Spring 2026 Course Search

Genesis — HIS2220.01

Instructor: Carol Pal
Days & Time: TU,FR 10:30am-12:20pm
Credits: 4

Genesis is the first book in a compilation known collectively as the Bible. It is a text of enormous literary value, and one of our earliest historical chronicles, providing foundational material for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Yet how many of us know what it actually says?  How did it come together, what is the narrative, and how does it relate to ideas, cultures, and events in the ancient world? We will not be considering Genesis in terms of its status as scripture.

Needs, Wants, and Economic Rights — PEC2279.01

Instructor: Emma Kast
Days & Time: TU,FR 10:30am-12:20pm
Credits: 4

Commodities such as cars, smartphones, laptops, and refrigerators were initially considered luxuries but are now widely viewed as everyday necessities. This shift suggests that our understanding of need is shaped by social, historical, and cultural context. In this class we will explore questions such as: how do we distinguish what we want from what we need to live a dignified life? Moreover, how might societies determine which types of needs should be satisfied through market exchange and which should not?