- MCWP 50 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS -

SUMMER & FALL 2008

• All students with more than 90 cumulative units need to obtain departmental authorization from the Muir Writing office before enrolling in MCWP courses.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Students on the waitlist who do not attend the first class meeting of Muir Writing will be considered NOT ENROLLED in the course. Enrolled students who miss the first two class sessions will be asked to drop the course. Responsibility for dropping the class from the Registrar’s records belongs solely to the student.

The reading and writing requirements are the same for all sections. Books for each section are now available at Groundwork Books (858-452-9625) in the Old Student Center.

*All instructors, course times, and topics listed below are proposed for Fall 2008 and thus subject to change. Changes are noted in bold and with an *

- FALL 2008 -

Expressionism: Subversive Art  

While Expressionism in art and literature lasted a mere decade, from 1910 to 1920, its social implications and its effect on consecutive art movements are still the subject of current debates. However, scholarly work - ranging from Lotte Eisner to Barry Salt - has articulated wide-ranging differences in terms of its definition of Expressionism. In this class we will consider the question of what exactly constitutes the idea and practices of Expressionism in literature and art. Is the way in which the Expressionists imagined their art different from the way in which scholars retroactively perceived it? We will, in addition, examine the cultural and artistic influences, in particular primitivism, that led Expressionist artists to adopt specific strategies and themes. While Expressionism intended to be subversive, it was later systematically integrated as “high art”. This radical change in the public reception of Expressionism will lead us to analyze the social and political changes that influenced society to adopt those ideologies that were meant to undermine their very existence. The course texts will, in addition, serve as models for a research paper that contributes to the academic discussion.

Texts:
The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Memory Spaces

According to historian Pierre Nora, “Memory is constantly on our lips because it no longer exists.” This course will examine some of the ways in which social groups attempt to keep memory on their lips, before their eyes and in their minds. We will therefore look at those collective practices and rituals that help communities remember the events of their historical past. Our particular focus will be on the physical spaces that are specifically designed to stimulate memory work. These will include museums, memorials and monuments located in public places. For an interpretive framework, we use some examples of contemporary scholarship that concerns the aesthetic, political and historical issues that problematize commemorative practice. This scholarship will confront us with some critical questions for discussion. Who are the “architects” of our memories? How do they shape what we remember and what we forget? Is memory a passive or an active experience? Is it individual or collective? In our investigation of memory management we will also examine how trauma and nostalgia shape our understanding of those experiences that no longer exist.

Texts:
Primary text TBA; The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

The Politics of the Rainbow:
Queer Issues, Civil Rights, & Pop Culture

In this class we will examine the various ideologies that surround the issue of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) studies, as well as queer studies, in the United States. By engaging in academic analyses of argument structure, we will look at how these issues have surfaced in discipline-specific debates in the humanities, with particular attention paid to philosophy, feminist studies, and literature. We will also examine what effect these academic discussions have in developing the relationship between media and society by looking into how images of queer populations have surfaced in the mainstream media, and examine just what these images are arguing about both queer populations and “straight” society. Intersections between sexuality, race, class, and nationality will also be an integral part of our discussions. Students will produce a final research paper for the class. No previous knowledge of or research in the subject of queer studies is required for the course.

Texts:
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg; The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Propaganda: The Humorous and Serious Sides of Persuasion  

Spin. Deception. Half-truths. Many words are used to describe propaganda, and this course will explore the positive and negative outlooks on multiple types of persuasion. We will look at various kinds of media in order to discuss the power that propaganda has on people—from the fast food commercials we see every day on television to the propaganda of Nazi Germany to the ways humor is used as social commentary in shows like South Park or The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In class we will look to examples of propaganda in film and TV show clips, magazine ads and articles, and even on YouTube. The coursework will culminate in a final research paper that you will write in order to explore the arguments you see in a particular type of propaganda—anything from a series of World War II-era Uncle Sam posters, the way Stephen Colbert uses parody and satire in The Colbert Report, the documentary An Inconvenient Truth to political campaign ads. All viewpoints will be welcome in class, as the goal of the course is not to advance particular social or political views but, rather, to see what we can make of the variously charged messages we receive and create.

Texts:
Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion by Anthony R. Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson; The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Energy: Traditional, Alternative, and Sustainable

“Sustainability” is a buzz word used by politicians, policy makers, scientists, researchers, environmentalists, and others. But how is the term understood and deployed in an era of concerns about energy costs and climate changes? In this course, we will examine current and long-standing issues about the possible effects of fossil fuels and carbon emissions on the environment as well as the viability of alternate energy sources. Many scientists, environmentalists, conservationists, and others have expressed varying perspectives about the need to address and regulate the use of traditional and alternative forms of energy. You will be asked to examine these written arguments in order to understand how arguments are constructed. Then, you will introduce and support your own informed research-based argument on an issue relevant to the larger course topic.

Text:
Oil on the Brain: Adventures from the Pump to the Pipeline by Lisa Margonelli; The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Israel , Palestine , and the United States 

In this course, we will interrogate U.S. cultural texts that have worked to create opposing and distinct representations of people in Israel and in the occupied territories.  However, rather than simply staying inside of the United States, we will consider Israeli and Palestinian texts and how they either mimic or contradict U.S. representations. In doing this, we will consider questions such as: How have film, news, and television helped to construct Americans’ perception of the Israel/Palestine conflict? How have Palestinians tried to represent their experiences under occupation? How are Israelis representing this conflict?  Your final research paper will focus on adding to our understanding of how the Middle East is perceived in the U.S. and how we can achieve a richer dialogue about the current conflict in the Occupied territories and the future relationship between the people of the U.S. and the Middle East.

Texts:   
TBA; The Craft of Research, Third Edition by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

- Summer 2008 -

Re/producing Reality:
The Documentary Genre and Society  

This course delves into the ways in which documentary theory and practices are shaped by and shape American society. We will go beyond the assumption that documentary texts are "snapshots" of actuality, by treating them as mediations or interpretations of reality. Approaching documentary broadly, we will look at examples in film, photojournalism, and non-fictional literature. While analyzing the cultural meaning produced by these works, we will also inquire into the ethical and even legal issues that arise with regard to the documentary process. Documentarians have a special influence on our culture as both muckrakers who point out embarrassing social truths and storytellers who use reality in order to construct narratives. Therefore, we will examine rhetorical positions that express advocacy for and skepticism about the value of documentary. Finally, we will address how technological developments, such as the incorporation of digital manipulation, are currently changing and challenging the genre that presents claims about the material world.
  
Texts:   
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Animals and Us  

Peter Singer published Animal Liberation in 1975. The continued influence of this seminal text can be seen in music, television, and literature, as well as in popular and academic writing. Nonetheless, despite the influence of Animal Liberation and other books, articles, and advocacy organizations, many of the issues that Singer raised over thirty years ago remain. This course will address topics including speciesism, vegetarianism, animal testing, factory farming, habitat conservation, and global famine. Commentary on these topics will come from rights activists, scientists, academic philosophers, journalists, and others. The purpose of this course is not to support an ideology or a social agenda. Rather, it is to investigate and understand the various ways in which human beings relate to and interact with animals. Thus, while many of the aforementioned topics are associated with hotly debated ethical and social questions, our primary objective will be to learn about the facts grounding these debates. What reasons are given for granting animals rights equal to human rights? What are the economic factors affecting conservation efforts? How do scientists weigh the costs and benefits of animal testing? These are the kinds of factual questions that will guide this course.

Texts:
Animal Liberation 2nd ed. by Peter Singer; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Medicine, Culture, and AIDS  

In 1986, Edmund White wrote, “The AIDS epidemic has rolled back a big rotting log and revealed all the squirming life underneath it, since it involves, all at once, the main themes of our existence: sex, death, power, money, love, hate, disease, and panic.” Ten years later, new drugs turned AIDS into a chronic, manageable disease—but only for those who could afford the medicine. Today, despite all we know about the disease, people still contract it and die from it, not only in the developing world, but in the United States, too. AIDS is arguably one of the most important public health issue s of our time. But it is not simply a biological fact. It is also a social fact. Since the disease was first noticed in 1981, AIDS has been the focus of intense public debates about governmental responsibility, medical practice, sexual orientation, business ethics, public health, and human rights. This class will attempt to wrestle with the big issues surrounding AIDS, with discussions and research papers focusing on the cultural history of the disease and the current debates about how to combat it.

Texts:
Letting Them Die by Catherine Campbell; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

- SPRING 2008 -

***ATTENTION: sections in bold have recently changed***

How New Is It? Investigating Media and Technology

While our private as well as public lives continuously encounter "new media" and technologies, the question arises as to what exactly comprises this category of so-called "new media" and how "new" they actually are. Does the fact that you are writing an essay on one of the latest computer models, that you are stunned by the latest digital imaging techniques on the movie screen, or that you are playing one of the newest video games suggest that you are actively experiencing truly novel ideas? In this class we will consider the following questions about technology, and how "new media" differ from "old media". Does the advent of new technologies make "older" ones obsolete? What is the logic that governs "new media" and technologies, and how do they shape our interaction with and our perceptions of our environment? Do virtual realities and cyberspace mirror, and are they capable of, reproducing actual reality, and if so, what is the effect of these reproduced realities on our individual experiences and social configurations? This course will examine current discourse that addresses the role of "new media" and technologies from a philosophical as well as from a technological-historical point of view. These texts will, in addition, serve as models for a research paper that contributes to the academic discussion.

Texts:
Remediation: Understanding New Media by Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Medicine, Culture, and AIDS  

In 1986, Edmund White wrote, “The AIDS epidemic has rolled back a big rotting log and revealed all the squirming life underneath it, since it involves, all at once, the main themes of our existence: sex, death, power, money, love, hate, disease, and panic.” Ten years later, new drugs turned AIDS into a chronic, manageable disease—but only for those who could afford the medicine. Today, despite all we know about the disease, people still contract it and die from it, not only in the developing world, but in the United States, too. AIDS is arguably one of the most important public health issue s of our time. But it is not simply a biological fact. It is also a social fact. Since the disease was first noticed in 1981, AIDS has been the focus of intense public debates about governmental responsibility, medical practice, sexual orientation, business ethics, public health, and human rights. This class will attempt to wrestle with the big issues surrounding AIDS, with discussions and research papers focusing on the cultural history of the disease and the current debates about how to combat it.

Texts:
Letting Them Die by Catherine Campbell; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Tourism and the Modern Traveler in the Postcolonial Era

The topic of this class is narratives of tourism and travel in what is commonly, and often problematically, termed the "postcolonial" era. Course work will focus on texts about tourism and postcolonial travel, such as the short novel Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih or A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid, excerpts from Jean Baudrillard's America and Joan Didion's The White Album, travel essays from mass media sources such as the New Yorker, and critical essays focusing on travel narratives. Some central questions guiding the course include: Who travels and who does not? What are some motives for travel, and how do these diverse incentives mark privilege or disenfranchisement? How do travel and tourism discourses break from or uphold traditional dichotomies between "developing" and "developed" countries, as well as the "haves" and the "have-nots" within those countries?

Texts:
The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader
Dixa Ramirez course: Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih
Alison McNee & Rebecca Kinney course: A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid

The Graphic Novel  

The term "graphic novel" is itself ambiguous. Generally, it is used to describe stories that are told in the form of a comic book, but are longer, have a narrative, and are more literary than the average comic. This class will not focus on defining the boundaries of the genre, or even whether or not this is a "real" genre. Rather, we will be looking at three book-length comics which attempt to examine serious social issues, particularly how individuals come to understand themselves in a world which may violently deny their right to exist. Alison Bechdel in her autobiographic Fun Home addresses issues of sexuality and gender identity. In Maus, Art Spiegelman also tells a story based on his father's experience as a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp and his life afterwards. Spiegelman uses anthropomorphized animals to represent the characters in his story, including his family. Finally, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd is set in an alternative United Kingdom in which the character V commits acts of terrorism against a violent, fascist government. Choosing one of the three novels, students will be expected to write a paper analyzing how the visual as well as written elements of the text serve to shape the author's social commentary. Furthermore, students will research relevant secondary sources from such fields as history, sociology, and literature to shape and ground their analysis within the academic discussion surrounding the graphic novel and their chosen author and text.

Texts:
The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; a photocopied reader; and each student will choose one of the following: Fun Home : A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel; Maus I & II by Art Speigelman; or V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

Eating Culture: Making Social Meaning of Food  

Everybody has to eat to live, which means that every person has an inescapable relationship to food preparation, service, and consumption. However, textual representations of food and eating--both popular and academic, and everything in between--disagree as to what the human relationship to food indicates, how it is structured, what effects it has on the individual and society, and even what should be considered part of the relationship. As a result, texts which address food and people represent their interrelation in a variety of ways. In this class, we will examine texts drawn from the social sciences which examine food and people's relationship(s) to it. In examining these texts, we strive to understand how social science arguments about people and food are made, supported, and reproduced, and how analysis of similar texts yields different results depending upon a variety of mediating factors. Finally, students will use these academic texts as the beginning of a research project on a food-related topic.

Texts:
How We Eat: Appetite, Culture, and the Psychology of Food by Leon Rappoport, The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Jafar, Mosques and Terrorism: Investigating our Representations of the Middle East  

Following the events of 9/11, commentator Ann Coulter lobbied for the United States to invade the whole of the Middle East in order to kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. Coulter is clearly not alone in her misguided perceptions about Muslims and the Middle East. In fact, many Americans’ picture of the Middle East comes from Jafar in Aladdin or any number of sweaty characters in action adventure films like Delta Force or The Siege. As a recent political debate showed, not even our politicians know the difference between a Shia and Sunni Muslim. How is it that we know so little about a region where we have well over 200,000 American soldiers?

In this course, we will interrogate cultural texts that have worked to portray people in the Middle East as unworthy of self-determination and prone to acts of violence. Additionally, we will look to dissonant stories and analyses that contradict this dominant narrative. In doing so, we will consider questions such as: How have film, news, and television helped to construct Americans’ perception of the Middle East? How does the Middle East see the United States? Your final research paper will focus on adding to our understanding of how the Middle East is perceived in the U.S. and how we can achieve a richer dialogue about the current war in Iraq and the future relationship between the people of the U.S. and the Middle East.

Texts:
No god but God by Reza Aslan; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

The Politics of the Rainbow: Queer Issues, Civil Rights, & Pop Culture  

In this class we will examine the various ideologies that surround the issue of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) studies, as well as queer studies, in the United States. By engaging in academic analyses of argument structure, we will look at how these issues have surfaced in discipline-specific debates in the humanities, with particular attention paid to philosophy, feminist studies, and literature. We will also examine what effect these academic discussions have in developing the relationship between media and society by looking into how images of queer populations have surfaced in the mainstream media, and examine just what these images are arguing about both queer populations and “straight” society. Intersections between sexuality, race, class, and nationality will also be an integral part of our discussions. Students will produce a final research paper for the class. No previous knowledge of or research in the subject of queer studies is required for the course.

Texts:
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

From Jack Tar to Jack Sparrow: Piracy in the Atlantic World  

So you think you know pirates, eh? You’ve been on the ride at Disneyland, seen all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and can shout “Avast, me hearties!” with the best of them. Well, do you know the difference between privateers, buccaneers, and pirates? Did you know that some of the most successful pirates were women? That “walking the plank” and burying treasure were the inventions of novels and movies? That pirate ships were often multi-national communities governed by democratic consent of the crew rather than by a dictatorial captain? If you want to do research on the real history of piracy in the Atlantic, learn about the role of piracy in American history and in popular culture, and learn how to put together an academic research project, then this may be the class for you. No previous knowledge of maritime history is required, although students may develop an uncontrollable urge to shout “Aaargh!” and walk about with parrots on their shoulders.

Texts:
Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age by Marcus Rediker; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader

Animals and Us  

Peter Singer published Animal Liberation in 1975. The continued influence of this seminal text can be seen in music, television, and literature, as well as in popular and academic writing. Nonetheless, despite the influence of Animal Liberation and other books, articles, and advocacy organizations, many of the issues that Singer raised over thirty years ago remain. This course will address topics including speciesism, vegetarianism, animal testing, factory farming, habitat conservation, and global famine. Commentary on these topics will come from rights activists, scientists, academic philosophers, journalists, and others. The purpose of this course is not to support an ideology or a social agenda. Rather, it is to investigate and understand the various ways in which human beings relate to and interact with animals. Thus, while many of the aforementioned topics are associated with hotly debated ethical and social questions, our primary objective will be to learn about the facts grounding these debates. What reasons are given for granting animals rights equal to human rights? What are the economic factors affecting conservation efforts? How do scientists weigh the costs and benefits of animal testing? These are the kinds of factual questions that will guide this course.

Texts:
Animal Liberation 2nd ed. by Peter Singer; The Craft of Research by Booth, et al; and a photocopied reader