Winter Study Courses 2002
WINTER STUDY PROGRAMREMINDERS ABOUT WSP REGISTRATIONAll students who will be on campus during the 2001-2002 academic year must register for WSP. Registration will take place in the early part of fall semester. If you are registered for a senior thesis in the fall which must be continued through Winter Study by departmental rules, you will be registered for your Winter Study Project automatically. In every other case, you must complete registration. First-year students are required to participate in a Winter Study that will take place on campus; they are not allowed to do 99's. Even if you plan to take a 99, or the instructor of your first choice accepts you during the registration period, there are many things that can happen between registration and the beginning of Winter Study to upset your first choice, so you must list five choices. You should try to make one of your choices a project with a larger enrollment, not that it will guarantee you a project, but it will increase your chances. If you think your time may be restricted in any way (ski meets, interviews, etc.), clear these restrictions with the instructor before signing up for his/her project. Remember, for cross-listed projects, you should sign up for the subject you want to appear on your record. For many beginning language courses, you are required to take the WSP Sustaining Program in addition to your regular project. You will be automatically enrolled in this Sustaining Program, so no one should list this as a choice. The grade of honors is reserved for outstanding or exceptional work. Individual instructors may specify minimum standards for the grade, but normally, fewer than one out of ten students will qualify. A grade of pass means the student has performed satisfactorily. A grade of perfunctory pass signifies that a student's work has been significantly lacking but is just adequate to deserve a pass. If you have any questions about a project, see the instructor before you register. Finally, all work for WSP must be completed and submitted to the instructor no later than Friday, January 25th. Only the Dean can grant an extension beyond this date. WINTER STUDY 99'SSophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to propose "99's," independent projects arranged with faculty sponsors, conducted in lieu of regular Winter Study courses. Perhaps you have encountered an interesting idea in one of your courses which you would like to study in more depth, or you may have an interest not covered in the regular curriculum. In recent years students have undertaken in-depth studies of particular literary works, interned in government offices, assisted in foreign and domestic medical clinics, conducted field work in economics in developing countries, and given performances illustrating the history of American dance. Although some 99's involve travel away from campus, there are many opportunities to pursue intellectual or artistic goals here in Williamstown. 99 forms are available online: The deadline for submitting the proposals to faculty sponsors is Thursday, 27 September. Winter Study Course Offerings
AFRICAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIESAMES 026 Experiencing Africa and the Middle East CANCELLED! To be taken by candidates for honors by the thesis route in African and Middle Eastern Studies. AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIESTo be taken by students registered for Afro-American Studies 491 who are candidates for honors. AMERICAN STUDIESAMST 030 Senior Honors Project To be taken by students registered for American Studies 491 or 492. ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGYANSO 011 Berkshire Farm Internship A field placement at Berkshire Farm Center and Services
for Youth in Canaan, New York. Berkshire Farm Center is a residential
treatment facility for troubled, at-risk adolescent boys who have been
remanded to the Farm by the Family Court. These youths come primarily
from lower socio-economic strata, are very ethnically diverse, and hail
from both urban and rural areas throughout New York State. The problems
that they bring to Berkshire Farm are multiple. These include: the psychological
scars of dysfunctional families, including those of physical, emotional,
and sexual abuse; chemical dependency; juvenile delinquency; inability
to function in school settings; and various other issues. Residential
treatment is a multi-modal approach that includes anger-replacement training,
social skills training, and behavioral modification. LARI BRANDSTEIN (Instructor) Lari Brandstein is Director of Volunteer Services at
Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth. ANSO 012 Children and the Courts: Internship in the Crisis in Child Abuse The incidence of reported child abuse and neglect has
reached epidemic proportions and shows no signs of decreasing. Preventive
and prophylactic social programs, court intervention, and legislative
mandates have not successfully addressed this crisis. This course allows
students to observe the Massachusetts Department of Social Services attorney
in courtroom proceedings related to the care and protection of children.
Students will have access to Department records for purposes of analysis
and will also work with social workers who will provide a clinical perspective
on the legal cases under study. The class will meet regularly to discuss
court proceedings, assigned readings, and the students' interactions with
local human services agencies. JUDITH LOCKE (Instructor) Judith Locke is Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts ANTHROPOLOGY To be taken by students registered for Anthropology 493-494. SOCIOLOGY To be taken by students registered for Sociology 493-494. ARTART HISTORY Employing a variety of media, we will seek to answer
the question of whether New England is: what it thinks it is, what others
in America think it is, what it is that it is "documented" as
being. Should this region be seen as being special, and even revered,
and why? Is its main attribute simply "oldness" and of what
does that consist? The hope is to "see" something that is multifarious,
maybe even contradictory, and whether there is some kind of Puritan, colonial
core-mythical or otherwise-and how its present day ripples may be made
manifest. Towards this end we will explore a variety of sources, including
Bennington tombstone inscriptions, Governor Bradford's diary, Sibley's
Harvard Graduates, farmers' journals, Boston trustee's statements of what
"corpus" is, letters from the Lowell girls and from Irish immigrants,
several colleges' acts of incorporation, and bio-technology prospectuses
(for the arguable world center of that nascent industry, near Kendall
Square, Cambridge). Attention will be given to visual documents or artifacts
(besides tombstones), in the works (inter alia) of Ralph Earl, Charles
Sprague Sargent, Emma Coleman, John Marin, Paul Strand, and Neil Rappaport.
From this welter of evidence, does New England seem old and spent or increasingly
like the rest of America or something fragmented and disjunctive or even
cutting-edge: whether the landscape or site be littoral or montane or
interfluvial? An optional three-day field session during the third week
will visit some sites or habitats at first-hand. SATTERTHWAITE ARTH 017 Looking at Contemporary Documentary Photography (Same as English 017) (See under English for full description.) To be taken by students registered for ArtH 493, 494. ARTH 033 Honors Independent Study To be taken by candidates for honors by the independent study route. ART STUDIO CANCELLED! ARTS 012 New York City Field Trip This studio course will involve two day-long field trips
to New York City to view and critique contemporary art at museums and
galleries, and to make artwork in response to that critique. In addition
to readings and discussions about the exhibitions, students are expected
to keep visual journals as documentation/sketchbooks and to finish one
drawing project that is related to the New York work in concept or style.
This project will involve six or more extensive drawings. Although there
is an element of "apprenticeship" in this approach, students
are expected to create their own individual, unique works. TAKENAGA This course is designed as an introduction to the challenges
of working with the figure in a sculptural context. The class will be
structured as a working studio with the students sculpting in clay from
a live model. The first half of the course will emphasize learning the
technical and physiological aspects of the human figure; structure, proportion,
gesture, and basic anatomy. The latter half of the course will be concerned
with the creative aspects of working with the figure and of developing
individual interpretations of the human form. In addition to working studio
sessions, there will be two slide lectures on the human form in art. Each
student will be evaluated on the success of their sculpture, attendance,
participation, and effort. This course requires approximately 15 hours
per week of individual investigations into the human form. PODMORE ARTS 014 Trade and Artistic Exchange: An Introduction to the Archaeology of Global Process in the Third and Second Millennia B.C. In the mid-second millennium B.C. the International
Style was prevalent in the Eastern Mediterranean, incorporating iconographic
and stylistic elements from the Aegean, Egypt and the Near East. Such
an artistic environment is both diagnostic and an integral part of interaction
among these different regions. This course will explore how these relationship
grew up over time, discuss the role of polities, states and individuals
in the demand and production of prestige goods, and investigate how art
can act as a form of communication capable of crossing language, politically
drawn geographic boundaries, and ethnic barriers. The exchange of raw
materials and finished goods will be examined alongside the artistic relationships. THEA POLITIS (Instructor) Thea Politis was a recent Joint Athens-Jerusalem Kress Fellow while researching her Ph.D. in archaeology on the early technology of gold granulation. She has lived and traveled extensively abroad. As a former member of the curatorial staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she has been involved in researching Egyptian international relations during the Bronze Age. Her current research interests include Bronze Age iconographic systems, international relations in the period, and ancient materials and industries. This is a studio drawing course that will use computer
to create a digital drawing. Unlike a conventional drawing medium, computer
provides a unique drawing ground in which the physical relationship between
the artist and art work seems somewhat distanced. It also carries an unfortunate
burden of being looked at as something unreal to be an art object even
today because of what we are so used to seeing on monitor (be it computer
monitor or TV). What is fascinating about it is the fact that it is a
drawing of lights. HIDEYO OKAMURA (Instructor) Hideyo Okamura is a painter and has recently been working with digital imagery. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States, and in Germany and Mexico. His digital drawings can be viewed at www.williams.edu/CTAH. Fresco is one the oldest painting techniques in Western
Art. Learn how to paint in the same medium that Michaelangelo used to
paint the Sistine Chapel. In this course students will learn to paint
in this ancient medium on portable panels. Students will slake lime, mix
plaster, grind pigments and paint on the wet plaster. Projects will include
copying a section of a Renaissance fresco as well as creating frescos
of individual student's own design. This course will provide a greater
understanding of the process of painting as well as enhance one's understanding
of Renaissance Art. No prerequisites. Evaluation will be based on participation
in all aspects of the workshop and completion of the projects. WALTER O'NEILL (Instructor) Walter O'Neill, a fresco painter, has painted public and private commissions. He has conducted the fresco program at the Skowhegan School and The Cloisters, Medieval Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has been a visiting artist/lecturer on fresco at many institutions including The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, University of Southern California and Adelphi University. ARTS 017 Structural Model Making An introduction to the principal structural systems
and how they are constructed, by means of making accurate, working, table-top
models. These models of variously shaped arches, barrel and groin vaults,
flying buttresses, domes on pendentives and squinches, truss and suspension
bridges produced in this class are intended to serve in the future as
teaching aids, and the emphasis will therefore be on making them both
clear and accurate. Participants will design and build models that not
only demonstrate how a variety of structural systems work, but how they
were built as well; in the case of arches, vaults and domes, as much attention
will be paid to the design of efficient and easily removable and reusable
centering as to the space-spanning parts themselves. One of the primary
issues to be considered is the relative strength-to-weight ratio of the
model and the system it represents, and the problem of making structural
models that accurately reflect the scale of weights and thrusts. Although
models of centering will be constructed of wood, and probably most of
the systems as well, the possibility of making effective models in other
materials, particularly stone and plaster, will also be investigated.
RALPH LIEBERMAN (Instructor) Ralph Lieberman is an art historian and photographer who lives in Williamstown. He has a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts, and has taught history of architecture at many schools including Williams, Harvard and the Rhode Island School of Design. He made the structural models that are currently used in Art 101, and would like to see better ones available. ARTS 018 Editorial Cartooning (Same as Political Science 018) This course, taught by an editorial cartoonist for a
major metropolitan daily newspaper, introduces students to the "Ungentlemanly
Art" through discussion and an emphasis on the creation of their
own work. It is not an art course so much as an exercise in disciplining
the mind to distill abstract concepts and opinions into visual and verbal
symbols that can be clearly, economically and persuasively communicated
to the reader. Previous drawing experience, while helpful, is not a prerequisite
for the course. In fact, non-art majors are particularly encouraged to
enroll. The basics of perspective, proportion, and shading will be covered
as needed to provide all students with the necessary skills to express
themselves. What is much more important is that the prospective student
have an inquisitive mind, a healthy interest in current events, a willingness
to enter into spirited classroom discussion, and an appreciation of satire.
Former students have indicated that they found the intellectual skills
they acquired in this course to be useful in many different areas. In
addition, several overcame fear to discover drawing abilities that they
did not know they possessed. Class assignments will be critiqued in a
non-threatening atmosphere. The instructor, who will be continuously producing
daily cartoons for his newspaper, will also present his own work for criticism.
CHAN LOWE '75 (Instructor) Chan Lowe, Williams '75 , is the editorial cartoonist for the South Florida Sun- Sentinel. His work is nationally syndicated and appears regularly in newspapers and magazines throughout the country. Most recently, he was given the National Press Foundation's Berryman Award for Cartoonist of the Year 2000. A hybrid of video and photography, montage and painting,
digital photography has changed our expectations and largely redefined
"photography." This course is an introduction to digital, art
photography. Students will learn to operate a digital camera and manipulate
their files, in Photoshop, on a Macintosh computer. (All equipment will
be provided by the college.) Students should be prepared to make a five
day per week commitment to attending either labs or class meetings in
order to complete the work required for this class. LALEIAN ARTS 020 Stained Glass Workshop (Same as Biology 020) (See under Biology for full description.) ARTS 022 Introduction to Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) (Same as Physics 011) (See under Physics for full description.) ARTS 023 Drawing to a Close: Illustrating Disappearing Farms (Same as Environmental Studies 011 and INTR 011) (See under IPECS-INTR 011 full full description.) ARTS 033 Honors Independent Project Independent study to be taken by candidates for honors in Art Studio. ARTS 035 Making Pottery on the Potter's Wheel (Same as Special 035) (See under Special for full description.) ASIAN STUDIESFeng shui is the study of the way in which our environments
affect every aspect of our lives. The selection of a property site and
the placement of buildings on a property, of rooms within a building and
of furniture within a room influence us, sometimes in obvious ways, often
in very subtle ways. The goal in this course is to give students a foundation
in the history and concepts of feng shui that will lead to the practical
application of feng shui. We will explore the origins and principles of
this ancient Chinese discipline and analyze how this Eastern philosophy
is applicable in our Western society. Our in-depth analysis of the many
levels of feng shui, from the mundane to the transcendental, will include
a comparison of feng shui to the similar architectural designs, traditions
and rituals of other cultures and of the animal world. We will also consider
the correlation between an environment and the individuals who inhabit
that particular space. By the end of the course, we will analyze properties
on or near the Williams campus, including spaces in which the students
have a special interest. We will determine what changes can be made in
those environments to improve the lives of the occupants. VINCENT SMITH (Instructor) Vincent Smith is a feng shui consultant, lecturer and author who is based in New York City. He was graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School. He practiced law for 25 years before forming the VMS Feng Shui Design Co. Vincent Smith has traveled and studied with Professor Lin Yun, who is considered by many to be the leading feng shui master in the United States. He recently taught a course in feng shui at Berea College in Kentucky. To be taken by all students who are candidates for honors in Asian Studies. CHINESE CHIN S.P. Sustaining Program for Chinese 101-102 Students registered for Chinese 101-102 are required
to attend and pass the Chinese Sustaining Program. LANGUAGE FELLOW CHIN 025 China for Tourists, China for Peasants In this travel course to a remote mountain village and
a tourist must-see in China, and two towns in between, we will explore
the possibilities of mutual understanding in a variety of cross-cultural
encounters. We will fly to Guilin and begin our journey on a boat down
the scenic Li River to Yangshuo, where "West[ern] Street" offers
an opportunity to investigate the ways the local landscape and Chinese
and Western cultures are commodified for tourists from both China and
abroad. Our destination is a village in Hunan, where we will spend a total
of 10 days living in the homes of farming families and learning about
the realities of their lives, to understand the concrete effects of national
policy that focuses on development of cities at the expense of the countryside.
Students will choose in advance a specific topic for investigation (rice
farming, the raising of hogs, citrus growing, education, health care,
care of the elderly, how the village got running water or electricity,
the story of the pagoda, marriage or funeral practices, ghosts, etc.)
and present an oral report to classmates and villagers, which we'll follow
with a discussion in town about our research experiences. We will also
visit the county seat, where we will conduct two day-long workshops for
county English teachers, to give something back to the wider community
that welcomes us. We'll have orientation sessions in the fall to choose
topics, select readings on tourism studies and rural China, prepare English
instruction materials, and prepare ourselves for the trip. SILBER To be taken by all students who are candidates for honors in Chinese. JAPANESE JAPN S.P. Sustaining Program for Japanese 101-102 Students registered for Japanese 101-102 are required
to attend and pass the Japanese Sustaining Program. LANGUAGE FELLOW JAPN 010 Introduction to the Japanese Language and Culture (Same as Linguistics 010) Have you ever studied Japanese or thought of studying
Japanese? This is an ideal course for students who are curious about the
Japanese language and culture. It will examine different aspects of the
Japanese language through broader theoretical perspectives specifically,
its history, lexicon, phonology, grammatical structures, sociolinguistics,
and discursive-cultural dimension. For example, what is the origin of
the Japanese language and how does it relate to Chinese or Korean? Why
does Japanese have three different writing systems? (historical linguistics)
How does Japanese differ from English? (typology, phonology and syntax)
Why can children learn Japanese so easily? (psycholinguistics) Are there
gender and generational differences in Japanese? (sociolinguistics) YAMAMOTO JAPN 011 Embodied Learning (Same as Theatre 011) Performance has outgrown its rather narrow theatrical
meaning and has come to serve as a paradigm for the means by which we
participate in our culture and in our world. With that sea change in understanding
comes a necessary rethinking of the roles of "learning" and
"training". The notion of "embodied learning" describes
the vivid interplay between the intellect and the viscera, necessary to
successfully engage in any number of performances, from combat, to dance,
to participating in the language and behavior of a target culture. TOM O'CONNOR (Instructor) Tom O'Connor has been a professional actor and movement artist for twenty years. He developed and implemented a movement program for the West Virginia University Division of Theatre and Dance that included a curriculum of human movement, composition for movement-theatre performance, and other performance specializations. Recently he moved to the Berkshires where he hopes to establish a non-profit dance and theatre collective. JAPN 012 Japanese Dyeing: Joy of Kusaki-zome Kusaki-zome is the traditional Japanese art of dyeing
with plant dye. Using a simple technique, it brings out the wonderful
colors in vegetables, flowers, tree leaves and twigs. For instance, tea
leaves provide a light brown. What color do you think onion skins would
give? The most interesting thing is that the color is never the same since
the hue of colors differs greatly depending on the season when the plants
were harvested. The technique is simple; if you can boil eggs, you can
enjoy Kusaki-zome. This class requires no previous artistic training.
The course will include lectures on the history of Kusaki-zome as well
as hands-on experience. KYOKO KABASAWA (Instructor) Kyoko Kabasawa is a Japanese textile and dyeing artist who teaches at Hokkaido Women's College. In addition to a number of prizes awarded in Japan, she won an originality award in the Hawai'i Handweavers' Hui 45th Anniversary Biennial Exhibition in August 1998. To be taken by all students who are candidates for honors in Japanese. ASTRONOMYASTR 016 Observational Astronomy This course, meant for non-majors, will focus on the
most basic aspects of astronomy and will be observing-intensive, taking
full advantage of various telescopes housed on the Williams College observing
deck. Topics to be covered will include the constellations and night sky
in general, planets, the moon, the sun, stars, and galaxies. Study of
these topics will require a mix of both day and night class sessions during
which students will make observations using binoculars, telescopes, and
the naked eye. Observing will take place on all class dates during which
the sky is clear. On those days when the sky is cloudy, we will do in-class
exercises or discuss current topics in astronomy such as results from
the Hubble Space Telescope. Student observations will be recorded in drawings,
notes, and computer printouts and/or photographs. The class will take
a field trip to the new Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Hayden
Planetarium in New York City STEPHAN MARTIN (Instructor) Stephan Martin is Instructor of Astronomy and Observatory Supervisor at Williams College. To be taken by students registered for Astronomy 493, 494. ASTROPHYSICSTo be taken by students registered for Astrophysics 493, 494. BIOLOGYStudents will undertake an independent project in which
they will learn the theory and practice of transmission and scanning electron
microscopy. they will do their own sample preparation, operate the two
electron microscopes, and take pictures of relevant structures, go digital
and manipulate those images in Photoshop (do you want your erythrocytes
red or blue?) or go conventional and do tried-but-true black and white
photography. there will be brief reading assignments, a guest speaker
and a 10-page paper with 6 really good micrographs required. NANCY PIATCZYC (Instructor) Nancy Piatczyc received her B.S. in Biology from Tufts University. She attended the school of Electron Microscopy in Albany, NY. She is a trained electron microscopist who operates and maintains the electron microscope facility at Williams. BIOL 011 Outbreak Investigations: An Introduction to Field Epidemiology This course will introduce students to the practical
and exciting science of epidemiology, as it relates to the control of
communicable diseases. How do epidemiologists ("disease detectives")
detect outbreaks of illness, and how do they investigate outbreaks to
determine how to stop the spread of the disease? How can they determine
if their interventions were helpful? Specific diseases and their control
will be used as examples, such as polio, AIDS, tuberculosis, Lyme disease,
West Nile Virus, and "mad-cow disease." Class activities will
include a field data collection exercise, a computer lab using the CDC
software program "Epi-Info", and discussion of assigned articles
or book chapters. Two or three guest speakers will give first-hand accounts
of epidemic investigations. Application of these tools to chronic disease
epidemiology will also be discussed. Readings include textbook chapters
introducing epidemiologic concepts, original classic articles from medical
journals about specific outbreak investigations, and popular fictional
and non-fictional accounts of epidemics and their control. MARGARET OXTOBY, MD (Instructor) Dr. Oxtoby received her B.A. from Harvard and her M.D. from Case Western Reserve University. She currently works in the Division of Epidemiology, NYS Department of Health, Albany, NY. BIOL 012 Gene Quest (Cancelled) This course offers the opportunity to participate in
a research project whose aims are to identify highly conserved genes in
diverse animals using polymerase chain reaction and other standard molecular
biology techniques. The basic genetic mechanisms that define the types
of cells in a body and those that define the shape of the developing animal
are remarkably similar from flies to frogs. Although regulatory genes
are shared between animal groups, their function may or may not be conserved.
This is likely to account for the tremendous morphological variation observed
in animals. The first step in understanding changing gene function in
animals is to identify the highly conserved genes. In order to clone their
gene of interest, students will examine sequence data, design primers,
and amplify fragments from genomic DNA. The course will meet twice a week
for three hours in addition to independent work outside of scheduled class.
SAVAGE BIOL 013 Infectious Disease: Causes and Cures This course offers an introduction to the causes of
infectious disease and to the drugs and vaccines that are used to limit
their destructive power. The first half of the course will be devoted
to a discussion of bacterial pathogens, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance.
The second half of the course will focus on viruses, in particular, poliovirus
and HIV, and on the development and distribution of effective vaccines.
Other sorts of infectious agents, such as prions and amoeboid parasites,
will be briefly discussed. KAREN PEPPER (Instructor) Karen Pepper received her Ph.D. from the University of Paris (Paris VII). Her thesis research was completed at the Pasteur Institute. She has published a number of scientific papers on antibiotic resistance. BIOL 014 Social Justice Issues in Health Care Delivery (Cancelled) Widening economic disparities, both domestic and global,
threaten to derail the progress achieved over the last century in the
arena of universal public health. Is basic health care a human right?
How is the delivery of health care in the twenty-first century influenced
by prejudice, inequality, and injustice? Readings and in-class discussions
will focus on four case studies: perceptions of disability and access
to reproductive technologies, distribution of AIDS drugs to resource-poor
individuals and countries, health care provision to migrant farm workers,
and the Dutch experience with euthanasia. This course includes a major
experiential learning component, in which you will carry out an internship
in a clinical or social service setting. Throughout the month, we will
reflect individually and as a group on the field placement experiences
and the social justice issues encountered in these settings. BANTA BIOL 015 Conservation of Songbirds in North America (Cancelled) Songbird populations in North America are increasingly
threatened from anthropogenic changes to the landscape they inhabit. Because
they are an intensively studied taxa, birds provide a model system to
explore issues in conservation. This course combines discussion, data
analysis, and independent inquiry into the conservation status and population
trends of North American birds, emphasizing songbirds. We will discuss
past examples, analyze current status and population trends of birds by
exploring data from the Breeding Bird Survey, and evaluate current institutional
efforts to conserve songbirds in North America. SCHMIDT BIOL 016 Tiny Footprint: Living Sustainably in the New Millennium (Same as Environmental Studies 016) (See under Environmental Studies for full description.) BIOL 020 Stained Glass Workshop (Same as ArtS 020) This is a studio/workshop course designed to introduce
the student to the techniques involved in working with stained glass.
Lectures will describe the use and manufacture of stained glass windows
from medieval to modern times. Demonstrations will illustrate how to design,
cut and assemble stained glass forms using the copper foil technique.
Techniques related to etching designs in glass will be demonstrated as
well. Each student will complete a small assigned project during class
to learn the basics of the technique. Students will then complete a larger
independent project as their "journeyman piece." This may consist
of a traditional window, a free-form mobile or a three dimensional form.
ADLER BIOL 021 Internships in Biology Sophomores, juniors and seniors wishing to do internships
with conservation organizations, national or state parks, field research,
or laboratory research at other institutions should sign up for Biology
021 as their winter study course. Students must make all the arrangements
for the internships directly with the sponsoring organization. The costs
of travel and room and board must be borne by the student. In addition,
the student must independently design the project and have it approved
by Professor Swoap before October 5, 2001. The form for this proposal
is on the biology web site (www.williams.edu/Biology/)-follow the "courses"
link. Upon approval of the project, the student can register for the course. SWOAP BIOL 022 Introduction to Biological Research An experimental research project will be carried out under the supervision of a member of the Biology Department. It is expected that the student will spend 20 hours per week in the lab at a minimum, and a 10-page written report is required. This experience is intended for, but not limited to, first-year students and sophomores, and requires the permission of the instructor. Interested students should contact Professor Swoap for more information before registering. Prerequisites: Biology 101. Enrollment limit: 15. SWOAP BIOL 023 Introduction to Lipid Biochemistry -A Research Experience This class will introduce students to techniques in
lipidology through the scientific literature and working in the research
lab. While the readings will include a range of topics exploring the structure
and function of lipids in cells and organisms, the laboratory component
will entail a research project and introduce students to techniques used
to analyze lipid structure and composition and to assay procedures of
enzymes involved in lipid metabolism. It is expected that the students
will devote at least 20 hours per week to the projects. D. LYNCH To be taken by students registered for Biology 493, 494. CHEMISTRYCHEM 011 Science for Kids (Same as Special 011) (See under Special for full description.) CHEM 012 How to Write Popular Science (Same as English 012 and Special 012) (Cancelled) (See under Special for full description.) CHEM 013 The Popular Culture of Football (Soccer) Around the World Football, or, as erroneously called in the USA, soccer,
is the most popular sport in the world. In many countries the sport goes
beyond playing the game; it becomes part of your daily life. After losing
the European cup, the fan's passion for the local or national teams has
been criticized for the aggressive behavior in the stands and the rioting
in the streets. Is this behavior part of football or just our human nature?
The course looks at the women's NCAA basketball final four tournament
and the riots by Purdue fans to answer the question. PEACOCK-LÓPEZ CHEM 014 Emergency Medical Technician-Basic A course designed to prepare students for the Massachusetts
EMT exam and to provide training to become certified as an Emergency Medical
Technician. The course teaches the new national standard curriculum which
makes reciprocity with many other states possible. This is a time-intensive
course involving approximately 130 hours of class time plus optional emergency
room observation and ambulance work. Students will learn, among other
skills, basic life support techniques, patient assessment techniques,
defibrillation, how to use an epi-pen, safe transportation and immobilization
skills, as well as the treatment of various medical emergencies including
shock, bleeding, soft-tissue injuries, and child birth. In order to reduce
the number of class meetings required during Winter Study Period, the
course will hold a few meetings beginning in the fall semester. These
class meetings, which are mandatory, are held on Sundays with the following
schedule: 4 November (orientation), 11 November, and 18 November. KEVIN GARVEY (Instructor) Kevin Garvey is a Massachusetts state and nationally approved EMT-I (Intermediate) and an EMT-IC (Instructor/Coordinator). He had been involved with Emergency Medical Services for 15-20 years. Mr. Garvey currently works for Baystate Health Systems as an RN (registered nurse) and EMT-I and also works as an EMT-I for Village Ambulance in Williamstown. Mr. Garvey is also an EMT training instructor at Greenfield Community College. CHEM 015 Epidemiology, Epidemics, and Human Health Epidemiology is about the distribution of, and determinants
of disease in human populations. While the discipline first developed
around epidemics of infectious diseases, its low technology approaches
have been usefully employed to study most of the major acute and chronic
non-infectious disease epidemics of the last 50-100 years, including pellagra,
coronary heart disease, and lung cancer, and some of the minor epidemics,
for example, occupational asbestos exposure and lung disease, and even
the use (and misuse) of C-section in delivering babies. NICHOLAS H. WRIGHT '57 (Instructor) Dr. Nicholas H. Wright (Williams Class of 1957), a medical epidemiologist with a longstanding interest in family planning/population and international health issues, recently retired from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey, and now lives in Williamstown. CHEM 017 Introduction to Research in Archaeological Science An independent experimental project in archaeological
science is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Skinner whose research
involves two types of studies: dating fossil material and establishing
the sources of ancient artifacts. ANNE SKINNER (Instructor) Anne Skinner is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Williams. CHEM 018 Introduction to Research in Biochemistry An independent experimental project in biochemistry
is carried out in collaboration with a member of the Department with expertise
in biochemistry. Biochemistry is a branch of chemistry that deals with
the molecular details of living systems including the interaction of biologically
important molecules. In the Chemistry Department, studies are underway
to investigate the structure/function relationship of proteins, the interaction
between proteins and RNA and DNA, DNA structure and repair, and the molecular
basis of gene regulation. CHIHADE, KAPLAN, and LOVETT CHEM 019 Introduction to Research in Environmental Science (Same as Environmental Science 019) (See under Environmental Studies for full description.) CHEM 023 Introduction to Research in Organic Chemistry An independent experimental project in organic chemistry
is carried out in collaboration with a member of the Department with expertise
in organic chemistry. One representative project involves isolation of
the bioactive constituents of Southeast Asian dart poisons from their
natural sources and the elucidation of their three-dimensional structures.
Another line of investigation probes new and efficient methods for the
creation of molecules of medicinal interest. Some targets include the
kavalactones-the active principles of the herbal extract KAVA KAVA which
is promoted as an alternative anti-anxiety remedy, and octalactin A-an
interesting 8-membered ring compound isolated from marine microorganisms
that has shown significant toxicity toward human cancer cells. D. RICHARDSON CHEM 024 Introduction to Research in Physical Chemistry An independent experimental project in physical chemistry
is carried out in collaboration with a member of the Department with expertise
in physical chemistry. Current research projects in the Department include
computer modeling of non-linear, chaotic chemical and biochemical systems,
molecular modeling of water clusters, laser spectroscopy of chlorofluorocarbon
substitutes, and experimental studies of the oxidation of sulfur dioxide
on atmospheric aerosols. KOEHLER, PEACOCK-LóPEZ, THOMAN CHEM 031 Senior Research and Thesis To be taken by students registered for Chemistry 493, 494. CLASSICSCLAS 013 Biblical Hebrew in a Month (Same as Religion 013) This course will enable students to read the Bible in
the original Hebrew in a fast, fun, and focused way. Topics include the
difference between BeGeD-KeFeT, BuMaF, K'MiNPaTS, and the Throaty Five.
Meet sentences without verbs, the extra pronoun, and word pairs. Discover
a word's three letter root and explore the mysteries of the Shwa and Dagesh.
Learn the seven "buildings" of the Hebrew verb and find the
missing letters. In addition to this intensive study of Hebrew vocabulary
and grammar, attention will also be given to the polyvalence of biblical
discourse. The paratactic and terse character of the TaNaKH produce narratives
tantalizingly "fraught with background" that virtually cry out
to the reader "interpret me". Thus, by the end of the course,
students will have read the Book of Ruth with an understanding of both
biblical language and biblical style. KRAUS CLAS 026 Archaeological Tour of Greece (Same as Religion 026) This trip offers a unique opportunity to see how material
culture both enriches and complicates our understanding of ancient Greek
culture and early Christianity as it emerges from the textual evidence.
Our goal is to explore the various and diverse aspects of Greek culture
as these are recorded in the physical space. Our additional goal is to
experience the Greece of today, so that you can also reflect on the continuities
and discontinuities of this culture. We will visit archaeological sites,
museums, and churches on mainland Greece and the island of Crete. PANOUSSI and BUELL
May be taken by students registered for Classics 493, 494. COMPARATIVE LITERATURECOMP 011 The Colonialist Vision (Same as English 024) CANCELLED! COMP 012 Roland Barthes: The Romance and Poetry of Criticism (Same as English 023 and French 012) CANCELLED! For most of his life the French philosopher and cultural
critic Roland Barthes used critical theory as a substitute for the "novel"
he never brought himself to write. One could call his theoretical and
critical essays a fiction and a poetry by other means. In the course we
will study the imaginative and metaphorical elements of Barthes's writing,
especially in works concerning the mythification of culture (Mythologies,
1957), the primacy of textuality (The Death of the Author, 1968),
the erotics of reading and writing (The Pleasure of the Text,
1973), the redefinition of subjectivity (Roland Barthes by Roland
Barthes, 1975), the rhetoric of love (A Lover's Discourse,
1977), and the representation of death and loss (Camera Lucida: Reflections
on Photography, 1980). Discussion will be given as well to Barthes's
theory of the sign, his fascination with the body, his investigation of
the languages of desire, and his study of the imaginary (l'imaginaire)
in literature, the plastic arts, society and popular culture (fashion,
music, and advertising). All readings in English. STAMELMAN COMP 014 Literature and Seduction (Same as English 014) (See under English for full description.) To be taken by students registered for Comparative Literature
493, 494. To be taken by students registered for Literary Studies 493, 494.
COMPUTER SCIENCECSCI 010 C, UNIX and Software Tools This course serves as a guided tour of programming methods
in the UNIX operating system. The course is designed for individuals who
understand basic program development techniques as discussed in an introductory
programming course (Computer Science 134 or equivalent), but who wish
to become familiar with a broader variety of computer systems and programming
languages. Students in this course will work on UNIX workstations, available
in one of the Department's laboratories. By the end of the course, students
will have developed basic proficiency in the C programming language. LERNER To be taken by students registered for Computer Science 493-494. CONTRACT MAJORTo be taken by students registered for Contract Major 493, 494. ECONOMICSECON 010 The East Asian Miracle This course is intended to help CDE fellows integrate the material they studied in the first semester by applying it to the circumstances of a particular group of countries. During the 2002 Winter Term session we will focus on a case study of what are widely perceived to be successful development experiences-those of the East and Southeast Asian "miracle" economies. We will consider issues such as the desirability of the economic transformations that have taken place in these countries, the conditions that may have made such transformations possible, the roles that specific policies may have played in bringing them about, the causes of the recent economic crisis in the region and its implications for future growth in the affected countries, as well as the lessons that the East and Southeast Asian experience may hold for other developing countries. MONTIEL It has been said that most people fear public speaking
more than death. In a world in which most of us are asked at one time
or another to say something to a group, public speaking is a skill which
everyone should learn. This course will help you become an organized and
persuasive public speaker. You will create your own public speaking style
that is comfortable, confident, and conversational. We will focus on organizational
techniques, handling visual aids effectively, eye contact and body language.
A supportive atmosphere will give each person an opportunity to receive
feedback. BRAINERD ECON 012 Business Risk Analysis: Inside the Mind of a Banker So you think that business and finance are a big mystery
and potentially boring? Discover how easy it is to understand how a company
works and how interesting risk analysis can be. Do you feel that a career
in business is not for you, but want to know enough to invest your millions
wisely? Or are you, perhaps, considering business or finance as a career
and would like a head start (not to mention a leg up in the interview
process)? Or maybe you picture yourself as the boss someday, no matter
what your field. Then this is the course for you! This experience will
provide a basic overview of financial analysis with a particular emphasis
on the banker's perspective. Among the topics that we will discuss are:
the qualitative and quantitative aspects of risk analysis, understanding
financial statements, how businessmen and bankers manage and mitigate
the risks in their businesses, the principles of financing international
trade and projects, and how bankers decide on the structure and pricing
of loans. We will also explore some of the concepts used in determining
a reasonable price to pay for a particular stock. JAMES SUTHERLAND (Instructor) James Sutherland worked for The Chase Manhattan Bank for over 21 years including 17 in Latin America and 3 as an instructor in the credit training program in New York. For the last 7 years he has worked as an international consultant and trainer in finance and banking, in Asia, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, and Latin America. ECON 013 Real Estate and Community Development Real estate development is an engine in urban environments
and can be either destructive to existing neighborhoods or a powerful
positive force for community development. For non-profit developers, public
officials, lenders and investors, and nonprofit community development
directors all need to know the same real estate development principles
to make judgements and make new projects work. This course will examine
the process and prospects of real estate development as an economic activity
and how it can be a positive force for community development. The course
will combine classroom meetings and extensive analysis and discussion
of actual case histories of real estate development projects, along with
examination of their community development impacts. The course will involve
fieldwork in Boston with site visits to selected projects and meetings
with principals involved in some of the developments studied. Cost to student: $85. Students will be responsible for their own accommodations and living expenses while in Boston. B. MITCHELL and S. SHEPPARD Bart Mitchell is the current President of Mitchell Properties in Boston, MA, a real estate development company which undertakes housing development projects in the Boston area and provides project management and advisory services for other large real estate ventures. ECON 014 The Practice of Public Health Dollar for dollar, improvements in public health measures
are often more effective in improving health than traditional "medical"
responses to illness, but the advantages of public health approaches are
often overlooked. This course will introduce students to the field of
public health and community health improvement. Topics for discussion
will focus on important public health movements such as the campaigns
to address smoking, fluoridation, global warming and AIDS. Students will
examine the theory and practice of modern public health and will be able
to conduct their own research projects and design interventions for health
issues of interest to them. PAMELA NATHENSON, MPH (Instructor) Pamela Nathenson is Coordinator of Research, Planning, Grant Writing and Evaluation at the REACH Community Health Foundation in North Adams, Massachusetts. In this course, the class will carry out a real-time
forecast of the U.S. economy and explore its implications for the bond
and stock markets. The course will build upon principles of both macro
and micro-economics. It will provide an introduction to the work done
by business economists and the techniques they use. An economic database,
chart-generating software and a statistical analysis program will be available
to each student on the Jessup computers and, if necessary, on a disk for
IBM-compatible computers. THOMAS SYNNOTT (Instructor) Thomas Synnott '58 is Chief Economist, U.S. Trust Company of New York The "Specialization Route" to the degree with
Honors in Economics requires that each candidate take an Honors Winter
Study Project in January of their senior year. Students who wish to begin
their honors work in January should submit a detailed proposal. Decisions
on admission to the Honors WSP will be made in the fall. Information on
the procedures will be mailed to senior majors in economics early in the
fall semester.
To be taken by students participating in year-long thesis research (ECON 493-W031-494). ENGLISHThis course will introduce the history of, and current interest in, fans of popular culture. We will read recent accounts of X-philes, Barbie collectors, soccer-supporters, Star Trekkers, romance novel readers, and Civil War battle reenactors, to name but a few. As well, we will examine some of the ways fans express their interest in popular cultures-through zines, in on-line discussion groups, at conventions, in the sampling techniques of rap and techno music, or in the retro styles of fashion. Chief among our concerns as a class will be: Are fans merely consumers of mass culture, or are they cultural producers in their own right? What kinds of television programs, sports events, films, or dance crazes spark fan interest? Why do fans identify with specific fictional characters? Are fans radically different from or entirely representative of "mainstream" society? In what ways do fans appropriate sub-cultural interests ("alternative" music, folk traditions)? In what ways do fans resist or reinterpret mass culture? Students will have the opportunity both to engage in critical analyses of popular culture as well as to document, either through autobiography or ethnography, a specific example of fan culture of their own choosing. Readings will include works by Roland Barthes, Walter Benjamin, Bill Buford, Michael De Certeau, Henry Louis Gates, Horkheimer and Adorno, Nick Hornby, Tony Horwi |