Shopping: Day 2
My shopping journal continues. By some inexplicable (miracle?), there weren't nearly as many classes I was interested in shopping today. Not really sure why, but I won't complain...
classes on the list: 5
classes visited: 4
Despite crashing unusually early last night, I didn't wake up early. Rather than rushing off to class I ate a good breakfast and prepared for today's shopping; as a result I missed HI 183: American Urban History since 1870. I've heard from friends that Professor Chudakoff knows the material well and presents it clearly but isn't an unbelievable lecturer. If I wake up for B hour on Friday I'll try to give him a chance, but I won't rush to fit him in. not likely.
AN 121: Nations in States
After attending the first session of this course, I have a good sense of the historical background which led to the presence of indigenous or "first" nations (or "4th-world nations") in many modern states. I've also learned some of the history which leads to tensions and conflicts today. Unfortunately, Professor Anderson didn't share why he thought this was valuable to study, what questions or themes we'd think about when considering these phenomena, or what we could gain from taking the class. He also failed to keep me awake and focussed, even though this was my first class after a full night of sleep. decision: not gonna' happen.
HI 164: Clash of Empires in Latin America
"Like so many good stories, this story begins in Pittsburgh. Well, not quite in Pittsburgh, but what was to become Pittsburgh..." -- Professor Cope
On a whim I followed some friends into this class on Lating American history with Professor Cope (as a result missing ED 102: History of American Education). I enjoyed this class very much. In contrast to HI 162, Professor Cope's other class on Latin America which looks at internal forces and themes in LA, this course examines LA from an external perspective: How do developments in the Americas relate to, cause or result from events in Europe? What economic, social, cultural and ideological bonds emerge in the formation of an Atlantic world? How do these themes relate to the present-day emergence of a global world? Yet while Cope was very good, he didn't wow me. It may simply be my sense of impending departure from Brown, but I'd like to raise my standards for non-required course selection to the "wow" category. decision: I don't know, but leaning against it.
AB 50: Advanced Arabic
The arabic classes here are like my family: familiar faces with whom I've been learning in more of less the same group since first-year. In that way, they're a small yet comfortable reminder of high school (yes, an odd sentiment). Part of me doesn't want to take this class: "it's just a language, you can do that any time" I hear myself saying. Or "why not just speak in Arabic with friends -- does it really deserve it's own class slot? Is it worth not taking another class when your choices are starting to run out?" I think the answer is yes, it does. My Arabic is only OK, not great, but it's on the upswing after my return from Jerusalem. This is my chance to keep it up and reinforce it, helping it move from a neat but mostly useless state to being truly useful. And Mirena is an amazing teacher. Perhaps the best language teacher I've ever had. I wish I could realistically take this as a fifth class, but that's just not going to happen: too much homework, plus everything else I do. decision: I really should.
CO 181.3: The Present Absent in Palestinian Literature
Two years ago I was one of the few admitted to the class who then dropped it; at the time I couldn't handle the workload (sometimes 300 pages a week) and didn't think I couProfessor Cope is a very enjoyable Professor. ld hold my own in class. In addition to being one of the most dynamic professors I've known at Brown and exemplifying my preferred approaches to classroom learning (read on your own, now discuss with your neighbor, share with groups, discuss meaningfully as a class, etc.), Professor Colla does not hide his political views on Israel and Palestine. Two years ago I wasn't ready to stand for myself, but I think that I can now. And this is a great chance to read lots of Palestinian poetry, novels and short literature, which I really need to do to better understand Palestinian experience and narrative. Furthermore, I know most of the people taking the class, and as I said yesterday, that's important to me. This has the potential to become a close-knit learning community together. A new addition this year are weekly film viewings, which I'm excited about, too. While this class may spank me, to take docjekyll's words, it's the right one for me to do. decision: it's in.
And so, shopping 2005 is almost finished. I haven't check for thursday or monday seminars I may want to take yet, and there are a few I'd be willing to visit which I missed before, but I think my options are pretty well laid out:
end of day summary:
YES: AN 115, AB 50, CO 181.3
LIKELY: SO 103
POSSIBLE: ED 147, MU 40
UNLIKELY: SI 10, HI 164
NO: PY 133, HI 112, EC 160, AN 121
CANCELLED: ED 157
FULL: PY 174
MISSED: AC 161.5, HI 190, TA 31, HI 135, HI 154, HI 183, ED 102
In other words, Soc 103, Ed 147 and Music 40 are competing for my last spot. Advice?
classes on the list: 5
classes visited: 4
Despite crashing unusually early last night, I didn't wake up early. Rather than rushing off to class I ate a good breakfast and prepared for today's shopping; as a result I missed HI 183: American Urban History since 1870. I've heard from friends that Professor Chudakoff knows the material well and presents it clearly but isn't an unbelievable lecturer. If I wake up for B hour on Friday I'll try to give him a chance, but I won't rush to fit him in. not likely.
AN 121: Nations in States
After attending the first session of this course, I have a good sense of the historical background which led to the presence of indigenous or "first" nations (or "4th-world nations") in many modern states. I've also learned some of the history which leads to tensions and conflicts today. Unfortunately, Professor Anderson didn't share why he thought this was valuable to study, what questions or themes we'd think about when considering these phenomena, or what we could gain from taking the class. He also failed to keep me awake and focussed, even though this was my first class after a full night of sleep. decision: not gonna' happen.
HI 164: Clash of Empires in Latin America
"Like so many good stories, this story begins in Pittsburgh. Well, not quite in Pittsburgh, but what was to become Pittsburgh..." -- Professor Cope
On a whim I followed some friends into this class on Lating American history with Professor Cope (as a result missing ED 102: History of American Education). I enjoyed this class very much. In contrast to HI 162, Professor Cope's other class on Latin America which looks at internal forces and themes in LA, this course examines LA from an external perspective: How do developments in the Americas relate to, cause or result from events in Europe? What economic, social, cultural and ideological bonds emerge in the formation of an Atlantic world? How do these themes relate to the present-day emergence of a global world? Yet while Cope was very good, he didn't wow me. It may simply be my sense of impending departure from Brown, but I'd like to raise my standards for non-required course selection to the "wow" category. decision: I don't know, but leaning against it.
AB 50: Advanced Arabic
The arabic classes here are like my family: familiar faces with whom I've been learning in more of less the same group since first-year. In that way, they're a small yet comfortable reminder of high school (yes, an odd sentiment). Part of me doesn't want to take this class: "it's just a language, you can do that any time" I hear myself saying. Or "why not just speak in Arabic with friends -- does it really deserve it's own class slot? Is it worth not taking another class when your choices are starting to run out?" I think the answer is yes, it does. My Arabic is only OK, not great, but it's on the upswing after my return from Jerusalem. This is my chance to keep it up and reinforce it, helping it move from a neat but mostly useless state to being truly useful. And Mirena is an amazing teacher. Perhaps the best language teacher I've ever had. I wish I could realistically take this as a fifth class, but that's just not going to happen: too much homework, plus everything else I do. decision: I really should.
CO 181.3: The Present Absent in Palestinian Literature
Two years ago I was one of the few admitted to the class who then dropped it; at the time I couldn't handle the workload (sometimes 300 pages a week) and didn't think I couProfessor Cope is a very enjoyable Professor. ld hold my own in class. In addition to being one of the most dynamic professors I've known at Brown and exemplifying my preferred approaches to classroom learning (read on your own, now discuss with your neighbor, share with groups, discuss meaningfully as a class, etc.), Professor Colla does not hide his political views on Israel and Palestine. Two years ago I wasn't ready to stand for myself, but I think that I can now. And this is a great chance to read lots of Palestinian poetry, novels and short literature, which I really need to do to better understand Palestinian experience and narrative. Furthermore, I know most of the people taking the class, and as I said yesterday, that's important to me. This has the potential to become a close-knit learning community together. A new addition this year are weekly film viewings, which I'm excited about, too. While this class may spank me, to take docjekyll's words, it's the right one for me to do. decision: it's in.
And so, shopping 2005 is almost finished. I haven't check for thursday or monday seminars I may want to take yet, and there are a few I'd be willing to visit which I missed before, but I think my options are pretty well laid out:
end of day summary:
YES: AN 115, AB 50, CO 181.3
LIKELY: SO 103
POSSIBLE: ED 147, MU 40
UNLIKELY: SI 10, HI 164
NO: PY 133, HI 112, EC 160, AN 121
CANCELLED: ED 157
FULL: PY 174
MISSED: AC 161.5, HI 190, TA 31, HI 135, HI 154, HI 183, ED 102
In other words, Soc 103, Ed 147 and Music 40 are competing for my last spot. Advice?