(51799) Intr H499, 1-2 crs., 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Tues., Prof. Stephan Flores, COMMONS 327 (Ice Springs room)
Honors Vacation Reading: “Intellectual History and the Narrative Quest of Identity”
This class explores different narrative accounts of ideas and identity—particularly in the United States of America--represented through a Pulitzer-prize winning novel about the geneses of identity, a Pulitzer-prize winning intellectual history of developing ideas and beliefs following the American Civil War, and a book about the advent of genetics (by Pulitzer-prize winner Weiner—this book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction). Each work presents a compelling—and by turns sweeping and intimate—narrative of intertwined identities and ideas that comprise and structure complex national and local communities and lives. The coursework for one graded credit includes three focused journal entries (350 words each) and three critical responses (700 words each), and may include an optional online forum; students who elect the two credit option will, in addition, be required to complete a term critical/research essay project (1800 words--this can be focused on any of the three texts or some topic that incorporates one or more the texts or a related area of research/interest--each term essay topic to be determined in conversation with the instructor, and approach to the assignment can be in a mode similar to the combination of review and critical exploration/extension reflected in the journal entries and responses). Open to seniors, juniors, and sophomores.
Students wishing to earn credit in Honors Vacation Reading should start reading the following books, perhaps before the semester begins, and keep a journal of their reading to prepare for class discussion and for the required short writing assignments. The group will then meet with Dr. Flores once a week during the spring 2005 semester for discussion. Limit 12.
Required texts:
Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex: A Novel. (Picador, 2003) ISBN: 0-312-42215-6
Menand, Louis. The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America. (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2002) ISBN: 0-374-52849-7
Weiner, Jonathan. Time, Love, Memory: A Great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Behavior. (Vintage, 2000) ISBN: 0-679-76390-2
Requirements:
1. Three focused journal entries, to include at least one but no more than two entries that consist largely of summary of some portion of the reading under discussion; one entry on each text (350 words, single-spaced, titled)—select a passage/section, or issue (historical figure/character, relationship, problem) and begin to explore its importance/significance and your sense of the effects of your reading and interpretation. For a journal entry that is not a summary, you might begin by writing a thesis-driven statement (one sentence) or perspective that is understood to be posed in response to an interpretative question or problem, or a question related to the material and course, a question/problem that is either stated explicitly or clearly implied. On days that these are due, please bring an extra copy to class, one for me and one that you might read aloud.
Guidance on the critical Summary: the summary should present a straightforward, selective account of what you consider to be the assigned or chosen article/essay's/chapter's primary, most important or engaging ideas and points of argument and interpretation. After reading the section closely at least once—and perhaps make marginal notes or separate notes as you go along to identify questions or reflect on why you consider a particular passage or concept important (for example, is it a major or new point in the narrative and argument, a significant piece of support, a summary of the opposition)—you might then explore your initial approach to the summary by determining to what extent and how the reading has influenced your views and understanding, by determining points of agreement or doubt, by determining significant questions raised by your experience with this narrative, by determining the most important ideas you "take away" from the reading, and by reflecting on what you might "say back" to the author in sharing your perspective on the text.
As you write the summary, work from your sense of the section or narrative's structure and content, and it may be helpful to have written the gist of each paragraph—its function or purpose and a brief summary of its content (what it "does" and what it "says," usually a response to an implicit question)—to produce material to consider for the summary.
Your summary should strive to represent the original text—or an important aspect of it—accurately and fairly. Be direct and concise, take an "objective" stance and tone, use your own words to express the author's ideas (except for brief quotes), use attributive tags (such as according to Weiner or Weiner recounts that) to keep the reader informed that you are expressing another's ideas, and focus the summary to produce a cohesive and coherent account. You might begin the summary by identifying the question or the problem that the reading addresses, then state the section's purpose or thesis and summarize its argument point by point (be sure to indicate what section of the narrative is under review).
2. Three critical responses (separate responses on each work, each response 700 words, double-spaced, titled) that prompt you to identify and to address interpretive and critical issues that these texts present. Your observations and analyses should be succinct and clearly focused, with potential for substantial further development. On days that these are due, please bring an extra copy to class, one for me and one that you might read aloud.
The Critical Response should present your sense of a particular topic/question/interpretative problem via your understanding of the book's rhetorical and narrative strategies and premises, and the effectiveness and significance of its account and argument. This understanding serves as a basis for composing and developing your perspective and your contribution to the implied or explicit scholarly and historical narrative and 'conversation.' You may also choose to extend the book's critical perspectives by explaining its potential relevance to related issues, or you may also read "against-the-grain" of the original argument to present a different or opposing perspective and argument based on your research or other critical perspectives, and on your own understanding and reasoning. Your response can be both reflective and persuasive in its emphases and aims, and our discussions and reading may inform your views. You may find it effective to compose a thesis for your response that maps out for readers the challenging, engaging, important points that you want to develop and to discuss.
3. Participation in class discussion (including informal weekly writing). Please take advantage of the opportunity our small class provides to discuss your reactions, share your insights and research, and to listen and reply to others' ideas. Pairs of students shall each rotate the responsibility/task to provide, in turn, a summary of some aspect of the assigned reading/text under discussion, and the other student's question posing response and evaluation of that section of material. This means that at least once during the semester each student will lead off class with an informal summary of assigned reading, and at another date, will serve in the role of providing feedback (“what did you get out of this reading”) and posing several questions for discussion to material that is assigned for summary to further our analysis and discussion.
I hope that these strategies will enable you to move the class in directions you find most helpful, give you opportunities to develop critical skills through collaborative interaction, and provide for a productive, interesting exchange of perspectives and participation among the class—in sum, to help to establish a mutual responsibility to engage productively with the class texts and with one another while also enabling me to share my perspectives with you.
4. Due dates: All required work is due at the beginning of class on the due date. Work more than a week late will not be accepted. I will grant short extensions for medical and family emergencies--but talk with me as soon as possible to request an extension. ALWAYS KEEP EXTRA COPIES OF YOUR WORK.
5. Attendance is required--your participation is a crucial part of a collective learning experience. Because we meet once a week, your ability to pass the class will be jeopardized if you miss more than two class meetings. Almost all absences will be counted--excused or not--if something extraordinary occurs, talk to me.
6. Grades: Journal entries/summaries (25 pts each); Critical Responses (50 pts each); Term Essay for those who selected the two credit option (150 pts). The required three journal entries and three critical responses add up to a maximum of 225 points. Thus for the one-credit option, 202-225 points equals an A, 179-201 equals a B, 157-178 equals a C, 135-156 equals a D, and anything below 135 merits an F; for the two credit option, 337-375 points equals an A, 300-336 equals a B, 262-299 equals a C, 225-261 equals a D, and anything below 225 merits an F. I shall also reserve bonus points based on my perceptions of the strength of your participation and efforts over the semester (up to a maximum of 5 pts.)
7. Office hours. I encourage you to confer with me--especially before assignments are due--to talk about your interests, intentions, and writing strategies. If you cannot make my regular hours, we can usually arrange another time. I also welcome communicating with you by e-mail (sflores@uidaho.edu).
Journal Entries and Summaries (posted)
Review site(external, not from this class/course) for The Metaphysical Club
Semester Schedule
1/18 Menand, The Metaphysical Club, pp. “Preface,” Chapter 1, “The Politics of Slavery” (3-22); Chapter 2, “The Abolitionist”(23-48); Chapter 3, “The Wilderness and After”(49-69)
1/25 Menand, Chapter 4, “The Man of Two Minds”; Chapter 5, “Agassiz”; Chapter 6, “Brazil”
2/02 Journal Entry (or summary) due; Menand, Chapter 7, “The Peirces”; Chapter 8, “The Law of Errors”; Chapter 9, “The Metaphysical Club”; Jolene-summary; Steven-questions
2/08 Menand, Chapter 10, “Burlington”; Chapter 11, “Baltimore”; Chapter 12, “Chicago”; Christal-summary; Henis-questions
2/15 Critical Response due; Menand, Chapter 13, “Pragmatisms”; Chapter 14, “Pluralisms”; Chapter 15, “Freedoms”; Stephanie-summary; Mackenzie-questions
2/22 Finish The Metaphysical Club; start Weiner, Time, Love, Memory, chapters 1-3; Emily-summary; Christal-questions
3/01 Weiner, Time, Love, Memory, chapters 4-7; Christine-summary; Jenn-questions
3/08 Journal Entry (or summary) due; Weiner, Time, Love, Memory, chapters 8-11; Mackenzie-summary; Stephanie-questions
3/22 Weiner, Time, Love, Memory, chapters 12-15; Steven-summary; Christine-questions
3/29Critical Response due; Weiner, Time, Love, Memory, chapters 16-19; Henis-summary; Hartley-questions
4/05 Eugenides, Middlesex (3-76); Jenn-summary; Emily-questions
4/12 Eugenides, Middlesex (79-165); Hartley-summary; Jolene-questions
4/19Journal Entry (or summary) due; Eugenides, Middlesex (166-306)
4/26 Eugenides, Middlesex (307-97)
5/03Critical Response due; Eugenides, Middlesex (401-529); Wrap-up
5/09 Term Essay due (those enrolled for 2 credits)