Previous Honors Courses

HNRS 1120, Section 101, CRN: 95889

No matter who we are, we tell stories about men every day. Some of them are so common that we talk about them in a kind of shorthand: "he's the strong silent type," "that guy's a finance bro," or, "that's an example of toxic masculinity." These stories have a history that's deeply embedded in our culture, yet we rarely focus our attention on how these narratives shape ideas about what it means to be a man, or to be masculine. In this class, we explore this "literature of masculinity," learning to read its “bro code.” Like literary detectives, we will work to uncover some key ideas that shape how we think about masculinity today.

Our survey reaches from a distant past where Beowulf must do battle with a horrible, man-eating monster and—even worse—his mother, to a far future where men touch down on a planet inhabited only by women. Along the way, we'll stop in King Arthur's court and visit Shakespeare's England on the brink of a civil war. Throughout it all, we will keep an open mind about what the stories we tell about "manly men" have been, and consider what these might reveal about current and historical concepts of masculinity and manhood in all its forms and interpretations.

This course fulfills core Humanities Requirement towards your degree! All are welcome.

HRNS 1120, Section U01, CRN: 83476

In this hands-on course, you will learn publishing-related skills, including management and editing, and publish an annual edition of a student literary arts journal: CNM's Leonardo. In the first part of the course, you will survey the present and recent past of regional and national peer institution student literary arts journals to explore such questions as:

• What makes a really good (or bad) issue?
• How does a student publication represent a wide diversity of voices and perspectives equitably and as compellingly as possible?
• What has Leonardo been recently, and what do we want it to be going forward?

With answers to these questions, through journaling assignments and class discussion, you will work collaboratively to produce and promote the upcoming issue. This includes everything from reviewing submissions and communicating with student contributors to designing the issue and helping organize the spring release party. In this class, you don’t just learn about publishing, you do it.

HNRS 2167, Section 101, CRN 84727

Join us to explore the relationships between humans and the natural world. 

• Consider how landscapes, animals, and resources shape our existence and cultural narratives through a diverse selection of texts. 
• Read across genres with works from essayists, journalists, and poets such as Camille Dungy, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Edward Abbey, Annie Dillard, and Leslie Marmon Silko. 
• Design and carry out a research project that aligns with your individual interests. 

Dive into the past, present, and future of humans in relationship to the natural work on our shared planet! 

This course fulfills your General Education Humanities requirement. 

HRNS 2167, CRN: 77682

In contemporary debates, "evil skeptics" have argued that the concept of evil is outdated given modern methods to understand human behavior, and is potentially dangerous in its emotional appeal to move the public against those already marginalized. However, "evil revivalists" have argued that the concept is still useful to understand the world, especially with the persistence of serial murderers, violent extremism, state violence, genocides, war crimes, unrestrained ecological destruction, and artificial scarcity around the globe.

In this seminar, we will explore how the concept of evil has been formed over human history and discuss whether it is still important in our moral and political discourses. We will study how ancient and religious traditions have informed our understanding of evil, as well as how modern philosophy, psychology, literary studies, art, sociology, and religious studies have grappled with this concept. How we position ourselves in regard to this concept has a significant impact in how we think about other concepts such as humanity, power, freedom, forgiveness, and punishment, as well as how we understand and respond to current and past atrocities.

No matter who we are, we tell stories about men every day. Some of them are so common that we talk about them in a kind of shorthand: "he's the strong silent type," "that guy's a finance bro," or, "that's an example of toxic masculinity." These stories have a history that's deeply embedded in our culture, yet we rarely focus our attention on how these narratives shape ideas about what it means to be a man, or to be masculine. In this class, we explore this "literature of masculinity," learning to read its “bro code.” Like literary detectives, we will work to uncover some key ideas that shape how we think about masculinity today.

Our survey reaches from a distant past where Beowulf must do battle with a horrible, man-eating monster and—even worse—his mother, to a far future where men touch down on a planet inhabited only by women. Along the way, we'll stop in King Arthur's court and visit Shakespeare's England on the brink of a civil war. Throughout it all, we will keep an open mind about what the stories we tell about "manly men" have been, and consider what these might reveal about current and historical concepts of masculinity and manhood in all its forms and interpretations.

This course fulfills core Humanities Requirement towards your degree!

HNRS 1120, Section 101, CRN: 87281

In this course, we’ll explore the relationships between humans and the natural world. Together we will consider how landscapes, animals, and resources shape our existence and cultural narratives and practices. Through a diverse selection of readings from essayists, journalists, and poets such as Camille Dungy, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Edward Abbey, Annie Dillard, and Leslie Marmon Silko, we will engage with a wide range of texts to challenge and inform our perspectives on the world we inhabit.

You will have the opportunity to design and carry out a research project that aligns with your interests, such as exploring specific environmental issues or challenges, innovative sustainability practices, or cultural beliefs surrounding our relationship with nature.

Dive into the past, present, and future of humans in relationship to the natural world on our shared planet!

HNRS 1120, Section U01, CRN: 86884

In this hands-on course, you will learn publishing-related skills, including management and editing, and publish an annual edition of a student literary arts journal: CNM's Leonardo. In the first part of the course, you will survey the present and recent past of regional and national peer institution student literary arts journals to explore such questions as:

• What makes a really good (or bad) issue?
• How does a student publication represent a wide diversity of voices and perspectives equitably and as compellingly as possible?
• What has Leonardo been recently, and what do we want it to be going forward?

With answers to these questions, through journaling assignments and class discussion, you will work collaboratively to produce and promote the 2025 issue. This includes everything from reviewing submissions and communicating with student contributors to designing the issue and helping organize the spring release party. Other editorial roles you can choose to play include managing and designing the Leonardo website where Leo Long Form is published, promoting the journal on social media, and creating a handbook for future student editors. In this class, you don’t just learn about publishing, you do it.

HNRS 1120, Section 101, CRN: 73591

Examine the history, present and future of AI through film, fiction, and journalism in order to try and make sense of this revolution as it happens in real time. Likely texts include the writings of Isaac Asimov and Ted Chiang, films including 2001, A Space Odyssey, and Her. Readings will draw from The New York Times, The New Yorker, Wired Magazine, and The Atlantic. 

The course will be a real-time journey into the AI revolution, unpacking its impact on our world. 

HNRS 1120, Section D01, CRN 94323
Instructor: Bridgit Lujan 

In this 100-level course, discover the legacy of Spain’s most famous style of dance in New Mexico: flamenco.

From a historic and creative ethnographic lens, students will discover the journey of flamenco as it transformed from a transplant to a cultural mainstay in New Mexico.

Students will explore the evolution, legends, and histories of key figures that forged the path for New Mexico to be the most important artistic and economic hot spot of flamenco in the United States.

Students will also learn about how New Mexico came to be the host of the largest flamenco festival outside of Spain, how the local University of New Mexico decided to offer a flamenco degree (the only degree program of its kind in the United States), and much, much more. ¡Olé! 

HNRS 1120, Section U01, CRN 85129
Instructor: Jessica Mills 

In this hands-on course, you will learn publishing-related skills, including management and editing, and publish an annual edition of a student literary arts journal: CNM's Leonardo. In the first part of the course, you will survey the present and recent past of regional and national peer institution student literary arts journals to explore such questions as:

• What makes a really good (or bad) issue?
• How does a student publication represent a wide diversity of voices and perspectives equitably and as compellingly as possible?
• What has Leonardo been recently, and what do we want it to be going forward?

With answers to these questions, through journaling assignments and class discussion, you will work collaboratively to produce and promote the 2024 issue. This includes everything from reviewing submissions and communicating with student contributors to designing the issue and helping organize the spring release party. Other editorial roles you can choose to play include managing and designing the Leonardo website where Leo Long Form is published, promoting the journal on social media, and creating a handbook for future student editors. In this class, you don’t just learn about publishing, you do it. 

HNRS 1120, Section 101, CRN 76644
Instructor: Dr. Megan B. Abrahamson

Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins. Mermaids, Fairies, and Dragons. Superheroes and dethroned gods. Ancient wizards and dystopian futures.

Fantasy has the most fun of all literary genres, but it also delves into philosophy (how the world works, the nature of the soul and death), and social issues (marginalization and envisioning a more humane society).

This course follows fantastic genres from their origins in creation myths and supernatural epic poetry, through medieval romances and early modern English drama, and there from fairy tales to modern and postmodern fantasy novels, films, art, graphic novels, and games.

As we read from such texts as Gilgamesh, Anderson’s Little Mermaid, Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Neil Gaiman’s DC Comic The Sandman, and the Role-Playing Game Dungeons and Dragons, we will discuss two essential questions:

• How are Fantasy authors both constrained by and able to transcend the rules of the real world?
• What can Fantasy tell us about the nature of humanity and our relationship to our world that other genres cannot?   

GNHN 1021, Section U01, CRN 93102
Instructor: Sue Taylor, PhD 

The issue of immigration continues to be a critical issue as it has for the prior two decades. Despite less news coverage and stricter border enforcement since the outbreak of COVID-19 migrant caravans, most from Central America but also some from South America and Haiti, continue to cross Mexico, arriving at the U. S. Mexican border where they face confrontations with Mexican migration agents or U. S. border agents.  According to an October 27, 2021 article on Reuters, “The United States has registered record levels of migration this year, as border agents have apprehended or expelled more than 1.7 million migrants over the past 12 months.” The caravans continue despite stricter enforcement of immigration and asylum processes, pressure on Mexico, and agreements with the Northern Triangle countries to stop migrants from entering Mexico. 

The United States has experienced immigration from Mexico since the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo created a border between the two nations, splitting families and communities. However, it’s important to recognize that the majority of people coming north through Mexico in the migrant caravans for the past decades have come primarily from the Northern Triangle nations: Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Much of the rhetoric surrounding immigration, immigrants, and possible solutions ignores the reasons why immigrants from Central America are so determined to leave their home countries that they make long and dangerous trips to a country that seems intent to do whatever it takes to keep them out.

In this class, we will examine the historical roots of the conditions in Central America that have created the immigration crises of the 21st century.  Specifically, we will explore the impact of interventions by the United States in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala during the Cold War, asking what the connections between U. S. intervention and the current crisis are. 

CRN 88824, GNHN 2204, Section 101
Instructor: Vinnie Basso, PhD

What is the relationship between homelessness and civil society? How do writers and activists challenge social stigma? What are the aesthetics of homelessness in popular culture?

In 2021, over half a million people were homeless in the United States and of the 34 million Americans who live in poverty today, roughly 10 million are at risk of homelessness. From present-day Albuquerque to nineteenth-century New York, our course looks squarely at the issue of homelessness in America and the ways that poverty, mental illness, and addiction generate social precarity.

Through the study of literature, film, and social and political writings, we will assess how social inequalities contribute to homelessness and evaluate the social practices and policies affecting some of our most vulnerable citizens.