Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: SHARKS AND SHELLFISH: INVESTIGATING THE CULTURAL & BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MARINE LIFE (MCMURTRY)

Department: College Courses

Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 1

Description: "Life began in the ocean and thrives there in the present. Gradually, however, marine life has also crept onto land–into human society. Oceanic organisms appear frequently in daily life, be it crabs in our cuisine, sharks as movie monsters, or guppies found in household fish bowls. However, such representation of marine organisms in our lived culture has generated powerful biases surrounding their nature. What about marine organisms polarizes us and why should we care to preserve them? In this course, students will gain an understanding of the basic biology of marine organisms. By reading book excerpts and watching films, students will learn to think critically about how these organisms have influenced cultural change in areas like morality and engineering. Through open forum discussions, the course encourages students to reflect on their current perspectives on these creatures and consider how such biases developed. Additionally, using scientific literature, students will analyze threats faced by marine species as well as the sociopolitical challenges associated with marine environment protection. As a course without exams, students will complete group projects to evaluate stereotypes surrounding a marine organism of interest and analyze current approaches to marine conservation."