Course Description

Civil wars are the most common form of conflict across the world, causing death, destruction, and humanitarian crises. Their impact on politics, economics, and international stability can extend far after the war ends. How can the international community address this pernicious problem? What determines whether interventions to stop the fighting are successful?

In this course, students will learn about the tools the global community uses to solve disputes and debate potential solutions to ongoing conflicts. We’ll start by looking at the intersection of foreign policy, strategy, and negotiation—what do countries want and how do they get it? Then we’ll dive into theories of conflict resolution and how the United Nations plays a role as a peacemaker across the world. The course culminates with an exciting, hands-on UN Security Council simulation, where students will tackle issues related to real-world conflicts, develop informed solutions, and put their negotiation skills to the test.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, students will:

• Understand important concepts related to negotiation and how they are applied both in instances of civil war and within international organizations like the UN
• Learn about the causes of civil war onset and termination, and the effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies
• Apply their knowledge of conflict resolution identify potential solutions to three conflicts covered in our simulation
• Apply their knowledge of negotiation to identify ideal scenarios, trade-offs, coalition-building opportunities in our simulation
• Have facility with finding and evaluating a variety of sources for research in international affairs
• Develop written communication skill from drafting resolutions and oral communication skills by presenting and debating during our simulation.

Tangible Outcomes

The tangible outputs are mostly group-based and most have an (non-material) experiential component. Students put together briefings (slide deck, 2-page policy memo) in teams on an ongoing civil war in Africa.  Students also write draft resolutions in their UN Security Council simulation.

Hands-On Activities 

In the first week, each afternoon is a structured research session in which the instructor demonstrated useful research skills/tools alongside our subject librarian.  This provided an opportunity for students to dig into meaningful research, both individually and in groups, while also having access to support from the instructor and Dartmouth's History and Social Sciences librarian.

Guest Speakers

• Wendel Cox, History Librarian.
• Victoria Holt, Director of Dickey Center, former State Department official in Office of International Organizations and Peacekeeping.
• Elizabeth Shackleford, Dickey Policy Director, former State Department official with experience in Somalia and South Sudan.
• Peter Jenkins, Dickey Center Internship Coordinator.

Field Trips 

Students will spend time in the library and visit the Dickey Center for International Understanding. 

Benefits for Future Study

Understanding negotiation is important for everyone. It's perspective-taking. It's thinking about trade-offs. It's identifying opportunities for constructive compromise. The substance of the negotiations are some of the deadliest conflicts and largest humanitarian challenges happening today.  About a third of the students go on to major in Political Science or International Relations, and some have shared that they are joining the Model UN Team at their school. 

Course Description

What happens when writing leaves the classroom and enters the wilderness? Creative Writing in the Great Outdoors invites students to use the natural environment of Dartmouth’s Moosilauke Ravine Lodge as both inspiration and classroom. Across meadows, forests, rivers, and mountain trails, students will explore how place shapes imagination, storytelling, and voice. Through daily writing exercises, group workshops, and guided explorations, participants will practice poetry, narrative nonfiction, and short fiction while connecting with the rhythms of the natural world. The course emphasizes reflection, experimentation, and the development of a sustainable creative practice—one that integrates observation of the self, the group, and the environment. By the end of the course, students will leave with a portfolio of original work and a deeper appreciation for the intersection of creativity, community, and wilderness.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Generate original creative writing inspired by the natural environment.
• Apply literary techniques (imagery, metaphor, narrative structure, voice) to poetry, nonfiction, and fiction.
• Demonstrate skills of observation, reflection, and sensory detail in their writing.
• Engage in peer workshops, providing and receiving constructive feedback on creative work.
• Reflect on the relationship between environment and creativity, including how natural settings influence human expression.
• Assemble a small portfolio of revised creative pieces that represent growth over the course.

Tangible Outcome

Final Showcase: Present selected works in a closing reading at the Lodge, highlighting the integration of nature and creative voice.

Hands-On Activites

To achieve these outcomes, students will:

• Outdoor Writing Sessions: Write daily in natural settings around Moosilauke Lodge (by rivers, in meadows, along trails), guided by prompts that emphasize sensory detail and reflection.
• Genre Exploration Workshops: Experiment with poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction through structured exercises.
• Hiking & Reflection: Participate in guided hikes, using physical movement and immersion in nature as a spark for creative thought.
• Peer Workshops: Share drafts in small groups and practice the craft of giving and receiving feedback.
• Reading Circles: Engage with selected works of nature-inspired writers (e.g., Mary Oliver, Barry Lopez, Robin Wall Kimmerer) to connect contemporary voices to their own practice.

Day by Day Itinerary:

Sunday, July 5: Students arrive between 2-4 pm to Dartmouth-owned Moosilauke Ravine Lodge.

Monday, July 6 - Thursday, July 9: Classes, residential activities and meals conducted at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge.

Friday, July 10: Students transition from Moosilauke Ravine Lodge to Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.

Friday, July 10 - Sunday, July 12: Weekend activities on Dartmouth College campus in Hanover, NH.

Monday July 13- Thursday, July 16: Regular classes on campus in Hanover, NH.

Friday, July 17: Students are picked up from Dartmouth College between 10 am and 12pm. 

Course Description

How do stories shape the way we understand the world? In this intensive two-week course, students will explore the intersection of journalism and documentary film as powerful tools for truth-telling and social impact.Participants will learn the essentials of reporting, interviewing, and narrative construction while also developing technical skills in filming, sound, and editing.

Students will work in small teams to conceive, research, and produce their own short documentary projects focused on issues that matter to them. Along the way, they’ll analyze exemplary works of nonfiction storytelling, engage with guest speakers from the field, and workshop their projects with faculty and peers. The course culminates in a public screening and discussion, giving students the opportunity to share their films and reflect on the ethical responsibilities of telling others’ stories.

Learning Outcomes

• Media Literacy Skills - Understanding of what it takes to create media compositions and not just consume them.
• Basic understanding of video production skills - story development, digital cinematography and post-production
• Project management skills in the context of film and media.
• Working collaboratively and participating in a successful team.

Tangible Outcomes 

Media Projects, Podcasts

Hands-On Activities

The course is designed to be very hands on, creative, with a focus on practical skills.

Benefits for Future Study

• Students will learn media literacy skills through hands on practice.
• Students will produce media compositions and/or podcast in which they can potentially include in their portfolio.

Course Description

Learn or improve oral comprehension and speaking skills in an immersive course which encompasses Spanish language grammar contextualized for a persuasive setting, such as business, politics, law or leadership. Utilizing both general and persuasive-specific vocabulary, students will gain skills and confidence needed for interactions in Spanish in a potential career. Developed for training Peace Corps volunteers in the early 1960s and adapted to college level instruction in 1967, the Rassias Method® combines dramatic techniques, rhythmic drills, and energetic reinforcement strategies that make learning an engaging experience, while eliminating inhibitions. Dartmouth College is recognized for its leadership in language education, and the Rassias Method remains a defining pedagogical approach which continues to be used in language instruction today. The Rassias Method consistently meets the collective goal of fostering a language and cultural foundation, and builds confidence for genuine cultural and humanistic interactions in Spanish.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Communicate persuasively in spoken Spanish, using appropriate rhetorical strategies and culturally relevant expressions.
• Formulate and support arguments clearly and convincingly in a variety of settings, including debates, negotiations, and presentations.
• Demonstrate advanced fluency with rapid, spontaneous speech in thematic dialogues focused on persuasion.
• Interpret and respond effectively to counterarguments and challenges during real-time discussions.
• Apply cultural awareness to adapt persuasive techniques suitable to Spanish-speaking contexts.
• Utilize expanded vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to persuasion, argumentation, and negotiation.
• Critically analyze persuasive texts (oral and written) and reflect on rhetorical strategies used by speakers or writers.

Tangible Outcomes

Tangible outcomes include Rassias Center Certificate of Completion for students who attend the full program of language instruction. The Rassias Center’s expectation is that students will attend class and actively participate. In addition, students will role play and interview guest speakers and classmates.

Hands-on Activities 

• The Rassias Method is an experiential program. It is an immersive, interactive, participatory language learning experience. Students are expected to participate, speak the language, and try to speak as little English as possible. We will conduct a group lunch each class day so students can continue to work on their Spanish language skills in a more casual setting.
• Rassias Method Drills: Engaging, timed exercises focusing on pronunciation, intonation, and rapid response to reinforce persuasive language structures.
• Role Plays: Simulated real-life scenarios such as debates, business negotiations, political campaigns, and community organizing where students practice persuasive dialogue.
• Group Discussions and Debates: Facilitated discussions on current and culturally relevant topics, allowing students to practice constructing and defending viewpoints.
• Interactive Storytelling: Collaborative exercises where students create and present persuasive narratives to influence an audience.
• Listening and Analysis: Exposure to authentic Spanish media (e.g., speeches, advertisements, debates) with guided discussion and critique of persuasive strategies.
• Peer Feedback and Self-Reflection: Structured feedback sessions focused on delivering and receiving constructive criticism to improve persuasive communication.
• Cultural Workshops: Exploration of cultural conventions in persuasion and influence across various Spanish-speaking countries.

Course Description 

This course invites students to take a closer look at how the art world really works. Together, we’ll explore institutions that shape the value of art: auction houses, commercial galleries, and art fairs. Why do some artworks sell for millions while others go unnoticed? Who decides what art is worth, and what does that say about our society? We’ll explore big questions like: How is commercial value produced in the art market, and what relation does it have to the symbolic value assigned to works of art? How does social capital (connections) influence what kind of art gets seen or celebrated? Over the course of this class, students will explore how art is bought, sold, and valued—from the relationship between artists and galleries to high-stakes auction sales and the rise of NFTs. We will learn how prices are set in the primary and secondary art markets, the role of art dealers and collectors, and how laws around taxation and copyright affect the art world. Case studies will also include discussions of street art, art forgery cases, the impact of social media on the art world and the future of NFTs and digital art. No prior experience with contemporary art is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to ask questions.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify and explain how artworks are bought and sold through primary (galleries) and secondary (auctions) markets, and describe the typical roles of artists, dealers, collectors, and auction houses.
• Analyze the factors that influence how prices are set for contemporary artworks, including reputation, rarity, market trends, and symbolic value.
• Understand the legal and financial frameworks that shape the sale and resale of art, such as artist-dealer agreements, resale royalties, and tax considerations.
• Discuss how art is collected and valued by individuals, corporations, and museums, and reflect on the motivations—economic, cultural, and personal—that shape collecting practices.
• Critically assess how power, profit, and prestige influence the circulation of artworks, and consider how artists can respond to or resist these forces through their practice.

Tangible Outcomes 

• Short Analytical Response Papers: Students will complete a series of short, focused essays that develop their ability to critically assess case studies, art market structures, and the interplay between symbolic and commercial value.
• Final Creative Project or Critical Essay: Students may choose to either write a longer-form critical essay (e.g., a mock art market report, curatorial proposal, or collection strategy) or develop a creative project that responds to themes of marketization in art (e.g., designing an artist’s pricing strategy, an auction catalog, or a speculative NFT concept).
• In-Class Presentations: Students will present on selected topics (e.g., mega-collectors, museum branding, or art fairs), helping them develop public speaking and synthesis skills.
• Curated Portfolio of Works and Commentary: A small portfolio may be developed in which students select 3–5 artworks and offer critical commentary on their market performance, institutional recognition, and projected future value.

Guest Speakers 

To be confirmed: Dr. Elizabeth Mattison, Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Academic Programming and Curator of European Art at the Hood Museum. With her expertise in authenticating centuries-old works on paper and canvas, Dr. Mattison will guide students through the complexities of attribution, forgery detection, and historical documentation.

Field Trips 

• Hood Museum of Visual Arts
• Hopkins Center for the Arts Studios

Benefits for Future Study

Students can apply the material from this course in a variety of future academic and professional contexts. Some potential pathways include: Art History and Visual Culture: Students planning to major in or continue with art history will benefit from critical perspectives on how value is constructed, enabling a more nuanced understanding of the historical and contemporary art world.