HUM 211: Perspectives on Society
Spring semester
Professor: Terry L. Shoptaugh
Office: Library 409
Phone: 236-2379 (office)
e-mail:
website: web.mnstate.edu/shoptaug
Scope of the course
This course will examine the contributions of refugees to American culture in the 20th century. By looking at the contributions post-1920 immigrants (such prominent individuals as Thomas Mann, Erich Korngold, Josef von Sternberg, Michael Curtiz, Robert Capa, Andre Breton, Albert Einstein, and others, students can learn about the cross cultural contributions in American arts -- literature, film, music, science, and humanism (popular culture contributions will include films and sports). By examining post-1990 immigration by refugees from Africa, Asia and eastern Europe, students can consider how American culture will continue to change and develop.
Required readings:
Gregg Aamot, The New Minnesotans: Stories of Immigrants and Refugees (2008). This book is available in both print and ebook formats.
Kati Marton -- The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World(2007). This is also available in print and ebook formats.
All other readings, some sound files and some images will be available on the class web site (web.mnstate.edu/shoptaug).
Assignments
Students are expected to complete all reading assignments, participate in class discussions, and turn in all written assignments on schedule. These are 3essay writing assignments (a total of 4800 words minimum).
Each paper will be graded on content and on the writing-intensive outcomes. Your grade for each paper will be influenced by the organization and development of your paper, the evidence you present in support of your remarks, the clarity of your arguments and the effectiveness of your writing.
Taken together, the papers will meet the requirements of a minimum of 4800 words for the course. The DRAFT of the 1st paper will be a group project (teams of 5), and the final copy will add individual information to the draft. The remaining two papers will be individual papers. The last paper will include images and illustrations together with text.
The focus for each paper will be to use examples of how refugee-immigrants have changed American culture and how American society has reacted to this. To this end, as you write your papers ask youself:
- What social obligations does traditional American society owe to immigrants, and what obligations do immigrants have to the society in their new county?
- How have other geographical, historical, and political influences (as seen in contributions from immigrantsfrom overseas) influenced visions of the nature of American society?
- When issues arise from intercultural encounters, how may differences be reconciled?
Writing Intensive Outcomes from this process
- You will use a coherent writing process including invention, organization, drafting, revising, and editing to form an effective final written product. A good paper will be cohesively organized, making effective use of paragraphsand transitions, or other appropriate genre conventions, to carry your argument.
- You will read, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and integrate appropriately and ethically both information and ideas from diverse sources or points of view in your writing. A good paper will have a clearly stated thesis, be effectively supported by evidence from the readings and other research, and maintain a tone that is professional and informative.
- You will create logical, engaging, effective written products appropriate for specific audiences and purposes. A good paper will provide sufficient evidence to support the over-all thesis, and answer the questions.
- You will use correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics in writing in each of the essays. An essay that makes an effective argument but fails to use correct grammar and spelling will receive a lower grade.
How your papers will be graded (proceeding from poor to excellent):
Very Poor (Grade of "F"): The paper does not meet the required standards – It is too short (at least 1600 words); the evidence in support of your points is poor (or there is no supporting evidence); the paper is very poorly written, is incoherent, and/or irrelevant. There are numerous incomplete sentences, word choice is very poor, and/or incorrect words are used.
Poor (Grade of "D"): The paper has only a marginal grasp of the material. It summarizes the most obvious aspects of the material, but provides almost no supporting evidence or examples. It shows little or no organization and contains major errors on grammar and sentence structure.
Average (Grade of "C"): The paper demonstrates basic understanding of the subject, but has some deficiencies. Its organization is acceptable, but it shows nothing more than a basic reiteration of the readings and material. It probably has grammatical errors. It likely also shows signs of being written in haste, with mistakes and sloppiness which should have been corrected with more effort.
Good (Grade of "B"): The organization is clear and coherent, although minor weaknesses may be present. It provides good, solid evidence in support of the main points. Any errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar are minor.
Excellent (Grade of "A"): The paper is very well organized, is clear in its arguments and main points, is grammatically correct, and progresses logically, with all the remarks relevant to the topic. The evidence given in support was carefully selected and aptly expressed. There is some original thought in the conclusion. Errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar are minimal.
Concerning Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is using somebody else's writing or ideas and expressing those ideas as your own. There is nothing wrong in drawing upon other writings, but if you pass these off as your own, it is plagiarism. Always use quotation marks if the idea or words in a written statement comes from an outside source. Always acknowledge that source with a footnote or body note. Any time you consult and draw on ideas from any source, you must cite your source, even if one of the sources is one of the assigned texts.
Any papers that show evidence of plagiarism will receive a failing grade.
Disability Access Statement
Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class must contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 299-5859, CMU 222, as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Late or Missing Work
I will not accept late essays for full credit unless you have made arrangements with me before the scheduled time. Only extenuating circumstances (and ones that you can document) will merit extensions for late work. For all other late written assignments or exams I deduct one grade for each day it is late. You must turn in all assignments in order to pass the course.
Grades
Letter grades are given to each essay and the final grade is the average of the 3 grades.
Class schedule
Week of / Topics / Readings, etc. / Assignments, exams, etc1 / Introduction
2 / PART I – Exiles and artists / Begin Marton book
3 / Immigration to the US – rules and procedures
4 / Fleeing fascism / Group paper draft due Sept 17
5 / In America -- artists
6 / In America -- writers
7 / In America -- musicians / Complete paper 1 due Oct 8 (no class Oct 15)
8 / The transformed American culture
9 / PART II – Modern immigration
10 / Post – 1950 immigration regulations / Begin Aamot book
11 / The Impact of globalism / 2nd paper due on Nov 12
12 / New Immigration in Minnesota -- stories
13 / New Immigration in Minnesota -- stories
14 / Cultural challenges in the 21st century
15-16 / Wrap up /
Last paper due Dec 10
December 2012