Just as we thought we had reached "the end of history," it reappeared with new strangeness and complexity. From the collapse of communism to the fall of the World Trade Center and beyond, this course will use outstanding recent works of non-fiction, fiction, fim and art to illuminate the meaning of our own time as it unfolds into history. We will use web resources to track international media on a daily basis, and outside speakers to broaden the context into such areas as music, political science and defense policy. Focus will be on the background of  current world events in recent history. Readings will include Francis Fukuyama's "The End of History," Samuel Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations," Benjamin Barber's "Jihad vs. McWorld," Nadine Gordimer's "The Pickup," Anne Patchett's "Bel Canto." The instructional team of three teachers from 3 COA resource areas will ensure an interdisciplinary approach, and they will be augmented by several outside speakers representing military history, Middle Eastern and women's studies,music and anthropology.Students will be expected to stay current with daily  readings from "The New York Times Online" and other media. Short and long  papers will provide material for evaluation and allow each student to develop an area of expertise.

Level: Introductory/Intermediate. *HY*