The annual Summer Seminars at Hope College will explore a variety of topics, ranging from creative writing, to gender and Islam, to the Civil War.
The seminars will run Monday-Friday, July 28-Aug. 1. This year's six courses are: "Creative Writing: Mosaic Memoir," "Gender and Islam," "Globalization and Poverty," "God and the New Physics," "One Soldier's Civil War," and "Paper Folding and Pop-Ups: An Interactive Approach to Mathematics."
The seminars will meet concurrently from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the air-conditioned Van Zoeren Hall on the Hope campus. Refreshments will be provided during mid- morning breaks.
All of the courses are available for undergraduate credit or on an audit basis, and most are available for graduate credit, depending on the needs of the enrollee. Class sizes are limited to 15 students per course.
"Creative Writing: Mosaic Memoir" will examine examples of memoirs, including reading and discussion. Students will also develop a number of their own memoir mosaics. The course will be taught by David James, adjunct associate professor of English and director of the writing center.
"Gender and Islam" will explore the relationship between gender and Islam in several countries, and will highlight the diversity and range of Islamic practices and customs and their impact on both men and women. The course will be taught by Dr. Annie Dandavati, associate professor of political science.
"Globalization and Poverty" will consider globalization and whether or not it is good for the nearly three billion people who live on less than $2 a day. Topics will include debt relief, foreign aid and free trade. The course will be taught by Dr. Joel Toppen, assistant professor of political science.
"God and the New Physics" will focus on the book of the same title by Paul Davies, which examines topics including the size, age and origin of the universe, the soul and mind, free will, miracles, black holes and chaos. The course will be taught by Dr. Tim Pennings, associate professor of mathematics.
"One Soldier's Civil War" will explore the Civil War writings of Ambrose Bierce, who fought in the war for four years, beginning as an 18-year-old private. Beginning 25 years later, he wrote to counter efforts to glorify and ennoble the bloody battles he witnessed. The course will be taught by Dr. David Klooster, associate professor of English.
"Paper Folding and Pop-Ups: An Interactive Approach to Mathematics" is an interactive course that will focus on ideas for those teaching elementary and middle school mathematics and on improving visualization and problem-solving skills in ways students will enjoy. The course will be taught by Mary DeYoung, associate professor of mathematics.
Enrollment for each seminar costs $190 for those who wish to audit, $300 for one hour of undegraduate credit or graduate credit, and $600 for two hours of undergraduate credit. Pre-registration is advised, although final registration will be on Monday, July 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in Van Zoeren Hall.
Those interested in attending a seminar should call the Hope College Registrar's Office at (616) 395-7760.