Prevailing thought suggests that we live in an era that is post-racial, particularly after the election of Barack Obama. Media often serves to drive our assessment of where our nation stands on issues like race, gender and sexuality. This course uses the film Get Out to delve into the production, evolution and significance of race in present day America. The course will engage multiple forms of media to investigate life in "Post-Racial" America, including but not limited to the role of stereotypes, interracial relationships, police-community relations, etc.

Examines the ways in which content and form of public information interact with the culture, families & individuals.

Are our diet and agricultural production methods sustainable? Students will investigate tensions created by trade-offs made by consumers relative to dietary choices which, in turn, can influence agricultural production methods. The course will inform students about their food supply so they can make informed dietary decisions and practice intentional/informed eating.

An examination of why climate changes, the methods for recording climate change, and case studies of the varied responses of past human societies to climate change in different geographic regions and time periods with varying socio-political and economic systems.

An examination of the phenomenon of international migration, or immigration. Students develop awareness of how immigration has been framed in the general public and examined by social science disciplines, most prominently anthropology. Examination of case studies of different immigrant groups in distinct geographic contexts will illuminate the varied incorporation experiences of immigrants into U.S. society.

The impact of diseases on populations from prehistoric times through the present will be examined, along with public perceptions of disease, scientific breakthroughs on treatment and prevention, and the ways that politics and public health policies can enhance or impede the advancement of disease treatment. The natural history of disease, population structure, and immunity will be discussed. The class will address emerging and re-emerging diseases and the ways that first responders, researchers, and policy makers may affect the outcome of an outbreak.

Study of the major components of Earth's climate system and climate change history. Discussion of 21st century climate change prediction, mitigation and adaptation efforts.

What are weather and climate? Most people think they know but if you ask people to explain the differences and similarities you're bound to get a range of answers. Weather affects not just our daily activities but other important aspects of society such as transportation, commerce, security and agriculture. Most people understand what weather is to some extent. Climate and climate change are concepts that evoke strong emotional responses from people but are less well understood. In this class, students examine fundamental issues such as the greenhouse effect, severe weather, and global weather patterns and how they relate to a changing climate. Instruction in the lectures will provide the basic knowledge needed to understand these issues. In the discussion sections, students will be divided into groups to address the implications of these topics through group projects.

Explore the ways and the degrees to which University of Maryland, College Park campus master planning and operations incorporate principles of sustainability including smart growth, LEED and other building rating systems, higher education rating systems, sustainable agriculture and transportation planning. Among other subjects, students will learn about the Campus and the City of College Park and survey the relationship between local, national and global sustainability concerns. Students will learn about the University's Climate Action Plan and the roles, and extent to which, the UMD Office of Sustainability and other campus units are helping develop a carbon-neutral and resource-efficient campus infrastructure.

How can we feed a growing global population, reduce farming's environmental damage, and provide a healthier diet, all in the face of climate change? The course explores these global food system challenges in the context of the food supply chains that link farms, input providers, traders, food processors, retailers, consumers, and governments. We assess how supply chains are organized; how they use technologies; and how they can create organizations, develop new technologies, and adapt food production practices to meet these four major challenges facing the global food system.

The course serves as the core course for the Arts-and-Humanities track in PLCY's minor in "Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation." Students will be introduced to the role that the Arts and Humanities can play in social innovation and social change, while exploring various mechanisms for achieving impact with a focus on advancing social justice, equity and systems change. This course deepens understandings of nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship and social innovation by guiding students through the creation and implementation of social change projects and ventures of their choice.

A comparative and thematic approach to studying the representation of otherness in art and visual culture from the eighteenth century to the present. Students will work to expand the definition of otherness, and consider the roles that ethnicity, nationality, and politics play in representations of otherness across various continents and chronologies.

Combines a broad historical analysis of the relationship between art and authority with an examination of contemporary culture criticism and art practice. Explores the uses and abuses of art and culture in totalitarianand theocratic states as a prelude to a review of the role of official culture in the United States. Examines art and culture in the public arena and many related areas where the arts and policy interact.

Should we defend our planet against potential asteroid impacts? Collisions in Space will evaluate the threat of asteroid impacts with the Earth using knowledge of asteroid characteristics and orbits. The merits of possible defense plans will be discussed, as well as the budgetary and political concerns associated with implementing any such plan. Appropriate for non-science majors.

Have you ever wondered if humans will ever terraform Mars or Europa so we could live there without a spacesuit? Has it ever crossed your mind how lucky you are that you live on a water-rich planet with an oxygen-rich atmosphere? Have you ever suspected novelists and scriptwriters of creating ridiculous planets that violate scientific laws? Does the fate of our planet's thin biosphere keep you up at night? How common is life in the Universe? These are difficult questions, but armed with the right information, you can answer all of them. The Science and Fiction of Planetary Systems will help you develop a deeper understanding of why planets are the way they are. Along the way, you'll see examples of mistakes made in classic science fiction movies, novels and short stories and get the chance to invent your own plausible planets!

Designed to help students develop their leadership skills in order to identify their personal and professional purpose with an entrepreneurial mindset, and create strategies that will help them develop their abilities and achieve their aspirations by collaborating within teams and organizations. Students will apply insights from recent scholarship in entrepreneurship, leadership and strategic management to themselves in order to identify solutions to problems they find meaningful to solve in their own world. This self-discovery course will introduce students to the "CEO of ME, Inc." framework and tools such as the strategic initiatives matrix and business model canvas that they can use to help guide the choices that lie ahead, and develop collaborative, win-win relationships. In doing so, students will learn how to unlock the value of business in society and develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills that enable personal happiness and upward mobility.

Designed to help students develop their leadership skills in order to identify their personal and professional purpose with an entrepreneurial mindset, and create strategies that will help them develop their abilities and achieve their aspirations by collaborating within teams and organizations. Students will apply insights from recent scholarship in entrepreneurship, leadership and strategic management to themselves in order to identify solutions to problems they find meaningful to solve in their own world. This self-discovery course will introduce students to the "CEO of ME, Inc." framework and tools such as the strategic initiatives matrix and business model canvas that they can use to help guide the choices that lie ahead, and develop collaborative, win-win relationships. In doing so, students will learn how to unlock the value of business in society and develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills that enable personal happiness and upward mobility.

In this course, students will hear from real-life social entrepreneurs, explore current day social issues of sustainability, climate change, leadership, disruptive innovations, and create or blueprint business plans to generate positive social change. This class will focus on innovative thinking skills, personal narratives, and social interaction strategies and plans.

In this course, students will learn about: a) the innovation process and the role of the individual in generating innovations and b) the attributes, habits, and skills of individuals who have successfully started innovative new businesses or significantly added value to an existing company.

"Why" does fraud happen? "How" does society address fraud? And "What" can you do to avoid and prevent fraud in your personal and future career life? This course is designed to give future professionals and managers of all disciplines a general background of fraud. Topics include the psychology of fraud, the mechanics of fraud, the legal landscape, securities fraud, cybercrime, and what all of us should know to protect ourselves from becoming victims of fraud. Additionally, students experience 21st century lessons in fraud examination that have practical application to our daily lives: avoiding cognitive biases, interviewing techniques, basic business controls, and opening our minds to see what others might miss...the red flags of fraud.

In this course, students learn how to analyze the world around them and then notice and define new trends, emerging problems, impending gaps, and how to turn these into exciting opportunities by providing creative solutions. Students will have a chance to not only sharpen their critical thinking skills, but also learn how to take initiative, develop a working solution, identify and resolve conflicts, and be confident and persistent, yet flexible enough to respond to changes. Student teams identify a compelling problem in present day life and then propose a creative solution taking into account possible difficulties in implementation. In addition, students will also be given problems on a much smaller scale and asked to create and present a workable solution. Students will be exposed to how a visionary's mind works and the creative solution process. In addition, students will also learn how entrepreneurial thinking can improve their day-to-day life.

This course provides an overview of the concepts, approaches, and vocabulary of evidence-based management (EBM) and provides an understanding of how experts in many disciplines can employ evidenced based decision making. EBM is an emerging movement in business to explicitly use the current best information in management decision making with special emphasis on relevant scientific findings and unbiased organizational facts. The course stresses how individuals practicing EBM learn how to rethink their approaches to data and knowledge in order to make more effective decisions.

In what profound ways have plants changed humanity and the world we live in today? An interactive way to learn about plants and science, focusing on how plants have changed human history, the biology of their growth, and the science behind their use.

Could the ongoing global decline in insect populations portend the end of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems? An article in the New York Times, in 2018, declared an "Insect Apocalypse" that for the first time brought the unexplained declines in insects to the public and suggested a catastrophe awaits our planet. Scientists have documented the loss of insect species at a rate exceeding the extinction rates associated with the major geological events in Earth's history. Based on science and research, students will be provided with background, and discover on their own, the diversity of the form and functions of insects, as well as how they evolved and persisted for 400 million years. The course, designed for students of any major, celebrates the incredible variation of insect life and what they do to support life on our planet. The course will highlight the use of scientific research to understand and respond to the global crisis.

How are microbes essential for human health yet cause so much disease? This course covers basic concepts in microbiology as they relate to human- microbe interactions by surveying the diversity of microbial life, the role our resident microbiota play in human health, modes of disease tracking, and prophylactic and therapeutic measures designed to control the spread of infectious disease.

How have microorganisms exploited every conceivable ecological niche, and how have humans harnessed this diversity to improve medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology? The course covers fundamental concepts in morphology, physiology, genetics, immunology, ecology, and pathogenic microbiology. Applications of microbiology to medicine, the food industry, and biotechnology.

What makes microorganisms genetically, physiologically, and biochemically unique among organisms in the tree of life? An introduction to microorganisms designed for science majors. Genetic principles underlying microbial abilities; microbial structure-function relationships; metabolism, physiology, and ecology of microorganisms; interactions between microorganisms (including pathogens) and their hosts.

What are the dimensions of violence in the United States and worldwide, and how has humanity responded to violence? Conflict is unfortunately resolved through violence in a number of settings. It ranges from interpersonal to international in its scope. This course investigates the strengths and weaknesses of a number of resolutions to reducing violence over the course of history using both state centered and informal control.

What is human trafficking and how do we stop it? An introduction to the trafficking of human beings in its historical, legal, economic, political and social contexts. Scope of the global problem, different forms of human trafficking, and regional trends and practices. Roles of government, the international community and individual actors. Strategies to combat trafficking.

Explores the cultural, historical, educational, and medical roots of difference among human beings and examines the impact of cultural and technological changes on individuals traditionally identified as disabled. The course is designed to develop a broad understanding of the concept of "disability" and the emerging technologies that shape contemporary understanding of this phenomenon and the lives of those considered disabled.

What are myths and why do we tell them? What powers do myths have? We will tackle these questions by looking at the enduring and fascinating myths from ancient Greece and Rome. In addition to studying how they shaped ancient societies, we will also look at their modern influence and reflect upon the power that myths still hold in our contemporary world. Taught in English.

Where do our emotions come from? Are they universal biological experiences, or are they shaped by the society in which we live, and therefore different from culture to culture? When do emotions serve the interests of those in power, and when do they resist dominant ideologies? These questions have fascinated scholars from a variety of fields, from linguistics to psychology to literary studies. This course posits that an analysis of artistic and cultural products can reveal important insights about these questions. We will thus read a variety of works of Greco-Roman literature with the above questions in mind, comparing these ancient texts to modern-day films, testing whether and how the portrayal of emotions has changed over time. Still, we will not neglect the discoveries from fields outside of literary studies: throughout the semester, we will periodically discuss relevant works of psychology, sociology, and more, interpreting the texts and films at hand through an interdisciplinary lens.

This course explores whether and how generative AI can be developed to support human values and promote human autonomy, and how the context of the deployment of AI may impact answers to this question. Entire industries are being transformed by AI technology, much of which is driven by the recent meteoric advances in generative AI. These advances have enabled many people to do things they previously were incapable of but have also brought about a series of ethical questions around their development and use. These developments raise fundamental questions around whether it is even possible to develop generative AI technology that empowers rather than replaces people, and which serves human values such as rights, justice, and dignity. It also raises the question: Is generative AI different from other technologies that can be used toward both positive and negative ends?

Explores contemporary theories of influence and their implications for communication practice. Topics include power and influence, logical theory, rhetorical theory, persuasion theory, framing theory, social influence theory, and propagation of influence in mediated social networks.

Exploration and understanding of ways science and technology shape and are shaped by society.

Supervised Service-Learning practicum in issues related to science, technology and society.

Will we face an energy crisis in the near future, or will technological breakthroughs solve problems? Will we destroy the environment by careless use of polluting energy, or we will find new and clean sources of energy that resolves the environmental issue once and for all? Will politicians and governments succeed in agreeing on a coherent strategy to deal with global issues related to energy, or do we expect individual countries to move in different directions and exacerbate the problems? Students will explore the demand and supply sides of the energy market and their relationships with government policies and environmental concerns. Students will also analyze empirical evidence to better understand the factors affecting energy production and consumption in the past and possible directions in the future. By examining past situations when technological change mitigated problems in energy markets, we can make informed predictions about what could happen next.

History of aggression and violence in the world and in the United States. Examines the extent to which various forms are prevalent today and scientifically supported prevention strategies. Methods of studying aggression are reviewed, as are theories and methods of preventing aggression and violence.

Investigation linking research in the brain science of learning and development, including the neural basis of academic skills, to achievement, disability, and broader applications to classroom learning. This course will focus on areas of education including language (spoken and written), conceptual change, numerical/quantitative processing, and social cognition as well as burgeoning areas of neuroscientific research in general cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and executive processing. These topics will be discussed with respect to typical and atypical development with some focus on developmental disabilities including autism, specific language impairment, reading and math impairment, and attention deficit disorders among others. This course will focus on both the theoretical perspectives and pragmatic issues of how evidence regarding brain development can or may be translated into useful or misleading information for educators, professionals, and parents/guardians of our children.

What makes a technology socially responsible? At UMD, the Fearless Ideas campaign asks us to aim our enthusiasm for technology at big real problems. At the same time, we are coming to appreciate the increasingly complex nature of technological systems as they become integrated into all forms of infrastructure, we realize they may be unpredictable, interdependent on social and biological systems, and have unintended consequences. In this midst of this complexity, people make decisions with far reaching impacts. How then do we follow our passion for technology and innovation but also stay skeptical in a way that allows us to consider the potential and shortcomings of technology? Designed for both engineering and non-engineering students wishing to explore and assess the impact of engineering technology on society and the role of society in generating that technology.

What makes a technology socially responsible? At UMD, the Fearless Ideas campaign asks us to aim our enthusiasm for technology at big real problems. At the same time, we are coming to appreciate the increasingly complex nature of technological systems as they become integrated into all forms of infrastructure, we realize they may be unpredictable, interdependent on social and biological systems, and have unintended consequences. In this midst of this complexity, people make decisions with far reaching impacts. How then do we follow our passion for technology and innovation but also stay skeptical in a way that allows us to consider the potential and shortcomings of technology? Designed for both engineering and non-engineering students wishing to explore and assess the impact of engineering technology on society and the role of society in generating that technology.

This multi-disciplinary course helps students learn the principles of entrepreneurial opportunity analysis and decision-making in an increasingly dynamic and technically-inclined society. Emphasis is placed on how aspiring technology entrepreneurs can develop their entrepreneurial perspectives to develop winning entrepreneurial plans for their future ventures.

Asks students to think about how society should manage complexity, transformation, and uncertainty with an eye on developing a broader sense of ethics and social responsibility. Introduces analytical frameworks, concepts, and data collection techniques that interdisciplinary scholars use to map relationships among science, technology and society and generate important questions about the future of society.

Poetry is most often understood as self-expression; it's also communal expression, and cultural expression; it's also a particular kind of construction made out of language. Explore the art form called poetry, including its formal properties, its conventions, and its legacy of experimentation. What role does poetry play in how we think about the human condition; what constitutes knowledge and wisdom, interior subjectivity and collective identity; and how shall this knowledge be used in confronting new challenges and the perennial questions: how to live with oneself, and as oneself; in time, and with others; here, where we reside; and elsewhere, where we imagine ourselves going. This is a hands-on course in reading and practicing the art of poetry, including short critical and creative writing exercises.

Who gets to speak for nature? This course explores the long history of environmental writing in the context of the complex relationship between European and Indigenous North American traditions. We will not just survey environmental literature; we will inquire into the pressures under which contemporary ideas of nature evolved from a colonial past. Students will learn about the history of representing other-than-human actors in the world--including Indigenous ways of knowing--and how this history can help us envision new, shared relationships with the natural world.

What does the literature of Maryland teach us about our state's past, present, and future? "Literary Maryland" explores this question by taking students on a tour of our state's prose, poetry, and drama from colonization to the present. In addition to reading fascinating writing and visiting interesting places, you'll learn how the Chesapeake was formed; why nobody sings the entire national anthem; and what led Baltimore to name its football team after a poem written by a Virginian.

Can one prevent the transformation of technology from a friend to foe? Constant technological change characterizes our current lives and future, but ambivalence marks our relationships with technology. Students will be introduced to concepts necessary to understand scientific, engineering and societal driving forces of selected technological transformations, and the conflicts inherent in introduction of new technologies. We investigate approaches to judicious implementation of technology to prevent it changing from friend to foe.

An examination of how cultural, economic, political and social forces shape scientific and technological systems and, conversely, how scientific and technological systems have affected the culture, economies, organization and politics of societies. Students in the course will form small teams to carry out semester-long research on socio/technical topics related to the course theme chosen for that specific semester.

Catastrophic Environmental Events (CCE) that are becoming more common in this time of global environmental change and it is essential that today's students be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be leaders as we, as a society, understand the upheaval that these CCEs are causing. Students will examine how CEEs shape human society and ecosystem from the interdisciplinary perspective afforded by the field of Geography. Students will use the latest geographic science concepts and techniques in exploring these events. Using satellite imagery they will gain a multi-scale perspective of the ecological and societal aspects of the events.

Earth observations from space enable the mapping and monitoring of our changing planet. This survey course reviews current observational capabilities and examines scientific applications in quantifying global environmental change. Drivers and outcomes of key dynamics will be illustrated and discussed, including sea and continental ice loss, deforestation, ocean warming, urbanization, agricultural expansion and intensification, and vegetation response to climate change.

Study of the major components of Earth's climate system and climate change history. Discussion of 21st century climate change prediction, mitigation and adaptation efforts.

What good is the fossil record? What relevance or insights might the remains of ancient living things have for our modern world? This course examines how the record of ancient life was made, and how we use diverse scientific techniques to reveal the information it contains. We will look at how the various inhabitants of our planet changed through time, and how different ecosystems such as reefs, forests, and grasslands were assembled. We will see how our own species came to be, and of our spread across the world from our ancestral home in Africa. We'll examine how the fossil record contains evidence of climate changes and extinction events far exceeding what we are currently experiencing, and how we can use these as warnings for our future. We'll address who are the owners and stakeholders in the evidence of the fossil world. Students will learn how to read and interpret the primary scientific literature, and how to present scientific information to others through various media.

An introduction to the persistent challenge of authoritarianism. The course explores the nature of authoritarianism and its evolution from ancient through modern times. Students will study how authoritarian regimes vary, why citizens sometimes comply with them, and when and how citizens rebel. The course concludes with a review of contemporary authoritarianism, focusing on its resilience in the Middle East and East Asia and its potential for a resurgence in the US and Europe.

The rapid ascent of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a major political and economic power has meant that its relationship with the United States has become central in contemporary international politics. To an increasing extent, some of the biggest global challenges--ranging from nuclear proliferation, to climate change, to economic growth--require U.S.-China cooperation if they are to be managed effectively. Yet the U.S.-China relationship is at times turbulent, and its future remains highly uncertain. Will the U.S. and China be able to forge a closer partnership that will enable them to cooperate in dealing with some of the vexing challenges facing the international community? Or are they more likely to drift toward a more adversarial relationship, as China's growing power--and the US reaction--generate a vicious cycle of mutual mistrust? In this class, students will grapple with these questions as they learn about the history of U.S.-China relations, and about many of the current issues facing the relationship.

Explores the key issues facing policy makers attempting to manage the problem of cybersecurity from its technical foundations to the domestic and international policy considerations surrounding governance, response, and critical infrastructure risk management. The course is designed for students with little to no background in information technology, and will provide the principles to understand the current debates shaping a rapidly evolving security landscape.

Students will address questions regarding how business is being shaped by the increased use of data. The course draws from various quantitative, computation, and technical fields to develop a big picture understanding of data science in business. Through examples and applications, students will address the challenging questions related to artificial intelligence, data science bias, and privacy.

How does the human mind use language? Type "Language Science News" into your Google search bar. Among the more than 3 billion hits, headlines like "What is love? It depends what language you speak" and "Science's English dominance hinders diversity" invite you to think about the impact of words on thought and behavior. These are stories about how humans acquire and use language, but they ultimately address big questions about how we experience knowledge itself. In a world of unprecedented access to science journalism, did you ever read a headline about human behavior and wonder: How do we know? This class takes up the elegant ways cognitive scientists design experiments to answer crucial questions about language and thought, brain and behavior, that have no intuitive answers. Students will dive deep into the media coverage of their favorite claims about what we know, debate the psychological science behind these claims, and develop transferable critical-thinking skills in the process.

An introduction to the theories of the everyday within the context of the American built environment. Focuses primarily on the American experience of underrepresented, minority, and/or immigrant communities; both historical and contemporary. Attempts to challenge what is meant by American in describing the American everyday built environment.

Looking at America will focus on a thematic approach to the study of foreign -- negative and positive -- perceptions of America in the 20th century.

Traces the concept of Satan in the Jewish and Christian traditions from the Hebrew Bible, through the early modern witch crazes, to the "Satanic Panic" of the '80s and modern conspiracy theories. We'll examine both how our darkest fears have changed over the centuries, and which elements have stayed remarkably consistent across time. In the process, we'll seek to answer our Big Question: How do ideas about the devil reflect the norms and anxieties of the cultures that produce them?

Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.

How is the American Revolution a creation story in the making of our multi-cultural and interconnected modern world? Consider the Declaration of Independence. When first published on July 5, 1776, it was printed by an immigrant Irishman on Dutch paper that had been brought over from England. This was the first such declaration of independence ever issued, but its ideas and forms traveled far and wide. More than 100 other declarations of independence have been issued since then. The people that declaration mobilized are similarly diverse: the American Revolution is as much the story of Creek farmers, Spanish soldiers, French slaves, Canadian fugitives, Indian tea-growers, and African statesmen as it is of the Minutemen and Sons of Liberty. In this globe-trotting class, students will be positioned to debate how the familiar story of the American Revolution changes when we place it in transnational context.

What does it mean to be free in the United States? The concept of freedom was embedded in the nation's political culture in the Declaration of Independence, and it has remained a cherished and contested ideal. We can interrogate this concept through the life and times of Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), who dreamed eloquently of freedom, thought carefully about its limits, and worked ardently to build a firmer freedom for a broader population. With Douglass as our guide, we will examine the survival of slavery in a nation built on freedom, images of the expanding United States as a land of opportunity, and the complex meanings and tremendous costs of freedom struggles during the nineteenth century. This history will push you to think critically about the contested concepts that shape our lives, and to consider the values and the perils of a society that positions freedom as its highest ideal.

Provides a thematic approach to consumerism as it emerged in the United States over the course of three centuries. The history of consumption is a prism through which many aspects of social and political life may be viewed. How does what we wear, what we listen to, or what we eat shape our identities?

How is the American Revolution a creation story in the making of our multi-cultural and interconnected modern world? Consider the Declaration of Independence. When first published on July 5, 1776, it was printed by an immigrant Irishman on Dutch paper that had been brought over from England. This was the first such declaration of independence ever issued, but its ideas and forms traveled far and wide. More than 100 other declarations of independence have been issued since then. The people that declaration mobilized are similarly diverse: the American Revolution is as much the story of Creek farmers, Spanish soldiers, French slaves, Canadian fugitives, Indian tea-growers, and African statesmen as it is of the Minutemen and Sons of Liberty. In this globe-trotting class, students will be positioned to debate how the familiar story of the American Revolution changes when we place it in transnational context.

What is a fact? Science is often viewed as an unbiased, fact-based, analytical discipline. However, throughout history, science has sometimes been the most potent weapon for creating and supporting political fictions and social hierarchies. Not unlike the discipline of the humanities, the sciences practice interpretation: scientists observe behaviors, of subject or objects, and necessarily provide an interpretation of the data. But it is the recourse to the "real" that has made science so powerful in underwriting cultural constructs. Whether we observe how science is manipulated in the public sphere, or how it is practiced for good or ill, it has been used to naturalize hierarchies of race, class or gender. Through a range of materials--fiction, film, visual arts, scientific articles, public humanities and political theses - this course will explore one of the most potent cases of this phenomenon of "scientific" storytelling: the case of race.

Do the social and individual benefits of surveillance outweigh its risks? Surveillance is a ubiquitous practice in contemporary society. Governments surveil populations; corporations surveil customers and users; and individuals surveil themselves and others. From red light cameras and doorbell security cameras to geo-tracking apps and smart appliances, surveillant practices shape 21st-century lifestyles. Many take these practices for granted as acceptable trade-offs for individual and collective benefits. Others sound the alarm on the dangers of being tracked and monitored, with concerns over individual liberty, social inequalities, and more. In this course we will debate how surveillance shapes social practices and selves. Students will draw their own conclusions about the role of surveillance in society, and what, if anything, should be done to change it.

How will AI change society? AI is changing not only business, but the nature of society itself. This course investigates the nature of those changes and forecasts their future development. With a focus on the implications to business, including the nature of human jobs as AI does an increasing amount of work, students will debate the implications of AI through a variety of lenses. From definitions of consciousness and the potential for robots to claim rights to the gender implications of AI, we will explore its philosophical and political implications. As AI is also capital, we will interrogate what the advance of AI means to capitalists and for labor. Finally, we will enter the debate around whether AI will require more than machine learning to approximate general intelligence and whether it can truly be creative. Through the exploration of the unprecedented pitfalls and opportunities that AI represents, students will learn how best to cope with a world that is dependent on AI.

How does poverty shape the relationship between humans and their environment? It may seem obvious that being poor in childhood has enduring effects on development. What is less obvious is how experiencing poverty in childhood shapes relationships between children and their surroundings, including family interactions, peer relationships, adult dynamics, and the health of the community. Less clear still is the extent to which positive interactions with caretakers and social supports can protect children from potential harm as they grow up. This course focuses on the complexity of poverty as a social force and community concern. Students will investigate the nature of poverty through an interdisciplinary lens that includes social theory, developmental psychology, and empirical studies. After analyzing various approaches to the study of child poverty, students will be in a position to use research on parenting and poverty to evaluate public policy and social programs in their own backyard.

What traction does the past have in society today? This course explores globally how the past gains traction in society today and becomes remade in the present. That inquiry will be guided by the idea of heritage, as it mobilizes the past within a broad spectrum of social, political, economic, and environmental issues. We will examine western relationships to the past as intimately tied to property and the drive to plunder, collect, and catalogue. Increasingly, conceptions of heritage include landscapes, as well as intangibles such as music, dance, and folklore. This broad definition honors the diversity of present-day relations to the past, even as it strains heritage management models that are organized around definitions and regulations, and bear the weight of historical injustice. Close examination of heritage at work within global crisis and struggle prompts questions on who owns the past, and who owns up to it. What do we owe the past, and will we be good ancestors to the future?

How do ordinary citizens power democracy? At the age of 18, every American citizen is endowed with the right to vote, but what if democracy demands more than voting? With democratic processes seemingly in peril all around us, what can and should ordinary citizens do to safeguard democracy? Looking beyond the basic right to vote, this class will instead explore the complex ecosystem of citizenship practices necessary for collective self-governance. Turning to both philosophy and history, the course material addresses the power and peril of such civic habits as mutual aid, economic participation, tolerance, attention, organizing, protest, and more. We consider what resources these habits require, what virtues they inspire, and what happens when they conflict with each other. Students in this course will acquire the tools to develop and act on their own answer to the pressing question of what it will take to save democracy.

Can humanity thrive without ensuring reproductive freedom? The 2022 US Supreme Court decision that the right to an abortion is unconstitutional has generated impassioned debate about women's rights and access to reproductive health care in the US and globally. This debate opens space to think beyond "pro-choice or pro-life" polarization and create conditions that promote equity, respect for rights, and a healthy society. These conditions would need to address injustices such as the racism, gender inequalities, marginalization, and colonization that produce disparities in reproductive health care and jeopardize the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and countries. Who controls the bodies of marginalized women and men? What is the meaning of reproductive rights for people who have little power? This course challenges students to bring together multiple disciplines, become critical data consumers, and develop innovative ways to use this knowledge to influence policy.

What is design, who does it, and how is it done? There is no one answer to this question--it depends on who you ask. The answers to these questions vary across disciplines and across the University campus. This course, designed with modules from contributors in UMD programs including Information Studies, Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, Immersive Media Arts, Journalism, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, and Policy, will introduce students to the goals and values, approaches, skills, and practices of diverse fields of design. It will enable students to identify grand challenges in design and serve as a sorting hat to help students find a design practice that matches their own values, approaches, skills and goals.

Examines Apollo mission, one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of all time, in which Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Since the mission, people have asked: if we can land on the moon, why can't we eliminate poverty? Why can't we cure cancer? Why can't we prevent global warming? Asks what were the social, political, financial, scientific, engineering, operational, and human aspects of the Apollo program that came together to make the moon landings possible?

Introduces methods for analyzing and understanding how people use social media - social networking websites, blogging and microblogging, and other forms of online interaction and content generation - and their societal implications. Introduces students to the science and social science of network analysis. Through real world examples, including analysis of their own social networks, students develop skills for describing and understanding the patterns and usage of services like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others.

Reviews how specific values are built into different automated decision-making systems as an inevitable result of constructing mechanisms meant to produce specific outcomes. These values create differential outcomes for the different people enmeshed in these systems, but both these values and these systems can be changed to support different values and different outcomes. The class serves as an introduction to the emerging field of algorithmic bias that bridges the disciplines of information science, computer science, law, policy, philosophy, sociology, urban planning, and others.

Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.

As has become evident virtually every year, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict retains its capacity to mobilize both sides against each other. Why are Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews unable to resolve their differences? This course uncovers some of the deeper explanations as to why the conflict persists, even as it changes over the decades.

How has social media changed the world, and how has the world changed social media? This course explores how social media has influenced relationships, culture, industry, politics, and the information environment, as well as how significant global events and technological advancements have contributed to the evolution of social media. This course gives students a broad contextual understanding of social media that they may apply in their daily lives as well as future academic inquiry.

What role should the American news media play when the United States is at war? Students will explore the realities of war through the work of journalists who pushed beyond the daily headlines, some risking life and limb, to challenge official versions and document uncomfortable realities about American conflicts.

What are the ingredients of a juicy scandal? Money? Sex? Power? How are scandals uncovered? Why does society punish some scoundrels but not others? Come explore both serious and salacious scandals with a professor who's an expert in both--and who once exposed many scandals himself when he was an investigative reporter. This class examines scandals in politics, science, religion, social media, business, government, sports, and higher education; feeding frenzies, tabloid scandalmongering, undercover reporting, apologies, and cancel culture. Learn why even trivial scandals matter--and how scandals reflect what we value and ultimately who we are.

In a mobile social media world with unlimited amounts of digital information available on demand, what does the future hold for a population that spends hours on their devices seeking, selecting, and sharing more entertaining content than critical information about national and world issues? This course explores innovative ways for producing digital content and engaging diverse audiences with important topics, such as those related to every student's major. Students also utilize new metric tools to answer the question asking how today's digital audiences consume various forms of media and content.

Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.

The course serves as the core course for the Arts-and-Humanities track in PLCY's minor in "Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation." Students will be introduced to the role that the Arts and Humanities can play in social innovation and social change, while exploring various mechanisms for achieving impact with a focus on advancing social justice, equity and systems change. This course deepens understandings of nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship and social innovation by guiding students through the creation and implementation of social change projects and ventures of their choice.

Has sport disadvantaged African American males? This course critically examines sport as a site where notions of black masculinity are publicly debated, critiqued, challenged, celebrated, and also transformed. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this course explores how sport has been invoked across the political and ideological spectrum to interrogate a number of issues impacting the life chances of young, African Americans males including educational attainment, poverty, social mobility, racism, cultural production, and notions of masculinity.

Environmental Justice will be explored in the context of the built environment. What unequal public built environmental threats exist? How can these threats be prevented or eliminated? Public schools, public parks, access to clean water, air pollution, tree coverage are among the built environments examined in the course.

What is it about us humans and our languages that allows us to communicate in ways unmatched by other animals or powerful AI models? The question is ancient, but recent decades have seen great progress in the cognitive science of language, while expanding the diversity of languages investigated. We know much more about how languages vary, how they develop in children, how they are encoded in the mind, and relate to other domains of cognition. Major developments in statistical computation and research on animal cognition also illuminate what is (not) possible without the particular structure of the human mind. We bring this all to bear on our Big Question: What makes human language special from the viewpoint of meaning? Students will come to understand the major features of language as a vehicle for complex thought and a tool for communication. They will use this understanding in analyzing common semantic patterns and everyday conversational dynamics.

Examines the nature of mental representation of language in the physiology of the mind/brain, how it evolved, how it emerges in learners' minds, and how it decays through injury and illness. Insights from linguistics, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, animal behavior, molecular biology, and biophysics are brought to bear on how an abstract systematic behavior can arise within an animal brain.

An exploration of the theoretical questions relating to such fundamental questions of jurisprudence as "what is law?" and "how can law be deployed as both an enemy and ally of justice?

Explores the ways people, across cultures and times, have drawn on music's power to further causes such as revolution and social change or to bring attention to injustices such as discrimination, exclusion, or oppressive working conditions.

Integrates an intellectual exploration of Western moral traditions and ethical philosophy with military leadership, core values, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and Navy regulations. The course provides students with a basic understanding of major moral traditions including Relativism, Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Natural Law Theory, Divine Command Theory, and Virtue Ethics.

If diet is such a straightforward topic, then why and how does this simple matter result in complicated health problems? This course delves deeply into a Big Question at the intersection of diet and health. Diet is a topic that most people know but few people understand. In addition, diet has become one of the most important lenses for looking at a variety of social, economic, and cultural issues. Since the concept of diet is a continuum and has multifaceted aspects, we need to understand it from broad and multidisciplinary perspectives including social, cultural, and economic aspects.

How do we improve our decision making? Cognitive science demonstrates that self-knowledge isn't as easy as we think, and that there are numerous biases and fallacies that impact our decision-making in ways that are hard for us to be aware of. In this course you will learn what some of these are and how they have been discovered, and you will explore potential strategies for avoiding these fallacies and for making wiser choices.

Virtually everyone thinks it's permissible to kill people only in special circumstances. But why is killing usually wrong? Is it ever acceptable to kill an innocent human being intentionally? This course raises these and related questions and examines cases such as terrorism, suicide, abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, war. Except for a brief discussion of animals, all the controversies considered deal with killing and causing death to human beings.

Things happen routinely in sports that would seem morally unacceptable in other context: violence between the participants, attempts to trick the referee, fans hoping that some players would do embarrassingly badly, spectators feeling anger towards whole nations. Nonetheless, all of this may seem reasonable and even justifiable within a sporting context. This course will investigate the ethical structure of sports, and what it tells us about the ethics of everyday life. Philosophy will provide the primary disciplinary context, but we will also think about sociological, legal and anthropological perspectives on sports. Issues will include the nature of sportsmanship, what types of violence in sports are acceptable, drug use in sports, what it means to be a fan (for example, asking why loyalty to your team is valuable) and how our view of sports interacts with our view of nations. By the end of the course you should have gained familiarity with a variety of ethical concepts and a sensitivity to the ethical issues in sports. You should also find that by thinking about morality in the context of sports, you will look at larger ethical issues in new ways.

Exposure to issues related to city habitation and the health of the public, including how the urban environment impacts the lives and health of city dwellers, including discussion of the social determinants of health. Students are encouraged to think about urban health and policy, and to question the current state of urban public health. Issues of race, class, and equality will be discussed throughout the course as they relate to each of these topics.

Advances in quantum information science and engineering (QISE), particularly quantum computing, have the potential to significantly disrupt and change the day-to-day lives of every person. In this course, we'll learn about the confluence of engineering, physics, and computer science that make this field so promising and develop tools to make sense of the scientific, societal, and ethical implications of these emerging technologies. Students will study, in depth, applications of QISE that are of particular and personal interest to share with others how they envision navigating a facet of day-to-day life that has been disrupted by advances in QISE. No prior background in STEM required. This course is only open to non-STEM majors.

Great ideas in public policy, such as equality, efficiency, sovereignty, liberty, bureaucracy, democracy and security are explored through the lens of great thinkers. An introduction to the intellectual foundations of public policy, from ancient theories on collective public action through the more contemporary development of public policy as a discipline. This may start as early as the ancient Greek philosophers and their views on public action through contemporary classics of public policy. At the conclusion of the course, students will have read classic works in the field and will master the key themes that have dominated the intellectual debates about public policy over its history. Emphasis will be on the interdisciplinary foundations of public policy, through examining core disciplinary contributions from economics, political science, management, philosophy, and other relevant disciplines.

Aims to inspire, teach and engage students in the theory and practice of public leadership from the local to the national to the global level. Students will learn and apply diverse approaches to leadership in a multicultural society while developing an understanding of key frameworks and practices necessary to foster collective action across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. This course will allow students to become informed citizens able to reason critically and persuasively about public matters Students will also explore and assess their own personal values, beliefs, and purpose as they develop their leadership potential.

Asks students to think about how society should manage complexity, transformation, and uncertainty with an eye on developing a broader sense of ethics and social responsibility. Introduces analytical frameworks, concepts, and data collection techniques that interdisciplinary scholars use to map relationships among science, technology and society and generate important questions about the future of society.

Introduces students to the concept of social innovation while exploring the many mechanisms for achieving social impact. It is team-based, highly interactive and dynamic, and provides an opportunity for students to generate solutions to a wide range of problems facing many communities today. Deepens the students understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation practices by guiding them through the creation and implementation process as applied to a project idea of their choice.

What are the secrets to living a happy life? Can happiness be found within the context of war, a depressed economy, violence and other major stressors? Are some people born happier than others? This course will teach you the scientific process that psychologists use to study happiness (and related emotional variables) and give you the opportunity to practice applying that process in a number of ways. You will learn how we (a) gather and critically evaluate research findings in the existing literature, (b) integrate those findings into coherent and testable theories, (c) design and conduct valid scientific research that tests those theories and extends our knowledge, and (d) effectively communicate our theories and findings to a wide range of audiences. The result of the process is a more accurate and objective understanding of happiness, and that is what prepares you to apply your scientific understanding to explain and influence a wide range of outcomes.