English

This course examines modern astrophysics. It covers how stars shine, and follow their evolution from birth to violent death; the physics of our planetary system and strange new worlds around other stars; our own Galaxy across the electromagnetic spectrum revealing the evidence for dark matter and supermassive black holes; and other galaxy systems, and the origin and fate of the whole Universe.

This course offers a study of the laws and institutions that regulate European business activity. It examines the historical background of European integration, the issues encountered in EU expansion, and the cultural differences among the European countries. Other topics of study include: managerial and consumer behavior differences, cultural dimension theories of Hofstede and Hall, standardization and adaptation of the Common Market, cultural and linguistic barriers to standardization, the Central Bank of Europe and the Euro zone, and the future of Europe and the EU. Prior course work in business organization is advised.

This course examines the historical and philosophical foundations of economics. It discusses how the history of economic thought has evolved throughout the years by placing the various approaches and methods in economics in their historical context. At the end of this course, students are aware of the rich variety of approaches to analyze economic problems of interest and understand the historic roots of many concepts used in modern economic analyzes.

This course examines topical developments and highlights long-term trends in security choices of the former Soviet Union. Emphasis will be placed on the issues of great power rivalry, ethno-nationalism, and conflict management. The course will discuss security dilemmas at multiple levels, ranging from state policies to sub-state actors and transnational issues, but special attention will be given to regional security complexes involving Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Taiwan is an island country rich in biodiversity. It is located between the Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate, and its geological structure is quite young. The orogeny in Taiwan form many towering mountains, so even though Taiwan is in the tropical and subtropical zone, a temperate climate is still found at high altitudes. Taiwan is also known for a high percentage of endemic species, because in the Ice Age, Taiwan was connected to Eurasia. After the Ice Age, Taiwan was isolated by the ocean, and many lives gradually evolved into endemic species on the island. Now, the proportion of endemic species in Taiwan is about 71% mammals, 17% birds, 22% reptiles, 31% amphibians, 19% freshwater fish, 25% plants, and 60% insects. Although the land area of Taiwan is only 0.027% of the total of the world, the number of species is as high as 3.8%, which is 150 times the global average. Furthermore, the marine species around Taiwan are about 10% of the world, which is 361 times the average. Taiwan is not a country with large territory, but has rich biological resources. This course invites guest speakers in different fields to talk about the geography, wildlife, ecosystem, and culture of Taiwan. The course studies the natural environment of Taiwan through lectures and field trips.