Unnatural Border
In this course we will explore how the U.S.-Mexico border transformed from a “line in the sand” to a place of increasing physical presence. The 20th century brought customs stations and fences to channel bodies through a federally regulated space. Over time, fences and check points transformed into walls, buildings, and a network of roads built to control the movement of mobile nature: people, animals, and pathogens. Using both primary and secondary texts, documentaries, and news articles, we will learn why federal agencies created an unnatural border and how it has affected immigration and the environment in the borderlands. This course counts as elective credit towards the History major.

“Il Nuovo Mondo:” Italian Contributions to American Culture
Between 1880 and 1920, more than four millions Italians migrated to the U.S.A. In this course we will explore this diaspora in historical, social, and economic terms by analyzing the situation in Italy in the 1860s and 1870s and the perception of the new world as a “promised land.” We will consider the hardship of the uprooting experience of every migrant, the conflicts with previous immigrants, and the problems of cultural integration. We will also examine the Italian-American contributions to various areas of American life (e.g. music, food, etc.) We will also explore the exceptional situation of Italians in Vermont.

Ni Yankees ni Marxismo: Peronismo: Its Origins and Political Development, Its Cultural Projection, and Its Relationship with the U.S. (Offered in English)
In this course we will consider the rise of Populism and its political experience in Argentina in order to study the cultural core of the Peronist social movement. Through the study of oral history, popular culture, and personalities such as Juan Perón, Eva Perón, and Brasil’s Getúlio Vargas we will examine the building of political popular sentiment and the continental nature of Populism. In addition we will examine the interaction between Peronism and U.S. foreign policy and how it shaped the Argentinian experience. This course counts as elective credit towards the History major.

American Sign Language I
In this course students will be introduced to American Sign Language (ASL). This course is intended for students who have little or no previous knowledge of ASL. Students will have an opportunity to learn social functions with respect to introducing themselves, exchanging personal information, describing simple narratives, and they will develop beginning conversational skills based on ASL vocabulary and grammatical rules. The fundamentals of the Deaf Culture will be examined through classroom demonstration and readings.

Oratory: A Speechmaking Studio
Our teachers will be great speeches wherever we find them: from Antiquity and the Elizabethan stage, to Hollywood, the Civil Rights Movement, and TEDTalks gone viral. We will explore various theories of oratory, and, like students of classical rhetoric, we will emulate masterworks in order to sharpen our own persuasive skills. As speakers, we will practice vocal and physical techniques used by performers, as well as their methods for analyzing text. During the course, students will write and deliver their own speeches, completing an immersion into speechmaking designed to help them communicate with precision, empathy, and personal conviction. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1355 or FYSE 1398)

Persuasive Legal Writing
In this intensive reading and writing course, students will practice writing persuasive arguments while analyzing contemporary legal issues. Readings will include state and/or federal court opinions governing the selected issues. Classroom discussion will focus on discussion of the readings and on the mechanics of clear and persuasive writing. Students will work together extensively, editing and revising one another's work, both in and out of class. Students will write (and rewrite) three papers, each written from a different perspective (e.g., prosecutor, plaintiff, or defendant). Students will also acquire a basic understanding of the way disputes are resolved within the U.S. legal system.

The Elements of Murder
In this course we will study a combination of history, chemistry, factual crime, and fictional crime surrounding the darker side of some of the elements. Mercury, arsenic, antimony, lead, thallium have notorious reputations for causing accidental death and as instruments of murder. Readings will include The Elements of Murder, by John Emsley; Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved by Russell Martin; The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie, and Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers. We will spend some time in the lab investigating the properties of these elements. (One year high school chemistry) 8 hrs. lect./disc./lab

MiddCORE 2014
MiddCORE’s mentor-driven leadership and innovation immersion program builds skills and confidence through collaborative, experiential, impact-focused learning. Through daily, weekly, and month-long challenges, students gain experience in leadership, strategic thinking, idea creation, collaboration, persuasive communication, ethical decision-making, conflict resolution, and crisis management. Visit www.middcore.com to learn more. Acceptance into MiddCORE 2014 is by approval only. Please send an email to middcore@middlebury.edu by 5pm on Saturday, Nov. 2nd with the following information: Name, Class Year, Major, and a brief paragraph explaining why you want to be in MiddCORE. Decisions will be emailed by Sunday evening, Nov 3rd. (Pass/Fail)

MiddCORE 2014
MiddCORE’s mentor-driven leadership and innovation immersion program builds skills and confidence through collaborative, experiential, impact-focused learning. Through daily, weekly, and month-long challenges, students gain experience in leadership, strategic thinking, idea creation, collaboration, persuasive communication, ethical decision-making, conflict resolution, and crisis management. Visit www.middcore.com to learn more. Acceptance into MiddCORE 2014 is by approval only. Please send an email to middcore@middlebury.edu by 5pm on Saturday, Nov. 2nd with the following information: Name, Class Year, Major, and a brief paragraph explaining why you want to be in MiddCORE. Decisions will be emailed by Sunday evening, Nov 3rd. (Pass/Fail)

Middlebury Entrepreneurs
Many people have great ideas for new products or services, but few are willing and able to take the steps necessary to make these ideas a reality. Entrepreneurship is the mindset and skill set that allows passionate people to execute business plans and create lasting, influential companies. Through lecture, class discussion, and hands-on mentoring, students will bring a project proposal from concept to launch quickly and effectively. Key concepts that will be taught include: opportunity analysis, financial planning, team building, and fundraising. Classwork will be supplemented with guest visits from notable entrepreneurs. To qualify for this class, each student must have a business idea—for profit or not for profit—for which they care passionately and are willing to commit the time and energy necessary to give the startup a real chance at success. Students must submit a project proposal describing in less than 500 words: 1). the problem or opportunity they will address; 2). the product or solution they propose to solve this problem; and 3). why they are well suited to tackle this project. Please submit proposals to MiddEnt@middlebury.edu (Approval Required; Pass/Fail)