Still Time to Enroll! New Topic Courses for Spring

Emerson College’s spring semester begins January 14. The last day to add a class without instructor permission is January 18. The last day to add or drop courses for the spring semester is January 28. File photo/Derek Palmer

Hollywood economics, religion and secularism in contemporary societies, and the Cape Verdean immigrant community in Providence, are some areas covered by new topic courses being offered this spring semester – and for some, there’s still time to enroll.

Each semester new topic courses are offered, with five added this spring. This is probably the first, and possibly the last time these courses are offered, so like one of those only available for a limited time commercials, take the class now or you may not have another chance.

Though it could be possible you’ll have a second chance to take these classes, as topic courses may be offered again, and can eventually become permanent to the curriculum. Whether the topic class is offered again depends upon several factors, including final enrollment in the class, faculty interest/availability, and student evaluations of the class.

Some of these classes are already at capacity, while others have open seats. Please visit the eCommon course listings page to see the most recent enrollment information and full course descriptions.

Here are the five new topic courses being offered this semester:

Telling Our Story: First Voice Narrative Memory (IN 212-0) is being taught by Claire Andrade-Watkins. This course has a New England focus, as it chronicles the history of the Cape Verdean immigrant community who settled in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. The course will trace the community from slavery to voluntary immigration in the early 20th century. It also will examine modern issues, including how the community was displaced by urban renewal, gentrification, and the construction of I-95 in the mid-20th century. This class still has numerous open seats. 

Hollywood Economics (EC 210-0) is being taught by Tylor Orme. The economics of the film industry is always changing and evolving. This couldn’t be truer with the increasing digitization of the industry. Students will use economic concepts regarding information flow to examine modern film industry issues such as segmentation of audiences, the declining value of stars, and the rise of streaming services. This class is full.

Religion and Secularism in Contemporary Societies (SO 310-0) is being taught by Carol Ferrara. This is a sociological and anthropological course that asks questions like: How come “One nation under God” is in the Unites States’ pledge of allegiance when we are a secular society? Does secularism foster or hinder religious pluralism in India? How can Muslim headscarves be restricted in France and Turkey? This class will examine how modern societies manage religion and religious differences, and how it shapes our political, ethical and social worlds. This class has one open seat as of January 8.

Biology and Economics of Cooperation (IN 374-01) is being taught by Nejem Raheem and Beatriz Gonzalez-Flecha.Faculty will use literature featuring fundamentals of evolution, neurobiology and economic theories to examine how they are symbiotic to each other and human cooperation. This class is being co-taught by a biomedical scientist and a behavioral economist, who will use popular books to discuss the many aspects of cooperation. Students will also conduct classic behavioral experiments. This class has numerous open seats.

The Psychoanalysis of Social Issues (IN 315-0) is being taught by Jane Keat. Students will be introduced to psychoanalytic theories that can inform our understanding of society. Literature and media of contemporary issues will be used to identify the value of a psychoanalytic approach and critique its limitations. This class is full.