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Upper School Social Sciences
The social science courses are designed to provide an understanding and knowledge
of selected individuals, events, ideas, artifacts, and institutions of
the past and present; to develop effective techniques and methods for
studying the human condition; to investigate mankind's role in influencing
historical and cultural development; to study the dynamics of cultural
change; to provide an understanding of individuals by studying societies
and of societies by studying the individual psyche; to develop an awareness
of the importance and nature of value structures in the decision-making,
process at the individual, group, and national levels; to apply concepts
gleaned in a particular situation to new contexts; to develop skills of
analysis and communication, both written and oral; to develop a continuing
attitude of exploration of mankind's ideas through literature and the
arts. Skills in research methodology and the process of learning are further
developed.
The required core of World Civilization, 20th Century World History,
American History, and American Government courses are designed to provide
a foundation of skills and historical information that will serve the
student throughout any of the diverse choices open to him in the 11th
and 12th grades. The American history and government courses attempt to
provide the background and skills necessary for viable citizen participation.
World Civilization (Grade 9 - required) Full year
World Civilization is a year-long course that surveys humans and their
world from Neolithic times through the industrial revolution. Designed
to heighten the students' appreciation of other ages and cultures, the
course of study stresses historical events and cultural developments that
helped shape today's world. Emphasis is placed on the interaction of cultures
and the development of a global perspective on local events. Students
have an opportunity to compose original papers based on independent research
on relevant topics.
Making of the Modern World (replaces Twentieth Century World)
- (Grade 10 - required) Trimester
This course provides an opportunity for 10th graders to build upon the
knowledge and experience gained from their 9th grade course in World Civilization.
Focus is on the major events of the twentieth century, including the World
Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War and decolonization. Students
have an opportunity to research a relevant topic and communicate their
findings in an original paper.
American History (Grade 11) Full year
Students will learn about the development of the American nation by studying
social, economic, and political institutions, such as the family, religion,
slavery, and political parties, from the period of colonization to the
present. Although the general approach is chronological in nature, specific
topics will be developed within chronological periods.
A heavy emphasis is placed on the development of writing skills and the
student's analytical abilities. Each student will, for example, write
an analysis of a book read outside of class. The major project for the
year will be a research paper which will be developed in a series of steps.
AP American History Full year
Prerequisite: B average in sophomore history and English courses
This course will follow the general outline of the American history course,
but the pace and some of the course materials will be different. Additional
historical essays will be read and additional writing assignments will
be done. A lab period will be used each week to analyze the essays and
to practice answering document-based questions. There will also be practice
multiple-choice tests to prepare for the AP examination, which students
are expected to take in May.
In addition to covering American history from the period of colonization
to the present, the course will emphasize the development of critical
reading and writing skills. Two book analyses and a research paper, done
in conjunction with the American Authors course, will be used to develop
these analytical skills.
American Government (winter term)
To exercise fully their rights and responsibilities as citizens, Americans
need to be informed about the organization, structure and operation of
the American governmental system. Topics covered in this one-term course
include the task of governments, the purpose of the constitution, the
definition of civil rights, the election process, the rationale of separation
of powers and the concept of federalism. Students will have the opportunity
to summarize both a constitutional amendment and a major Supreme Court
case in short papers. Students also make presentations in which the entire
class is engaged in an issue of current relevance.
AP Government and Politics: U.S. (winter and spring terms)
The AP Government and Politics: U.S. course takes place in the winter
and spring terms. The course is organized with an eye toward preparation
for the AP test in early May. The course takes an analytical approach
to the study of the institutions of American government and the practice
of politics as it exists today. Students review information about the
three branches of government, but they also explore related topics, such
as interest groups, public opinion, the media and the development of policy.
Classroom activities include guided review of readings and active discussion.
Students are expected to be self-motivated in their preparation and to
supplement a thorough reading of the textbook and assigned articles with
independent review and study.
SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ELECTIVES
Not all electives are available in the same school year. Each year the
department identifies those to be offered.
Buddha’s Footsteps (2008-09 elective)
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
The wise sage of the Shakya clan made great use of all conditions. Tremendous space and freedom combined with experience, outrageous awareness, and remarkable ability in his life. He took advantage of this, and it allowed him to penetrate many of the habits and delusions of his time. The truths revealed constituted a revolution in thought, word, and action. Think of how different Shakyamuni’s approach to spirituality was from those more commonly practiced at his time. The Buddha’s Footsteps course will immerse students in the substance of Siddhartha Gotama’s revolutionary approach to human spirituality.
Myth (2008-09 elective)
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
Joseph Campbell wrote that: “One of the problems today is that we are not well acquainted with the literature of the spirit. We’re interested in the news of the day and the problems of the hour. It used to be that the university campus was a kind of hermetically sealed-off area where the news of the day did not impinge upon you attention to the inner life and to the magnificent human heritage we have in our great tradition.” He believed in the value of studying world mythology, and maintained that the enduring stories that become know as myths provide clues to the spiritual potentialities of human life. The myth course will attempt to establish a safe, sealed-off area in which students can focus on the special power of myth in a variety of contexts, the ways that scholars decode the stories, and the role of personal myths in their lives.
T.E.D. (2008-09 elective)
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader. The annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the eighteen-minute talk of their lives. The organization’s website makes the best talks and performances from TED available for free, public use under a Creative Commons license. These talks will be the focus our classroom work. Written responses to the talks, outside research, and maintenance of a research log will be required.
Fromm (2008-09 elective)
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
Erich Fromm was a German-born psychoanalyst, social philosopher, and author born in Frankfurt in 1900. He studied sociology and psychology at the universities of Heidelberg, Frankfurt, and Munich, and was trained in psychoanalysis at the Psychoanalytic Institute in Berlin. As an American citizen he lectured at Columbia University, Bennington College, the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, the New School for Social Research, the National University of Mexico, and Yale University. His focus on the psychology of ethics led him to assert that, “problems of ethics can not be omitted from the study of personality, either theoretically or therapeutically,” and that, “The value judgments we make determine our actions, and upon their validity rests out mental health and happiness.” The course will provide an immersion into Fromm’s thought and writing.
Introduction to the Classics -or- Introduction to Classical Civilization(s) (2007-08 elective)
Instructor: Bryan Lakatos and Ruth Jewett-Warner
This new course will provide budding ancient history scholars with an exciting, fast-paced and in-depth experience delving into the minds of the inhabitants of ancient Greece and Rome. Investigating more thoroughly than any other history class offered at MVS, students will begin with a brief overview of the near-east origins of the traditional classical civilizations and continue in their readings, lectures and discussions to the Roman emperors at the end of the second century AD/CE. It is a goal of this course to debunk the common misconception that the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean developed in isolation from each other, instead providing a strong argument for the co-existence of the main cultures of the time through primary source readings from such authors as Homer, Herodotus, Plato, Livy, Plutarch, Cicero, Catullus, Ovid, Suetonius and more. A student exiting this course will have a deeper understanding of the workings of the ancient world and a better view from which to observe the remnants of its influence on the modern world.
World Religions - (Grades 11, 12) Trimester
Instructor: Ruth Jewett-Warner - Spring 2008
The World Religions course seeks to introduce MVS students to the historical emergence of the five most populous world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The second half of the course will switch to a more comparative approach, wherein we will organize our study by investigating how different religions address great moral and metaphysical issues. We will take care to examine religious writings as primary sources and will have the opportunity to visit various places of worship in the Dayton area. Students will write a research paper on the topic of their choice.
History of Rock and Roll
Instructor: Ruth Jewett-Warner - Spring 2008
The History of Rock and Roll will allow us the opportunity to study one of the 20th century’s most popular art forms. We will begin with Robert Johnson (who may have sold his soul to the Devil in order to become a guitar virtuoso) and the roots of Rock in the Mississippi Delta and trace Rock and Roll’s major movements to the modern day. We will focus on how Rock and Roll served as a barometer for political and social events and was also a medium of social influence in its own right. We will integrate footage of the bands performing as well as ample opportunities to listen to music of the various rock sub-genres. We will also take a field trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Students will be expected to complete a project pertaining to Rock’s influence on wider society.
A.P. History of Modern Europe (2007-08 elective)
Insructor: Ruth Jewett-Warner
Advanced Placement History of Modern Europe is a college-level survey
of the history of Europe from the Renaissance to emergence of European
Unification and the fall of the Soviet Union. The primary goal of this
course is to prepare the university-bound senior for the rigors of academic
historical study. The main foci of the course are strengthening reading,
writing, and analytical skills through essay tests and assignments and
exposure to primary and sophisticated secondary sources. This course is
also designed to prepare the student for the A.P. European history exam
in May. The course is reading and writing intensive and should be undertaken
by those students with a particular passion for history.
China: The Wild Wild West (2007-08 elective)
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
Like the great North American West, Tibet in far western China is a land of great wonder and fascination. The aim of this course will be to expose an explore the physical and human geography, history, and distinctive character of this ancient frontier region.
International Business
Instructor: Glenn Squiers
Wal-Mart’s global expansion, the rise of the Indian software industry, Starbuck’s direct investment abroad, global strategy at MTV Networks, Degrussa AG’s strategy and use of human resources in China, increasing competition in the European automobile market, and organizational change at Royal Dutch/Shell are all examples of the kind of case studies we will use to explore questions like: What is Globalism? How do the political, economic, and legal systems in various countries impact commerce? How do local and regional cultures impact the business environment? What is direct foreign investment? What are some strategies and structures of international business? A guest lecture series of accomplished international business people from the local area will augment our study.
Other social science electives - not offered every year
Social Psychology (FALL TERM 2006)
Social Psychology explores the manner in which human beings think, feel,
desire, influence, behave, and relate to one another. Utilizing the following
text by David G. Meyers, Professor of Psychology at Michigan's Hope College,
students will be challenged to try on a different lens, expanding their
world view, analyzing themes: self-concept, optimism, cultural diversity,
persuasion, group decision, prejudice, aggression, conflict, media influence,
and relationships.
Studies of the "Other" (WINTER TERM 2006-2007)
Studies of the "Other" examines the "common differences"
(race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality) that both unite and divide people.
Beginning with an examination of how individuals have been represented,
labeled, and stereotyped in myths, ads, and popular culture, the course
explores power inequalities, maintained by a select few who are privy
to express their voices. Consideration will be given to one of the central
dilemmas of contemporary thinking: the necessity to make differences both
matter and not matter at the same time.
Gun, Germs, and Steel
This course is based upon the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Guns, Germs,
and Steel by Jared Diamond. The course (and the book) seek to answer "Yali's
question;" why have Europeans acquired the technology and means to
dominate the world, while other cultures have been left to passively cope
with European supremacy? Using ancient history, geography, anthropology,
and archaeology, Diamond (and we) will discover why the Inca emperor Atahualpa
did not capture King Charles I of Spain, why some people were not able
to domesticate crops, how history-changing germs evolved, why some big
animals are harder to domesticate than others, and why writing and technology
developed the way they did, where they did. This course is the yin to
World Civilizations' yang-find out about some cultures that don't typically
make it into the textbooks. This course will be reading and discussion-based
and we will assess our learning through periodic essay tests.
Medieval Europe
This course is for the student who wants to explore the colorful,
violent, and passionate time period that was the Middle Ages in Europe
in further depth. We will start with Late Antique society and finish with
the early Renaissance. The course will be primary-source oriented so that
students will gain an excellent sense of how medieval people felt, thought,
and wrote. We will investigate what made the Middle Ages different from
classical Europe, how heroic, Germanic culture manifested itself, how
the Irish "saved civilization," and how Charlemagne redefined
kingship. We will also look at the intensity with which medieval people
approached religious belief, how women experienced this male-dominated
time period, and how violence shaped medieval culture. The course will
entail a research paper, essay tests, and daily reading.
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology: How to be a Human Being
Anthropology is the study of humankind, and cultural anthropology is the
study of those practices that we humans develop and share in order to
successfully live with one another and our environments. In this course,
focusing on classic enthnographic studies as well as theoretical models,
we will study various world cultures in order to understand (among many
things) how we use language and communicate with one another, how we reckon
family and social status, how we love and go to war, how we understand
the supernatural, and how we use money and economic exchanges. We will
then use our newly gained insights into culture and human nature by doing
an ethnographic study as a class as our major project.
Introduction to Women's Studies
An introduction to the interdisciplinary field of women's studies through
a critical examination of how womanhood has been represented through historical
issues and practices, and how this impacts theory and action today in
the United States and internationally. The meaning of "woman"
will be explored as it intersects with other aspects of identity such
as race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, thus recognizing differences.
Philanthropy
In the classic film, "The Wizard of Oz", our heroes are disillusioned
when they learn that the "Great and Powerful Oz" is a mere mortal
who has been manipulating levers and smoke machines to create the illusion
of a supernatural being. As they sadly begin to realize that they will
never have what it is that they came to the wizard seeking - the Tin Man,
a heart; the Cowardly Lion, courage; the Scarecrow, a brain; and Dorothy,
a trip back to Kansas - the wizard convinces them that what they are seeking
already exists within each of them.
In lieu of a heart for the Tin Man, the wizard states that the Tin Man's
emotions run just as deep as people "where he comes from" and
the only difference between these folks and the Tin Man is that they are
- and here he stumbles on the word "philanthropists" three times
before giving up saying - "doers of good deeds!"
In this class we will examine just what constitutes a "doer of good
deeds" by looking at philanthropy within the context of community.
How do we define community? Has the definition of community changed over
time? Does how people define community impact charitable giving, community
service, and, ultimately the good of the community we all live in?
This very experiential course will feature guest lecturers from the nonprofit,
business and academic sectors and will use the Dayton region as a laboratory
for exploration and thoughtful discussion.
Microeconomics (Grades 12, 11 with permission) Trimester
Microeconomics is a one-term course in which students consider the economic
behavior of individual households and firms. This course introduces economic
theories and concepts relevant to this level of economic behavior. Students
learn much of the basic vocabulary of economics, such as demand, supply,
utility and opportunity cost. Students also take turns giving presentations
and leading discussions that engage the class with topics of current relevance
in our economy.
Macroeconomics (Grade 12, 11 with permission) Trimester
Macroeconomics is the study of economic behavior in the aggregate, or
economics on a national level. This one-term course is available to students
who have completed the course in Microeconomics. Students look at the
ingredients of some of the most widely-used measures of economic activity,
such as the Gross Domestic Product, the Consumer Price Index and the unemployment
rate. The activities of the banks, the creation of money, the Federal
Reserve Board and forces that drive inflation and unemployment are some
of the topics covered. Students continue to present and discuss current
economic issues.
Roots of Contemporary Issues (or, How We Got Like This) (Grades
11, 12) Trimester
Changes in the global economy and the world's natural resources, de-colonization,
human rights, fundamentalism, secular ideologies - all these are themes
that have been developing over the past hundred years and continue to
be played out today. In this course, we will not follow a chronological
account of world events in the 20th century. We will instead focus on
each of these and other issues, and we will relate them current world
events. We will read from a critical and provocative text by British scholar
Jeremy Black, supplemented by other materials. Students will also give
topical presentations and lead discussions.
Psychology (Grade 12) Trimester
Psychological investigation enables one to understand better himself and
his environment and, consequently, to improve the human condition. A major
goal of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to gain
better insight into themselves and their community, however broadly or
narrowly defined.
Various fields of psychology will be studied: for example, developmental
and social psychology. The course will also explore the ways in which
psychological theories are developed. Students should be prepared to utilize
the information gained to do their own introspective explorations.
Foreign Affairs (Grades 11, 12) Trimester
The major purpose of the course will be to examine and explain how and
why American foreign policy has changed since World War II. It will be
seen that American foreign policy is influenced not only by changing international
conditions but by domestic developments as well. Finally, the origins
of the Cold War during the post-World War II era will be one major focus
for the course. Other areas of focus will be the Cuban missile crisis,
Middle East-Israel, Iraq-Iran War, Persian Gulf crisis and, the fall of
the Soviet Union.
Biography: Darwin, Freud, Einstein
This course examines a seventy-year period in the history of science from
the perspective of three biographies. We will explore the biographies
of Darwin, Freud, and Einstein; the impact of their ideas in different
countries and on academic disciplines, popular culture, religion, art,
and literature. The course work will consist of two short papers based
on course readings and a final exam.
Ethics and Public Life
The central question of ethics is, "What kind of life is worth living?"
Ethical thinkers from a wide variety of traditions attempt to answer this
question. This course will focus on the work of such thinkers in an effort
to try to understand the complex social and political communities we inhabit
and, we hope, to make them better. We intend to bring students together
with community leaders for discussions about ethical dilemmas in the Miami
Valley.
Science and Human Values
This course explores the relationship between cultural values and the
science practiced in different communities. Thomas Kuhn's concept of paradigm
and model for the structure of major changes in the history of science
will be explored and critiqued. A cross-cultural studied will be employed
as a means of questioning what ethnocentric assumptions
CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS: US AND THEM IN AMERICA
In this course, we will consider what part equality and exclusion play
in the American experience. Our study will be topical, exploring the concept
of who counts, and who doesn't, in U.S. history and the present day. Through
readings, video presentations and individual research, we will investigate
the political, economic, social and personal ramifications of inclusion,
and of marginalization.
Selected Topics in History and Political Science
The Social Science Seminar in History and Political Science is open to
seniors who have taken or are currently taking at least 3 trimesters of
Social Science electives and are now ready to read two books of their
own choosing (with teacher approval) and to analyze, critique and present
these books to the class. The books may be historical, biographical, or
political. The class will choose one book to read and discuss together
Middle Eastern History
The Middle Eastern History course begins with a brief overview of the
ancient civilization of Mesopotamia and of the Bedouins of the Arabian
Peninsula. The majority of the course is about the life and teachings
of Mohammed, the rise of the Arabic Empire, and the expansion of the Ottoman
Empire. The course concludes with the twentieth century looking at the
rise of nation states and their conflicts
History and Culture of Russia and The Soviet Union (Grades 11, 12) Trimester
The first half of the course will be the study of Russian culture, expansion,
and foreign policy in order to lay the foundation for understanding the
USSR of the twentieth century. The second half of the course will concentrate
on the communist rule, foreign policy, and its demise
Rap, Hip-Hop, and Social Critique
This course will examine the history of rap as an art that originally
critiqued the political and economic oppressions of "mainstream"
culture, then itself became a mainstream form. We will discuss the political
potential of various kinds of rap music, including white cooptations (like
Eminem or Vanilla Ice). We'll also explore gender issues and the impact
the record industry has on what gets produced and played. Readings will
be drawn from critical essays on rap; music will include Run D.M.C., The
Fugees, Eminem, Digital Underground, and A Tribe Called Quest. Many songs
and readings will contain explicit content.
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