»First-Year Foundations: Engaging the World (100D)

Wilkinson College is committed to leading the conversation in our community on issues of humanity, unity and justice. As such, the college has undertaken semester-long examinations of key societal issues. These interdisciplinary, campus-wide conversations promote thoughtful dialogue; mindful reflection; social tolerance; awareness and respect; peace and kindness.

The Border: Myths, Realities, and Complexities
Professor Lisa Leitz
FFC 100D-04 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm)
Borders divide nations but also connect cultures, economies, and communities. This course examines the history and politics of the U.S.–Mexico border through interdisciplinary perspectives from sociology, anthropology, and political science. Students analyze historical events such as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and modern debates surrounding immigration policy and border security. By comparing political narratives with empirical research, the course encourages students to critically evaluate how borders shape identity, migration, and global relationships.

Dancing Towards Social Justice 
Professor Kristopher Pourzal
FFC 100D-06 (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 10 am - 10:50 am)
What do krump dancers in Black Lives Matter protests have in common with Alvin Ailey, the most famous American choreographer of the 20th century? For both, the moving body serves as a vehicle for social justice. In this First Year Foundations Course, we will study how communities use dance to resist oppression and generate freedom. Focusing on diasporic and marginalized groups in the U.S., this broad survey of American dance histories moves beyond what dance means to consider what dance does in the world. (Note: This is primarily a lecture-discussion course and does not require prior dance experience.)

Ecofeminism: Past, Power, Future
Professor CK Magliola
FFC 100D-05 (Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm)
Ecofeminism argues that systems of oppression are interconnected, linking environmental degradation with forms of social inequality such as sexism, racism, colonialism, and classism. This course introduces students to ecofeminist theory while exploring literature, film, and activist movements that address ecological crisis and social justice. Students examine influential figures such as Rachel Carson, Berta Cáceres, Vandana Shiva, and Greta Thunberg, alongside contemporary movements like the Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion. Through both scholarly texts and climate-focused fiction (“cli-fi”), the course investigates how narratives of environmental catastrophe and renewal shape our understanding of the relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Exploring the Escalette Permanent Art Collection: An Experiential Journey
Professor Fiona Lindsay Shen
FFC 100D-03 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm)
This experiential course introduces students to the Escalette Permanent Art Collection at Wilkinson College. Through direct engagement with artworks, students explore how museums and collections shape cultural narratives and represent social issues. The course culminates in a collaborative project where students curate a public exhibition using pieces from the collection, developing practical skills in museum studies, curatorial practice, and cultural analysis.

Machiavelli’s Global Afterlives: Leadership, Ethics, and the Modern State
Professor Corrado Confalonieri
FFC 100D-01 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 am - 9:45 am)
How many authors become an adjective? “Machiavellian” suggests cunning and manipulation - but does it truly reflect Niccolò Machiavelli’s ideas? This course explores the life and works of one of history’s most influential and controversial thinkers, beginning with The Prince, a text that redefined politics in Renaissance Florence. We will situate Machiavelli’s writings within the vibrant and turbulent world of the Italian city-states, examining how his reflections on power, ethics, and civic responsibility emerged from crisis and change. From there, we trace the extraordinary global journey of his ideas - how they were debated, adapted, and mythologized across cultures - and consider why they remain central to conversations about leadership today. What makes a good ruler? How do morality and necessity collide in moments of decision? Why does Machiavelli still shape political discourse and popular culture? Through close reading, discussion, and collaborative projects, students will develop critical thinking and communication skills while engaging with questions that continue to define modern politics.

Motion and Emotion in the Urban Environment
Professor Kyle Harp Rushing
FFC 100D-09 (Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm)
This course examines the roles that motion and emotion play in shaping how people experience urban environments. Cities are complex spaces that have been criticized for producing isolation while also celebrated as places where human needs and desires can be fulfilled through movement, interaction, and exchange. The course begins by exploring early modern perspectives that praised or criticized urban life. It then examines science fiction portrayals of cities as utopias or dystopias. The final section focuses on American cities as sites of political action, including responses to immigration enforcement and social movements that generate solidarity and care amid repression and conflict.

No Planet B: Social Movements for the Environment
Professor Skye Niles
FFC 100D-08 (Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm)
This course investigates how social movements have organized to address environmental challenges and climate change. Students explore a wide range of movements, including Indigenous resistance to colonization, conservation efforts to protect wildlife, anti-toxic campaigns focused on public health, environmental justice movements addressing unequal pollution burdens, and youth-led climate activism. By analyzing the strategies, ethics, and outcomes of these movements, students critically evaluate how grassroots organizing influences environmental policy and social change.

Shifting LGBTQ+ Narratives: Precarity, Activism, and Pop-Culture Representation
Professor Joshua Liashenko
FFC 100D-07 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm)
Over the past fifty years, LGBTQ+ communities have experienced significant social and political change. This course examines how queer and trans identities are represented in media, literature, and activism. Students explore topics such as the HIV/AIDS crisis, debates about marriage equality, and contemporary discussions surrounding gender identity. By analyzing cultural narratives and social movements, the course investigates how LGBTQ+ experiences are shaped by both progress and ongoing structural challenges.

Trails of Tears: The Contest over Indigenous Lands
Professor Ronald Steiner
FFC 100D-02 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm)
This course examines the history of Indigenous displacement and the struggle over land in the United States and other countries. Students analyze policies of forced migration, land seizure, and reservation formation while studying Indigenous resistance and resilience. By comparing cases from the United States, Australia, and South Africa, the course explores global patterns of colonialism and the ongoing political and cultural consequences of Indigenous dispossession.