Professor Recommendations Spring 2018:

That time of year has come once again. The decisions involved in class registration hold particular importance in university life for multiple reasons, not only to fulfill requirements and ensure timely graduation, but also to shape the kinds of ideas we feed ourselves throughout our time here, which will greatly impact how we live and who we will be in the future.

The question of what types of knowledge are most important for students to learn has repeatedly arisen within the Notre Dame community, especially throughout the process of the Core Curriculum Review. It is a question that remains relevant both on the greater university scale and on the individual scale. For students, a key component in discerning what fields of study to pursue is the professors who instruct them. Concerning the role of professors, Pope Saint John Paul II writes in Ex Corde Ecclesiae, “All teachers are to be inspired by academic ideals and by the principles of authentic human life.” Also in Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Pope Saint John Paul II writes  “through research and teaching the students are educated in the various disciplines so as to become truly competent in the specific sectors in which they will devote themselves to the service of society and of the Church, but at the same time prepared to give the witness of their faith to the world.” With both freedom and responsibility, professors must seek to fulfill these duties—especially at Catholic university such as Notre Dame—and students must seek their proper guidance.

In order to help students get the most out of their Notre Dame education, the Rover staff presents the following course recommendations for the Spring 2018 semester. For further resources, contact the Rover at ndirshrover@gmail.com.

Anthropology

James McKenna will be teaching “Introduction to Anthropology.” This course works as a social science university requirement and explores the ways in which anthropology studies humans. Topics include evolution, primatology, linguistics, and early childhood development. McKenna, though soft-spoken, is engaging and passionate. He specializes in infant sleep and mother-baby behavioral sleep. He also teaches “Introduction to Human Ethology,” and for a fun, one-credit class, he offers “Irish-American Tap Dance.”

Art History

Robin Rhodes will be teaching “Introduction to Ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt.” The course will examine the origins of western art and architecture beginning with the Bronze Age and ending with the rule of Emperor Constantine. Rhodes is an archaeologist and art historian who specializes in classical art and architecture. He wrote “Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis.” For anyone interested in classics or history, Rhodes does a great job explaining the rich cultural backgrounds for ancient art and architecture.

Business

Rover advisor Martijn Cremers will be teaching Corporate Governance and Catholic Social Teaching. The course will focus on how Catholic Social Teaching intersects with the work of corporate investors, highlighting the common good and reading from the five central encyclicals on Catholic Social Teaching. Cremers is a professor of Finance who focuses on investment and corporate governance, and has a particular interest in the role of a Catholic businessman. For those interested in tying their work in finance with the social work of the Church, Cremers will help you understand how the two spheres work together.

For Business majors needing to take Business Law, we highly recommend Rover advisor Laura Hollis.

Classics

Elizabeth Mazurek will be teaching “Latin History Writing.” This is a junior level Latin course in which students will be translating the works of Roman historians Caesar, Sallust, Livy, and Tacitus and analysing the political and social influences on these writers. Mazurek leads her classes in an engaging and lively manner, leaving room for discussion as well as close analysis of the Latin text. This is a good class to take to improve Latin translation skills.

Catherine Schlegel is teaching “Roman Elegiac Poetry,” a course recommended for students with advanced Latin translation skills. In this course, students will translate Latin elegy: verse that expresses personal feelings, particularly those of love. Schlegel leads her classes with an emphasis on understanding the complexities of Latin poetic meter.

Brian Krostenko will teach “Latin Survey I: The Birth and Growth of Latin Literature” which will examine the dual identity of Latin literature, and attempt to answer the question of what Latin literature owes to the Greek world. Krostenko specializes in the culture of the Late Roman republic, Latin linguistics, rhetoric, and Cicero.

The Rover also recommends Tadeusz Mazurek’s class “Roman Law and Governance.”

Economics

Joseph Kaboski is again teaching the course “Introduction to Economics and Catholic Thought.” Kaboski is an extremely accomplished economist, and students will benefit immensely from taking This small seminar course explores the relationship of economics and Catholic social thought through the study of economic concepts and data as well as Catholic writings on the subject such as papal encyclicals. Ultimately, the class discusses those ideas in relation to current issues such as finance, the environment, and globalization.

James Sullivan, one of the founders of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO), is teaching “Intermediate Economic Theory: Micro,” a core course for economics majors Sullivan is a highly acclaimed economist whose work focuses on studying the economics of lifting people out of poverty. He place an emphasis on promptness and thoroughness, and his courses will provide an extremely solid foundation for economics majors, particularly ones interested in public policy.

Rover advisor Eric Sims is teaching “Intermediate Economics Theory: Macro,” another core course for economics majors. Students who take his course will enjoy a very engaging course with extremely high caliber instruction. Students will also enjoy the opportunity to hear Sims’ view on a multitude of topics and continue discussion outside of class.

The Rover also recommends Mary Flannery’s “Principles of Macroeconomics,” William Evans’ (Econometrics) and Thomas Gresik’s “Intermediate Economic Theory: Micro.” Always recommended but not teaching undergraduate courses next semester is Rover advisor Kirk Doran.

English

Jesse Lander is offering “Shakespeare & the Supernatural” in the spring. This course will analyze the staging of the supernatural in Shakespeare’s plays as a post-Reformation development. Lander specializes in Shakespeare, Tudor-Stuart drama, the history of books, and Renaissance literature.

History

Rover advisor, Rev. Wilson Miscamble, CSC, will offer “Presidents & Presidencies from FDR to Obama” a freshmen level course that will examine the presidential administrations of presidents from FDR to Obama. Students will look at how these administrations handled both foreign and domestic policy. Students appreciate his sense of humor and knowledge of Australian history. He is also known for taking his students out to lunch. This class would be a great introduction to U.S. history.

Italian

Christian Moevs is offering his course “Dante II” this spring, featuring a close reading of the Purgatorio and the Paradiso. This is the second half of a two-part course, but can be taken without having taken the first and without knowing any Italian. Moevs is not only a world-class Dante scholar but also a dedicated professor who teaches as much by his own example as by his knowledge of Dante. This class is an opportunity to grow in faith alongside learning about one of the greatest minds in the history of Christianity.

Philosophy

Ryan Madison will teach “Ethics,” a great choice for anyone looking to fulfill the second philosophy university requirement. This course blends classical and medieval sources such as Aristotle and Aquinas with other works such as the poetry of T. S. Eliot and contemporary film. Madison’s integrity and deep faith are evident as he guides students in lecture and discussion through the complex waters of thought-provoking ethical and philosophical questions.

The Rover also recommends Megan Sullivan’s “Introduction to Philosophy: God and the Good Life.” This course is a wonderful course to fulfil the University’s first philosophy requirement. The course explores the multiple arguments in favor of and against the rationality of believing in a God.

PLS

Andrew Radde-Gallwitz is teaching “The Bible and Its Interpretation” this spring. It is one of the theology classes offered for PLS students and students in this course will analyze closely selected books from the Bible and its history within the Church. Students enjoy Radde-Gallwitz’s sense of humor and great experience with this material.

Henry Weinfield will be teaching “Literature II: Shakespeare & Milton.” This tutorial will include reading several of Shakespeare’s plays and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Weinfield himself is a poet, translator, and literary scholar; students can trust that Weinfield will expertly navigate them through the difficult works of both Shakespeare and Milton.

Political Science

Rover advisor Patrick Deneen is teaching “Liberalism and Conservatism.” This course will examine the intellectual foundations for the dominant political worldviews of American society. He is an associate professor for the Constitutional Studies department and specializes in the history of political thought, American political thought, and religion and politics.

Rover advisor, Phillip Munoz, will teach “Sr. Sem: Civil Liberties,” a writing intensive seminar targetted at  political science major seniors. He is founding director of the Potenziani Program in Constitutional Studies and a widely respected legal scholar. Students should expect to gain an indepth understanding of the American judiciary, both legal theory it is built upon and its role in the US today.

Rev. Robert Dowd, CSC, is offering the university seminar “Faith, Freedom, and Fanaticism: Religion and Politics” next spring. This course will focus on how religion and social and political change impact each other. Fr. Robert is a scholar of African politics, ethnic politics, and the impact of religion on development projects. This course is recommended for freshmen who are interested in the sociological impact of religions, especially Christianity and Islam.

Rev. Timothy Scully, CSC, will be offering “Latin American Politics” in the spring, a course that will introduce students to the critical issues within contemporary Latin American culture, society, politics, and economy. Fr. Scully is the founder of A.C.E. (Alliance for Catholic Education) and a faculty fellow for the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Students will benefit from his vast experience both inside and outside the classroom.

Rover advisor James Philpott is teaching “Jr Sem: Global Religious Freedom,” a writing seminar for junior political science majors. The course will place a particular focus on the persecution of Christians and religious freedom in the Islamic world. Philpott is an expert on religious freedom and has extensive experience studying and applying the use of religious reconciliation to promote peace.

Mary Keys will teach “Sr. Sem: Politics & the Problem of Good & Evil in Political Science” and “Social Science University Seminar.” The “Social Science University Seminar” is a freshman course designed to introduce students to political science. The “Sr. Sem: Politics & the Problem of Good & Evil” is a senior seminar for political science majors that is writing intensive. She specializes in Christianity, ethics, and political thought.

The Rover also recommends Sotirios Barbe and Rev. Justin Brophy O.P.’s course “Sexual Morality and the Constitutio,” Theresa Smart course “Catholic Social Thought”, Andrew Gould “Introduction to World Politics,” and Joshua Kaplan “Political Theory.”

Theology

Sister Ann Astell will be teaching “Fr. Bernard to Bernadette,” a course which tracks the theological development of the Immaculate Conception. Sister Ann is a scholar of medieval literature, spirituality, and the history of Christianity. This course is especially recommended for students looking for a compelling second theology, or who are interested in Mariology.

John Cavadini, a Rover advisor, is offering “The Catholic Faith” for the spring semester. This class, which is recommended as “a resource for catechists and religious educations,” will utilize the Catechism of the Catholic Church as its primary resource, focusing particularly on Pillars I and II, the Creed and the Sacraments. This course is recommended for students interested in teaching the faith, or those who desire strong instruction of what the Catholic Church teaches.

David Fagerberg will be teaching “Chesterton and Catholicism.” This course will focus on Chesterton’s theological works, including Orthodoxy, The Everlasting Man, and What’s Wrong with the World. Fagerberg is a scholar of liturgical theology, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton. This class is excellent for students who are interested in studying the theological works of this famous English author.

Another Rover advisor, Fr. Terrance Erhman, C.S.C., is offering “Theology & Ecology.” In this course students will have the opportunity to explore our relationship with creation as Christians. Students will examine Scripture and the Creed going through the periods of the Early Church, Medieval, and modern times. Fr. Terry has training in aquatic ecology and systematic theology, and so his expertise in this particular area will be helpful for anyone interested in the biological sciences.

Leonard DeLorenzo will be teaching “The Christian Experience: Vocation & the Theological Imagination.” In this course, DeLorenzo will examine “the space, the shape, and the content of the Catholic imagination.” DeLorenzo is best known for his work as director of the Notre Dame Vision program. This course is recommended for students interested in the intersection of theology and aesthetics.

Gabriel Reynolds will be teaching “The Qur’an Relation to the Bible.” Reynolds is an expert on Islam, the Qur’an, and Christian-Muslim relations. His classes are a good way to learn about Islam side by side with Christianity.

The Rover also recommends Cyril O’Regan, Anthony Pagliarini, and Tim O’Malley. Always recommended but not teaching undergraduate courses next semester are Fr. Brian Daley, S.J.,  Fr. Kevin Grove, C.S.C., and Catherine Cavadini.