Catalog
Theater and Rhetoric
Professors Andrucki (chair) and Kuritz; Associate Professors Nero and Kelley-Romano; Assistant Professors Dilley and McDowell; Senior Lecturer Pope.L; Lecturers Vecsey, Reidy, and Curtis
Theater
The major in theater combines the study of dramatic literature from the Greeks to the present with work in acting, directing, dance, and design. Students thus acquire skills in production and performance while learning the history and literature of one of the world's major forms of artistic expression. Majors are prepared for graduate work in the humanities or for further professional training in theater. The theater major is also a valuable asset for a wide variety of careers—such as business, law, or teaching—requiring collaborative effort, public poise, imagination, and a broad background in the liberal arts.
In addition to its academic work, the department annually produces more than a dozen plays, dance concerts, and other performance events in its three theaters. These require the participation of large numbers of students, both majors and nonmajors. The department invites all members of the community to join in the creation of these events.
Majors in theater and rhetoric who are interested in secondary school teaching should consult the Department of Education about requirements for teacher certification.
More information on the theater curriculum is available on the Web site (www.bates.edu/THEA.xml).
Major Requirements
The theater major is required to complete the following:1) a) All of the following:
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.
b) One of the following:
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 231. Scene Design.
THEA 232. Lighting Design: The Aesthetics of Light.
THEA 233. Costume Design.
c) One of the following:
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
THEA 227. Seventies and Eighties Avant-Garde Theater and Performance Art.
THEA 370. Directing.
d) Two additional courses in theater.
2) One course or unit in the Department of Art and Visual Culture and one course or unit in the Department of Music, one of which must be in the history of the field.
3) A comprehensive examination in the senior year, except for those majors invited by the department to enroll in Theater 457 or 458.
Theater majors must enroll in one semester of dance or in a physical education activity course approved by the Department of Theater and Rhetoric.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
There are no restrictions on the use of the pass/fail option within the major.Minor in Theater
The minor in theater consists of six courses/units drawn from the following:1) THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
2) Two of the following:
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 227. Seventies and Eighties Avant-Garde Theater and Performance Art.
THEA 231. Scene Design.
THEA 232. Lighting Design: The Aesthetics of Light.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.
THEA 262. Acting for the Classical Repertory.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
THEA 363. Playing Comedy.
THEA 364. Advanced Voice and Speech.
THEA 370. Directing.
3) Two of the following:
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
THEA 220. The Modern Stage.
AA/TH 225. The Grain of the Black Image.
AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
SP/TH 241. Spanish Theater of the Golden Age.
4) One of the following:
THEA s10. Bates Theater Abroad.
THEA s22. Contemporary Performance Poetry.
THEA s26. Theater Production Workshop I.
THEA s33. Central European Theater and Film.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
There are no restrictions on the use of the pass/fail option with the minor in theater.General Education Information for the Classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010
Any one theater Short Term unit may serve as an option for the fifth humanities course. CoursesTHEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
A survey of the nature and history of drama on stage and in motion pictures. Beginning with a discussion of action, plot, and character, the course moves on to consider the elements of theatrical performance—including acting, directing, and design—as well as important plays from the Greeks to the present. These may include works by Sophocles, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Brecht, and Beckett. It then shifts focus to film, examining the elements of mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing, and sound, and concluding with a study of major films from the silent era to the twenty-first century. These may include works by Chaplin, Wells, Bergman, Hitchcock, Scorsese, and David Lynch. Normally offered every year. M. Andrucki.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
The creation of theater is a synthesis of text, performance, and visual imagery. This course explores how the visual aspect of theatrical design affects the way an audience perceives, feels, and responds to text and action. Students learn to use line, mass, color, and texture to communicate metaphoric and thematic ideas as they relate to the overall theatrical experience. They examine how forms of art, architecture, and music use these tools to influence and transform the audience, and build on this foundation to create a design vocabulary for theater. Students discuss how clothing, adornment, and body language influence the way individuals perceive others and present themselves. They learn the fundamentals of collaborative creation, and design scenery and costumes for a classic work of dramatic literature. Required of all majors. No previous art or theater training is required. Enrollment limited to 14. Normally offered every year. C. McDowell.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
This course provides a look "behind the curtain" to reveal the secrets of theater magic. Students learn the geography of the stage, how scenery is built, how lighting works, what hardware is right for the job, and how to handle tools safely. Many of the skills learned in this class are basic ones and will be useful in everyday life. This is a hands-on course; all students participate in preparing theater department productions. Enrollment limited to 14. Normally offered every other year. M. Reidy.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
We still measure theatrical excellence by the achievements of ancient Greece and Rome, Elizabethan England, and seventeenth-century France. This course studies selected plays and works of critical theory from those remarkable times and places. Authors may include Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Plautus, Terence, Horace, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson, Webster, Corneille, Racine, Molière, and the neoclassical theorists of France and Italy. The viewing of filmed versions of several of the plays on the syllabus reveals the continuing vigor of these classical works in performance. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. M. Andrucki.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 220. The Modern Stage.
The premiere in 1879 of Henrik Ibsen's incendiary masterpiece, A Doll House, sparked an explosion of creativity in Western theater and drama over the next 125 years. This course studies two dozen of the most important plays staged during that turbulent period. In addition to Ibsen, authors may include Strindberg, Chekov, Shaw, Pirandello, Brecht, O'Neill, Beckett, Genet, Pinter, and various contemporary playwrights. Students also read critics and theorists who have attempted to make sense of this revolutionary period. Viewings of filmed versions of several of the plays on the syllabus help to reveal their power in performance. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. M. Andrucki.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/TH 225. The Grain of the Black Image.
A study of the African American figure as represented in images from theater, movies, and television. Using the metaphor of "the grain" reduced by Roland Barthes and Regis Durand to "the articulation of the body...not that of language," this course explores issues of progress, freedom, and improvement, as well as content versus discontent. Students read critical literature and the major classic plays by Hansberry, Baraka, Elder, and others, and view recent movies and television shows. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
African American scholar Carolyn F. Gerald has remarked, "Image means self-concept and whoever is in control of our image has the power to shape our reality." This course investigates the ideological, social, and theoretical issues important in the representation of racial and ethnic minorities in American film from the Depression to the civil rights movement. It examines the genres, stereotypes, and gender formations associated with film images of Native Americans, Asian Americans, and African Americans. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 227. Seventies and Eighties Avant-Garde Theater and Performance Art.
This course is a hands-on poetic exploration of the binary territories of "language as object" and "subject as language" as they have been articulated in the work of contemporary performance-theater artists from Robert Wilson, Richard Foreman, and Fluxus to Holly Hughes, Karen Finley, and Jim Neu. Some background in performance is recommended. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 231. Scene Design.
This course presents in-depth study of the creative and practical tools used by set designers to visually enrich and shape the theatrical experience. Students study a history of theatrical architecture and design, focusing on how they have shaped the uses of stage space and the vocabulary of modern scene design. The course builds on aesthetic fundamentals developed in Theater 130, and examines in greater depth the relationship between set designers and theatrical texts. Practically, students learn fundamentals of theatrical drafting, perspective and scale drawing, and model making. This course is recommended for students with an interest in the visual and emotional impact of effective scene design on drama and performance. Prerequisite(s): Theater 130, or an individual portfolio review. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. C. McDowell.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 232. Lighting Design: The Aesthetics of Light.
This course provides an introduction to the unique aesthetic and technical decisions a lighting designer must make. Students examine the modern lighting aesthetic by studying popular culture and learning to translate these images to the stage. Students also are required to serve on a lighting crew for one of the department's productions and design part of the spring dance concert. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): one of the following: Theater 101, 130, or 132. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. M. Reidy.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 233. Costume Design.
In theater, as in life, clothes often make the man. This course focuses on the myriad aspects of personality, position, and state of mind created and enhanced for stage characters by the art of costume design. Emphasis is placed on analyzing play texts and bringing characters to life. The course builds on aesthetic fundamentals developed in Theater 130, and offers further instruction in costume research, figure drawing, and sketching and painting skills used to present costume design information. This course is recommmended for students with an interest in visual and emotional impact of effective design on drama and performance. Prerequisite(s): Theater 130 or an indiviual portfolio review. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. Normally offered every other year. C. McDowell.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 235. Dress and Adornment in Western Culture.
Dress means more than just fashion. The history of dress and human adornment reveals political, sexual, economic, and cultural conditions, often entwined in subtle or ephemeral ways with the aesthetics of what we perceive as fashion. This course begins with early Greek culture and continues through the Roman and Byzantine empires, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Restoration, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and into the current era. Students examine not only physical appearance, but also the other factors that have driven the myriad changes in the history of fashion in Western culture. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. C. McDowell.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 236. Pattern Drafting and Draping.
This course introduces students to the skills of pattern drafting, draping, and fitting garments, as well as some advanced costume construction skills and increased familiarity with the properties of different textiles. The course is structured as a series of lectures, demonstrations, and the completion of several hands-on projects by students. Recommended background: basic sewing skills. Enrollment limited to 12. Offered with varying frequency. C. McDowell.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 240. Playwriting.
After reviewing the fundamentals of dramatic structure and characterization, students write one full-length or two one-act plays. Recommended background: two courses in theater or in dramatic literature. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SP/TH 241. Spanish Theater of the Golden Age.
This course focuses on the study of Spanish classical drama of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Reading and critical analysis of selected dramatic works by Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Calderón de la Barca, Miguel de Cervantes, Ana Caro, María de Zayas, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, among others, offer an insight into the totality of the dramatic spectacle of Spanish society during its imperial century. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): Spanish 211, 215, or 216. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every other year. B. Fra-Molinero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 242. Screenwriting.
This course presents the fundamentals of screenwriting: plot, act structure, character development, conflict, dialogue, and format. Lectures, writing exercises, and analyses of films such as Happiness, American Beauty, and Sleepless in Seattle provide the student with the tools to create a short screenplay. Prerequisite(s): Theater 240. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.
This course introduces the student to the physiological processes involved in creative acting. The student learns the Stanislavski approach to the analysis of realistic and naturalistic drama. Exercises leading to relaxation, concentration, and imagination are included in an improvisational context. Studies in motivation, sense perception, and emotion-memory recall lead the student to beginning work on scene performance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 16. Normally offered every semester. P. Kuritz.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 262. Acting for the Classical Repertory.
Students extend their basic acting technique to explore the classical dramas of the world's stages. The unique language of the dramas—verse—is explored as both an avenue to character study and to vocal and physical representation. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. P. Kuritz.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
Students examine the nature and working of the human voice. Students explore ways to develop the voice's potential for expressive communication with exercises and the analysis of breathing, vocal relaxation, pitch, resonance, articulation, audibility, dialect, and text performance. Recommended background: one course in acting, performance, or public speaking. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. K. Vecsey.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
TH/WS 264. Voice and Gender.
This course focuses on the gender-related differences in voice from the beginning of language acquisition through learning and development of a human voice. A variety of interdisciplinary perspectives is examined according to the different determinants of voice production—physiological, psychological, social interactional, and cultural. Students explore how race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and age affect vocal expression. Students also analyze "famous" and "attractive" human voices and discuss what makes them so. Recommended background: Theater 263 and/or Women and Gender Studies 100. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. K. Vecsey.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/TH 269. Movement for Actors.
A practical study of movement for actors. Making use of the principles of Laban Movement Analysis and the techniques of contact improvisation, students explore and develop ways to create character through movement in theatrical performance. Work with masks and character-related gesture encourages students to expand their movement vocabularies. The goal of the course is to test and experience a variety of methods through which the actor can achieve full physical expressiveness on stage. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 363. Playing Comedy.
Students extend their basic acting technique to explore the peculiar nature of comic performance on stage. Concepts of normalcy, incongruity, ignorance, power, and situation are applied to comic traits, invention, and diction. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. P. Kuritz.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 364. Advanced Voice and Speech.
A study of vocal and physical techniques for the exploration of theatrical texts. Specialized topics for the vocal professional include: characterization as it relates to voice and speech; cold readings; assessing and preparing for the vocal demands of a role; working with the vocal coach. Recommended for students intending to focus on acting or performance art in the senior thesis. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. K. Vecsey.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 365. Special Topics.
Offered occasionally in selected subjects. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 370. Directing.
An introduction to the art of directing, with an emphasis on creative and aesthetic problems and their solutions. Included is an examination of the director's relationship to the text, the design staff, and the actor. The approach is both theoretical and practical, involving readings, rehearsal observation, and the directing of scenes and short plays. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): Theater 261. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. P. Kuritz.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 371. Acting and Directing for the Camera.
The camera demands different techniques and skills from actors and directors than does the stage. This course introduces experienced actors and directors to topics such as staging for the camera, shot planning, rehearsing, directing actors, performing in a frame, and basic editing. Prerequisite(s): Theater 261, 262, or 370. Enrollment limited to 12. Normally offered every other year. P. Kuritz.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 457. Senior Thesis.
By departmental invitation only. Students undertake a substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Theater 457 in the fall semester and for Theater 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Theater 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 457, 458. Senior Thesis.
By departmental invitation only. Students undertake a substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Theater 457 in the fall semester and for Theater 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Theater 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA 458. Senior Thesis.
By departmental invitation only. Students undertake a substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Theater 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Theater 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s22. Contemporary Performance Poetry.
An investigation of poetry as a performance medium. Included is a historical overview comparing the European traditions of Dadaism, Futurism, and their proponents in America to the African American tradition exemplified by Shange, Baraka, and present-day hip-hop rappers. The approach is theoretical and practical, utilizing readings, discussion, film, recordings, and texts created and performed by students. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. W. Pope.L.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s26. Theater Production Workshop I.
Working under faculty supervision and with visiting professional artists, student actors, directors, designers, and technicians undertake the tasks necessary to produce a play. Readings and discussions explore various ways of understanding and producing a text. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s30. Theater Production Workshop II.
Experienced students, working under faculty supervision and occasionally with visiting professional artists, produce a play under strict time, financial, and material constraints. Readings and discussions explore various ways of understanding and producing a play. Prerequisite(s): Theater s26. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s32. Theater Production Workshop III.
The most experienced theater students work under faculty supervision and in leadership positions with other students in the production of a play. Readings and discussions challenge students' notions about acting, directing, and design for the theater. Prerequisite(s): Theater s26 and s30. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s33. Central European Theater and Film.
A study of Hungarian, Polish, and Czech theater and film, focusing on the impact on these arts of the social and political changes of the last fifty years, from the Polish and Hungarian uprisings of 1956 to the rebuilding of culture in the region following the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989. While in Budapest, students view films at the Hungarian National Film Archive and attend performances of central European theater at the International Contemporary Drama Festival and the Hungarian National Theater. Visits to theater and film centers in Prague are also included. Prerequisite(s): Some background in one of the following: theater, film, or modern European history. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. M. Andrucki, K. Vecsey.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
THEA s50. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
Dance
Minor
Bates offers a minor in dance rooted in the tradition of dance as an art form. Integrating both the theory and practice of dance within the framework of a liberal arts education, the Bates dance program emphasizes an inclusive approach to dance studies that develops a deep understanding of humanity, art, and culture. Original work is encouraged and students participate in up to five dance concerts a year. In addition to the minor, students can also incorporate dance into an interdisciplinary studies program with other departments and programs on campus.The following are required for a minor in dance:
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
DANC 235A. Dance Repertory Performance I.
One of the following:
DANC 250. Early Modern Dance History.
DANC 252. Contemporary Issues in Dance.
DN/PL 290. Aesthetics and Dance.
DN/WS 352. The Cultural Performative Body.
Two full credits from among the following:
DANC 240, 242, 340, 341 (each earns 1 credit); DANC 270 (there are several sections, each earning one-half credit).
One additional course in dance, or one course in theater, music, or art and visual culture.
Additional technique classes may be available through the physical education department's activity courses and may be taken to fulfill the physical education activity degree requirement. Participation in the three-week summer Bates Dance Festival (s30) is strongly recommended but not required.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
The use of the pass/fail option is restricted to one course within the minor.General Education Information for the Classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010
Any one Short Term unit in dance may serve as an option for the fifth humanities course. CoursesDANC 240. Technique: A Kinesthetic Approach.
This modern dance technique course develops an understanding of the use of the physical body in dance. Topics include a basic study of anatomy; the mechanics of movement; and the use of time, space, and energy for efficient and effective dance. Recommended background: previous dance training. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 241. Technique: Art and Expression.
A course in the study and practice of modern dance movement focusing on its artistry and expressive potential, and on the individual artistic expression of the dancer. Recommended background: previous dance training. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 250. Early Modern Dance History.
At the turn of the twentieth century modern dance emerged as an exciting new art form. From Isadora Duncan to the collaborations of Cage and Cunningham, modern dance has been deeply rooted in innovative exploration. This course focuses on the early dance pioneers, the ideas and conditions that informed their work, and their subsequent influences on the art world. Open to first-year students. [W1] Normally offered every other year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
An exploration of the craft and the art of making dance performance from human gesture. Readings, critical analysis, and informal showings support the complex process of creating a finished movement-based piece for public performance by the end of the semester. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 9. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/DN 252. Contemporary Issues in Dance.
This course focuses on current dance works and some of the issues that inform contemporary dance practices. Discussions include the ways in which choreographers, performers, and societies confront matters of political climate, cultural diversity, entertainment, globalization, and the politicized human body in dance. Open to first-year students. [W2] Normally offered every other year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 253A. Dance Repertory Performance I.
Students experience a variety of approaches to making and performing dance through intensive choreographic residencies with professional guest choreographers. The course culminates in a concert of the accumulated pieces at the end of the semester. Recommended background: previous dance experience. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 253B. Dance Repertory Performance II.
An exploration of the many different ways of approaching choreography. Through working with a number of artists, students experience a variety of pieces that expose them to a unique combination of ideas and practices. Prerequisite(s): Dance 253A. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every other year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/TH 269. Movement for Actors.
A practical study of movement for actors. Making use of the principles of Laban Movement Analysis and the techniques of contact improvisation, students explore and develop ways to create character through movement in theatrical performance. Work with masks and character-related gesture encourages students to expand their movement vocabularies. The goal of the course is to test and experience a variety of methods through which the actor can achieve full physical expressiveness on stage. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270. Studio Dance.
This series of studio courses provides instruction in a variety of dance practices. Dance 270 may be taken more than once for credit and one-half credit is earned for each semester completed. Students register for Dance 270A, 270B, 270C, or 270D, or 270E; the appropriate sequential course number (271–278) is recorded on the student's transcript. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270A. Studio Dance: Modern.
In this modern technique course, students address problems of performance, practice, style, and form in order to build strong technique as well enhanced artistry and understanding. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270B. Studio Dance: Ballet.
In this ballet technique course, students develop strong technique and enhance artistry through work on the traditional practice, style, vocabulary, and form of classical ballet. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270C. Studio Dance: Modern Partnering.
Contemporary partnering techniques, including contact improvisation skills, weight sharing, spatial and physical relationships, and personal responsibility, are combined with modern dance technique. Recommended background: sufficient experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270D. Studio Dance: Repertory Styles.
This modern technique course explores a variety of approaches to modern dance training and practice as experienced with different guest teachers throughout the semester. Recommended background: sufficient experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 270E. Studio Dance: Jazz.
In this technique course, students address problems of jazz dance performance, practice, style, and form in order to build strong technique as well as to enhance artistry and understanding. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/PL 290. Aesthetics and Dance.
This course approaches issues of aesthetic theory in terms of dance and human performance. Using some of the pivotal texts that have advanced aesthetic understanding through time, students draw dance into the ongoing dialogue of the arts and their cultural significance, investigating the experience of art, the making of meaning, aesthetic perception, and the curse of beauty. Not open to students who have received credit for Dance 290. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Offered with varying frequency. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/MU 337. Atelier.
The atelier offers composers, performers, choreographers, and other artists the opportunity to collaborate using new technologies. Meeting in the Olin Computer Music Studio, students work together with interactive music and video software to create performances. Work in progress is shown weekly, then performed in public on and off campus. Recommended background for music majors: Music 222 and either 235 or 237. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. W. Matthews.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 340. Technique: The Body in Motion.
Continued study and practice of modern dance technique, focusing on the physicality of movement and the structure of the human body. Prerequisite(s): Dance 240. Offered with varying frequency. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 341. Technique for Art's Sake.
Further study and practice of the artistry and expressive potential of contemporary dance movement. The course focuses on expanding the potential of each individual dancer to reach beyond the mechanics of steps in order to make every movement a unique artistic performance. Prerequisite(s): Dance 241. Offered with varying frequency. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 351. Advanced Composition Seminar.
A further investigation of the compositional tools used in creating dance and the continued development of a better understanding of the intention behind the movement. The course emphasizes the personal exploration of creative process, craft, artistic intention, and integrity in dance making. Prerequisite(s): Dance 251. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/WS 352. The Cultural Performative Body.
Is gender restricted by certain cultural aesthetics? How much control does our sociocultural environment have over our normative bodies? We all perform in some way or another. Whether it is interviewing for a job, teaching, or going on a date, our bodies prepare for performance. This course takes an in-depth look at female and male bodies in dance to further inquire how and why gender is so integral to our understanding of society. Students learn how to observe movement, approach gender concepts, and develop critical thinking skills. Recommended background: one of the following: African American Studies/Dance 252, Dance 250, 251, 252, Dance/Philosophy 290, Philosophy 226, 262, 274, or any women and gender studies course. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 457. Senior Thesis.
A substantial dance-related project, usually in the form of choreography. Students register for Dance 457 in the fall and Dance 458 in the winter semester. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 457, 458. Senior Thesis.
A substantial dance-related project, usually in the form of choreography. Students register for Dance 457 in the fall and Dance 458 in the winter semester. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC 458. Senior Thesis.
A substantial dance related project usually in the form of choreography. Students register for Dance 457 in the fall semester and Dance 458 in the winter semester. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC s25. Ballroom Dance: Past to Present.
From 1875 through the turn of the twentieth century, social dancers in America rebelled against proper dance and the court dances of Northern Europe and Great Britain. This gave a new look to dance, introducing exotic, playful music and a new attitude about what social dance in America could be. In this unit, students learn the movements and study the cultures and histories of dances that were inspired by this new music. This unit begins with dances from the early 1900s and continues through ragtime, the Swing Era, the Latin invasion, jitterbug, and disco, to today's dancesport. The unit culminates with student performances based on dances studied during the Short Term. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/ED s29A. Dance as a Collaborative Art I.
This unit uses the diverse collective skills of the students in the class as base material for the creation of a theater/dance piece that tours to elementary schools. The first two weeks are spent working intensively with a guest artist to create the performance piece. The remaining weeks are spent sharing that piece, along with age-appropriate movement workshops, with thousands of elementary school students throughout central Maine. Open to performers and would-be performers of all kinds. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/ED s29B. Dance as a Collaborative Art II.
Continued study of the integration of dance and other arts for the purpose of producing a performance piece for elementary school children. Students participate in all aspects of creating the performance, encompassing a wide variety of topics and movement-based performance styles, and developing a creative movement workshop to be taught in the classrooms. Open to performers and would-be performers of all kinds. Prerequisite(s): Dance s29A. Enrollment limited to 6. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DN/ED s29C. Dance as a Collaborative Art III.
Further study of the integration of dance and other arts for the purpose of producing a performance piece for elementary school children. Students participate in all aspects of creating the performance, encompassing a wide variety of topics and movement-based performance styles, and developing a creative movement workshop to be taught in the classrooms. Open to performers and would-be performers of all kinds. Prerequisite(s): Dance s29B. Enrollment limited to 4. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC s30D. Bates Dance Festival 2008.
This unit provides Bates dance students with the opportunity to participate in the Bates Dance Festival Professional Training Program. Full participation in the festival requires four daily courses including a technique course, a composition/creative process course or repertory course, an improvisation course, and an elective from among the festival's offerings in anatomy, martial arts, business for dancers, music, film for dance, yoga, Pilates, somatic studies, issues in art, and criticism. Festival courses are taught by leading scholars, artists, and practitioners in their fields. Students attend concerts, informal showings, discussions, and video presentations in addition to their courses. Enrollment limited to 10. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
DANC s50. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. C. Dilley.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
Rhetoric
The major in rhetoric offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human communication. Students complete a series of core courses in rhetorical theory and criticism, history of public address, and film and television studies, complemented by courses on language, media, and communication drawn from the curricula of other departments. All students complete a senior thesis. More information on the rhetoric curriculum is available on the Web site (www.bates.edu/RHET.xml).
Major Requirements
Students must choose a concentration in either rhetorical theory and criticism or in film and television studies. Each major consists of eleven courses distributed as follows:Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
Required core courses:1) RHET 155. What is Rhetoric?
2) One of the following:
RHET 100. Beginning Debate.
RHET 185. Public Discourse.
RHET 291. Introduction to Argumentation.
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
3) One of the following:
RHET 257. Rhetorical Criticism.
RHET 276. Television Criticism.
4) One of the following:
RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
5) One of the following:
AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
RHET 275. African American Public Address.
6) Two of the following:
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
RHET 391C. The Harlem Renaissance
RHET 391D. Argument Theory.
7) RHET 457 and/or 458. Senior Thesis.
8) Students are also required to complete at least one course from each of the following areas. No single course may be used to complete more than one requirement. No more than one Short Term unit may be counted toward the major.
a) Theories of Communication:
ANTH 333. Culture and Interpretation.
CM/RH 160. Classical Rhetoric.
CM/HI 231. Litigation in Classical Athens.
FYS 332. A Raisin in the Sun.
PHIL 195. Introduction to Logic.
PHIL 235. Philosophy of Mind.
PSYC 380. Social Cognition.
b) Representation:
AA/TH 225. The Grain of the Black Image.
AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
AV/WS 287. Women, Gender, Visual Culture.
AVC 288. Visualizing Race.
AVC 375. Issues of Sexuality and the Study of Visual Culture.
AVC s32. The Photograph as Document.
FYS 313. Whitelands: Cinematic Nightmares.
INDS 235. The Politics of Pleasure and Desire: Women's Independent and Third Cinema and Video from the African Diaspora.
INDS s25. Black Terror.
RHET 195. Documentary Production.
RHET s18. Goldberg's Canon: Makin' Whoopi.
RHET s31. Conspiracy Rhetoric.
c) Social and Political Movements:
HIST 261. American Protest in the Twentieth Century.
PL/RE 212. Contemporary Moral Disputes.
PLTC 346. Power and Protest.
REL 247. City upon the Hill.
Film and Television Studies
Required core courses:1) RHET 155. What is Rhetoric?
2) AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
3) One of the following:
RHET 100. Beginning Debate.
RHET 185. Public Discourse.
RHET 291. Introduction to Argumentation.
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
4) RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
5) RHET 276. Television Criticism.
6) Two of the following:
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
RHET 391C. The Harlem Renaissance.
RHET 391D. Argument Theory.
7) RHET 457 and/or 458. Senior Thesis.
8) Students are required to complete three film and television studies courses from among the following. No more than one Short Term unit may be counted toward the major.
AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
ANTH 155. Cinematic Portraits of Africa.
AN/PT s22. Politics of Cultural Production: African Films and Filmmaking.
CHI 211. Film and Chinese Modernity.
EN/ES 395Q. Nature and Culture in European Art Film.
FRE s36. The Evolution of French Cinema.
FYS 334. Film Art.
GER s25. The German Cinema.
INDS 235. The Politics of Pleasure and Desire: Women's Independent and Third Cinema and Video from the African Diaspora.
MUS 340. Music and Cinema.
PLTC s16. Arab and Iranian Film as Indicators of Social Change.
REL 100. Religion and Film.
RHET s18. Goldberg's Canon: Makin' Whoopi.
SPAN 217. Literatura en el cine.
SPAN 353. Un curso de cine.
SPAN 354. Revolución en el cine.
THEA 242. Screenwriting.
THEA s33. Central European Theater and Film.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Students are allowed to take one course pass/fail within the major.Minor in Rhetoric
The minor consists of six courses. A coherent program for each student's minor is designed in accord with the following guidelines and in consultation with a member of the rhetoric faculty who is chosen or appointed as the student's departmental advisor for the minor.The courses or units required for the minor in rhetoric include:
1) RHET 155. What is Rhetoric?
2) One of the following:
RHET 255. Rhetorical Criticism.
RHET 276. Television Criticism.
3) One of the following:
AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
RHET 275. African American Public Address.
4) One of the following:
RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
5) One of the following:
RHET 100. Beginning Debate.
RHET 185. Public Discourse.
RHET 291. Introduction to Argumentation.
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
6) One of the following:
RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
RHET 391C. The Harlem Renaissance.
RHET 391D. Argument Theory.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
One course may be taken pass/fail in fulfilling the minor requirements.General Education Information for the Classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010
Any one rhetoric Short Term unit may serve as an option for the fifth humanities course. CoursesRHET 100. Beginning Debate.
This course aims to develop an awareness of and skill in the techniques needed to participate in competitive debate. It focuses on parliamentary debate, but also surveys other kinds of collegiate competitive debate. Enrollment limited to 24. Normally offered every other year. Staff.RHET 155. What is Rhetoric?.
Although the oldest discipline, rhetoric may be the least understood. Aristotle defined rhetoric as "the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion." In this course, students conduct a historical survey of rhetorical theory from classical times to the present. Rhetorical artifacts examined include political speeches, television programs, print advertisements, editorials, music, film, and Internet sites. Required of all majors. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every year. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
CM/RH 160. Classical Rhetoric.
The Romans ran the ancient world by the sword, but also by the word. This course explores how they did the latter. Readings include classical works about rhetoric, examples of classical oratory and the variety of exercises by which the practice of rhetoric was taught. Writing assignments include analyses of speeches by classical orators, as well as a range of ancient rhetorical exercises such as fables, speeches of praise and invective, persuasive speeches to historical figures, and mock courtroom speeches. The course concludes with an examination of the Gettysburg Address and consideration of its debt to classical rhetorical theory. All readings are in English. Offered with varying frequency. M. Imber.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 162. White Redemption: Cinema and the Co-optation of African American History.
Since its origins in the early twentieth century, film has debated how to represent black suffering. This course examines one aspect of that debate: the persistent themes of white goodness, innocence, and blamelessness in films that are allegedly about black history and culture. Historical and cultural topics examined in film include the enslavement of Africans, Reconstruction, and the civil rights movement. Particular attention is given to films in the interracial male-buddy genre. Normally offered every year. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 185. Public Discourse.
This course is designed to develop an awareness of and skill in the techniques needed by a speaker in varying situations, from the large gathering to the small group. Students analyze and compose public speeches on various political issues. Enrollment limited to 24. Normally offered every year. Staff.INDS 235. The Politics of Pleasure and Desire: Women's Independent and Third Cinema and Video from the African Diaspora.
This course examines independent and Third Cinema, and some written texts by women of African descent using contemporary theories of female pleasure and desire. By viewing and reading these cultural productions drawn from "high" and "low" culture in the light of a variety of film theories (e.g., feminist, womanist/black feminist, postcolonial, diasporic) as well as race-critical, feminist, and cultural theories, students explore the "textual" strategies that construct black female representations, and Afra-diasporic authors/directors and audiences as subjects and as agents of political change. Recommended background: any of the following: African American Studies 140A, African American Studies/Theater 225, African American Studies/Women and Gender Studies 201, Theater 102 or 110. Cross-listed in African American studies, rhetoric, and women and gender studies. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. S. Houchins.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 257. Rhetorical Criticism.
In this course, students apply rhetorical theories to a variety of artifacts to understand the unique insights afforded by rhetorical studies. Students write, present, and discuss papers in which they apply and analyze different rhetorical perspectives. Rhetorical artifacts examined include political speeches, campaign advertising, television, print advertisements, editorials, music, film, Internet sites, and social movement rhetoric. Prerequisite(s): Rhetoric 155. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every other year. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 260. Lesbian and Gay Images in Film.
This course investigates the representation of lesbians and gays in film from the Golden Age of Hollywood to the contemporary independent filmmaking movement. Topics may include the effect of the "closet" on Hollywood film, homophobic imagery, international queer films, "camp" as a visual and narrative code for homosexuality, the independent filmmaking movement, and the debates about queer visibility in contemporary mass-market and independent films. Prerequisite(s): Rhetoric 155 and African American Studies/Rhetoric 162. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 265. The Rhetoric of Women's Rights.
Prior to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, women were almost totally without political, economic, or social power. Because of their situation, women necessarily employed rhetorical means to attain the goal of women's suffrage. This course is a study of the oratory of the women's suffrage movement. Specifically, it highlights the barriers women faced and how they dealt with those difficulties rhetorically. Students learn and apply the tools of rhetorical criticism in order to identify, describe, and evaluate the speakers of the movement and their ideas. Prerequisite(s): One of the following: Rhetoric 100, 155, 185, or 291. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every other year. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 275. African American Public Address.
This course is a study of the history of oratory by African American women and men. Students examine religious, political, and ceremonial speeches. Historical topics include the abolition of slavery, Reconstruction, suffrage, the black women's club movement, Garveyism, and the civil rights and Black Power movements. Contemporary topics include affirmative action, gender politics, poverty, education, and racial identity. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 276. Television Criticism.
This course examines the representational strategies employed by television to convey social messages. The goals of the course are twofold: first, to acquaint students with the basic theoretical premises of rhetorical approaches to television; and second, to provide students an opportunity for critical and original research. Possible televisual texts include prime-time dramas, situation comedies, soap operas, talk shows, news programming, and sporting events. Prerequisite (s): Rhetoric 155. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every other year. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 291. Introduction to Argumentation.
An examination of the theory and practice of argumentation. This course explores argument theory from antiquity to the present and gives students the opportunity to develop skills in structured academic debates. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. Staff.RHET 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.RHET 365. Special Topics.
Offered occasionally in selected subjects. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.RHET 391A. The Rhetoric of Alien Abduction.
This seminar examines the discourse surrounding UFOs and alien abduction. Texts are drawn from various media including print, television, film, and the Internet. Topics for discussion revolve around issues of social influence and popular culture. The course examines conspiracy, narrative, television criticism, the Internet, the rhetoric of outer space, and intertextuality. Prerequisite(s): Rhetoric 155 and Rhetoric 257 or 276. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 391B. Presidential Campaign Rhetoric.
In this course, students explore the wide array of discourse surrounding presidential campaigns. Texts examined include political speeches, political advertisements, debates, and news reporting on the campaign. Special attention is paid to newspaper and television coverage of candidates and the development of image. Prerequisite(s): Rhetoric 155 and 257 or 276. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AA/RH 391C. The Harlem Renaissance.
This course examines the New Negro Movement and the extraordinary creativity in the arts and in other aspects of intellectual life by African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. Although this cultural phenomenon was national in scope, most scholars agree that New York City, and Harlem in particular, was its epicenter. Topics include racial, gender, and cultural identities in literature, theater, the performing and visual arts; the formation of black queer culture; and the role in promoting the arts by political organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). Prerequisite(s): one of the following: African American Studies 140 or African American Studies/Rhetoric 162. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. C. Nero.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET 391D. Argument Theory.
This course allows students to explore in depth the theory of argumentation. It examines theorists from Aristotle to Perelman, and creates opportunities for students to explore and enact theory. Prerequisite(s): Rhetoric 155 and 255. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.RHET 457. Senior Thesis.
A substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Rhetoric 457 in the fall semester or for Rhetoric 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Rhetoric 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.RHET 457, 458. Senior Thesis.
A substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Rhetoric 457 in the fall semester or for Rhetoric 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Rhetoric 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.RHET 458. Senior Thesis.
A substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for Rhetoric 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Rhetoric 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.EN/RH s14. Place, Word, Sound: New Orleans.
This unit offers an interdisciplinary and experiential approach to the study of New Orleans, the most African city in continental North America. The goal of the unit is to understand the impact of place on culture and aesthetic practices, learn how institutions represent New World and creole transformations of Africanity, and introduce students to historical and contemporary debates about African influences in the United States. Students examine cultural memory, questions of power, and definitions of cultural terrain as expressed in literature, art, music, and architecture. In addition to attending the seven-day Jazz and Heritage Festival, students visit various sites of literary, cultural, and historical significance to New Orleans. Recommended background: a course in African American studies offered in English, music, rhetoric, or African American studies. Not open to students who have received credit for EN/RH s29. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. C. Nero, K. Ruffin.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
INDS s25. Black Terror.
This unit explores Gothic fiction and film, works that create an atmosphere of brooding and unknown terror and represent race and gender as sources of dread, of "the Horror. The Horror." Students read works by such authors as Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Toni Morrison, Nalo Hopkinson, Tananarive Due, Thulani Davis, Reginald McKnight, Jean Rhys, and Harriet Wilson. The films include The Mark of Lillith, Dracula, Ganga and Hess, The Hunger, and Carmilla. Using psychoanalytic, film, race, queer, and gender theories as tools, students excavate deeply embedded discourses of race, sex, and sexuality. Recommended background: any of the following: African American Studies/Theater 225, African American Studies/Theater 226, or Theater 102. Cross-listed in African American studies, rhetoric, and women and gender studies. Offered with varying frequency. S. Houchins.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
RHET s31. Conspiracy Rhetoric.
"Just because you're paranoid does not mean they're not out to get you." This unit examines the rhetoric that has surrounded conspiracy theories in American culture. Specifically, students focus on the argumentative form as well as the social functions of conspiracy discourse. Particular attention is paid to those conspiracies that surround UFO and alien abductions discourse. Prerequisite: at least one rhetoric course. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. S. Kelley-Romano.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations