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Class syllabi

"No sooner do we come into this world than bits of us start to drop off." -- Gustave Flaubert

I attempt to make each syllabus as current as possible. If you notice I have posted an outdated syllabus for your class, please let me know so I can get the most current one on the site.

EN 325 Postcolonial Literature

Dr. Todd Comer
Meets: 12:45, TR, LIB110
Email: proftod AT gmail DOT com (you must include "poco" in your subject)
Office hours: In Dana 6, by appointment:

Course Description and Objectives: The course catalog states, "A study of texts created in response to colonization, emphasizing the indigenous writing of Africa, Asia, Ireland, and/or the Americas. The course includes representative colonial texts where appropriate. Prerequisites: EN 111, AH 111 and 112. Open to non-majors with the understanding of junior-level major expectations."

Postcolonial Literature introduces students to the exciting area of postcolonial studies which, briefly defined, amounts to the study of literary and theoretical texts produced by writers who have been touched by colonialism. This includes an examination of the effects of colonization and imperialism on people and the environment. Such effects are not merely material--the invasion and forceful planting of "foreign" colonies, the theft and destruction of natural resources, the undermining of traditional social structures--but also internal: the colonized person will often begin to believe what the colonizer says in his/her texts about the limited abilities of the African, Asian, Irish, or Native American mind. We will also focus on the postcolonial writer, asking how POCO writings assist in decolonizing the land, in a literal sense, and the minds of those who have been seemingly lost to colonialism. We will consider identity issues throughout, critiquing traditional western notions of identity and imagining more ethical ways of living with others in the world. With the assistance of John McLeod's Beginning Postcolonialism, we will touch on many of the central issues of postcolonial theory: hybridity, diaspora, orientalism, agency, nationalism, race, binaries, colonial discourse, and the postcolonial revision of the canon. 

BUY THE EXACT EDITIONS BELOW:

Text Editions: You are expected to have the exact edition listed above. If you have the above edition on your kindle, that is fine. Otherwise, you are expected to use a hard copy of the course texts.

Note about texts: Literary and filmic texts represent the world and the world, to say the least, is often not a pretty picture. It is necessary, however, to take a long, hard look at personal, social, communal misery in order to understand and imagine a way out of what can often be termed unethical, if not tragic circumstances. That, at any rate, is my basic ethical justification as I read any text. If you are offended by a course text, it is your responsibility to approach me prior to the discussion of the text and request a substitute reading/viewing assignment.

English Major Outcome Assessed: EN 2, Narrative and Power
NCTE Standards addressed: 3.1.3, 3.5.2

College Learning Outcome: 5. Develop an appreciation of the importance of history, literature and the  arts for understanding the diverse and complex world in which we live. B. Demonstrate an  understanding of how literary forms and works  help us to understand the human experience.

Helpful Resources:

Bibliography of Texts Used to Prepare for EN 325:

Grades
 Minithemes (MT): 20
Critical Response to MT: 5
Quizzes: 15 (lower to 10 percent next time)
Midterm Exam: 20
Final Ten Page Essay: 30
Participation: 10

100-93 = A
92-90 = A-
89-87 = B+
86-83 = B
82-80 = B-
79-77 = C+
76-73 = C
72-70 = C-
69-67 = D+
66-63 = D
62-60 = D-
59-00 = F

Note about submissions: I have many students and this can easily lead to confusion. Please provide me with clearly labelled hard copies of your assignments on the day that they are due; do not trust me to keep track of email submissions, which I prefer not to receive. Secondly, do not turn your assignments in early.

Minithemes: Typically, you will just write a minitheme on each novel, play, or film we read together. A minitheme, simply defined, is a short argumentative piece in which you analyze some aspect of a novel or film while providing evidence to back up your claims. You might, for instance, take a critical concept like anomie and apply it to My Son the Fanatic. You might discuss the text in relation to a previous film or novel we have already discussed. Or, you might trace a symbol or theme. Be certain that whatever you choose, you relate this symbol or theme to the larger argument of the book. A minitheme should be at least 250 words and no more than 350 words. It must also include parenthetical page citations following MLA format. Please read the handouts on the class site before writing. Each minitheme is graded pass/fail. If you write a minitheme at the 75% level, you receive full credit (100). If not, you will receive no credit (0). See the extensive assistance on the website for more direction. In the absence of documentation from a doctor, no homework may be turned in late. Email your work to me (and group members), if nothing else, and provide submit a hard copy in the next class.

Critical Response to Minithemes: A significant rough draft of your minitheme will be due on the first day we discuss a text. Minithemes, in part, are designed to ensure that you are reading each text ahead of time. Therefore, if you do not turn in a rough draft, you will receive no credit on your final draft. Part of this grade category is based on group work. If you do not work collaboratively, you may have as much as 5 points taken off of your final MT grade. You will have two days to fill out the minitheme editor comment sheet on one another's work and revise your own work. If the minitheme is turned in on Tuesday, your critical response will be due on Thursday at the beginning of class along with your revised minitheme. If Thursday, I will expect you to email your response to your group  members and then drop your critical response (and minitheme) in my door box in Dana (room 6) by 9:00 am on Monday. Feedback must be supportive, constructive, and critical in nature, including suggestions for improvement.

Quizzes: You will be quizzed over short class readings.

Final Ten Page Essay: You will write a minimum ten page postcolonial analysis focused on a text that deals in some way with postcolonial issues. Topics  are typically restricted to our class texts. You will be required to sign and abide by a plagiarism form. See the website.

Participation: Physical presence alone is not enough; you must come to work, not to watch. You must engage in conversation on class topics to receive any credit in this grade category. You must give your full attention to the demands of class discussions and collaboration. To make this as as concrete as possible: if you add only two comments to our conversation during the entire semester, you will earn a 0.0 in this grade category. If you talk fairly often (once a week at least), you will normally receive full credit. Participation also means the willingness to thoughtfully and respectfully discuss your own writing, that of your classmates, and any other class readings. You need not always agree with others' responses and evaluations (in fact, disagreement is often useful), but you must be willing to take everyone's opinion seriously and try to understand it on its own terms. Participation is not however solely in-class conversation. Participation may also include one-on-one conversation with your instructor.

Class Decorum: The following activities are inappropriate in any classroom: text messaging, talking off-topic, listening to music, not listening to others, carrying on separate class conversations, checking email, sleeping, and/or studying for a separate course. Such rude activities annoy your classmates and professors. Keep in mind that your professors love what they do. Rude behavior is particularly frustrating in that light. Your participation grade will be severely penalized for such activities; and your cell phone may be confiscated.

Attendance Policy: Regular class attendance is required. You are allowed two absences; save them for illness, religious observances, funerals, court dates, job interviews. For each additional absence, your final grade will be lowered two points. You must be present for the entire period (tardiness will count as half an absence). Should a medical or family emergency arise that will require your absence beyond four classes, please notify me as soon as possible. You will be expected to provide documentation from a physician or hospital and to make up missed work. If a conflict arises between your obligation to attend class and an obligation to the college community, it is your responsibility to see me in advance, to hand in all assignments on time, and to make up work missed during your absence. Consistent tardies will also count against your participation grade.

Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of the integrity of the educational process and community. As the Defiance College Academic Integrity Policy states (see your student handbook), "All members of the DC community are expected to engage in their academic tasks with integrity and respect for others. A major part of the learning accomplished in college is the development of critical thinking skills, and these skills are only developed when each person's work reflects his or her own original thought. Defiance College is committed to helping each student to understand and practice the highest degree of integrity in his or her academic work, and to take from that work the greatest intellectual and ethical benefit." Furthermore, "The basic rule for academic honesty is that a student's work should always be his or her own." Plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty, occurs when students use the ideas and/or language/wording of another without proper citation or quotation, irregardless of a student's intent. Students who recycle work from another course, passing it off as new work are also guilty of academic dishonesty. Students who commit academic dishonesty will fail the assignment, if not the course, and have their actions formally reported to the Academic Dean's Office.

A lengthier description of plagiarism can be found in your writer's handbook and on my web site. Please reference this page and/or talk with me if you have any doubts whatsoever about your use of sources.

Accomodation Policy for Students with Disabilities: Defiance College is committed to providing educational opportunities for qualified students with documented disabilities through the provision of reasonable accommodations, in compliance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).  The purpose of accommodations is to provide equal access to educational opportunities without altering essential elements of programs or courses.  All requests for accommodations are evaluated on an individual basis after review and evaluation of documentation. It is the responsibility of the student to request necessary accommodations and the student should do so as early as possible, as some accommodations may require time to implement. 

Students with a documented physical, psychological, or learning disability must submit appropriate documentation to Defiance College’s Accessibility Services Coordinator, Lisa Marsalek, Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Career Development at Extension 2366 or lmarsalek@defiance.edu. Please refer to pages 20-21 of the Course Catalog for Defiance College’s Accommodations Policy for Students with Disabilities which includes the documentation required for accommodations (2010).  

Final Procedural Note: I make heavy use of email and the class site for announcements. You should check your email and the website daily.

Schedule: BP = Beginning Postcolonialism. Readings are due on the day they are listed. Several readings (poetry and short stories, historical articles) are to be determined. In addition, the instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus and will notify students of any changes. Naturally, neither grading criteria nor major assignments are subject to change. Please note all of the online readings which are linked to. These are also required reading.

SCHEDULE
REMEMBER TO BRING BOOKS TO EVERY CLASS!

Introduction: Postcoloniality as Un-Housing
Week 1 8.22
Tuesday Pass out syllabus and discuss; introductions.
Thursday Read and discuss introduction and chapter one of BP ("From 'Commonwealth' to 'Postcolonial'"). Read Doris Lessing's "Old Chief Mshlanga" (will place copy on reserve; please copy). Outline a minitheme as a class.

Week 2 8.29
Tuesday Lessing and chapter one discussion continued. 
Thursday Discuss Gilroy. Rough draft of MT due (should reference 50 percent of the novel; bring copies for Todd and people in your group).

Week 3 9.05
Monday--Labor Day is off
Tuesday Discuss Gilroy. Final MT over entire book and  critical response to others MTS due today (the above process will occur with each MT that follows).
Thursday Read W.E.B. Du Bois's "Of Our Spiritual Strivings" (print out from link) from The Souls of Black Folk. 

Orientalism Ideology Representation >>>wholeness
Week 4 9.12
Tuesday View Edward Said: On Orientalism. Read and print out the introduction of Said's Orientalism (print JUST the first 16 pages [through page 28 in the actual book] from this link to a PDF file; let me know if you have any issues printing it out).
Thursday Discuss Said. Read chapter two of BP ("Reading Colonial Discourses"). Discuss David Bowie's "China Girl" (link). Watch Chinatown over the weekend.

Week 5 9.19
Tuesday Discuss Chinatown. Read Buddha (rough draft MT due over first half)
Thursday Cont. Buddha. Read chapter seven of BP ("Diaspora Identities") for discussion on Tuesday.

Diaspora and Hybridity

Week 6 9.26
Tuesday Cont. Buddha. Final draft of MT over whole book due.
Thursday Midterm introduced. 

Week 7 10.03
Tuesday View film in class. 
Thursday Film cont. Read chapter three in BP. Rough draft of midterm essay due by 5:00 pm on Friday. Please meet with me if you have any concerns. 

The Problem of Agency>>> *freedom*
Week 8 10.10
Tuesday Read Gayatri Spivak's "Can the Subaltern Speak?" (link to pdf; please print out)
Thursday  Midterm essay due. 
Friday Midterm Break

Revising the Nation >>>agency

Week 9 10.17
 Tuesday Read first half of Matigari (references should cover that first half). Rough draft MT due.  [Midterm grades due by noon.]
Thursday  Final draft due of MT. Read chapter four in BP.

Week 10 10.24

Tuesday   Matigari.
Thursday Matigari.

Returning to Africa>>>agency or delusion?

Week 11 10.31
Tuesday Read Dream on Monkey Mountain.  Rough Draft due over half of play. 
Thursday  Introduction of ten page essay. Dream cont. Final draft due.

Copying The Man>>>agency

Week 12 11.07
Tuesday Minitheme rough draft due over first half of Mimic Men. Read chapter five in BP.
Thursday  Mimic Men (read 66 percent of book by now). Please type up a description of your ten page essay topic at this time. 

Feminism and Agency

Week 13 11.14
Tuesday  Finish Mimic Men. Final MT on Mimic Men due.
Thursday Read The Whale Rider. RD MT due over first half of book.

Week 14 11.21
Tuesday In-class workshopping. Five page rough draft due of your ten page essay; please bring a copy for each group member and myself. Groups will provide feedback for one another in class.  Required personal meeting with Todd over final essay should happen around this time.

Thursday Thanksgiving Break. No class.

Week 15 11.28
Tuesday Final draft due over entirety of Whale Rider. Read chapter six in BP. Submit second seven page draft of ten page essay (should be significantly longer and more polished than your first essay; please bring a copy for each group member and myself. Groups will provide feedback for one another outside of class  (use the Editor Comment Sheet and the rubric on the assignment as guides).
Thursday  Whale Rider cont. Read chapter eight in BP.

Final Exams Monday-Thursday, Dec 5-8: Final exam, evaluations, ten page essay due.