Spring 2025 RFLA Seminar Courses

Course: 15015 RFLA 100A 01

Instructor: Bill Boles, English

Days/Times: MW 02:30-3:45P

Course Title: Create Your Own Jukebox Musical

Prereqs:

Course Description: The jukebox musical has clearly become a mainstay on Broadway and West End stages. Cher, Green Day, Jimmy Buffett, ABBA, Gloria Estafan, The Kinks, The Gogos, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, to name only a few, have had their songs used as the backbone of successful (and not so successful) stage musicals. In this  class students we will examine the structure of a few jukebox musicals before creating their own musical based around the songs of a musical artist.

Course: 15121 RFLA 100A 02

Instructor: Robert VanderPoppen, Art/Art History

Days/Times: TR 9:30 - 10:45

Course Title: Art in the Italian City

Prereqs:  

Course Description: Urban spaces first arose in Italy in the 9th Century BC and continue to dominate the life of the peninsula today. This course will examine the city as a cultural, political, and economic phenomenon from the lens of Archaeology and Art History. Students will explore urban planning, architecture, and art changes by viewing sites, monuments, artworks, and artifacts from the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and modern periods.

Course: 15121 RFLA 100A 03

Instructor: Victoria Brown, English

Days/Times: TR 9:30 - 10:45

Course Title: Writing Your World

Prereqs:  Counts as elective in the English major/minor, WRIT minor

Course Description: In this course, we provide practical insights into how to write an academic essay. We show you how to develop the academic skills needed to be a competent academic writer.

You will have an opportunity to engage with texts written by academics and see how some of the ideas in these texts are used by students in constructing an academic essay. We address some of the challenges these students face concerning academic writing and offer you the opportunity to practice and develop your writing style.

Course: 15188 RFLA 100A04

Instructor: Missy Barnes, Theatre/Dance

Days/Times: MWF 11:00 - 11:50

Course Title: Freedom to Move

Prereqs:  

Course Description: This course covers a variety of techniques that lead to more efficient use of the body. Methods learned will include various forms of dance, including body mapping, Alexander Technique, Nia, Laban, body-mind centering, yoga, and Feldenkrais. It is suitable for all students, particularly actors, dancers, singers, instrumentalists, and athletes.

Course:  15197 RFLA 100A 05

Course Title:  See the Sound & Feel the World

Instructor:  S. Kim, Music

Days/ Times:  MW 2:30 - 3:45

Prereqs:  

Course Description:  This course explores the intersection of music and visual art across different cultures and historical periods, focusing on shared techniques, cultural identity, and artistic expression. By analyzing works of art and music from various countries, students will understand how these art forms reflect societal values and ideals while fostering a global perspective as engaged, thoughtful citizens. The class offers a unique way to experience and interpret the world through the lens of these interconnected mediums, often called universal languages.

Course:  15221 RFLA 100A 06

Course Title:  Euro & Amerian Art 1400 - Present

Instructor:  Melanie Nguyen, Art History

Days/ Times:  MWF 12:00 - 12:50

Prereqs:  

Course Description: This course introduces students to art made in Europe and the United States from the Renaissance to the present. We will consider how works of art have been shaped by their socio-political contexts and how they continue to have relevance in our world today.

Course:  15222 RFLA 100A 07

Course Title:  Euro & Amerian Art 1400 - Present

Instructor:  Lisa Cody-Rapport

Days/ Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  

Course Description: This course will explore where ideas originate and how they can be utilized and expanded upon throughout the visual creative design process. Projects will be introduced, experienced, and discussed in the context of recognizing limiting mindsets and finding ways to creatively problem-solve to produce an original design. The coursework includes projects that focus on exploring various elements of the language of design, including drawing, painting, collage, working with fabric and 3-D forms, and researched or intuitive imagery from text or music. Students will study and write about a designer of their choice while discovering their unique creative process as they complete a sequence of interpretive projects.

Students will gain confidence in their own visual communication “voice.” They will benefit by understanding how design elements can communicate a visual idea, developing methods of connecting with their creativity, and expressing their ability to communicate inspiration and dynamic visual ideas and images.

Course:  15224 RFLA 100A 08

Course Title: Improv for Life

Instructor:  David Charles

Days/ Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  Counts as THE 275

Course Description: 

This course introduces the student to the collaborative and play-inspired world of spontaneous theatre and explores the unique artistic potentials inherent in non-scripted performance. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• articulate and demonstrate the fundamental principles that inform and enable improvisational play
• constructively employ the above principles in the pursuit of team-oriented scene-based play in a collaborative and supportive fashion
• achieve deliberate stylistic and structural effects in scenic work and generate improvised scenes that embody energy, honesty, and variety
• successfully perform in a competitive-style show format

Course:  15175 RFLA 100C 01

Course Title:  Intro to Global Challenges and Solutions

Instructor:  Anne Stone, Communication Studies

Days/ Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  RFLA 100; With DAN 135

Course Description:  This course explores interconnected global challenges spanning poverty, hunger, health, gender equality, climate change, and more through the lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students will analyze root causes, impacts, and potential solutions while building information literacy skills to understand and address humanity's complex challenges.

Course: 14929 RFLA 100C 02

Instructor: H Ewing, History

Days/Times: TR 9:30-1045 A

Course Title: Barbarian in Ancient History

Prereqs: RFLA 100; Counts as CLS elective

Competency/GenEd: RFLA 100; Counts as AAAS elective ICMP

Course Description:

Course:  15178 RFLA 100C 03

Course Title:  Intro to Global Challenges and Solutions

Instructor:  Melissa Nelson

Days/ Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  

Course Description:  This course explores interconnected global challenges spanning poverty, hunger, health, gender equality, climate change, and more through the lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students will analyze root causes, impacts, and potential solutions while building information literacy skills to understand and address humanity's complex challenges.

Course: 15019 RFLA 100C 04

Instructor: Tonia Warnecke, Social Entrepreneurship

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: How to Change the World

Prereqs: Counts as SE 220

Course Description: This course focuses on change-making and social innovation in an international context, developing your ability to see opportunities in the midst of pressing social problems. Learn about key barriers to innovation and strategies for improving results as we examine the goals adopted in 2015 by nearly 200 countries to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure shared prosperity in a new sustainable development agenda.

Course: 15020 RFLA 100C 05

Instructor: A KatunWilliams, Social Entrepreneurship

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Business for Social Impact

Prereqs: Counts as SE 100

Course Description: How can business be used to tackle critical social and environmental problems in our world? You will learn how successful social entrepreneurs create and drive positive change, and how and why meaningful social changes happen. After considering root causes to problems our society faces, you will identify and explain new approaches to making change through for-profit, non-profit, or hybrid social enterprises, as founders, employees, and ecosystem developers, among other roles. This is a project-based course; you will develop your ability to recognize opportunities in the midst of pressing local and global problems, and apply concepts and frameworks to further develop those opportunities.

Course:  15194 RFLA 100C 06

Instructor:  Julia Maskivker, Political Science

Course Title:  Ethics and Social Justice

Days/Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45; ECMP

Course Description: In this course, we will review some of the most influential ethical theories in the history of ethics, and we will apply them to understand concrete ethical and social dilemmas such as assisted suicide, abortion rights, immigration policy, the challenges of global climate disaster, the ethics of voting in a polarized world,  distributive justice and many others. We will attempt to understand how to engage in moral theorizing while at the same time using that theoretical knowledge to analyze particular social and economic issues of great relevance today 

Course:  14985 RFLA 100H 01

Instructor:  Katie Avagliano, English

Days/Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Course Title:  Fandoms

Prereqs:  Counts as elective in the English major/minor

Course Description:  Geeks and fans have been transformed from a stigmatized subculture into a mainstream power demographic, catered to and courted by the media industry. We will spend the class exploring how fandoms come to be and their power in our media and news industry. We will also explore the fandom’s power for community building, bullying, inclusiveness, etc.

Among the questions this course will pose for discussion: What is a fandom? Are some fandoms more
equal than others? And what happens when fandom starts taking over our “real life” spaces?

Course: 15032 RFLA 100H 03

Instructor: Todd French, Religious Studies

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Extremes of Religion

Prereqs: Counts as REL elective

Course Description: 

Course: 15169 RFLA 100H 04 

Instructor:  Frances Tran, English

Course Title:  Growing Up Other(wise)

Days/Times:   TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereq:  Counts as elective in the English major/minor

Course Description: 

This course explores how authors of color narrate their experiences of growing up as “others” in
America. Together, we will analyze the bildungsroman or coming-of-age stories as it manifests across a range of literary forms, including memoir, novels, short stories, poetry, and comics.

Course: 15219 RFLA 100H 04

Instructor:  Todd French, Religious Studies

Course Title:  Religion and Sports

Days/Times:   TR 2:00 - 3:15

Prereqs:  Meets with REL 195

Course Description: Course Description will be soon; contact tfrench@rollins.edu 

Course: 15220 RFLA 100H06 

Instructor:  Steven Schoen

Course Title:  Online Storytelling

Days/Times:   TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:

Course Description: 

 More and more, we tell our stories online. This digital environment, with its multimedia mix of words, sounds, and images, shapes culture, gives us tools for self-expression and can help us understand others across a wide range of differences. In this course, we will study how these words, sounds, and images shape meaning and form engaging stories. This course will help us become more reflective, critical consumers of the audio-visual messages that increasingly envelop us and build confidence using digital technology to express our identities and ideas.

Because the stories we will be sharing are, in part, reflections of ourselves and may be somewhat personal, and because creativity often requires experimentation and stepping outside of comfort zones, please be aware that an important part of this class is developing an environment that is present, respectful, and encouraging.

Beyond just studying online storytelling, we will also tell online stories in this class. However, students come to this class from various media production experiences. Rather than requiring everyone to learn a particular set of software tools, you will start from where you are, building on your existing skills. We will learn composition and storytelling strategies that will work, no matter the level of production skills you bring to class. As we move through course projects, I am very happy to help you approach projects in ways that build on your existing skills and push your learning in directions that help meet your personal goals. In addition to my feedback in the course production journal, you are strongly encouraged to meet with me during office hours throughout the semester for help doing this.

Course: 14095 RFLA 200A 01

Instructor: R Simmons, Art/Art History

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Graphic Narratives

Location: CFAC 107

Prereqs: RFLA 100; Fee: $50. Counts as ART 221 for ART/ARH majors/minors

Course Description: What stories can you tell about your experiences as a Rollins student? How do these stories highlight the college mission of being a "global citizen and responsible leader"? This courses asks you to research and create a visual narrative that explores the meaning of your liberal arts experience at Rollins College.

Course: 14981 RFLA 200A 02

Instructor: Chuck Archard, Music

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Location: KEENE 101

Course Title: Musical One Hit Wonders

Prereqs: Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: 

Course: 14982 RFLA 200A 03

Instructor: Dan Flick

Days/Times: MWF 09:00-09:50A

Location: KEENE 103

Course Title: Music Meets Life

Prereqs: Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: With music and creativity at its core, this course will focus on the countless ways that music touches our daily lives and will celebrate how music can both define us as individuals and bring us together as one world. At no time in history have artists had such a broad reach to influence change and help shape our future. So, whether your interests tend toward being the creator, promoter, producer, performer, or consumer, music’s modern frontier provides a place of limitless opportunity and diversity.

Course: 14983 RFLA 200A 04

Instructor: Molly Breckling

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Location: KEENE 103

Course Title: Music and Revolution

Prereqs: Prereq: RFLA 100; counts as AAAS (U.S.) elective

Course Description: People have sought to overturn those in power throughout history, spawning countless revolutions, uprisings, and protests. Freedom fighters often use music to spread their messages and gather followers. This course will examine instances of revolt and unrest and the music used to inspire activism worldwide from the 18th century to the present. Students will learn of music from the classical western tradition, global revolutionary music, and contemporary popular music.

Course:  15123 RFLA 200A 06

Instructor: C Shelton, Music

Course Title:  Oh, The Horror!

Days/Times: MWF 12:00 - 12:50

Pre-requisites:  RFLA 100

Course Description:  This class will view movie scenes and listen to the accompanying film scores
to study how the music evolved and how it was related to changing technologies and
current events. 

Course: 15085 RFLA 200A 07

Instructor: A Crutchfield, Theatre

Days/Times: MW 2 :00-3 :45P

Course Title: Fashion and the Body

Course Description: The human body has always been one of the main things to influence art and how we express ourselves. From art to fashion to costume design, everything can relate back to the shape and function of the human body. Manipulating the human body has ranged from a functional necessity to a decorative art. This course will focus on how we cloth and manipulate the human body and on the unique blend of art and practicality that is fashion. Starting with a foundation of fashion history, student will learn about the development of global fashion trends, how the history of garments affects current fashions, and use what they have learned to create designs for the future

Course:  15125 RFLA 200A 08

Instructor: Chris Shelton, Music

Course Title:  Oh, The Horror!

Days/Times: TR 8:00 - 9:15

Pre-requisites:  RFLA 100

Course Description:  This class will view movie scenes and listen to the accompanying film scores
to study how the music evolved and how it was related to changing technologies and
current events. 

Course: 14100 RFLA 200C 01

Instructor: T Rahman, Political Science

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Science Fiction and Politics

Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: In this course, students will engage with classic works of political theory alongside reading and watching works of science fiction. Together, these instructional materials will address some of the most enduring questions of political philosophy. What is considered just and fair? What makes the rule legitimate? How can we build an inclusive society in which no one group dominates? Pairing works by political theorists such as Kafka, Le Guin, Asimov, Kubrick, and Nolan this course will halp students think about the complex and enduring problems of racism, patriarchy, neocolonialism, democracy and autocracy, controls over the means of production, etc. in a creative manner.

Course:14980 RFLA 200C 04

Instructor: Je'Nya Jenoch 

Days/Times: TR 09:30 - 10:45

Course Title: Sounds of Blackness

Prereq: RFLA 100; counts as AAAS (U.S.) elective; ICMP

Course Description: This hands-on course explores the merging realms of public history and digital humanities, and the methodologies historians employ in their research and writing within modern contexts and technological frameworks. Over the course of the semester, we will take a critical look at some of the institutional, infrastructural, and political issues involved in interrogating digital humanities. Students will delve into digital archives as well as create and interpret public history platforms, to grasp the techniques historians employ in the creation and utilization of these digital mediums.

Course: 14990 RFLA 200C 05

Instructor: M Robertson, Economics

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Panics, Crashes, & Pandemonium

Prereq: RFLA 100; Counts as ECO 200-level elective

Course Description: The Dutch tulip mania, robber barons, and the recent housing crisis have all contributed to economic slowdowns, with some consequences. But why do such panics and crashes that involve seemingly rational people result in economic pandemonia? This course explores the interdisciplinary causes and consequences of periods of economic havoc over the past three centuries. We consider asset bubbles, banking crises, and sovereign debt bankruptcies. We focus on interesting characters who personify these tragic events and explore why people are repeated victims of financial disasters.

Course: 14992 RFLA 200C 07

Instructor: J Hammonds

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Human Com: Body Language

Prereq:  RFLA 100

Course Description: This course examines how human communication affects and is affected by processes in our bodies. Students will learn about several biological systems and discuss how these are implicated in the communication contexts of emotion, conflict, stress, relationship satisfaction, temperament, and sexual behavior.

Course: 14974 RFLA 200H01

Instructor: N Ritcher, CMC

Days/Times: 2:30 - 3:45 P MW

Course Title: Introduction to Film

Pre/Coreq: RFLA 100; Meets w/FIL 150

Course Description: Introduction to film appreciation and analysis; examines critical approaches to film and film style, including authorship and genre. Intro to Film surveys basic theoretical, technical, and philosophical approaches to studying film.  Students will become “literate” in the language of film by becoming familiar with key terms and concepts used in analyzing film. Students will learn what it means to be a film spectator, how films create meaning, the political aspects of filmmaking, and various approaches to film criticism. 

Course:  15097 RFLA 200H 02

Instructor:  M Kupetz, Global Languages and Cultures

Course Title:  The Latino Journey to the U.S.

Days/Times:  MWF 9:00 - 9:50

Course Description:  The number of Latinos in the United States today is over 50 million, more than 16 percent of the population. These immigrants, one of the fastest-growing groups in 20th-century America, are impacting the country's political, economic, and social life. Where once Latino immigrants were concentrated in pockets of the United States, today they are dispersed in all 50 states, have diverse ideologies, and have become critical components of the globalized economy. Latino immigration is a complex topic with a history. This class will explore the significant Latino immigration waves of the last century into the United States, particularly emphasizing the impact of different Latino nationalities on politics, literature, music, and food. As these microcosms integrated into broader communities, the fusion with traditional American culture has resulted in the rich multiculturalism we see today.

Course: 15001 RFLA 200H 03

Instructor: J Liu

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A

Course Title: Mind & Meditation

Prereq: Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: This course will focus on accounts regarding how the self is constructed according to Buddhist philosophy, and responses and critiques from the perspective of Western philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and psychoanalysis.  It will also examine what the French philosopher-historian Michel Foucault has referred to as “technologies of the self,” i.e., techniques that have been employed by individuals to “transform themselves in order to attain a certain state of happiness, purity, wisdom,”  etc.  So we will consider the construction of identities, and examine techniques that have been employed to function as mirrors and windows for the construction of self.  To that end, we will also study the theory of Buddhist meditation, and critically examine the ways in which Buddhist meditation has been analyzed in Western philosophy and cognitive science.

Course: 15002 RFLA 200H 04

Instructor:  Scott Rubarth

Days/Times: MW 2:00/3:45 P

Course Title: Sci-Fi, Philosophy, & Film

Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: This course examines the philosophical, metaphysical, theological, scientific, and ethical implications of selected science fiction films.   Special focus is given to the Matrix trilogy.  Students critically engage in topics such as the nature of reality and knowledge, personal identity, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, existentialism, and how to live ethically in a post-apocalyptic world.  The course seeks to develop critical and creative skills necessary for understanding mind-blowing movies and unraveling philosophical mysteries.

Course:  15067, 15068 RFLA 200H 06, 07

Instructor:  Milt Moise, English

Course Title:  Debt in US Pop Culture

Days/Times:  15067, 200H 06 TR 9:30 - 10:45; 15068 200H07 MW 2:30 - 3:45

Prerequisites:  RFLA100

Course Description:  As we sit here today, America’s national debt stands at over 34 trillion dollars (and counting), on average, $102,000.00 per person. The total for credit card debt is a mere 975 million, and perhaps a little closer to home, student loan debt stands at around 1.75 trillion, with an average owed of around $29,000.00. Indeed, to borrow an expression from Loyola Marymount Professor of Law Jeffery Atik, “Debt is ingrained in American life” and a driving feature of the American economic landscape. However, the issue of what Americans owe each other and the world is not only financial but primarily discussed in these terms. What about groups and individuals the state has oppressed: what does American society owe them, and what form should this redress take? How does the cloud of debt shape American culture, and influence American cultural production? After establishing a theoretical grounding through a discussion of the introduction of David Graeber’s Debt: The First 5000 Years, we’ll pivot to films like John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal and Adam McKay’s The Big Short, television series such as FX’s Fargo, read novels such as Toni Morrison’s Home alongside Ta-Nehisi Coates’ seismic treatise on reparations, listen to music from Schoolhouse Rock and Rihanna, and engage with personal testimonies and investigative journalism to understand how we got here, how debt impacts people’s lives, and, if possible, what are the solutions to the debt crisis facing American society.  

Course:  15106 RFLA 200H 08

Instructor:  V Machado, Environmental Studies

Course Title: Nature Spirituality

Days/Times: TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereq:  RFLA 100

Course Description: What did naturalist and Sierra Club founder John Muir allude to when he pronounced ‘the
mountains are calling’? What does it mean when environmental activists declare ‘water is life’?
How can we understand those who feel, see, or experience the divine in nature? Drawing from
such ideas, this class will explore the natural world from spiritual and religious perspectives. We
will cover indigenous perceptions of the land, transcendental thought, the ‘greening’ of
mainstream religion, sacred spaces, and the rise of eco-spirituality practices that may involve but
are not limited to meditation, new age ritual, and SBNR (‘spiritual but not religious’) thought.
Collectively, our class will re-think how we understand human-nature relationships within the
lens of the environmental humanities.

Course:  15191 RFLA 200H 09 

Course Title: Yoga and Quest Literature

Instructor:  Jill Jones, English

Days/Times:  F 1:00 - 3:30

Prereq:  RFLA 100; Instructor Consent

Course Description:  How do we transform how we view ourselves, the world, and our place in it? Through adventures, travel, or education? Through meditation or reading?  This course proposes to study (and perhaps create) a change in point of view or metaphysical transformation, aligning a meditation and yoga practice with a course on literary and philosophical transformations or journeys. It will include a required collective weekly Ashtanga yoga practice with a local studio, reading literature on what it means to live a meaningful life, practicing meditation, and keeping a journal.

Course: 14105 RFLA 200S 03

Instructor: P Stephenson

Days/Times: R 08:00-10:45A

                      MWF 09:00-09:50A

Location: BUSH 101

Course Title: Ecology of Florida Environments

Prereq: Prereq: RFLA 100

Course Description: Florida is one of the most ecologically rich states in the U.S., with some of the most unique ecosystems in the world and a remarkable number of endemic species. Florida is so large that it spans three climate zones, and its ecosystems are adapted to frequent fires and floods. In alignment with Rollins’ mission to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership, this course will provide students with the historical background that has shaped environmental policy in Florida for over 400 years and educate them regarding the fundamental biology and effect of human impact governing the function of these diverse ecosystems. Particular attention is given to plants and their biology since the plants in various ecosystems are critical to the other organisms that inhabit the system. By completing this course students will have a fundamental understanding of biology and Florida history as it pertains to Florida’s ecosystems. 

Course: 15181 RFLA 200S 02

Course Title:  Science of Leonardo DaVinci

Course Instructor:  Samantha Fonseca Douguet

Days/Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45; Lab R 2:00 - 5:00

Course Description:  Leonardo da Vinci was one the greatest geniuses of all time. A true Renaissance Man, he excelled in the arts, the sciences, and technology, creating new directions in anything he worked on. A self-taught thinker and artist, he created works of unrepeatable beauty and complexity and ideas in multiple sciences that were often two hundred years or more ahead of his time. Even though his art masterpieces are widely admired, and some of his technological innovations have fascinated the imagination of youths everywhere, his fundamental science work has not been known very well. In particular, it took the attentive work of scientists and engineers to reveal its width and depth. For example, drawings previously thought to be random dwindling turned out to represent elaborate mathematical transformations.
The most remarkable aspect of da Vinci’s enormous body of work is that his art served his science, and his
artistic aesthetics educated his science. He did not consider them two separate efforts. They were two parts of the same relentless attempt to discover the truth and beauty in everything natural and human.

Leonardo’s diversity of thought extended from human and other animal anatomy to physiology, plant morphology, geology, mechanics, optics, waves, fluid dynamics, civil (town and canal) design, ballistics, and pure mathematics. In all these fields, his discoveries were depicted in specialized drawings. Still, remarkably, his “pure art” was often a tour-de-force of scientific information (for example, the “Virgin of
the Rocks” is an impressive study in geology).

This course intends to present Leonardo’s work as the unified art and science duet it represents, and for
that, an introduction to basic physical principles will be given to equip the students with fundamental
knowledge of the laws of nature that govern the world in which we live. This knowledge will help to gain
insight into how these laws can be used to understand and analyze the science in the art of Leonardo.

Course:  15187 RFLA 200S 03

Course Title: Biodiversity & EnvScience

Instructor:  Ian Biazzo, Environmental Studies

Days/Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  Prereq: RFLA 100. Required labs will take place on three Saturday dates TBD

Course Description: Think of this course as a conversation about nature from the perspective of a well-rounded critical thinker. From this perspective, you will see connections, patterns, and issues. Some have always been around you, but you probably never noticed. In the process, we will have a lot of
fun! The more you put into this course, the more you will get out of it.  

Your classes will include presentations, short lectures, discussions, assessments, and collaborative work. You will also receive regular quizzes to demonstrate your retention and progress. You are expected to take
attendance and participation seriously, including the lab days. Due to the experiential nature of this journey, in-person attendance is required, and missing more than three classes will reduce your final grade.

Furthermore, missing a lab day will reduce the grade by a full letter grade. We will push each other to navigate complex environmental issues. We will work together to carefully plan solutions when possible. We will explore and debate the philosophical and practical implications of issues. You will emerge from our course feeling more prepared to engage with the scientific and non-scientific communities. It is also my hope that you will emerge with a greater appreciation for nature.

Course:  15195 RFLA 200S 04

Course Title: The Science of Fragrance 

Course Instructor: A Hashim, Chemistry

Days/Times: T - 8:00 - 10:45 AND R 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs: RFLA 100

Course Description:  The science of fragrances explores the history, significance, composition, production, and perception of fragrances. Students will gain an understanding of the molecular structures of aroma compounds and the psychological effects of scent on mood and behavior, and how fragrances shape our experiences and environments.

Course:  14968 RFLA 300 01

Instructor: S Schoen

Days/Times: TR 08:00-09:15A

Course Title: Making Documentaries

Prereq: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP; FIL elective; meets w/ CMC 340

Course Description:  Documentary is arguably the most widely produced audio-visual media genre in the world today. From the work of world-class filmmakers to YouTube vloggers, the tools and desire to tell “real” stories are everywhere, and they can make a difference – just ask Orlando’s own SeaWorld about the impact of the documentary Blackfish. 

Course:  15089 RFLA 300 02

Course Title:  Beyond Cultural Relativity

Instructor: Giselda Beaudin, International Programs

Days/Times:  TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs:  Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP/ counts for ECMP

Course Description: Students in this course will draw on their experiences abroad, as well as a range of literary and critical readings to examine the concepts of cultural relativism, social constructivism, identity, and ethics.  The central question of this course is what lies beyond cultural relativity?  What ethical framework could guide us forward past tolerance to action in our increasingly globalized world?  Ultimately, the students in this course will be challenged to articulate their own sense of commitment beyond relativity. 

Course: 14984 RFLA 300 03 

Instructor: Molly Breckling, Music

Days/Times: MWF 09:00-09:50A

Location: KEENE 101

Course Title: Pop Songs in American Culture

Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP

Course Description: Since the earliest days of the American popular music industry, our music has been inextricably linked to significant events in the nation’s culture. Artists and their work serve as both a mirror, reflecting changes in American society, and as a catalyst, calling for and sometimes inspiring those social shifts. This course will examine styles as varied and wide-ranging as bluegrass and gangsta rap, and students will research topics in popular music that correspond to the issues in American society and culture that correspond to their interests, goals, and experiences and create projects to share this knowledge with their peers. 

Course: 14988 RFLA 300 04

Instructor: Vidhu Aggarwal, English

Days/Times: MW 2:30-3:45P

Course Title: Mathematical Time Travel

Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP

Course Description:  We will examine “negative” affects (sadness, depression, humiliation) in the formal structures of various cultural products: films, television, comics, literature, and artwork. What makes up our fascination with certain forms of negativity, particularly when ritualized through narrative and performance? How do we consume such emotion as pleasurable? We will examine these questions critically, theoretically, and artistically via the lens of gender, race, and sexuality. Why are certain types of “negative” emotions privileged in our art, culture, and media? In the art that we make? Are these
expressions self-indulgent, cathartic, consoling, liberating and/or all of the above?

Course: 14993 RFLA 300 05

Instructor: M Garcia

Days/Times: MW 2 :30-3 :45P

Course Title: Communication & Wellbeing

Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & MCMP

Course Description: This course will explore the ways communication influences our sense of wellbeing and our ability to achieve it. How we talk about  things and what we choose to talk about influences how we navigate the world around us as we pursue productive careers and meaningful lives. From resilience and  compassion to social support and empathic listening, we will consider how wellbeing is created and supported through communication interaction. We will discuss the ways discourses around us, including social media, influence our ideas of self-care, wellness, and happiness. the rFLA program is meant to be interdisciplinary and this capstone is an especially important part of that experience. Though we will ground our work in a communication approach, we will read work from psychologists, sociologists, and other disciplinary experts.

Course:  14994 RFLA 300 06

Instructor: Anne Murdaugh, Physics

Days/Times: TR 09:30/10:45A

Course Title: Tilt and Spin

Prereq: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP

Course Description: The Earth’s axis is tilted by 23.5 degrees. This tilt unevenly distributes the sunlight across the Earth, giving rise to unique cultural practices, the early science advancements, seasons, and biodiversity. The tilt also influences the effects of and solutions to climate change. In this course, students will explore the intersection of culture, policy, and science to more deeply understand how our path through the stars shapes our past and future.

Course: 14999 RFLA 300 08; 15000 RFLA 300 09

Instructor: Sheri Boyd, Mathematics

Days/Times: section 9: MWF 08:00-08:50A; section 10:  MWF 9:00 - 9:50

Course Title: Social Choice Math

Prereq: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP & MCMP

Course Description: How do different societies choose their leaders? What roles do tradition and ideology play in the structure of government? In this course, we will research and compare voting systems and
representative legislatures worldwide, applying principles of voting theory and fair division to study how diverse groups of people select and empower their leaders.

Course: 15065 RFLA 300 09

Instructor: Jana Mathews, English

Days/Times: MWF 09:00-09:50A

Course Title: Global Middle Ages-Cambodia

Prereq: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP; May substitute for ENG 321; Field study. Enroll through international programs.

Course Description: 

This interdisciplinary rFLA300/ENG321 course and embedded Spring Break 2025 field study offers an in-depth exploration of Cambodia's rich history, vibrant literature, and diverse culture spanning from the 9th to the 21st centuries, with a special focus on the Khmer Kingdom, the powerful and influential state that dominated Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 15th centuries. We will delve into the evolution of the Khmer civilization, the splendor of the Angkor period, the impact of European colonialism, and the complex modern history, including the Khmer Rouge era. Through a lens that combines historical analysis, literary study, and cultural exploration, participants will gain a nuanced understanding of Cambodia's resilience, cultural identity, and contributions to the global community. Combining historical and sociological analysis, personal narratives, and literary exploration, this course provides students with a holistic understanding of Cambodia's complex and fascinating journey through the ages. 

As we will see, learning about this Kingdom doesn’t just enrich our understanding of an ancient civilization—it also provides valuable context for understanding how manipulated narratives of the distant past are sometimes mobilized by contemporary figures and groups to devastating ends. Specifically, we will learn how the Khmer Rouge, a 1970s communist revolutionary group led by Pol Pot, imagined themselves as the rightful inheritors of Cambodia’s ancient glory and used a romanticized (and fictional) version of history to justify an agenda of cultural purification and social restructuring accomplished through genocide.

Our embedded Spring Break field study will take us to some of the archeological sites upon which are readings are based, including the majestic Angkor Wat temple complex. In addition, we will visit local and national museums and libraries to analyze historic documents and artifacts; meet with scholars engaged in projects of linguistic preservation and literary revival; and visit several local, non-touristy sites of religious and cultural importance. In the process, we’ll rediscover the power of the past to shape the future and ask ourselves hard questions about what we could or should do with this knowledge going forward.

Course: 15044 RFLA 300 10

Instructor: Robin Gerchman, Theatre/Dance

Days/Times: TR 09:30-10:45A 

Course Title: Moving Fields

Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP

Course Description: This course is an exploration of the environment through dance. It focuses on the theory of climate change and the practice of dance performance-communication of environmental sustainability. Through dancemaking this course will cultivate community and yield new ways for personal experiences about climate change and how it is impacting life in our shared world. This course integrates dance, storytelling, and observed experiences that offer an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Course: 15063 RFLA 300 11

Instructor: Jasser Jasser, Computer Science

Days/Times: MW 2:30-3:45P

Course Title: Data Analytics with Excel and Access

Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & MCMP

Course Description: This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of data analytics using Microsoft Excel and Access. Students will learn how to use these tools to analyze data, create reports, and visualize data. The course will cover topics such as data cleaning, data organization, data analysis, and data visualization. Students will also learn how to select a dataset to investigate and report their findings. By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of data analytics and be able to apply these skills to real-world problems.

Course: 15170 RFLA 300 12

Instructor: Emily Russell, English

Days/Times: T,R 9:30 - 10:45

Course Title: Good Medicine/Bad Drugs

Prereq:  Two RFLA 200 & MCMP; Counts as elective in the English major/minor; Meets with ENG 334

Course Description: How do we draw the line between "good medicine" and "bad drugs"? How did marijuana end up with heroin on the list of schedule 1 substances? How did amphetamines evolve from combat meds to housewives' diet pills to the most prescribed psychotropic for US kids? In our journey through the pharmacological landscape, we'll learn how political interests, new medical discoveries, and moral panics have drawn and redrawn the line between healing and harm. 

Course: 15182 RFLA 300 13

Course Title: Why do we Science? 

Instructor: Samantha Fonseca Douguet

Days/Times: TR 11:00 - 12:15

Prereqs: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & MCMP

Course Description: Description coming soon. Contact sfonsegadouguet@rollins.edu 

Course: 15137 RFLA 300 14

Course Title: Latin America Goes to the Movies

Instructor: Patricia Tome', Global Languages and Cultures

Days/Times: TR 9:30 - 10:45

Prereqs: Prereq: Two RFLA 200 & WCMP; Taught in Spanish; open to native, heritage, and advanced level Spanish speakers; Counts as SPN, LAC or FIL elective

Course Description: This course will explore Latin America's rich and diverse cultures through cinematic lenses. Cultural topics will range from pre-Columbian civilizations to modern democracies. The selection of films from different areas of Latin America, including Brazil, aims to highlight their diverse cultural backgrounds and the particularities of their production and reception. Some of the issues to be studied will be indigenous groups, repressive regimes, economic hardship, violence, marginalization, race and gender discrimination, music and art, and immigration.