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Many people take the idea of “home” for granted. But what is the human experience of “home”? What does home look like for someone on the margins or in non-traditional housing**? This course will look at how “home” is experienced by someone in foster care, experiencing homelessness, deployed as a soldier, incarcerated, temporarily housed in refugee camps, assisted living, or even dormitories. What does it mean to make a home outside of modern, social expectations? We will also discuss common barriers such as housing affordability and insecurity, political and societal boundaries, and what makes a dwelling a “home”. Throughout human history, people have made homes out of different living situations and communities. Even within the history of the United States, the idea of “home” varies greatly. The idea of the nuclear family, (mom, dad, two½ kids,) which for many Americans is considered the standard, is a recent phenomenon developed over the last century. But if we take that arrangement as our baseline as a “normal dwelling situation,” what does home look like for someone without those arrangements? As we explore this topic, we should acknowledge that many students in this very class are experiencing temporary housing in dormitories with roommates. (Who come with their own set of norms.)

This course explores the multifaceted nature of leadership across various contexts, including gender, traits and skills, ethical standards, higher education, organizations, and global environments. It emphasizes emotional intelligence and leadership theories, enabling students to distinguish between leadership in interpersonal and organizational settings. Through lectures, assignments, presentations, and research papers, students will engage in critical discussions on the complexities of leadership. Key themes include: Identifying the leadership style that aligns with your personality and experience; Analyzing the leadership qualities and traits of influential mentors; Exploring how leadership is shaped by traits, higher education, and global perspectives. Throughout the semester, students will reflect on guiding questions, such as: Where is leadership most needed? Is natural leadership a real phenomenon? Can followers become effective leaders? By the end of the course, students will apply critical thinking skills to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of leadership and its application in various environments.

This course explores leadership styles through the lens of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Students will analyze the leadership strategies of key MCU characters and apply leadership theories to real-world and fictional scenarios. By engaging with films, readings, discussions, and case studies, students will develop a deeper understanding of how leadership functions in different contexts and how to apply these lessons to their own leadership journeys.

How do you live your best life in a world that is constantly changing? How do you find your role in a society without a common set of core values? This course looks at topics like anxiety, morality, and technology and ways to address them by giving first-year students at the university a new perspective on the world we live in. We will begin by exploring the function of the modern university and its mission, while considering the importance of free speech in an open society. Next, we will turn to Sigmund Freud to address a lingering dissatisfaction with civilization and viable solutions in dealing with the anxiety that is part of our modern existence. We will continue by learning Friedrich Nietzsche’s central concept of perspectivism, which recognizes that knowledge of any subject is limited and depends on your perspective. Nietzsche’s history of morality will give us context on how notions of good and bad are constructed to maintain power structures in place. Thereafter, we will look at how scientific revolutions can cause paradigm shifts in our thinking with potential to change the way we understand the world we live in. The last part of the course will examine how technology changes human communication & interaction and its potential for disrupting long established modes of engagement.

When Joyce Carol Oates asks, “If the City is a text, how shall we read it?” she presents a question that connects a dynamic and physical space to something more abstract. If a city is a text, as she proposes, how can we engage with it as “readers”? In this course, students will explore representations of the city of Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on its portrayal in films and literary texts. Throughout the semester we will read and view texts that prominently feature the urban space of Los Angeles. Through study, discussion, and research we will examine how the city functions within these imagined worlds and tackle some central questions and many others: how is Los Angeles different from other major American cities? What is the function of Los Angeles as an urban environment? What are some central themes that we can see developing across the texts we read/view? Does its representation differ at all between the mediums of film and literature? Texts may include films such as Sunset Blvd., Blade Runner, Tangerine, Drive, and novels such as Joan Didion's Play It As It Lays, Tochi Onyebuchi's Riot Baby, and others.

How does France remember the Second World War and how do filmmakers represent these memories in film? In this course, students will examine the debates and changing attitudes towards the war through the prism of film. Students will explore how certain films produced in the last eighty years overemphasized some events of the war while obscuring others and how these representations helped shape the image the French had of themselves. Particular attention will be given to the way in which these filmic memories shift and call into question earlier presuppositions. Films to be screened include works by Clément, Melville, Resnais, and Malle.

This interactive, interdisciplinary, and student-centered course examines the complex nature of language through popular culture and mass media. The aim is to define popular culture from a historical and socio-critical perspective and to identify how our culturally rich environment has influenced and continues to influence vernacular language and communication.  Upon completion of this course, students will gain an appreciation for the historical influences of popular culture and mass media on communication. Additionally, our student-centered approach will allow students to discover agency in knowledge through qualitative and quantitative research that critically analyses popular culture and mass media’s influence on communication.

This section of FFC focuses on a selection of contemporary queer films, emphasizing work by LGBTQIA+ BIPOC filmmakers and/or about LGBTQIA+ BIPOC characters in order to investigate larger questions the films raise about relations of power, colonial legacies, social justice, lived experiences, and representation. We'll ask how race, gender, sexuality, nationality, and class intersect and diverge in the creation and articulation of diverse queer identities and practices in these films and beyond. Students will demonstrate their critical thinking by engaging with the films and the issues they address through critical and creative projects.

This course explores and defines radical placemaking in Orange County, California, and its alternative regional histories. It introduces students to the harms of gentrification from a regional perspective, particularly highlighting the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The course addresses themes of oppression and struggle in the area, as well as grassroots movements and BIPOC art as forms of resistance within Orange County. It examines historical cycles of colonization, displacement, and “revitalization,” along with their impacts on minoritized communities in the surrounding areas. The course discusses the significance of radical placemaking within grassroots movements and BIPOC art and cultural spaces. This FCC course is designed to develop a knowledge base about alternative regional histories and encourage the creative production of counternarratives, digital archives, and/or social media platforms that recognize Orange County’s radical placemaking.

Why do gangster films captivate us? What happens when the criminal underworld is glamorized? Can we separate mafia myths from reality? In this course, we explore the rich world of mafia films, beginning with the Italian perspective and expanding globally to include the Americas, Asia, Russia, Africa, and more. We'll examine how filmmakers, both Italian and international, have depicted organized crime, contrasting these portrayals to uncover cultural nuances and historical and ethical truths. The course features a mix of film screenings, engaging discussions, and collaborative projects, offering a comprehensive look at the evolution of mafia narratives from the roots of Italian cinema to the broader stage of Hollywood and beyond.

This course provides a foundation in narrative analysis through fiction and non-fiction. Students will explore their own stories alongside hard-boiled crime fiction, film noir, and documentaries, examining The Hero’s Journey and visual storytelling. Projects will develop students’ understanding of both narrative and visual structure.

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that deals our very existence, spirituality, and how we discern truth. These are broad and beguiling topics, but ones that have found much persuasive voice within the cinema since its inception. In this class, we will explore diverse metaphysical ideas and themes by way of films both old and new. Whether recent blockbuster fare like “Dr. Strange,” indies like “I Saw the TV Glow,” or the work of vintage auteurs like Stanley Kubrick, Lynne Ramsay, and Wim Wenders; “The Beyond On Film” will analyze how complex metaphysical ideas are uniquely translated into the discourse of cinema.

This course explores some of the key concepts and questions involved in leading a compassionate life. Some of the issues addressed in this course include the following: What is kindness? What is compassion? What does it mean to be a compassionate person? What is the science of compassion and kindness? How does exploring profiles in compassion give rise to action? How does an examination of compassion lead us to become more compassionate in our daily lives? As students examine the ideas about how compassion is defined and developed, and analyze case studies of compassion and courage in the face of great need or atrocities, they learn to make the connections between awareness and action, and consider how they might exhibit compassion in their own lives.

The Surfing market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.7 Billion in the year 2022.
The sport of surfing is currently practiced by about 35 million people worldwide. The United States surf industry boasts sales of over $8 billion a year, the global industry $22 billion, and surfing has again become a touchstone of popular culture. This course will explore how surfing developed over the course of the 20th century, from a benign pastime pursued on a handful of Polynesian islands to a global commercial and cultural force. Students will examine the history of surfing informed by current historical scholarship and by perspectives from history, economics, physics, marketing, and leadership. Additional topics will cover geography, surf tourism, gender, race, disabilities, surf films, surf music, surf art, social responsibility, and sustainability. The focus of the course is your ability to apply an analytical, critical approach to our topics in increasingly complex ways.

This course traces the journey from the discovery of the neuron to the latest developments in machine learning, combining historical context with modern theory. Students will explore the evolution of neural networks, their mathematical foundations, and real-world applications. Starting with the neuron’s discovery and early models like McCulloch-Pitts and the contributions of Hopfield and Amit, the course covers the perceptron’s development, controversy, and missed opportunities.

In this FFC we will explore the playful (“ludic”) elements of culture, philosophy, religion, and social life—among others. We examine the cultural histories, artifacts, and materiality of playthings in antiquity, classical board games, children’s folk games, toys as well as play afforded by digital gaming communities. Together we consider such questions as, what is the nature of Play? How can we critically engage the world through Play? What are the cognitive and social benefits of Play? How does Play augment human development, creativity, and learning?

Human societies are complex, encompassing a plurality of ideas and ideals, of cultures and languages, of beliefs and points of view. This course explores moral commitments in a cosmopolitanism world, looking first at the evolutionary origins of morality and then to how this legacy informs current moral debates in society. The course then turns to the question of sacrifice and martyrdom and asks how our modern understanding of morality makes sense of people’s willingness to suffer terrible consequences to stand up for what they believe is right.

“The Shero’s Journey: Documentaries By & About Women,” is an intersectional feminist film class that will include weekly screenings of documentaries by and about women. The films screened will include rare, early examples of films by and about female trailblazers as well as increasingly diverse, recent examples that highlight overlapping, concurrent forms of oppression. Screenings will be supplemented by reading assignments that explore the treatment of women in society at large. Conventionally overlooked in history books, the stories of compelling and inspiring women are beginning to be told with increasing frequency. Actress and feminist film activist Geena Davis has said, “If she can see it, she can be it.” Documentary film has been used as a form of activism and this class will also include examples that cover social issues particularly relevant to women.  

How do writers do it? How did Toni Morrison or Ernest Hemingway find the words and deliver on deadline? Students will read a sampling of great authors and examine how these authors acquired their craft, what artistic principles drove their work, and what daily disciplines guided their progress. We will consider the wellspring of creativity in these writers' lives and investigate the practical procedures that shaped their imagination into published work. Students will analyze texts and engage individually and collectively in journals and writing assignments, modeled after exercises recommended by the same authors we study.

This course uses the Netflix series Mo as a lens to explore Middle Eastern culture, Palestinian struggles, immigration and asylum issues, and the question of antisemitism. Mo follows the life of Mo Najjar, a Palestinian refugee navigating life between two cultures and three languages, while dealing with the complexities of seeking asylum in the United States. Through a combination of media analysis, readings, and discussions, students will gain a deeper understanding of these complex topics.

“Who are you and what will you fight for?” Noble Peace Laureate Nadia Murad asks us to examine our humanity and then act to make the world more humane. Too often, some humans choose violence and commit atrocities and other forms of injustice, and in response, most people remain passive and complicit bystanders. But we also have the potential for courage and resilience if at crucible moments we carefully consider our beliefs and how they are linked to our readiness and willingness to act. In this FFC, we read accounts, view documentaries, and talk face-to-face with the people who have been survivors and rescuers and made courageous choices in response to atrocities. As students study the lessons of “difficult” histories, reflect on their identity, and consider postmodern perspectives and critical alternatives to the dominant narratives that perpetuate violence and inaction, they learn to make the essential connections between historical decisions and the moral choices they confront in their own lives.

This course invites students to explore the timeless theme of the quest through the lens of their own academic and personal journeys as new college students. Grounded in quest and travel narratives from literature, film, and popular culture, students will examine how frameworks like the hero’s journey, existential quests, and contemporary reimagining of myths shape our understanding of adventure, growth, and transformation. Field trips around campus will help students discover university resources, connecting their creative work to the physical, artistic, and intellectual landscape of their new environment. Through personal reflection, creative expression, and critical analysis, students will craft narratives that capture the significance of their quests as they navigate the challenges and discoveries of college life.

Explore the intricate relationship between literature and the natural world through the lens of Italian literary traditions. This course delves into how Italian authors have depicted nature, from the lush landscapes of classical poetry to the environmental concerns of contemporary prose. Students will examine key texts that highlight ecological themes, analyze the cultural and historical contexts of these works, and discuss the evolving concept of nature in Italian literature. We will focus not only on authors who have lived and written within the past century and a half, but also on the way in which Medieval and Renaissance poets (Dante, Petrarch, Ariosto, and Tasso among others) have dealt with the environment. Additionally, we will explore how environmental thought and writing in America have long profited from their dialogue with Italy’s literature of the earth. All readings will be in English, and no prior knowledge of Italian is needed. Through readings, discussions, and projects, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how literature can reflect and influence our perceptions of the environment.

Ukraine has experienced repeated waves of war, revolution, and disaster over the past century. And yet Ukraine has survived, its ethnic and national identity reshaped by each ordeal. The proposed course, War and Revolution in Modern Ukraine, examines the relationship between these series of conflicts and disasters and their impact on the natural, social, and political environments of the nation. The course highlights the themes addressed by the fall interdisciplinary series Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on the Environment and Building Resilient Futures. The catastrophic events inflicted on Ukraine have deeply impacted the natural, social, and political environments of the region. Many of these impacts have resounded for decades.

“Who are you and what will you fight for?” Noble Peace Laureate Nadia Murad asks us to examine our humanity and then act to make the world more humane. Too often, some humans choose violence against others or the environment and commit atrocities and other forms of injustice. In response, most people remain passive and complicit bystanders. But we also have the potential for courage and resilience if at crucible moments we carefully consider our beliefs and how they are linked to our readiness and willingness to act. In this FFC, we read accounts, view documentaries, and talk face-to-face with the people who have been survivors and rescuers and made courageous choices in response to atrocities and other forms of violence.  As students study the lessons of “difficult” histories, reflect on their identity, and consider postmodern perspectives and critical alternatives to the dominant narratives that perpetuate violence and inaction, they learn to make the essential connections between historical decisions and the moral choices they confront in their own lives.