70 courses with the subject AS, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
AS 1152Themes in U.S. History4
The course is an introduction to major issues in the history of the United States, from colonial times to the twentieth century. Topics may include: the origins of slavery and racism; industrialization and the growth of cities and suburbs; the growth of the American empire; movements for social change.
This is an introductory course in the themes and issues relevant to the inter-disciplinary field of African-American studies. Topics include: the origins and development of slavery and racism; African-American contributions to U.S. history; major African-American writers, artists, and thinkers; movements for political, racial, and economic equality.
AS 1512Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies4
Explores the development of sexed and gendered lives, from childhood through adolescence to maturity. Focuses on the family, school, sexuality, career options, and how these experiences and choices are affected by race, class, religion, ethnic origin, and gender. Readings include: fiction; autobiography; history; and social science. Offered every semester
This introductory course explores new and emerging media through the lenses of history, technology, culture, and art. Students will engage with theory and analysis, alongside hands-on creative exercises using mobile media technology. Through readings, discussions, case studies, and experiments, we will examine new media aesthetics, storytelling strategies, and tools like virtual and augmented reality, video games, and apps. This course also delves into the impact of emerging media on journalism, documentary, activism, and its social and political implications.
History of the American people to 1877, which emphasizes the diverse experiences and perspectives of women, people of color, working people, and other historically marginalized groups. Topics include the American Revolution and the Constitution, the origins and development of slavery, the development of Northern capitalism, territorial expansion and displacement of Native Americans, and the conflicts which led to the Civil War. Novels and films supplement more traditional texts. Prerequisites EC I
History of the American people, 1865 to present, which emphasizes the diverse experiences and perspectives of women, people of color, working people, and other historically marginalized groups. Topics include Reconstruction, the Industrial Revolution and the growth of the corporation, the creation of the working class, World Wars and American expansion, Progressivism, the Depression and the New Deal, the rise of industrial unionism, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights movement and new challenges emerging with the rise of global capitalism. Novels and films supplement more traditional texts. Prerequisites EC I
An introduction to social, economic and political stratification in the United States. Sources and consequences of inequality are explored through an examination of educational, political, and occupational structures.
This course explores the causal conditions, nature, and impact of progressive social movements in America. Varying sets of activist biographies and social movement histories related either by period or theme will be selected for study. Possible topics include the abolition, temperance, feminist, peace, labor, civil rights, reproductive rights, and environmental movements. Prerequisites EC I
This course examines the experiences of African Americans in the development of America from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade through the Civil War. Topics include plantation slavery, politics, economics, cultural production, gender and intellectual pursuits. Emphasis on major movements and figures as well as ordinary individuals. Prerequisites EC l
This course examines the experiences of African Americans in the development of America from 1865 through the twentieth century. Topics include Reconstruction, segregation, migrations, war, cultural production, entrepreneurship and the push for civil rights. Emphasis on social and cultural history across class and gender lines. Prerequisites EC l
This course examines the history of Americans’ interactions with the physical environment of the current United States from the European colonial period to the present. Through assigned readings, class discussions, short films, short writing assignments, and speakers, we will consider 500 years of human occupation of North America and its environmental consequences. We will examine how natural environments have established parameters for human economic and social activity, as well as how human beings have interpreted and then reshaped their environmental surroundings in an effort to satisfy their perceived needs. In addition, we will study how different groups of Americans have interacted in their quest to manage, control and distribute the resources of the land, and the impact of “race” and gender on perceptions of our place in and relationship to the non-human environment. Prerequisites EC I
This course will study the long history of Latina/os in the United States from the colonial era to the present, as well as explore important issues in Latina/o culture and politics. We will look in detail at the history of Mexican and Puerto Rican communities in the United States, and we will pay close attention to the impact of nationality, class, and gender in shaping Latina/o lives. This course will highlight the role of imperialism, racism, and nativism in structuring Latina/o opportunities in the United States, and will emphasize the social movements that Latinas/os have forged to resist such forces. Prerequisites EC I
In this course students will be introduced to efforts by artists and art movements who use pencil, ink and press, paintbrush, camera, even bodies, along with other creative tools to comment on injustices and promote social change. The approach to the course will be interdisciplinary, with historical, art historical, biographical, social movement and visual culture lenses emphasized. Artists as diverse as John Sloan, Jacob Lawrence, Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, Charles White, Philip Guston, Louise Bourgeois, Ana Mendieta, Judy Chicago, Judy Baca, Kathy Vargas, Nancy Spero, and Juan Sanchez, will be studied. Students will explore how their art “worked” within their time period-how was it popularly understood, understood by critics, and how is it understood today? How were artists’ concerns and aesthetics connected to their time period? What are the continuities and ruptures in themes or aesthetics that unite artists and art movements? What kind of power does political art have, and for whom? Prerequisites EC I
The production, consumption, and meanings of food are social, cultural and political. This course introduces students to prominent contemporary thinkers about food. Food is an interdisciplinary course drawing from history, environmental studies, documentary studies, sociology, anthropology, folklore, economics, critical race studies, and other fields. It will explore how food is understood, food and meal rituals, how food is produced, distributed, and consumed, with a focus on eating habits and the environment. The course will also introduce students to selected debates and initiatives around food: from diets such as vegetarianism, veganism, and locavorism; food and climate; the industrialization of food, the use of GMOs, food deserts, food insecurity, racial and gender injustice within the food justice movement, obesity and sizeism, and more.
This hands-on course introduces students to nonfiction storytelling through text, photography, audio, video, and immersive media. Students learn to observe closely, engage with people and places, and communicate clearly to specific audiences-often through campus-based reporting. Through short projects such as photo stories, audio pieces, 360 video, and micro-profiles, students practice visual communication, interviewing, and narrative structure. Emphasizing creative expression, documentation, and peer critique, the course prepares students to craft compelling multimedia stories for contemporary platforms.
In this introductory course (AS2901- formerly AS 3247), students will learn the basics of television and video production: camera operation, sound, lighting and editing for field and studio production. Through hands-on workshops, screenings, lectures and readings, students will explore the visual language of the moving image as well as the conventional and experimental approaches to non-fiction video, students will learn to use moving images and sound for artistic expression and as a tool for effective communication. Students will complete individual video projects shot in the field as well as a collaborative TV broadcast project produced in the television studio.
AS2902 Intro to Radio Production (formerly AS3820 Radio Production & Editing): Learn the basic techniques of radio production. Students will learn basic interviewing skills, studio production and mixing techniques, and how to manipulate digital audio recordings in post-production using industry editing software. Learn the basics of the three phases of production, including how to plan, script, create and edit radio content at the college radio station, OWWR, Old Westbury Web Radio.
AS2910 Podcasting and Audio Storytelling (formerly AS3010): This media production course explores audio podcasting in many forms and includes lessons on recording, interviewing, script writing, narration, editing and sound mixing. The class will focus on developing engaging content and creative techniques for non-fiction storytelling through sound. Students will be encouraged to develop stories from their unique point-of-view, embedded in their communities or building on their academic research. We will explore voice in a number of ways: technical (on-air reporting voice), creative (directorial voice), and socio-political (amplifying historically underrepresented voices). Each week we will review professional podcasts which will serve as mentor texts for students as they produce their own projects. Student work will be reviewed at various stages of production, with regular peer and instructor critiques, allowing for an iterative creative process of output, feedback and revision. Prerequisites EC-I
Introduces contemporary issues in feminist theory and their historical origins for comprehensive study of feminist epistemologies and methods. Students will read both primary and secondary theoretical texts to study various feminisms which may include: liberalism; radical-liberalism; Marxist-socialist; psychoanalytic; care; sex and pleasure; multicultural, global and postcolonial; and, postmodern. This course is grounded in an intersectional perspective, introducing Black, Indigenous, women of color, queer and disability feminisms Prerequisites ECI
This audio production course explores podcasting in many forms with a focus on creative techniques for non-fiction storytelling. Students will be encouraged to develop stories from their unique point-of-view, exploring topics important to their communities or building on their academic interests. Students will produce carefully crafted podcasts incorporating research, scripting, field and studio recording, interview, narration, editing and sound mixing.
This course is designed for American Studies majors, or those contemplating an American Studies major. The course will build appreciation of American Studies as interdisciplinary study. In preparation for the 5000-level capping courses, this course builds students’ analytic, research and writing skills. The American Studies Seminar focuses on a particular issue or theme, which will be announced each semester. Prerequisites EC II or permission of instructor
This course will explore the reality and discourse around crime, protest, and policing from the late nineteenth century to the present. We will discuss both the actions and explanations of people who broke the law, the consequences they faced, and the shifting cultural narratives that have formed around the idea of ‘criminals.’ Prerequisites EC II
This course investigates urban history in the United States with a focus on the 20th century and on the role of race and ethnicity in shaping urban America. Using an array of scholarly texts, media, and primary source documents, this course will trace the social, economic, and cultural history of U.S. cities and the growth of their suburbs. Topics will include: the formation of early-twentieth century immigrant/ethnic communities and the advent of neighborhood segregation; the Great Migrations of African Americans to the urban North; white flight, suburbanization, and urban economic decline after WW II; urban “crisis” and radical anti-racism in the 1960s and 70s; gentrification, mass incarceration, and the rise of “Global Cities” toward the end of the century. Prerequisites EC II
In this introductory course, students will learn the basics of television and video production: camera operation, sound, lighting and editing for field and studio production. Through hands-on workshops, screenings, lectures and readings, students will explore the visual language of the moving image as well as the conventional and experimental approaches to non-fiction video, students will learn to use moving images and sound for artistic expression and as a tool for effective communication. Students will complete individual video projects shot in the field as well as a collaborative TV broadcast project produced in the television studio.
Students study the world of television writing through thorough analyzing popular shows and learning the formula and format for writing a spec (sample) script for a current television show. Students are taught the language of scripts and scriptwriting, how to come up with an original idea, how to develop a good story, how to write good characters, how to write an outline and develop and write scenes for their script. The course is focused on half-hour comedies and dramedies featured on the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), cable television (HBO, SHOWTIME STARZ) and streaming networks (NETFLIX, HULU, APPLE TV+). Prerequisites EMS
This course will explore the history of these scattered populations of Africa, their dispersal to the various regions of the world, especially the Western hemisphere, the circumstances and institutions which shaped the evolution of these diaspora communities, and the continuing physical and emotional ties to Africa and Africans. The dispersal of black people from their homes in the continent of Africa to the diverse geographical sites all around the world is one of the more momentous, historical and sociological events in the trajectory of world history. Prerequisites EC II
American society has transformed since its founding from a commercial outpost on the edge of the Atlantic to a complex industrial democracy. This course examines that transformation in light of its impact on notions of democracy, the work ethic and good citizenship and the shift toward a post-industrial empire of mass consumption and leisure. Using historical documents of political theorists, advocates and critics of consumerism, as well as social movements for consumer rights, alongside contemporary materials such as advertising campaigns and policy debates, students will explore how this change has altered our very notions of identity, democracy and citizenship. Prerequisites EC ll
This course focuses on the distinct experiences of African-American women in the 19th and 20th centuries. The course includes the experiences of women in slavery, social movements, abolition, anti-lynching, suffrage, civil rights, and Black Power as well as the writings and lives of the major figures. Prerequisites EC II
An interdisciplinary course that looks at the lives of women across the world. Readings and materials focus on the variety of circumstances in which women live, the factors that directly influence their situation, the interaction between cultural constraints and existential possibilities, and women’s efforts to change and improve their own and others’ lives. In this course students also examine how women in multiple contexts utilize mass culture and develop new cultural forms to advance their interests. Prerequisites EC II
This course surveys women’s experience from 1620 to the present. The course analyzes women’s connection to key aspects of American history such as the American Revolution, slavery and the 20th century development of the welfare state. This course posits women as agents of change in American history, but the course also examines how the study of women over time raises questions about traditional chronologies of American history. Students will be introduced to well-known and little known women and their individual and collective attempts to reshape American society through examination of diaries, autobiographies, fiction, government hearings and film. Prerequisites EC II
Covers the historical development and social and political importance of the mass media in the U.S. It concentrates on the growth of consumerism and advertising , as well as on radio, film, and the growth of TV. It also examines popular forms of expression, such as music and popular art, as they relate to mass culture. Prerequisites EL 1000
Artificial Intelligence technologies are being integrated into our lives. What do you need to know about Artificial Intelligence? Will it disrupt everything? Will you survive? Could you even thrive in the wake of this A.I. tsunami? A.I. & Society begins with the fundamentals of A.I. literacy by explaining foundational concepts. Understanding these fundamentals, we will develop a complex analysis of the positive and negative effects of this technological revolution. What predictions can we make for our A.I. future? What are the dangers of an accelerated adoption of untested technologies? Can A.I. be aligned with human values? Will we prosper as augmented humans empowered by artificial general intelligence? How will A.I. impact our personal, professional and political lives? Prerequisites EL1000
The course combines instruction in the craft of journalism and teaches students to write accurately and clearly and to meet deadlines. The basics of good reporting whether for print, broadcast, or internet journalism are stressed, including how to gather and verify information, where to look for stories, how to interview, how to use sources, and how to report in a fair and balanced manner. Students will write about and cover a variety of news events and issues. Prerequisites EMS
Learn the basic techniques of radio production. Students will learn basic interviewing skills, studio production and mixing techniques, and how to manipulate digital audio recordings in post-production using industry editing software. Learn the basics of the three phases of production, including how to plan, script, create and edit radio content at the college radio station, OWWR, Old Westbury Web Radio. Prerequisites EC I
This fast-paced, intermediate course provides students practical experience in multimedia reporting across a variety of topics. Emphasizing accuracy, clarity, and ethical standards, the course guides students from the pitch process through researching, interviewing, writing and editing. Students will develop professional reporting skills and an understanding of journalistic responsibility in serving an informed and engaged audience. Prerequisites AS3800 or instructor approval
This two-part history course is based on the constitutional foundations of the civil rights laws passed by Congress during the modern rights movement. Part I highlights the first phase of the 20th century legislative struggle, beginning with the Niagara Movement through the struggles for anti-lynching, anti-poll tax, the Powell Amendment non-discrimination principle in federally funded programs, a permanent Fair Employment Practice, and other civil rights laws that led to passage in 1957 of the first civil rights act since Reconstruction. The course is structured with selections from published sources and primary documents from the collection of the NAACP Washington Bureau and its administrative files. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This two-part history course is based on the constitutional foundations of the civil rights laws passed by Congress during the modern rights movement. Part II is the second phase of the 20th century legislative struggle, beginning with the sit-in demonstrations and Freedom Rides in the South, and other aspects of nonviolent protests that brought worldwide attention to the wanton denial of civil rights for African American, which intensified pressure on Congress to pass civil rights laws and on the Executive Branch to adopt constructive policies to protect those constitutional rights. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This course addresses a special topic in the history, society and/or culture of the U.S. The specific topic will be announced by the Department when offered. The course may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
Subject
AS
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Repeatable
may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes.
This course addresses a special topic in the histories, societies, politics, or cultures of Black people in the United States and/or in the African diaspora. The specific topic will be announced by the Department when offered. The course may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes. Prerequisites EMS or permission of instructor
Subject
AS
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Repeatable
may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes.
This course addresses a special topic in the history of the U.S. The specific topic will be announced by the Department when offered. The course may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes. Prerequisites EMS or permission of instructor
Subject
AS
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Repeatable
may be repeated for credit up to two times if course topic changes.
Credits: 4‑12 This internship is for students who would like experience working in politics, government, or community agencies. Students are placed to develop practical skills in public sector groups and agencies. Students compile a portfolio and 10‑15 page essay on the experience. This is an excellent opportunity for students who think they might want to work in government or community affairs. Prerequisites Permission of instructor.
An examination of U. S. society from the Native American experience to European settlement through the Jacksonian era. Topics include: Puritanism, origins and development of slavery, American Revolution, growth of market relations, and the historical relationship between forms of economic development, social, intellectual, and religious life and politics. Prerequisites
This course examines the intellectual history of the U.S. from Puritanism to the present. Topics may include Religion, Democracy, Transcendentalism, Social Darwinism, Progressivism, Pragmatism, Conservatism, Socialism, Keynesianism and Feminism. Students will use historical documents and the works of major intellectual figures to explore the many facets of the American intellectual tradition. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This course provides an in-depth examination of the coming of the Civil War, Reconstruction and the formative impact of these events on the development of American society. Topics covered include: slavery; abolitionism; sectional conflict; the emergence of tenant farming and debt patronage; the rise of Jim Crow; constitutional guarantees and the limits of equality. Special attention will be given to issues of race, class and gender in considering the constitutional, political, economic, cultural and demographic changes that led to and followed from America’s “Second Revolution.” Films, novels, diaries, first person narratives and other primary sources will supplement historical works. Prerequisites
An exploration of social, political, economic and cultural life from the Civil War through the 1920’s. Topics include the growth of the modern industrial system, the emergence of the corporation, immigration, migration, the development of the labor movement, consumer culture, populism, the rise of Progressivism, women’s suffrage and the Harlem Renaissance. We will also explore the backlash against reform in the red scare following World War I. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
Since 1965 millions of new immigrants have landed on the shores and the airports of the United States. While often compared with earlier immigrants, they diverge from their predecessors in numerous and important ways. This course will explore several broad thematic and theoretical issues in the changing nature of U.S. immigration. The aim is to introduce the students to a number of “conversations” and scholarship pertaining to where our society is now, relative to dealing with the political, economic, social and other demographic challenges which emanate from this immigration. Video and documentary presentations will be used to supplement the lectures and reading materials. Prerequisites
This course will examine the history of immigration to, and migration within, the United States from the colonial era to the present, including forced migrations, such as the African slave trade. We will consider the full range of the migration experience, including what compelled or inspired people to leave their homelands, the means of their migration, and how they settled in their new homes. In addition, we will look at the cultural transformations precipitated by immigration including the creation of ethnic identities, assimilation, and transculturation. Various forms of nativist sentiment and practice will be addressed, as well as migrant and ethnic resistance to nativism, racism, and exploitation. Prerequisites
This course will explore the history of Latina/o communities in New York City and its surrounding suburbs from the 1940s to the present day. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to study diverse Latina/o experiences of immigration, labor, discrimination, disinvestment, and gentrification, as well as the long history of Latina/o activism and cultural production in the city. There can be no doubt that Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, and other Latina/os have profoundly influenced the culture, economics, and politics of Metro New York, and this course will trace that history. Prerequisites
Students will be immersed in an intensive, fast-paced environment that reflects real world experience in the media industry. Emphasis will be placed on writing, critical thinking, and creativity. The course will also explore the technical, philosophical, and practical elements of online journalism. By the end of this course students will have acquired a multitude of skills that will give them a competitive edge in the media field. Prerequisites AS2802 and EMS or instructor permission
This course examines pivotal decades in twentieth century U.S. history from WW I through WW II. Selected topics include the Great Depression and the New Deal, the rise of America’s administrative and welfare state; transitions in social reform traditions; women and youth cultures; the expansion of consumer culture; and the World Wars and their effects on American society, culture, and global position. Prerequisites
The specter of the American war in Vietnam and Southeast Asia continues to haunt the United States. This course is a history of the war and its effects on American foreign policy, domestic politics and culture. It will begin with an examination of the struggle for Vietnamese independence from French colonialism and culminate in a discussion of the lessons of the war for America in the post Cold War era. Some of the topics to be discussed will include the Cold War and world politics; domestic politics and the economy; the role of the mass media; the anti-war movement; racial and class politics; and the effect of the war on those who served and those who resisted. Prerequisites
This course will examine the history of conflicting ideas about youth and childhood in our society. We examine the images and ideas of youth as portrayed in the media from the colonial era to the present. Special attention will be paid to the role of children in the politics of race, class, gender, family, education and mass media. Prerequisites
An in depth examination of U.S. history and culture from WW II to the end of the Cold War with a special emphasis on the role of the media and mass culture. Beginning with a discussion of the effects of the World War on the politics, economics and culture of the United States this course will debate each of the major political and cultural conflicts that have marked the end of the Twentieth century. Selected topics may include: Cold War politics, culture and foreign policy; Civil Rights struggles; Women’s liberation; The suburbs; Television and mass culture; Youth culture and rebellion; Ecology movement; Gay rights movement; The Reagan Revolution; The Culture Wars; and Religious conservative and “Right to Life” movements. Prerequisites
Examines the changing structure of American families over the past 300 years: how they have differed according to class, race and ethnicity, and the forces that have continued to influence family life. Topics include: Puritan families; African-American families in slavery and freedom; immigrant and middle-class families at the turn of the 20th century, and the modern family. The course uses a variety of materials: films, historical articles and documents, and novels. Prerequisites
This course examines the social, cultural, economic, political and demographic development of New York City and State from colonial America to the present. Historical documents, fiction and films about New York will provide the material for a critical discussion about the multicultural heritage of the Empire State. Prerequisites
This course explores the Women’s Movement across three distinct centuries. It examines both the first wave: 19th Century modern women’s rights and suffrage movement, the second wave: the 20th Century modern women’s liberation movement, along with the multiple forms of feminism that have followed. How did the movements arise, who were their constituents and enemies, how were their goals met? What strategy, ideology, and tactics were used? Readings will consist of historical and theoretical documents, poems, autobiographies, oral histories, film and pro-feminism and anti-feminism ephemera. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This interdisciplinary course examines women of color feminism and its historical, intellectual, cultural, and political formation. We will consider theoretical contributions of women of color feminisms such as “intersectionality,” “hybridity, expressed as borderlands,” and “coalition through difference” as well as women of color feminism’s critiques and strategies of resistance to oppressive forces. Exploring these theoretical contributions through writings, first-person narratives, fiction, film, spoken word, and music, this course explores issues of identity, representation, rights, policy and the significance of interesting categories of race, gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality, and nation in the lives of women of color historically and in contemporary society. While the course focuses on relationships across and within the United States, the nature of these identities, alliances, and texts often transcends the borders of the United States. Prerequisites
This course examines the ideas of social change that developed from slavery to the present among African American thinkers and activists. It begins by examining the assumptions and aspirations expressed in abolitionism, nationalism, folklore, suffrage and Pan-Africanism that developed in the antebellum period. It proceeds to analyze the related cultural, political and economic ideas that have emerged throughout the twentieth century. The course stresses the role played by culture and ideas in the process of social change. Prerequisites
This course complicates our understanding of the photograph. How does a medium that seems to transparently show the truth, help make America’s truths? This course explores photography’s power to document and create an America both imaginary and real. We will examine how the photographic image and its dissemination constructs U.S. national and social identities, shaping attitudes about America’s heroes and marginalized groups; territorial expansion; the American Dream and American social inequality across time. In this course students will learn: how photographs helped record and shape American history; to understand the visual language and rhetoric of photography; to utilize photographs and text to make an argument about America today. Prerequisites EMS
This course focuses on the relationship between media genres and different forms of popular culture. Students explore different theoretical approaches to the understanding the role of media in modern society. The course examines how popular media communicate ideas about the world, about identity, and our sense of self. Reading across social media, gaming, television, film, music, art, and the popular press, the course considers relationships between the media, institutions, identity, relations of power, and historical, economic, social, and political contexts. Prerequisites AS2112, 2122, 2252, 2262, 2263, 2300, 2640, 3215, 3222, 3270, or 3462 and EMS
In this course, we explore the histories and cultures of Latin American heritage communities in the U.S. with a focus on media. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will examine how media shapes culture, identity, and social and economic power dynamics. Through readings, lectures, screenings, listening exercises, and class discussions, we will reflect on how these communities have been portrayed and have portrayed themselves across media over time. We will focus on the historical and political factors that influence media industries, narrative production, the formation of stereotypes, and how creators have challenged those stereotypes. While covering media such as the printed press, radio, television, and digital platforms, our main focus will be on cinema. We will analyze how class, gender, ethnicity, race, and citizenship are represented and shaped both individual identities and collective stories. We will also explore how migration and immigration and activism have shaped people’s experiences and media practices as well as the connections that remain and emerge with communities across borders. Prerequisites
This advanced course immerses students in hands-on, collaborative production of the university’s multimedia digital news site, The Catalyst. Students produce original content on deadline that meets professional standards and learn the essential ethical, technical, and editorial practices that inform and engage a digital audience via the written word, photography, audio, video and social media. Prerequisites MC 2802 and AS 3800, or instructor permission; EMS
This internship will give students experience working in Old Westbury’s Media Innovation Center. Students will develop practical skills in TV or multimedia production. To receive academic credit for the internship, students produce video and/or TV projects, meet regularly with the instructor, and submit three reflective essays on the experience. Offered every semester. Prerequisites Instructor permission
Credits: 1‑12 This internship provides students with hands-on experience working at a campus media outlet (OWWR, The Catalyst, Media Innovation Center/OWTV) or in a professional media setting such as a news organization, production studio, digital platform, or network. Students develop practical skills in a real-life environment and meet with the instructor to discuss their progress and write about their experience. The internship is an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in a media career to gain experience, expand their skill set, build their resume, and develop contacts. Select internships also provide opportunities for portfolio development with instructor guidance. Prerequisites Permission of instructor
AS 5000Topics in U.S. History in Global Perspective4
This course will take an international perspective on the history of the United States. Thematic, geographic, and chronological focus will vary by instructor, but all courses will situate American history in the context of a global (or regional) historical development, compare an aspect of U.S. history with that of another country (or region), or explore the U.S.’s relationship with another country (or region). Potential topics might include: U.S. imperialism in Puerto Rico and the Philippines; a comparative history of slavery and abolition in the Americas; the history of the U.S. in the Middle East; the American, Haitian, and French revolutions; the colonial Atlantic World; women’s rights movements in the U.S. and Europe; or the global Cold War. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This course is designed to facilitate the work of Black Studies students as they complete their capstone projects. Working with the professor, and in collaboration with their colleagues in the class, students will produce a research project that is grounded in the methodologies of Black Studies, and that represents an original contribution to the field. Over the course of the semester we will examine and work through the challenges of producing original research. Prerequisites AS1282; AND EMS; Or permission of instructor
This course will focus on 20 th century American voices as they have developed in diverse media-novels, film, music, TV and computers. Individual speakers will be used to represent influential groups or trends that emerged and the themes and issues associated with them. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This capping course looks at how history gets made and told-by scholars, but also by novelists, graphic novelists, playwrights, filmmakers, photographers, artists, and reporters. We will study traditional histories and narrative experiments in history to explore a number of questions: How do narrative forms shape how history gets told? Why have some histories become mythic or legendary? Are the contours of some events untellable, unknowable? How do narrative histories get used, even invented, to justify actions and to make history? How do personal and public historical narratives merge and diverge? Students will write a research paper in the course, based on primary and secondary sources. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This senior seminar examines the comparative roles of visual culture between the transatlantic landscape of nineteenth century abolitionism and the visual creative expressions of twentieth and twenty-first century musical iconography and art work which also crisscrossed the modern Atlantic World. Students will probe the political contexts of these sometimes similar, yet often divergent visual streams. The ways in which the aforementioned themes shaped artistic productions and the debates concerning them will serve as guiding focal points for our analyses. Attention will be given to how artistic innovations within sub-cultures sought to challenge the status quo and mobilize for change. The relationship between visual access and modern American consumerism will be also be explored. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
This senior seminar examines the evolution of U.S. culture from a multicultural perspective. Special attention will be paid to the role that culture plays in social control and social change. Prerequisites One of the following: AS2112 or AS2122 or AS2252 or AS2262 or AS2263 or AS2300 or AS2640 or AS3215 or AS3222 or AS3270 or AS3462 AND EMS Or permission of instructor
