Social Sciences (SSC)

An introduction to the major religious traditions ofthe Indian subcontinent: Hinduism and Buddhism, and more briefly Sikhism and Jainism.

What are the new forms of ethical, social and political interaction that the Internet enables? What new ways of knowing and practices of scientific research emerge in an Internet-focused context? What old forms does it render obsolete, problematic, or perhaps even impossible? This course focuses primarily on engaging some of the most pressing social, ethical and political problems posed by the Internet. The course will also cover some of the epistemological, metaphysical, and ontological difficulties and challenges raised by the Internet.

Critical Theory serves as a 300-level introduction to subfields in philosophy. Other courses of this type include environmental philosophy, philosophy of the arts, philosophy of film. Critical Theory is a subfield that engages the philosophical and methodological problems posed by the idea of immanent critique. If a theory of society is implicated in its object of study – society itself – how is it possible to comprehend the structures of social injustice and to unearth resources for their overcoming?

English and non-English language diversity in the U.S., including regional varieties, African American English, Latino English. Explores language and social structure, policy, and educational issues.

Systematic survey of language structure and representation presented through the lens of language acquisition. Sound, words, phrases, discourse, and pragmatics in typically and atypically developing children

Survey of major political, economic, and cultural themes in international studies through in-class debates on key contemporary issues. Introduces students to the tools needed for later courses in international studies.

This course surveys the changes that swept Europe between 1000 and 1225, including the rise of towns and universities, new spiritual and artistic visions, and varieties of religious and social reform.

The readings emphasize primary sources in translation, some on the web, as well as scholarly articles and book chapters. The reading of primary sources is a crucial part of learning to understand the Middle Ages.  Students must keep up with the reading, and learn to engage with it. 

This course surveys the social, cultural, intellectual, and religious history of Europe from the late Roman Empire to the ninth century.  Its central theme is the emergence of a uniquely medieval Christian culture in the post-Roman Germanic kingdoms of northern Europe.

Development of Oregon’s natural and cultural landscapes, its natural and human resources, and its economic development and environmental problems.

As we face the current economic crisis, understanding the impact of economic instability on the lives and well-being of women is critical. According to the National Women’s Law Center, women’s unemployment rate rises twice as quickly as men’s. Given the further disparities across racial and class groups, existing statistics of job loss, poverty, and homelessness must be understood within a racial, gendered, and class context that shape existing levels of economic insecurity and privilege.