English

This course covers theoretical anthropological approaches to the study of capitalism, from early accounts of the market versus other economic forms, to recent works on salvage economies and forms of financialization. Drawing on thinkers such as Gibson-Graham, Laura Bear, Anna Tsing, Andrea Muehlebach and Evans and Reid, it critically engages with ideas about neoliberalism, diverse (or alternative) economies, nepotism, austerity, performativity and prefiguration, and the way in which "capitalocentrism" obfuscates space for critical thought.

This course examines the primacy of aesthetics in comprehending and responding to environmental crises by considering the role of the arts in addressing environmental disasters;  whether the aesthetic appreciation of nature should be grounded in scientific understanding; and the aesthetic dimensions of climate change, wastelands, wetlands, and wilderness. Attending the connection between historical conditions and philosophical notions, the course explores the emergence of environmental aesthetics within the European philosophical tradition of the mid-eighteenth century, concurrent with the first industrial revolution and rise of capitalism. It reviews classical and contemporary texts (from Immanuel Kant and Alexander Baumgarten to Peter Sloterdijk, Sianne Ngai, and Yuriko Saito), and introduces key categories: the beautiful, sublime and picturesque; landscape, scenery, environment; atmosphere, climate; Nature, the Anthropocene–and its critical alternatives. Deploying these concepts, the course analyzes contemporary works of art and literature grounded in awareness of ecological conditions quite different from older traditions (e.g. of landscape painting and nature poetry), examining the work of artists such as Olafur Eliasson and his former students, and science fiction writers from Mary Shelley to Kim Stanley Robinson. Finally, this course derives an important lesson from the history of aesthetics and its engagement with the environs: the aesthetic pertains as much to the background as to foreground of attention; to ambient conditions of everyday life as to works of art and unique sites. Thus, the course moves in the direction of a revaluation of our modes of life, with particular attention to our homely environmental aesthetics: the banal, quotidian, routine, and habitual aspects of our lives, homes, and streets. This is the arena in which the impact of environmental crises–and efforts to remediate them–is felt most acutely: in our patterns of consumption of energy and materials, how we dress, do chores, feed ourselves, transport, and communicate. Through these intimate investigations, the course considers how contemporary ideas of the environment call for a rethinking of aesthetics, as well as aesthetic approaches to environmental remediation. 

A continuation Labor Economics I, this course delves further into the subject by combining theoretical concepts with empirical methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of the field.
 

This course begins with a review of dynamic models and the techniques used for their estimation and offers the opportunity to write, solve, and estimate a dynamic model using these techniques. Then, the course shifts exploring family formation through matching models, as well as delving into family decision models, which include unitary and collective models. Additionally, the course covers various topics, such as the gender gap, retirement, and dynamic family decisions, using these models.

The primary objective of this course is to offer students a wide-ranging knowledge of the field and familiarize them with essential discoveries and advancements in the literature, thereby aiding them in their future research endeavors.

This course explores the spatial manifestation of urban dynamics. Over half of the entire world population now live in cities and this proportion is estimated to rise further. This means urban space, as an intensified, technologically augmented, and rapidly changing space, is the basic setting of living for most human beings. Also, this “built-environment” not only has become our direct, first-hand environment in our everyday experiences but also has significant natural-environmental implications.

This course examines the nature of “urbanity” as it is spatially played out, and its economic, political, environmental, and human rights implications, specifically keeping in mind the possibility of more democratic control of urban space.

The subject of this class is the modern period of urban space, especially in relation to the changes in the human-material relationship since the 19th century. It is mainly related to technological changes in the 20th century, but it also deals with the spatial implications of recent innovations such as artificial intelligence and smart devices.

Other than its discursive normality, how can public speaking be an artistic act? How do speaking and writing go together? How is public speaking different from casual conversation or informal briefing? If such an act entails a creative process, are there strategies for any public speaker to convey ideas not only in a comprehensible manner but also in an animating and persuasive fashion? What are other complications when language makes the challenge even more stupendous? From Aristotle to Obama, what commonalities are still practiced by these public figures?  

This course aims at incorporating three important elements together in presenting a successful speech in English: drafting ideas, structuring a narrative, and delivering a speech. The course goes through certain rhetorical analysis with certain successful written speeches and impressive public speeches. Throughout this small-sized, highly interactive course, students will also practice many ceremonial speeches such as how to draft and deliver such speeches as a welcome address, introductory statements, and closing remarks. Throughout the semester, the course will develop students’ creative ideas and narrative structuring: what to say and what to avoid. Participation and attendance are obligatory as part of students’ performance will be assessed by other members. 

Operations management can be defined as the design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver the firm's primary products and services. This class provides an understanding of the operations management function and its relationship to other functional areas within the firm (both services and manufacturing). It develops frameworks to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a firm's operations and to develop viable alternatives in pursuing its goals and objectives. 

The course also examines the tradeoffs that managers face in emphasizing one goal (such as high-capacity utilization) as compared to another goal (such as customer service); it compares the strengths and weaknesses of different strategies and techniques, as determined by industry and global operating environments.  

Operations management provides the tools, techniques, and strategies for making organizations work more effectively and efficiently; hence, making one a better manager, within any field of business. 

Piracy, understood broadly as violence or crime at sea, is a present day phenomenon and yet one which has a history spanning centuries and across all the oceans of the world. From pirates to privateers, corsairs to raiders, maritime predators take various names and forms. This course explores the history of pirates and piracy. By examining case studies from the 1400s onwards and by placing pirates into the context of oceanic history and maritime studies, the course seeks to demystify the popular images often associated with pirates.

The concept of trauma has gained increasing traction in the past decade, in the recognition that the impact it can have on individuals can be lifechanging. The Scottish Government for example now seeks to have all its policies based on a "trauma informed" mindset. Underpinning this is the understanding that adverse childhood experiences play an important role in the life chances of individuals. Academic research in this area is often inter-disciplinary, and feeds into government and 3rd sector policy. This course seeks to explore these new developments and introduces students to the different ways that trauma is experienced by both individuals and society.

This course offers a study of the theory of automata and formal languages. Topics include: automata theory; finite automata; languages and formal grammars; regular languages; pushdown automata; Turing machine; compilers.

This course examines contemporary city development trends, policies, and practices across the globe as explored against the backdrop of culture and technology. Includes hands-on learning.