AS.450.650 Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
This course focuses on three major areas: the reasons for the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazi party; the mechanics of the operation of a totalitarian regime as well as various aspects of life in Nazi Germany; and the Holocaust including the fates of Europe’s Jewish populations and other groups such as homosexuals targeted by the Nazi regime. These topics will necessitate the study of various sources – histories of this era, documents, memoirs, personal accounts, literature and films. The course looks at perpetrators, bystanders and victims in an attempt to grapple with one of the most written about and mystifying periods of the 20th century. The period still resonates today both in terms of its horror and its revelations about genocide, a new word coined in the late stages of WWII in an attempt to describe such unfathomable acts. By necessity, the study of these topics includes a consideration of political, social, economic and cultural history as well as ethics and the role of memory in shaping and commemorating events and traumas on this scale.
AS.130-134 (Near Eastern Studies)
http://e-catalogue.jhu.g.sjuku.top/course-descriptions/near_eastern_studies/
AS.130.101. Ancient Middle Eastern Civilizations. 3 Credits. Review of important issues in ancient Near Eastern history and culture from the Neolithic era to the Persian period. Included will be an examination of the Neolithic agricultural revolution, the emergence of cities, states and writing, and formation of empires. Cultures such as Sumer and Akkad, Egypt, the Hittites, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians will be discussed. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4), Democracy (FA4.1) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.119. Medicine in Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits. A survey of medicine and medical practice in Egypt and, to a lesser extent, the ancient Near East in general. The abundant sources range from magical spells to surprisingly "scientific" treatises and handbooks. Readings are selected from translations of primary sources in the writings of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Israel. Topics will include the sources of our knowledge; the nature of medical practitioners, medical treatment, and surgery; beliefs about disease and the etiology of illness; concepts of contagion and ritual purity. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.126. Gods and Monsters in Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits. A basic introduction to Egyptian Religion, with a special focus on the nature of the gods and how humans interact with them. We will devote particular time to the Book of the Dead and to the "magical" aspects of religion designed for protective purposes. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.136. History of Hasidism. 3 Credits. Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.152. After Babylon: Mesopotamia from Athens to Anime. 3 Credits. This course is an exploration of how ancient Mesopotamian art, literature, history, and culture have been transmitted from the fall of Babylon in 539 BCE to the present day and the ways in which they have been adapted and transformed along the way. While all aspects of ancient Mesopotamia will be under discussion, the course will principally focus on the narratives of Gilgamesh, Semiramis/Shammuramat, and Sardanapalus/Assurbanipal. After briefly introducing ancient Mesopotamia, we will see how the region and its history are portrayed in biblical, Classical, Quranic, and medieval sources. From there we will discuss the “rediscovery” of Mesopotamia and the decipherment of cuneiform. The latter half of the course will then be devoted to Mesopotamia in 20th and 21st century popular culture. Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.153. A (Virtual) Visit to the Louvre Museum: Introduction to the Material Culture of Ancient Egypt. 3 Credits. This course will present the Egyptological collections of the musée du Louvre in Paris, room by room, as in a real visit. From the Predynastic period, in the 4th millennium BC, to Roman time, the iconic “masterpieces” of this world-renowned art museum, as well as its little-known artifacts, will allow us to explore the history and material culture of ancient Egypt. We will also learn to observe, describe and analyze archaeological objects, in a global manner and without establishing a hierarchy between them, while questioning their place in the museum and its particular language. The objective will be to go beyond the objects themselves and answer, in fine, the following questions: What do these objects tell us about the men and women who produced them, exchanged them, used them, and lived among them in antiquity? What do they also reveal about those who discovered them in Egypt, several millennia later, about those who collected them and sometimes traded them, and what does this say about the relations between Egypt and the Western countries over time? Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.154. Giving Birth and Coming to Life in Ancient Egypt: The Tree and the Fruit. 3 Credits. Childbirth is an event that is highly cultural, and is accompanied by gestures and beliefs that say a lot about the society in which they can be observed. This class will be based on Ancient Egyptian texts (translated), images and objects related to beliefs and practices surrounding pregnancy, birth-giving and the first moments of human life. We will discover the Egyptian views on procreation, the objects, the spells and the formulas used to protect pregnancy and childbirth – one of the most dangerous moments in a woman’s life –, the divine entities invoked, the reactions caused by non-ordinary births (for example, twins), and the purification rites that punctuate the post-partum period. Finally, we will see that the first biological birth is a model on which many beliefs about life after death are based. Several guest researchers will present birth and childbirth in other ancient societies in order to broaden the discussion and establish comparisons. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.155. Sacred Signs: The History and Mystery of Egyptian Hieroglyphs. 3 Credits. Everybody has heard of the hieroglyphs, but few know much about them. In this class we will begin by learning how the hieroglyphic writing system works. We will then think about the role that hieroglyphs and writing itself plays in Ancient Egypt. Knowledge of the hieroglyphs died out about 450 CE, but Renaissance and Early Modern scholars were still intensely interested in them. Why? Progress in true decipherment began about 1800 CE, the time of Napoleon. We will devote time to the fascinating story of the brilliant scholars (e.g., Champollion) who competed for the honor of decipherment and the different theories which they offered. No prior knowledge of Ancient Egypt or the Ancient Egyptian Language required. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.156. It's Pharaonic Egypt, hon! Intro to Anc Egyptian Culture, Society & Art at the Walters Art Museum. 3 Credits. The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore is home to one of the finest collections of Egyptian art in the United States. This course will provide an introduction to the culture and society of pharaonic Egypt and ancient Egyptian art based upon this collection. Most of the sessions will take place in the museum’s galleries, in front of the objects.The course will be divided into thematic sessions: Living in Ancient Egypt; Believing and Worshipping; Writing and Creating Art; Dying in Ancient Egypt. One session will also be devoted to the history of the Walters Art Museum and its Egyptian department, with a “behind-the-scenes experience” provided by the museum's curators.The goal of this course is not only to provide a general introduction to ancient Egypt to the students, but also to educate them in the observation, description, and analysis of ancient art and daily life objects. In this way, students will be able to place them in a broader context and understand how objects and artworks contribute to our knowledge and understanding of societies of the past. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3) AS.130.177. World Prehistory: An Anthropological Perspective. 3 Credits. How and why did our nomadic hunting and gathering ancestors become farmers? What led agricultural societies to build cities, develop writing, religious institutions, wage war, and trade for exotic goods? This course surveys prehistory and ancient history from the origins of human culture to the emergence civilization. Although prehistory and ancient history yield evidence of tremendous cultural diversity this course emphasizes common elements of past human experience, culture, and culture change. These include the origins of modern humans and their adjustment to a variety of post-ice age environments, shifts from hunting and gathering to agricultural lifeways, and the initial development of the world’s earliest cities and civilizations. Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) Writing Intensive AS.130.202. Ancient Mythology. 3 Credits. This course explores the mythology of the ancient Near East from the invention of writing in Sumer in 3000 B.C. until the conquest of Alexander the Great near the end of the first millennium B.C. Mythological texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, the Levant, and the Bible will be read from a comparative perspective. Special attention is paid to the origin and development of the epic, culminating in the great Epic of Gilgamesh, but considerable time is also given to the vast mythological and historical literature, and such diverse genres as love poetry, proverbs, humorous dialogues, Omens, and legal and medical texts. All readings are in English translation. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.214. The Origins of Civilization: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. 3 Credits. One of the most significant transformations in human history was the “urban revolution” in which cities, writing, and social classes formed for the first time. In this course, we compare five areas where this development occurred: China, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, Egypt, and Mesoamerica (Mexico/Guatemala/Honduras/Belize). In each region, we review the physical setting, the archaeological and textual evidence, and the theories advanced to explain the rise (and eventual collapse) of these complex societies. Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4), Democracy (FA4.1), Ethics and Foundations (FA5) EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.216. History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, From the Middle-Ages to 1600. 3 Credits. A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval and Early Modern eras. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.223. Ancient Revolutions: The Archaeology of Culture Change. 3 Credits. The last 250,000 years have seen many moments that could be referred to as “revolutions” in art, technology, or other aspects of human society. The “Human Revolution” of the Upper Paleolithic saw the birth of artistic ability and symbolic thinking in hominids. We call the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture the “Neolithic Revolution,” while the “Urban Revolution” gave us complex societies and urban life. Times of dynamic change gave rise to important aspects of our shared behavioral and societal identity. They have become the subject not only of much archaeological investigation, but also of popular discourse about the human past. This class will explore famous cultural “revolutions” by looking at the causes and consequences of these important changes. We will evaluate the archaeological evidence, and through it interrogate the term “revolution” itself. What do we mean when we speak of “revolutions?” Are there other ways to think of past social and technological change, and when, if ever, do we truly see “revolutions” in the human condition in the ancient past? Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.245. The Archaeology of Gender in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean. 3 Credits. How do art historians and archaeologists recover and study genders and sexualities of ancient people? This writing-intensive seminar looks at texts and objects from ancient Egypt, Assyria, and Greece through the lens of gender and sexuality studies. Beyond exploring concepts of gender in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean, students will also consider how modern scholars have approached, recovered, and written about ancient gender identities. There are no prerequisites for this course. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1) Writing Intensive AS.130.246. Writing History in the Ancient Mediterranean World. 3 Credits. Just what does it mean to "write history"? In this course, we will read a selection of historical texts from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, in order to examine how these cultures conceived of, and narrated, their own pasts. A major focus will be how these texts were created in order to understand or control the present. We will also examine how these texts have come down to us, and in what ways this might affect how we use them in constructing our own historical narratives. No prior knowledge of the ancient world necessary; all texts read in English translation. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1) Writing Intensive AS.130.247. Digging for Legitimacy Archaeology, Museums, and Ideology. 3 Credits. Archaeology was born out of Western Colonial endeavors into Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. Large scale excavations conducted by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States resulted in the removal and transfer of valuable (culturally and monetarily) material culture from local stewards and stakeholders to the West. To this day the discipline of archaeology is still saddled by its colonial past and the Hollywood interpretation of archaeologists as saviors of ancient treasures. Today, most interaction between people and ancient objects is facilitated via the museum. In this course we will explore 19th- 21st century archaeological and museum practices and the role they play in modern narratives of identity and representation in the America and the Middle East. Students will engage with the historical, legal, economic, and ethical implications of archaeology and analyze how political, religious, cultural, and academic institutions have leveraged archaeology and cultural artifacts to reify and legitimize their pursuits and ideologies. Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.271. Scribes, Scribal Education, and Literacy in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits. In the ancient Middle East, the term “scribe” refers to individuals skilled in writing cuneiform, the writing system developed in Mesopotamia. Their intellectual work, preserved primarily on clay tablets, is associated with various aspects of society, including politics, administration, trade, law, religion and culture. This course will introduce students to the core subjects that junior scribes learned to read and write in school. We will also explore scribes’ diverse roles within specific social and historical contexts and understand how these skilled writers engaged in social activities and preserved and shaped their past. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.300. History of Ancient Mesopotamia. 3 Credits. A survey of the history of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.301. History of Ancient Syria-Palestine. 3 Credits. A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Canaan, including Ancient Israel. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4), Projects and Methods (FA6) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.302. History: Ancient Syria-Palestine II. 3 Credits. A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Cannan, including ancient Israel. Taught with AS.134.661 . Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Projects and Methods (FA6) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3) Writing Intensive AS.130.314. Introduction To Middle Egyptian. 3 Credits. Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055-1650 B.C.). In the second semester, literary texts and royal inscriptions will be read. Course meets with AS.133.600 . Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.315. Introduction To Middle Egyptian. 3 Credits. Introduction to the grammar and writing system of the classical language of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (ca. 2011- 1700 B.C.). Co-listed with AS.133.601. Prerequisite(s): AS.130.314 Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.338. The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity). 3 Credits. In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. Jewish scholars in many different countries, and in a wide variety of cultural contexts, developed certain ways of reading, interpreting, and applying the Talmud. In the process, they produced an immense corpus of commentary and law. This course will examine how and why the Talmud was studied in these centuries by Jews who mined it, subject by subject, for emotional, philosophical, and legal meaning. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4), Ethics and Foundations (FA5) EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.346. Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature. 3 Credits. Broadly surveying classic rabbinic literature, including the Talmud and its commentaries, the legal codes and the response, this seminar explores the immanent as well as the external factors that shaped the development of this literature, the seminal role of this literature in Jewish self-definition and self-perception, and the role of this literature in pre-modern and modern Jewish culture. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.348. Survey Jewish History as Relected in Responsa Literature: How Immutable Judaism Wrestles with Change. 3 Credits. How does a religious system which defines its ancient laws as God-given and unchangeable apply them to radically different and changing social, political and intellectual situations? This course explores the literature of "Questions and Answers"(She'elot u-Teshuvot), the Jewish legal responsa which have struggled to match Jewish religious law to modern life for fifteen centuries. A sweeping survey of Jewish history as revealed by one of its most impenetrable yet fascinating sources. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.352. History of Hasidism. 3 Credits. Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.353. Space Archaeology: An Introduction to Satellite Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS. 3 Credits. This course introduces technologies archaeologists use to map ancient landscapes. These include Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping software, advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, and various types of satellite imagery. Taught together with AS.131.653 . Distribution Area: Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2), Citizens and Society (FA4) AS.130.354. Archaeological Method and Theory. 3 Credits. Climate change, population growth, war - what questions do archaeologists ask about the ancient past, how do they collect relevant evidence, and how do they arrive at satisfying answers to their questions? This course will review major theoretical currents in archaeology including evolutionary, cultural-historical, processual and post-processual approaches and discuss the future of archaeology as a scientific and humanistic discipline. Basic techniques for analyzing major categories of artifacts such as lithics, ceramics, archaeobotanical, and zooarchaeological materials will also be introduced. Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.357. Geographic Information Systems in Archaeology. 3 Credits. Applications of GIS in archaeology have recently expanded dramatically and GIS has now become an indispensable tool for archaeological research worldwide. This course will introduce the major applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in archaeology. These include the history of GIS in archaeology, air photography and satellite imagery, predictive modeling, hydrological modeling, viewsheds, and least-cost routes. It will grapple with theoretical issues manifest in archaeological GIS including conflicts between environment and social understandings of the ancient past, and will foster discussion of issues that affect outcomes of analyses including spatial scale and boundary delineation choices that can dramatically influence results. Students will learn the basics of ESRI’s ArcGIS software. Taught with AS.131.657 . Distribution Area: Humanities, Natural Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.364. Archaeology of Arabia. 3 Credits. This course examines the archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula from the earliest Paleolithic in the region (ca. 1.5 million years ago) through the first millennium of the Islamic era (ca. AD 1600). We will review basic geology and environmental conditions, examine the development of animal herding and crop cultivating lifeways, and study the rise of ancient complex societies and civilizations. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.366. Reading Talmud Pre-Modern Jewish Culture: Marital Abuse/Marriage Annulment Post-Talmudic Rabbinic Li. 3 Credits. The evolution of Talmudic thinking resulted in laws which made marriage too easy, divorce too difficult. This generated centuries of attempts to grapple with the consequences of this conundrum in real-life situations. This course analyzes the literature produced by these attempts. Students will read texts in original Hebrew. Knowledge of Hebrew required. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.368. Nomads and Empires: Water in the Ancient Near East. 3 Credits. Water and its histories reveal deep similarities and pivotal differences among human societies that are critical to understanding the human past and our future. Environments are often defined by water availability and periodicity, water is a frequent theme of religious traditions and a common point of political conflict. The hydraulic hypothesis, one of the longest-standing potential explanations for the rise of the world’s earliest civilizations, claims that organizational requirements of large-scale irrigation spawned ancient political hierarchies and cities. Archaeologists now know irrigation was not the only factor responsible for the origins of ancient states, but water management was important to agriculture in every region of ancient state formation. This course explores economic and social histories of water in the ancient Near East. It examines water’s diverse roles in ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Levantine and South Arabian agriculture, politics, ritual and religion, including water’s interconnected significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Distribution Area: Humanities AS.130.369. Law in the Ancient Middle East. 3 Credits. The Middle East offers the earliest and most abundant source material for reconstructing ancient legal systems. From stone monuments like the Code of Hammurabi to clay tablets the size of postage stamps, the cuneiform record provides a window into not just legal thought but actual legal practice in the ancient Middle East. Surveying a span of more than two thousand years, we will explore the law in both its deep structure and its regional and temporal diversity. Specific topics will include homicide and personal injury law, family law, the legal status of women, codes and codification, and ancient Israelite law in its Middle Eastern context. No background is required and all texts are read in translation, but every enrolled student is expected to actively participate in this seminar-style course. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Citizens and Society (FA4), Ethics and Foundations (FA5) EN Foundational Abilities: Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.376. Ancient Magic and Ritual. 3 Credits. This course will introduce students to the vast body of rituals that were practiced and performed in antiquity, with a particular emphasis on rituals from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Hebrew Bible. In addition to examining rituals from a comparative perspective, anthropological and sociological studies of ritual will be read and discussed to shed light on the social, cultural, and political significance of ritual in the ancient world and beyond. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) Writing Intensive AS.130.378. Geoarchaeology: Applications of Earth Science to Archaeology. 3 Credits. Geoarchaeology is a multidisciplinary subfield that applies the tools and techniques of earth science to understand ancient humans and their interactions with environments. This course examines basic topics and concepts, including archaeological site formation, paleo-environmental reconstruction, raw materials and resources, soil science, deposition and erosion of wind and water-borne sediments in different environments such as along rivers, lakes and coastlines, radiocarbon and other chronometric dating methods, and ground-based remote sensing, including ground penetrating radar. Distribution Area: Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Science and Data (FA2), Citizens and Society (FA4) AS.130.381. Elementary Akkadian. 3 Credits. An introduction to the paleography, grammar and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language. Co-listed with AS.132.600 Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3) AS.130.382. History of Mesopotamia II. 3 Credits. A survey of the history of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.383. Elementary Akkadian II. 3 Credits. An introduction to the paleography, grammar, and lexicon of the Akkadian language, and the reading of simpler texts in that language.Continues AS.130.381 Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3) AS.130.396. Readings in a Talmudic Sugya ("Zonah" and "Lav"-Struggling to Define Prohibited Sexual Relationships in pre-Modern Jewish Thought). 3 Credits. In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. The problem was that the texts were not easily understandable, and the norms unclear. In premodern times, certain literary-approaches evolved which were taken by contemporaries as yielding significant meaning. Among the most interesting of these was the broad-sugya. In this course, students will follow the reasoning-process of a broad-sugya as they read a guided-series of passages and commentaries located throughout the Babylonian Talmud on the subject of the valence of human-life. All readings will be in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.Ability to read Hebrew and Aramaic required. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.420. Research Methods: Arts of the Mesopotamian World: Crafters & Consumers. 3 Credits. This hybrid seminar examines in depth a series of artistic case studies over a 3000 year period in the region of what is today Iraq, Syria, and southeastern Turkey, from c, 3500-500 BCE. Discussion will focus on processes of making and contexts of using myriad forms of art and architecture. Topics will include the invention of writing and complex imagery; portraiture and ritual practice; the symbolic value of materials; visual narration; and the uses of space for expressive purposes. We will approach these and other topics through critical engagement with existing scholarship, as well as by direct study of objects in nearby museum collections. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Projects and Methods (FA6) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3) Writing Intensive AS.130.440. Elementary Biblical Hebrew. 3 Credits. Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.441. Elementary Biblical Hebrew II. 3 Credits. Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I. Prerequisite(s): AS.130.440 Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.442. Readings - Hebrew Prose. 3 Credits. Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.443. Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry. 3 Credits. Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.130.504. Independent Study. 1 - 3 Credits. Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms. AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Projects and Methods (FA6) AS.130.520. Near Eastern Studies Major Honors Thesis. 3 Credits. Thesis writing related to Near Eastern Studies major. Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms. AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Citizens and Society (FA4) Writing Intensive AS.130.521. Near Eastern Studies Major Honors Thesis. 3 Credits. Thesis writing related to Near Eastern Studies major. Prerequisite(s): You must request Customized Academic Learning using the Customized Academic Learning form found in Student Self-Service: Registration > Online Forms. Distribution Area: Humanities AS Foundational Abilities: Writing and Communication (FA1), Citizens and Society (FA4) Writing Intensive
AS.361 (Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies)
http://e-catalogue.jhu.g.sjuku.top/course-descriptions/latin-american-caribbean-latinx-studies/
AS.361.100. Introduction to Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies. 3 Credits. An interdisciplinary introduction to the ways of life of Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx peoples, their origins, historical legacies, and current cultural expressions. This course assumes no prior knowledge and incorporates the insights of several disciplines including anthropology, history, political science, economics, cultural studies, literary criticism, and ethnomusicology. The course seeks to comprehend the region from multiple perspectives and to provide a broad conceptual overview. Prerequisite(s): Students who have taken AS.361.130 are not eligible to take AS.361.100 . Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4), Ethics and Foundations (FA5) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.361.200. Popular Music in Latin America: Dissent, Resistance, Tranformation. 3 Credits. Popular music is central to Latin American cultural practices. From Carmen Miranda to Bad Bunny, from Carlos Gardel to Karol G, this course examines the works of numerous performers and songwriters who have defined the Latin American songbook, elevating it to one of the most sophisticated art forms in the Americas. We will explore a vast range of musical genres that constitute the diverse soundscape of Latin American popular music, from Argentine Tango and Brazilian Samba to Colombian Salsa, Dominican Dembow, and Son Cubano. Our exploration will encompass its Afro-diasporic, Indigenous, and European origins, the impact of the cultural industry, and its intersections with the region’s social and political history. We will delve into the stories behind the songs, reflecting on their instrumental roles in shaping identity, citizenship, sensibility, political dissent, and resistance. Through listening sessions, critical and theoretical texts, and open discussions, participants will enhance their understanding of the musical and artistic forces that have shaped Latin American history and culture. Distribution Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4), Democracy (FA4.1) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.361.300. Documentary Cinema in Latin America: Memory, Politics, Poetics. 3 Credits. How can films create and reframe historical narratives? How do films convey collective histories, such as the struggle to defend the rights of nature in the Amazon rainforest, the post-revolutionary racialization of Afro-Cuban farmworkers in the outskirts of La Habana, or the bloody 1973 coup d’état in Chile? How can experimental aesthetics settle with a population struggling with hunger in Brazil? This seminar delves into the documentary mode within Latin American cinema, exploring the intricate relationship between personal and collective memories, politics, and the poetics of filmmaking. Despite being broadly defined by a commitment to concepts like “fact” and “reality,” documentaries blur the distinction between fictional and non-fictional narratives. Documentaries denounce, interpret, and construct the telling of historical events; they also investigate, reflect, and reenact autobiographical accounts. Our course takes a multidisciplinary approach, analyzing several films as both works of art and historical documents, that is, works that recount the region’s social, aesthetic, political, and economic realities. We will examine various topics, including memory, identity, politics, ethics, aesthetics, nature, human and more-than-human rights, and social justice, by analyzing productions from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, México, and more. We’ll draw from various fields and disciplines, including film and media studies, performance studies, philosophy, anthropology, and memory studies. This course presents an exceptional opportunity to expand our knowledge and understanding of Latin America by analyzing some of the most thought-provoking films ever made. AS Foundational Abilities: Culture and Aesthetics (FA3), Citizens and Society (FA4), Democracy (FA4.1) EN Foundational Abilities: Creative Expression (FA3), Engagement with Society (FA4) AS.361.623. LACLxS Reading Seminar: Caribbean Worlds. 3 Credits. This interdisciplinary graduate seminar examines the Caribbean as a dynamic and multifaceted region shaped by its diverse populations, colonial entanglements, and enduring struggles for sovereignty and self-determination. Emphasizing the Caribbean’s role as a site of political, economic, and cultural innovation, the course engages major themes including indigeneity, slavery and colonial domination, race and racism, gender and sexuality, diaspora, and contested models of “development.” These issues will be analyzed through the writings and perspectives of Caribbean thinkers—both historical and contemporary—who have critically shaped regional and global discourses. Rather than positioning the Caribbean as simply “peripheral,” this course foregrounds the region as a generative space of intellectual, cultural, and political resilience with profound relevance to broader conversations in Latin America and the Global South.
Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (LACLxS)
School of Arts and Sciences
...FA4) Writing Intensive AS.100.450. History Research...Distribution Area: Humanities AS.215.650. Race, Aesthetics...
EN.560 (Civil and Systems Engineering)
http://e-catalogue.jhu.g.sjuku.top/course-descriptions/civil_engineering/
...560.650 are not eligible to take EN.560.450 . Distribution Area: Engineering AS Foundational...
Computer Science
School of Engineering
...Program As early as the...EN.520.450. Advanced Micro...Institute EN.650.624. Network...
Biomedical Engineering
School of Engineering
...450/ EN.553.450 or EN.553.650...as well as an option to pursue as...