by bartmann | Jul 7, 2026
Language is one of the most fascinating things we humans do. It shapes how we think, how we connect with one another, and how we imagine the world. But where did this extraordinary ability come from? And what can the earliest traces of art, planning, and social life... 
by bartmann | Mar 5, 2026
What does it mean to pursue happiness, and why do so many struggle to attain it? This course examines the nature of happiness through multiple lenses, asking whether it can be defined, measured, cultivated, or even bought. Together, we will explore how personal... 
by bartmann | Mar 5, 2026
Many people associate eugenics with forced sterilization campaigns and the promotion of “breeding” among those deemed the nation’s “fittest” (whitest) citizens. In the decades before and after the turn of the 20th century, eugenics was embraced world-wide through all... 
by bartmann | Mar 5, 2026
Ted and Shirley Taubeneck Superior Teaching Award — Award-Winning HSP Course — Each year, Humanities Seminars Program students select a small group of professors whose teaching rises to the highest level of excellence. Chosen entirely through student evaluations, the... 
by bartmann | Oct 10, 2024
Eating is not merely a biological function but a fascinating behavior that reflects the intricate relationship between humans and their food. Unlike other species, humans profoundly transform their food, from cultivating wild apples to crafting them into diverse... 
by bartmann | Apr 4, 2024
Religion is often viewed as among the most intangible aspects of culture. Yet, from cathedrals to pyramids, some of the largest and longest-lasting monuments of past societies are religious. Today people throughout the world continue to worship in, make pilgrimages... 
by bartmann | Apr 4, 2024
This seminar will critically examine what we know about Rapa Nui’s spectacular archaeological history. Over the past two decades, intensive multi-disciplinary research led by the instructor has dramatically transformed our understanding of this remarkable and...
