ENG 607: Non-Fiction Comics FALL 2020 | REMOTE M 5-8PM |

CRN 16909 OCTOBER 5-DECEMBER 1

Instructor: Prof. Kelp-Stebbins (she/her/hers) Contact:kkelp@uoregon.eduSecondary:https://uoregon.zoom.us/my/kkelpOfficeHours:M2-5pm,andbyappointment.EmailmetoscheduleaZoommeeting. Land Acknowledgement TheUniversityofOregonislocatedonKalapuyaIlihi,thetraditionalindigenoushomelandoftheKalapuyapeople.Followingtreatiesbetween1851and1855,KalapuyapeopleweredispossessedoftheirindigenoushomelandbytheUnitedStatesgovernmentandforciblyremovedtotheCoastReservationinWesternOregon.Today,descendantsarecitizensoftheConfederatedTribesofGrandRondeCommunityofOregonandtheConfederatedTribesoftheSiletzIndiansofOregon,andcontinuetomakeimportantcontributionsintheircommunities,atUO,andacrossthelandwenowrefertoasOregon. Course DescriptionInaletterdemandingthathisHolocaustaccountMausIIbemovedfromtheNewYorkTimes“fiction”list,ArtSpiegelmanallowedthatthebookcreateda“problemoftaxonomy”throughitsvisualsofanimal-headedcharactersinahistoricalnarrative.Inthespiritofcomics’“problemoftaxonomy,”thiscoursewillexploreanumberofprimarytextsincludinggraphicmemoirs,comicsjournalism,andothergenrestoconsiderhowgraphicnarrativesinterveneinthedialecticalstructuresofartandrepresentation--e.g.subjectandobject,trueandfalse,analoganddigital--delimiting“nonfiction.”Howdocomics,withtheirmaterialcorrelationtotheeyeandhandoftheartist(s),challengeconventionsof“objectivetruth”aswellastheethicsofwitnessingandwhatHillaryChuteterms“theriskofrepresentation”?Aswewilltheorizethroughsecondarysources,theconventionsoftrutharethemselvesfundamentallycontingent,categorizedbygenre,aesthetics,anddifferentialnegotiationsofthereal.Byconsideringhowgraphicnarrativesrenderhistory,memoir,journalism,andautobiographyotherwise,wewilldevelopatheoreticalframeworkfornegotiatingthelimitsofnonfictioninimage/texts.

Required Texts • LyndaBarry,WhatItIs• ArtSpiegelman,MausIandMausII,orTheCompleteMaus• BishakhSom,Spellbound• MiraJacob,GoodTalk• HoCheAnderson,King• JoeSacco,SafeAreaGoražde• MichaelNicollYahgulanaas,Red:AHaidaMangaOtherrequiredtextspostedtoCanvas.AllofourbooksareavailableattheDuckStore,whichisnowofferingfreeshipping.Becausethisisanonlinecourse,youwillneedreliableaccesstotheinternet.Ifyouneedtorequestalaptoponloanfortheterm,pleasevisittheUOLoanerLaptopRequestsite.UOalsohasresourcesforlow-costandfreeinternetoptions.Ifyourequirefurtherassistance,pleasecontacttheCollegeofArtsandSciencesIT.

Learning Objectives 1)Readgraphicnarrativesandtheoreticaltextswithdeepenedunderstandingoftheirconventions.2)Explorerelevantacademicsourcesinordertosituatecomicswithintheirhistorical,cultural,andpoliticalcontexts.3)Performformalanalysesofanarrativemediumthatcombinesvisualandverbalelementsinauniqueway.4)Employcreativityandinterpretiveskillstowritepersuasive,originalarguments.5)Utilizeadiversearrayofprimaryandsecondarysources,withproperacknowledgmentandcitation,togenerateapersuasivearticle-lengthpaper.Course Requirements GRADEBREAKDOWN:15%Participation 25%DiscussionPosts 10%ClassFacilitation5%Graphicbio 5%PaperAbstract 40%FinalProject Participation:Youareexpectedtohavereadtheassignedtextscarefullybeforeclassandto“arrive”withinsights,comparisons,andlinesofinquiry.Thesuccessofourseminarwilldependlargelyuponstudents’contributionstothediscussions,whethertheybewrittenorspoken.Participationisavitalpartoftheclassandwillbegraded.Theparticipationgradewilltakebothqualityandquantityofparticipationintoaccount.DiscussionBoardPosts:WehaveacoursediscussionboardonourCanvassite.YouwillpostweeklyreadingresponsespriortoourmeetingbasedonguidelinesprovidedonCanvas;postsaredueby3pmMonday.ClassFacilitation:Workingwithapartner,youwillfacilitatediscussionofthereadingsforagivenweekonceduringthequarter.Youwillsignupforpresentationsduringthefirstweekofthecourse.Yourfacilitationsshouldlastbetween20-25minutesinlengthanddemonstratecloseattentiontoandengagementwiththeassignedprimaryandsecondarymaterials.Youmaydrawfromthediscussionboardinordertodevelopquestionsforfurtheranalysis.Youarealsoencouraged(butnotrequired)tosupplementyourfacilitationwithvisualmaterial.Youwillbeevaluatedonhowyourfacilitationengageswiththeassignedreadings,aswellastheengagementthatyougenerateamongyourpeers.

GraphicBio:Youwillcomposeanduploadaone-pageminimumgraphicautobiographyinweek4.InstructionswillbepostedonCanvas.FinalPaper:Foryourfinalpaper,youwillwriteapaperthatcriticallyengageswiththeconceptsofthecourseusingclose-readingandsecondarysources.Basedonsubmissionlimitsfromrelevantjournals,yourpapershouldbearticle-length:4,000-7,000words,within-textcitationsandaWorksCited.Yourpapermustdrawfromandcitecoursereadings,althoughthenumberofreadingswillvarydependinguponyourtopicandfocus.Asanoptionthatyoumustdiscusswithme,youmaycomposeagraphicessayalongthelinesofSequentialssubmissions.YouwilluploadapaperabstracttoCanvasandpresentitinclassinweek8.Youwillreceivefeedbackonthisabstract.Youarealsoencouragedtodiscusspossiblepapertopicsandapproacheswithmeduringmyofficehours.GRADINGSCHEMAA100%to93.5% A-<93.5%to89.5% B+<89.5%to86.5% B<86.5%to83.5%B-<83.5%to79.5% C+<79.5%to76.5% C<76.5%to73.5% C-<73.5%to69.5%D+<69.5%to66.5%D<66.5%to63.5% D-<63.5%to60.0% F<60.0%to0.0% Accessible Education Statement of Support TheUniversityofOregonisworkingtocreateinclusivelearningenvironments.Pleasenotifymeifthereareaspectsoftheinstructionordesignofthiscoursethatresultindisability-relatedbarrierstoyourparticipation.YouarealsoencouragedtocontacttheAccessibleEducationCenterin360OregonHallat541-346-1155oruoaec@uoregon.edu. Course Policies RESPECT,TOLERANCE,ANDDIFFICULTCONTENTArespectfulenvironmentisessentialtofacilitatediscussionsandtocreateasafespaceforstudentstosharetheirthoughts.Everyoneinourclass—regardlessofrace,gender,sexualorientation,ability,classstatus,education,physicalfeatures,politicalbelief,orreligiousbelief—isworthyofrespectasahumanbeing.Ourdiversityisourstrength.Wedon’talwayshavetoagree,andgenuineignorancecanbeanopportunityforpersonalandcommunalgrowth.Itisnecessarythatwekeepthesepracticesinmindgiventhetraumaticcontentofsomeofourtexts.Wewillcriticallyengagewiththesetextsandtheirunderlyingideologiesinonlinediscussionsbasedonmutualrespectandunderstanding.Youmaywishtofurtherinterrogatetheseissuesinyourwritingaswell.Regardlessofyourpersonalbeliefs,disagreementandignoranceareneverexcusesforcrueltyorintolerance.Attimes,discomfortcanbeproductivewhenourideasarechallenged,butatnotimewillwetoleratesexist,racist,homophobic,ortransphobiccommentsinourclassplatformsandinteractions.Ireservetherighttosanctionstudentsiftheydonotadheretotheseguidelines.Furthermore,theUOStudentConductCodeprovidesclearguidelinesregardingstudentbehavior.Youareresponsibleforactinginaccordancewiththiscodeoryouwillbesubjecttodisciplinaryaction.Additionally,ifyouare

havingparticulardifficultywithatext,orfeelespeciallytroubledbyaspecificdiscussion,pleaseletmeknow.ACADEMICINTEGRITYANDHONESTYTheUOStudentConductCodedefinesplagiarismas:“usingtheideasorwritingsofanotherasone’sown.”Plagiarismisnotonlydetrimentaltoyourowndevelopmentasascholarandawriter;itisalsoaseriousviolationofUOpolicy.Anyplagiarizedassignmentwillresultinafailingassignmentgrade,thethreatofafailingcoursegrade,andacademicsanctionsasdeterminedbytheOfficeofStudentConductandCommunityStandards.Pleasecontactmewithanyquestionsabouthowtoavoidplagiarism.HARRASSMENT,ASSAULT,DISCRIMINATIONUOiscommittedtoprovidinganenvironmentfreeofallformsofdiscriminationandsexualharassment,includingsexualassault,domesticanddatingviolence,andgender-basedstalking.Ifyouhaveexperiencedgender-basedviolence(intimatepartnerviolence,attemptedorcompletedsexualassault,harassment,coercion,stalking,etc.),knowthatyouarenotalone.UOhasstafftrainedtosupportsurvivorsinnavigatingcampuslife,accessinghealthandcounselingservices,gettingacademicandhousingaccommodations,gettinglegalprotectiveorders,andaccessingotherhelp.Ifyoudecidetomakeareport,IandotherUOemployeeswillhelpyoutodoso.Mygoalistomakesureyouareawareoftherangeofoptionsavailableandthatyouhaveaccesstotheresourcesyouneed.Ifyouwishtospeaktosomeoneconfidentially,youcancall541-346-SAFE,UO’s24-hourhotline,tobeconnectedtoaconfidentialcounselortodiscussyouroptionsorvisittheSAFEwebsiteatsafe.uoregon.edu.Course Schedule Subjecttochange....itis2020.Readingsmustbecompletedbeforeourmeetingonthedatetheyarelisted.MostrequiredandrecommendedreadingsareonCanvas.Week1(10/5):WhattheImageIs...

Read:LyndaBarry,WhatItIsW.J.T.Mitchell,Iconology,excerpts(Canvas)Recommended:RolandBarthes,“TheRhetoricoftheImage”GérardGenette,FictionandDiction,-----.ParatextsNinaMickwitz,“TheTruthClaimsofImages,”DocumentaryComics:Truth-TellinginaSkepticalAgeDue:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week2(10/12):NonfictionComicsasaProblemofTaxonomy

Read:ArtSpiegelman,MausIScottMcCloud,Chapters3and4fromUnderstandingComics(Canvas)CharlesHatfield,“AnArtofTensions:TheOthernessofComicsReading,”fromAlternativeComics:AnEmergingLiterature(Canvas)JohannaDrucker,“WhatIsGraphicAboutGraphicNovels?”(Canvas)Recommended:ThierryGroensteen,TheSystemofComicsDue:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week3(10/19):Comics,History,andTestimony

Read:ArtSpiegelman,MausIIHillaryChute,DisasterDrawn,Introduction,Chapter1andChapter4(Canvas)Recommended:MarianneHirsch,“FamilyPictures:MourningandPostmemory”HillaryChute,“HistoryandGraphicRepresentationinMaus”Due:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week4(10/26):TheVerbal/VisualSelf—ComicsandMemoir

*In-ClassDiscussionwithBishakhSomRead:BishakhSom,SpellboundMichaelChaney,“Introduction,”GraphicSubjects(Canvas)ElisabethElRefaie,“LifeWritingfromtheColorfulMargins,”AutobiographicalComics(Canvas)Recommended:HillaryChute,“Introduction,”GraphicWomenDue:GraphicBioDiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week5(11/2):Comics,Colorism,Race,andIdentity

Read:MiraJacob,GoodTalkRonaldWimberly,“LightenUp”SarahAhmed,“RecognisingStrangers,”StrangeEncounters:EmbodiedOthersinPost-Coloniality(Canvas)Recommended:ElisabethElRefaie,“PicturingEmbodiedSelves,”AutobiographicalComics(Canvas)GillianWhitlock,“Autographics:TheSeeing‘I’oftheComics”DerekParkerRoyal,“ColoringAmerica”Due:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week6(11/9):TheContentofOurCaricature

Read:HoCheAnderson,KingRebeccaWanzo,TheContentofOurCaricature,excerpts(Canvas)JorgeSantos,GraphicMemoriesoftheCivilRightsMovement:ReframingHistoryinComics,excerpts(Canvas)

Recommended:MichaelChaney,“DrawingonHistoryinRecentAfricanAmericanGraphicNovels”QianaWhitted,“King,”EncyclopediaofComicBooksandGraphicNovelsDue:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week7(11/16):ComicsJournalism

Read:JoeSacco,SafeAreaGoraždeJoeSacco,“AManifesto,Anyone?”(Canvas)DanielWorden,“Introduction”fromTheComicsofJoeSacco:JournalisminaVisualWorld(Canvas)LanDong,“InsideandOutsidetheFrame:JoeSacco’sSafeAreaGoražde,”ibid.(Canvas)Recommended:JudithButler,“PhotographyandtheEthicsofTorture,”FramesofWarHillaryChute,Chapter5,DisasterDrawnAriellaAïshaAzoulay,“WhatIsaPhotograph?WhatIsPhotography?”AmyKisteNyberg,“TheorizingComicsJournalism”Due:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week8(11/23):GraphicObjectivity

*AbstractSymposiumRead:TheNib(excerpts)DrawingtheTimes(excerpts)CartoonMovement(excerpts)Sequentials(excerpts)Due:PaperAbstractDiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

Week9(11/30):OnceUponaTime...—TemporalitiesofNon/Fiction

Read:MichaelNicollYahgulanaas,Red:AHaidaMangaMiriamBrownSpiers,“TheFormlineofSocialResponsibility”(Canvas)KristineSostarMcLellan,“MythicProportions,”pages38-39Recommended:NicolaLevell,TheSeriousnessofPlay,excerptsDue:DiscussionBoardPostdueby3pm

12/10 FinalPaperDueby10pm