STS 144     Freshman Seminar: Darwin in his Times  (Every Fall and Spring)                                                     
 
In this course we will dive into the world of Victorian Britain, using one of the most influential scientific thinkers of the time as our guide. In doing so we will examine the enormous shifts that took place in Victorians’ understanding of themselves, their society, and their place in nature.  We will often foray into contemporary art, Victorian popular culture, literature, science, medicine, music, Empire, morality, and politics in order to learn about Darwin’s world. This will provide a social and intellectual background for reading excerpts of some of Darwin’s scientific work, including On the Origin of Species, and The Descent of Man.
 
STS 202       Science, Technology, and Society II: Since 1800  (Spring)                                   
Students in this course analyze the development of the physical and biological sciences throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, paying special attention to the reciprocal relationship between scientific developments and their social influences. Beginning with the social and intellectual upheaval of the French Revolution and working through the first half of the twentieth century, this course surveys natural scientists' landmark discoveries and interpretations and examines the intellectual, social, natural, and personal influences that helped shape their work. Subjects of the course include Newtonianism, creationism, natural theology, evolution, the origin and demise of the electromagnetic worldview, Einstein and the development of the theories of relativity, scientific institutions and methodologies, quantum mechanics, the atomic theory, molecular biology, big science, and modern genetics. STS 202 is meant as a complement to STS 201, but the prior course, while recommended, is not a prerequisite. Offered each year. Fulfills HI  Historical Perspective core and HM  Humanistic Approaches core
STS 344     History of Ecology   (Every other Spring)
This course traces the history of ecology as a scientific discipline with close attention to its changing scientific, political, and cultural contexts. For example, we examine how the science of ecology was formed and why, central conceptual and methodological developments that have taken place in the science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and how the rise of environmentalism has influenced the discipline. Ultimately, we will use our detailed study of this specific scientific discipline to examine the interactions between science and society more generally.
 
STS 366     History of Medicine  (Every other Spring)                                                         
 
This course surveys the history of medicine from ancient times to the present, focusing on the dynamic interplay between theory, practice, and society in our understanding of health and disease. Although the history of western medicine will be the central subject of the course, we will also compare its theories and practices to other modes and beliefs about healing and illness throughout the world. The long time period and wide geographic span of our subject equates to a potentially daunting range of material. To navigate, the following questions will guide our journey through the history of medicine over the centuries. How have people in different times and contexts made sense of health, disease, and healing? How have changing conceptions of nature and the scientific study of the human body influenced medicine? What have been the social, political, and institutional contexts in which medicine and public health has been done and developed? How has the role of the doctor and patient relationship changed, and how have conceptions of “good doctor” and “good medicine” changed? How have the problems of access to and distribution of medical care been approached?
 
STS 330 Idea of Evolution  (Fall)                                      
 
The idea of evolution provides one of the central frameworks of modern biology, explaining observations, guiding research and generating new questions. This course examines the idea of evolution through studying the history of evolutionary theories.  A strong emphasis is placed on developing a sophisticated understanding of the scientific issues and research traditions involved in both the generation and reception of ideas of evolution since the eighteenth century. Guiding questions for the course include; Why and how have particular theories of evolution been developed? What research problems have been at issue in scientific discussions of evolution? The course will also examine how and why various religious, political, and cultural factors influenced the production and reception of ideas of evolution.
 
STS 370    Science and religion: historical perspectives  (Every other Fall)
 
Over the centuries the traditions of both science and religion have attempted to improve our understanding of ourselves, society, and the natural world. This course examines the relationship between science and religion. It asks students to critically analyze the various models that have been proposed to characterize that relationship - from one of conflict to cooperation - using a series of historical case studies. Through developing a historical understanding of how people have viewed these important traditions, students obtain a nuanced background from which to develop their own assessment of the relationship between these extraordinarily influential ways of knowing.