Interdisciplinary Studies-Social Sciences

Examines the character, origins, and evolution of American national identity. Positions the discussion in a wider theoretical landscape, designed to understand the nature of nations and nationalism. Explores the ways in which concepts of America and American have evolved over time, across space, and within social, cultural, and political contexts.

Examines the critical foreign policy challenges facing the United States in the 21st century. Explores the principal challenges and opportunities for American policymakers, such as: the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, environmental issues, and human rights and democratization.

This course will examine the role of mass media in the political process focusing on the presidency and includes such topics as print and broadcast news, social media and election campaigns, political advertising, fundraising, and media effects on public opinion and political participation.

Engages students in inventorying their interdisciplinary and extracurricular experiences, and assembling a digital narrative and collection of artifacts (eportfolio). Presents foundational learning experience for students to develop writing, graphic composition, integrative, and self-reflective and -authorship skills. Guides students in developing autonomy and agency, as they produce digital representations of themselves and their achievements.

Focuses on ongoing societal debates over educational technology while exploring local technology resources available at UVa and on the Web in general. Explores web-based tools, information websites, and interactive databases that support communication, research, and design skills, as well as creativity and knowledge presentation in online environments.

Explores ways in which the history and philosophy of technology can inform today's liberal arts students about the role of technology in our society. Covers current and historical topics as well as explores and develops a personal philosophic approach to the application of technology.

Focuses on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly with students' experience with technology integration. Explores contemporary issues of DEI (including access, cultural perspectives, and racial inequality) that affect all levels of learning and areas where learning takes place (business, STEM, etc). Takes a critical look at the history of emerging technologies, and how access and integration have changed for underserved groups.

Drawing on histories and literature, including autobiographies, poetry, and novels, this course focuses on the experiences and mentalities of those who fought in World War I, as well as those who remained on the home front. The realities and myths of the Great War are explored. An emphasis is placed on British, French, and German writings about the Western Front as well as some consideration of the fighting on the Eastern Front and in Turkey.

Focuses on policymakers and public reaction to the War in Vietnam, the 1st and 2nd Gulf Wars and our ongoing War in Afghanistan. Discusses how student demonstrations against the Vietnam War changed our society leading to new laws. Compares and contrasts the various causes of these wars, how America responded, the role of the military and the media during these wars. Examines the role of the President and Congress in conducting these wars.

Explores the causes of war, evolution and advances in military strategy, historical case studies, and contemporary issues of nuclear weapons, humanitarian war, and war against terrorism through major scholarly works, primary documents, films, class discussions, papers, and lectures.

Develops methods, examines issues, and discusses the roles of various actors in world politics. Examines the international system and analyzes the crisis of the Westphalian State System. Provides understanding of conflicts, foreign policy, power, security, alliances, deterrence, bargaining, cooperation, globalization, institutions, and law in international politics.

Examines the work of Hunter Thompson in a study of how 'Gonzo' changed greater American journalism as a whole. Demonstrates how Thompson's role as a public intellectual spread into wider journalism, such as Doonesbury. Portrays Thompson as a premier political critic of each administration who exerted near unparalleled social influence.

Analyzes how history has shaped decisions about war, peace, and political order in the modern era. Includes close examination of the French Revolution, the World Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis and, Vietnam. Combines policy analysis and historical study to understand the past's paradoxical role in designing the modern world.

Introduces students to psychological disorders and mental health concerns prevalent in today's society via memoirs and classic texts from psychological literature. Examines the symptoms of each disorder. Explores common misperceptions related to the disorders and current treatment options. Includes discussion and familiarization with available resources.

Examine America's colonial period (to the eve of the American Revolution) as that of a foreign country. Investigates the people, cultures, institutions, and events of the period on their own terms rather than through the lens of modern America. Uncovers the origins of many later American issues and debates;freedom and slavery; warfare; religion and revival; sectionalism; race; class; and commercialism.

Examines the fundamental clashes between liberals and conservatives, including how this split in perspectives developed our modern culture. Focuses on a tolerant, open-minded, and balanced investigation that seeks a broader understanding and appreciation of these diverse perspectives.

Examines the issues of ideology, race, gender, faith, war, the youth movement, as well as the politics of the Great Society social programs and voting rights. Explores music, the draft, and the counter culture, including a new conservatism also present amidst the violence at home and abroad.

Examines the history of American protest movements by looking at music from the 1900s to 2000. Analyzes readings and analyzes music from that period. Explores movements such as the populist movement, labor movements, anti-war protests, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, peace movements, and environmental movements.

Explores Theodore Roosevelt's life. Investigates key political, economic, social, and cultural developments of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that Roosevelt experienced and, in some cases, influenced.

Examines America's colonial period to the eve of the American Revolution. Investigates people, cultures, institutions, and events of the period. Explores later American issues and debates, such as freedom and slavery, warfare, religion and revival, race, class, and how they influenced commercialism.

Examines theories of political economy in their embedded social, historical, and cultural contexts to address relevant contemporary questions about economics in everyday life. Compares multiple theories of political economy, such as (Neo)classical, (Neo)Keynesian, Marxist, and heterodox economics to explore theories of power, institutions, distribution, and collective action.

Analyzes major theoretical approaches to understanding the development of perception, cognition, language, personality, and social interaction. Challenges students to critically analyze assumptions and methods that underlie developmental research findings. Provides opportunities for students to conduct independent research on course-related topics.

Examines the theoretical bases for the study of thinking, consciousness, and the mind, with a focus on current research findings. Topics include learning and memory, language, reasoning, decision-making and cognitive neuropsychology. Challenges students to design a small-scale experiment and connect their findings to applications in professional, personal, or education contexts.

Examines latest research findings in interpersonal communication theories, with a focus on listening, verbal and non-verbal expression, interpersonal conflict, intimate relationships, and workplace communication. Engages students in independent research to apply theoretical constructs to a range of scenarios encountered in professional, social, and relationship settings.

Explores the sociology of the American family, including: family change through American history; poverty and family life; alternative families (including single-by-choice parenting and gay marriage), and the effects of marriage and divorce on the lives of adults and children.