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Erik Herron
Political Science, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
“Making Change through Politics” challenges students to connect the political process to problem solving, determining who gets what, and how allocations are made. Students will identify a problem that they are passionate about solving, connect with community resources that can help define the problem, and craft presentations designed to mobilize others in the pursuit of a solution.
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Adam Komisaruk
English, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
“Fakes and Frauds” poses the question, “What is authentic and why does it matter?” This course offers a series of case studies in the invention, dissemination and reception of famous hoaxes from a variety of disciplines, ranging from Thomas Chatterton’s “Rowley” poems and James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, to Milli Vanilli lip-syncing their hit songs and the Volkswagen emissions scandal exposed at WVU. Students will explore the ways that the drive for creative expression sometimes complements, and sometimes conflicts with, the obligations of ethical citizenship.
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Bryan C. McCannon
Economics, College of Business and Economics
“The Challenges of World Poverty” tackles a myriad of issues related to massive and persistent poverty. Students will learn about the root causes while examining questions relating to economic life at under a dollar per day, the role of government and non-government organizations. Students will have an opportunity to interact with those directly involved in reducing world poverty.
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Renee Nicholson
Multi-Disciplinary Studies, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
“Medicine and the Arts” makes connections between artistic production and the health sciences, examining the historical, linguistic, cultural and aesthetic contexts in which we engage in and with healthcare. The course will place particular emphasis on implementing narrative medicine approaches to health within Appalachia. Through a one-of-a-kind service-learning project tied to a grant-funded project in the cancer infusion clinic at WVU Cancer Institute, students will acquire, integrate, and synthesize knowledge of artistic expression across disciplines to see its potential to enhance medicine and healthcare.
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Nanda Surendra
Management and Information Systems, College of Business and Economics
“Everyday Data Analysis” helps students develop critical thinking skills using math-based logic and reasoning to solve problems people face in everyday situations. They will apply math and data analysis tools to understand how recommender systems (such as Netflix and Amazon) work and to study social and environmental issues (such as crime and climate) using publicly available datasets.
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Rhonda Reymond
Art History, College of Creative Arts
“Whose Culture? Global Art Crime” will investigate historical and contemporary issues surrounding the destruction of cultural objects, whether for reasons of ideology, profit or simple neglect. This includes looting and the appropriation of objects for purposes of propaganda and economic gain, including illicit trafficking and selling of fakes and forgeries; and the restitution, repatriation, reconstruction, conservation, and artistic interventions of art and cultural heritage. Students will interrogate issues related to ownership of objects and competing claims to culture and the role of ethical collecting and display.