0811. Asian Behavior & Thought: Four Asian Models Shaping Your Action (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1027.)

We incessantly engage ourselves in doing things. We are beings-at-doing. We define ourselves by the kind of actions we perform. How we act or conduct ourselves is shaped by the kind of self we construct for ourselves. And that self is shaped by the society into which we happen to be born. Self-identity, which is socially and culturally constructed by our experiences and interactions with others, carries a personal as well as an interpersonal meaning. Learn the four Asian paradigmatic cases of self-identity and examine your self in light of them.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the following departments: Chinese, Critical Languages Center, Japanese, Philosophy, Religion.

0812. Criminal Behavior (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1023.)

Although we like to think differently, committing crime is an extremely common human behavior. From the extremes of armed robbery or serial murder to the ordinary failure to declare income on tax returns or the tendency to speed on the highway, nearly everyone has broken the law and committed a crime at some point. Considering physiological, psychological and pharmacological factors, we explore the influences of family, peers and the effects of alcohol and drugs on the incidence of criminal behavior. And we examine how the urban and social environment encourages (or inhibits) opportunities to commit crime.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the Criminal Justice department.

0813. Disability Identity (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1025.)

Odds are that each of us will encounter disability at some point in our lives, either directly or indirectly through family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. What is it like to live with a disability, and how does disability intersect with other aspects of personal identity, like gender, race and culture? Is disability socially and culturally defined? Join us as we examine historical perspectives of disability marked by fear and discrimination and fueled by media portrayals. We will then explore most recent indicators of personal, social, and environmental change that support disability identity and result in a more accommodating environment for us all.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the following departments: Geography & Urban Studies, Therapeutic Recreation.

0814. Human Ecology (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1024.)

Human hunters may have contributed to animal extinctions as early as 10,000 years ago; civilizations in the ancient Near East developed complex irrigation networks that led to some of the area’s permanent deserts. Since pre-history, humans had an impact on the environment, but changes in technology have magnified the scale of human influence. Today, attempts at sustainable land use are often at odds with struggles for indigenous population rights, with population migration and increases in population size, or with desires to preserve areas for national parks or tourism, let alone attempts to exploit natural resources. Study the ecological principles underlying the relationship of humans with the environment and the explosion of conflicts surrounding modern environmental use.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the following departments: Anthropology, Geography & Urban Studies.

0815. Language in Society (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1022.)

How did language come about? How many languages are there in the world? How do people co-exist in countries where there are two or more languages? How do babies develop language? Should all immigrants take a language test when applying for citizenship? Should English become an official language of the United States? In this course we will address these and many other questions, taking linguistic facts as a point of departure and considering their implications for our society. Through discussions and hands-on projects, students will learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret language data and how to make informed decisions about language and education policies as voters and community members.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the following departments: Anthropology, Education, English, Italian, Russian, Spanish.

0816. Workings of the Mind: The Devil Made Me Do It (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1026.)

A Caucasian is heckled during his night-club act and goes into a rant against African-Americans. A celebrity is pulled over for DUI and goes into a rant against Jews. Both then claim that those behaviors are “not the real me.” They claim that they are not racist or bigoted. If they do indeed believe their denials, then we are left with a question: Why did they behave as they did? Perhaps we are not always in conscious control over what we do. Drawing on disciplines within psychology, including neuroscience and cognitive science, as well as clinical, developmental, evolutionary, and cultural psychology, we explore the possibility that we can process information and behave in response to information in ways that are out of our conscious control.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the Psychology department.

0817. Youth Cultures (3 s.h.) Core: IN.

(Formerly: GE-HUMB 1021.)

What does a young, inner city, hip hop artist have in common with a D&D dungeonmaster? They share a life stage; both belong to a phenomenon called youth culture. Often rooted in gender, race, class, sexual preference and ethnicity, youth cultures enable young people to try on identities as they find their way to a clearer sense of self. Empowered by new technology tools--cell phones, ipods, instant messaging--and with the luxury of infinite virtual space, students will analyze the process of identity formation, heighten their ability to communicate effectively with peers and other audiences, and come to appreciate the forces and contexts that drive youth cultures around the globe.

Note: This General Education `Human Behavior` pilot course fulfills the Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. This course is offered by the following departments: Anthropology, Education.
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