Global Arc

The four-course sequence ISC 231-234 integrates introductory topics in calculus-based physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and scientific computing with Python, with an emphasis on laboratory experimentation, quantitative reasoning, and data-oriented thinking. It best suits students interested in complex problems in living organisms and prepares them for interdisciplinary research in the life sciences. The spring courses ISC 233 and ISC 234 must be taken together.

The four-course sequence ISC 231-234 integrates introductory topics in calculus-based physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and scientific computing with Python, with an emphasis on laboratory experimentation, quantitative reasoning, and data-oriented thinking. It best suits students interested in complex problems in living organisms and prepares them for interdisciplinary research in the life sciences. The spring courses ISC 233 and ISC 234 must be taken together.

Introductory Japanese I (JPN 1001) and its subsequent course (JPN 1002), are introductory Japanese courses for true beginners. These courses will be taught at half the pace of instruction compared to a regular elementary Japanese course: JPN 101. This introductory course stresses oral-aural facility, but includes an introduction to written Japanese: hiragana, katakana and some basic kanji. After taking JPN 1001 and JPN 1002, students will develop basic abilities to handle simple survival situations in Japanese and be well prepared for the second half of regular elementary Japanese courses (JPN102) which is offered every spring term.

JPN 1002 (a continuation of JPN 1001) is an introductory Japanese course for true beginners. The course will be taught at half the pace of the standard elementary Japanese course, JPN 101. This introductory course stresses oral-aural facility, but it also includes an introduction to written Japanese, including hiragana, katakana and some basic kanji. After taking JPN 1001 and JPN 1002, students will have developed basic abilities to handle simple social situations in Japanese and be well prepared for the second half of the standard elementary Japanese courses (JPN102), which is offered every spring term.

This course proposes a counter-narrative of the myths and fantasies that have been created about the Caribbean and of the historical and cultural realities surrounding them. Through a close reading of literary, artistic, critical, and historical texts we will examine race, ethnic, and gender identity constructions; the rise of the plantation economy; and the emergence of modern nations. The relationship between coloniality and the emergence of diasporic Caribbean voices of dissidence will be a guiding tone for our conversations throughout the semester as we unpack the links between colonialism and diaspora in the Caribbean.

This interdisciplinary course examines the cultural and political significance of Puerto Rican mega star Bad Bunny who has transcended musical genres to become a global phenomenon. Through an interdisciplinary lens, students will engage in a critical analysis of his music, lyrics, aesthetics, activism, gender non-conforming performances, and savvy business strategies. We will examine how Bad Bunny/Benito uses his platform and artistry to negotiate the complexities of being both a global Latinx icon and a child of Puerto Rico's colonial context.

This course examines Hurricane Maria's impact on Puerto Rico and the push for a resilient, equitable future. We will explore the disaster's effects on infrastructure, economy, and communities, and the role of colonialism and environmental injustice in setting the stage. Through research projects, students will have the opportunity to investigate specific aspects of Puerto Rico's post-Maria recovery and to propose innovative solutions that prioritize equity, sustainability, and community empowerment.

This seminar examines contemporary Latiné cinema, focusing on films produced in the U.S. by the Latiné diaspora who represent a significant and growing portion of the US population. Through an analysis of cinematic techniques, narrative styles, and thematic elements, the course will investigate how Latiné filmmakers address issues such as identity, gender, race, family, migration, colonialism, the Dreamers, and politics. Students will explore how Latiné cinema serves as a medium for both cultural heritage and resistance, offering visions of defiance against socio-political restraint and aspirations for a transformed future.

This course looks closely at how contemporary Latinx artists are reimagining photographic encounters and arrangements. The longer history of photography is traditionally told in terms of documentation, truth claims, the democratization of art, and colonial surveillance regimes. This course gives pride of place to Latinx artists who use the medium and its iterations (e.g. video installations, cyanotypes, photo collage, repurposing archival prints) to figure unconventional notions of intimacy, diaspora, identity, archives, revolution, futures, and immediacy.

Puerto Rico occupies a paradoxical place in the American imagination: denied both statehood and sovereignty, yet not formally recognized as a colony. This course examines Puerto Rico as a case study in U.S. colonialism, tracing how its ambiguous political status, economic struggles, and cultural resistance reveal the structures of American empire. Through interdisciplinary readings in history, political science, law, anthropology, and cultural studies, students will analyze debates over statehood, independence, and sovereignty, asking what true decolonization would require in Puerto Rico and beyond.