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Brandeis University TYP Program
T & Th 5:00-6:20pm
Location: Olin-Sang 116 Spring Semester 2014
Instructor: Alexandra Herzog ()
Office hours: by appointment
Mailstop 054 NEJS Department, Lown 115
TF: Alissa Brooks ()
Writing Identity in a Cultural, Ethnic and Gendered Context
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this class is to introduce you to the conventions of college writing, as well as to explore the different types of writing that one can use both for personal and academic or professional reasons. You will learn how to plan, use your time wisely, do research, analyze, argue, deconstruct, and write successful academic papers. Though this class is primarily about writing, you will also develop the essential skills to participate in group discussion and do presentations of your own. While the focus of the course is on developing your skills as a persuasive writer, great emphasis will also be placed on the value of sharing (and defending) ideas in a challenging academic environment.
This class will examine identity with a specific emphasis on race, gender, religion, and sexuality. While all these features form key points of identity upon which power and privilege is distributed and wielded within societies, our study will extend to look at the intersections of multiple identities and status positions within the United States. We will study the interconnection of all these sites of identity and see how each of them affects and shapes one’s overall identity as well as one’s connection to American society. Historically, there has always been an “Other.” How does the creation of an Other reflect on the society that creates it? How do we invent others' identities as American or non-American? What kind of role do race, gender, religion and sexuality play in this distinction? In this course, you will think and rethink your notion of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality and the construction of American identities. You will be exposed to feminist theory, masculinity studies, queer theory, and cultural and literary theory for analyzing various cultural representations both in print and in visual culture. This course will challenge students to consider their own position within the social order. How do you benefit from the current status quo? And simultaneously, how might you be oppressed by it? In what ways do you actively or passively contribute to the maintenance of the status quo? What possibilities exist to challenge the current order? How can we as individuals or groups take steps to create change? Additionally, an important facet of this course will involve building increased empathy towards one another as humans and building a culturally competent standpoint from which to build understanding and insight into the diversities of human identities, positions and experiences in order to understand the cultural production from different cultures and groups.
Students will read authors from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds and question the formation of identity. Cultural diversity is at the heart of this course, so please always remain respectful and tactful during discussions and with your peers. We will discuss a range of racial/ethnic groups as well as their relationship to power and hear the voices of diverse authors speak about their experiences of racism, class, sexism and heterosexism simultaneously. We will look at variations both between groups and within groups. For example, two individuals of the same racial group may have different racial experiences as marked by their gender, class or sexual statuses. The course materials are therefore purposely eclectic and interdisciplinary.
OVERVIEW OF ASSIGNMENTS
You will have three major assignments and several shorter reading and writing assignments throughout the semester. For each of the three major assignments you will be asked to produce a first draft and then a revision. All assignments should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins. Your last name and a page number should occupy the header or footer of each page after the first. All citations must be in MLA format. Please write complete rough drafts; the more work you do for this rough draft, the better your revision will be. Assignments must be handed in paper form unless otherwise noted. If digital essays are accepted, they must be in .doc format (compatible with Word 97-2004 and not .docx). Throughout the semester you will also turn in several Reader’s Notes. You should be prepared to write nearly every class meeting.
Reader’s Notes: These are one-page (single-spaced) reflections on each assigned piece of reading/visual /cultural objects. Although you need to write these carefully as they will be used to spot grammar issues for you to work on, think of these more as journal entries, and write freely. Dig deep to really reflect on what you are reading or seeing, how you internalize and understand it, and what it means to you. Submit papers, essays, and other assignments within the deadlines. Any late papers will result in an immediate 10% decrease of the grade.
Lens Essay:
In a review of our work last semester, your first paper will be a lens essay, looking at the film A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry through one of the articles posted on Latte. This paper will be 5-7 pages, and will focus on cultural identity and gender relationships as portrayed in the film. First Draft due on January 30, and final draft due on February 6.
Multi-Text Essay:
For your second essay, you will engage with critical articles and use them to inform your argument about one of the texts read in class. It will be your work to look for outside sources that fit your argument. 6-7 pages. First draft due on March 18 and final draft due on March 25.
Final Essay:
For our final project of the semester, you will use the texts that we have read over the semester, with the addition of at least one outside text, to develop and successfully argue for your own unique definition of what cultural and/or sexual identity is. In this unit, we will focus on finding and using sources, as well as the foundations of the research essay. 6-7 pages.
Oral Presentation:
In this presentation, you will present the findings from your final essay in an oral format before a body of your peers. Your presentation will include the research for your paper as well as your thesis and conclusion, and may include visual or creative writing components. The presentation must be at least 10 minutes long, and will be followed by 5 minutes of question and answer time, in which you will field questions from myself and your classmates.
Final Portfolio:
You will also turn in a portfolio containing all of your work from the semester. This means all of your corrected drafts and your revisions along with a cover letter that reflects your progress and evolution as a writer.
GRADES
Participation 20%
1st Essay 20%
2nd Essay 20%
Final Exam 20%
Portfolio and Oral Presentation 20%
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Come to class on time and prepared!
Attendance at every class meeting and every tutoring session is expected. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class. Each absence and each late arrival to a TYP class will result in a deduction from your final grade. Numerous unexcused absences will result in the loss of a full letter grade (e.g. dropping your final grade from an A to a B). In either case, all absences and tardiness must be explained in writing to both your instructor and the TYP Director Erika Smith. Keep in mind that your attendance grade reflects your ability to make and keep appointments with both your tutor and myself. You are allowed three excused absences from class meetings or individual appointments; after this, your final grade will be affected. “Excused absences” means you have a good reason for missing class that you communicated to me beforehand. It certainly does not imply not hearing your alarm clock or going to the movies instead! Rescheduling individual meetings after-the-fact will not count towards your absences unless it becomes a persistent problem.
We will also spend a significant amount of time reading and commenting on each other’s work. You must give thoughtful and respectful feedback. You must be open to the comments of your peers and really listen to what they have to say. You do not need to necessarily agree with them, but you must show respect and listen to them with an open mind. You will be expected to respond to their feedback in your revisions.
Finally, we will discuss our writing and class readings. The success of these discussions depends on each student’s preparation and willingness to contribute. You will be expected to participate actively and intelligently in discussions. If you have difficulty participating in class discussions, please speak to me about other possible ways to contribute. To be a persuasive and critical writer, one must constantly practice being a persuasive and critical thinker and speaker. I expect you to actively read every text I present to you, underlining, highlighting, taking notes, or drawing pictures as you see fit, and bringing your ideas to class every day.
COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Although I will always do my best to tell you all the important things about the course in person during our meetings, please often check your email (outside of class!!!) for last-minute messages or updates about assignments and/or readings. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I will always do my best to respond as quickly as possible within reasonable limits.
Finished papers should be submitted electronically via LATTE by the posted due date, and it is through this method that I will be verifying your timely completion of the assignments. You will also be asked to bring in hard (paper) copies of some drafts and shorter assignments for sharing and editing in and out of class. Major assignments will be marked down 10% (a full letter grade) for each day they are late. Although I expect you to complete all your assignments on time, I understand that the occasional emergency will occur, but communication is essential in these cases. You must notify me 24 hours in advance and receive confirmation from me for any extensions, or you will be penalized for turning in your paper late. I will try to be merciful, but simply asking for an extension does not guarantee that one will be granted.
Though I love music, I do not want to hear the personal tune of your cell phone or any other electronic device and would kindly ask you to turn it off as soon as you enter the class. I do not want the class to be disrupted by people checking emails, texting, chatting or using any electronic device! This also implies not using any laptops in class. Though I am aware that many of you use it to take notes, it is too tempting to surf the net and be distracted from what is important. It is essential for us to create a good and stimulating working environment. Again, please respect your instructor, tutor, fellow students and above all respect yourself.
CONFERENCES
You must meet with me for three twenty-minute conferences throughout the course of the semester (one session for each paper). While this is required, please note I am available during regular office hours or scheduled appointments outside of these conferences. Come with drafts, ideas, notes, outlines, etc.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas of another person–be it a world-class philosopher or your lab partner–without proper acknowledgment of that source. This means that you must use citations and quotation marks to indicate the source of any phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or ideas found in published volumes, on the Internet, or created by another student.
Please make sure to read the University’s policies on academic integrity: (see http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/sdc/ai)
Violations of University policies on academic integrity, described in Section three of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the assignment, or in suspension or dismissal from the University. If you are in doubt about the instructions for any assignment in this course, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification.
DISABILITIES
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you, please see me immediately.
***Also, papers must be printed on paper and turned in by hand at the beginning of class. You must then plan ahead in order to have paper, enough ink to print, or enough time to head to the library before class in order to turn your paper in on time***
A Note on the Syllabus
***PLEASE NOTE THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS NEEDED***
Be aware that as the class changes, assigned readings may be shift to reflect the needs/interests of the class. This is one of the many reasons that you should bring your syllabus to EVERY class. I will be adding or changing reading, due dates or writing assignments depending on how the class is working and will expect you to bring your syllabus and record any changes accordingly. If you have any questions about changes that have been made, you should e-mail me before class so that you are prepared when you walk in the door. I will not be held responsible for you missing readings that were announced, and in many cases distributed, in class.