"When Quiet Kids Get Forgotten in Class" (April 26, 2005), by Toni Weingarten. The qualities that many quieter children express—thoughtfulness, studiousness, conscientiousness—are among those most needed for the complex problem-solving required by today's information-oriented economy. Yet instead of nurturing such students, teachers sometimes automatically assume something is wrong with a child who is quiet. From The Christian Science Monitor.

"How to Get Shrinking Violets to Blossom" (Feb. 25, 2005), by Peter Monaghan of The Chronicle of Higher Education. An interview with Bernardo J. Carducci of Indiana University Southeast, who has fashioned himself as something of a shyness guru. Carducci talks about how to overcome shyness.

"Bashful Kids May Be Born That Way" (June 19, 2003), from CBS News.com. A tendency to be shy may be an inherited characteristic that is marked by a specific reaction in the brain to the presence of strangers or novel objects, a study suggests. (Associated Press article by Paul Recer.)

"New York Writer Accumulates Points in Corporate Circles" (Feb. 2, 2004), by David Carr of the New York Times. The article provides a brief update on Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, and discusses how his theories about change have been embraced by many companies.

"Meditate on It: Can adding contemplation to the classroom lead students to more eureka moments? ," by John Gravois of The Chronicle of Higher Education (Oct. 21, 2005). A look at the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, which has been working with faculty to help build contemplative moments into their curriculum. The idea is that meditation doesn't just help stressed-out students find their happy place; rather, it actually deepens their engagement with subject matter — and may even prompt moments of insight.

"Monks who make world's best beer have a message for USA ; Drinking illegally imported brew is very un-Trappist," by Noelle Knox of US Today (Oct. 3, 2005). The St. Sixtus monks at St. Sixtus Monastery in Westvleteren (near Brussels) break every rule in Business 101 except attention to quality. And therein may lie the secret of their success in brewing a beer that some rank among the world's best and that is so hard to get there's a black market for it.

"Peace Pagoda Grounds a Buddhist Group in New England," by Eric Goldscheider of The New York Times (Oct. 1, 2005). A story about the twentieth anniversary of the Peace Pagoda, built in Connecticut under the guidance of Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist monks.

"Ever Since A.D. 270, the Need to Get Away From It All," by Michael Slackman of The New York Times (September 28, 2005). A look at Father Maximous Elantony, a Coptic monk who for 27 years has made his home inside the walls of St. Anthony's Monastery, a fortress of Christianity 100 miles southeast of Cairo that is generally considered the birthplace of Christian monastic life.

"With Disarming Humor, the Dalai Lama Tackles Weapons and War " (September 26, 2005), by Andrea Elliott of The New York Times. An article about the Dalai Lama's visit to Rutgers University, part of his 2005 trip to the United States. Since his last visit, interest in Buddhism has "bloomed" in this country.

The Tibetan Photo Project. If you are interested in learning more about the life of Tibetan monks, check out this website. The Tibetan Photo Project is a unique project begun by a seasoned photojournalist, Joe Mickey, who wanted to help the monks document and preserve their own traditions . Mickey equipped the monks with their own cameras and then they began to document their everyday life. The site includes a complete history of this fascinating project as well as marvelous photos.

"Is Buddhism Good for Your Health?" (Sept. 14, 2003) by Stephen S. Hall, from the New York Times site.

Unit 7: Workplace Privacy

"The State Of Surveillance," from Business Week Online (August 8, 2005). In the face of increasing terrorism, surveillance technology is becoming much more advanced. The protection provided by this technology will lead to more intrusion into people’s privacy, but for now the public seems to find that trade-off acceptable. So scientists around the world have intensified efforts to perfect the art of surveillance, hoping to catch villains before they strike. By Catherine Yang, with Kerry Capell in London and Otis Port in New York.

Unit 8: Warriors without Weapons

"Who Are Americans to Think That Freedom Is Theirs to Spread?", by Michael Ignatieff, in The New York Times Sunday Magazine (June 26, 2005). Around the world (and at home), America's long-held desire to export liberty and democracy is called hubristic, messianic, imperialistic and worse. But, says Ignatieff (who appears in Unit 8), try imagining a world without it.

"Reporting Human Rights Abuses in Iraq" (Jan. 16, 2005), on National Public Radio. NPR's Liane Hansen speaks with Eric Schwartz, a guest lecturer on Iraq politics at Princeton University, about the differences in approach of human rights monitoring agencies when it comes to reporting human rights abuses.

"Red Cross Finds Detainee Abuse in Guantánamo" (Nov. 30, 2004), by Neil A. Lewis of The New York Times. The International Committee of the Red Cross charged in confidential reports to the United States government that the American military intentionally used psychological and sometimes physical coercion "tantamount to torture" on prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

"Red Cross Criticizes Indefinite Detention in Guantánamo Bay" (Oct. 10, 2003), by Neil A. Lewis, looks at an instance in which the International Red Cross changed its normal policy not to issue public criticism. From the New York Times website.

Unit 9: Boosting Brain Power through the Arts