UNC-CH’s LAC Program offers students the opportunity to use world languages in a variety of courses outside the language and literature curricula.
The program aims to promote a better understanding of world regions while demonstrating the relevance of practical language skills across the disciplines.
Successful completion of a LAC course option will improve students’ ability to:
- Communicate in the target language about course topics;
- Describe how course topics relate to world regions that speak the target language;
- Explain course topics from the perspective(s) of individuals who use the target language;
- Use the target language to conduct course research.
FALL 2023 LAC one-hour courses
ARAB 308.001. Arabic LAC: The Arab City: Past, Present, and Future
Bud Kauffman
This is a stand-alone, one-hour per week LAC course taught in Arabic discussing the evolution of cities that are either in the Middle East/North Africa, or those that have been influenced by Arab and/or Islamic architecture. We will investigate the architecture and design of pre-modern cities, the modern Arab city, and projects currently under construction while focusing on topics such as design, intent, construction, ecological concerns, financial support, migration, rights, and injustices,
Duke students and native or heritage learners are welcome to enroll. Co-registration in another course is not required. Please send any questions or request for additional information to the Arabic LAC instructor, Bud Kauffman.
Mondays, 2:30pm
Prerequisite: Arabic 204 or its equivalent.
FREN 308.001. French LAC: South of France “Art de Vivre” and Public Policy at Work for a Sustainability Agenda
Carol Huber
This is a stand-alone, one-hour LAC course taught in French. No co-registration required. Students will use their French-language skills to speak, listen, read, and write about sustainability initiatives in southern France. The Mediterranean city of Montpellier is pursuing an ambitious public policy agenda of sustainable initiatives in food production and distribution, clean energy, transportation, and the circular economy. Students will examine how cultural attitudes representative of the Mediterranean “art de vivre” reinforce these initiatives.
Thursdays, 12:30pm, remote / synchronous.
Prerequisite: FREN 102, or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
PORT 408.001. Portuguese LAC: The Portuguese Empire: Conquests and Cultural Exchange, Fifteenth through Twentieth Century
Richard Vernon
This is a stand-alone, one-hour LAC discussion course taught In Portuguese. No co-registration required. The course examines the history, literary works, and historical documents from the era of the discoveries through the 20th century. One of our principal goals will be to approach an understanding of the myriad of ideas and approaches to concepts of difference, otherness, and race—both official and otherwise—found throughout the Portuguese empire, as well as the evolution of the same. This one-credit course can be taken in conjunction with the 1-credit series for students interested in 3-credits in Portuguese.
Wednesdays, 11:15am
Prerequisite: Portuguese 204, its equivalent, or permission of the instructor.