Spring 2025 Honors Explorations

An Eye for An Eye: The Use of Capital Punishment in the United States 

• January 27
• February 3
• February 10
• February 17
• February 24

The United States incarcerates more people and for longer periods of time than other countries. Our nation is divided on how to handle the flaws in the criminal justice system. However, one thing remains the same: people want to feel safe. Does the threat of capital punishment deter crime? Has the United States executed innocent people? Are there systemic biases that lead to disparity on death row? Are firing squads or lethal injection humane? Can people on death row be rehabilitated and released? This exploration will examine all of these questions and so much more!

Barbecue in America: History, Culture, and Science 

• January 29

• February 5

• February 12

• February 19

• February 26

Barbecue is a term that has been referred to as a type of food, a cooking method, and a social event. It has become a cultural phenomenon that crosses many barriers. What is it about this term that brings together people from so many different walks of life? How has something as simple as cooking meat in rural communities grown into one of the most popular foods in the United States? In this program we will explore the rural roots of barbecue, barbecue in a cultural context, and the science behind tastes that vary by region of the country.

Designing for INclusivity

• January 30
• February 6
• February 13
• February 20
• February 27

This Honors Exploration will look at virtual and physical spaces and how we can design them so people with different physical capabilities and neurodiversity can have equal access. We will look at physical or technological barriers that make it difficult for people with challenges to access physical or virtual spaces, and redesigning those spaces using the principles of universal design. Universal design is the idea that any space should be designed to meet the needs of people with varying degrees of ability without the need for them to ask for accommodations. Students will learn about an experience outside of their own and think of how to improve design for other people.

Music in the Cold War

Dr. Thornton Miller, School of Music
Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:30 pm; Julian 62

• January 28
• February 4
• February 11
• February 18
• February 25

This Honors Exploration will concentrate on the use of music in Cold War cultural diplomacy, how it intersects with the political context of time, and how it relates to other artistic fields such as literature and film. We will learn the roles of various types of music (ballet, classical, folk, jazz, popular song, and rock) in these exchanges and examine how cultural exchanges occurred through the travel of musicians; broadcasting; and the exchange of scores, recordings, and films. Students will gain an understanding of the historical context underlying the Cold War cultural exchange.

Theme Parks and the Power of Place

April Anderson-Zorn, University Archivist
Thursdays, 4 - 6 pm; Schroeder 112

• January 30
• February 6
• February 13
• February 20
• February 27

This Honors Exploration will use archival materials to explore themes of identity and place through the history of theme parks. Using online digital archival collections, students will learn how modern themed entertainment developed ‘bubbles’ that create a sense of escapism, shaping a consumer’s identity to keep them pushing through the turnstiles. The Exploration will explore the history of early theme park creators, how modern theme parks developed, and why we identify so profoundly with themed spaces.