SemesterSpring Semester, 2025
DepartmentGeneral Education Courses in Social Sciences
Course NameThe Way of Resilience: Exploring the Sustainable Significance of Resilience Classics
Instructor
Credit3.0
Course TypeSelectively
Prerequisite
Course Objective
Course Description
Course Schedule

















































































































1

Struggle for life: Biological Resilience



(2/21)  

1. "The Origin of Species" by Darwin  



2. "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka



3. "Homo Deus" by Yuval Noah Harari

Lecture and Discussion



A Reflection note 
2 2/28 National Holiday (no class)    

3

Psychological and Behavioral Resilience



(3/7)

"Man's Search for Meaning" (Part One - "Experiences in a Concentration Camp", and Part Two - "Logotherapy in a Nutshell") by Viktor E. Frankl.

Lecture and Discussion



Guest Speaker: Tiffany Tu, Marriage and Family Therapist



Title: Psychological and Behavioral Resiliency

4

Resilience in Medical Sciences



(3/14)

"The Emperor of All Maladies" ("A Distorted Version of Our Normal Selves", Chapter 14 - "Losing the Thread", and Chapter 17 - "A Distinct Period") by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Lecture and Discussion



Guest Speaker: Berlin Chen, Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital



Title: Resilience: Neurologist View

5

Resilience and Consilience



(3/21)

Supplementary materials

Lecture and Discussion



“Polar Bear Parade” Planning Proposals (Group Project/10 points)
6 Ecological Resilience--Addressing Modern Challenges (3/28) The Sixth Extinction (Chapter 1 - "The Sixth Extinction", Chapter 10 - "The Thing with Feathers", and Chapter 13 - "The New Pangaea" or your own choice) by Elizabeth Kolbert.  

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson



Chapter 8: And No Birds Sing



Comments on the Earth Day

Lecture and Discussion



Guest Speaker:



Yahn-Jauh Su



Academic technician



Kellogg Biological Station



 



Michigan State University



Title: Resilience in Ecology



 
7 National Holiday (4/4)    


8

Ecological Resilience--Urban and Community Resilience (4/11)

The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Part one: THE PECULIAR NATURE OF CITIES – 2. "The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety") by Jane Jacobs.



UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction: https://globalplatform.undrr.org/  





Case Study Discussion - Fukushima, Japan:



Guest Speaker: Kawasaki Kota  



The University of Fukushima



https://kawasaki936.wixsite.com/labo



Title: Revitalization from Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima



 

9

Earth Resilience (4/18)



(for Earth Day 2025)

Polar Bear Parade?



The Theme for Earth Day 2025



“Our Power, Our Planet”



Goal: triple renewable energy generation globally by 2030

Parade on the campus and activities at a “Hub”



(30 points)


10

Economic Resilience: Economic Crisis



(4/25)



 

Supplementary materials

Lecture and Discussion



Guest Speaker: Professor Jonathan Thomas, The University of Edinburgh



Title: Resilience-- Economic Crises and Recovery


11

Interdisciplinary/Intercultural Perspectives on Resilience (5/2)

Guns, Germs, and Steel ("From Egalitarian to Kleptocracy, "Yali's People", “How China became Chinese” or student’s own choice) by Jared Diamond.

Lecture and Discussion


12

Interdisciplinary/Intercultural Perspectives on Resilience (5/9)

Supplementary materials

Lecture and Discussion



Guest Artist: Meilin Su



Hands-On Activity: A Picture Book of the Four Seasons (20 points)


13

Resilience in Religious and Philosophical Resilience (5/16)

Supplementary materials

 


14

Resilience: National Defence (5/23) 

 

 


15

National Holiday (5/30)

 

 


16

Final Project Presentation (6/6)

 

pecha-kucha presentation (30 points)
17 flexible (no class)    
18 flexible (no class)    

Teaching Methods
Teaching Assistant
Requirement/Grading

Class Participation and Discussion: 20 %






  • Regular attendance and punctuality are important for this course.

  • Active engagement in discussions, demonstrating preparation and understanding of the material.

  • Constructive contributions to class activities and debates.





Polar Bear Group Projects (30%):






  • Collaboration and teamwork within the group.  

  • Quality of the group project deliverables on the Earth Day Event.

  • Individual contribution to the group effort.





Hands-on Activity in the Class (20%)



Final Projects (30%): Pechakucha






  • Individual projects with a clear research question.

  • Depth of research and analysis demonstrated.

  • Clarity and coherence in presenting findings or outcomes.





 





 





 



Class policy: Open use of AI tools



AI is viewed as a methodology in the course. Students are encouraged to self-evaluate their reliance on GPT or other generative AIs for various aspects of their homework and projects. 



Textbook & Reference

1. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (Chapter 4)

2. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (Part 2)

3. Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari (The Anthropocene)

4. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (Chapter 2 of Book IV)

5. The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (Part one: THE PECULIAR NATURE OF CITIES – 2. "The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety")

6. The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Chapter 14 - "A Distorted Version of Our Normal Selves", Chapter 17 - "A Distinct Period")

7. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (Part One - "Experiences in a Concentration Camp", Part Two - "Logotherapy in a Nutshell")

8. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond ("From Egalitarian to Kleptocracy," "Yali's People," “How China became Chinese” or students own choice)

9. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert (Chapter 1 or students’ own choice)



10. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (Chapter 8)

11. Selections from the Bible, Quran, and Buddhist scriptures etc. (for religious resilience)


12. Other suggested materials

Urls about Course
Attachment