Catalog Course Description

Students view United States History from colonial times to present day through the lens of a wide range of beliefs -- commonly referred to as paranormal -- that do not fit within accepted scientific, cultural or social boundaries. Students analyze how these phenomena can be understood within the context of changes in American society. Examples may include: the Salem Witch Trials and demographic changes in the Colonies; spiritualism and gender roles in antebellum society; séances, scientific advances, and the industrial revolution; and UFOs, xenophobia, and the Cold War.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.Demonstrate knowledge of a basic understanding of paranormal activity as itrelates to cultural, political, scientific, and social developments in the UnitedStates.
2.Compare and contrast reactions to a variety of paranormal phenomenon withinAmerican society and reactions to those phenomena with the rest of the world.
3.Analyze belief systems that allow for paranormal activity that does not fit within the accepted scientific, cultural, or social boundaries, especially as those belief systems relate to American diversity.

Attributes

GE US History and Civic Engagment
Liberal Arts