SOCIAL SCIENCES ELECTIVES - GRADES 11 & 12

The History of One Pivotal Year

What defines a historical turning point? How does the past shape current events? And how do interpretations of history change? The Pivotal Year is a special topics course that will answer these questions through an examination of specialized or emerging content. The year in focus will change in different school years. Students should expect sophisticated reading assignments to prepare for graded discussions and student-choice research projects. Additionally, we will maximize cultural connections within our local community.

LGBTQ History

In LGBTQ History, we will trace the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and their fight for equality from the 19th-century to the present day. With attention to the ways that sexual identity intersects with race, class, and gender, the course showcases the historically contingent nature of not only homosexuality but also heterosexuality and gender identity. By placing “modern” sexual identities in dialog with other social phenomena and historical events, we will understand the central role that sexuality has played in shaping political, social, and cultural history. Topics include female sexuality and homosexuality, transgender identity, race and sexuality, heterosexuality and marriage, the AIDS crisis, and queer politics. Students in this class will work to develop their writing and reading interpretation skills to help prepare them for college-level work and research.

AIS International Human Rights

This course traces the development of human rights awareness and regulations in the modern world. Beginning with an investigation of 20th-century genocides, students will examine the factors that led to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the role of the international community in the defense of human rights worldwide today. Other topics may include recent examples of massacres, the impact of globalization on developing countries, global migration, environmental human rights, and the creation of an International Criminal Court. Take-home essays, graded discussions, and a final research paper represent the primary forms of assessment. Because of the nature of the course and its examination of crimes against humanity, students who enroll should be advised that we will regularly examine strong images and sensitive content.

AIS International Relations

How do geopolitical world events impact nation-states, local communities, and individuals? Students will investigate the answers to this question. As they study global perspectives on war and conflict with greater insight and cultural sensitivity, they will advance their diplomacy, negotiation, and media literacy skills. The course begins with globalization and a current event case study. Other topics may include current U.S.-China trade tensions, cybersecurity, nuclear proliferation, the emergence of ISIL, as well as the rise of populism in Europe. Role-play simulations, take-home essays, and deliberative dialogue are the primary forms of assessment in this course.