Uncertainty and the Future (FYS)
WRCT 120F
Fall 2021 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
SISP 120F |
The world we live in is full of risk and uncertainty. Science, politics, and economics all tell us that this is a hazardous era in which great changes are inevitable and catastrophes are possible. How do people manage living in such an uncertain world? This first-year seminar introduces students to research and writing in the social sciences by studying a driving factor in the human search for knowledge: the uncertainty of the unknown future. We will consider how the ways in which humans define, relate to, and experience uncertainty influence social well-being and the production of the future. We begin with the anthropological study of uncertainty, which is rooted in the study of ritual and magic, and then consider perspectives in psychology, economics, and ecology. While we will reflect on the "negative" side of uncertainty, such as risk, precariousness, and insecurity, we will also examine the way the creative management of uncertainty is sometimes romanticized and consider the opportunities for creativity, adaptation, resilience, and imagination in uncertain times. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
Major Readings:
Course Texts:
Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing, by Jamie Holmes
Course Pack / Readings on Moodle
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Examinations and Assignments:
Assignments: This is a writing intensive FYS course in the social sciences. Students will write both short and long essays based on course material and independent literature review. Students are expected to take part in class discussions and in-class activities, including writing assignments, peer review, films, and group work. Students will also be introduced to campus resources. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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