Economics

be introduced to an interdisciplinary understanding of contemporary issues such as migration, justice, and culture, to name a few. Students will have the opportunity to supplement their readings and class discussions with current events. By the end of the course, students will have a more focused idea on how to think through the experiences of others, both on campus and around the world. Distributional credit in the Social Sciences or the Humanities.

HISTORY 57 - Ancient Mediterranean History

Spring. 4 meetings weekly. This course will examine the distinctive cultural, political, and social achievements and institutions of the Greek city-states and the Roman Republic and Empire during the classical period. Central themes include the rise of democracy in Athens, the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the establishment of the republic at Rome, the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, and the expansion of Roman rule across Europe and the Mediterranean. Students will read a mixture of primary and secondary sources, including selections from Greek and Roman poets and historians. No prior knowledge of Greek or Latin is assumed. The course will develop essential historical skills, and students will make and explore connections between ancient and early modern European history, as well as the decisive influence of the classical historians on America’s founding fathers. Distributional credit in the Social Sciences or the Humanities.

HISTORY 58 - From Siddhartha to America: The Origins and Evolution of Mindfulness

Spring. 4 meetings weekly. This course explores the history, origin, and evolution of mindfulness meditation. We will begin with the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, in the 6th century BCE, study the role of mindfulness in Buddhism’s spread throughout Asia, and examine the recent mainstream mindfulness movement in America. Students will learn about how mindfulness was taught in the original texts, and how the definition has evolved and adapted over centuries. We will also study the different ways in which mindfulness is moving into literature, education, healthcare, corporations, and other social and cultural institutions, and the ethical debate behind this movement. Throughout the course, students will also be testing the validity of the teachings from a first-person perspective in their own meditation practice. Distributional credit in the Social Sciences or the Humanities.

HISTORY 59 - Art and Life in Nineteenth-Century France

Spring. 4 meetings weekly. This course may be designated as an Art course. From Courbet’s Burial at Ornans to Monet’s Waterlilies and from the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower, many of France’s most recognizable cultural contributions were executed during the nineteenth century. In this course, we will consider the historical backdrop against which these monuments were created, gaining insight into the unique conditions that led to a flourishing of culture and, ultimately, to a radical reconsideration of France’s established institutions. Making use of scholarly secondary sources and a wide range of primary sources—including art, essays and works of fiction—we will pursue an in-depth investigation of this period and its persistent impacts on the conditions of modern life. Distributional credit in the Social Sciences, the Arts, or the

Humanities.

HISTORY 60 - Lost Gospels, Church Fathers, and Secrets: A History of Early Christianity

Spring. 4 meetings weekly. Unlike the Greek goddess Athena, Christianity did not spring into the world fully formed, and in this course, students will explore the turbulent, confusing, and challenging history of Early Christianity. We will examine the Greco-Roman context in which Jesus of Nazareth preached, the spread and interpretations of his followers, and the discord and competition between different groups of believers. We will meet Donatists, Montanists, and Arians, as well as the various saints (Augustine, Valentine, and Nicolas to name a few) and sinners who helped shape the trajectory of this world religion. Students will ask historical questions as we seek to explain how a small mystery cult rose to become the state religion of the Roman Empire. Readings will be pulled from primary sources, the Old and New Testaments, as well as textbook passages and articles. This class is a history course, and not a theology seminar; as such we will be reading religious texts as historical documents and asking questions which may challenge traditional or religious narratives. Assessments will include analytical essays and a research project. No prior knowledge of Christianity, Greek, or Latin required. Distributional credit in the Social Sciences or the Humanities.

ECONOMICS

ECONOMICS 41 - Advanced Placement Economics

Year. 5 meetings weekly. Admission to AP Economics is based on performance in United States History (85 in AP US History or 87 in US History) and in mathematics (85 in Math 49 or 87 in Math 39). In the case of over enrollment, students will be ranked and admitted based on their performance in History and Math courses. Economics is the study of choice. At all of society we, as individuals, organizations, and governments, must make choices about how to best utilize our scarce resources. Economics develops problem solving approaches that help us to identify and value the benefits and costs of these decisions. Economics is applied to many facets of our lives, such as environmental protection and climate change, healthcare, international relations between countries, and social welfare policies. This course introduces students to the economic approach to problem solving. The course is split into two halves: macro- and microeconomics. The macroeconomics portion of the course will discuss the indicators used to judge the economic health of a nation and how policy makers use fiscal and monetary policy to target economic growth, low unemployment, and price stability. The microeconomics