HON 102

Overview and Course Offerings

A hub for inter- and cross-disciplinary inquiry and creative teaching and learning, the UMaine Honors College helps students become curious and creative problem-solvers, intellectual risk-takers, and compassionate, engaged individuals. Our four-year developmental “curriculum for inquiry” fosters academic skills and habits of mind that are valuable across all majors and degree programs and prepares students to take the next steps in their personal, intellectual, and professional journeys.

HON 102

Connect: Evidence & Argument

In this second course in the Honors sequence, you will enter into the community and practice of active scholarship within various topic areas of instructor expertise. Working within diverse content areas in different sections of the course, each drawing from diverse Global Perspectives (e.g., international drug policy; dissent literature; road narratives; “work” across cultures etc.), you will develop core skills in writing, editing, and revising; finding and synthesizing scholarly sources, and constructing scholarly arguments.

Course Learning Outcomes:
Students further develop skills established in 101 and begin to build their scholarship and research toolkit; topics vary.

General Education Requirement (GER):
Satisfies Cultural Diversity & International Perspectives; Writing Intensive GER.

Spring 2026 HON 102 Course Offerings*:

*This list of courses is for planning purposes only. Please be advised that all course offerings and schedules are preliminary. We reserve the right to modify or cancel courses based on enrollment, staffing, and other factors. The final schedule will be confirmed closer to the start of the semester.

MWF- Courses meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

M/W- Courses meet Monday and Wednesday

T/TH- Courses meet Tuesday and Thursday

Confucianism and Daoism: Classical Roots and Contemporary Relevance

Hao Hong

MWF 11:00-11:50 am

MWF 1:00-1:50 Pm

This course explores two of the most influential philosophical schools in the “classical” period of (pre-Qin) China: Confucianism and Daoism. We will investigate foundational debates on human nature and the best practices of self-cultivation, the general nature of the cosmos and the role of humanity within it, and the ideal organization of society. Alongside close readings of primary texts by early Chinese philosophers, we will explore how recent scholars apply Confucian and Daoist ideas to the contemporary world and address our current philosophical and social concerns.

Creatures of the Deep

Anna Martin

T/TH 9:30-10:45 am

T/TH 11:00 aM-12:15 pm

This particular HON 102 class will focus on exploring human understanding of the Earth’s oceans across a range of art forms and modes of creative expression. Project-based learning, discussions and creative research strategies will build a foundation for exploring weekly themes that render ideas of “the deep”, it’s creatures and conversations between art and science.

A photo of multiple pairs of shoes on the wall.

Exploring the Informal Markets of Global Capitalism

Stefano Tijerina

M/W 3:30-4:45 pm

In this version of HON 102: We will be able to develop foundational scholarship skills through the analysis of the informal markets that have been generated by the social, economic, political, and environmental dynamics of this current era of globalization. We will explore the other side of the coin of global capitalism, the marginal and parallel markets that are intertwined with the structural operation of a globalized market system. Initial primary and secondary source evidence gathered by the instructor will be complemented by research carried by the student throughout the semester with the objective of expanding the understanding of the local and global dynamics of informality. This collective research exploration will allow us to engage with scholarly sources, identifying their strategic use for the construction of effective and well supported written arguments.

Gods, Heroes, and Monsters II

Josh Walton

MWF 9:00-9:50 am

MWF 10:00-10:50 am

Part two of Gods, Heroes, and Monsters where we will explore ancient myths and modern culture to better understand ourselves through the fictional realities, deities, superhuman heroes, and villains that we create.

A photo of various women singing and playing instruments

Making a Scene

Clinton Spaulding

T/TH 12:30-1:45 pm

This course will consider geographically centered artistic responses to particular socio geopolitical phenomena in the late 19th through early 21st centuries. Specific scenes to be explored include the French Symbolists, the San Francisco Bay music scene of the 1960s, NYC Hip Hop, and the Riot Grrrl scene of the Pacific Northwest among other international, geographically centered artistic movements of resistance.

Modern History Through Detective Fiction

Tobias Hrynick

T/TH 9:30-10:45 am

T/TH 11:00 aM-12:15 pm

T/TH 2:00-3:15 pm

In this course we will use the detective story as a window onto the history of (primarily) the Anglophone world from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. Everything written encodes the assumptions, morality, and interests of its own time. Mystery stories are not always taken seriously as literature (one of the assumptions of our times, perhaps, and one worth questioning). But as historical documents, detective stories offer unique advantages. Even more explicitly than other genres, they explore and challenge basic social values: Who can we trust? Who is at risk? And who deserves to be punished?

a person standing in front of armed soldiers

Moral Courage in Uncertain Times

Dr. Ryan LaRochelle

MWF 12:00-12:50 pm

We will explore how scholars conceptualize the idea of moral courage and how it relates to one’s individual character. But perhaps more importantly, we will analyze how individuals exercise moral courage in the face of uncertainty, chaos, crisis, and even violence. In doing so, the course will hopefully provide all of us with a deeper understanding of duties and obligations as engaged citizens and shape our own capacity to act with courage in times of crisis.

Road Narratives Around the World

Jimmy Fazzino

Date and Time TBD

From Gilgamesh and Exodus to The Motorcycle Diaries and Wild, the past 5,000 years of global history and culture have been one long road trip. In this section of Honors 102, we’ll explore how stories of travel and transformation have shaped cultures and identities worldwide. You will read a variety of road narratives from diverse traditions while sharpening your ability to read, analyze, and synthesize scholarly materials. Along the way, you will develop essential skills in constructing arguments, leading peer discussions, and refining your writing through feedback and revision. Throughout the journey, you will not only deepen your understanding of the road but also reflect on your own unique perspectives within the broader scholarly conversation.

Shakespeare from Page to Stage Macbeth

Julie Lisnet

T/Th 8:00-9:15 am

This course invites you to step into the dynamic world of active scholarship through the lens of one of Shakespeare’s most powerful tragedies. Beyond simply reading Macbeth, we’ll immerse ourselves in the social, political, and artistic landscape of Elizabethan England, exploring the historical documents and cutting-edge research that shaped Shakespeare’s work. We’ll examine how Macbeth resonates across cultures and time, analyzing diverse interpretations and adaptations. You’ll develop critical thinking and research skills and bring the play to life through dramatic scene work, culminating in a public performance where we share with the audience all we’ve learned over the semester.

Testament of Youth: The Literature of the First World War

Matt Pifer

M/W 3:30-4:45 pm

This particular HON 102 class focuses on the varied literature written in English about the First World War. This literature encompasses stories and poems written during the war, as well as contemporary reflections on it. These works offer a unique perspective on the human experiences that defined one of history’s most devastating conflicts, suggesting how literature functions to reveal cultural structures and inform social meaning.

Visual Representations of Latin America

Carlos Villacorta

T/TH 11:00-11:50 am

This particular HON 102 class will focus on Latin American culture through their visual representation though ancient times to the 21ST century. For this, you will read different materials from paintings, pottery, drawings, music videos, films and other to understand how Latin American countries depicted their history and personal stories. Through case studies, research, and expert insights, you’ll gain an understanding of how an image can tell us so much about Latin American culture.