Reasoning & Writing in the College
CAS 105

Fall 2003

**Courses address issues of diversity

Writing about:

English Language and Literature

**Beyond The Blair Witch Project: Witches in Film and Literature
Jennifer Ailles, Department of English
TR 11:05-12:20 CRN 12148
TR 2:00-3:15 CRN 12372

Witches are often vilified, discriminated against, and hunted down because they represent the mystical borders of a society and the malevolent (un)known. But witches are also celebrated as benevolent figures whose magic is an extension of the untainted natural world. In this course we will examine how witches have been represented in film and literature over time and in different milieus. Some of the works we will discuss will be The Wizard of Oz, Macbeth, The Witches of Eastwick, Disney cartoons, The Crucible, Harry Potter, and The Blair Witch Project. We will also look at classical antecedents such as the goddess Diana and Hecate along with cultural documents including the Malleus Meleficarum and Newes From Scotland that have been highly influential in how witches have been understood and represented historically. Through critical and primary readings, film screenings, class discussion, and four written essays, we will address issues of gender, race, class, and cultural politics that are raised through examining representations of witches. Students will be required to engage critically with the material and to actively strengthen their argumentative skills through journals, peer reviews, essay revisions, self-assessments, and in-class writing workshops.

Popular Monsters Frankenstein; Dracula; Mr. Hyde
John Chandler, Department of English
MW 3:25 - 4:40 CRN 12246

We all know these characters that have entered popular culture. This course will look at the hold these "classic monsters" have on popular culture and discuss the continuing appeal of certain works and monsters (for example, Shelley's Frankenstein and Stoker's Dracula). What makes these tales so popular? How are they adapted to reflect modern society's concerns? We will look at these and other monsters and works and discuss why they did (or did not) have a lasting impact. Coursework will be geared towards creating a portfolio of short reaction papers and essays, as well as a final research paper. Through classroom discussion, peer evaluation, self-evaluation and on-going revision, students will develop critical reasoning and writing skills. In addition to the readings, occasional film screenings will be assigned.

From Footlights to Footnotes: Dramatic Dialogue and Academic Writing
Jenny Douglas, Department of English
MW 2:00 3:15 CRN 12156
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/jdouglas

The process of a theatre troupe rehearsing a play centers around dialogue, both the scripted dialogue of characters speaking lines and the improvisational dialogue among actors, director, and technicians, and the audience as they seek to interpret the playwright’s text and bring it to life on the stage. Collegiate writing, likewise, must be audience-directed, written to an academic audience. The writing process contains the dialogue of argument and counterargument. Like drama, it progresses through the writer’s self-assessment and the feedback of peers and instructor, and it relies on a dialogue of ideas to help the writer articulate a thesis and hone an argument. Using these tools of self-assessment, peer review, and revision, students in this course will read, discuss, and write about several twentieth century plays. In each of these plays, we will examine dialogue and repartee between characters, different communication styles, slips in communication, and group dynamics. Since these plays focus primarily on male characters, we will also consider the role of gender in determining how these characters communicate. Readings may include but are not limited to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Waiting for Godot, Art, and Privates on Parade. Students may be asked to view some of these plays or participate in dramatic readings in class. The course will require several 3-5 page papers and an 8-10 page research paper.

"Don't Mean Nothin'": The Literature, Films, and Music of the Vietnam War
Daniel Donaghy, Department of English
MW 4:50 - 6:05 CRN 12194

In written and spoken arguments, students will analyze matters of gender, race, and class in relationship to the American soldier's role in the Vietnam War. Students will also examine questions of truth and responsibility, which often take the form of a struggle between private thought and public speech. Throughout the course, they will observe the effects of the experience gap between veterans and civilians, both during war and after soldiers return home. Students will write several short papers and one long research paper in addition to revisions, informal writing, peer reviews, and self-assessments. Student participation is critical; the success of a course like this depends on students' enthusiastic commitment to both written assignments and oral participation.

Popular Representations of Race and Gender
Amy Fenstermaker, Department of English
TR 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12129

As its title suggests, this writing course will look at how race and gender are depicted in popular culture through music, advertising, television and film. The course will be guided by, but not limited to, the following questions: how do various media depict gender and/or race? In what ways do these representations stereotype race and gender, or do some representations seek to liberate us from our culturally based stereotypical notions of race and gender? What do these representations suggest about our cultural attitudes toward race and gender? Based on these representations of gender and race, have we made any progress towards equality? Students will explore such questions through a variety of formal and informal exploratory writing assignments, as well as through course readings and class discussions. Students will be asked to write three papers of roughly 3-5 pages, and one 8-10 page research paper. In the writing and revising of each of these papers, peer-feedback and self-assessment will play a prominent role.

Literature to Popular Film
Tina Giovanielli, Department of English
TR 11:05 - 12:20 CRN 12391
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/giovanielli/

This course will explore late nineteenth and twentieth century literature and its adaptation to film. We will address such questions as: What appeals to readers about each work, and what makes it appropriate for film? What are the limits or possibilities of the adaptation? How does the transformation from the printed page to the silver screen alter the story, the characters, or the message of the work…and why?

Students will have the opportunity to address some of these questions and create others through a series of short papers, a longer research paper, peer and individual revising, and class participation. We will focus on forming arguments drawn from and supported by both the texts and the films, as well as secondary sources. The goal of this course is to learn about these media while at the same time acquiring writing skills that can be used across all disciplines. Texts and their corresponding films will be taken from the following list: H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, Philip K. Dick's "The Minority Report," Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, Alex Garland’s The Beach and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"From Flappers to Rappers:" Exploring Style and Subversion in Popular Culture
Eileen G'Sell, Department of English
TR 11:05 - 12:20 CRN12258

Style is defined as a quality of imagination and individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes. Style is also understood by many, however, as a specified mode of living available only to a limited number of people. So what is style? Is style expressed simply through a person's tastes or rather configured by a wider set of cultural factors? Must innovations in style ultimately conform to "mainstream" conventions? Is subversion of the norm a possibility? Through verbal and written argument and debate, this class will examine how the style of an individual person or group has the power to transgress and influence mainstream society. We will explore and scrutinize a diversity of cultural and historical representations of style in several mediums. From Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Gray" to J. Lo's bling-bling "Jenny on the Block, " there is an element of panache and tenacity to confront a culture with the implications of minority presence and resistance. But how do these varying style-makers perform their defiance in enduring ways? Does style in fact renounce what endures, constantly shifting to comply or repudiate persistent cultural values?

To tackle these intriguing but difficult questions, students will write several short papers and one long research paper in addition to revisions. Informal writing, self-assessments, and peer reviews will assist in advancing our ability to communicate effectively. Student participation is an invaluable part of the class -- the "style" you present can be goth, mod, or Abercrombie, but it must be committed and enthusiastic. We will take as a starting point the idea that in order to subvert a system successfully, one must be aware of its normative conventions. To deviate from the "rules of writing" so to speak, one must first come to master their changing demands.

Detective Fiction
Joanna Grant, Department of English
MWF 1:00 - 1:50 CRN 94256

From its beginnings, the detective novel has fostered a unique relationship with its readers. While it seduces us with colorful characters and distracting details, it challenges us to exercise our powers of logic, of critical thinking, and of the examination of conflicting evidence in order to answer the burning questions of Whodunit? And Why?! Let us savor the fact that "forensics" is a term encompassing the seemingly disparate fields of rhetoric and debate and the scientific disciplines of fact-finding and analysis practiced by medical examiners and other detectives. Indeed, the techniques of analysis common to both disciplines are essential to one and all in a world composed of floods of information and mere trickles of knowledge. In this class, we will not only engage in "Watching the Detectives" of the hard-boiled and film noir traditions as they grapple with issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, and (dis)ability as played out against the backdrops of their historical moments; we will become detectives ourselves, employing the tools of literary research skills, seminar discussions, writing workshops and peer reviews as methods of developing and clarifying ideas and arguments and expressing them in clear and lucid prose. The writing projects assigned in this class are designed to enable students to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses as writers and to generate strategies for self-improvement and for the constructive criticism of their peers' work. Students will assess their own and their colleagues' drafts in writing as part of the peer review process. The skills perfected in these workshops will help students as they prepare the analytical essays and the argumentative research paper that comprise the bulk of the class's assignments.

**Arguments for Equality: Susan B. Anthony and Fredrick Douglass
Alison Hager, Department of English
TR 12:30 - 1:45 CRN 12305
http://www.courses.rochester.edu/hager/105.html

Slavery is over and women have the vote. So why do we still study the 19th century American debates that urged for abolition of slavery and equal suffrage for women? Are they relevant to us today?

Questions surrounding race and gender still permeate our national identity in many ways. The readings for this course will center around race and gender and the complicated political battleground of civil rights in the U.S. We will begin with writings by Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, two pioneers of the U.S. civil rights movement. Both Douglass and Anthony lived and worked in Rochester during the 19th century. Whether you live in Sue B., or buy your books in the Frederick Doug-lass building, the University of Rochester, along with the city itself, provides a unique ground for our research and discovery. As experts of our own culture we will examine some of the ways that the arguments of Douglass and Anthony survive in the 21st century. We will read short essays by Malcolm X, Soujourner Truth, Betty Freidan, and bell hooks, among others, as we explore the continuing arguments for racial and gender equality in the U.S.

Using these ideas as a springboard you will develop and refine the skills of writing your own arguments. With the help of your peers you can learn to evaluate your own writing and develop essential skills for self-assessment. You will realize (especially from Douglass’ example) the value and necessity of revising your written work.

Otherlands
Annie Heckel, Department of English
MW 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12181

" ‘ It was much pleasanter at home,’ thought poor Alice, ‘ I almost wish I hadn't gone down that rabbit-hole--and yet—and yet--it's rather curious, you know, this sort of life! I do wonder what can have happened to me! When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that this kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!’ " (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland. Project Gutenberg. Ed. Robert Stockton. 1996. <http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/People/rgs/alice-table.html>.)

Alice's dilemma is one that strikes a familiar chord for her readers. Who among us hasn't read a fairy tale, wondered to ourselves at the fantastic places and events experienced by its characters, and speculated, "Why are the characters acting the way they do? Would I react the same way if it were me?" Otherlands will focus on this specific type of narrative in which characters move from a "normal" setting into one that is alien, or conversely in which the "other" invades and causes change in our own world. We will read works in a variety of genres, from medieval romance to colonialist narratives to modern fantasy, and discuss the ramifications of the setting shift and the ways in which a character's isolation from his or her own civilization opens up possibilities that might otherwise be subsumed or intentionally stifled. Through a series of four papers (three of them shorter analytic papers and the other a long analytic/ research paper), you will be able not only to hone your writing skills, but also investigate questions of culture shock, gender and racial (or even species) expectations, morality, "otherness," and psychological reality. In addition, self assessments and peer reviews that will help to give you a sense of the process of academic and professional writing, as well as an understanding of your own place in the continuing conversation surrounding the literature you’re reading.

Epidemic and Apocalypse
Emily Huber, Department of English
TR 11:05 – 12:20 CRN 94626

In recent years, our culture has seen a plethora of material concerning the issue of epidemics. The emergence of diseases such as AIDS, Ebola, and SARS combined with the recent possible threat of biological warfare have contributed to anxieties about potential population eradication. Are these anxieties well-grounded? How much have we actually to fear from microbes? How do epidemic diseases affect our culture and society? How do we choose to "interpret" epidemics? How does the knowledge of the history of diseases such a bubonic plague and tuberculosis contribute to our reaction to modern health issues? These are some of the questions this course will seek to explore. Readings include but are not limited to Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain, Preston’s The Hot Zone, Defoe’s Journal of the Plague Year, and excerpts from Boccaccio’s Decameron and King’s The Stand. While the course will initially begin from the standpoint of epidemics’ impact on culture, art and history, cross-disciplinary approaches to disease research are strongly encouraged, as one of the topics we will be engaging is how popular science writing differs from "hard science" in terms of audience and impact. Therefore, potential biology majors interested in researching immunology and epidemiology in the context of this course are encouraged to register. Course writing requirements include three short papers of 3-4 pages in length and one longer research paper of 8-10 pages.

From Fairy Tale to Philosophy: The Politics of Children’s Literature
Vasudha Kurapati, Department of English
MWF 10:00 - 10:50 CRN 12320
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/kurapati/

In this course, we will be discussing various examples of and responses to children’s literature, and explore how "children’s literature" might in fact be addressing an adult audience. As a part of this examination, we will focus on "intentionality" and "interpretation", studying questions like what the author might have intended and what message(s) readers attribute to a text. The syllabus will include a variety of works, including Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Barrie’s Peter Pan, Oscar Wilde’s Fairy Tales, Roald Dahl’s The Twits, and Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Class discussions about these works (and their adaptations) and informal exercises will be oriented towards developing critical perspectives on these texts. Our goal will be to use children’s literature to understand the methods of critical inquiry and develop analytical skills that can be applied across disciplines. Evaluation will be based on in-class exercises, formal writing assignments, peer reviews and self-assessments, and a final research paper.

Tolkien, Crichton and Godwin: Medievalism and the (Re)imagining of the Middle Ages
Michael Livingston, Department of English
MW 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12167
http://www.courses.rochester.edu/livingston/cas105-f03/index.html

Reading list: Beowulf (trans. Liuzza), Saga of the Volsungs (trans. Byock), The Hobbit (Tolkien), Eaters of the Dead (Crichton), Tower of Beowulf (Godwin), secondary materials provided online or through course reserve.

In this course we will investigate the medieval roots of Fantasy Literature by focusing on critical readings of two medieval texts -- Beowulf and Saga of the Volsungs -- and beginning to understand how modern authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Crichton and Parke Godwin have reinterpreted those texts in the formation of their own works. We will discuss both medieval literature and the history of its interpretation in order to develop a more informed understanding of the place of Fantasy Literature in the Western Canon; and we will write extensively on these same concepts. Assignments include short papers responding to both primary and secondary texts, informal writing of both a creative and discursive kind, peer reviews, and a formal research paper. The over-arching aim of the course, therefore, is not only to learn new ways of approaching and engaging primary materials but also to learn how to convey newfound knowledge within a professional or academic environment. Class participation and attendance are, of course, mandatory.

**Race in/and Contemporary United States Culture
Shaila Mehra, Department of English
MW 3:25 4:40 CRN 12260

"The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line." So wrote W.E.B. DuBois in 1903. One hundred years later,what does this "problem" look like? In this class, we will examine the ways that race is represented in contemporary U.S. culture. Through an examination of literary texts, film, and critical essays, we will ask the following questions: what purposes do race and racial differentiation serve in/for American culture? How does representation affect or shape the perception of racial difference? In what ways are these representations connected to an ideal of "America" or "citizenship"? To what ends does this ideal function? How do gender, class, sexuality, ideas of "nation," and cultural politics shape representations of race? In the class, students will be expected to use the critical readings as models of how to construct cogent, precise arguments. Through class discussion, revision, self-assessments, and peer review, students will learn to develop persuasive argumentative skills in their writing. In order to meet the objectives of this CAS 105 class, attendance and active participation in class meetings is vital, as is the commitment to rigorous analysis of student writing.

Taking Comics Seriously?
Karan Vaswani, Department of English
MW 6:15 - 7:30 CRN 12285
http://www.courses.rochester.edu/vaswani/CAS105/index.htm

Writing seriously about comics is hard - there are no definitive models to follow. In this course, we will experiment with a variety of different models, including historical narrative, ethnography, psychoanalysis, analysis of ideological content (how comic books reinforce, interrogate, and subvert gender roles, racial stereotypes and class structures), and formal analysis (of the different ways in which words and pictures are integrated). We will not only learn how to write about the same thing in diverse ways, but how each of these approaches has its strengths and weaknesses. More unusually, we will be looking at how the ways comics are written can help us learn academic styles of reading and writing. We will work with comics across genres, formats, periods and cultures, including early comics by Rodolphe Töpffer, classic newspaper strips like Krazy Kat, mainstream "super-hero" titles, underground "comix" of the 1960s and 1970s, graphic novels of the 1980s, web comics, comics for women, Japanese manga, Indian mythological comics, and (possibly) comics from Latin America and the Arab world as well. We will devote a lot of class time to writing workshops, as well as peer reviews and revisions, as ways to develop and clarify ideas or arguments. Several short papers, periodic self-assessments and a final research paper will be required.

The Meliorist
Dawn Winters, Department of English
MW 6:15 - 7:30 CRN 12175

Meliora, Latin for "better" is a motto at the University of Rochester. But what exactly defines and determines an aspiration toward betterment? How does one better the self and social conditions, especially when the interests of one seem to be at odds with the interests of the other? What attitudes toward human potential for betterment have influential novels, stories, and essays held? How have various writers represented human progress and dealt with its failings? This class will explore literature that deals with human initiation of (and resistance to) self-improvement and social change. Reading fiction and nonfiction by writers such as M. Shelley, H. D. Thoreau, A. Rand, K. Vonnegut, and B. Mukherjee, as well as several student-selected texts, we will examine attitudes that underlie literary portrayals of human endeavors to improve personal and social conditions. We will also analyze several popular arguments and consider whether the production of literature itself can contribute to a meliorist project. This is a writing-intensive course in which several papers will be required; multiple drafts, peer reviews, student presentations, and instructor/student conferences are regular components of this course.

Writing Pilgrimage: "...for to seken straunge strondes."
Andrew Wadoski, Department of English
MW 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12237

Writing, like pilgrimage, is a process defined by a beginning and an end. We start in one place and move inexorably towards some goal. While the end points give definition and coherence, it is the journey betwixt and between that gives these end points significance. This course will examine writing as a process, a pilgrimage from one fixed point to another, and the ways the journey itself provides meaning and significance to its contextual frame. In doing so, we will situate our own writing within the context of narratives concerning pilgrimages and journeys, including Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; William Faulkner’s The Big Woods; and St. Bonaventure’s Mind’s Journey to God. Through the readings, class discussion, essays, and a research paper, we will explore the idea of the journey, the relationship between beginning, middle, and end, and how this relationship is established in scholarly writing.

Writing about Film

Film Form and Culture: Contemporary Chinese Cinemas
Joseph Cameron, Department of English
TR 4:50 - 6:05 CRN 12347
http://www.courses.rochester.edu/cameron/

Although a film's form may seem "natural" to us, the way a film's production relates to its culture shapes not only what we see on the screen, but how we relate to those images as well. To illustrate this point, this course will focus on films from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan produced since the mid-1980s. In doing so, we will consider issues such as variance in culture within and outside the Chinese sphere, American importation practices, and the spread of global capitalism. Throughout the course, we will critically evaluate films (without resorting to "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" assessments) and utilize these films as catalysts for enhancing our reasoning skills. Simultaneously, we will implement these reasoning skills both orally and, in particular, in written form (through formal and informal writing assignments). In doing so, we will reconsider and reevaluate our own perspectives in favor of a larger, inclusive outlook. Ultimately, students will employ the issues raised in this course to investigate the impact of culture upon film(s) of their choice in their major research essay. Through self-critiques, we will also become increasingly aware of our own writing and reasoning. Throughout the semester, students will engage diverse readings on the issues in question as well as critical analyses used to spark students' consideration of particular films.

Star Bodies
Peter Hobbs, Visual and Cultural Studies
TR 11:05 - 12:20 CRN 12103

Since the rise of such silent screen figures as Mary Pickford and Rudolph Valentino, the Hollywood star has come to hold a special place in the cultural imagination. The tailored star bodies of Hollywood continue to help shape fundamental aspects of contemporary culture like sexuality, commerce, and fashion. This course will focus on celebrity culture as it relates to the popular discourse surrounding the body and how stars both reinforce and contest notions of propriety. Our sources will include historical and critical analyses, film reviews, scandalous biographies, the tabloids, and fan websites. The goal of this course is to develop our skills in thinking and writing about popular culture and our place within it. Our approach will be a combination of research, writing exercises, peer reviews, editing, revision, and self-assessment that will foster a heightened awareness of the writing process. Lights. Camera. Action!

Writing about History

God, the Devil, and Darwin in America
Ronald Satta, Department of History
MWF 11:00 - 11:50 CRN 12112

American history has a long and intriguing legacy of faith-related events and issues. The Salem witchcraft trials evoke an air of mystery, inviting analysis into why such an event occurred where and when it did--and not elsewhere. Evolution theory ignited significant nineteenth-century controversies involving the collision of spiritual and secular authorities. Was Darwin's theory scientific or a convenient escape from belief in a God-centered universe? Which explanation of origins is most compelling--evolution or special creation? Are faith commitments legitimate and appropriate within modern academia? By means of written exploration, students will investigate these kinds of questions and issues. Class registrants will write three analytical essays (4-5 pages) and one longer research paper (7-10 pages). Peer-reviews and self-assessments of written work provide students opportunities to enhance facility in the art and science of writing well. Entering students commit themselves to thorough preparation for vigorous class participation. Since the essence of good writing is rewriting, revision of work will be an essential part of this class.

Writing about Music

Punk Rock: Politics, Philosophy, and Music
Drew Abrams, Department of Physics and Astronomy
TR 6:15 - 7:30 CRN 12223

This course will use the movement known as "punk" to explore not only the music, but the philosophy and the politics surrounding the music. We will start with a brief history of punk and ask, "What circumstances in the US and Britain led to the development of punk rock as a genre of music?" From there, we will look closer at the culture of punk and examine issues such as anarchy, media representation, and DIY. Finally, the current state of punk will be analyzed and we will ask, "Is punk dead?" This course will emphasize writing throughout with workshops, peer-evaluations, self-evaluations, student journals, and, in particular, a comparison of punk to other musical genre and an analysis of the message the songwriter is trying to send through his/her music.

Writing about Philosophy

**Writing to Effect Social Change
Jacqueline Augustine, Department of Philosophy
TR 9:40 - 10:55 CRN 12407

When the internal reactions to societal injustices are powerful, translating those feelings into words can seem a daunting task. The leaders of many moral movements put their own feelings into words that not only resonated with others, but also served as an inspiration and catalyst for action. Through an examination of the personal and political writings of influential thinkers, this course will not only explore the power of the written word, but will challenge students to harness their own thoughts on contemporary issues into compelling and well-reasoned essays. These short papers will be subject to peer review as well as critical self-assessment to gauge the effectiveness of the argument. Students will become adept at determining which writing styles are most appropriate in varying contexts and will direct the short essays to a variety of audiences, including a final research paper on a topic of the student’s choosing to be sent to an appropriately-chosen elected official. These short essays and culminating position paper will apply the principles of critical thinking and analytic writing to issues that evoke strong emotions within the students. This solidifies the message that the written word is not only a powerful means of self-expression but a necessary and effective component of social and political change.

The Problem of Hell
Andrew M. Cullison, Department of Philosophy
TR 9:40 - 10:55 CRN 12292
http://www.courses.rochester.edu/cullison/cas105

The purpose of this course is to develop the skills needed to write good argumentative essays. By the end of the course the student should have the ability to

1.) Extract arguments from texts
2.) Evaluate those arguments
3.) Construct clear, concise and well-reasoned essays that present those extractions and evaluations

Writing is not merely a tool for communication. It is an excellent means of exploring ideas. In this course we will use writing as a means to discuss and explore the philosophical problem of Hell. Some religious traditions hold that God punishes people by sending them to Hell forever. Some philosophers have argued that this is logically inconsistent, and that no morally perfect, loving being would ever send people to Hell. This has come to be known as the Problem of Hell.

The primary text for this course will be Jonathan Kvanvig’s, The Problem of Hell. Other readings include some supplementary journal articles, as well as some works of fiction including The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.

Students will explore, analyze, and discuss these texts through writing. They will also learn to explore, analyze, and discuss their own writing on this topic, through a process of self-assessment and peer-review. By the end of the course the students should have the ability to write effective essays about any topic they might be expected to write about in their college career.

Philosophical Psychology
Stephan Forrester, Department of Philosophy
TR 2:00 – 3:15 CRN 94425

Trying to explain the inner-workings of the human mind is a common goal for psychologists and philosophers alike. However, since the appearance of modern psychology in the mid-19th century (with the work of Sigmund Freud) philosophy and psy-chology have seemingly grown steadily apart. Psychology has adopted the methods of science and observation, whereas phi-losophy still relies on written argumentation and reasoning. The primary aim of this course is to improve the student's writing within the context of learning about the various intersections of psychology and philosophy. The students will use all of the follwoing methods to improve their writing: (1) make a great deal of revisions on their essay drafts, (2) engage in peer review sessions, (3) closely examine and assess themselves as a writer, and (4) use informal writing to generate ideas and arguments for their essays. Finally, the papers assigned in this class will address several important issues, such as: Can we use the findings of psychology to solve long-standing philosophical problems? What are the limits of psychological research? What is psychol-ogy's importance to morality? To art and culture?

The Scientific Enterprise: An Historical and Philosophical Perspective
Patrick Kenny, Department of Philosophy
TR 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12363

The history of science provides us with a rich terrain of people and ideas. We are enthralled by tales of genius and controversy, involving such figures as Copernicus, Newton, Darwin and Einstein. But these stories also engage us at another level, in that they raise important questions surrounding the very nature of science: how exactly does science inform us about the world around us, for example, and what marks it off from other fields of human endeavor such as religion the arts or politics? A thorough appreciation of the scientific enterprise, therefore, consists in both a historical survey of individual scientists and their contributions and the philosophical analysis of the practice of science. Through exposure to a selection of texts-- from historical fiction, the history of science and philosophy-- this course will provide the student with the opportunity to critically appraise science from these two perspectives. Class discussion will help to isolate the key issues, and will serve to guide the students as they learn to appreciate that successful writing stems directly from the ability to identify and construct effective argumentative strategies. Each student will write a number of short papers that actively engage with the arguments. These essays will be subject to peer assessment and self-critique, both of which will enable the student to trace his/her own progress in acquiring the appropriate writing techniques. These skills will then be put to good use in the construction of a clear and well-organized final research paper. The end result will be the student's awareness of how the appreciation of a subject matter and the ability to write we go hand in hand.

Philosophical Dimensions of 9/11: The United States, Freedom, and Terrorism
Daniel Mittag, Department of Philosophy
TR 9:40 - 10:55 CRN 12209
http://mail.rochester.edu/~dlmt/courses/fall2003.html

The events of September 11, 2001 brought terrorism to the forefront of our public consciousness. The effects have been both far-reaching and significant. It has affected our economy, our government’s policies and priorities, and our relations with each other and the world. This course will focus on the nature, effects, and motivations of terrorism, as well as on the nature, function, and limitations of a just government. Some questions we will consider are the following. What is terrorism? Do American policies developed to guard against terrorism actually violate our constitutionally guaranteed freedom? More generally, how is freedom connected to terrorism? What justifies a government’s authority over its subjects? Is revolting against one’s government ever morally justified? If so, when and why? Through writing, reading, and classroom discussion we will strive to provide reasoned answers to such questions.

Careful reasoning and open and thoughtful classroom interaction will be an essential part of this course, whether during discussions, peer review, self-assessment, or individual writing exercises. Students will write and revise a series of critical papers of varying lengths, will continually evaluate their own work, and will produce clear, careful, academic prose. Through this process, students not only will come to better understand the complexity of the issues discussed in class, but also will come to refine their critical thinking, writing, and argumentative skills.

Freedom, Equal Opportunity, and Welfare
Robert Muhlnickel, Department of Philosophy
TR 12:30 - 1:45 CRN 12318

Philosophical writing about freedom, equality, and wealth is both passionately partisan and technically argumentative. This course asks: Why do the topics of freedom and wealth generate such passionate arguments? What are good arguments for and against free choice? How do unequal circumstances of birth and family affect individual choice and responsibility? What is the relevance of views about freedom and inequality to arguments in political philosophy about welfare, wealth, and income distribution? Students will interview a local community leader working on these problems, read professional philosophical essays, and analyze arguments for various positions. Students will participate in writing workshops, peer reviews, self-assessment, and revision of formal essays. Written forms include reporting an interview, argument analysis, short essays, and a final research paper.

Writing About Psychology

Aggression and Antisocial Behavior in Children: Origins, Styles, and Consequences
Marcia Winter, Department of Psychology
MW 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 12214
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/winter/

In this course, we will explore questions pertaining to the development of aggression and hostile behavior in children and adolescents. Why do children become aggressive? Are boys more aggressive than girls? Do delinquent teenagers become delinquent adults? Through readings, class discussion, and writing about such issues, students will further develop their skills in thesis development, construction of arguments, and writing for clarity and brevity. In addition, experience in effectively evaluating and integrating sources into writing will further prepare students for completing argumentative essays and their final research papers. Since the goal of this course is to foster an appreciation for writing as an ongoing process as well as an end product, emphasis will be placed on critical evaluation, revision, and editing of writing via student involvement in class discussion, peer critiques, and self-assessments.

Writing about Science and Technology

Imagining the Internet
Frederic Bush, Department of English
MW 3:25 - 4:40 CRN 12354

Cyberspace. The Global Village. Hackers and hive minds.

Through written papers and discussions, we'll address how our ideas about mass communications and the Internet have been shaped by science fiction writers like William Gibson and philosophers like Marshall McLuhan. We'll discuss Neuromancer and other works of cyberpunk fiction and film, and at earlier philosophical concepts of mass communications. But while reading these texts, we can't forget the modern realities of chat rooms, email, and instant messenger, and our real-life experiences with these communications tools will also be a focus for the course (and for papers), allowing us to explore the pitfalls and pleasures of predictions. As we work on writing technique and discuss our writings in class, we'll think about whether our ideas about how to represent technology will be relevant to college students in 2052. The course will require several short papers as well as one long research paper, including both responses to the readings and personal reflections on the role of communications in our lives. We'll conduct peer review sessions during the writing and revision process, and learn how to assess our own writing.

CAS 105: Reasoning and Writing in the College is a course to familiarize you with the writing skills that you will need at the college level. We'll be working on several different sorts of papers, reflecting the variety of writing you'll be expected to produce throughout your undergraduate experience. In class, you'll learn to use class discussions and peer review groups to help you revise and improve your writing. By the end of the semester, we'll also have explored many of the online resources that the University of Rochester has to offer, as well as those of other online communities.

Extended Courses

Creating History and Heroes: Manipulations of Biography
Anjili Babbar, Department of English
TR 12:30 - 1:45 CRN 89076
**Students must register for recitation section M 1:00 - 1:50 (CRN 89146) when registering for this course**

William Wallace was a Scottish hero with impeccable morals and physical strength bordering on the superhuman; Charles Van Doren was a tremendously attractive yet naïve university professor who was manipulated into destroying his own career by the television industry; the Marquis de Sade was a raving lunatic with a penchant for abusing women and a perpetual erection--or so modern cinema would have us believe. Eighteenth-century poet Thomas Chatterton was an angelic and "marvellous boy," victimized by a cruel and class-centered literary community, or a philandering scoundrel, depending on which biography one chooses to peruse. In this course, we will examine the distance between fact and representation with regard to biography. If we have learned anything from television shows such as "Hollywood versus History," it is that liberties are frequently taken with biographical representation. What might be the motivation for such distortions of life stories? Do they serve a political, social or literary agenda? What is the difference between a manipulation of facts for the purpose of making a point and a fallacy? We will begin by comparing historical accounts of a variety of biographies with their distorted literary or cinematic counterparts and creating journal entries which reflect our perceptions of the differences between the two and the potential reasons for those differences. Through revision, editing, peer workshops, and class discussions, these reactions will be developed into several short papers. One longer, final research paper will consider the history of biographical representation of a particular figure.

Exploring Futures of Science and Technology
Pamela Bedore, Department of English
TR 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 89109
**Students must register for recitation section F 10:00 - 10:50 (CRN 89171) when registering for this course**

Recent advances in the areas of artificial intelligence, human cloning, bioinformatics and other technologies have led to both excitement about new human possibilities and fear of the dangers associated with these technologies. In this course, we will join the ongoing critical conversations about new technologies by reading both critical essays and science fiction stories that deal with our technological future. We will also examine the communication strategies most commonly used in science and technology writing of various kinds. Although our class will begin by discussing pre-selected examples of technology writing, students will be encouraged to choose their own readings about science and technology in the second half of the semester. Students will learn critical thinking skills and writing strategies that will be beneficial throughout their academic careers in the sciences or the humanities.

Do Androids Dream?: Humans, Technology, and the Ethics of Their Union
Barbara Brickman, Department of English
TR 9:40 - 10:55 CRN 89087
**Students must register for recitation section F 11:00 - 11:50 (CRN 89158) when registering for this course**
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/brickman/cas105/

"Emigrants to Mars received androids so sophisticated it was impossible to tell them from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans could wreak, the government banned them from the Earth. But when androids didn’t want to be identified, they just blended in." While many readers might quickly recognize the preceding quotation as a typical sci-fi plot (it’s actually describing Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), few comprehend how close we are, at the start of the 21st century, to the world described by writers like Dick. How many of us IM with a network of friends every day or depend on e-mail for basic communication? How often have we allowed the playing of a video game or a search on the internet to consume not minutes, but hours? Some might go so far as to say, not that we will someday merge with machines, but that we already are cyborgs. This course begins with the presumption in the last sentence and extends it to ask, if we are irrevocably joined with technology, so what? What are the consequences of such a union? We will use popular and critical essays and some literature and film to examine how the union with technology might change the very definition of "human," and, hopefully, you will learn to express for yourselves the issues that arise from these ethical and philosophical dilemmas. You will be expected to write several essays on the topics discussed (including a research paper), and some class time will be devoted to writing workshops, as well as peer reviews and revisions, as ways to develop and clarify ideas or arguments. The course ultimately aims to help you develop critical reading and argumentative writing skills and the success of that development depends on active class participation and serious engagement with both your own writing and that of your peers.

Adolescent Storm and Stress: Fact or Fiction?
Christopher Daddis, Department of Clinical and Social Psychology
TR 4:50 – 6:05 CRN 96605
**Students must register for recitation section M 5:00 – 5:50 (CRN 96618) when registering for this course**

The popular media and the general public have consistently perpetuated the notion that adolescence is a time of upheaval and conflict. In reality, most teens and parents maintain close, warm relationships and maintain positive communication. Through writing and research, this course will explore and interrogate these contrasting views of adolescence. Integration of both popular media and academic sources will result in a number of short papers, eventually culminating in a longer final term paper. Instruction will guide students in writing papers that demonstrate clear communication of ideas and the development of sound arguments. Additionally, students will be introduced to proper use of the American Psychological Association style of manu-script preparation, an important skill needed for all students in all disciplines, especially those studying psychology or other social sciences. Classroom activities will include discussions, peer reviews, and assessments of the student’s own writing proc-esses.

Dangerous Words and Ideas: A History of America's Search for Subversion
Patrick LaPierre, Department of History
TR 12:30 - 1:45 CRN 89055
**Students must register for recitation section F 12:00 - 12:50 (CRN 89123) when registering for this course**
TR 3:25- 4:40 CRN 89093
**Students must register for recitation section F 11:00 - 11:50 (CRN 89160) when registering for this course**

Are ideas really dangerous? To what extent can the written or spoken word be considered politically subversive? Is there such a thing as too much freedom of thought and expression? Is the free-market of ideas the best defense against dangerous or offensive arguments? This course will explore these questions through the history of America's attempt to define and control sedition. The dictionary defines sedition as the acts or words tending to upset or overthrow the authority of a government. In this class, we will concentrate on words, both spoken and written. Beginning with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and continuing through to our own era, we will examine certain instances of anti-sedition and the ways in which free speech and political stability have lived an uneasy co-existence. Our examination will be carried out via class readings, various writing assignments (both formal and informal), peer critiques, self-assessments and revision workshops. Writing will be the means through which we will explore course material, construct arguments and share insights. Course requirements will include three short papers that will be reworked and refined in revision workshops. Finally, students will be assigned one longer research paper (8-10 pages).

**Covering Fear
Brian O'Sullivan, The College Writing Program
MW 2:00 - 3:15 CRN 89061
**Students must register for recitation section F 1:00 - 1:50 (CRN 89137) when registering for this course**
MW 3:25 - 4:40 CRN 89049
**Students must register for recitation section F 10:00 - 10:50 (CRN 89114) when registering for this course**
http://courses.ats.rochester.edu/osullivan/cas105LFall03/index.html

Students in this class will read and write arguments about the role of the media in creating and controlling fear. Looking at examples and analyses from the United States and around the world, we'll examine how members of the media report on perceived threats such as new technologies, "foreign" cultures, and violence. We'll watch Michael Moore's documentary, Bowling for Columbine, and we'll discuss the complaint, made by Moore and others, that the media spreads irrational fears. We'll also look at ways in which fear can be fun; around Halloween, we'll turn from news to the entertainment media, reading Stephen King's essay "Why We Crave Horror Movies" and applying his analysis to a scary film or two. There will be four formal papers, including a research project. Students will continually assess their own work and respond critically to that of their peers. If writing is your fear, don't worry; this course will help you develop the skills you need to write critically and confidently.

How She Did Whodunit Right: The Works of Agatha Christie
Gina D. Tonogbanua, Department of English
TR 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 pm CRN 96717
**Students must register for recitation section M 9:00 - 9:50 (CRN 96726) when registering for this course**:

Who says "she done it right"? Just about everyone. Outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible, Agatha Christie’s popularity and influence have spanned almost a century. In reading her works, we will examine how Christie uses the genre of detective fiction to address issues of race, class, and gender. We will read essays debating the feminist (and anti-feminist) interpretation of Christie’s works as well as of the genre itself. We will also read works by authors who have been influenced by Christie or have adapted her stage plays into novels. How have these authors taken Christie’s voice and made it their own? What does it mean to be a pseudo-Christie? What does it mean to take a finished work and recreate it in another genre? In a series of response papers, essays, and a final research project, you will evaluate and respond to issues raised in both primary and critical texts and come up with original arguments. Peer review sessions, small group activities, and general class discussions will allow you to participate in a critical dialogue and develop the skills you need to formulate clear and convincing arguments. In other words, get ready to use "your little gray cells."


last updated February 27, 2004