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Donna Vinter, English, Resident Director; Lisa Bowers Isaacson, History, Assistant Director; Charles
Cunningham, Physics; Julianna Fuzesi, Economics; Chris Hunter, Sociology;
George W. Jones, Political Science; Sheila Fox, Theatre; Paula Nuttall, Art
History
Grinnell-in-London takes place
each fall semester. The program’s course offerings include topics that change
from year to year, reflecting the interests and expertise of Grinnell faculty
members who teach on the program. Other
courses in art, English, history, political science, and theatre are offered
regularly by our London-based faculty members.
Students may choose between
traditional classes or classes plus an internship. Internship placements take
into account the interests of each student. Several parliamentary internships
are available.
The program has two phases. In the nine-week Phase I, students earn 8 to 12 credits in three or more courses. In
the six-week Phase II, students take one 4 credit course or participate in an
internship and required internship seminar. Students live in flats, homes, or
residence halls in London, attend classes at the Grinnell-in-London site, and
take multiple field trips in London, the English countryside, other parts of
Great Britain, and other European destinations.
Phase I Courses
Art 295: The Early Renaissance in Florence and Flanders 2
credits
The Florentine renaissance is widely regarded as an artistic
watershed, when artists formulated new ways of representing reality based on
direct observation, scientific principles, and classical precedent, with
profound implications for the course of European art. Equally important were
contemporary developments in Flanders, where artists were likewise engaged in
new ways of seeing, and where the oil technique offered unprecedented potential
for depicting light and texture. This course will provide the opportunity to
study the art of both Flanders and Florence, introducing students to the major
artists (Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Jan van Eyck, and
Rogier van der Weyden), and to broader art historical themes such as patronage,
iconography, and technique. Students will acquire an understanding of what
constitutes the Florentine renaissance, but by also studying Flanders, will be
encouraged to question the standard view of Florence’s central position in the
art of the 15th century. Approximately 50 percent of classes will take place in
London’s galleries, taking advantage of the unparalleled collections of the
National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. An additional three-day
visit to Bruges and Ghent, located in Belgium, will offer the opportunity to
study Flemish painting in situ. Prerequisite: none. NUTTALL.
English 121: Introduction to Shakespeare 4
credits
This course will study representative plays from each period of
Shakespeare’s career, including histories, tragedies, and comedies. Through
close analysis of these plays, both on the page and on the stage, the course
will aim to develop an appreciation of the richness of Shakespeare’s theatrical
art in its powerful marriage of words and images. Attendance at productions of
Shakespeare both in Stratford and in London, including at the newly built
replica of the Globe in Southwark, will be central to our study. Prerequisite:
none. VINTER.
History 231: History of London 2
credits
This course explores the history of London from its Roman origins
to the present day and examines how royalty, trade, religion, and transport
have shaped the city’s pattern of growth over 2,000 years. Coursework consists
of weekly lectures, guided walks, and discussions of readings from contemporary
sources. Students are given an opportunity to investigate an aspect of London
history of particular interest to them. Prerequisite: none. BOWERS ISAACSON.
Physics 109: Physics in the Arts 4
credits
This course introduces students to physical principles with
interesting applications to musical acoustics and the visual arts. Topics
include simple vibrating systems, sound and hearing, musical instruments,
Fourier analysis, light and color, optics, and art. Field trips will include
visits to concert halls (e.g. Gylndebourne Opera House, Birmingham Symphony
Hall) to study the relationship between architecture and acoustical design, as
well as visits to museum exhibits related to the interplay between physics and
the arts.
Prerequisite: Mathematics 124 or 131 recommended. CUNNINGHAM.
Political Science 295: Principles of Ethno-National Conflicts and Their Management 2
credits
This course aims to familiarize students with the devices used for
the regulation of national and ethnic conflicts. It seeks to provide students
with an understanding of the tools available to states and policymakers to
manage conflict. The course will include a close examination of cases of divided
societies such as India, South Africa, Lebanon, and Yugoslavia. Once students
have a grasp on the concept of ethnicity, the course will divide conflict
management into four main themes: 1) territorial devices; 2) repressive and
accommodation incorporation; 3) violence; and 4) solutions within democracies.
Instruction and discussion will occur in the classroom as well as out in London
at various museums, communities, and sites. Prerequisite: none. FUSEZI.
Sociology 295: Doing Good: NGOs as Organizations,
as Workplaces, and as Actors 4
credits
Non governmental organizations are increasingly significant
organizational actors. NGOs frequently tackle tasks that for-profit
organizations and governments can’t or won’t perform; NGOs attract workers who
want more than just a paycheck and volunteers who want to serve others or enact
their faith; and NGOs are organized in distinctive ways. We will examine such
issues as why NGOs exist in the first place, how NGOs organize to do their work
(especially social services, international development, disaster relief, and
humanitarian aid), how volunteers change through their involvement in that
work, and what kinds of practical and moral dilemmas NGOs encounter in, for
instance, humanitarian interventions in militarily unstable contexts. We will
visit the local offices of a number of British NGOs, will have staff from NGOs
visit class, and may volunteer in local agencies. Prerequisite: none. Sociology
111 recommended. HUNTER.
Social Studies 297: The British Parliament 2
credits
Class discussions and assignments focus on understanding and
interpreting internship experiences with an academic perspective. Prerequisite:
acceptance as a Parliamentary intern. JONES.
Theatre 275: British Theatre in Performance 2
credits
This course explores the inner workings of the elements that
comprise the professional theatre in Britain through a careful examination of
contemporary and classic plays in actual performance. Prerequisite: none. FOX.
Phase II Courses (6 weeks)
English 250: Modern Literature in Place: Modern Irish Literature 4
credits
This course will study modern Irish literature written between
about 1890 and the present, including fiction, poetry, and drama by such
authors as W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge, James Joyce, Sean O’Casey, Elizabeth Bowen,
Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. It will introduce the student to the
turbulent history of modern Ireland, while considering how these writers
foster, invent, reinvent, and critique ideas of Irish national, cultural, and
religious identity. It will also look at how the authors engage with themes
that speak to the wider modern human experience. We will take advantage of
opportunities to see Irish plays and hear Irish music in London, and there will
be a field trip to the Republic of Ireland. Prerequisite: English 107, or 115,
or 118, or 120. VINTER.
Physics 180: Bridges, Towers, and Skyscrapers 4
credits
This course introduces students to a variety of large, man-made
structures, with a particular emphasis on British and continental examples (e.g.
Tower Bridge, Iron Bridge, Eiffel Tower, and Gherkin), through a consideration
of their structural, social, and aesthetic aspects. We will focus on the
relationship between the form and function of each structure. Physics concepts
that are necessary for quantitative analysis will be presented. Field trips
will include many sites within London and historic structures in Wales and
Scotland. Prerequisite: Mathematics 124 or 131 recommended. CUNNINGHAM.
Social Studies 295: Understanding Work in the U.K. 2
credits
Class discussions and assignments focus on understanding and
interpreting students’ internship experiences and those of their co-workers
within the U.K. work environment. Topics include the meaning of work and
changing definitions of work, the emergence of the culture of overwork and
pressures that interfere with a viable work-life balance, the growth of the
service economy and consequent increased importance of “emotional labor” (work
requiring one’s emotional skills), the social costs of low pay, and the impact
of European Union legislation on the world of work in the United Kingdom.
Prerequisite: acceptance into regular internship. HUNTER, VINTER.
Social Studies 300: Internship 4
credits
Students work 32 hours a week for six weeks at internship sites in
London. Applications for internships are made as part of the application for
the Grinnell-in-London semester program prior to coming to London. Learning
contracts must be approved by the instructor, the internship coordinator, and
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