An Honors Colloquium is an HON-H 399 seminar course. Typically, it is led by different instructors in different semesters and the topic changes from semester to semester. To complete the Honors Program each student must complete two HON-H 399 Colloquium courses.
6 week, Online, Summer Session I
Dr. Christina Romero, Associate Professor of Education
The term sacred literacies considers various practices of sacredly reading the world. The practices conceptualized as sacred would be so because of their strong connections to emotions.
These practices could be spiritual or religious in nature but would not be limited to such. Sacred literacies can encompass many different practices that can be considered significant, hallowed. Sacred literacy can then be conceptualized as the embodied knowing that life holds within it, components – events, relationships, memories, moments – which are special, ones given significant value. Sacred literacy is the use of various sacred practices (texts) to sacredly read the world through one’s experiences. (Ivanova, 2014, p. 276)
This course will acquaint students with different kinds of storytelling as they learn about storytelling as a dynamic sacred literacy (Ivanova, 2014). Students will learn about and create different kinds of stories through 55-word stories, poetry, narrative ethnographic journaling, and a digital story.
6 week, Online, Summer Session II
Dr. Niki Weller, Professor of Sociology
Why are we so captivated by visions of perfect or broken worlds? This honors course explores dystopian and utopian ideas in literature, film, video games, and politics, examining what these imagined futures reveal about our present society. You'll study classic and contemporary works, uncovering how they reflect our values, fears, and hopes. Through various media, we'll investigate portrayals of possible futures, discuss the likelihood of these scenarios becoming a reality, and debate whether aspects of our current world mirror dystopian or utopian ideals.
This course invites you to think critically and creatively about our world and the future we are shaping. Whether your interests lie in literature, film, technology, or social issues, you'll gain fresh insights into how dystopian and utopian ideas shape our understanding of society and our place within it.
8 week (1st 8wk Session), In-Person, Monday 4-6:30 PM, Fall 2026
J.R. Pico, Teaching Professor in Spanish and Humanities
This honors colloquium motivates students to explore the dynamic interplay of cultures, ideas, and global systems that shape our interconnected world. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the course examines how boundaries—geographical, cultural, political, and ideological—are constructed, challenged, and transcended. Students will engage with multiple perspectives on globalization, mobility, identity, and cultural exchange, analyzing how these forces influence societies and individuals.
This honors colloquium will emphasize critical thinking, collaborative dialogue, and experiential learning. Students will investigate case studies from multiple regions, participate in discussions on global challenges, and reflect on their own roles as global citizens. Topics may include transnational movements, intercultural communication, global ethics, and the impact of technology on cultural interaction.
In-Person, Regular Session T TH 11:30 AM -12:45 PM
Dr. Paul Cook, Professor of English
Amid the stifling conformity of the 1950s, when a new-fangled technology called “television” was still in its infancy, former GI turned screenwriter Rod Serling set out to make the kind of TV that networks at the time wouldn’t touch. Thwarted in his attempts to make shows that challenged the status quo and explored difficult social and political issues, Serling turned his attention to the supernatural: monsters, freaks, aliens, misfits, bizarre situations, and strange worlds. What he discovered in the process was that a science fiction anthology series could be a showcase for the kinds of difficult themes that the plastic-fantastic-frozen-dinner Eisenhower-era wasn’t ready for in prime time.
This seminar will explore the history of one of the most iconic TV shows in American history as well as the life of its creator and head writer Rod Serling; in so doing, we are after a core set of questions: What can the legacy of The Twilight Zone teach us about politics in American life? In what ways does the show’s focus on the supernatural allow for a more “honest” or robust exploration of challenging political and social issues? If we are currently experiencing TV’s second “golden age,” as many media critics claim, then to what extent does our own era of binge-watching Netflix and longform serial dramas on HBO and Showtime owe a debt to Serling and his quirky anthology series? Finally, what lessons about engaging in progressive politics does the show hold for us? For more information on this course, go to paulgcook.org.
8 weeks, Online, Second 8 weeks
Ashley Duffitt, Senior Lecturer in Biology
In 1900, the global average life expectancy at birth was just 32 years; by 2021 it had more than doubled to 71 years. Why has this dramatic transformation occurred? This course will explore the remarkable rise in human longevity over the past two centuries by tracing the incremental scientific discoveries, public health innovations, and technological advancements that have collectively doubled the average human lifespan.
Students will learn how breakthroughs, like clean water, sanitation, vaccines, antibiotics, improved nutrition, and safety regulations have reshaped patterns of survival and wellbeing. The course will also explore the collaborative work of researchers, policymakers, community leaders, and everyday citizens who helped reduce mortality at every age. Students will consider the future of human health, factors that might extend or threaten life expectancy in the decades ahead, and reflect on the broader implications of increasing longevity.
Spring 2026
In-Person, Tu Th 11:30 A.M. - 12:45 P.M.
Scott Blackwell, Senior Lecturer of Philosophy
Most people are familiar with Margaret Atwood via her dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, and its television counterpart. However, her MaddAddam Trilogy: Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood, and MaddAddam is her true legacy. Set in the near future, after the near extinction of humanity, Atwood deals with themes of genetic engineering, gene-spliced animals, environmental destruction, pornography, violence, and government monitoring –all of which are relevant to today’s society.
We will read the entire trilogy (each novel is approximately 400 pages; however, it is easy reading). As a class, you will determine your assignments and final project.
Spring 2026
8 week, Online, Spring 2026- Second 8 weeks
Kelly Fisher, Senior Lecturer of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security
This course will provide an in-depth exploration of family and intimate partner violence (FIPV), examining the complex dynamics of abuse within familial and romantic relationships. Students will study the patterns, causes, and consequences of physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse, with special attention to vulnerable populations and intersectional factors such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The course also critically evaluates abuse intervention programs (AIPs), including batterer intervention programs, parenting interventions, and restorative justice models. Emphasis is placed on prevention strategies, victim advocacy, trauma-informed care, and the role of the criminal justice and social service systems in addressing violence. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of both the personal and societal impacts of family and intimate partner violence, and the interventions designed to reduce harm and promote safety.
6 week, Online, Summer Session II, 7/7- 8/13
Summer 2025 (Online)
Dr. Nick Baxter, Assistant Professor of Sociology
This class will evaluate the social causes, consequences, and responses to climate change. The course relies on a social science approach (sociology, anthropology, and psychology) to analyze climate change as an environmental social problem. Students will examine the role of individual behavior, culture, and social structures like capitalism in driving climate change. They will evaluate the social consequences of climate change, including patterns of concern/anxiety, privilege/inequality, geographic impacts, migration, etc. They will also analyze social responses to climate change, including environmental activism and social justice patterns, climate denial, misinformation/disinformation, policy solutions, and attempts at green capitalism.
Fall 2025
In-Person, T TH 10 to 11:15 A.M.
Christian Chauret, Professor of Biology
The class will focus on the impact of the changing environment (such as climate change) on infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Students will be introduced to notions of scientific inquiry, epidemiology, and infectious diseases. We will analyze how infectious diseases emerge and the factors associated with epidemics. Students will read relevant books on these topics, analyze them, and discuss them. Individual and group projects will be included to study the topics further.
Fall 2022 (Tuesday/Thursday 2-3:45 p.m.)
Wendy Grice
Why is singing no longer participatory? Until recent decades, people sang at work, at family gatherings, in church, and just for fun. Ask yourself, when was the last time you sang outside of your car or in the shower? We will discuss singing in Eastern versus Western cultures, the gender factor, social anxiety, and how singing impacts us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. We will also touch on the benefits of singing to stroke and Alzheimer's patients. Let's talk!
Fall 2022 (Tuesday/Thursday 10-11:15 a.m.)
Dr. Jim Coby
Monsters: they haunt our thoughts, patrol the periphery of our imaginations, and keep us awake at night. And yet...
Be they cryptids, vampires, zombies, or aliens, we find ourselves compelled by and drawn to monsters and the monstrous. In this HON 399 seminar, we will investigate our love/repulsion dilemma with monsters through readings of several critical texts exploring concepts such as monstrosity, the uncanny valley, abjection, and othering. To help reify these theoretical ideas, we will engage with several popular pieces of film and literature. Authors who will likely populate the syllabus include Jefferey Jerome Cohen, Sigmund Freud, Octavia Butler, Carmen Maria Machado, Jordan Peele, Stephen King, and a host of other nightmare instigators. Enroll...if you dare.
Spring 2023 (Monday/Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.)
Deb Jaworski
In this seminar, we will investigate current issues impacting foster care in the United States. Students will discuss readings, explore regulations, analyze statistics, perform cost analysis, and consider issues such as racial bias in the system. Students will engage in service learning, conduct interviews, select an area of focus, and develop a proposal. At the end of the seminar, students will present their proposals on how we can create a brighter future for students who have been in foster care.
Spring 2023 (Online)
Stephanie Medley-Rath
Historical moral panics include the Salem witch trials among Puritans, the satanic panics of the 1980s, the Red scare during the Cold War, the war on drugs, among others. More recent moral panics include misplaced or disproportional concern about trans rights, the war on Christmas, human trafficking, crime surges, and cancel culture. Moral panics involve disproportionate media coverage and social media attention of a phenomenon thought to threaten societal values. Claims of harm and the size of the problem are typically exaggerated. Further, more legitimate threats may be minimized resulting in a moral calm, or lack of concern for other phenomena (e.g., viewing Covid-19 vaccines for children as unnecessary or lack of concern around the climate crisis).
This course will focus on a variety of moral panics and moral calms and sociological approaches to studying them. Urban legends and conspiracy theories may also be explored. Students will research a moral panic or calm, urban legends, or a conspiracy theory of interest and use data to make the case that society should be more or less concerned about the phenomena, whether societal concern or lack of concern is misplaced, or both. Students are expected to present their research at the IU Kokomo Research Symposium.
Indiana University Kokomo
765-453-2000