Engl. 232 – Non-Western World Literature II Spring 2007 Office: LHH 456

Instructor: Julie Barak Phone: 248-1072

e-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: MWF 10:00-10:50

Home Page: http://mesastate.edu/~jbarak TR 9:00-9:50

Syllabus subject to change. See on-line syllabus for current assignments.

GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE:

The following have been chosen from the list of General Education Objectives shown in its entirety in the Mesa State College Catalog:

OBJECTIVE 1—Students will be able to think critically and creatively.

OBJECTIVE 2—Students will appreciate the contributions of literature to our perception of ourselves and our world.

Assessment measures will be implemented to monitor achievement of objectives.

This course has also been designated a GE-25 Pathways course. This means that it will transfer as a humanities credit to any institution of higher learning in the state of Colorado. In order to be granted this designation, the course must meet minimum reading and writing requirements established by the state, as well as address the following critical thinking skills: a) Identifying and differentiating questions, problems and arguments, b) Evaluating the appropriateness of various methods of reasoning and verification, c) Identifying and assessing stated and unstated assumptions, d) Critically comparing different points of view, e) Formulating questions and problems, f) Constructing and developing cogent arguments, g) Discussing alternative points of view, h) Evaluating the quality of evidence and reasoning.

Course Goals: In an attempt to meet the above general education goals through course-specific content goals, the course will develop or enhance the following skills/abilities/knowledge base of its participants: 1) To become familiar with the development, directions and theories of postcolonialism. 2) To read various postcolonial texts through the lens of postcolonial theory. 3) To learn to summarize accurately and succinctly. 4) To practice applying theory to various texts. 5) To investigate the value of theory to readers. 6) To develop the habit of critical thinking when approaching texts and ideas.

Course Methods: 1) The most important pedagogical method of the course will be large group discussion. We’ll ask questions, connect theory and text, challenge interpretations, build bridges between past and present and self and other, investigate our reasons for our responses, argue, agree, resist, compromise, rebel and conform. We must become a community of learners dedicated to challenging each other to grow in knowledge and compassion. 2) Because reading the material is imperative to good discussions, various types of quizzes, oral and written reports will be required throughout the semester to encourage you to keep current on the reading.

Required Texts:

Theory:

Young, Robert J. C. – Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction

Various essays on reserve in the library

The West:

Shakespeare – The Tempest

The Empire Writes Back:

Cesaire – A Tempest

National Allegory:

Lu Xun – Diary of a Madman

wa Thiong’o, Ngugi – Grain of Wheat

Aidoo, Ama Ata – Changes

Politics and Art:

Roy, Arundhati – The God of Small Things

Roy, Arundhati – War Talk

Diasporic Effects:

Cliff, Michelle – No Telephone to Heaven

Ghosh, Amitov – The Shadow Lines

Thu Huong Duong and Nina McPherson – Paradise of the Blind

Globalization:

Abe, Kobo – Woman in the Dunes

Murakami, Haruki – Hardboiled Detective in Wonderland

Regular handouts or postings to the K: drive of theory and poetry.

Assignments:

Study Guides: For each novel should select some idea from the study guide we will design together on the second day of class to direct your journaling and turn in 500 words (1 single-spaced, typed page) on the topic. Grades are based on depth of reflection, on creativity of response, on perceived earnestness of purpose, on the employment of critical/analytical skills. (Average of Study Guides: 30% of final grade)

Quizzes on each text: Brief (10 question) reading quiz on each work. (Average of quizzes: 20% of final grade)

Questions following the Lectures: In-class, after each lecture, you’ll be asked to write down an interesting, provocative, intriguing question that came to you during the lecture and follow up the question with a sentence or two about why you would like to ask that question. We’ll either close down each lecture session with a discussion of these questions or start the next class by addressing some of them. (Pass/no pass. Three no pass questions will lower your course grade by one letter grade: A,A-, B+, B, B-, etc.)

Short Essays (2-3 pages): Throughout the semester as we read from Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction, you’ll be assigned two dates for writing and presenting a paper exploring the connections between one of the books we’ve read and the theory in Young and in the Lectures. A more complete description of the assignment is attached. (10% each)

Exams: Two exams testing your understanding of literary/postcolonial terms and your ability to apply the theory to the literature. (15% each)

Attendance and Participation: Being here is, obviously, crucial for participation in the discussions. We can’t learn from you and you can’t learn from us if you’re not here. So show up and speak up. You have three free absences. Your final grade will drop one letter grade (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, etc.) for each class you miss after the first three. This means that if you have a B for the class at the end of the semester, but you’ve missed 6 classes, your grade will drop to a C. If you’ve missed 8 classes, it will drop to a D, and so on.

Other Policies and Procedures: Refer to the Student Handbook for college policies on Academic Honesty. Any student who feels she/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Educational Access Services at 1020 Elm Ave., 248-1856, to coordinate reasonable accommodations.

Schedule for Spring 2007

Week	Date	Assignment	Project Due
1	J – 22	Introductions
	J – 24	Intro and Chapter 1 Young
	J – 26	Chapter 2 Young
2	J – 29	The Tempest	Study Guide Due
	J – 31		Theory Papers Due
	F – 2	A Tempest	Study Guide Due
3	F – 5		Theory Papers Due
	F – 7	Diary of a Madman	Study Guide Due
	F – 9	Chapter 3 Young
4	F – 12	Grain of Wheat	Study Guide Due
	F – 14		Theory Papers Due
	F – 16	Chapter 5 Young	Theory Papers Due
5	F – 19 W Break
	F – 21	Changes	Study Guide Due
	F – 23		Theory Papers Due
6	F – 26		Theory Papers Due
	F – 28		Theory Papers Due
	M – 2	God of Small Things	Study Guide Due
7	M – 5		Theory Papers Due
	M – 7	War Talk	Study Guide Due
	M – 9	Exam #1
8	M 12-16 S Break
9	M – 19	Chapter 4 Young
	M – 21
	M – 23	No Telephone to Heaven	Study Guide Due
10	M – 26 Last Day to Withdraw w/ “W”		Theory Papers Due
	M – 28		Theory Papers Due
	M – 30		Theory Papers Due
11	A – 2	Chapter 6 Young
	A – 4	The Shadow Lines	Study Guide Due
	A – 6		Theory Papers Due
12	A – 9		Theory Papers Due
	A – 11		Theory Papers Due
	A – 13
13	A – 16	Paradise of the Blind	Study Guide Due
	A – 18		Theory Papers Due
	A – 20		Theory Papers Due
14	A – 23	Chapter 7 Young
	A – 25	Woman in the Dunes	Study Guide Due
	A – 27		Theory Papers Due
15	A – 30		Theory Papers Due
	M – 2
	M – 4	Hard Boiled Detective	Study Guide Due
16	M – 7		Theory Papers Due
	M – 9		Theory Papers Due
	M – 11		Theory Papers Due
17	Final – M 14	Exam #2