Winter 2024 and Spring 2025 Honors Scholars Seminars

NOTE: You will need to log out of any other accounts and log into your Microsoft 365 UofL account using your userid@louisville.edu form of log-in name along with your ULink password to access the forms.

Winter 2024 Honors Scholars Seminar Offering:

My Health, Your Health, Our Health: Private to Public Health Communication

*Current Honors students may click the link above to request a seat in this Winter Session seminar by Dec. 11, 2024.

HON 431-50 / HON 441-50
Professor Kandi Walker
Distance Education

This class will discuss how we communicate health in personal, interpersonal, public, cultural, and mediated ways. The information presented in class will cover a broad range of topics from ethical dilemmas surrounding health, the close relationship between health and religious beliefs, and different types of images of health in the media. Additionally, we will look at how race, age, ability, language, sexual orientation, and economic status impacts health. Students are encouraged to voice and consider a wide variety of viewpoints. The object is not to find the one right answer, but to gain experience discussing and reflecting on the immense responsibilities involved in communicating about health.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences or Humanities. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Spring 2025 Honors Scholars Seminar Offerings:

President's Council International Travel Seminar: Irish Identity and Tourism

HON 331-11 / HON 341-11
Professor John Ferré

TTh 11-12:15 pm

Please click here to review the eligibility requirements before applying to a travel seminar.  The deadline to apply for this seminar has been extended to Sunday, Oct. 20 at 11:59 pm. The application can be found here.

For the entire century since gaining independence from Britain, the Republic of Ireland has built tourism into the country’s most important domestic industry. Mostly coming from Britain, the United States, Germany, and France, 6.3 million foreign tourists visited Ireland last year, a number nearly 20 percent higher than Ireland’s population. This seminar will examine the history of Irish tourism – its strategies and its challenges – as a way of understanding leisure travel and sightseeing more generally. Learning how Ireland has marketed its culture and natural beauty will begin with reading and research and end with a two-week search for history and blarney in the Emerald Isle.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences or Humanities. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Building the Bomb

HON 341-10 / HON 351-10
Professor Joe Steffen
TTh 11-12:15 pm

Some make the argument that the most recent consequential event for the history of mankind was the development of the atomic bomb in the mid-1940s.  The story of this process occurs over a 50 year sequence of events that not only involved the chemical and physical sciences, but also history, politics, economics, racism, philosophy and strategic thinking concerning past and future world wars.  The course will attempt to increase an understanding of these diverse areas and their relationship to the development of nuclear weapons and their place in history today.  Students will appreciate the contributions of many personalities in the process, not just Oppenheimer (although we will watch the movie of this name).  The course will utilize the Pulitzer Prize winning book “The Making of the Atomic Bomb” by Richard Rhodes and involve travel to sites across the United States associated with this broad story.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences or Natural Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

**New Scholars Seminar Request Process**

Current Honors Scholars and Honors students can request seats in up to 3 of the following Spring 2025 Scholars seminars by completing the online request form here according to the following timeline:

Jewish Identities in Graphic Novels & Comics

HON 331-01 / HON 341-01
Professor Ranen Omer-Sherman
TTh 9:30-10:45 am

Whether one adapts the term “graphic novel,” “sequential art,” or something it is critical to know that the form is a rapidly expanding, even explosive phenomenon that will likely be with us for many years to come. But how are we to assess their merits? As D. Aviva Rothschild asserts “graphic novels use words and pictures in ways that transcend ordinary art and text, and their creators are more than writers and artists. The artist must have a director’s eye for shadow, angle, setting, and costume. The writer has to know when the text speaks and when the art speaks, avoiding redundancy. In the ideal graphic novel, the text does not distract from the art or vice versa; the eye flows naturally from element to element, creating a whole that a text-only book cannot match.” Throughout this semester, we will adapt Rothschild’s aesthetic perspective as a useful guide, one that encourages us to be as attentive as possible to both the visual and textual dimensions of the works. In recent years the graphic novel has received considerable attention as an explosive cultural phenomenon. Today one cannot walk into any chain bookstore without noting the ever-proliferating bookshelf space afforded for the display of graphic novels, as many in the publishing industry have become aware of their artistic and literary, as well as commercial, vitality. As Hillary Chute asserts, graphic novels embody “an embrace of reproducibility and mass circulation as well as a rigorous, experimental attention to form as a mode of political intervention.” This course offers students a substantial encounter with the variety of challenges to Jewish identity and selfhood represented in the graphic novel’s enduring fascination with the consequences of the erasure/repression, as well as celebration, of ethnic/racial origins. We will examine how graphic novels (and even the comics genre) can embody a powerful composite text of words and images that produces effects significantly different from more traditional forms of literary narrative. And this creative power becomes especially striking when placed in the service of gender, racial, religious, and of course ethnic identity exploration. This course explores the profound influence of the Jewish imagination on the art of visual narrative, ranging across the creation of Superman, graphic memoirs about Auschwitz and post-Holocaust consciousness and intergenerational trauma, the complex reality of Israel-Palestine, and beyond. Students will have the option of writing formal research papers or producing their own graphic narrative, by prior arrangement with the instructor. Requirements include oral presentations of analytic research or creative work.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

French Cinema

HON 331-03 / HON 341-03
Professor Matthieu Dalle
TTh 2:30-3:45 pm

This course consists in an overview of French cinema from its origins to the present times. Various aspects of the film industry will be studied: productions (movies) and their aesthetics, agents (directors, actors, producers, etc.), currents and trends, technological developments, etc. We will pay close attention to the political, social, economic and cultural context in which movies were produced, and we will analyze the representations of French culture and society in selected films and excerpts of films.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

The Politics of Climate Change

HON 331-05 / HON 341-05 / POLS 335-01
Professor Rodger Payne
MWF 12-12:50 pm

This course focuses on the politics of global climate change. The semester will begin with an overview of the scientific consensus and explore the politics of denial and doubt as purposefully developed in the public sphere. Students will devote significant attention to international efforts to address climate change, culminating with a focus on the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement and subsequent developments. Class members will study the global distribution of natural resources (especially fossil fuels) and the disparate national emissions of greenhouse gases in order to explain the preferences and behavior of significant nation-states. Students will additionally develop an understanding of the role of various non-state actors, including global corporations, in creating climate change, and the role of activist and interest groups in potentially preventing it. Ultimately, class members will examine a variety of potential national, international, and transnational solutions to climate change.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, or the Department of Political Science. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Religion and U.S. Politics

HON 331-08 / HON 341-08 / POLS 318-01
Professor David Buckley
TTh 11-12:15 pm

This course examines two things we’re often taught not to discuss in polite company: religion and politics in America. Religious questions divide American voters, and tensions over religion and politics have been consistent throughout the Trump and Biden Administrations. These tensions attract national headlines, but how do they fit within longer trends in American history? And do headlines about religious tensions mask examples of religion fueling cooperation and social change? The course draws on material from a variety of religious traditions and themes, including: the history of religion in the American founding and political development; constitutional law on religion-state issues; voting behavior of major religious groups in the 2024 elections; and religion’s influence over policy. The seminar will focus on national political issues, but also include several in depth looks at how these issues play out right here in Louisville and Kentucky, from legal debates over COVID restrictions on religious congregations to the involvement of religion in social movements advocating criminal justice reform and racial justice.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, or the Department of Political Science. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Religion, Gender, & Sexuality

HON 331-09 / HON 341-09
Professor Katie Kleinkopf
TTh 2:30-3:45 pm

Did you know that the Old Order Amish are the fastest growing religious subpopulation in the United States, partially because white women are converting in unprecedented numbers thanks to the popularity of Amish romance novels? That colonialism and white Christian nationalist missionary work in Uganda have resulted in what are known as “kill the gays” laws? Or that Mimi Tao, a trans model who you might recognize from Project Runway, discovered and accepted herself as trans during her time as a Buddhist monk in Thailand? Religion, gender, and sexuality have a long and complicated history – one that is often mired in scandals, abuse, and oppression while it simultaneously provides a home for social justice, cultural affirmation, and liberation. This course will explore multiple ways in which these categories intersect, focusing on religious groups from around the world and across historical eras. In order to do so, we will read novels, theory, primary sources, and secondary scholarship, watch film, listen to podcasts, and contemplate art. We will examine the dark and violent role imperialism played in the creation of religion as a category, trouble our assumptions about women and Islam, rethink the relationship between sex and piety, question the pinkwashing of religious nationalism, and unpack whether religion itself is inherently abusive. Religion, gender, and sexuality often show up in unexpected places. This class will investigate exactly that and will encourage us to rethink these complicated categories we so often take for granted.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences or the Humanities. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Story Science and Science Stories

HON 331-55 / HON 341-55 / COMM 301-55
Professor Joy Hart

Distance Education

Humans are storytellers, and we use stories to make our points and persuade others.  Stories shape our understanding of the world and how it works.  But not all stories are complete or accurate, and some evolve over time.  In this seminar, which focuses on the communication of scientific information, we’ll consider case studies, on topics such as genetically modified organisms, SARS-CoV-2, H5N1, climate change, vaccination, and alternative medicine, of communication with various audiences and factors shaping public understanding.  Our discussions will examine scientific controversy, scientific uncertainty, misinformation, disinformation, and public views of science.  We’ll discuss research on narrative (e.g., structure, types, goals), information processing (e.g., effects, recall), and how we can engage scientific information in ways that appeal to and are understandable by broad audiences (e.g., the right to know and the ability to understand).

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences, Humanities, or the Department of Communication. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Shared Humanity in Deep Time

HON 341-02 / HON 351-02
Professor Amanuel Beyin
TTh 1-2:15 pm

All humans share fundamental behavioral and biological characteristics- we all have verbal language that allows us to express feelings and communicate ideas, form groups around common cultural beliefs and customs, make and use tools, have larger brain size relative to the body, walk on two feet…and many more. This course explores how and under what conditions these shared traits of us evolved, and how they shaped our place in nature. It focuses more on the cultural and behavioral dimensions, but we will also make reference to the biological aspects of humanity since cultural changes are often driven by biological needs.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Social Sciences or Natural Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Sustainable Transportation

HON 341-06 / HON 351-06
Professor Tim Darst
MW 4-5:15 pm

This course explores the principles and practices of sustainable transportation, focusing on innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact and enhance urban mobility. Students will investigate the latest advancements in electric and autonomous vehicles, public transit systems, and alternative fuels. The curriculum covers key topics such as transportation policy, infrastructure design, and the integration of technology to create efficient, eco-friendly transportation networks. Through case studies, hands-on projects, field trips, and guest lectures from industry experts, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of how to design and implement sustainable transportation solutions in diverse contexts.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Natural Sciences or the Social Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Darwin

HON 341-07 / HON 351-07 / ANTH 307-01
Professor Christopher Tillquist
TTh 11-12:15 pm

This course delves into Charles Darwin's seminal work, On the Origin of Species, with the aim of deepening our understanding of its significance in biology. We'll explore the historical and intellectual landscape surrounding Darwin, admire his dedication to gathering evidence for his theory, and gain an appreciation for how he laid the foundation for nearly all specialties in biology. Despite its age, Darwin's work remains intellectually stimulating and as relevant today as ever. Through this course, you'll develop and refine your critical thinking skills, acquire a thorough understanding of natural selection, and explore the far-reaching implications of evolutionary theory across various scientific disciplines. Moreover, we'll examine the profound paradigm shift that Darwin's work ignited, not only in science but also in culture and philosophy. His theory of evolution by natural selection challenged long-held beliefs about the origins and diversity of life, sparking debates that continue to this day. We'll discuss how Darwin's ideas revolutionized our understanding of humanity's place in nature, influenced fields as diverse as psychology and economics, and continue to shape our worldview in the 21st century.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Natural Sciences, the Social Sciences, or the Department of Anthropology. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Mind & Brain

HON 431-01 / HON 451-01
Professor Guy Dove
TTh 2:30-3:45 pm

Introduction to the philosophy of cognitive science, an interdisciplinary approach to the study of cognition and intelligence that synthesizes research from psychology, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, and philosophy. Course examines the foundations and prospects of cognitive science and grapples with philosophical questions that arise in cognitive science research.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities or the Natural Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Stories of Place (WR)

HON 436-03 / HON 446-03 
Professor Mary Sheridan
MWF 9-9:50 am

According to Rebecca Solnit, places tell a story, and those stories shape us. “Stories are compasses and architecture; we navigate by them, we build our sanctuaries and our prisons out of them, and to be without a story is to be lost in the vastness of a world that spreads in all directions like arctic tundra or sea ice.” (The Faraway Nearby) Given these claims, the question becomes, what is the story of our place?

In this class, we will explore Solnit’s claims through two questions of our own: 1. Who can tell what story in a particular time and place?; and, 2. How are these contemporary stories materialized in both public spaces (e.g., monuments and statues; streets and building names) and in diverse forms of contemporary story telling (e.g., novels, graffiti, podcasts, newspaper articles, viral videos, infographics). For much of the semester we will focus on Louisville to investigate these questions. For the final, you will have the option to delve deeper into a topic discussed during the semester or to use the ideas from this class to explore how a place of your choosing tells certain stories, and hinders others.

Given the questions of this class, students interested in history, geography/geo-mapping, anthropology, urban planning, art, architecture, and English may be interested. That said, the story of place can be approached from diverse perspectives, so all are welcome to find their way in.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities or the Social Sciences. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.

Thinking like Shakespeare (WR)

HON 436-04/ HON 446-04/ ENGL 402-04 
Professor Joe Turner
MW 2-3:15 pm

This course is interested in how Shakespeare thinks and why that is important to us in the 21st century. Although we will examine Shakespeare’s plays as artistic achievements, our primary focus is what those works can teach us about thinking: what it looks like, how it works, what goes wrong when we do too little or the wrong kind. We will use the works of Shakespeare as well as a range of 20th and 21st century thinkers from education, philosophy, and psychology to understand better what we mean by “thinking” and how we can become better at it. How - for example - can we use Shakespeare’s plays as a route to understanding earlier educational systems, which prized different habits of mind than we value now? Can we use Shakespeare to become more flexible, responsive, and empathic in our thinking? To think more and differently about others? Our shared texts may include Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Hamlet; the Disney version of Lion King (an adaptation of Hamlet); the poetry of Ovid and Kiki Petrosino; and theorists such as Quintilian and Grawmeyer Award Winner James McGaugh. You need no previous knowledge of Shakespeare to succeed in this course.

This course fulfills elective requirements in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, or the Department of English. The course cannot be used to satisfy Cardinal Core Requirements.