These courses meet the Information Literacy general education requirement.
REL 147G Cults and Conspiracies
Dr. Jim Van Dore
TR 9:30–10:45
TR 11:00–12:15
Students will develop research and analysis skills by studying a variety of conspiracy theories, such as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, David Icke’s inter-dimensional reptilian Archons, and Peter Duesberg’s AIDS denialism, and “cults” (or “new religious movements”) such as Jim Jones’s Peoples Temple, Heaven’s Gate, and Scientology.
REL 147G Cults and Conspiracies
Prof. Jeremy Moody
Online asynchronous
This course provides training in internet factchecking and combating misinformation on social media through a study of conspiracy theories and New Religious Movements in America from Satanism to the New Age movement.
PHIL 202G Information Literacy for Cybersecurity
Prof. Lucinda Wittkower
Dr. Michael Cooper
Online asynchronous
It’s tricky to get good information in an age where conspiracy theories run rampant, bias & falsehoods taint the news cycle, and politicians lie with regularity. Fact checkers can help, but how do we know they’re using reliable methods? In this class we’ll explore the changing media and internet landscape, practicing reliable methods of information-gathering along the way. We’ll study fact-checking skills, discuss the ethics of algorithms and the use of big data, and explore strengths and weaknesses of the peer review system.
REL 260G Muslims & Media
Dr. Kristian Petersen
MWF 12:00–12:50
The growing visibility of Muslims in media and the abundance of online resources claiming to speak about the “Real” Islam makes it increasingly pressing to critically evaluate and interpret these sources. In this course we will focus on the relationship between Muslims and media as a way for students to develop information literacy skills and understand ethical practices around the use of information. While focusing on how Muslims are represented in mainstream news and popular culture students will learn how to evaluate resources, engage in collaborative and ongoing research, and synthesize information in order to articulate information in new and engaging ways. We also explore how Muslims produce their own media products in order to disrupt and critique stereotypical images of their community.