Spring 2026 Seminars

Contemporary Issues in African Economic Development (Prof. Nyema Guannu, Economics)

TR 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71436)

This introductory seminar course will examine major contemporary issues in economic development and underdevelopment, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Topics discussed include the role of markets, inequality and poverty, international and regional economic processes, domestic macroeconomic policies, economic growth, the role of the state in economic development, civil war and conflict, debt crisis, and other central issues of economic development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Am I Who I Say I Am? (Prof. Deanna Cooke, Psychology) 

TR 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71417)

Identity, identity development and how social context impacts identities has been a focus in psychology for many years.  Students will explore how one develops their identity, particularly social identities, and how social context defines and redefines how one understands themselves, their role in society, the meaning of their identities, and the importance of those identities.  We will review general identity theories, and then specific social identities that have great significance in today’s societies.  We will explore how race, class, gender, sexual orientation and communities help shape how we see ourselves.

Meet the Professor:

Deanna Cooke, Ph.D. serves as BCLA’s Director of Engaged Learning and is trained as a community psychologist.  Her work includes research on racial identity as well as community-based participatory research and evaluation. 

Amazing Archaeology! (Prof. Caroline Sauvage, Classics and Archaeology) 

TR 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71437)

This class will provide students with an introduction to archaeology through some of the seven wonders of the world and other exceptional archaeological discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean. Topics to be covered include the Great Pyramid in Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the intact tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun, the necropolis at Ur (Irak), the ancient city or Troy, the royal palace of Mari, Ugarit, the Bronze Age Palaces of the Minoans in Crete and Shipwrecks of the Late Bronze Age. Through the semester, student will be introduced to the field of archaeology and its history of research especially in the early 20th c. AD, which will allow them to think critically both about the field and its evolution, but also about the research tools and methodologies that are used in the field. Such reflections will be done through active in-class discussions, exercises and role plays, formal writing, and library workshops.

Meet the Professor:

Caroline Sauvage is the NEH professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies and the director of the archaeology center and museum in the department of Theological Studies and Classics and Archaeology at Loyola Marymount University. Her research interests include trade and maritime exchanges in the eastern Mediterranean, the development and use of textile tools during the Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, and the definition of social groups. Her main focus is on exchanges, the status of objects, the use of objects and representations as social and identity markers across the eastern Mediterranean. She has been conducting extensive fieldwork in Cyprus, Egypt and Syria since 2002.

Animated Spirituality: Japanese Religion in Anime, Manga, and Film (Prof. Eric Swanson, Theological Studies)

MWF 9:25-10:35am (CRN 71442)

MWF 10:50-12:00pm (CRN 72660)

This course addresses religion and spirituality as seen through the lens of Japanese popular culture, including anime, manga, and live-action film. It examines how popular culture productions have represented and engaged with religious themes and human dilemmas, and asks students to critically assess the place of religion in the recent history of Japan through the close analysis of scholarly articles. Students will be introduced to religious traditions of Japan and learn about key moments in its recent history from the WWII era to the present.

Meet the Professor:

Apocalypse on Stage and Screen (Prof. Kevin Wetmore, Theater Arts) 

MW 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71444)

This seminar offers an exploration of plays and films which engage the topic of apocalypse – alternately defined as hidden things revealed and the end of the world as well know it (TEOTWAWKI) – primarily within the Christian tradition, throughout history. We also examine apocalypse in the popular tradition and how it has been represented on stage and screen. And we write. A lot.

Meet the Professor:

Kevin Wetmore is a Professor of Theatre Arts, an actor, director, and stage combat choreographer. He has written a number of books and articles on a variety of topics including cannibal monsters, African adaptation of Greek tragedy, Ray Bradbury, Catholic Theatre, The Conjuring, Godzilla on stage and many others. He is the artistic director of LMU's Shakespeare on the Bluff summer Shakespeare festival, and is the founder, writer and director of the annual "Haunting of Hannon" event in the library. He has more degrees than a thermometer, none in anything useful, but this makes him a huge fan of thinking, reading, writing, and discussing everything under the sun.

Art of Understanding (Prof. Juan Mah y Busch, English)

TR 11:50am-1:30pm (CRN 72642)

In this course, to become familiar with and to develop the artistry of your understanding, you learn to meditate. No prior experience is presumed or expected. The artistry of understanding is not found in answers or accuracy. It is in a person’s ability to observe various dimensions of experience, such as the wordless aspect of words, the spatial elements of time, or the quiet spaciousness found in an exhale. In addition to regular meditation, you practice different forms of writing (such as simple description, contemplative writing, critical examination, and library-based research), and you read fiction and philosophical essays that facilitate class discussion. Meditation, writing, and discussion are the foundation of the course, as well as of more artful understandings.

Meet the Professor:

With a specialization in literary and cultural studies and formal training in meditation, Juan D. Mah y Busch teaches and writes about the interplay between awareness and agency. Using meditation and literary analysis as a research method, Mah y Busch publishes on the ethics of aesthetic knowledge (aisthesis) and contemplative pedagogy. He lives in Northeast Los Angeles with Irene, their children, Iza, Josué and Serén, and their boxer Brooklyn.

Bad Catholics (Prof. Layla Karst, Theological Studies)

MW 11:50-1:30pm (CRN 72678)

The goal of this course is to explore contemporary voices of loyal dissent in the Catholic church, not simply because these are arenas of theological creativity, but because of the fundamental conviction that God’s Spirit is at work in the margins and in the hearts of all who seek God with a sincere heart. Voices from six areas of the margins of theological discourse will be considered in this course: feminist theologians, Black liberation theologians, Asian theologians, Latinx/Chicano theologians, Queer theologians, and Eco-theologians. These six areas of dissent demonstrate the plurality of discourse among contemporary theologians and the struggle over orthodox belief and right practice that take place under asymmetrical power relations. This course will also explore how dominant theological ideas are formed in dialogue with these more deviant, or ‘bad Catholicisms’. In doing so, this course explores various aspects of critical theory concerning gender, culture, sexuality, and environmental studies with which these theologians engage. Before exploring these six areas, a theoretical framework which clarifies key concepts such as tradition, authority, and dissent in the Church will be investigated. This theoretical framework will then be supplemented with notions of authority and dissent drawing on philosophy and critical theory.

Black Los Angeles (Prof. Magaela Bethune, African American Studies)

MW 8:00-9:40am (CRN 72644) 

Childhood in International Cinema (Prof. Aine O’Healy, Modern Languages and Literatures)

T 4:30-7:50pm (CRN 71438)

This seminar introduces students to critical writing through the exploration of international cinema. Our focus is on the representation of childhood in several films produced around the world since the 1940s. In order to engage with these films, drawn from different national contexts and historical periods, students apply the tools of audiovisual analysis to discern the symbolic functions fulfilled by the figure of the child. We will examine how the construction of children in cinema intersects with discourses of nation formation and with the representation of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and social class. The assigned readings, mainly drawn from cinema studies, will guide our explorations and will allow us to place the filmic analyses in a broader context, encompassing issues of globalization, discourses of the border, and discussions about multiculturalism and diversity.

Meet the Professor:

Professor Áine O'Healy is Professor of Italian and Director of the Humanities Program at Loyola Marymount University.

Children's Books with Life Lessons (Prof. Timothy Williamson, Psychology)

MWF  9:25-10:35am (CRN 71416)

MWF 10:50am-12:00pm (CRN 72662)

Meet the Professor:

Dr. Timothy Williamson is a clinical health psychologist with specialized training in public health and psychosocial oncology (the psychological care of people with cancer) and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Science. He completed his undergraduate education at Pitzer College, his MPH at Claremont Graduate University, his Ph.D. at UCLA, and a postdoctoral research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His research interests are focused on stress, stigma, and health, and he is the Director the Psychosocial Risk & Resilience In Stress & Medicine (PRRISM) Research Lab at LMU. In addition to this First Year Seminar, he teaches courses in statistics, psychopathology, and health psychology. He is firmly committed to undergraduate mentorship and providing students with learning experiences that promote self-reflection and deep understanding.

Timothy.Williamson@lmu.edu

Contemplative Practice (Prof. Jane Brucker, Studio Arts)

TR 8:00-9:40am (CRN 71446)

TR 9:55-11:35am (CRN 71447)

FYS Contemplative Practice provides a broad cultural, artistic and psychological/physiological understanding of the variety, creativity, process and power of the contemplative experience. A series of interdisciplinary readings and lectures are accompanied by weekly meditative experiences, allowing students to explore the numerous ways one can encounter the numinous or achieve a peaceful state.

The meditative exercises students engage include principles of mind/body coordination and philosophy including yoga and the Alexander Technique, movement, drawing and sound meditations and exposure to contemplation as part of a faith practice. The professor teaches drawing in the Department of Art and Art History and is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and Vinyasa yoga.

Meet the Professor:

Jane Brucker is a Los Angeles artist using installation and performance to engage the viewer through contemplation, movement and ritual activity. By combining found objects and heirlooms with textiles, glass, and cast metals she examines memory, fragility, and death. Her work has been exhibited at venues throughout the United States and internationally in Nepal, Japan, Scotland, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Brucker is a professor at Loyola Marymount University where she is area head in drawing. She earned an MFA degree from The Claremont Graduate University, an MA in Religion and the Arts from Claremont School of Theology and attended Skowhegan School of Sculpture and Painting, where she was awarded a fellowship to study painting with Agnes Martin and traditional buon fresco with Lucienne Bloch. She is a certified teacher of the FM Alexander Technique and incorporates contemplative practice into her teaching.

Cultivating Empathy (Prof. Willy Souly, Dance)

MW 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71448)

Cultivating Empathy will engage students in connecting concepts about Empathy found in a variety of texts, rituals, and art works to the themes of the LMU Mission in order to learn and explore how we negotiate physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and psychological situations. Course activities will be experimental, experiential, reflective, analytical and creative. Over the course of the semester, we will read a variety of texts that explore Empathy from multiple viewpoints.

Dao & A Growth Mindset (Professor Robin Wang, Philosophy)

MWF 10:50-12:00pm (CRN 71425)

MWF 12:15-1:25pm (CRN 71426)

Is success about learning or proving you are smart? What are ways to be successful? How should you go about your own unsuccessful experiences and disappointments? This course will explore these questions that might enhance your successes in class, college and life.

This exploration will be divided into four interrelated parts:

First, we will investigate the different mindsets, identifying a contrast between the growth mindset and the fixed mindset; and interplaying between ability, efforts, and characters to avoid what might be called “gap characters,” the space between one’s will and one’s success.

Secondly, we will focus on a careful reading of a Daoist text, Daodejing and contemporary work on Yinyang Thinking to conceptualize a worldview of transformation and the source of growth mindset.

Thirdly, we will engage in a hand-on Daoist traditional practices to train our basic skill and mastery.

Fourthly, this course invites students to engage critically and reflectively with your own experiences and formulate your best daily practice for a cultivating and developing a success mindset and skill.

Meet the Professor:

Robin R. Wang is Professor of Philosophy and 2016-17 Berggruen Fellow at Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Science, Stanford University. Her teaching and research focus on Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, particularly Daoist Philosophy. She is the author of Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and was a credited Cultural Consultant for the movie Karate Kid, 2010.

Education and the Public Good (Prof. Bernadette Musetti, Liberal Studies)

MW 11:50-1:30pm (CRN 71439)

MW 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71440)

This course is an examination of the role of education in the U.S. and the purposes and functions education serves in our society. Students will be asked to consider whether education in the U.S. is the "great equalizer" or if it is more likely to serve as a primary means by which our social, economic, and political systems are reproduced. Students will examine a variety of schools and will be exposed to a diversity of material conditions, educational ideologies, and program models.

Meet the Professor:

Bernadette Musetti is a K-12 teacher and teacher educator. She currently directs the Liberal Studies program at LMU--the teacher preparation program for students wanting to earn a BA in Liberal Studies and a multiple subjects teaching credential as undergraduates. She has taught in Mexico and worked in international education for many years--with students of all ages and backgrounds from around the world. She teaches undergraduates and graduate students and finds a great deal of fulfillment and inspiration in teaching. She is interested in the ways in which the institutions of education can better serve individuals, communities, and the collective, which is the focus of the freshman seminar on 'Education & the Public Good'. Dr. Musetti earned her PhD at the University of California Davis in Language, Literacy & Culture. 

Einstein Goes to Hollywood: The Science and Fiction of Science Fiction (Prof. Jonas Mureika, Physics)

TR 9:55-11:35am (CRN 72634)

This course will explore depictions of future science in movies and television, and discuss how realistic (or unrealistic) these mechanisms actually are. In the process, students will learn the fundamental tenets of two revolutionary ideas in 20^th century physics: the non-intuitive framework of quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity. These paradigm-shifting descriptions of Nature and some of their distinguishing characteristics arose from the breakdown of established physical laws previously believed to be immutable. An overarching aim of the course is to demonstrate how even the failures of the greatest ideas in science can lead to unparalleled advances in our understanding of the world in which we live.

Meet the Professor:

Prof. Jonas Mureika is a theoretical physicist who studies black holes, quantum gravity, and cosmology. He has been at LMU since 2004. Dr. Mureika spent much of his academic training at the University of Toronto, where he earned his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in physics. He also holds an M.Sc. from the University of Waterloo where he studied particle physics. His research interests lie in identifying the observational signatures of quantum gravity that might arise in future experiments such as gravitational wave detections and imaging of supermassive black holes through the Event Horizon Telescope.

Previously, Dr. Mureika engaged in several interdisciplinary projects, including modeling wind and altitude assistance in sprint races and studying hidden structure in abstract expressionist art. He also teaches the core course "Weapons of Mass Destruction," which provides an overview of the history and science of nuclear weapons.

jmureika@lmu.edu

Your Future Career in the Global Marketplace (Prof. Beth Hynes, Management)

TR 9:55-11:35am (CRN 71420)

TR 11:50am-1:30pm (CRN 71421)

TR 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71422)

"Who needs a corner office when you can have a passport full of stamps?" Join us to explore strategies for enjoying a thriving career in a borderless economy.

Get ready to go global and unlock the secrets to career success in the fast-paced world of international business! In this Course, we'll dive into the exciting drivers, trends, and innovations shaping the global economy in which your career will develop. You'll explore the world of global entrepreneurship, discover the ins and outs of international sustainability, and learn how to thrive in cross-cultural contexts. Plus, we'll help you uncover the unique opportunities and challenges of international career growth, including internships, study abroad programs, and expat assignments. Buckle up and get ready to conquer work in an international economy.

Meet the Professor:

Professor Beth Hynes serves an Instructor in Management in the College of Business Administration here at LMU. Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Hynes enjoyed a career as a global entrepreneur in a Fortune 500 firm.  During her career in business, she led global business divisions in strategy, business affairs and legal operations.  As well, Professor Hynes practiced law as an intellectual property and entertainment advisor in global law firms in Boston and New York City.  A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Professor Hynes also holds a law degree from Northwestern University where she served an editor on the Northwestern University Law Review and a master’s degree in business administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business.  A passion for educating the next generation of ethical business leaders led her to a teaching career at LMU where she brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her classroom. With a unique blend of achievement in academics, business and law, Professor Hynes is committed to igniting her students’ interest in international business.

The Horror Film, Religion, Evil (Prof. Jacob Martin, Film & Television Production)

F 11:30am-2:50pm (CRN 72641)

This class will will analyze the ways in which religion has been utilized by the supernatural horror film to invoke and evoke fear in its audiences. Students will view a collection of supernatural horror films from North America, South America and Europe, dating back to F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) up to the contemporary era, and including films such as St. Maud (Ross Glass, 2019) in order to analyze the multiplicity of ways that religious figures, imagery, and places are utilized in the supernatural horror film either to combat or manifest evil, as a means of inciting fear in its audience. Using the notion of “the good, moral, and decent fallacy,” which is the rejection that religion is always a positive force in society, we will examine religion’s societal instability throughout the West in the twentieth and into the twenty-first century and use it as a means of analyzing cinematic horror. 

Meet the Professor:

Dr. Jacob D. Martin, S.J. is an assistant clinical professor of Film, Television and Media Studies at LMU. He received his doctorate film studies from Trinity College, Dublin and is a Jesuit priest. He is also a stand-up comedian, whose current show, A Jesuit Walks into a Bar plays at venues throughout the United States.

Jacob.Martin@lmu.edu

Identity Crisis in Contemporary France (Prof. Melanie Giraud, Modern Languages and Literatures)

TR 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71441)

This course examines France’s identity crisis considering current debates on 20th century French History and national identity.  The troubled legacies of key events in modern French history, such as the Great War and its destructive effects on postwar French society; Vichy and French participation in the Holocaust; the Algerian War, decolonization, and postcolonial nostalgia, will be examined through the debates and controversies they have generated in France since the 1990s. Drawing on diverse forms of cultural expression, subjects to be explored include commemorative events and activities, trials for crimes against humanity, France’s controversial 'memory laws,' systemic racism, immigration, and their lasting and current impact on French culture and society.

Latin American Cinema (Prof. Jacob Martin, Film & Television Production)

W 11:30am-2:50pm (CRN 72864)

This course will introduce students to key principles of Catholic Social Teaching and social justice issues through the lens of modern Latin American Cinema. The Catholic Church and more specifically the Society of Jesus, has played a significant role in the struggle for liberation in the modern history of numerous Latin American states. High profile global events, such as the assassination of Oscar Romero in 1980, the Salvadoran Jesuit Martyrs in 1989 and the recent expulsion of the Jesuits at the University of Central America in Nicaragua, have foregrounded the significance of the Catholic Church’s position within the Latin American political, economic and social landscape. With that said, the Church’s historical complicity with oppressive systems of colonization and authoritarian regimes cannot be ignored, thus creating an ambiguous legacy within the modern Latin American context.

This course will offer an introduction to a range of Latin American films from different periods and styles, which will be analyzed through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching, contemporary social justice scholarship, and cinema studies. Students will read various social documents from both the universal and local church in order to garner an appreciation for Catholic Social Theory and its importance for them as students at a Jesuit university. These readings will also serve as a means of evaluating the various cinematic texts screened in the classroom for issues related to social justice, particularly, migrancy, indigenous rights, political oppression, and trafficking.

The films screened will be from numerous Latin American cinemas, including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Colombia, and the course will make reference to broader continental and international currents, such as Third Cinema. The material will be discussed in terms of both the aesthetic contributions the films have made and their foregrounding of discourses on memory, violence, state terror, and ethnicity. Students will be able to identify historical and political contexts for how social issues have been portrayed. They will also come to a deeper understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and its significance for them as students at a Catholic University. Students will also become aware of the network of Jesuit educational institutions throughout the world and their place within the Ignatian educational legacy. They will come to understand different filmmaking strategies for advocacy or effecting social change, as well as the application of critical theory to film history and analysis. This will in turn serve to assist in the student’s development of critical thinking and writing skills about media, culture and its relationship with social justice.

Latino L.A. (Prof. Sylvia Zamora, Sociology)

MW 11:50am-1:30pm (CRN 71427)

MW 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71428)

Latinos now represent 50 percent of all residents in Los Angeles, making them the largest ra-cial/ethnic group in the city. This course takes a sociological look at the social, economic, political, and cultural histories and contemporary experiences of Los Angeles’ diverse Latino/x population. Students will understand how the Latino/x presence has transformed from primarily Mexican-origin to one that now includes people from all over Latin America, and develop an appreciation of the important role Latino/xs have played in the formation and development of Los Angeles and broader U.S. society. The course combines historical perspectives with current events of various topics such as Latino/x migration to Los Angeles, Latino/x entrepreneurship, gentrification, Latino/x identity formation, reproductive rights, media stereotypes and representation, race relations and discrimina-tion, policing, immigrant rights and political activism. This course makes use of documentary film, lectures, in-class activities, small group and classroom discussions, and writing assignments to achieve the learning outcomes.

Meet the Professor:

Professor Sylvia Zamora was born and raised in South Gate, a Latino neighborhood in South East Los Angeles. She is a sociologist with research and teaching interests in Latino communities, immigration, race relations, and social justice issues.

Sylvia.Zamora@lmu.edu

Making Sense of Global Politics (Prof. Mark Schneider, Political Science) 

MW 11:50am-1:30pm (CRN 71423)

MW 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71424)

This course is an introduction to the main issues, actors, processes and outcomes shaping global politics at the turn of the 21st century. It covers issues such as nuclear proliferation, global terrorism, food security, the environment, the global economy, global inequality and poverty, financial crises, population and migration, global health, global crime, and the role of some of the most important international organizations in trying to effectively deal with such challenges. This course is designed to jump-start (or reinforce) your curiosity about some of the most pressing issues shaping the world we all live in. The course is discussion-based; descriptive in nature (i.e. based on facts, data and research, the course answers what some of the most pressing global issues are actually about); and, it helps build healthy work habits and gain writing and oral communication skills that you will find useful no matter what profession you choose to enter.

Students are required to do—and think about—all assigned readings before class and read newspapers and follow the news on a daily basis. (If you know you are not going to be able to do this, then you should not take this class.) Upon completion of this course, you will: a) be a much more informed global citizen; b) know how to present effective arguments—both in writing and orally—on virtually any global topic; and, c) have work habits that most future employers will likely find worth investing in (vs. the profile and experiences of other people).

This course answers what type of questions: “What is nuclear proliferation about?”, “What are financial crises about?”, and so on. If you’d like to gain some analytical tools to help you explain why nuclear proliferation and financial crises (to name just two examples) take place, this course is the perfect complement to more advanced courses on, for instance, International Relations, Politics of the Global Economy, International Security and Comparative politics (which you can also take at the Political Science Department at LMU). Before trying to explain anything, it is key to understand very well what is that we want to explain.

Our Media, Our Selves (Prof. Christopher Finlay, Communication Studies)

MW 3:40-5:20pm (CRN 71449)

This course examines the role of the media in constructing representations of our individual and group identities including, race, gender, sexuality, religion, and class.  We will ask how the altered media landscape of today, where the barriers between media producers and media consumers have been challenged if not yet broken, creates opportunities for all of us to challenge existing societal characterizations.

Meet the Professor:

Christopher Finlay earned his B.A. in Political Science from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has two M.A.’s, one in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario and one in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He received his Ph.D. in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. Professor Finlay spent the 2011-2012 academic year as a lecturer at Cal State San Bernardino. He is the author of several articles and book chapters on new media and global communication. In 2009, he was a research fellow at the Reuters Institute at Oxford University, where he conducted dissertation research exploring the influence of new media protest campaigns on the construction of global media events such as the Olympic Games. Chris’ Olympics research has also brought him to China. Chris also taught two summer global communication course at Tsinghua University and Peking University while in China.

Pandemics Past and Present (Prof. Carla Bittel, History)

TR 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71418)  

TR 3:40-5:20pm(CRN 71419)

The history of pandemics now feels very present, given our recent experience with COVID-19. While some commentators described Covid as “unprecedented,” history as a discipline demonstrates our deep roots in the past. This course examines the global history of “plagues” with case studies on the bubonic plague, smallpox, influenza, and HIV/AIDS. We will focus on the social history of pandemics and will draw heavily on material culture and primary source texts, such as narratives, memoirs, letters, diaries, medical recipe books, church records, ordinances and wills, to help students understand how individuals in the past reacted to, managed, survived and succumbed to disease. We will also connect pandemics to broader historical developments, including histories of faith and religious authority, colonialism and imperialism, healing and medical knowledge, the state and public health, immigration and nationalism, war and disease, social and economic inequality, and health activism.

Meet the Professor:

Carla Bittel is Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University. She is a historian of medicine, science, & technology and specializes in nineteenth-century America. Bittel’s research focuses on gender, health and healing practices, the material cultures of science, and the politics of knowledge. At LMU, she teaches broadly, with courses covering the history of health & disease and the history of science & nature in North America and Europe from the early modern period to the present.

Personal Growth and Spiritual Development (Prof. Eric Magnuson, Sociology)

TR 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71429)  

TR 3:40-5:20pm(CRN 71430)

This is a course about life! It will be based in personal experience and community involvement. It is intended for people who are interested in exploring both emotional growth and alternative spirituality. The class is a blend of religious studies, psychology, sociology, and philosophy. It is a good course for people who are open to new ideas and practices of unconventional and Eastern spirituality. Students should also be interested in emotional exploration and be open to exploring personal beliefs, experiences, and feelings. The course will involve meditation and other mindfulness practices. (Note: The class is open to any and all spiritual and religious beliefs and backgrounds and does not require belief in any particular religious ideas.)

Meet the Professor:

Eric Magnuson is a tenured associate professor in Sociology. His research interests include social psychology, gender and masculinity, spirituality, social justice, and countercultures. His first book was on the topic of men’s movements, masculinity, and personal growth. He is currently working on a book about Burning Man, alternative spirituality, and personal development. 

Prisons and Public Culture (Prof. Kyra Pearson, Communication Studies)

MW 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71450)

In 1972, there were 300,000 U.S. Americans in prison. Today, there are over 2 million. No other nation incarcerates such a large proportion of its population. The ratio of blacks to whites incarcerated today is around six to one. 25% of black men and 15% of Latino men will go to prison before their mid-thirties. This course will examine how U.S. American democracy and culture shaped its penal system. We will examine policing and imprisonment in criminal punishment systems, immigration systems and psychiatric and medical systems, looking for overlaps and distinctions between how these systems implement policing and imprisonment. We will confront our assumptions about incarceration and detention in the U.S., and critically examine the ways in which we are already connected to, invested in, and increasingly dependent upon a criminal justice system that relies on the mass warehousing of people of color and socioeconomically disadvantaged people.

Science and Engineering (Prof. Elham Ghashghai, Systems Engineering)

MW 9:55-11:35am (CRN 72679)

An introductory course on the fundamentals of science and its impact on society.  

What is science and scientific thinking? What qualifies as science? What is the philosophy of science? Does science answer everything? What are the social and ethical philosophical questions surrounding modern science? What is the scientific approach addressing today’s challenges such as climate change? 

The students will be engaged in critical lively discussions, writing papers and present engaging presentations. The students will build a foundation to not only improve their understanding of science and engineering, but also will be guided to build a foundation for their future research, social and academic engagement.  

Meet the Professor:

Dr. Elham Ghashghai joined Loyola Marymount University as full-time faculty in Spring of 2022 as part of the Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Systems Engineering department. Prior to joining LMU, she was a senior project leader at The Aerospace Corporation leading projects on future Communication and Global Positioning Satellites for fifteen years. Prior to that, Elham was with the RAND Corporation, leading and contributing to a variety of studies for future aerospace architecture, communication satellite design, operations research, Global Positioning System (GPS), information technology, and Middle East policy analysis. Dr.. Ghashghai has two M.S. degrees—one in mathematics and one in operations research—and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Purdue University. She was also an adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California. 

The Sights & Sounds of Resistance (Prof. Divine Kwasi Gbagbo, Music)

TR 9:55-11:10am (CRN 71451)

Meet the Professor

Divine Kwasi Gbagbo is Assistant Professor of Music (Ethnomusicology) in the music department. He earned his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Arts (Fine Arts), with specialized focus in Ethnomusicology and Musicology, from Ohio University. His expertise in scholarship, research, teaching, and performance has given him more than two decades of teaching experience in world music cultures, African and African American music, music history, African studies, and interdisciplinary arts in different cultural contexts. In the music department at LMU, he teaches courses in ethnomusicology and directs the World Music ensemble. Dr. Gbagbo brings his multicultural background to bear on the classroom experience and ensemble's performances. He also writes choral art and instrumental music, which blends indigenous Ghanaian-Ewe compositional styles with techniques in western conventional harmony. He served as teaching associate at Ohio University and Kent State University before joining the music department at LMU.

Divine.Gbagbo@lmu.edu

Sleep: Your Hidden Superpower! (Prof. Carolyn Viviano, Biology) 

MW 9:55-11:35am (CRN 72643)

Sleep impacts everything. Although good sleep habits are as important to academic success, health, and well-being as eating properly and being active, only 1 in 10 college students get the recommended 7-9 hours of healthy sleep per night, in comparison to 4/10 of all adults.  During this seminar, we will consider the scientific advances in sleep research in the context of society, policy, health, and even fiction.

Meet the Professor:

Carolyn Viviano received a BA in Biology from Amherst College and a PhD in Genetics and Development from Columbia University. After several years in the US and UK researching the mechanisms of embryonic development and limb regeneration, she became increasingly interested in science and environmental literacy issues. The opportunity to work with future teachers at LMU motivated her to make the career change into science education. Dr. Viviano is a member of the Biology Department and the Director of the Secondary Science Education program. Her work at LMU is driven by the core belief that it is vital to instill in others an appreciation and respect for the world around them, regardless of their intended profession, and the goal of creating a challenging and stimulating atmosphere for students at all levels. 

Tolkien in Context: From Narnia to Middle Earth (Prof. Aimee Ross-Kilroy, English)

TR 1:45-3:25pm (CRN 71431)

In The Defense of Poesie, Sir Philip Sidney argued that while the world reality delivers is "brazen, the poets only deliver a golden" world.  In this course, we will explore the creation of fully realized, imaginative worlds through the work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams.  The Inklings, as they called themselves, formed a loose literary society and encouraged each other in the writing of work that was often greeted with some skepticism by the academic communities in which they also participated.  Nonetheless, their works have been enormously influential on fantasy, children's literature, and science fiction. Additionally, each of these writers was influential in shaping thought about literature, history and theology.

In this course, students will read representative works of fiction and non-fiction by each of these authors.  We will explore their literary collaborations, and the questions and concerns of the mid-twentieth century that informed their writing.  We will also explore interpretations of their work, their impact on popular culture in the past and today, and the cultural uses to which their work is put in the present.  At the heart of inquiry is the question of the role of the imagination and fictional world-making in a real world that increasingly reveres technology and science.

Meet the Professor:

Aimee Ross-Kilroy teaches courses in British literature, Renaissance literature including Shakespeare, composition, fiction and children’s literature. She also serves as the Associate Director of the Freshman English Program. Her research interests include early modern revenge tragedies, and she has an article forthcoming in the journal Renaissance and Reformation/Renaissance et Reforme entitled “‘The Very Ragged Bone’: Dismantling Masculinity in Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy,” and is at work researching purgatory and its absence in the English Renaissance. In her spare time, she finds herself watching a great deal of youth soccer and entertaining the notion of someday writing children’s literature of her own.

Women Warriors- Who's Telling the Story? (Prof. Kennedy Wheatley, Production Film and Television)

TR 9:55-11:35am (CRN 72639)

TR 11:50am-1:30pm (CRN 72640)

This course explores stories of American 'women warriors' who refused to accept limitations on their lives as women—changing the course of history. We will study artists and activists, farmworkers and businesswomen, judges, politicians and athletes from past and present. Using documentaries, essays, news articles, books, and fiction films, we will examine how each of these women changed our world, all through the FYS lens of Power and Privilege.

Together, we will ponder: How is the rebellion of these women warriors in 1848, or 1963, or 2019 still reverberating in our society today? Whose stories have been widely told and who has been ignored?  Who do we believe when there are conflicting stories about the same woman, and why? What do these stories tell us about what it means to be female in the U.S., and how has that changed over time? 

We will explore and practice different genres of storytelling: biographical storytelling, dramatic storytelling, stories framed by critical analysis, and the intriguing grey area in between.  

This course may be particularly relevant for students whose majors involve storytelling, but all students are welcome, and a diverse group will create a richer, more engaging experience for all.   Students of all genders and non-gendered students are invited to bring their perspectives to this course.  All voices are equally honored, and everyone is respected for their own lived experience.  My goal is to share some thought-provoking ideas with you and for our shared listening to help us all grow.

Meet the Professor: 

Kennedy Wheatley is interested in how the power of media can be used for social change.  She directs documentaries, fiction films and PSAs for non-profit organizations and international NGOs.  She is currently working on a series of videos about reversing climate change.  As an artist and activist, she strives to tell stories through innovative narratives, images and sound.  She has taught in the School of Film & Television at LMU since 2000.  She earned her M.F.A. in Cinematic Arts from the University of Southern California, and an B.A. in Ethnic Studies from the Michigan State University. She lives in the foothills of LA, and is an avid swimmer and gardener.

Zombies, God, and Empire (Prof. Tracy Tiemeier, Theological Studies) 

MWF 10:50am-12:00pm (CRN 71443) 

Whether it is the dread of eternal slavery in Haitian Vodou or the terror of the “foreign other” in White Christian imagination, the zombie is a figure that both reflects and reinforces complex socio-religious dynamics. Situating the zombie within the history and legacy of Western colonialism, this course examines the realities, problems, and possibilities of zombies for a more just world. We first explore the zombie’s origins in Western and Central Africa. We then examine the emergence of Haitian Vodou, attending to the folklore, theology, and practice of Haitian zombification. After that, we look at the development of the cinematic zombie. The zombie was an object of fascination during the American occupation of Haiti (1915-1934), leading to its appropriation in Western cinema. The cinematic zombie no longer reflects the anxieties of enslaved and colonized peoples, but instead props up the racial and religious fears of the colonizers. Underlying racial and religious claims of superiority persist, even after zombies are no longer associated with Vodou in American popular culture. At the same time, cinematic zombies have also served as profound indictments of the status quo and undermined unjust structures of domination. Thus, the final piece of our course assesses the theologically and socially liberative potential of zombie narratives.

Meet the Professor:

Tracy Sayuki Tiemeier is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. She specializes in Asian/Asian American theology, comparative theology, feminist theology, Hindu-Christian studies, and interreligious dialogue. A mixed Japanese-German American Catholic background full of saints and ancestors, a Midwest upbringing, and an abiding love of science fiction/fantasy/horror/dystopian worlds make her particularly interested to integrate critical theory, feminist theory, multiracial theory, and popular culture studies into her Catholic theological work.

Tracy.Tiemeier@lmu.edu