College Writing Program

Reasoning & Writing in the College WRT 105/105E and 245

(formerly CAS 105/105E and 245)

Spring 2009

Each section has a unique content and grows out of the general WRT 105/105E course description developed by the Interdisciplinary College Writing Committee.

**Courses address issues of diversity

Writing about Cultural Studies

**The Politics of Sport
Tanya Bakhmetyeva, College Writing Program
CRN 86010 TR 11:05 - 12:20

The Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 were held under the slogan “One World, One Dream” which is supposed to “reflect the … universal values of the Olympic spirit – Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream.” These values suggest that sports rise above political ambitions, goals and gains. Yet, the history of the Olympic Games – and of sport in general - shows that athletic competitions are often used for political statements and gains. Does such politicization hurt sport? Should sport and politics be separated? Should sport ignore what is happening in the world? Through reading, watching and writing, we will explore famous international and national athletic events to investigate how sports affect politics and how politics affect sports. In the true Olympic spirit, we will work together (through peer-reviews and self-assessments) to develop our writing and critical skills. Writing assignments include informal papers, three shorter argumentative essays and a final research paper.

Big Brother in the Bedroom
Kathleen Casey, Department of History
CRN 86229 MW 12:30 - 1:45

At first glance the government of the United States and the private sex lives of American citizens seem to be two disparate topics. However, in this course, we will explore these two concepts as they converge in various cultural arenas by examining a broad range of topics including prostitution and sex education. Through reading, writing and discussion we will investigate multiple perspectives on the changing role of government in shaping the private lives of citizens in recent America. To accomplish this we will examine and discuss various texts on a weekly basis and construct argumentative essays as well as an 8-10 page research paper. In this course, our main focus will be to develop essential writing tools such as peer review and self-assessment while increasing our knowledge of on-going cultural debates.

**Dysfunctional American Families
Justin Coyne, Department of English
CRN 85939 MW 3:25 - 4:40

“All unhappy families are unhappy in their own way.” Tolstoy

How do we define ourselves in relation to our families? What does it mean to belong to a family and how do the issues of race, class, gender, nationality, politics and religion intersect in our experiences of family life? In what ways do we defy, deny, accept and extend our families throughout the various stages of our life? This class will address these questions by examining how unspoken narratives in both fictional and factual representations of American families shape the identities of fictional characters and reveal the ideological values of creators as well.

Weekly assignments will cover various literary genres and visual mediums and our in-class discussions of these materials will be oriented around close, critical reading practices which will lay the foundation for clear, precise, and persuasive reader-based essays. Students will submit three shorter essays and an 8-10 page research paper. The writing process itself will involve drafting, peer review, self-assessment and revision.

What Does Love Have to do With It?
Leah Haught, Department of English
CRN 86301 TR 11:05 - 12:20

Few social policy issues in our country today are as controversial as that of who should legally allowed to be married. With an increasing number of states opting to allow same sex couples some sort of official recognition, individuals must now seriously consider how marriage is best defined. Is marriage a religious commitment? A legal contract? A public declaration of love? Who should be allowed to enter into the married state and why? How do our opinions today relate to those of other countries and time periods? What do our answers to these questions suggest about our conceptions of sexuality? Of gender? Social equality? Drawing on sources from both a variety of literary periods and disciplines as well as film, we will investigate these and other related questions while paying special attention to the process by which critical analyses are made. Readings for the course may include but are not limited to a wide variety of short stories about relationships, George Bernard Shaw’s Getting Married, several works by Geoffrey Chaucer, and a selection of historical accounts about or commentaries on the experience of marriage. We will also look at several films including Monsoon Wedding and Brokeback Mountain. Through a variety of formal and informal writing assignments culminating in an 8 to 10 page research paper, students will develop the skills necessary to be both critical and effective participants in the academic discourse of their choosing while exploring the complex themes mentioned above.

**Growing up Asian American: Asian American Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Qian Hua Ge, Department of English
CRN 85950 MW 6:15 - 7:30

Young adult fictions and short stories are our introduction to literature. Such works are supposed to teach young adults certain ethics, history, and relate to their everyday experiences. In this course, we will examine young adult literature written by writers of Asian descent, and analyze how the representation of common themes in the coming of age, such as parent-child relationship, friendship, and maturity by overcoming hardships, is complicated by the characters' unique backgrounds, disadvantaged social positions, or political turmoil. Students are also encouraged to explore how reading alternative young adult literature (as opposed to the mainstream) affect their perspectives on the genre, on society in large and on their day-to-day life.

By the end of this course, students will be well versed in the principles of writing reader-based academic essays that can be applied across different disciplines. Students will not only develop the skills in assessing arguments and evidence in critical readings, but also become active contributors to academic conversations. To achieve this goal, the course is designed to be discussion based and writing intensive. The instructor will guide students through the process of creating written arguments, developing effective invention and revision strategies, and initiating and researching questions that interest them. Last but not least, students will utilize the above mentioned skill to sustain an original argument in a research paper with correct citation of both original and secondary sources. Please remember that this course is supposed to be interactive and a mutual learning experience. Be prepared to voice your views in class and work with your classmates in groups.

**Dance: Sex, Fitness, Weapon, Spirit or...
Elizabeth Hallmark, Warner School
CRN 86281 MW 12:30 - 1:45

In American schools and popular media, dance is used primarily as a tool for fitness or entertainment: think of, “Dance Dance Revolution” and “So you think you can dance?” Alternatively and elsewhere, dance can be seen as a sacred act of prayer, a path toward erotic abandonment, a means of social climbing, and as a tool for protest or resistance. Because of contradictory discourses about the body that shape the way we view, interpret or practice dance, it has become a repository for complex symbolism. Through readings, film, and discussion, we will explore the multiple historic narratives that construct our sense of dance as a metaphor for emancipation or control, dissonance or unity. Three essays, on-going revisions, small group work, peer reviews, self-assessments, and a final 8-10 page research paper will help students develop the foundation for critical thinking and persuasive argumentative writing.

Environmental Conceptions
Ryan Harper, Department of English
CRN 86185 MW 3:25 - 4:40

Most of us hear the term “environment” often enough to accept it as a normal part of social and political discourse, but what does it really mean? What does it stand for? It often seems to be associated with some concept of “nature” or the “natural world,” but what is this “natural world” and how exactly does it relate to the “environment”? Is this “environment” of common discourse intended to be purely ecological, or does it have geographical, social, cultural, physical and economic components as well? In this course we will explore such questions through both the weekly readings and student responses to them. Readings will include essays and historical studies by several writers including Edward Abbey, Wendell Berry, William Cronon, and Roderick Nash. The readings will serve a dual purpose, both introducing environmental subject matter and serving as examples of the different aspects of writing under discussion. Formal writing assignments will include three short papers and one longer paper, and all formal writing assignments will incorporate revisions, peer feedback and self-assessments. Written weekly reading responses and one research presentation will also be required.

**Imagining America
Shaila Mehra, Department of English
CRN 86061 TR 4:50 - 6:05

Throughout the relatively brief history of the United States, its artists have been concerned – some may say obsessed – with defining and understanding what it means to be American. In this course, we will examine how artists, intellectuals, and public figures balance the reality of America’s diversity – economic, geographic, racial, sexual, linguistic, political – with the desire to forge a unified, shared national identity. From Walt Whitman’s barbaric poetic yawps to James Baldwin’s expatriate essays on American identity, from Bob Dylan’s social protest songs to the controversial silent films of D.W. Griffith, we will cast our net far and wide to get the broadest responses to a central question: what does it mean to be American?

We will write our own way through this question by examining, closely and critically, works of literature, film, and music. Our close analyses will form the basis of four papers (including an 8-10 page research paper) in which we develop consistent, substantiated arguments of precise scope, written in clear, engaging prose. The course emphasizes class discussion, revision, peer feedback, and self-evaluation.

**Reforming America's Schools
Burke Scarbrough, Warner School
CRN 86055 TR 3:25 - 4:40
CRN 86028 TR 2:00 - 3:15

It is nearly impossible to open a newspaper without reading a critique of America’s schools. Headlines, editorials, and famous school tragedies raise a host of complaints: schools are dangerous, students are undisciplined, public education is a failure, teachers are apathetic and undertrained, applying to college is overly stressful, all that matter are standardized tests, American students won’t be able to compete with students from other countries, a decent education is only available to the rich. Even as a growing number of reform initiatives attempt to revolutionize American schools, success stories appear few and far between.

As a student in “Reforming America’s Schools,” you will have one overall semester project: to design your own school. From the first day of class, you will shape and revise a proposal for a new elementary, middle, or high school to be opened somewhere in America. As a class, our goals throughout the semester will be to read a range of perspectives on school reform, discuss some of the most controversial issues about the nature and purpose of education, and use various genres of writing to develop your proposed schools. Our ongoing discussions will be informed by the diverse work of educators, social scientists, journalists, activists, parents, and other students. Though the class is organized around a particular project, the skills you develop as writers and thinkers will be crucial in any discipline. You will learn to self-assess your writing for clarity, sound argument, and rich research, knowing that your goal all semester is to design the most effective school possible and to build support for it. Your short response papers, formal analysis papers and final research paper will help you elaborate your school proposal more fully. Meanwhile, you will bring your expertise as longtime students to each other’s work through discussion and peer review. Above all, we will challenge some of our most basic assumptions about school and allow ourselves to “think outside the box” as you propose your own answer to the constant calls for reform in American education.

Wise Guys & Goodfellas: Organized Crime in Popular Culture
Katie Van Wert, Department of English
CRN 85973 TR 9:40 - 10:55

What should we make of the recent explosion in popular representations of organized crime? What are the powers and limitations of the genre of crime fiction? What sort of window does the genre open onto issues of violence, gender, family, justice, and American identity? In what ways is the Mafia like any American business? If murder, prostitution, and drugs are the name of the game, why does my little brother have a poster of Scarface on his wall? To answer these and other questions, we'll look at new and old classics such as The Godfather and The Departed, television incarnations such as The Sopranos, various nonfiction accounts of organized crime culture, and critical scholarship on the subject. Our main approaches will be discussion, weekly reading and writing assignments, and a final research paper. Focusing on writing workshops, revision, peer review, and self-evaluation, the course will emphasize sustained critical thinking and development of argumentative writing skills. Please be aware that this course has some violent content; contact the instructor for more information.

**American Dreams
Stefanie Vischansky, Department of English
CRN 86275 TR 12:30 - 1:45

Stories of individual opportunity and self-made success are a mainstay of American history and culture. Despite their diversity, these narratives are classified together as manifestations of "the American Dream." This phrase permeates our national discourse, shaping our conceptions of success and failure, but we rarely step back and critically evaluate its meaning. What is/are the American dream/s? Who creates the dreams? Who are the dreamers? Is the dream realizable? In this course we will address these questions, embarking on an analysis of American dreams and their role in shaping various conceptions of national and individual identity.
Through our examination of a diverse array of texts—fiction, historical documents, scholarly articles, film, music, contemporary journalism—we will consider the concept of American dreams from a variety of cultural and historical perspectives. Authors will include, among others, Anzia Yezierska, Martin Luther King, Jr., and T.C. Boyle. Since this is primarily a writing class, the theme of American dreams serves as an interesting topic to consider as we practice and discuss strategies for becoming more confident and effective academic writers. The class will emphasize the writing process, incorporating self-assessment, peer-review, and frequent revision. Formal paper assignments include two shorter analytical papers and an eight to ten page argumentative research paper.

Top

Writing about English Language and Literature

**Crossing Oceans of Space
Esther Arnold, Department of English
CRN 86004 TR 3:25 - 4:40

How do we feel when we gaze at the night sky, knowing its stars are light-years away? What happens to our sense of self when we think of all the people who lived before us, who live today, and who will live after us? Do these thoughts isolate us or strengthen our sense of belonging to the human race? Walt Whitman describes the soul as standing alone in “measureless oceans of space.” He suggests that we spend our lives trying, often unsuccessfully, to reach across that space to make connections with others. Whether we live in remote villages or crowded cities, we may feel there are vast distances — cultural, ideological, or emotional — separating us. How do we cross these oceans of space, time, and mind? We will discuss and write about this topic as it appears in a selection of short stories, poems, plays, and films. In the process, we may cross into territory explored by philosophers, psychologists, and cognitive scientists. You will be expected to participate in discussions and to do informal writing that will lay the groundwork for formal essays. There will be several short, analytical papers and one 8-10 page research paper, all involving multiple revisions, peer reviews, and self-assessments.

**What to do When the Knight is a Monster: Examining Medieval Outsiders
Kristi Castleberry, Department of English
CRN 86316 TR 9:40 - 10:55

A knight in shining armor fights a dragon, and we know immediately which of the two to cheer on. The knight is the hero, and the dragon is the monster. Medieval literature often conjures up such clearly defined images of insider and outsider, human and beast, and good and evil for people. But how and why have these categories been formed, and what do we do when the categories don’t fit and we’re forced to reexamine them? What happens when monsters transform into people or people into monsters? What do we do when we simply cannot tell which is which? In this class, we will attempt to grapple with these questions through formal and informal writings and group discussions of works such as Marie de France’s Bisclavret, Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Wife of Bath’s Tale,” and the anonymous Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The main goal of the course is to engage in critical inquiry and to write organized and thoughtful essays using peer review, self-assessment, and revision. Students will practice various kinds of writing, and will ultimately produce an 8-10 page research paper.

Remakes and Revisions: Literary Adaptations
John Chandler, Department of English
CRN 86212 MWF 10:00 - 10:50

“The book was better.” This is a common complaint about movies based on literary sources. But behind this assessment is an assumption that a film is trying to be faithful to the themes, ideas, and presentation of a book – an impossible task. This class will read a few different works, which will include Shakespeare’s Othello, Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, along with various critical pieces on the adaptations of these texts. We will look at these tales in a variety of media, including films, television, and comics, questioning the hierarchy of media, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the different versions. Some questions we will consider are “what makes these tales so popular,” “how are the stories adapted to reflect contemporary concerns,” and “why take this literary masterpiece and give it a new form?” We will also look at our own assumptions about and expectations for the adaptations: what is lost in the revision? What is gained? Through classroom discussion, informal writing exercises, peer evaluation, self-assessment, and on-going revision, students will develop critical reasoning and writing skills. While we will focus on adaptations from book to film, other kinds of adaptation (including comics, television, and movie-to-book) are all possibilities for the short analytical papers; adaptations of the student’s choice will fuel the 8-10 page argumentative research paper.

Given the nature of Shelley's work, and the adaptations (all horror movies) we will consider, please be aware that we will watch some films with gruesome content. Students will be offered an alternate project at their request.

In the Face of Chaos
Bryce Condit, Department of English
CRN 86114 MW 3:25 - 4:40

“This world: a monster of energy, without beginning, without end; a firm, iron magnitude of force that does not grow bigger or smaller, that does not expend itself but only transforms itself…”

—Friedrich Nietzsche

Everyday our society struggles to maintain order against the threat of the unpredictable and unquantifiable whether it come in the form of wars, crimes, natural disasters, economic crises, political dissent, or even intellectual upheavals. This course will examine what happens when such chaotic elements breach the institutions we expect to safeguard us from the “monster of energy.” Through class discussion and written assignments we will investigate questions such as: How is the chaotic element defined and represented in literature and other fields? What are its relationships with our conceptions of order? What are the results of such interactions?

Over the course of the semester students will engage in issues such as these as they develop, test, and communicate their ideas by writing a series of short papers and one longer 8-10 page paper on works such as Beowulf, Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish, and John Carpenter’s Escape from New York. Class discussions, peer review, and self-assessments will be required to aid invention and facilitate ongoing revision. Interdisciplinary perspectives are welcomed.

Truth Universally (Un)Acknowledged – Jane Austen on Film
Andrea Everett, Department of English
CRN 86123 TR 4:50 - 6:05

The works of Jane Austen have given rise to a popular culture phenomenon, which notably manifests itself in movie adaptations for film and television. Some scholars suggest that such adaptations—for the general public—encourage the substitution of viewing for reading. This substitution seems to be to a greater or lesser extent problematic according to the degree of “truth” that the films maintain with regard to their source material. In this course, through reading several Austen texts (including Pride and Prejudice) and viewing various films, we will explore ways in which the medium of film and the creative decisions of filmmakers may alter the interpretation of Austen novels. Is the alteration significant? How do filmmakers deal with questions of feminism, eroticism, etc.? Should the film version of a literary text be considered an adaptation or an interpretation? What are the critical implications of such a distinction? You will construct answers to these questions (as well as questions of your own) through class discussion, short essays, and a final 8-10 page research paper. The writing process will include peer feedback, drafting, revision, and self-assessment.

**African American Women Writers
Amy Fenstermaker, Department of English
CRN 86158 TR 12:30 - 1:45

In focusing on literature by African American women, this writing course will consider the defining characteristics and central debates of each author’s work. Students will read poetry by Phillis Wheatley, Frances Harper, and Gwendolyn Brooks, as well as fiction by Harriet Jacobs and Nella Larsen. In addition, students may also read essays by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. While learning how to analyze and construct written arguments about literature, students will be asked to consider what each author is saying about the subjects of race, gender, and literature. To help further develop students’ thinking and writing abilities, secondary articles on each author’s work will also be assigned. Writing assignments will include informal, exploratory writing and three formal papers, all of which will prepare students for the final, 8-10 page, argumentative research paper. Peer-feedback and self-assessment will play a prominent role in the writing and revising of each paper.

**American Literature of the 1920s
Amy Fenstermaker, Department of English
CRN 85968 TR 9:40 - 10:55

The literary landscape of the 1920s was dominated by two artistic movements: modernism and the Harlem Renaissance. In focusing on these two literary movements, this writing course will explore the defining characteristics and central debates of each movement. For instance, modernism is perhaps best know for its white male authors, particularly, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and William Carlos Williams; however, this might seem to suggest, for example, that Williams and Eliot had the same artistic goals and that women like Hilda Doolittle and Marianne Moore played little part in the movement. The list of authors might also seem to exclude people of color—enter the Harlem Renaissance, a time of extraordinary artistic creativity for black Americans. With respect to literature, the Harlem Renaissance is perhaps best known for the works of Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, and Angelina Weld Grimké; here, too, however, there is much debate over what the purpose of one’s art should be. In this writing course, students will read literature by each of the authors named above, as well as secondary articles on some of their works. Writing assignments will include informal, exploratory writing and three formal papers, all of which will prepare students for the final, 8-10 page, argumentative research paper. Peer-feedback and self-assessment will play a prominent role in the writing and revising of each paper.

Getting (Neo)Medieval: Reading & Re-Writing the Past
Annie Heckel, Department of English
CRN 86192 MW 12:30 - 1:45

In this class, students will hone skills of critical thought and academic writing while exploring modern conceptions of the Middle Ages. While reading and watching works such as Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur, the York cycle plays, and Brian Helgeland's A Knight's Tale, the class will consider questions such as: how do authors and creators of “medieval” worlds play with and play off truths and misconceptions about the Middle Ages? What might be their goals doing so? As we tackle these and similar questions, we'll use class discussions, student presentations, and both formal and informal writing to explore our thoughts on how the medieval period is reimagined by cultural creators and critics of later centuries. Students will have the opportunity to refine and revise the ideas presented in each of their formal papers (three 3-5 page essays and one 8-10 page research essay), which will undergo a sequence of peer feedback, self assessment, and instructor comment.

Language, Literature, & Discourse Communities
Drema Lipscomb, College Writing Program
CRN 86248 TR 2:00 - 3:15
CRN 86230 TR 12:30 - 1:45
CRN 86093 TR 9:40 - 10:55

This semester we are going to try to understand what it means to be part of a language community, that is, to understand the dynamics of moving in and out of groups that use language in definitive ways. We will think critically about this phenomenon by exploring our own and others’ experience with such communities. You will accomplish this task through the formal study of rhetoric—its technical and artistic forms. You will read, discuss, and write about works by various authors and rhetoricians. Their works reveal common themes such as individualism, dissent, social harmony/disharmony, and reflect contemporary attitudes concerning displacement, cultural identity, poverty, racism, gender bias, and sexual orientation. Moreover, this course will examine rhetoric’s historic relationship to civic life along with its “precarious” contemporary relationship to modern political publics. By applying various rhetorical tropes to the principles of public policy analysis, you will explore and investigate—in specific ways—the role language plays in formulating local, state, or national policy on controversial social and political issues.
Students in this course will read, discuss and write with an emphasis on careful, methodical inquiry in analyzing arguments. A fundamental aim is to draw attention to the context of an argument, its structure, and its specific rhetorical features—whether it’s yours or someone else’s. Other course requirements include class participation, peer reviews, self-assessments, revision, and an 8-10 page research paper.

Poetry of Womanhood
Hilarie Lloyd, Department of English
CRN 86146 MW 3:25 - 4:40

In the 1950s and 60s, women poets such as Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Adrienne Rich, and Audre Lorde defied the traditionally androcentric conventions and themes of poetry by writing about their own private, personal experiences. They wrote about taboo subjects, including madness, sexuality, divorce, depression, and abortion. This course will explore what it means to be a woman writing about aspects of womanhood that are traditionally kept "quiet." What drove them to write about their private life experiences? What language did they use to describe these experiences? How did the act of writing poems relate to their lives? We will examine both the poets' works and lives by reading their poetry, interviews, essays, and journals, as well as examine critical responses to their work. Through discussion, close reading, weekly reading and writing assignments, and a final research paper of 8-10 pages, we will think critically and write argumentatively about women’s poetry. The paper-writing process will involve several revisions, self-assessments, and peer reviews to develop our writing and critical thinking skills.

The Body Electric
Justine McGhee, Department of English
CRN 86294 TR 12:30 - 1:45

As we move further into the 21st century, ideas that were once considered science fiction have become real possibilities with advances in science. But with these advances come new concerns, and debates surrounding genetic engineering, cloning, and robotics rage in the political, medical, and academic spheres. Is our accepted definition of humanity changing? What are the advantages and consequences of our evolving perceptions? We will engage in a critical conversation about these topics and others, which we will use to develop ideas for discussion and writing about the subject matter. We will examine the stories of Philip K. Dick (along with films), the uneasy place of biotechnology in Japanese anime, writings on post- and trans-humanism, and the “body horror” of David Cronenberg in our discussion of these topics. Working with the course material, you will formulate topics to write 3 short papers and a longer (8-10 page) research paper. The paper-writing process will revision-intensive, and you will be expected to utilize both self-assessments and peer reviews to further develop your writing and critical thinking skills.

Portrayals of Family & Personal Struggles in Early 20th Century Immigrant Lives
Wesley Mills, Department of English
CRN 86076 TR 9:40 - 10:55

What kinds of family and personal struggles did early 20th Century immigrants face? How were concerns of failure, success, and pursuing the American dream made manifest in the literature from these immigrants? In this course, we will examine five works and explore through reading and writing how they depict and represent the struggles, efforts, challenges and tribulations within family relationships and within these first generation immigrant lives. These works, written by prominent Jewish American writers are Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, The Assistant by Bernard Malamud, Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon, Seize the Day by Saul Bellow and Call it Sleep by Henry Roth. You will be expected to read (and in some cases watch) these works and to also read several scholarly articles that pertain to the many and varied discussion topics, and partake in class discussions. You will also be required to write several short, analytical papers and one 8-10 page research paper. All papers will undergo several revisions, self-assessments, and peer reviews. Your papers will become part of a larger portfolio that you will assemble for the class.

‘Saying I’: Victorian Literature and the Narrative Voice
Megan Morris, Department of English
CRN 86171 MW 12:30 - 1:45

As Joan Didion implies in “Why I Write,” every text has a voice behind it, a narrator who is attempting to secure the audience’s attention and sympathy. This is as true for academic writing as it is for novels, poetry, and stories. In this course, students will write a series of creative nonfiction essays to develop a sense of the power of these voices, then focus on the role of similar narrative frameworks in the works of authors such as J.M. Barrie, Charlotte Brontë, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens, and Emily Brontë. How do the narrative voices that these authors create engage with problems of imperialism? Gender roles? Class boundaries? Through discussing and writing about issues raised in the course, students will develop their ability to participate in academic dialogues. Formal assignments in the course will include three short formal essays and a research paper. Since audience and dialogue are central to this course, peer review and self-assessment will play important roles in the writing process.

Inverted Dreams: The Dystopia in Literature, Music & Film
Kate Norako, Department of English
CRN 85892 MW 2:00 - 3:15

Though their plots are typically set in futuristic landscapes, dystopias potently address concerns contemporary to their authors: government policies, unethical technological advances, the dominion of machines, pandemic dehumanization, etc. The projection of a bleak future serves in many ways as a warning of what the authors feel could and will be if the problematics of their civilization are not altered or remedied. Some dystopias (the term can refer to the fictional society as well as a piece of literature, music, or film) focus on autocratic governments, while others grapple with concerns about biotechnology or artificial intelligence. These fictional societies have been the setting for many compelling works of speculative fiction, film, and music. But how do we explain the enduring appeal of such darkly drawn visions over the last century? How should the warnings couched within these texts be interpreted? How do dystopias project a vision of the future by engaging their contemporary surroundings so vividly? And finally, how do the mechanics and messages of dystopias differ according to the form(s) of media/mediums by which they are presented? These questions, as well as ones of your own cultivation, will lay the foundation for our critical exploration of the dystopia in literature, music and film. We will examine an array of works -- including 1984, Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero, and the films Children of Men and The Matrix -- and through in-class assignments, informal response papers, class discussion, and four formal essays, you will hone your writing abilities in a way that will allow for full participation in the academic community.

**Narratives of Illness: A Postcolonial Perspective
Amira Richler, Department of English
CRN 86267 TR 3:25 - 4:40

This class will focus on contemporary representations of illness in postcolonial regions such as the Caribbean, South Asia, and Africa.  During the course of the semester, we will grapple with some of the following questions:  How do Western definitions of health and sickness contrast with non-Western understandings of disease? What are the long-term psychological and physical effects of colonial rule on individuals, communities, and nations?  What role do factors such as sexuality, gender, race, and class play in constructions of disease across the globe? From an interdisciplinary point of view, we will examine fiction, non-fiction, and film to begin the complex process of addressing these questions. Possible texts and films to be studied include Shani Mootoo’s Cereus Blooms at Night, Jamaica Kincaid’s My Brother, Melody Emmett’s Body and Soul, and Revathy Menon’s Phir Milenge (We’ll Meet Again). One of our main goals this semester will be to sharpen our understanding of disease in a postcolonial context through the process of argumentative writing, revision, in-class discussion and debate, peer review, and self-assessment. Students are required to complete several short papers, as well as a longer research paper (approximately 8-12 pages).

Existential America
Russell Sbriglia, Department of English
CRN 86032 TR 9:40 - 10:55

The father of existentialism, Jean-Paul Sartre, once asserted that “There is no pessimism in America regarding human nature and social organization.” Our primary focus this semester will be to challenge this claim by exploring—through discussions and writing exercises intended to further develop students’ critical reading, writing, and rhetorical skills—the often overlooked feelings of anxiety and absurdity, dread and despair, lurking beneath romantic and idealistic visions of the American dream. We will engage what critics have long referred to as American literature’s “power of blackness” in order to consider whether it reflects a “land of the free” or, in the words of Herman Melville, a “ruthless democracy.” In addition to Melville, we will read Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Frederick Douglass, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Stephen Crane, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Kurt Vonnegut. Readings and discussions will be supplemented by frequent informal response papers, a few 3-4 page formal analytical papers, and an 8-10 page research paper, all of which will be revised through the processes of peer review and self-assessment.

National Literature, Cultural Identity, Irish Writing
Daniel Stokes, Deparment of English
CRN 86256 MW 2:00 - 3:15

What does it mean to identify oneself by a national identity? What does it mean to be labeled by such an identity? Are there ever single answers to question like these, and how do such answers change over time? In this course we will examine issues of culture, race, religion, and ethnicity, by looking specifically at the nature of “Irishness”. By using “Irish” texts stretching from the literature of the Middle Ages to contemporary cinema we will discuss the changing nature of Irish identities, their relationship(s) to perceived and/or actual British identities and the Catholic Church, and the ways in which Irishness is recognized today. Students will hone their writing skills, learning the tools of argument, analysis, organization, revision, and editing, while exploring their own ideas. Students will write three formal essays and an eight-to-ten page research paper; they will learn how to develop their own ideas, support their arguments with pertinent data, and critique their own, as well as their fellow classmates, compositions.

Dear Diary: Private Lives on Public Display
Jennifer Thompson Stone, Department of English
CRN 85984 MW 12:30 - 1:45

How would you feel if the innermost thoughts of your diary or email were suddenly displayed for mass public viewing? In this course we will read, discuss and write about private, personal writings that were never intended for publication. Our engagement with these texts will provoke questions such as: How does the presentation of personal writing illuminate and/or mistreat historical events? Is it ethical to publish the private thoughts of the sensational and famous posthumously? How is the presentation of a writer affected by an editor’s agenda and/or personal interest? We will also read fiction that is written in diary form, which will help us think about our own voyeuristic desires as readers. Readings for this class might include: Journals by Kurt Cobain, A Writer’s Diary, The Yellow Wallpaper, Salvaged Pages: Young Writer’s Diaries of the Holocaust, and selections of love letters and wartime correspondence. By examining these important forms of writing, and thinking through these questions, we will attempt to translate the personal voice of our own “life writing” into more formalistic, audience conscious academic writing. The most important emphasis of this course is on writing as a constantly evolving process. As such, students will be expected to develop their writing skills through multiple essays, peer review, ongoing revision, and self-assessment, culminating in an 8-10 page research paper.

**The Essay
Andrew Wadoski, Department of English
CRN 86137 TR 9:40 - 10:55
CRN 86049 TR 12:30 - 1:45

The word “essay” means to attempt, search after, or put to the test. The written essay does all of these things as it simultaneously presents arguments and asks questions. It is an infinitely flexible medium that follows specific rules; it opens up new avenues of thinking about problems while following a precisely defined path to its conclusions. As a form of persuasive writing, it has defined the ways people throughout the world have thought about the most important issues faced by society: civil rights, individual liberty, the nature of justice, to name but a few. This class will examine essays by writers such as George Orwell, Michel de Montaigne, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to better understand the posing of critical questions, the framing of arguments, and the development of conclusions. In order to understand the inner working of the essay form, we will debate these essays’ claims and propose alternate arguments. Looking at multiple versions of the same essay or at a writer’s later restatements of an earlier theme, we will explore them not only as finished products but as part of an ongoing process of thinking that takes place through writing, revision, and rewriting. That is, we will use the essay form as a means of developing our own fundamental skills of essay writing. Our own writing will follow the model of what we read in class. Like our readings, our essays will be the subject of peer-review and group discussion, drafting and revision in light of what we learn from review and discussion. As well, they will be objects for self-assessment as we learn to reflect on our choices as writers and the effects of those choices on our readers. This course will culminate in the creation of an 8-10 page research-based persuasive essay in which we put the skills developed over the course of the semester to use. These papers will develop a persuasive argument that emerges from critical questions; that is sustained by evidence; and is in dialogue with other critical voices.

**Fantasy and its Discontents: J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth Narratives
Stella Wang, Department of English
CRN 86087 TR 9:40 - 10:55
CRN 85942 TR 12:30 - 1:45

This course addresses a few questions about fantastic literature and uses Tolkien's creative works as a contentious case in point. His works have been excluded from several theoretical discussions of fantastic literature for lacking generic, social, or psychological import. At the same time, their global popularity has generated divergent views about not only Tolkien’s texts but also fantasy as a genre. What working definitions of fantasy writing, one may ask, are available for a critical discussion of the genre? In what way may fantastic literature be related to myth and cultural beliefs? In light of social and personal psychology, how may fantasy be perceived as escapist literature and how do fantasy writers, readers, and scholars respond to such interpretations? These debates call attention to distinct but comparable mythic apparatus in folktales across cultures as well as strong fantasy elements in the related fields of contemporary cultural production, including films, manga, anime, and video games. By considering The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, some of his imaginary short stories, including their radio/film adaptations and related paintings and artworks, the course provides an open forum to explore the various cultural forces that may have helped popularize Tolkien’s and other alternative fantastic texts and sharpened the controversy over their modern and post-modern relevancy. Throughout the semester, students will be expected to build up their critical thinking and writing skills by actively participating in class work, including roundtable discussions, writing workshops, peer reviews, self-assessments, informal and formal writings, revisions and an individual, student-initiated research project.

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Writing about History

Bon Voyage – Literature, History, and the Sea
Paul Dingman, Department of History
CRN 86109 TR 9:40 - 10:55

What is it about the sea that fascinates so many of us? Is it the natural beauty or sense of freedom one feels on the water? Could it be an attraction to or fear of the unknown? How is it that a nautical voyage can often change someone’s ideas of community, identity, or even mortality?

In this course, we will dive into maritime literature and history to explore these questions and others through lively discussions and critical analysis. Tales by Homer, Melville, and LeGuin will be considered along with a few brief historical accounts of seafaring. We will also screen a popular movie on the subject such as Hitchcock’s Lifeboat.

In addition to active participation in class discussions, students will write informally in response to the readings. Peer reviews, self-assessments, and revisions will make up important parts of the process as students strive to communicate ideas effectively and construct cohesive arguments in their written work. A few short analytical essays and a longer, final research paper are required.

**Imagining History in the United States
John Havard, Department of English
CRN 85907 TR 9:40 - 10:55

Nations often produce imagined histories that serve more to legitimate national self-conceptions than to respect documented fact. In this course, we will analyze historically-minded fictional narratives produced in the United States, ranging from Hawthorne and Faulkner’s fiction to films like The Last of the Mohicans and Gangs of New York. Students will develop expository, analytic, and argumentative skills as we explore questions related to these works. For example, what myths do Americans live by, and how do the imagined histories we read accept, challenge, or redefine those myths? On what subjects do such narratives focus, and why do these subjects change over time? How do subgroups within the nation, such as Southerners, imagine the nation’s history? These and other questions will guide discussions and initiate a revision-focused writing process through which students will produce written responses, short writing exercises, peer reviews, self-assessments, three formal essays, and a final eight to ten page argumentative research paper.

The West Wing: Not Just an Aaron Sorkin Television Series
Jeff Ludwig, Department of History
CRN 86160 MW 4:50 - 6:05

As the country heads into the end of the Bush administration, the transfer of power seems a timely occasion to reflect on broad questions. How much influence can one individual politician exert over a whole society? Do Presidents define eras like the “Reagan Eighties” and “Clinton Nineties,” or are they defined by large events like the end of the Cold War and 9-11? How do the pressures of partisanship and ideology shape political decision-making? To what extent does public opinion matter to the White House, and what rhetorical strategies are employed in attempts to control or “spin” it? Through writings and discussion, this course focuses on these issues and on the general phenomenon that is the office of the President. Following contemporary journalistic sources, historical literature, and films like Oliver Stone’s Nixon, the class examines the types of personalities drawn to high power. By glancing backwards through the enigmatic figures that have inhabited the Oval Office, we will trace the genesis of the modern presidency. Students will write three short formal essays and complete several peer-review, drafting stages for a longer 8-10 page research paper addressing a presidential subject of their choice.

Violence, Conquest, & Chivalry in the High Middle Ages: 1066 - 1171
Peter Sposato, Department of History
CRN 85921 MW 3:25 - 4:40

This course seeks to develop critical reasoning and writing abilities through readings on chivalry, violence, and conquest in the Middle Ages. We will investigate the development of the militaristic code of chivalry, examining the various institutions which sought to influence its composition. We will also study its practical use: was chivalry a catalyst of violent deeds or an instrument of restraint? How did knights reconcile their violent occupation with their intense piety? Was some violence licit, some illicit? How was religion and cultural superiority used to justify military conquest? What was the role of 'courtly love'? Evidence will come from medieval chronicles, chivalric literature, and treatises. We will also read modern scholarship and watch several films. The goal is to learn to extract, analyze, and present arguments. A number of in-class exercises and discussions will accompany self-assessments, peer reviews, shorter essays, and an 8-10 page research paper.

 

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Writing about Science

Big Ideas & Writing in Science & Engineering
Phil Brune, Department of Mechanical Engineering
CRN 91223 MWF 10:00 - 10:50

What is chaos theory, and what does it have to do with butterflies? How were the Romans able to create buildings that are still marveled at today? Why does everybody think Stephen Hawking is so smart? While exploring these questions and others like them, this class will empower students to write well about all kinds of ideas, particularly technical/interdisciplinary ones.

We'll start with books/movies on the above topics, before moving into looks at research projects on campus and topics motivated by students' intellectual interests. Through discussion sessions, writing exercises, and creativity workshops that look at how a variety of ideas from various fields can be combined, students will develop academic writing skills and critical/creative thinking abilities. These skills will be put to use in several peer-reviewed and revised short essays, as well as an 8-10 page Grant Proposal.

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Writing about Philosophy

Puzzles About Knowledge
Jonathan Matheson, Department of Philosophy
CRN 85915 TR 4:50 - 6:05

Ancient and contemporary philosophers alike have been concerned with the topic of skepticism. Most of us claim that we know a lot, but the skeptic challenges such claims of knowledge. This class will examine and investigate answers to this central philosophical problem. In so doing we will consider such skeptical questions as: What can I know? Do I know that I am currently reading a course description? Do I know that I am not in the Matrix? Do I have any good reasons to believe the external world is the way that I think it is? Through writing and discussion we will also examine questions related to proposed answers to the problem of skepticism such as: What does the word ‘know’ mean? Does common sense rule out skepticism? Can we know things that we deduce from other things that we know?

Through our examination of these questions students will learn to extract and evaluate arguments from the text, as well as write clear argumentative essays of their own where the student formulates and defends answers to these questions. This will be accomplished through class discussion, as well as peer review, self-assessment, and revision of the student's own written work. There will be several short papers and an 8-10 page research paper.

Poverty & Moral Obligation
Andrew Wake, Department of Philosophy
CRN 85996 MW 4:50 - 6:05

There is a wide disparity in wealth and resources between certain portions of the world’s population. As a result, the poor frequently struggle while the wealthy live comfortably. Through class discussion and informal writing, this course will examine questions of moral obligation that result from these circumstances, such as: Are the wealthy morally obligated to ensure that the poor live better lives? If so, how ought the wealthy act in order to discharge this obligation? Do we have a stronger obligation to aid the poor in our country than we have to aid the poor in other countries? During the course of the semester, students will write several short papers and one longer paper on these questions. We will learn to extract, analyze, and critically evaluate arguments. Through a process of drafting, peer review, and revision, students will learn to clearly and precisely present and defend arguments in academic writing.

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Writing about Political Science

**Political Economy of Africa
Subhasish Ray, Department of Politcal Science
CRN 86203 MW 2:00 - 3:15

Recent political and economic developments in Africa since the end of the Cold War have both vindicated and belied Robert Kaplan’s famous prediction of a “coming anarchy” in the region. Drawing on the rich social science literature on the political economy of contemporary Africa, the course will address a set of critical questions that will have important implications for the well-being of the people of the continent and the world in the twenty-first century. The central questions we will address are: Why is most of Africa poor? Why do states fail so often in Africa? Why has Botswana, a small country in Southern Africa, been able to sustain economic growth and democratic politics since its independence? Can international aid resurrect growth and democracy on a wide scale in Africa? The course will explore answers to these questions by using an integrated reading-and-writing approach. The writing assignments for the course will include informal response pieces, short analytical essays, and an 8-10 page research paper. For the paper, students will be expected to develop a research idea throughout the semester based on regular in-class peer-reviews and self-assessments. Although the substantive focus of the course will be on the politics and economics of contemporary Africa, its larger goal is to equip students with the basic reasoning and writing skills required in all disciplines.

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Extended Courses (105E) (Program Permission Required)

Does It Have To Be This Way?: Writing about Social, Political & Cultural Reform Movements
Shane Butterfield, Department of History
CRN 86327 TR 9:40 - 10:55

**Students must register for recitation section F 11:00 - 11:50 (CRN 86338) when registering for this course**

Because of the American tradition of free thought and action, achieving lasting national agreement has been a rare occurrence in US history. As a consequence of such frequent division, debates about fundamental human goals and the special movements created to pursue them have been common and have influenced America in profound ways. Among the crucial issues addressed in such reforms are the quest for national and individual freedom, the importance of personal spiritualism in an industrial, modern world, and the search for gender and racial equality in a free society. Using writings such as Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, Lydia Marie Child’s What is Beauty? , and the Seneca Falls Declaration of Women’s Rights and writing of our own we will investigate vital debates and efforts at reform, constructing arguments and sharing insights about these goals and movements, and working to convey ideas effectively in our writing. Through classroom discussion, the drafting of short essays, revision, self-assessment, peer review, and an 8-10 page argumentative research paper, students will gain experience making inferences and presenting written arguments about the character of historical debates.

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WRT 108

Workshop in Writing
Shane Butterfield, Department of History
CRN 86374 F 1:00 - 1:50

Workshop in Writing
Leah Haught, Department of English
CRN 86369 R 2:00 - 2:50

Workshop in Writing
Stefanie Vischansky, Department of English
CRN 86352 W 12:00 - 12:50

Workshop in Writing
Heidi Bollinger, Department of English
CRN 86340 T 2:00 - 2:50

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