HC 116 | PSYCHOLOGY OF MALE DEVELOPMENT | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course focuses on the development of boys from infancy through adulthood within socio-cultural context. We therefore address in addition to gender, the impact of race, ethnicity, class and related issues of societal /governmental failures when it comes to non-voting children. We cover why boys have more trouble at school, more problems with anger, and more incarcerations than girls or boys of higher social class, but our focus will be on their capacities and how those in power can help them thrive rather than present obstacles in their path from birth onwards. In my work in Chicago schools from Englewood to Rogers Park, I found young boys and teens very capable of caring and empathy but not reinforced by adults to develop these skills. This course suggests ways to change that and help teachers, parents and society not stereotype boys or give up on them so early in life. We will focus on how boys can develop fully as men of character and care, who can succeed in relationships, as parents, at work and in their community. We will learn of advocacy work to convince society to improve the conditions in which boys live. We draw upon the work of the Search Institute, the book "The Men They Will Become" by Eli Newberger (free online) and other current research. We will view workshops including feminist Judith Jordan's "Raising Competent and Connected Boys" and learn of local and national efforts to support young boys development. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 118 | MAKING SOCIAL CHANGE: THE LEGACY OF THE 1960'S | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
In the first twenty years following World War II, Americans participated in the democratic process and in civil society in record numbers. They participated in public meetings, belonged to labor unions, joined churches, and formed professional societies. These civic structures and habits of involvement empowered citizens to believe they could make a difference in their communities and laid the groundwork for some of the major social movements of the second half of the 20th Century. Civil rights, second-wave feminism, gay rights, and Latino rights all have their roots in the 1960s and continued their work over the following decades. In this class, we will explore civic engagement through the lens of our recent history. We will look at how these movements developed and analyze how they achieved their goals. We will take lessons from our predecessors and apply them to our own efforts to make a contribution to the lives of people in our local, national or global communities. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 165 | CHINA: MONEY, POWER AND THE 21ST CENTURY | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The greatest migration of people in the history of the world is occurring right now, in China. Hundreds of millions of people, whose families have lived in rural China for thousands of years, are moving to rapidly urbanizing cities. This course analyzes, through the voices of the Chinese people, the dramatic impact of this social and economic revolution upon families and individuals. These changes are having a worldwide impact upon economics, trade and the new world order. Through lecture/discussions, videos, readings, on-line discussion boards and independent research, students will have the opportunity to form their own viewpoints as to the impact of globalization upon one of the oldest civilizations on earth. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 192 | THE ART, SCIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGY OF FOOD | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
We have many connections to food. Food sustains us but it has meaning that extends far beyond basic nutrition. Eating is an individual pleasure and comfort, a tool for creating and sustaining social bonds, and a way to express one's cultural identity. Food is tied to many aspects of life including culture, politics, agriculture and the environment. Americans have become disconnected from both the production of our food and from the joy of eating it and suffer from food related health problems such as diabetes, obesity and eating disorders. In this class we will explore the myriad of food-related habits and choices, that determine how what and why we eat. This experiential class moves beyond specific dietary guidelines by presenting concepts and skills that will help you reframe your connections with food. We will explore the multiple dimensions of food and eating from an individual, community and national level. We will explore the true meaning of nourishment. Topics include: identifying personal eating styles, mindful eating exercises, the slow food movement, locating Chicago food deserts, a field trip to a popular Chicago organic garden/restaurant, guest speaker from a Chicago restaurant mural artist, examining types of hunger and nourishment, and issues involving food and ritual, food and story, food and psychology, food and art. We will combine art, film clips, lectures, field trip, research, and mindful eating skills. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 208 | THE HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Entrepreneurs are an integral part of a thriving economy yet the aspects of successful entrepreneurship remain a mystery. This course takes a detailed look at the characteristics of successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs, enabling the students to acquire a personal understanding of what it takes to start a new business venture. This course is especially targeted for those interested in starting their own business or aspiring to be an employee within an innovative business. (2 credit hours)
HC 215 | EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
How do individual emotional traits support, or detract from, leadership behaviors in today's ever-changing organizations? We learn to identify and strengthen core traits of emotional intelligence at work, and to collaborate intelligently and effectively with others to meet the high standards of organizational improvement. Special focus on theories of active leadership and their relevance to an emotionally-positive workplace culture. (2-6 hours)
HC 219 | THE FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: ONE WOMAN'S CRUSADE | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Helen Prejean is a leading human rights activist in the United States. For the past 30 years, she has helped shape conversation about equal treatment for all within the criminal justice system, especially persons of color and the materially poor. Dead Man Walking, the eyewitness account of her experience accompanying condemned prisoners to execution, has had a major influence on discussion of violence, poverty, civil rights, criminal law, and social justice. In this course, we use her work and interact with her personally to study power inequities across race and class lines that perpetuate injustice and examine her strategies for reform. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 221 | PROFESSIONAL SPEAKING SKILLS FROM ZOOM TO ROOM | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Authentic, credible oral communication is paramount to attain professional and personal success. The purpose of this course is to hone each student's ability to orally communicate effectively and with ease. Regardless of the starting point - as a beginner or a seasoned speaker - we will identify personal strengths and improvement areas, then work upward from there. To accommodate today's high demand for online communication (Zoom, Google Meet, WebEx, et al), instruction will focus on both virtual and in-person delivery. With an emphasis on the professional environment, we will explore a variety of common scenarios. Students will gain practical techniques to boost performance and shine - ranging from formal presentations to meeting facilitations to impromptu speaking. Because we represent different industries, backgrounds, and experience levels, we will employ a mix of individual and collaborative activities. The latter will ensure that we are capitalizing on resources within our unique learning group. Students will be encouraged to select topics relevant to their respective careers or areas of study. As well, students have the option to work on their real-life speaking scenarios(s), provided it fits within the assignment parameters. (2 credit hours)
HC 222 | FACILITATIVE DIALOGUE | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course aims to help students understand the psychology surrounding difficult, emotionally volatile interpersonal situations in order to facilitate appropriate dialogue to arrive at a solution. These situations can include: confronting an uncooperative coworker, assessing alleged wrongdoing by a student, addressing resistance in a patient, providing feedback to a friend, or meeting the needs of a disgruntled customer. In these situations, our own behavioral and verbal actions are important determinants in the direction, duration, and consequences of the interaction. Given the potential for us to be hostilely confronted, and for those whom we are talking to for them to act defensively, we often have to manage our own emotions while trying to quickly assess the situation to facilitate dialogue. Students will learn, develop, and practice a framework to more effectively manage these situations. This course is appropriate for those in professional settings such as human resources, patient- and service-oriented industries, counseling, education, leadership development, in addition to personal settings where facilitative dialogue is necessary.
HC 223 | ECONOMY, SOCIETY, AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course targets undergraduate and postgraduate students who want to familiarize with economic principles, but do not intend to major in economics. No prior economic coursework is required. Students learn to develop an understanding of the use of analytical and data-handling tools. At the same time, they benefit from an accessible yet complete primer of economic principles and concepts that are essential to understand economic policymaking and the role of politics, as well as a host of issues facing our societies, such as: economic prosperity and inequality; economic efficiency and fairness in policymaking; institutions, power, and inequality; the labor market and unemployment; production and the market mechanism, etc... The course operates on the premise that the Economy shouldn't constitute the sole focus of public and private decisionmakers, and that equal attention should be devoted to two other essential dimensions of the human condition, Society and the Environment. (4 quarter hours)
HC 238 | CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS IN CUBA: WHO TALKS TO WHOM IN SCHOOLS AND CAFES | 2-4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This study abroad course will provide participants with a foundation in the theories of intercultural communications. They will observe how people from different cultures communicate in public spaces, cafes, schools and other institutions and evaluate how communications are affected by place. Through their stay in Havana and a day trip to Vinhales, participants will analyze how different socio- cultural factors interact to shape individuals and interaction patterns in these different settings, as well as in the United States. They will engage in global communication and evaluate the impact of communication differences that diverse political, religious, social, ethnic and educational backgrounds have on individuals communicating within an organization or individually. Prior to departure, participants will use interactive, online technology to engage in cross-cultural communication and to create criteria for evaluating and comparing communication patterns. In Cuba, participants will collaboratively use the criteria to analyze cross-cultural aspects of language and interactions in various settings from social and political perspectives. The trip duration is 7 days. The readings and activities ground students in recent theories of intercultural practice and provide a framework for students to become interculturally competent. Students will be staying in small groups in Casa Particulares, similar to Bed and Breakfasts, and hosted by Cuban families. The activities tentatively planned include touring Old Havana and the Plaza de la Revolucion, a visit to the Museo de la Revolucion, a visit to the Callejon de Hamel street fair, a day in rural Cuba to visit a tobacco farm and the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve, a visit to the Akokan community and the Casa de Africa, and a day at the beach. An important part of the curriculum are visits to local elementary schools, guest lectures with local university professors and an afternoon and evening with university students.
HC 239 | BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY AND OUR GLOBAL FUTURE | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Students will study the latest changes in the fields of intercultural communication and leadership development in today's global corporations, including reading interviews from some of the world's leaders in manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, and health care from numerous countries. This course combines hard science with cutting-edge organizational research-based case studies in today's trans-cultural global corporations. Students study key behaviors needed today to be successful in a global corporation, including cultural self-awareness, frame-shifting, inviting the unknown, third-way solutions, and others. Students will also study how "disruptive technologies", mobile internet, automation of knowledge work, cloud technology, next generation genomics, 3D printing, advanced materials, and renewable energy are changing and will continue to revolutionize global corporations. This course concludes with an analysis of the effects of social justice and corporate social responsibility on today's global corporations. (2-4 credit hours)
HC 247 | APPLYING ECONOMICS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This applied economic course is tailored to introduce students to economic issues, without employing complex graphical and mathematical models. The material to be covered caters to students who are concerned citizens and active participants in the economy, and want to achieve a better grasp of problems facing society today. Students will learn how to use fun tools from game theory to analyze some of society's most puzzling problems, such as pollution, health care, the depletion of natural resources, how the pursuit of individual goals can lead to poor collective outcomes, and also the challenges of monetary and fiscal policy, economic growth, inflation, unemployment, income inequality, etc. Students will learn by doing, through hands-on experiments and practical exercises.(2-4 credit hours)
HC 253 | FAMILY LIFE: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF FAMILIES | 2-4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
In history, families have been defined as mother, father, and children. In our current experience, more families differ from that model than comply with it. Family structure is evolving. Missing fathers, Single parents, and Blended families are only a few of the changes to the family structure that have occurred with some significance beginning in the 1950s. (2-4 quarter hours) What influences family structure? Do economics and education make a difference? Are race and ethnicity important factors? What about gender, personality and religion? Is the two parent family necessary? What role do grandparents and great grandparents play in the changing family? Perhaps the most important question we can ask about the family is what comes next. What are the many ways in which families might be redesigned in the future? How do these changes impact individuals in society? Competences: H4, H3X, A3A, FX.
HC 257 | PARTICIPATION AND DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Why don't more Americans vote? How do education, income, and age impact voting trends? Why are some Americans more interested in politics than others? How is inequality reflected in other forms of political participation, such as donating money? Do recent trends in voter ID laws help to safeguard the democratic process, or restrict it? In summary, how democratic or representative are American elections? The course begins with some famous arguments about why participation matters. Trends in voter turnout then become the primary object of study, but we also consider other forms of participation including writing members of Congress, attending political meetings and contributing money. We explore recent discoveries in behavioral psychology that are changing the strategies of modern campaigns. After taking this course, you will understand the fundamental role of participation in democracy. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 274 | THE BILL OF RIGHTS IN CONTEMPORARY LIFE AND WORK | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course will be organized around a series of central questions: What is a law? Who has the authority to make one? What are the various sources of law? What is or should be the relationship between law, ethics and morality, between law and religion? What is the difference between legislative law and constitutional law? What are the legal, historical, philosophical and political sources of American constitutional law? What sort of society did the Framers of the Bill of Rights have in mind and are their ideas still applicable in 21st century America? How does the Bill of Rights fit into our constitutional framework and what rights does it guarantee? What is the relationship between the states and the federal government in guaranteeing those rights? What is the relationship between our legal system and our political system generally? What criteria do judges use to interpret laws? How does our own legal system differ from those of other countries and cultures? Are there any universal rights worth protecting? What role does (or should) science play in upholding our rights under the Bill of Rights? Possible areas to be covered are freedom of speech, religion, establishment of church and state, the right to privacy, the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments? protections for criminal defendants and the death penalty. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 282 | JAZZ AGE PARIS: 1919-1939 | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This is a history of Parisian society and culture in the era between the two world wars. We will explore issues of race, class and gender in the interwar period in French society. We will also examine the role of American writers, artists, musicians and performers in the cultural world of Paris, the City of Light, and an outpost in the Harlem Renaissance. (2-4 credit hours)
HC 283 | GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES OF WORK & FAMILY | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
What role does the political, economic, and cultural structure of a nation play in its concepts of work and family? This course develops students' understanding of issues in the history of family and work through historical and contemporary accounts from Europe and the United States. We will take a close look at issues such as the gender division of labor, child labor, government policies on maternity, economic structure as well as social and political movements. Course materials include historical documents, lectures, films, and varied readings. Assignments will include essays, reflection journals, discussion, and a research project on work-life balance. (2 - 4 credit hours)
HC 299 | ASSESSING AND MANAGING CONFLICT | 2-4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Our usual method for presenting, analyzing, and resolving conflicts has centered around legalistic argument; the goal being to discover the "right" answer and suppress the "wrong" ones. However, the multiple worldviews operating in the world today make such an approach to conflict less viable. Reflecting this reality, ways of communicating about and resolving conflict have arisen that go beyond enforcement of rules or legal determinations of right and wrong. In this course, we will look at various methods for handling conflict and consider how we might apply them to personal, work, community and literary conflicts through lecture, small group work, role playing, reading, various written projects, and discussion. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 300 | GLOBALIZATION AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
For decades scholars have observed a growing body of evidence and employers a growing body of experience of significant changes in the way that international business is conducted. These changes in the business world, brought on largely by globalization, present new challenges. These challenges require staff with specific skills related to global competence in order for the business to remain competitive. The goal of this course is to help students to cultivate and/or refine the skills and capabilities necessary to succeed in today's global work environment. Organized around four learning units and one major project, the class will provide each student with extensive content and resources; it will also provide a forum for assessing the competences necessary to attain success in a global workplace and a method for honing those skills each student needs to cultivate. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 302 | ACTIVE CITIZENS: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, WORKPLACE WORLD | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Americans are known for active participation in organizations that strengthen our communities. We coach our kid's sports teams, take meals to members of our congregations, work for candidates that we believe in and join marches to support or oppose government action. With all these activities, we engage with other members of our community and workplace to make it better for ourselves and our families and to promote social justice. In this class, we will develop the knowledge and practice skills that enhance civic engagement and explore the role of citizens' voices in a democracy in the face of powerful political and economic interests. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 306 | TRAVEL AND LEARN IN BOSTON: EXPLORING ITS ARTS AND HISTORY | 2-4 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Boston is a city of many faces. It?s a world class city from a cultural and educational perspective by any standard, but it competes with New York City and Philadelphia for the title of best place for American history and art. Boston has fame for the riches made by old money profits but also for its colorful mob history. With such internal paradoxes and external competitors, why choose a travel course to Boston? Here's why: In this domestic travel course, participants will walk the famous freedom train and other historic sites, visit Boston's famous art collections, and experience its diverse neighborhoods like Boston Common, Beacon Hill, and the North End. Issues such as Boston's immigrant populations, its fame as a seat of American higher education, its connection to events in American history, and its stake in the meaning of freedom and democracy will be discussed in the preparatory classes as well as in post travel learning as students work on individual projects.
HC 315 | ECONOMICS FOR DECISION-MAKING | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The purpose of this course is to provide the modern consumer living in a global economy fueled by unabated technological progress, with basic notions to understand the path that has led to sustained prosperity in the past many decades. The focus is on endowing students, as householders, with conceptual tools to make optimal financial and consumer decisions throughout the lifecycle. That theoretical foundation is reinforced and exemplified with a wealth of practical applications offered through a student-friendly online interactive learning platform, which also provides a convenient means to complete weekly assignments. That online platform will help students relate what they learn to their everyday experience as economic agents. The course is divided into two modules, microeconomic and macroeconomic. The microeconomic module studies the market mechanism. Topics covered include scarcity, opportunity costs, the law of diminishing returns, the trade principle of comparative advantage, the mechanism of the price system, the laws of demand and supply, the impact of market interventions by the government, etc. In the macroeconomic module, topics covered include the workings of the gross domestic product (GDP), of inflation and unemployment, of money and banking, the role of fiscal and monetary policy, etc. The course will visit the relevance of balancing the requirements of economic growth (efficiency in the use of inputs) with the necessity of attending to the needs of both society (need for equity) and the environment (need for sustainability). Students will also discussed at length the economic implications of topics of heightened public interest, such as the Great Recession of 2008-2009 and the coronavirus pandemic that unleashed itself on the world around the onset of the year 2020. Throughout the course, we will refer to the idea that knowledge of economics leads to practical, informed decisions that can help us minimize cost and maximize return and satisfaction as voters and taxpayers participating actively in the economy. (2-4 credit hours)
HC 326 | CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN/AMERICAN INDIAN ISSUES | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
Native Americans are part of our history and heritage, yet many Americans have little knowledge beyond stereotypes. While invisible to the mainstream, Native American cultures are surviving, striving, and in some cases, thriving as we enter the new millennium. This course will explore the complex issues facing Native Americans today through discussion, film, readings, and Native American news media to enable students to gain a cross-cultural perspective. Students will choose an area of focus on this subject and conduct independent research to present to their classmates. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 329 | MALE IDENTITY IN TRANSITION | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This course, open to men and women, examines issues of gender with a focus on male identity. You will examine your own perspectives, attitudes, and experiences in light of psychosocial development theory, media influences, power struggles among social groups, and relationship issues in an effort to gain a greater understanding of factors that influence male identity in today's society. The course is offered in a hybrid format, meeting every other week and interacting in an online course discussion between meetings. Projects to demonstrate competence will relate gender issues in power relations in the US, the impact of media, adult development and the workplace. (2-4 quarter hours)
HC 330 | LAW/ BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
The influence of the law is far-reaching in the corporate world. Whether an entrepreneur, manager, administrative assistant, union employee, nonunion employee, sales representative, purchasing agent, etc., the law ultimately affects how we make decisions in the work arena. This course allows students to discover the wide range of laws affecting America's business environment. Students will learn how the law is established and developed, and be provided with tools to recognize potential legal issues that arise in daily business operations. The curriculum considers the impact of the law in the global workplace, and in commerce, business operations, employer/employee relationships, and in the regulatory environment.
HC 365 | JAZZ AND CHICAGO | 2 quarter hours
(Undergraduate)
This short course will introduce the student to the pleasures and enrichment of jazz. Students will learn what jazz is, learn about its fascinating history and some of its most influential players, and learn about the special role that Chicago has played-and still does play-in great jazz. In the classroom we'll hear records, view videos, engage the instructor in question-and-answer sessions, and hear stories about this unique musical art form and Chicago's ongoing role in it. The instructor, a jazz writer and longtime jazz drummer, will enliven the course with personal anecdotes covering a considerable part of Chicago jazz history. (2-4 quarter hours)