famous depiction of Aristotle and Homer, there has always been a fascinating dialogue between poet and philosopher, especially on the subject of politics.  They speak different languages, the poet in mythos; the philosopher in logos.  Our goal in this course is to understand... Read More...

Anyone who knows the Bible will find parts of the Quran strangely familiar, since the two holy books share many of the same subjects, themes, and stories. In this course, we will compare and contrast the Quranic and Biblical treatment of a wide variety of topics..

Why do governments violate human rights? What impacts do repressive acts (such as torture, disappearances, surveillance, and genocide) have on society? And what can be done to improve human rights across the globe? In this course, we will explore issues related to the development of international human rights standards. We... Read More...

Reacting to the Past is an innovative way to study history. The dynamics of history come alive through elaborate simulations in which students play the roles of historical characters. In Fall 2022 the course focuses on two key moments in modern history:

Rousseau, Burke, and Revolution in France, 1791 plunges... Read More...

**Required for third-year Psychology majors pursuing Upper Division Honors or College Honors**

Interested in going to graduate school in psychology? Want to get one-on-one mentoring in a psychology research project? This is the class for you!

This is the first class in a four-semester sequence designed to enable you to write an... Read More...