2007 Honors Seminar Topics

Winter 2007 Seminars

Spring 2007

Honors Seminar 001
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free...": Who benefits from transnational migrations in a global labor market?
Yvette Flores-Ortiz
HNR 94-01 (4 Units) TR 2:10-4:00 pm 211 Wellman
Writing
The United States, Britain, France, and Spain, among other nations, both invite and disinvite transnational migrants into their countries. How do various nation states benefit from transnational migrants, particularly undocumented workers who contribute to the economies of two countries while deriving minimal social benefits? How do co-nationals perceive these undocumented workers? What is the impact on families left behind in the country of origin? How is the experience different for male and female workers?

In this seminar we will work to answer these questions and others as we explore the impact of globalization on poorer nations and the resulting increase in migration in search of work.

Honors Seminar 002
Who comes out ahead in "No Child Left Behind"
Matt Traxler
HNR 94-02 (4 Units) TR 12:10-2:00 pm 117 Olson
Writing
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed and signed into law in 2001 brought about a new level of federal involvement in primary and secondary education. Previously, education had been widely viewed as the responsibility of state and local governments. However, concerns about competitiveness and America's standing in the world persuaded Congress to link federal support of individual schools and districts to progress as assessed by improvement in standardized test scores. While proponents contend that these new requirements have brought transparency and accountability to education, detractors have criticized NCLB for narrowing the scope of primary and secondary education and for imposing one-size-fits-all solutions on a diverse population. The questions we seek to address here are: What effect has NCLB had on the quality of education in the United States? In what ways has education improved and at what cost? Should similar standards of accountability and objective measurement be applied to post-secondary education? Should college students, like high school students, be required to pass an exit exam before receiving a diploma?

Honors Seminar 003
Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: Universal Deterrence or Mutual Destruction?
Mani Tripathi
HNR 94-03 (4 Units) MW 4:10-6:00 pm 70 Social Sciences
Writing
The last decade has seen an increase in declared nuclear weapons states around the world. If this trend continues and nations feel compelled to develop such weapons, what sort of future awaits the planet? The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was designed to be an instrument for containing proliferation and at the same time working towards disarmament. While it has been partially successful at the former goal (until recently), it dragged its feet on the latter, and may well be on its way to becoming irrelevant. What will emerge from the chaos that is bound to happen if nations start withdrawing from the NPT?

It has been argued that the deterrence provided by nuclear weapons actually promotes peace. Does this hold true, for example, in the extreme case of every nation arming itself with nukes? Or, is it complete madness considering the risks of accidental detonations and/or false alarms leading to preemptive nuclear strikes? Does asymmetric warfare, as practiced by terrorist groups, render any idea of deterrence worthless?

In this seminar, we will study the history and development of nuclear weapons. We will examine the effectiveness of various treaties like the NPT and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and discuss alternative ideas for a new understanding among nations.

Honors Seminar 004
My New Best Friend: Online Intimacy
Lucy Puls
HNR 94-04 (4 Units) MW 10:00-11:50 am 593 Kerr
Writing
Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Friendster have spread like wildfire in the short time they have been in existence. Many students use the sites to share information and connect with others, however there is a darker side to social networking sites. Some users have committed crimes including burglary and sexual assault using information they found online; others have displayed violations of student conduct codes on their personal pages; and now some employers check job applicants? Facebook pages before they will hire someone.

What are the social or individual needs that these sites satisfy? Are the relationships formed through these sites genuine? Why are many students comfortable posting detailed personal information about themselves like addresses and cell phone numbers in what is essentially a public forum? Is the information you put on a social networking site private? How is this different from posting flyers with the same information on bulletin boards around campus? Who owns these sites and, consequently, owns the information on them?

Honors Seminar 005
Ideology and Global Warming
Joanna Groza
HNR 94-05 (4 Units) TR 10:00-11:50 am 1065 Kemper
Writing
Many issues are significantly affected by national governments and their policies, yet have ramifications for the entire international community, now and possibly for the foreseeable future. Global warming is a pressing current example. It is a complex and intriguing problem, with ongoing debate over the scientific data, as well as over how to balance environmental and economic concerns. Political ideology is a major determining factor for how various countries are addressing global warming. This seminar will explore the link between opposing ideologies (e.g., capitalist and communist) and global climate change. Capitalistic economies theoretically are based on minimal government interference with business practices, so how do capitalistic governments balance global welfare with national ideology? Communist countries have often turned to totalitarianism, with its inherent intolerance for any opposition to government policies. Yet, Russian President Putin has approved the Kyoto Protocol against the opinion of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Meanwhile, the United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, in opposition to the prevailing scientific opinion in the U.S. What have been the effects of government ideologies on pollution, natural resources and quality of life? We will examine the impact of government ideology on economic, social, technological and legal issues related to global warming.

Honors Seminar 006
Environmental Justice
Alison Berry
HNR 94-06 (4 Units) TR 4:10-6:00 pm 2004 Plant & Environmental Sciences
Writing
Industrialized societies today generate many byproducts from our activities that can be harmful to both human health and natural ecological systems. Environmental Justice initiatives seek to address fundamental questions regarding how we as a global community make just decisions about the disposal of waste chemicals, air pollutants, and water and soil contaminants. What is the impact of locating traffic-clogged highways, toxic chemical factories, and sources of contaminated wastewater near ethnic minority communities and low-income neighborhoods or in poorer countries worldwide? Are children living in poverty exposed to higher doses of soot and various toxic chemicals? How do the pollutants affect our environment, plant and animal life? In this seminar we will investigate the concept of environmental justice in terms of social, economic, ecological, and technical dimensions and explore potential solutions.

Honors Seminar 007
Offensive Speech
Gerald Dworkin
HNR 94-07 (4 Units) TR 1:10-3:00 pm 2275 Social Sciences
Writing
"We didn't want to publish anything that can be perceived as inflammatory to our readers' culture..." said a spokesman for The Wall Street Journal, explaining why the WSJ declined to reprint caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, whose publication in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten sparked outrage worldwide.

In France, Germany, Canada, and Austria, denial that the Holocaust took place is a criminal offense, and an English historian, David Irving, is currently serving a three year jail sentence for this offense in Austria. A Catholic appointee to the Washington Metro Transit Authority Board was fired for referring to gay people as deviants on cable television. Many universities have adopted codes or policies prohibiting speech that offends any group based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and other social identities.

In this seminar we are going to examine the issue whether, and if so the extent to which, the fact that speech causes offense to people justifies interfering with or limiting that speech.

Honors Seminar 008
Flaming: Send first, think later
Deb Niemeier
HNR 94-08 (4 Units) WF 10:00-11:50 am 1007 Engineering 3
Writing
Virtual communication has completely changed the way we live, work, and relate to each other. But, by changing the way we communicate, are we also changing what we are saying or how we say it? As telephones and face-to-face exchanges become secondary to an email or AIM chat, researchers at UC Davis and elsewhere have begun to study the physiological responses of virtual communication and have found that online conversations and email may not trigger the same neurological filtering that speaking face-to-face does. These recent studies have shown that when we are speaking to someone in person, tone, facial expressions, and body language all help to filter our speech and impulses so that the conversation goes smoothly. By simply reading words on a screen, absent of voice inflections or any change in facial expression, this traditional regulation method might not work. Without this guidance from our brains, we might respond to emails or a Facebook post quickly and without thought, saying things we might regret later. Sitting in front of our computer screens, we might be more likely to be totally candid and less shy, quicker to be mean and unkind, or, worse, lewd or crude. We might be able to say things we would not, or should not, when typing in a chat room or email versus speaking in person. But, if our brains are not built to monitor our online conversations, can we be blamed for what we type? Virtual communication frees us to say whatever we want, however we want, but what happens when we turn off the computer?

Honors Seminar 009
Why Do You Believe What People in Power Tell You?
Lynette Hunter
HNR 94-09 (4 Units) MW 3:10-5:00 pm Firehouse
Writing
Why did we think there were Weapons of Mass Destruction? Why did people believe Bush when he said the United States would be out of Iraq in under two years? Why do we keep voting for people, at all levels of government, even when we know they have been lying to us? Why do you accept it when your doctor says you need to take this drug or that? Why do you believe the "facts" of science? Why do you take as gospel what your teachers tell you (well, perhaps you don't do that)? For that matter, why do we use the phrase 'take as gospel' to mean 'believe in the truth'? What is it about people in power that makes us take what they say as true, even when we know logically or from our own experience that they may well be wrong? Can we figure out a means to protect ourselves from undue persuasion, or prepare for ways to answer back?

Honors Seminar 010
Food Safety
Krishnan Nambiar
HNR 94-10 (4 Units) TR 10:00-11:50 am 593 Kerr
Writing
We enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world, in spite of isolated incidents of food contamination. Most of the contamination in the past has been limited to meat products; however, recent outbreaks of E coli contamination in vegetable products such as spinach and lettuce are making people quite worried about food poisoning. Who is responsible for safeguarding our food supply? What can be done to guarantee food safety? Can terrorism threaten our food supply? In this seminar we will explore all aspects of our food supply, such as various regulatory processes and the impact of outbreaks on society in terms of human health, economy, and the fear factor.

Honors Seminar 011
On “Keepin’ it Real:” The Rise of Reality Television in Contemporary Popular Culture
Milmon Harrison
HNR 94-11 (4 Units) MW 9:00-10:50 am 2215 Hart
Writing
From Cops, The People’s Court, and The Real World to Survivor, America’s Next Top Model, and American Idol, television programming has recently become structured around the so-called “reality show.” Many are skeptical of just how “real” these productions are. While they are edited and packaged to be as financially profitable as possible, their popularity has grown over time in the U.S. and abroad. What does this popularity tell us about contemporary culture? What does the increased presence of reality programs reveal about today’s entertainment industry and how it functions?

In this seminar we will critically investigate the rise of reality television from the days of Candid Camera and game shows to present programming. Our prime objective is to gain insight into this cultural phenomenon by analyzing the social, political, and economic processes shaping commercial television programming. We will consider the role recently developed technologies (e.g., the Internet, cable television, and Tivo) have played in the proliferation of reality shows and some of the ways reality programs are consumed by their audiences. What do these shows mean to their fans and to the “actors” who agree to participate in them? What can the reality TV “craze” tell us about the future of mass entertainment and the globalization of culture?

Honors Seminar 012
The human body as a canvas for art: Tattooing, body piercing and plastic surgery around the world
Rance LeFebvre
HNR 94-12 (4 Units) TR 1:10-3:00 pm 1132C Haring
Writing
Is there such a thing as perfection? Who defines it? Who sets the standard? What are we saying to ourselves and to the world about body alterations when we tattoo, pierce, and otherwise alter our bodies?

This seminar will study and research the history of the body beautiful and current trends in “adorning” and altering the tapestry of the skin. Is it self mutilation or self beautification? Is beauty only skin-deep after all?

Winter 2007

“Hoo-ray for ‘Bollywood’ (and for ‘Nollywood’ & ‘Hollywood,’ too)!”
Milmon F. Harrison
TR 4:10-6:00 pm 2215 Hart

This seminar will focus on film industries in two nations: India and Nigeria, West Africa. The Indian film industry is commonly referred to as “Bollywood;” while the Nigerian film industry is referred to as “Nollywood.” We shall consider such questions as: What are the histories of these industries? How do they compare to Hollywood (and each other) in terms of structure, revenues, and global distribution? How do perspectives on world issues compare and contrast to those coming from Hollywood? How is the U.S. depicted and how do people in Hollywood think of these industries? Are there other film industries in these countries? What are the implications for global culture of these “alternative” centers of media production?

Border Crossings: Economic Contributions and Costs of Undocumented Immigrants
Jack M. Goldberg
TR 4:10-6:00 pm 70 Social Sciences & Humanities

An estimated eleven to twelve million undocumented workers currently live and work in the United States. These workers fill critical jobs in various industries, including agriculture, hotels and restaurants, construction, and landscaping. Some only enter the US to work and then return when a job is done while others remain in the US. How do undocumented workers contribute to our economy? Do they compete with and displace US citizens for jobs? How do taxes and social security paid by undocumented workers and their employers compare to those paid by low income US citizens? What government sponsored services do undocumented workers use? What access to services provided to US citizens and those eligible for citizenship should undocumented workers be given? Historically companies have brought in foreign workers to meet economic needs. There is consensus on both sides of the immigration debate that deporting and preventing entry of all undocumented workers would be disastrous to our economy. Recognizing this need for an immigrant workforce, what policy options are available for resident and entering undocumented workers? How does the label, “illegal immigrant,” impact laws and policy that could benefit workers as well as our economy and society?

In 2003, the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was renamed the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and now reports to the Department of Homeland Security. Employers, large and small, are required to verify social security cards, green cards, and work visas through USCIS, and more serious criminal penalties have replaced civil penalties for employers who do not terminate and report individuals found to have counterfeit documentation. How does this institutional change impact the nature and process of immigration in the US? Recognizing the economic need for foreign workers, is the use of these criminal penalties by Homeland Security excessive?

And The Fundamental Question Is?
Jim Harding
TR 12:10-2:00 pm 148 Environmental Horticulture

In recent years, the words “fundamental” and “fundamentalist” have been used in various and sometimes contradictory ways, particularly in the political arena. But, what do these words really mean? “Fundamental” can be associated with strict religious values, and for some can refer to basic biblical truths. For many, fundamental suggests strength or reliability, probably a major reason politicians use the word so much. On the other hand, “fundamentalism” may be used when describing acts of terror in the name of another religious truth. Fundamentalism may also indicate a strict interpretation of the constitution in constructionist Supreme Court decisions. Is this the same as The American Civil Liberties Union acting as guardian of fundamental civil rights? For others “fundamentalist” has recently come to mean a dangerous extremist. What are the origins of the various meanings of fundamentalism and how can we clarify why these various usages have arisen? Are the concepts of fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and constructionism closely related, and do they contrast with concepts of liberalism or progressivism? Is there a consistency among these concepts in religion, politics and the law? Can we understand how such divergent meanings have become so powerful to different groups of people? And the fundamental question is?

Acts Against Terrorism
Peter Lichtenfels
TR 3:10-5:00 pm Firehouse

Recent acts of terror have allowed governments to introduce policies which impact the way we all live. How has terrorism and the potential terror threat affected your life? Do you mind taking off your shoes at airports? What do you think of carrying identification on buses and trains? Maybe you are getting used to these changes, but are they minor inconveniences or the gateway to a roll-back of our civil liberties?

The government has tightened border controls with Mexico and Canada. What will be the impact on immigration? On trade? On cultural relations? Do you feel different when it is more difficult too get across a border? Is the government reframing the border issue in order to protect industries like our drug companies?

Some say we are a fortress in America. Do you want to live in a world free from terror? If so, what price are you willing to pay?

Gun control
Rance LeFebvre
TR 1:10-3:00 pm 1132C Haring

Guns seem to be in the headlines more than we would like. The recent spate of school shootings has once again attracted attention to the issue of gun control. It is one of the key political issues in today’s society. Some argue that the second amendment protects our rights to own and bear arms. Others say that the amendment should not extend to certain firearms, and that all firearms should be registered. When all is said and done will only the criminals have weapons or will this society become a better and safer place to live by stopping the sale of some firearms and registering all others? Will gun control prevent or at least deter the massacres we have witnessed in our society over the last several years? On the other side of the coin, is the state of Texas a good model for protecting the second amendment and the right not only to own firearms but to bear them in public places?

HOW DO I LOOK? Cultural differences in body image
Della Davidson
TR 12:10-2:00 pm University Club Studio

How do I look? Am I too thin or too fat? Not tall enough or too tall? Should my eyes be blue? Should my hair be blonde?

We all are concerned with body image. Much of the focus in our culture is on the images of women – images that force women to continually evaluate their sense of what is desirable and perfect. Men, however, are also being pressured to be "perfect." This is evidenced in the growing number of men seeking cosmetic surgery from botox injections to calf implants. What is this notion of some perfect form? How do other cultures look at body image and the idea of physical perfection? How does this obsession with external physical perfection affect our internal growth as people? How are women and men represented in contemporary culture and how can that be changed to embrace a larger population? How do we accept difference? How do we accept ourselves?

This seminar will explore issues of body image from the perspective of American culture and other cultures in the pursuit of understanding the place of the body within contemporary thought.

Steroids (and other drugs) in Sports
Jerry Last
TR 3:10-5:00 pm 176 Kerr Hall
We read almost daily about athletic scandals involving steroids and other drugs. Football and basketball players have been suspended after testing positive for drugs. Sports authorities have voided athletes’ titles and records from the Olympics, the Tour de France, and other events because of suspicions. Clouds of doubt hover over the legitimacy of home run records set by Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa.

This seminar will address questions such as the following:

Why do athletes cheat? How do they get caught? What kinds of drugs are being abused? How do these drugs work, and do they actually give the athletes an unfair advantage? What are the side effects of the drugs? How do drug tests work? Are the tests completely accurate, or are errors made in mandatory drug testing of world-class athletes?

Do athletes cheat more than other groups, or is drug abuse in sports a reflection of pervasive cheating in all of our society? Do athletes in the US cheat more or less than athletes in the rest of the world? Why have the major sports authorities decided that vitamins and supplements are OK to take, but steroids and blood transfusions are not? How do we control the use of undetectable “designer drugs?” What should we do about drug use in sports? Would it be fair if everybody had access to these drugs? Does inhaling oxygen from a tank on the sideline or wearing a band-aid across the bridge of the nose give an athlete a competitive advantage; if so, is this cheating?

The class will decide which of these and additional questions we will explore to achieve a balance between the technical and ethical issues surrounding this very timely topic. Our final product for convocation, in whatever format the class chooses to create, should draw conclusions as to whether the current “War on Drugs” in sports is effective, and whether or not it can and should be won.

Global Warming: Too hot to handle?
Anna Kuhn
HNR 194-04 (4 Units) TR 10:00-11:50 am 176 Kerr
There are those who argue that the notion of global warming is "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated against the American people." Others, among them scientists, researchers and their arguably most prominent spokesperson, former Vice-President Al Gore, maintain that warming tendencies in the earth's climate, caused by human negligence, have potentially catastrophic implications for humankind.

In this seminar we will examine the scientific, political, social and economic issues surrounding Global Warming. We will explore many questions, such as: What is global warming? What is the greenhouse effect? What changes might occur to the earth's climate and geography, if global warming increases? How much in carbon emissions does the U.S produce and what industries make the largest contributions? How will global warming affect world food supplies, rising sea levels and extremes in temperature and precipitation in California and elsewhere? What are some alternatives to an oil-based economy? What are the Kyoto protocol and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)? What are some of the controversies related to global warming? How can individuals and communities make an impact on this issue? What about political and business leaders, celebrities and the media?

Ultimately, the class will decide which path to take as we explore the long term ramifications of Global Warming and how we might influence citizens to act to reduce and/or reverse its damaging effects.

woman, man, gay, straight: what's in a name?
Yvette Flores-Ortiz
HNR 194-09 (4 Units) TR 4:10-6:00 pm
Society creates labels, boxes, and categories for all types of people, especially in the area of gender and sexual orientation. Maybe it's because we want to understand people better, or maybe it's because we want to identify those who are different from us.

Who made gender? Is it a social construction, or something we are born with? Were you really programmed to be male or female by the 10th week of gestation? What if you're in between? Do you think there is greater understanding in the 21st century of gender and sexual orientation identities outside the mainstream? Or, has increased visibility led to increased intolerance? What is "normal" anyway? <br><br>In this seminar we will explore the social, cultural, biological, and media constructions of gender and sexuality as we consider what makes us different and what makes us the same.

 

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