2014-15 Undergraduate Index A-Z

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Political Economy [clear]

Title	Offering	Standing	Credits	Credits	When	F	W	S	Description	Faculty	Days	Multiple Standings	Start Quarters	Open Quarters
Business for Good Joseph Tougas and Russell Lidman business and management communication community studies economics leadership studies philosophy political economy	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			Most of our wants and needs are met through the activities of private business enterprises, and, to a lesser extent, of entrepreneurial nonprofits. You may be considering a career in business or entrepreneurship, or perhaps you are just exploring career options. This introductory program will provide perspective on and a foundation in skills essential for success in business and social entrepreneurship. A measure of this program’s success is whether it supports you in developing your talents and abilities, to enable you to play a positive role in these arenas. The content of this program includes economics and business statistics, as well as the study of ethics and values as they apply to leadership and decision-making. Students will acquire an understanding of the economy and its impact on firms, industries, communities, and households. They will be exposed to descriptive and inferential business statistics—necessary background for any subsequent work in marketing, finance, auditing and accounting. Students will be challenged with ethical problems that will require careful, analytical thought. In connection with the readings on ethical values, students will be encouraged to think through how their own sense of what makes life worthwhile would influence their decisions as a businessperson or community organizer. Students will need to squarely face the conflicts that inevitably arise in a pluralistic society, and learn to respond honestly and constructively in conflict situations. They will participate in team-building tasks which will provide perspective on working as part of a team, as well as independently. All of this will occur in the context of an interdisciplinary liberal education, oriented to the student’s intellectual and personal growth.The program will include lectures, seminars, workshops, guest lectures and field work. Our guest lecturers will come from successful local businesses and nonprofits. The field work will involve visiting a nearby community and producing a detailed analysis of its economic well-being. Reading for this program will include texts in economics, business statistics, and practical ethics, along with short stories and novels that illustrate the challenges of making business decisions that are both ethically and economically sound. Students will also develop practical skills working with the spreadsheet software Excel.	Joseph Tougas Russell Lidman	Mon Wed Thu	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Business on the Brink: Ethics and the Financial Crisis Stephen Beck business and management philosophy political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	8	08	Evening	F 14 Fall			The financial collapse of 2007-2008 triggered the "Great Recession" in the U.S. and had devastating consequences on people worldwide. In this country, many people lost their houses through foreclosure and their jobs through the resulting contraction that rippled through the economy. While today the U.S. economy is officially in recovery, many people have yet to feel the recovery's benefits.Yet the financial collapse was no natural disaster. What was the role of people in power, both in business and in government, in making decisions and taking actions with far-reaching consequences? Taking as our starting point the principle that with power comes responsibility, in this program we will examine the ethical lessons of the financial crisis and its fallout. We will examine events surrounding the financial crisis in order to develop a preliminary understanding of it as well as to motivate our central questions: What ethical, political and social responsibilities people in various roles and positions of power have? Did ethical and political lapses in the way that we conceive of and conduct business and finance allow this crisis to unfold? And, perhaps most important, what kind of power can gain by coming to a greater understanding of these matters? Students will come to understand different ways to conceive of their ethical relationships to those close to them as well as to society and the world more broadly, and they will exercise their understanding in careful thinking about the recent financial crisis, to culminate in an ethical position essay. This program is preparatory to work and further study in ethics, politics, business, and social responsibility.	Stephen Beck	Wed Sat	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Community Resilience: An Introduction to Public Policy Joli Sandoz health political economy political science	Course	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	4	04	Weekend	F 14 Fall			The role of public policy in strengthening local communities will be our primary emphasis, as we explore ways we can help collective efforts to respond positively to change. Course participants will begin by investigating two key concepts: "community resilience" and "public policy." Then we'll shift our attention to how public policy is formulated and implemented, and also how process helps shape a policy’s effectiveness. Part of our work will take place in simulations and serious games, widely-accepted methods of research and field inquiry in a board range of fields, including the social sciences and natural resource management.Development and application of effective presentation-preparation skills, including thinking and writing, will be a major course emphasis. Participants will be expected to attend in person or to watch online a minimum of two public meetings relevant to our work, and to write a brief report about each. Additional written assignments will include several short weekly discussion papers to be shared with other course participants. As the quarter progresses, this writing will build into a final 10 minute in-course presentation with associated documentation, based on course readings and knowledge of a specific community, to explore a topic of each student’s choice. Credit will be awarded in Public Policy: Community Resilience.This course may be taken alone. It is informally linked (with minimal overlap of content) to , another four-credit course also taught on Saturdays by the same faculty. Students enrolled in both courses may choose to complete separate final projects on different topics, or to combine their projects into a single 12-15 page exploratory paper on a topic related to public policy and human health, accompanied by a short presentation of their work in .	Joli Sandoz	Sat	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Current Economic and Social Issues: Explanations, Actions and Solutions Peter Bohmer American studies communication economics media studies political economy political science sociology	Program	FR ONLYFreshmen Only	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	The outcome of current social and economic problems will shape the future for us all. This program focuses on analyzing these problems and developing skills to contribute to debates and effective action in the public sphere. We will address major contemporary issues such as poverty and economic inequality, immigration, sexual violence, incarceration, climate change, and war on a global and national level. We will draw on political science, economics and political economy, sociology, and communication studies for our analysis, with particular attention to dimensions of class, race, gender, and global inequalities.We will build our analyses using data-driven descriptions, narratives of those directly affected, and theories that place issues in larger social and historical contexts. Students will be introduced to competing theoretical frameworks and perspectives for explaining the causes of social problems and their potential solutions (frameworks such as neoclassical economics, liberalism, Marxism, feminism, and anarchism). We will study how social movements have actively addressed the problems and investigate their short- and long-term proposals and solutions. We will also examine how alternative economic and social systems address these issues.Through critical analysis of media representations of current issues, students will learn to create alternative representations in the form of radio broadcasts or podcasts. Students will learn basic recording, editing, writing, and performance skills needed for audio interviews, commentaries, and documentaries.We will choose the specific issues to be addressed in the program as spring 2015 approaches, so that our study will be as relevant as possible. For each topic studied, we will combine readings with lectures, films, and workshops, along with guest speakers and field trips as appropriate to observe problems and responses first hand.Students will write short papers on each of the social and economic issues we are analyzing. You will also in groups examine in more depth and report on one of these areas.	Peter Bohmer	Tue Tue Wed Fri Fri	Freshmen FR	Spring	Spring
Entrepreneurship and Economic Development cancelled	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		How are organizations managed? What skills and abilities are needed? Organizations fail or succeed according to their ability to adapt to fluid legal, cultural, political and economic realities. The management of organizations will play a seminal role in this program, where the primary focus will be on business and economic development. Management is a highly interdisciplinary profession where generalized, connected knowledge plays a critical role. Knowledge of the liberal arts/humanities or of technological advances may be as vital as skill development in finance, law, organizational dynamics or the latest management theory. An effective leader/manager must have the ability to read, comprehend, contextualize and interpret the flow of events impacting the organization. Communication skills, critical reasoning, quantitative (financial) analysis and the ability to research, sort out, comprehend and digest voluminous amounts of material characterize the far-thinking and effective organizational leader/manager.This program will explore the essentials of for-profit and nonprofit business development through the study of classical economics, free market principles, economic development and basic business principles. Selected seminar readings will trace the evolution of free market thinking in our own democratic republic. Critical reasoning will be a significant focus in order to explicate certain economic principles and their application to the business environment. You will be introduced to the tools, skills and concepts you need to develop strategies for navigating your organization in an ever-changing environment. Class work will include lectures, book seminars, projects, case studies, leadership, team building and financial analysis. Expect to read a lot, study hard and be challenged to think clearly, logically and often. Texts will include by Thomas Zimmerer by Thomas Sowell, by M. Neil Browne and Stuart Keeley, and by John A. Tracy. A stout list of seminar books will include , by Friedrich von Hayek, by Thomas Paine, and by Alexis De Toqueville. In fall quarter, we will establish a foundation in economics, business, critical reasoning and the history of business development in the United States.Winter quarter will emphasize real-life economic circumstances impacting organizations. You will engage in discussions with practitioners in businesses and various other private sector and government organizations. A primary focus in winter will be on spreadsheet analysis of financial documents.	John Filmer	Mon Wed Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall
Entrepreneurship and Economic Development new Brenda Hood American studies business and management communication economics government history law and public policy leadership studies political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			What does it mean to be a successful entrepreneur? What does authentic success look like, to the individual, to the organization, to the larger community, and to the economy? Organizations fail or succeed according to their ability to adapt to fluid legal, cultural, political and economic realities. The management of organizations will be a central theme in this program, where the primary focus will be on business, economic, and community development through the lens of sustainability. Management is a highly interdisciplinary profession in which generalized, connected knowledge plays a critical role. Knowledge of the liberal arts or of technological advances may be as vital as skill development in finance, law, organizational dynamics or the latest management theory. An effective entrepreneur must have the ability to read, comprehend, contextualize and interpret the flow of events impacting the organization. Communication skills, critical reasoning, quantitative (financial) analysis and the ability to research, sort out, comprehend and digest voluminous amounts of material characterize the far-thinking and effective organizational entrepreneur.The program will be foundational for forming business pathways to move toward greater cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability. Throughout the program, we will ask: how might entrepreneurs innovate, challenge, and transform their cultures and their environments as well as themselves? One of the goals of this program is to develop a set of competencies that will address this need in an increasingly challenging economic and business climate, as we also engage in developing a well-rounded education. Critical reasoning will be a significant focus in order to explicate certain entrepreneurship principles and their application to the business environment. You will be introduced to the tools, skills and concepts you need to develop strategies for navigating your organization in an ever-changing environment. Class work will include lectures, book seminars, projects, case studies, leadership, team building and financial analysis. Expect to read a lot, study hard and be challenged to think clearly, logically and often. Students can expect to attain a diverse skill set, including entrepreneurship, economics, sustainable business practices, critical reasoning and the ability to integrate business within community development.Texts will include by Norman Scarborough, by Thomas Sowell, by M. Neil Browne and Stuart Keeley. Seminar texts include by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox, by Andres Edwards and David Orr, and by Elane Scott and Rick Stephens.	Brenda Hood	Mon Wed Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Food: Coevolution, Community and Sustainability Martha Rosemeyer, Lori Blewett, Thomas Johnson and Karen Hogan agriculture biology ecology history international studies law and public policy political economy sustainability studies Signature Required: Winter Spring	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	What should we eat? How do we define "organic" and "local" food? Are current food system practices sustainable? What does food sovereignty mean? Why are approximately 1 billion of the world’s population starving and another 1 billion “stuffed” or overstuffed? Is change possible and where does one begin?Throughout history, food and cooking have not only been essential for human sustenance, but have played a central role in the economic and cultural life of civilizations. This interdisciplinary exploration of food will take a systems approach as it examines the biology and ecology of food, while also incorporating political, economic, historical and anthropological perspectives around the issue of food security and sovereignty.More specifically, our interaction with nature through the food system will be viewed through the lens of both science and policy. We will take a biological and ecological approach to the production of plants and animals for food, as well as examine the transformation of the “raw stuff of nature” through the processes of cooking, baking and fermentation. Topics span a range of scales from basic chemistry to agriculture, as we explore the coevolution of humans and their foodstuffs. A study of policy will examine origins of the current global food system and the challenges and opportunities of creating a more equitable food system at the local, national and global scale.In fall quarter, we will introduce the concept of food systems and analyze conventional and alternative agricultural practices. We will examine the botany of vegetables, fruits, seed grains and legumes that constitute most of the global food supply and their selection through evolution and domestication. Our policy focus will include a study of food system planning at the local level, the role of economics and national policies, the challenges posed by climate change and the role of various food movements.In winter quarter, we shift our attention to cooking and basic aspects of nutrition. We will examine animal products, as well as the chemistry of cooking, baking and food preservation. Additionally, the structure of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, as well as antioxidants, minerals and vitamins will be discussed. Seminar will focus on issues of global hunger, obesity, food sovereignty, farm-worker justice, and international food movements. Finally, we will study the basic physiology of taste and smell, critical for the preparation of food.In spring quarter, we will examine will examine the relationship between food and microbes from several different perspectives. Specifically we will examine fermentation, produce specific fermented foods, while studying the underlying microbial ecology. We will also consider topics in microbiology, as they relate to both food safety and food preservation, and the microbiome of the gut. Seminar will focus on cultural aspects of food.Students will directly apply scientific concepts learned in lectures to experiments in the laboratory and kitchen. Field trips will provide opportunities for observing food production, processing and citizen participation in the making of local food policy. Program themes will be reinforced in workshops and seminar discussions focused on topics addressed by such authors as Pollan, Patel and Mintz.	Martha Rosemeyer Lori Blewett Thomas Johnson Karen Hogan		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Foundations of Washington State’s Governance System Stephen Buxbaum history political economy	Course	JR–SRJunior–Senior	4	04	Evening			S 15Spring	Washington State’s local governance system was forged during two of our nation’s great mass democratic political actions – the Populist and Progressive movements. The cultural, economic and political forces that informed our state’s creation and development provide insight into how social movements develop and what factors contribute to their success and failure. Students will engage in primary source research of events that occurred following Washington’s territorial years to just prior to World War I. Class sessions will be interactive, combining presentations by the instructor and guests with seminar discussions. Learning objectives include developing student's critical thinking and writing skills.	Stephen Buxbaum		Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Geopolitics, Energy, Economics and Stewardship of the Pacific Northwest Ralph Murphy and Zoe Van Schyndel business and management economics environmental studies political economy political science sustainability studies	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	This program examines the political, ecological and energy-related foundations of the Pacific Northwest’s culture and economy. The unique mix of energy, natural resources, agriculture, manufacturing, military, high technology and finance have created a diverse cultural and economic base. The regional economy, led by manufacturing, agriculture, forest products and finance, served the region well during most of the 20th century, creating a variety of sources of employment and opportunities for families to achieve a high quality of life.Changes in the late 20th and early 21st century present new challenges. As we explore these changes, our goals are to define a concrete vision of a sustainable economy in the Pacific Northwest that will account for employment, prosperity and preservation and restoration of the environment, as well as to examine the roles public policy and entrepreneurship can play to ensure it is achievable, and to understand why it is important to transition to a sustainable future. We believe innovation, creativity and stewardship will help achieve the goals of this program to positively benefit the region.Three overarching topics will be explored in depth. Pacific Northwest energy regimes—including natural gas, hydroelectric sources and emerging technologies of tidal, geothermal and wind—will be examined. Energy is vital to the Pacific Northwest because of the comparative advantages on price the region has long enjoyed. We will examine the composition of, and changes in, the regional economy, including how to understand key economic relationships, how technology and other emerging sectors impact education, demographics, employment, wage structures and demands for infrastructure and tax base. To fully understand energy and the regional economy, we will integrate considerations of how economics, governance and ecology are now at critical turning points.This program is organized around class work that includes lectures, workshops, book seminars and field trips. Assignments will include seminar papers, field trip reports, briefing papers, individual and team research and a final project and presentation.	Ralph Murphy Zoe Van Schyndel	Tue Tue Wed Thu Fri Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Imperialism Eirik Steinhoff history literature political economy political science writing	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			By the time the First World War broke out in 1914, the vast majority of the world’s population and territory were under the direct or indirect control of European imperial powers. This was accomplished, on the one hand, through military conquest, genocide, and political subjugation, and it was legitimated, on the other, through religious, economic, and scientific argument. Works of art played their part as well, but also open up spaces of inquiry, critique, and resistance. This program shall accordingly place a special emphasis on critical and creative reading and writing as a way of deepening our inquiry into these challenging materials. What were the arguments made in support of imperialist policy and practice? And what arguments – and other forms of resistance – have been mounted against it? How does imperialism do things with words? And what might words, in turn, do with imperialism? How does the experience of imperialism affect those subjected to it, and what impact does it have on imperialists? And how does the legacy of nineteenth- and twentieth-century imperialism continue to structure our own so-called “post-colonial” epoch?In order to answer these questions, we will study the discursive practices of both the imperial past and the “post-colonial” present, paying special attention, in particular, to verbal actions and reactions in relation to concrete material historical conditions. Our study will be enriched by the theoretical paradigm of Orientalism (as theorized by Edward Said), which shall enable us to examine the ways in which European ideologies underwrote the formation of empire and continues to inscribe asymmetrical relations today under the guise of freedom, modernity, progress, and global economic development.Requirements will include (a) frequent short writings, (b) an end-of-the-quarter research paper and presentation, and (c) weekly seminars. Weekly schedule will consist of presentations by faculty and guest speakers, viewing of films, study groups, and seminar discussion.A reporter once asked Gandhi, “What do you think about Western Civilization?” Gandhi replied wryly: “I think that it would be a good idea.”	Eirik Steinhoff		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
India Then and Now Jeanne Hahn and Ratna Roy cultural studies government history literature political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		It is often said that an inquiry into the past helps make the present more understandable. Certainly this is the case with India. The roots of today's India lie deep in its early history. One of the world's oldest civilizations, with a body of literature in Sanskrit dating back to l500 BCE, India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and the home of diverse philosophical thinking that relates to concepts of birth/death, duty, citizenship, state building and governance. Today, India is considered to be the world's largest democracy and a nation undergoing rapid change and modernization. What is the relationship of this long past to today's India? India's ancient inheritance continues to shape modern India, while at the same time creating tensions and contradictions as it changes and finds its place in the world of the 21st century. This program will study aspects of both India's past and its present to gain an understanding of its long historical trajectory, as well as its present society and what it is that connects past to present. We will begin with translated excerpts from ancient texts as literature and gain an understanding of the foundations of Indian thought. A focal point of the first several weeks will be a reading of the great epic text, We will then build on this foundation to investigate the defining cultural, political and economic issues facing contemporary India. In addition to the ancient texts, the program will read contemporary literature, political economy and cultural studies. Writing will include a carefully developed two-part progressive essay that synthesizes and analyzes the program themes.	Jeanne Hahn Ratna Roy		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Individual Study: Humanities and Social Sciences Bill Arney community studies consciousness studies cultural studies education government health literature philosophy philosophy of science political economy political science psychology sociology writing Signature Required: Winter	Contract	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		Individual Study offers opportunities for students to pursue their own courses of study and research through individual learning contracts or internships. Bill Arney sponsors individual learning contracts in the humanities and social sciences. All students ready to do good work are welcome to make a proposal to Bill Arney.	Bill Arney		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Individual Study: Water Law, Cultural Studies and the Arts Cheri Lucas-Jennings American studies aesthetics agriculture community studies cultural studies ecology environmental studies field studies gender and women's studies government health hydrology international studies law and public policy media arts political economy political science sustainability studies visual arts writing Signature Required: Fall	Contract	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day and Evening	F 14 Fall			Individual studies offers important opportunities for advanced students to create their own course of study and research. Prior to the beginning of the quarter, interested individuals or small groups of students must consult with the faculty sponsor to develop an outline of proposed projects to be described in an Individual Learning Contract. If students wish to gain internship experience they must secure the agreement and signature of a field supervisor prior to the initiation of the internship contract.This faculty welcomes internships and contracts in the areas of the arts (including acrylic and oil painting, sculpture, or textiles); water policy and hydrolic systems; environmental health; health policy; public law; cultural studies; ethnic studies; permaculture, economics of agriculture; toxins and brownfields; community planning, intranational relations.This opportunity is open to those who wish to continue with applied projects that seek to create social change in our community; artists engaged in creative projects and those beginning internship work at the State capitol who seek to expand their experience to public agencies and non-profit institutions; and to those interested in the study of low income populations and legal aid.	Cheri Lucas-Jennings		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Intermediate Macroeconomics Tom Womeldorff economics government political economy Signature Required: Fall	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			This program is designed for students who are interested in critically studying economics beyond the introductory level. In lecture and workshop, we will complete the equivalent of textbook intermediate macroeconomics which focuses primarily on the determinants of economic growth, employment rates, inflation and income distribution. We will assess the "appropriate" roles for the federal government in the economy (e.g., determining the right fiscal and monetary policy mix, setting exchange rates and eliminating/creating trade barriers). While there is no specific math prerequisite, extending our math skills will be an objective of the program. In the process, we will critically assess the limits of macroeconomic theory. For example, does the theory adequately consider income distribution effects of policy options? Do macroeconomic prescriptions contribute to gender inequalities? To what extent do ideological predispositions intersect with the science of economics, influencing prescriptions about the size of the money supply or the judged appropriateness of tax cuts?In seminar, we will survey areas of applied macroeconomics and gain familiarity with the various schools of thought (i.e., Keynesian, Post-Keynesian, Monetarist, Austrian and Marxian approaches).Program activities will include lectures, workshops, exams, short research papers and seminar.	Tom Womeldorff		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Making A Difference/Doing Social Change Lawrence Mosqueda community studies law and public policy political economy Signature Required: Spring	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day			S 15Spring	Even a casual observation of society indicates that serious social change is necessary. The question is: what are the most effective ways to make a significant change that will be long lasting and sustainable?In this program, students will study methods of social change in the classroom and participate in local, regional, national or international groups that are making a difference and have significant promise of continuing to do so in the future. Students will determine the area where they wish to work and come together to study theories of social change and test those theories in their work throughout the quarter. Our seminars will examine the readings for the week and also the work each of us is engaged in for the quarter.	Lawrence Mosqueda	Tue Thu	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring
Political Economy and Social Movements: Race, Class and Gender revised Peter Bohmer, Martha Schmidt and Savvina Chowdhury African American studies American studies cultural studies economics gender and women's studies government history international studies political economy political science sociology Signature Required: Winter	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		We will examine the nature, development and concrete workings of modern capitalism and the interrelationship of race, class and gender in historical and contemporary contexts. Recurring themes will be the interaction of oppression, exploitation, social movements, reform and fundamental change, and the construction of alternatives to capitalism, nationally and globally. We will examine how social change has occurred in the past, present trends and alternatives for the future. We will examine different theoretical frameworks such as liberalism, Marxism, feminism, anarchism and neoclassical economics, and their explanations of the current U.S. and global political economy and of key issues such as education, the media, climate change, hunger, debt, immigration and the criminal justice system. There will be workshops on popular education and movement building skills.In fall, the U.S. experience will be the focus, whereas winter quarter will have a global focus. We will begin with the colonization of the U.S., and the material and ideological foundations of the U.S. political economy from the 18th century to the present. We will explore specific issues including the slave trade, racial, gender and economic inequality, the labor movement and the western push to "American Empire." We will examine the linkages from the past to the present between the economic core of capitalism, political and social structures, and gender, race and class relations. Resistance and social movements will be a central theme. We will study microeconomics principles from a neoclassical, feminist economics and political economy perspective. Within microeconomics, we will study topics such as the structure and failure of markets, work and wages, growing economic inequality, poverty, debt as a means of dispossession, and the gender and racial division of labor.In winter, we will examine the interrelationship between the U.S. political economy and the changing global system, and U.S. foreign policy. We will study causes and consequences of the globalization of capital and its effects in our daily lives, international migration, and the role of multilateral institutions and trade agreements. This program will analyze the response of societies such as Venezuela and Bolivia and social movements such as labor, feminist, anti-war, environmental, indigenous and youth and the global justice movement in the U.S. and internationally in opposing the global order. We will look at alternatives to neoliberal capitalism including socialism, participatory economies and community-based economies and study strategies for social change. We will study macroeconomics, including austerity and critiques of it, causes and solutions to the high rates of unemployment and underemployment and to economic instability. In winter quarter, as part of the 16 credits, there will be an optional internship for two credits in organizations and groups whose activities are closely related to the themes of this program or the opportunity to write a research paper on a relevant political economy topic.Students will engage the material through seminars, lectures, guest speakers, films, workshops, synthesis papers based on program material and concepts, and take-home examinations.	Peter Bohmer Martha Schmidt Savvina Chowdhury	Tue Wed Fri	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter
Power In American Society Lawrence Mosqueda government history political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall			This program will investigate the nature of economic, political, social, military, ideological and interpersonal power. The interrelationship of these dimensions will be a primary area of study. We will explore these themes through lectures, films, seminars, a journal and writing short papers.The analysis will be guided by the following questions, as well as others that may emerge from our discussions: What does power mean? Are there different kinds of power and how are they interrelated? Who has power in American society? Who is relatively powerless? Why? How is power accumulated? What resources are involved? How is power utilized and with what impact on various sectors of the population? What characterizes the struggle for power? How does domestic power relate to international power? How is international power used? How are people affected by the current power structure? What responsibilities do citizens have to alter the structure of power? What alternative structures are possible, probable, necessary or desirable?In this period of war and economic, social and political crisis, a good deal of our study will focus on international relations in a systematic and intellectual manner. There will be a good deal of reading. Please be prepared to work hard and to challenge your and others’ thinking.	Lawrence Mosqueda	Tue Wed Thu	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
Power in American Society (winter) Lawrence Mosqueda government history political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter		This program repeats the content of Power in American Society offered fall quarter. Students who take the fall quarter program may not sign up for the winter repeat program.This program will investigate the nature of economic, political, social, military, ideological and interpersonal power. The interrelationship of these dimensions will be a primary area of study. We will explore these themes through lectures, films, seminars, a journal and writing short papers.The analysis will be guided by the following questions, as well as others that may emerge from our discussions: What does power mean? Are there different kinds of power and how are they interrelated? Who has power in American society? Who is relatively powerless? Why? How is power accumulated? What resources are involved? How is power utilized and with what impact on various sectors of the population? What characterizes the struggle for power? How does domestic power relate to international power? How is international power used? How are people affected by the current power structure? What responsibilities do citizens have to alter the structure of power? What alternative structures are possible, probable, necessary or desirable?In this period of war and economic, social and political crisis, a good deal of our study will focus on international relations in a systematic and intellectual manner. There will be a good deal of reading. Please be prepared to work hard and to challenge your and others’ thinking.	Lawrence Mosqueda	Tue Tue Wed Wed Thu Thu	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
The Power in Our Hands: Pathways to Social Change revised Tyrus Smith, Peter Boome, TBD, Suzanne Simons, Frances Solomon, Barbara Laners, Peter Bacho, Anthony Zaragoza, Paul McCreary, Gilda Sheppard and Mingxia Li biology community studies cultural studies environmental studies government history law and public policy literature mathematics political economy sociology	Program	JR–SRJunior–Senior	16	16	Day and Evening	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring	This year’s program is designed to help students explore the history of how working hands have built the material world around us and shaped the environment, which in turn has molded our own consciousness. Realizing the capacity of working hands and the possible dual relationship between our hands with our mind is the critical first step toward empowerment of the working majority and potential social transformation.Arguably, all human expressions of intelligence both in art/craft and the written/spoken word are rooted in the hands. We will examine the theories and practices in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, media and technology that simultaneously represent and influence works by the hands of individuals, groups and organizations to change our society and environment locally, nationally and globally throughout the ages. For example, hands of different genders, races and social affiliations, hands that cradle, cook, weed, maneuver, calculate, experiment, film, draw, write and type will all be possible study subjects. Metaphors originated from hands, such as feel one’s way, to grasp the meaning, the right touch vs. heavy-handed, to be in touch vs. out of touch, and handling it right vs. wrong, as well as in one’s hand vs. out of one’s hand just begin to inform us how important our hands are in our consciousness. Hand gestures that solidify social bonding, express trust and admiration, and symbolize social contract are the beginning toward building social capital and cohesive communities. Our coordinated studies program consists of two major components: 1) whole campus yearlong lyceum/seminar where faculty and students will study the program theme from a broad multi-disciplined perspective, and 2) quarter long courses with a more focused approach. These courses will cover topical areas such as sociology, government, politics, education, math, law, public health, life science, media art, youth study, environment, community development, women's empowerment and political economy. The two components are linked through the program theme. In both components, we will pay particular attention to the “hands-on” style of learning through critical reflection and creative practices. Besides lyceum/seminar, a student will select two additional courses each quarter depending on career interest. The majority of the classes in the program are team-taught.Fall quarter will lay the foundation for the rest of the year, both substantively and in terms of the tools necessary for students to operate effectively in the learning community.During winter quarter, students will collaborate to investigate the characteristics and motivations of social entrepreneurs and develop action plans to promote social change.In spring quarter, we will bridge the gap between theory (mind) and practice (hand) by carrying out an action plan developed during winter quarter.	Tyrus Smith Peter Boome TBD Suzanne Simons Frances Solomon Barbara Laners Peter Bacho Anthony Zaragoza Paul McCreary Gilda Sheppard Mingxia Li		Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
River Resources Kenneth Tabbutt and Tom Womeldorff economics environmental studies geology hydrology political economy	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter	S 15Spring	River systems carry more than water. Rivers transfer energy, sediment and dissolved materials; modify the landscape; provide water and nutrients to ecosystems and agriculture. They are corridors for the migration of fish, facilitate commerce, and attract recreation and development.Because of the wide range of demands placed on rivers, laws and policies have been developed to limit and allocate how these resources can be used. Effective management of river resources is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring the application of knowledge in both environmental sciences and management. We will examine geology, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and aqueous chemistry, environmental economics and benefit-cost analysis with an emphasis on how society has impacted some of the natural river processes. Our modes of learning will include seminars, lectures, problem-solving workshops, science and GIS labs, project work and field studies.In winter, we will focus on natural resource economics, physical geology and surface water hydrology. Quantitative problem solving will be emphasized. In addition, students will be introduced to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and develop skills in analyzing and displaying spatial data associated with river systems and drainage basins. There will be several daylong field trips to study local river systems in Western Washington.In spring quarter, we will turn our attention to fluvial geomorphology, aqueous chemistry and benefit-cost analysis. Students will participate in project work and there will be an extended field trip to the Columbia River Basin in Eastern Washington.	Kenneth Tabbutt Tom Womeldorff		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter Spring
Urbanity, Smart Cities, and Civic Intelligence Douglas Schuler and Howard Schwartz architecture political economy sociology sustainability studies	Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	8, 12	08 12	Evening and Weekend		W 15Winter	S 15Spring	For the first time in history, the population of the world’s city dwellers exceeds that of their rural counterparts. While the trend to crowd ever more people into cities continues, the impact of cities on the rest of the world is still profoundly felt. Cities are the economic engines that help determine the state of the rest of the social and natural worlds. And cities use resources and have ecological impacts that extend beyond their boundaries. They are also the seat of much of the cultural production and technological innovation which has broad implications for everybody.Throughout the program we will employ a civic intelligence perspective into our exploration of cities. Civic intelligence is the capacity of groups, organizations, or societies to address their shared issues effectively and equitably. Complementary themes which may be integrated into the program include sustainability, climate change, varieties of social change, art, math, science, philosophy. Several city related technological efforts may be intergrated in the program, including the Seattle Community Network and the MyNeighborhood project involving Lisbon, Milan, and other European cities.We will explore the physical forms of the cities as well as the forces they exert beyond their physical boundaries. We’ll look into things like history of social innovation in cities, urbanization in 20th and 21st centuries, current roles of the cities, responsibilities of the city, knowledge production in the city, mental and other maps, cities and power, manufacturing in the city. We will also explore a number of creative perspectives including annotating the city, appropriating the city, imagining the city, animating the city, and sensing the city.Students who register for the 12 credit option will meet from 4:30 - 6:00 every Wednesday along with students in the undergraduate research offering that focuses on civic intelligence. In this setting student teams design and implement projects as part of the Civic Intelligence Research and Action Laboratory (CIRAL). Successful CIRAL work requires student initative and the ability to working independently and also as part of a collaborative team.	Douglas Schuler Howard Schwartz		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter Spring
Vital Signs: Public Health and Social Policy Joli Sandoz health political economy sociology writing	Course	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	4	04	Weekend	F 14 Fall			This course centers on context for actions residents and policy makers can take to help their communities become healthier, and more flexible and creative in response to change. We will draw on ideas and techniques from the field of public health as we learn about resilience, policy process, and related public health efforts in Washington State and Thurston County. Course participants will also consider the effects of income and wealth inequity on a community’s health and resilience.“Resilience” is often thought of as one person’s reaction to natural disaster or personal tragedy. But shared responses to social and environmental change are equally vital to both individual and collective well-being. Public health professionals focus efforts on fostering wellness in entire groups and populations of people, in addition to working with partners in medical care.Written assignments in will include several short discussion papers to be shared with other participants. As the quarter progresses, this writing will build into an exploratory project on a topic of each student’s choice, based in course readings. Development and use of effective writing, reading and thinking skills will be a major course emphasis. Credit will be awarded in Public Health: Community Resilience or Public Health: Social Policy, depending on the focus of the final project.This course may be taken alone. It is informally linked (with minimal overlap of content) to , another four-credit course also taught on Saturdays by the same faculty. Students enrolled in both courses may choose to complete separate final projects on different topics, or to combine their projects into a single exploratory paper on a topic related to policy and health, accompanied by a short presentation of their work in .	Joli Sandoz	Sat	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall
What Does it Mean to be an "American"? Colonial America to Present Michael Vavrus, Artee Young and Liza Rognas American studies cultural studies gender and women's studies history law and public policy political economy political science	Program	FR–SOFreshmen–Sophomore	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		This introductory program examines how the meaning of “American” has changed historically and into our current era. Specifically, we examine how the concept of “democracy” has been applied historically. Democracy is a participatory form of government, yet many groups and individuals have not been allowed to participate fully in U.S. democratic systems since the beginning of the Republic. Our inquiry includes: What does social belonging involve? Why are some individuals included while others are excluded from full participation in civic life? How do individual or group identities influence participation in social, economic and political processes? Where and how do differences and diversity fit with the idea of the “American Dream?”To address these questions and others, this two-quarter program explores the origins and manifestations of the contested concepts of race, gender, and socioeconomic class in U.S. history as part of an investigation into identity. We will explore how identity and perceived identity have resulted in differential social, economic and political treatments and how social movements emerged to challenge systemic inequities.Central to this program is a study of historical connections between European colonialism prior to U.S. independence as a nation and the expansion of U.S. political and military dominance globally since independence and into the 21st century. In this context, students are provided opportunities to investigate how the bodies of various populations have been racialized and gendered. Students will examine related contemporary concepts such as racism, prejudice, discrimination, patriarchy, gender, class, affirmative action, white privilege and color-blindness. Students will consider current research and commentaries that surround debates on genetics vs. culture (“nature vs. nurture”).Students will engage historic and contemporary perceptions of identity through readings, dialogue in seminars, workshops, films, and academic writing that integrate program material. A goal of the program is for students to acquire knowledge of the past and its association with the present in order to connect and recognize contemporary expressions of power and privilege by what we hear, see and read as well as absences and silences that we find.These expressions include contemporary news accounts and popular culture artifacts (e.g., music, television, cinema, on-line media). As part of this inquiry, we will examine the presidency of Barack Obama in relation to discourses on race. As a learning community, we will work together to make sense of these expressions and link them to their historical origins. Students will also have an opportunity to examine the social formation of their own identities by researching the historic foundations of their own personal narratives. Current approaches from social psychology will be foundational in this aspect of the program.Visits to local cultural museums, to the Washington State Archives, the National Archives in Seattle, and attendance at a theatrical performance are tentatively planned as part of this program. Disclaimer: Films and other program materials periodically describe and present images of violence and use language that may be considered offensive, especially in regards to racial identification. The purpose of this material is to present significant events within their respective historical contexts.	Michael Vavrus Artee Young Liza Rognas	Tue Tue Wed Fri Fri	Freshmen FR Sophomore SO	Fall	Fall Winter
Writing and Speaking for Change: Advocacy in Times of Economic Inequality Lori Blewett and Nancy Parkes communication media studies political economy sociology writing	Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	8	08	Evening and Weekend	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter		More than 46 million U.S. residents live in poverty. Income inequality has reached record levels. Yet poverty and inequality seldom galvanize the mainstream media or elected officials. This program will introduce students to foundational social and economic concepts related to poverty and privilege. We will examine issues though the lens of intersecting community problems, with particular attention to the historical dynamics of race, class, and gender. Linking problems to potential solutions, we will ask: How can writing and speaking be used to address issues of poverty in transformative ways? How can we reach across significant differences to open both minds and hearts? What can we learn from the rhetorical strategies of past and present movements for economic justice? What are the available means of persuasion, and how do we choose among them? How can advocates get their messages heard despite the constraints of corporate-dominated media? is recommended for students interested in affecting public policy and educating the broader public about complex issues. We will consider the elements of effective, content-based advocacy including communicating with elected officials and the media. Special attention will be given to writing skills for print and online media and to public speaking skills for live audiences and radio. Students will learn introductory technical skills needed for social media, web publishing, and audio production. During winter quarter, students will work on a substantial advocacy project that may be shared with the community in written or broadcast format. This program satisfies communication requirements for selected Master in Teaching endorsement areas.	Lori Blewett Nancy Parkes	Mon Wed	Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter