Meeting: M 2:30 - 3:55, R 4:00 - 5:25

Section: 003

Meeting: T: 2:30 - 3:55, R: 1:00 - 2:25

This seminar will explore recent controversies in biotechnology based on the history of the public reception of new scientific knowledge and related technical innovation.  Comparative readings of historical texts, news reports, scientific papers, and fictional texts and video will help students better appreciate debates over such developments as cochlear implants, designer babies, synthetic brain implants, robotic surgery, and the concept of the cyborg.

Censorship & Media

Professor: Perlman

Section: 101

Meeting: R 6:00 - 9:05

This course will examine the historical relationship between censorship and the media in the United States. Key debates and events in the history of American media will be explored within their historical contexts, and with attention to their legal, political, and cultural ramifications. The course will map the shifting relationships between the government, media producers, and the public in determining what is and is not acceptable media content.