2007-2008 Undergraduate Bulletin

Division of Social and Cultural Studies, Amy Lorenz, Ph.D., Chair
Co-directors: Peter Doerschler, Ph.D. and Lee Zhu, Ph.D.

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

The program’s goal is to prepare graduates who understand major themes in international relations, current global issues, recent world history, modern foreign cultures and societies, and have analytical skills suited for the interdisciplinary study of other societies and international issues. The International Studies program’s mission is to develop in its majors an appreciation of the history and political, economic and social institutions and values of other societies, as well as an in-depth understanding of the nature of conflict and collaboration in the world arena, including global problems and different strategies for solving them. The faculty members teaching in the International Studies program believe that as globalization increasingly affects the life and work of all citizens, knowledge taught and intellectual skills and dispositions cultivated in this program are not only essential for the students who plan to pursue careers in international affairs, but also important for students who will enter other professions.

The International Studies Major (30 credits):

Core Courses (12 Credits):
L.POL-121 (Issues in Global Politics); L.ECO-222 (Principles of Macroeconomics); L.INS-489 Senior Seminar; and one of the following: L.SOC-295 (Global Inequality); L.HIS-141 (Modern Europe since 1750) or L.SPA-210 or above.

Electives (18 Credits):
Six courses from a list of electives approved and updated by the International Studies Committee. No more than three courses from a single discipline may count toward this requirement. Refer to the Chair of the Division of Social and Cultural Studies or the division’s website for a current list of elective courses.

Concentration:
An international studies major shall select, using at least three elective courses, one of the following concentrations: 1) Geographic region or language area, such as Europe, Asia (including the Middle East), Africa and the Middle East, Spanish-speaking countries, English-speaking countries, and French-speaking countries OR 2) a thematic or comparative study.

A semester of study abroad or courses not on the elective list may also be used to satisfy the elective and concentration requirement, subject to the approval of the IS Committee.

Minor in International Studies (18 credits):

Core:
L.POL-121 (Issues in Global Politics)

Electives:
15 credits selected from the IS Major Core (excluding L.INS-489—Senior Seminar) and/or IS Major Electives.

Study abroad:
Student majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad. With prior approval of the ISC, courses taken abroad will be eligible for transfer to Loras and credited toward the major if passed with the grade of C or better. (For further information, visit the CEL.)

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES COURSES

L.INS-489. Senior Seminar.
A thesis-preparation seminar culminating in a public defense on a topic derived from the student’s concentration. Students are expected to develop a research paper that contributes to the literature. 3 credits. Each fall semester.

L.INS-494. Internship in International Studies.
The internship will give students a chance to have a learning experience in governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses involved in international matters, in experience or work organized as part of studies abroad, and in research and campus activities at Loras College. An important objective is to expose the student to the nature and variety of internationally-related careers. Proposal and credits to be arranged in consultation with ISC chairperson. Involves formal written report submitted to ISC chairperson or evidence of collected data and a journal. For study abroad internships, students must have the permission of both the ISC chairperson and the study abroad advisor. 1-6 credits, elective or applied to IS concentration with prior approval. 4-6 credits may be earned only in study abroad programs and only after completing instruction at the 2nd year level in the language of the country visited. Junior and senior standing. Graded pass/fail only. Each semester and summers as available.

Requirements for the Major (30 credits):
Politics majors will complete at least 10 courses (30 credits) in the program distributed as follows:
POL 101, 121, 231, and 489 plus 6 additional courses with at least 1 drawn from the American Politics area, 1 from the Global Politics area, and 1 from the Political Thought area. At least 3 of these 6 courses must be at the 300 level. Majors also must have a minimum GPA of 2.3 (C+) in the major.

Requirements for the Minor (18 credits):
Politics minors will complete at least 6 courses (18 credits) in the program distributed as follows:
POL 101 or 121 plus 5 additional courses with at least 1 drawn from the American Politics area, 1 from the Global Politics area and 1 from the Political Thought area. At least 2 of these 5 courses must be at the 300 level.

The Teaching Major:
The teaching major for secondary certification consists of slightly different sets of requirements than those for the standard major and minor. Please see a faculty member in the program for more information.

POLITICS COURSES

L.POL-101. Issues in American Politics.
This course is a basic introduction to the primary features of the American political system, examining such things as the Constitution, elections, public opinion, parties and interest groups, the media, Congress, the presidency, the courts, and civil rights and liberties. Woven throughout the course is an exploration of some of the most pressing issues in contemporary American politics. 3 credits.

L.POL-121. Issues in Global Politics.
This course introduces the major problems confronting the international community and that community’s efforts to address them. The focus is on common global issues such as globalization, nationalism, human rights, war, economic development, poverty, the status of women, and the environment. 3 credits.

L.POL-231. Foundations of Western Political Thought.
This course examines the history of political thought in the West by drawing on an analysis of original texts from Plato through the 20th century with particular attention to how different thinkers have addressed the same kinds of perennial questions about political life in radically different ways. 3 credits.

AMERICAN POLITICS COURSES

L.POL-201. Campaigns and Elections.
This course examines the nature of political campaigns and elections in the United States, with particular attention to presidential and Congressional elections. 3 credits.

L.POL-202. Congress and the Presidency.
This course examines the structure and power of the two branches of government and the relationship between them. It pays particular attention to the constitutional, institutional, partisan, and personal bases for cooperation and conflict between the two, as well as their interactions in a number of policy fields. 3 credits.

L.POL-205. Law and Society.
This course examines the role of the law in American life, including attention to the nature of law, the relationship between law and economic and cultural forces, the operation of courts within the American political system, and the roles played by legal actors such as police, lawyers and judges. 3 credits.

L.POL-301. Constitutional Law: Federal Powers.
This course examines the structure and powers of the Supreme Court and its role in determining the constitutionally appropriate roles, relations, and powers of institutions within the American political system. Most of the course relies on an analysis of Supreme Court decisions in the areas of judicial review, federalism, congressional and presidential powers, property rights and economic regulation. 3 credits.

L.POL-302. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties.
This course examines the Supreme Court’s role in defining the scope and content of civil rights and liberties in the United States through an analysis of cases in the areas of due process and criminal procedure, privacy, freedom of speech and of the press, religious liberty and the equal protection of the laws. L.POL-301 is not a prerequisite for this course. 3 credits.

L.POL-303. Supreme Court Watch.
This course is taught annually during the summer to coincide with the end of each Supreme Court term. It examines the major cases and their precedents that the Court decided that year. 3 credits.

L.POL-304. Identity Politics in America.
This course examines the role of factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, and gender in American political life. 3 credits.

GLOBAL POLITICS COURSES

L.POL-211. Comparative Politics.
This course introduces issues and concepts in comparative politics, such as power, authority, legitimacy, the state and sovereignty. It offers an in-depth comparison of the features and performances of democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian political regimes including countries as case studies for each type of regime. 3 credits.

L.POL-221. International Politics.
The course examines the origins and evolution of the modern international system with a focus on nationalism, violent conflict, diplomacy, international organizations and law, global political economy, and emerging issues and patterns in the post-Cold War period. It integrates theoretical perspectives with current issues. 3 credits.

L.POL-251. Comparative Environmental Politics-AC
This course will examine how culture, broadly defined, affects the formation and execution of policies on global warming. Among the various cultural factors examined will be the historical legacies and philosophical traditions underpinning the modern environmental movement, the interaction of competing economic, social and political interests, and the effects of political institutions in channeling policy responses. Cross-national comparisons of the US and Europe as well as some underdeveloped countries will be undertaken to better understand how cultural differences lead to different policy outcomes. Prerequisites: L.LIB-100, L.LIB-105, L.LIB-110, and one course from L.LIB-120, L.LIB-130, or L.LIB-135. 3 credits.

L.POL-312. Latin American Politics and Society.
This course examines Latin American politics with an emphasis on the historical, economic and cultural features that shape its contemporary politics. It includes attention to the state, political parties, the military, and social groups and classes, as well as dynamics of social and political change, including military coups, revolutions and social movements. 3 credits.

L.POL-313. Middle East Politics and Society.
This course examines the politics and society of the Middle East and North Africa, particularly how its history, economy, geography, culture, religion and regional conflicts shape its contemporary politics. The relationship between Islam and the state is of particular concern. 3 credits.

L.POL-314. Politics in the Third World.
This course examines the nature and fundamental features of politics in the developing world. It includes investigation of historical, socioeconomic, and cultural influences on politics, as well as the effects of forces such as social change, international political economy and issues such as poverty and debt. 3 credits.

L.POL-315. European Politics.
This course examines the politics of Europe, including struggles over economics, immigration and culture. It also explores the challenges of building the European Union and defining its role in the world. 3 credits.

L.POL-322. American Foreign Policy.
This course examines the historical patterns and contemporary factors shaping American foreign policy. It pays particular attention to issues in the post Cold War period. The course considers the social and cultural foundations of American foreign policy, as well as the role of institutions such as the White House, the National Security Council, other executive branch departments, and Congress in the policy-making process. 3 credits.

POLITICAL THOUGHT COURSES

L.POL-232. American Political Thought.
This course examines the historical development of political thought in the United States by drawing on an analysis of original texts from the nation’s founding through the present. 3 credits.

L.POL-233. Jurisprudence.
This course examines the theoretical concepts – both normative and empirical – related to the study of law. It draws on original texts from major legal theorists and the primary schools of legal thought. Prerequisite: L.POL-101. 3 credits.

L.POL-321. War and Pacifism-AV.
This course uses a wide variety of original writings to examine the nature and causes of war, theories of the just war, the pacifist critique of war, and the practice of nonviolence as an alternative to war. The format is primarily seminar-style discussion, and the course includes several formal papers and group research presentations. Prerequisites: L.LIB-100, L.LIB-105, L.LIB-110, and one course from L.LIB-120, L.LIB-130, or L.LIB-135. 3 credits.

L.POL-331. Political Thought and Contemporary Social Issues.
This course examines the relationship between philosophical principles like justice, rights, duty, equality, liberty, and democracy and current social and political issues in which they find concrete expression. The selection of principles and issues under examination will vary from semester to semester. 3 credits.

The Minor in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management (ACHM) develops basic interdisciplinary-thinking, understanding, and collaborative skills used in the systematic location and careful recovery, preservation, interpretation and presentation of public artifacts. The Minor will enable students to prepare for a career in Cultural Resource or Cultural Heritage Management, to proceed to an undergraduate or graduate major in Archaeology and/or Cultural Heritage Management, to enhance their understanding as a future teacher or educator of using public artifacts in the learning process, and/or to contribute to civic activities and projects related to Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.

Requirements for the minor (18 credits):

Core:
12 credits, in L.HIS-220 (Introduction to Archaeology and Interpretation), L.HIS-320 (Iowa/Upper Mississippi prehistory), L.HIS/GRS-222 (Archaeology and World Prehistory), and L.HIS-420 (Field School).

Electives:
6 credits, from any of the following: L.BIO-255 (Evolution), L.BIO-330 (Evolutionary Ecology), L.ENG-239 (Creative Non-Fiction Writing-AA), L.ENG-251 (Literature of the Frontier and American West-AA), L.ENG-380 (Nature Writing), L.HIS/GRS-116 (Ancient Greek Civilization), L.HIS/GRS-117 (Roman Civilization), L.HIS-121 (US History to 1877), L.HIS-160 (Africa to 1800), L.HIS-180 (East Asian Civilization), L.HIS/GRS-236 (Classical Art and Archaeology), and L.SOC-226 (Cultural Anthropology-AC).

Subject to the approval of the Chair of the Division of Social and Cultural Studies, courses from other campuses may also apply to the Minor electives, as may Loras internships and courses offered in Loras Study Abroad programs in Ireland, South Africa, and Spain.

GENDER STUDIES PROGRAM MINOR
Division of Social and Cultural Studies, Amy Lorenz, Ph. D., Chair
Co-directors:  Rick Anderson, Ph. D. and Kristin Anderson-Bricker Ph. D.

Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary minor that promotes the study of the status of men and women, historically and at present. In courses across the disciplines, questions are raised concerning the ways in which we think about the social order as well as the distribution of power and opportunity. Gender Studies encourages in students a spirit of inquiry that will prepare them to function effectively as they integrate themselves into a diverse and rapidly evolving society. The Gender Studies Minor is 18 credits, with elective courses in History, Literature, Sociology and other programs at Loras College. Consult the website of the Division of Social and Cultural Studies for the current list of elective courses on the forthcoming course schedule that may be counted toward the minor.

Requirements for the minor(18 credits):

Core: (3 credits)
Either L.SOC-240 (Gender and Society) or L.HIS-239 (U.S. Women’s History).

Electives: (15 credits from a list of approved courses.)
When both core courses are taken, 12 elective credits are required. In either case, no more than 6 credits from any one discipline may be counted toward the Minor.]