ENGL 470E Syllabus
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FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
ENGLISH 470E: Race, Class, Gender, Memory and Citizenship Winter 2009-2010
Instructor: Dr. Larissa Lai
Section 4
Classroom: Buch D332
Time: MWF 13:00 – 14:00
Office: BuTo 526
Phone: 604-822-2096
Email: larissa.lai@ubc.ca
Office hours: Mondays and Fridays from 11:30am – 12:30pm or by appointment
Course description:
This course will begin with the conundrum of reclaiming the racist name, to look at anti-racist work in the late 80s and early 90s in Canada. The conundrum is an old one, proposed originally by Hegel as the master/slave dialectic. By claiming racialization as a way of recognizing the past, the subaltern is always connected to the name of the master (whiteness). But this reclamation was also extremely culturally productive in Canada at the end of the 20th century. We will begin by looking at the oppositional work that arose at the moment, particularly in relation to other oppressions (including class and gender) and the contradictions it produced. In the second section of the course we will move on to consider one of its offshoots-the problem of memory, particularly as it is linked to trauma. The course will close with a gesture towards agency, particularly in relation to global citizenship as it has recently been refigured in relation to changes in the practice of “nation.” Can old democratic principles be refigured beyond the nation to return humanism to us in newly productive ways? If not, is there still a place for agency in Canadian literary production, and what might it look like?
The point of this course is to deepen your literary and critical skills. Participation and group work will be essential components of the class. This course assumes that its participants have an interest in anti-racist pedagogy, and bring a critical awareness of race, class and gender issues with them when they enter the classroom.
Course Goals:
By the end of this course, students will be able to explain how anti-racist politics in Canada in the 80s and 90s created cultural space for racialized texts and writers. Students will be able to explain the political and creative conundrums that arose from those politics and illustrate how a few Canadian writers solved the problems, however contingently. In particular, students will be able to explain how cultural trauma gives rise to narratives of mourning, recovery and redress. Through several theories of agency and citizenship, students will be able to offer productive suggestions for further writing and research that recognizes both difference and hope.
This course assumes university-level of competence with regards to research, composition, documentation (MLA) and classroom conduct.
Texts and readings:
Brand, Dionne. What We All Long For. Toronto: Knopf, 2005.
Maclear, Kyo. The Letter Opener. Toronto: Harper Collins, 2007.
Chariandy, David. Soucouyant. Vancouver: Arsenal, 2007.
Clements, Marie. Burning Vision. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2003.
Stone, Anne. Delible. Toronto: Insomniac, 2007.
Custom coursepack available at the UBC Bookstore.
Assignments
1. Best five out of six reading quizzes (10%). Note, then, that you can miss one quiz without penalty. However, no make-up quizzes will be given under any circumstances.
2. In-class Peer-assessed Essay (30%). You will write an in-class essay on a set topic (some choice given). The following class, you will do peer-assessments on the essays of two other students. Peer feedback on your original essay with be returned to you, along with my comments shortly thereafter. One option for your final project will then be to pursue the comments, questions and suggestions of your peers to produce a polished final paper. This project should constitute one of the major learning exercises of the course.
3. Group Presentation (value determined in relation to participation portfolio)
4. Participation Portfolio (20%) containing: your name, your group name, group members’ full names, your group presentation, in-class quizzes, completed peer assessment rubrics for group mates. You may also include a reading journal, reflections (questions, comments, additions, disagreements) on other groups’ presentations, and any substantive correspondence between yourself and your group mates, if you wish.
5. Final Project (40%): a polished version of one prior project- the peer-assessed paper or the group presentation; or a new project- either a conventional academic paper or critical-creative project that addresses the concerns of the course (8 double-spaced pages or equivalent). If you are at all in doubt about the form or content of your final project please come see me. Collaborative projects are also welcome. Please discuss collaboration with me beforehand. Please attach your mid-term (peer-assessed) paper or project, plus assessments, regardless of which final project option you choose. There will be a one third of a grade reduction (eg. from B to B-) as penalty for missing this aspect or any part of it. (40%)
Classroom conduct:
Classroom conduct will be guided by the following purposes and values:
- to promote free inquiry and debate
- to act as a community of scholars
- to lead and inspire societal development
- to respect, appreciate, and encourage diversity
- to display care and concern for community
- to act as a community of scholars
- to lead and inspire societal development
- to respect, appreciate, and encourage diversity
- to display care and concern for community
In our classroom we seek to create and maintain a positive and productive learning and working environment, that is, an environment in which there is:
- respect for the dignity of all persons
- fair and equitable treatment of individuals in our diverse community
- personal integrity and trustworthiness
- respect for academic freedom
- respect for personal and University property
Students may be expected to read, respect, consider and discuss materials that they find challenging on a number of accounts, whether this is because of sexually explicit content, controversial ideas, or unfamiliar world views. Critical thinking is encouraged. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism of any kind will not be tolerated. Please turn off your cel phones before coming in to class. Laptops may be used in the classroom for note-taking purposes only. If you wish to watch a movie or engage in on-line chat, please leave the room to do so.
The email address provided above may be used solely for housekeeping purposes. Students wishing to discuss substantive questions of any kind must come see me during office hours.
Additional Ground Rules:
To be negotiated in the first week. Consider what you need (and what is reasonable) for you to feel safe and be productive in the classroom.
Grading system:
The following grading system is used in this course:
A+ (90-100%); A (85-89%); A- (80-84%); B+ (76-79%); B (72-75%); B- (68-71%);
C+ (64-67%); C (60-63%); C- (55-59%); D (50-54%); F (0-49%).
Late assignment policy:
Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalized with the loss of a third of grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.
Academic Dishonesty:
Please take note of the University of British Columbia policy and do not plagiarize. Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possible suspension or expulsion from the university.
Reading:
It is your responsibility to have read the text under discussion on the day it is discussed in class. Longer texts will not necessarily be discussed in a linear fashion. Expect spoilers.
Weekly Schedule
Week 1: ”Vigil” and “Other Honey”
Sept. 9 (Wed.) Introductions, course goals, screening of “Vigil” and “Other Honey”
Sept. 11 (Fri.) Lecture
Anderson, Benedict. “Introduction.” Imagined Communities. London: Verso, 1983. 1-7.
Gagnon, Monika. “Introduction: Another Conundrum? “ Other Conundrums: Race,
Culture and Canadian Art. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp, 2000. 21-30.
Group discussion.
Week 2: What We All Long For
Sept. 14 (Mon.) Lecture: What We All Long For
Sept. 16 (Wed.) Lecture:
Massey, Doreen. “A Question of Place.” A Place in the World: Places, Culture and
Globalization. Eds. Doreen Massey and Pat Jess. Oxford: OUP, 1996. 46-62.
Group discussion.
Sept. 18 (Fri.) Reading Quiz #1
Lecture:
Fuss, Diana. “The Risk of Essence.” Essentially Speaking: Feminism, Nature and
Difference. New York: Routledge, 1989. 1-22.
Week 3: What We All Long For
Sept. 21 (Mon.) Lecture:
Appadurai, Arjun. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.”
Modernity At Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press, 1996. 27-47.
Sept. 22 Last date for withdrawal without W standing
Sept. 23 (Wed.) Lecture:
Freud, Sigmund. “The ‘Uncanny’.” The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological
Works of Sigmund Freud. Ed. James Strachey. Vol. 17. London: Vintage, 2001.
219-252.
Sept. 25 (Fri.) Official presentation groups formed (8 X 4 + 4 X 3), presentation dates assigned.
Maximum group size = 4, minimum group size = 3. Please let me know
immediately if your group contains more than 4 or fewer than 3 people. Group
discussion.
Week 4: What We All Long For
Sept. 28 (Mon.) Lecture:
Bhabha, Homi. “Introduction.” The Location of Culture. London: Routledge, 1994. 1-18.
Sept. 30 (Wed.) Lecture:
Agamben, Giorgio. “Introduction.” Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life.
Stanford: Stanford UP, 1995. 1-12.
Oct. 2 (Fri.) Reading Quiz #2, discussion groups
Week 5: The Letter Opener
Oct. 5 (Mon.) Lecture: The Letter Opener
Oct. 7 (Wed.) Lecture:
Brown, Bill. “Thing Theory.” Critical Inquiry. 28 (2001) : 1-22.
Oct. 9 (Fri.) Group Presentation #1:___________________________________________
Week 6
Oct. 12 (Mon.) Thanksgiving. University closed.
Oct. 14 (Wed.) In-class essay (one question from a choice of several, open book)
Oct. 16 (Fri.) Peer assessment of in-class essay. Attendence will be taken and heavily weighted today.
Week 7: The Letter Opener
Oct. 19 (Mon.) Lecture
Kristeva, Julia. “Toccata and Fugue for the Foreigner.” Strangers to Ourselves. New
York: Columbia UP, 1991. 1-40.
Oct. 21 (Wed.) Group Presentation #2:______________________________________
Oct. 23 (Fri.) Group Presentation #3:______________________________________
Week 8: Soucouyant
Oct. 26 (Mon.) Lecture: Soucouyant (Chariandy visit)
Oct. 28 (Wed.) Reading Quiz #3, Lecture
Renan, Ernst. “What is a Nation?” Becoming National: A Reader. Eds. Geoff Eley and
Ronald Grigor Suny. New York: OUP, 1996. 41-55.
West, Cornel. “The New Cultural Politics of Difference.” Out There: Marginalization and
Contemporary Cultures. New York: MIT Press, 1990. 19-50.
Oct. 30 (Fri.) Group Presentation #4: _______________________________________
Week 9: Soucouyant
Nov. 2 (Mon.) Group Presentation #5: ______________________________
Nov. 4 (Wed.) Group Presentation #6:_______________________________________
Nov. 6 (Fri.) Reading Quiz #4, discussion groups
Week 10: Burning Vision
Nov. 9 (Mon.) Burning Vision
Nov. 11 (Wed.) Group Presentation #7:_______________________________________
Nov. 13 Group Presentation #8:_______________________________________
Week 11: Burning Vision
Nov. 16 (Mon.) Burning Vision (Village of Widows screening)
Nov. 18 (Wed.) Group Presentation #9:________________________________________
Nov. 20 (Fri.) Reading Quiz # 5, discussion groups
Week 12: Delible
Nov. 23 (Mon.) Delible (Stone visit)
Nov. 25 (Wed.) Group Presentation #10:__________________________________________
Nov. 27 (Fri.) Group Presentation #11:_________________________________________
Week 13: Delible
Nov. 30 (Mon.) Delible lecture, Quiz #6
Dec. 2 (Wed.) Group Presentation #12: ____________________________________
Dec. 4 (Fri.) Wrap up, future directions, party
Final Paper or Project due, Participation Portfolio due
