298H Seminars - Spring 2022

All 298H seminars are 3 credit hour classes. ACE credit is noted by each course. Enrollment in these courses will follow regular University enrollment procedures and occur on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with your assigned priority registration times, unless otherwise noted. For example: if there is a study abroad component, you will need to apply through MyWorld.

Spring 2022

Intellectual Creativity in Action

Interdisciplinary

Eureka! Intellectual Creativity in Action

Course description ►

Class No. 19597 Section 002 11:00-12:15pm, Tu/Th
Knoll 257 Dr. Christine Haney Douglass ACE 2

This course is an interdisciplinary seminar in which you will hear from a variety of professors from different fields. They will tell you their stories including any "eureka" moments of enlightenment, how they chose the career paths that they did, discussion of any challenges they had to face, mention of any controversies they encountered and discussion of some of their most rewarding moments along the way. The course will utilize multiple learning strategies that may include but are not limited to group cooperative learning strategies, group discussions, complex situational simulations, open-ended questioning, advanced readings and other multi-media resources.

Women, Leadership, & Power

Interdisciplinary/ Women's & Gender Studies

Women, Leadership, & Power

Course description ►

No.: 19615 Section 003 3:30-4:45pm, Tu/Th
Knoll 257 Dr. Jennifer Kruse & Tamy Burnett ACE 9; CAS CDR Humanities; Counts for WGS major/minor in "other courses" category

This class aims to introduce you to key issues related to women, leadership, and power across a broad range of areas in society and women’s lived experiences in/out of power (disciplinary areas include: activism, agriculture, the arts, athletics, business, education, military service and/or law enforcement, medicine/healthcare, politics/government service, religious leadership, and STEM). In this class, we will visit with guest speakers each week from a variety of backgrounds and professions. Additionally, we will learn about historical and contemporary women leaders, issues related to women and power, and how women navigate and challenge patriarchal contexts (those designed for men). Throughout this course, we will explore how these issues about leadership and power impact women in different ways based on their other intersecting identities, such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender expressions, sexuality, religion, etc.

We are interested in exploring the conditions that shape who is (and historically has been) in power and who is marginalized in these systems – and what the costs of navigating these systems are for women, in particular. In addition to traditional course projects, all students will engage in a community educational project. This course will help you think critically about the broader cultural, social, political, and historical implications of women and/in power.

Understanding and Responding to Violence in Visual Culture

Interdisciplinary/ Art & Art History

Understanding and Responding to Violence in Visual Culture

Course description ►

No.: 19616 Section 005 3:30-4:45pm, MW
Nebraska Innovation Studio Classroom (Innovation Campus) Prof. Sandra Williams ACE 7

Warning: Due to the nature of the subject, some course content contains graphic depictions of violence. Students who may find this disturbing or who encounter any difficulties with the material during the course should contact the professor immediately. Students should not take this course if they are uncomfortable watching horror movies.

Description: This is a lecture and interactive making course. Violent images surround us daily—in the news, on billboards and advertisements, and in movies and TV shows, especially those in the horror genre. In popular media, these images are often presented in a way that makes the violence “pretty,” stylized, or even attractive. This may seem like a new phenomenon, but in reality humans have long used depictions of violence and cruelty in visual media and culture to explore social tensions, ethical questions, and the nature of humanity. In this class, we will explore how violent imagery in paintings, prints, and films offer insight into the various socio-historical contexts in which the artwork was produced. Through weekly screenings, lectures and critical readings, students will consider how the horror genre has served as a barometer for cultural anxieties at particular historic moments. Key topics include: Automation, the abject body; race and representation; gender and sexuality in horrorism; and horror and technology.

Please Note: This class meets at Nebraska Innovation Studio on Innovation campus. The Honors Program will purchase the semester-long Studio membership for enrolled students, but students may incur additional costs for art supplies for the types of projects they choose to create in fulfillment of course requirements. Class products will be created using equipment at Nebraska Innovation Studio. By turning abstract concepts into visual products using technology, students actualize and practice some of the core lessons embedded in the lectures.

Freedom, Belonging and Hope

Interdisciplinary/ Modern Languages

Freedom, Belonging and Hope: Lessons from Central Europe to the Heartland of America

Course description ►

Class No. 19672 Section 006 2:00-3:15pm, Tu/Th
Bessey Hall 108 Dr. Hana Waisserova ACE 9

Note: this course is combined with MODL 291. To earn Honors credit or the above indicated ACE, students must enroll in the UHON 298H listing.

Nebraska has a rich history of immigration from central Europe, and this seminar will draw comparisons between that location and the central US to identify similarities and lessons that can be learned from them. Citizens and immigrants in these two seemingly disparate regions of the world share much in common, and we will explore how a common search for freedom, belonging, and hope characterizes peoples’ experiences in both locations. This course promotes dialogue as the best way to support the values of democracy and respect for human rights. Students will:

  • Engage in field trips in Nebraska to experience some of the cultures and issues discussed first-hand
  • Examine the culture, politics, and institutions of Central Europe and the US Heartland, and learn through merging local and global perspectives
  • Explore, share, and communicate current concerns with educated cultural empathy, and identify possible solutions to the pressing global issues
  • Role play global leaders, thinkers, and courageous professionals to openly debate and share current critical issues in the US Heartland and the Heart of Europe.
How to Build a Starship

Interdisciplinary/ Physical Sciences

How to Build a Starship

Course description ►

No.: 9819 Section 007 3:30-4:45pm, MW
Knoll 257 Prof. Nate Pindell ACE 4

The Earth has been called the cradle of humanity. The only home that humankind has ever known. But are there circumstances that would force humankind to look to the stars as a last resort in the face of extinction? Could humanity become a multi-planet species? What are the current plans for such events? Now more than ever it is important to understand how science and STEM are used to make informed decisions in day-to-day operations and prepare for the future. This course is designed to be a “survey of STEM” in which individuals that may be unfamiliar with many topics in STEM can gain knowledge of the scientific method and the diversity of the disciplines. The course is also trans-disciplinary in nature. The intersection of STEM and non-STEM fields. How is art used in science? What is the science of art? These questions, and more, will be discussed at length in “How to Build a Starship.”

Racial Reckoning and Sports Culture

Interdisciplinary/ Sports Communication

Racial Reckoning and Sports Culture

Course description ►

No.: 19664 Section 009 12:30-1:20pm, MWF
Knoll 257 Prof. John Shrader NO ACE

Note: this course is combined with JOUR 391. To earn Honors credit, students must enroll in the UHON 298H listing.

Sport is one of the few places in American society in which we find a confluence of race, gender, class, economics, politics, commerce, and popular culture. To study sport is to take a close examination of who we are and what we stand for as Americans and citizens of the world. We will use this broader context to study race and sport, in its historical and contemporary understanding. We will examine issues among a variety of institutions, including college and professional sports, the media, the sports business, and fans.