Are you interested in working with other students on a group honors project or working individually on one of the following themes? These professors encourage projects on these subjects.

Chris McCord (Philosophy)—invites projects related to the existentialist works of Sartre. Topics will include some or all of the following: the ego, human emotions, freedom, responsibility, bad faith, and racial oppression as it has occurred in the United States.

Peter Jauhiainen (Religion)—invites projects on the subject of gay marriage, particularly research into biblical understandings, viewpoints from world religions, church and state issues, the 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision, gay marriage and civil rights, or the battle over gay marriage as a facet of the American “culture wars.”

Lydia Hartunian (Humanities)—invites projects that explore the topic of gay marriage from the vantage point of various humanities perspectives including but not limited to philosophy, religion, politics, film, art, music and/or human science. Students may choose two or more humanities disciplines they would like to use as focal points to produce an in depth, critical analysis of the fundamental issues involving the topic of gay marriage.

Kristin Hanson (Humanities)—invites projects on the subject of gender and sexuality, particularly as these things are negotiated within the realms of popular culture. Possible topics might include such things as the creation of gender identity in young people through toys and advertising, heteronormativity as reinforced through country music, or differing cultural standards for male and female news anchors.

Helen Grunwald (Photography)—invites projects that document a community selected by students. They may use film, digital or video to collect imagery. They will keep a journal with weekly installments. They will mount a final exhibit and present a powerpoint at the end of the semester. There will also be a final paper.

Jennifer Meehan-Brennom (Sociology)—invites projects on work-family policies in the U.S. or other countries. The U.S. is one of only four industrialized countries in the world that does not require paid maternity leave for new mothers. Unlike other countries, we have no laws requiring a minimum number of vacation hours or sick leave, making it difficult for working parents to tend to sick children or attend school events. Honors projects could involve researching the policies of other countries, the pros and cons of developing similar policies in the U.S. and evaluating current reform efforts in the U.S.

Students are encouraged to stop by the offices of any of these professors to brainstorm possible topics that are geared toward their individual interests.

Honors projects are not restricted to these themes or these professors.