Fall 2009 London courses
During Phase 1 (9 weeks), students take several classes with at least 8 credits in this phase. All students take "History of London" in Phase 1. During Phase 2 (6 weeks), students take only one course or participate in an internship (4 credits) and the Internship Seminar (2 credits). For information about faculty, click here. For schedule, click here.

Phase 1 course choices (take courses adding up to at least 8 credits)

Neuroscience 905. Brain, Mind, and Madness. 4 credits. No prerequisite. NS. From London's Bedlam and Freud to modern research on the brain, we will explore through lecture, readings, and discussion what we know about the brain, mind, and madness. We will cover the basics of brain structure and function and then use that foundation to further explore a variety of mental disorders and clinical conditions, including such topics as schizophrrenia, psychopathology, and addiction. Counts as an intro-level course for the PSYC major. Jan Thornton (Oberlin faculty).

African American Studies 922. The Black Atlantic: Black Culture in Britain & America. 4 HU. AAST. Prerequisite: a course in Comparative American Studies or African American Studies or permission of instructor. This course is a comparative examination of the black cultures of Britain and America with emphasis on Black London, which has its roots in the eighteenth century. Course work consists of weekly lectures, discussions of readings, short writing assignments, and field trips in London and to other cities (e.g. Manchester and Liverpool). George Barlow (Grinnell faculty).
Sociology 998. British Families and the Welfare State. 4 SS. SOCI. No prerequisite. This course introduces students to some of the most important social institutions and policies shaping the everyday life of British families of different class positions and ethnic backgrounds. We will focus on the history and current functioning of major institutions of the British welfare state-the educational system, the health system, systems of social insurance and public pensions, employment programmes, housing programmes, and programmes providing services for people with special needs-in the context of the governmental, legal, and economic institutions of the United Kingdom. A field trip to the west of England will examine the impact of policies made in London on the provision of social services in small-town settings. An important goal of the course is to give the student new perspectives on policy issues affecting comparable institutions in his or her home country. Kent McClelland (Grinnell faculty).
History 950. A History of London. 2 SS. This course explores the history of London from its Roman origins to the present day and examines how royalty, trade, religion and transport have shaped the city's pattern of growth over 2,000 years. Course work consists of weekly lectures, guided walks and discussions of readings from contemporary sources. Students are given an opportunity to investigate an aspect of London history of particular interest to them. Lisa Bowers-Isaacson (London program faculty).
Art 946. The Early Renaissance in Florence & Flanders. ARTS. 2 HU. Art History. No prerequisite. The Florentine renaissance is widely regarded as an artistic watershed, when artists formulated new ways of representing reality based on direct observation, scientific principles and classical precedent, with profound implications for the course of European art. Equally important were contemporary developments in Flanders, where artists were likewise engaged in new ways of seeing, and where the oil technique offered unprecedented potential for depicting light and texture. This course will provide the opportunity to study the art of both Flanders and Florence, introducing students to the major artists (Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden), and to broader art historical themes such as patronage, iconography and technique. Students will acquire an understanding of what constitutes the Florentine renaissance, but by also studying Flanders will be encouraged to question the standard vi ew of Florence's central position in the art of the fifteenth century. Approximately 50% of classes will take place in London's galleries, taking advantage of the unparalleled collections of the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and an additional 3-day visit to Bruges and Ghent, located in Belgium, will offer the opportunity to study Flemish painting in situ. Paula Nuttal (London program faculty).
English 905. Introduction to Shakespeare. 4 HU. ENGL. No prerequisite. This course will study representative plays from each period of Shakespeare's career, including histories, tragedies, and comedies. Through close analysis of these plays both on the page and on the stage the course will aim to develop an appreciation of the richness of Shakespeare's theatrical art, in its powerful marriage of words and images. Attendance at productions of Shakespeare both in Stratford and in London, including at the newly built replica of the Globe in Southwark, will be central to our study. Donna Vinter (London program faculty).
Politics 950. Principles of Ethno-National Conflicts & Their Management. 2 SS. POLT. No prerequisite. This course aims to familiarize with the devices used for the regulation of national and ethnic conflicts. It seeks to provide students with an understanding of the tools available to states and policy makers to manage conflict. The course will include a close examination of cases of divided societies such as India, South Africa, Lebanon and Yugoslavia. Once students have a grasp on the concept of ethnicity, the course will divide conflict management into four main themes: 1) territorial devices, 2) repressive and accommodation incorporation, 3) violence, and 4) solutions within democracies. Instruction and discussion will occur in the classroom as well as out in London, at various museums, communities, and sites. Julianna Fuzesi (London program faculty).
Politics 966. The British Parliament. 2 SS. POLT. Jones. 2 cr. Prerequisite: undertaking a Parliamentary internship for Phase 2. Enrollment limited to three Parliamentary interns. Class discussions and assignments focus on understanding and interpreting internship experiences with an academic perspective. George Jones (London program faculty).
Theater 965. British Theater in Performance. 2 HU. ENGL. No prerequisite. This course explores the inner workings of the elements that comprise the professional theatre in Britain through a careful examination of contemporary and classic plays in actual performance. Sheila Fox (London program faculty).

Phase 2 course choices (take a course OR an internship with the internship seminar)

Neuroscience 906. Emotion and Behavior. 4 NS. Prequisite: BIOL 118 or 100, NSCI 201 or 204, PSYC 100, OR NSCI 105 (see above: Brain, Mind, and Madness). Brain mechanisms, evolution, genes, and learning all affect emotional behaviors. Through readings and visits to places such as Darwin’s house and Cambridge we will use England’s rich history to learn about genes and evolution (2009 is the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s Origin of Species!). We will review neural communication and learning and then examine more closely emotions and emotional behaviors such as fear and love, and emotional disorders such as depression. This course may count toward the major in NSCI, BIOL or PSYC. Jan Thornton (Oberlin faculty).
English 951. Modern Literature in Place: Modern Irish Literature. ENGL. 4 HU. Prerequisite: an English course. This course will study modern Irish literature written between about 1890 and the present, including fiction, poetry and drama by such authors as W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge, James Joyce, Sean O'Casey, Elizabeth Bowen, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney. It will introduce the student to the turbulent history of modern Ireland, while considering how these writers foster, invent, reinvent and critique ideas of Irish national, cultural and religious identity. It will also look at how the authors engage with themes that speak to the wider modern human experience. We will take advantage of opportunities to see Irish plays and hear Irish music in London, and there will be a field trip to the Republic of Ireland. Donna Vinter (London program faculty).
English 946. London in the Literature of the Commonwealth. ENGL. 4 HU. Prerequisite: an English course. This course will examine the way London functions as a setting for novels, poems, and essays by colonial and post-colonial writers, most specifically writers whose roots are in Asia, Africa, or the Caribbean. Course work consists of weekly lectures, discussion of readings, short writing assignments, and visits to museums, artistic performances, and the various ethnic neighborhoods in London. George Barlow (Grinnell faculty).
London 910. London Internship Seminar. 2 EX. Class discussions and assignments focus on understanding and interpreting internship experiences in academic perspective. Jan Thornton (Oberlin faculty).
London 911. London Internship. 4 EX. Students work at internship sites in London. Learning contracts must be approved by the instructor, the internship coordinator, and the work-site supervisor.