IS 300. Russia (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 300 and HIST 332. A survey of Russian and Soviet history from World War I and the revolutions of 1917 to the present. This course analyzes contemporary Russia, paying particular attention to the interplay of geography, history, ideologies, culture, art, literature, and politics in war and peace. How do Russians’ views of themselves and others differ from our conceptions of others and ourselves?

IS 301. Africa (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. A regional study, this course focuses on the contemporary nations and cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa, paying particular attention to the interplay of geography, history, ideologies, culture, art, literature, and politics in war and peace. Special attention is paid to the conflict between traditional and modern cultures.

IS 302. East Asia (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. A regional study, this course focuses on those nations most influenced by ancient Chinese Civilization: China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It analyzes contemporary life, paying particular attention to the interplay of geography, history, ideologies, religions, cultures, art, literature, and politics in war and peace.

IS 303. Middle East (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. A regional study, this course focuses on the peoples and processes of change in the Middle East. It analyzes contemporary patterns, particularly the interplay of geography, history, ideologies, religions, cultures, art, literature, and politics in war and peace. Special attention is paid to Islamic culture and its modern resurgence in the life of the Middle East.

IS 304. The Caribbean (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. A regional study of the peoples of the Caribbean islands in terms of their historical background, contemporary domestic and foreign affairs, and cultural characteristics. This area study includes its geographical setting, social, political, and economic development and institutions, religious beliefs, artistic forms and literary expression. Emphasis is on the diverse heritage of racial, ethnic, and cultural traditions, and the resulting conflicts and creative contributions of the region.

IS 305. Special Topics (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. May be repeated for credit as long as the topic is different. This course focuses on a particular country, region, or culture. It will analyze contemporary life, paying particular attention to the interplay of geography, history, ideologies, religions, cultures, art, literature, and politics in war and peace.

IS 306. Mexico & Central America (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. A study of the peoples and states in the region from Mexico south to Costa Rica. The course will examine the historical background, contemporary domestic and foreign affairs, and cultural characteristics of this region. This area study includes geographical settings, social, political, and economic development and institutions, religious beliefs, artistic forms and literary expression. Emphasis is on the social and political problems that in the 20th century have produced violent revolutions in almost all of these countries.

IS 320. Modern China (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 320 and POL 320. This is a country study of the most populated nation in the world. Topics to be covered include Confucian ideology in traditional China, Western imperialism in the Nineteenth Century, the Communist revolution of 1949, the period of Communist rule from 1949 to 1976, and the effort to make the transition to a market economy since 1979.

IS 325. Southeast Asia (3; AR)
This course is not offered every year. Three hours per week.  Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. This course and POL 325 may not both be taken for credit. This is a survey of Southeast Asian politics, society and history with a primary focus on the national development of Thailand and Cambodia.  Other selected Southeast Asian nations will be included as appropriate.
IS 326. Vietnam (3)
This course is not offered every year. Three hours per week.  Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. This course and POL 326 may not both be taken for credit. This course examines the emergence of the Vietnamese nation, the effects of French conquest and colonial rule and the effects of the wars for independence and unification. It also looks at the efforts of Vietnamese leaders to create a socialist economy after 1975 and their subsequent effort to integrate into the global market economy since 1989. The effects of these recent policies on the Vietnamese people are examined.

IS 327. The Philippines (3; AR)
This course is not offered every year. Three hours per week.  Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. This course and POL 327 may not both be taken for credit. This course provides a historical survey of Philippine society, polity and economy. It begins in the pre-colonial period and traces the combination of change and continuity that took place under Spanish and American colonial rule. It concludes with an examination of the struggles of the contemporary Philippine nation to provide political, economic and social justice for all Filipinos.

IS 334. Australia (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 334 and HIST 334. A survey of Australian history with particular emphasis on the modern era. The course also explores selected aspects of contemporary Australian culture, economics, foreign policy, geography, politics and society, as well as examines Australian national identity.

IS 336. Canada (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 336 and HIST 336. A survey of Canadian history with particular emphasis on the modern era. The course also explores selected aspects of contemporary Canadian culture, economics, foreign policy, geography, politics and society, as well as examines Canadian national identity.

IS 355. Argentina (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 355 and HIST 355. A survey of modern Argentine history from the end of the colonial period to the present day. The course will explore the legacy of Argentina's path to independence, centralism and federalism in the formation of the state during the nineteenth century, economic development and modernization, authoritarian rule and struggles for democratization, foreign relations, populism, Peronism as a political movement, and recent challenges to the state and neo-liberal policies.

IS 356. Brazil (3; AR)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. Credit cannot be awarded for both IS 356 and HIST 356. A survey of Brazilian history from the early nineteenth century to the present day. The course will examine the development of Brazilian nationalism, cultural phenomena, centralization of state power, key political movements and actors, social stratification, race and gender relations, authoritarianism and democratization, modernization, foreign relations and the country's growing impact on world affairs.

IS 361. Latin America (3)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. An examination of the physical, cultural, economic, political and population geography of Latin America.

IS 362. Ecuador (3)
Three hours per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 103, HIST 150, and sophomore status. This course explores the physical and human geography of Ecuador including history, politics, economics, demographics, environmental issues and traditional and popular culture. The course includes a one week trip to Ecuador over the Spring Break period for first hand interaction with the places and people of Ecuador, as well as the opportunity to engage in community service activities.