Fall 2016 - Syllabus Contemporary American Global Issues American Studies 212 (DS, WI) MWF 1:30pm – 2:20pm (76574) Instructor: Jonathan Valdez Email:
[email protected] Office: Moore 326 Office Hours: MW 12:00pm to 1:00pm or by appointment
Course Description: This course explores contemporary global issues in historical, political, economic, and cultural contexts. It will track the influence of American values and institutions in the world and analyze how globalization has impacted and changed society. Key concepts for this course will include, but will not be limited to, international diplomacy, imperialism, militarism, and capitalism. Grading: Quizzes: 30% (Two lowest scores will not be counted) Class participation (discussion and peer review): 20% Leading class discussion: 10% Four 4-page analytical papers: 40% Required Texts: 1. Butler, Smedley D. 2003. War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated General, Two Other Anti-Interventionist Tracts, and Photographs from the Horror of it. Los Angeles, Calif: Feral House. 2. Hing, Bill Ong. 2004. Defining America through Immigration Policy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. 3. Scranton, Roy. 2015. Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization. San Francisco: City Lights Books.
4. Shane, Scott. 2015. Objective Troy: a Terrorist, a President, and the Rise of the Drone. New York: Tim Duggan Books. 5. Simon, Bryant. 2009. Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks. Berkeley: University of California Press. **Additional readings and website links are posted online on Laulima. Quizzes (30%): Arrive to class on time to take a short, simple quiz every time. If you miss, you miss. No make ups, no exceptions. Two lowest scores will not be counted. Quizzes will be on the readings and/or topics covered in class discussion. Class Participation (20%): Since many classes will comprise of discussion sessions, active engagement is essential. Come to class with opinions/thoughts ready to share with your classmates. Giving constructive comments on your classmates’ papers in peer review sessions will be a plus for your participation grade. Do not be late for peer review days because of the limited time Leading Class Discussion (10%): Each student will lead one class discussion. During this time, you will collaborate with two other students and prepare discussion questions. Students will need to have read the material that is assigned for their discussion and contact the instructor at least two days before their discussion day to finalize their plan for class activities. Be sure to prepare Powerpoint presentation that includes 1) the sociohistorical background of the text that you are dealing with; 2) a brief introduction of the author 3) the author’s main points/arguments; 4) discussion questions; 5) a discussion of a secondary source (e.g. art, music, and other cultural forms) that ties in to the text. It is mandatory that you meet with me to discuss how you will manage class discussion, formulate questions, etc. Four 4-Pages Analytical Papers (40%): Analytical papers must demonstrate your understanding of the texts by explaining historical contexts, summarizing the authors’ main points, and providing your opinion. The structure must also be well-organized (e.g. a clear introduction with a brief explanation of what is at issue and your opinion about it; topic sentences describing main points at the beginning of each paragraph; a clear conclusion with a summary of what you have discussed and the significance of it). Practice to write formally (academic paper is different from informal writing/essay), and think about how your paper can contribute to ongoing academic discussion. Papers must analyze a passage from King, Scranton, Scott, and Simon and discuss how the selected passage discusses United States and international relations in the text, key terms or ideas central to the unit, and future implications of these ideas. A strong paper will address these three topics with evidence from the text as well as other readings from within and outside the course and has few spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. Hard copies of your papers are due at the beginning of class. All reports must be typed, doublespaced in 12-point Times New Roman font and have 1-inch margins. The word total
should be around 1,000 for each paper. Your name, the course number, date, and assignment name should appear on the top-left corner of the paper (single-spaced). Also, please number all the pages of the written assignments. Attendance is something I feel strongly about. Although attendance does not constitute a numerical portion of your grade (i.e. you do not receive points simply for showing up), please note that your grade will suffer in the face of excessive absences: more than three (3) unexcused absences will drop a grade by one mark (e.g. a ‘B’ will become a ‘B-’), more than six (6) unexcused absences will drop a grade by a second mark (e.g. a ‘B’ will become a ‘C+’), and so on in multiples of two unexcused absences. An absence will only be excused with either prior approval of the instructor or written documentation of an emergency. If you arrive to class late, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are marked present for the day. Further, multiple late arrivals will both harm your participation grade and may be counted as absences. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): The Department of American Studies has established SLOs for undergraduates in the program. The department’s goal is to ensure undergraduates in AMST courses are able to reach these outcomes through courses such as this. The department’s SLOs are: Substantial knowledge of American history, society, and culture, as well as a basic appreciation of different scholarly approaches to American Studies. Critical thinking skills necessary to analyze a variety of cultural artifacts (literature, primary documents, film, music, etc.), as well as historical and present-day sociopolitical issues. Competence in scholarly writing and oral communication. Basic research skills, including advanced research skills in one area of specialization (majors only). This course is designed to contribute to these SLOs through a critical analysis of material on a variety of topics that engage contemporary American issues as they relate to the rest of the world. As it is also a Writing Intensive course, it will contribute to the University of Hawai‘i’s SLOs for written communication. Academic Integrity: All of your writing must be your own. Be sure to cite where appropriate the work of others. For an explanation of what constitutes plagiarism, please refer to the section on academic integrity in the UH Mānoa catalog (http://www.catalog.hawaii.edu/about-uh/campus-policies1.htm). Policies: • If you need to discuss an assignment or would like feedback on a writing assignment, please email me at least 48 hours in advance to make an appointment. • If contacting via email, please expect a response within 24-48 hours, not including weekends. • All assignments are due in hard copy the first ten minutes of class. Any late papers will receive a grade deduction.
Please refer to the syllabus first for any questions regarding grades, assignments, or expectations.
Class Schedule **Calendar and readings subject to change Globalization and Consumerism (Weeks 1 – 3) Week 1 August 22
Course Introduction, Syllabus Read Through
August 24
Quiz #1, Read the Introduction of Everything but the Coffee
August26
Quiz #2, Read Chapters 1 and 2 of Everything but the Coffee
Week 2 August 29
Quiz #3, Read Chapter 3 of Everything but the Coffee Student-led discussion on Chapter 3
August 31
Quiz #4, Read Chapters 4 and 6, of Everything but the Coffee Student-led discussion on Chapters 4 and 6
September 2
Quiz #5, Read Chapter 7 of Everything but the Coffee
Week 3 September 5
Labor Day, No Class (HOLIDAY)
September 7
Quiz #6, Screen first half of Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Analytical Paper Peer Review
September 9
Quiz #7, Screen second half of Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Analytical Paper on Everything but the Coffee Due
Section #2 Global Capitalism and the Environment (Weeks 4-7) Week 4 September 12
September 14
Quiz #8, Read the introduction of This Changes Everything (available online) Student-led discussion on Introduction Quiz #9, Read Chapter 1 of This Changes Everything (available online) Student-led discussion on Chapter 1
September 16
Quiz #10, Read the introduction and Chapter 1 of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene
Week 5 September 19
Quiz #11, Read Chapter 2 of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene Student-led discussion on Chapter 2
September 21
Quiz #12, Read Chapter 3 of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene Student-led discussion on Chapter 3
September 23
Quiz #13, Read Holt-Giménez et al.’s “We Already Grow Enough Food for 10 Billion People … and Still Can't End Hunger” and Holt-Giménez and Wang’s “Reform or Transformation? The Pivotal Role of Food Justice in the U.S. Food Movement” (available online)
Week 6 September 26
Quiz #14, Read Chapter 4 of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene Student-led discussion on Chapter 4
September 28
Quiz #15, Read Jacobsen’s “The Situation for Quinoa and Its Production in Southern Bolivia: From Economic Success to Environmental Disaster Student-led discussion on Jacobsen reading
September 30
Quiz #16, Read Hickey and Ozbay’s “Food waste in the United States: A contributing factor toward environmental instability” Student-led discussion on Hickey and Ozbay reading
Week 7 October 3
Quiz #17, Read Chapter 5 and Conclusion of Learning to Die in the Anthropocene Student-led discussion on Chapter 5 and Conclusion
October 5
Quiz #18, Screen first half of A Fierce Green Fire Passage Analysis Review
October 7
Quiz #19, Screen second half of A Fierce Green Fire Analytical Paper Due on Learning to Die in the Anthropocene
SECTION 3 America’s Wars Abroad (Weeks 8 – 12)
Week 8 October 10
Quiz #20, Read first half of War is a Racket Student-led discussion on first half
October 12
Quiz #21, Read second half of War is a Racket and Keen’s “Faces of the Enemy” (available online) Student-led discussion on second half and Keen reading
October 14
Quiz #22, Read Kinzer’s “Overthrow” excerpt (available online)
Week 9 October 17
Quiz #23, Read Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 of Objective Troy
October 19
Quiz #24, Read Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of Objective Troy Student-led discussion on Chapter 3 and 4
October 21
Quiz #25, Read Chapter 5 and 6 Objective Troy Student-led discussion on Chapter 5 and 6
Week 10 October 24
Quiz #26, Read Chapter 7 of Objective Troy
October 26
Quiz #27, Read Chapter 8 and 9 Objective Troy Student-led discussion on Chapter 8 and 9
October 28
Quiz #28, Read Chapter 10 of Objective Troy
Week 11 October 31
Quiz #29, Read Chapter 11 of Objective Troy Student-led discussion on Chapter 11
November 2
Quiz #30, Read Chapter 12 of Objective Troy Student-led discussion on Chapter 12
November 4
Quiz #31, Read Chapter 13 of Objective Troy
Week 12 November 7
Quiz #32, Screen first half of Why We Fight
November 9
Quiz #33, Screen second half of Why We Fight
November 11
Veteran’s Day, Holiday (No Class)
Section #4 Immigration and Defining Americans (Week 13 – 16) Week 13 November 14
Quiz #34, Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Defining American
November 16
Quiz #35, Read Chapter 2 of Defining American Student-led discussion on Chapter 2
November 18
Quiz #36, Read Chapter 6 of Defining American Student-led discussion on Chapter 6
Week 14 November 21
Quiz #37, Read Chapter 7 of Defining American Student-led discussion on Chapter 7
November 23
Quiz #38, Read Chapter 10 of Defining American Student-led discussion on Chapter 10
November 24-25
Thanksgiving, Holiday (No Class)
Week 15 November 28 November 30
Quiz #39, Read Chapter 11 of Defining American Student-led discussion on Chapter 11 Quiz #40, Read Chapter 12 and Epilogue of Defining American
December 2
Quiz #41, Screen first half of Documented
Week 16 December 5
Quiz #42, Screen second half of Documented
December 7
Wrap up and Analytical Paper #4 Peer Review
December 9
Analytical Paper on Defining American Due
