M. A. in Liberal Studies Courses

Fall 2009

• LBS 500: Bandits, Pirates and Highwaymen

Winter 2010

• LBS 503: Politics Through Literature

Fall 2009

LBS 500: Bandits, Pirates and Highwaymen Wednesday, 6:30 – 9:50 p.m. Linda Benson, Professor of History and Director of MALS What is behind our fascination with bandits and pirates? Why is the highwayman of poetry and legend a romantic figure, despite his penchant for theft and robbery? Our childhood stories of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, or Robin Hood and his merry men, may share some responsibility, reinforced as we grew older by Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, or, in more recent years, images of Johnny Depp cavorting as Captain Jack Sparrow. Whatever the origin, we know the reality of such men’s lives bore little relation to their literary or cinematic counterparts, even while their stories and legends continue to captivate us. This course explores the lives and times of the world’s most infamous brigands and thieves, and examines the processes by which myths and legends romanticized and transformed villains into heroic, celebrated figures. Beginning with the ideas and historical accounts in Eric Hobsbawm’s classic study, Bandits, we will investigate the lives of seamen like Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard the pirate) and China’s infamous Zhang Yi who, with his pirate wife, dominated the south China coast; on land, we follow the careers of Pancho Villa, Australia’s Ned Kelly, and the notorious Jesse James, among others. These colorful figures not only offer an introduction to the world of banditry and piracy but also provide a vehicle through which we will cross disciplinary boundaries to explore notions of law and justice; the fate of civil society during periods of extreme social dislocation; the divide between “barbaric” and “civilized” society; the link between “social bandits” and revolutionaries; and the ways in which legends persist, even in light of convincing historical evidence to the contrary. Professor Linda Benson’s research focuses on the history of northwestern China with a special interest in the Muslim Xinjiang region. Her publications include numerous articles and several books, the most recent of which is Across China’s Gobi (2008). Her interest in pirates and banditry derives in part from her study of China’s republican period (1912 – 1949) during which banditry was endemic in many Related Files and Web Links: Flyer

Winter 2010

LBS 503: Politics Through Literature Core Seminar in the Social Sciences Time and location TBA Paul Kubicek Professor of Political Science This interdisciplinary seminar examines fundamental ideas in political theory through works typically classified as literature. Swift's Gulliver's Travels and Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four, for example, serve as vehicles for exploration of the world of politics by tracing the development of plot lines and characters as well as he creative impulse that links he world of politics with literature. Class sessions will provide ample opportunity for debate and discussion, as well as lectures that provide context for the political theories and theorists whose ideas are reflected in each work under discussion. Be prepared to read widely as we venture into the realms of politics and literature, exploring ideas that have been the basis for political and social change and which remain part of a greater national conversation that extends into the present day. Professor Kubicek is the current Chair of the Political Science Department at Oakland University. Recipient of a Fulbright Scholar award, Professor Kubicek earned his PhD at the University of Michigan.