syllabus_eng_336-161 (1)

Postcolonial Literature ENG 336-SECTION 161

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Jungah Kim, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of English Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY Office: N-751L Office Hours: Tue 10:45-11:45AM; Fri 11:00AM-1:00PM Email: [email protected]

Spring 2013 ENG 336/Section 161

POSTCOLONIAL LITERATURE

Tuesday & Thursday 4:00-5:15 PM, Room F-401

Course Description: This course will study and analyze selected novels, short stories, films, critical essays of postcolonial writers and theorists from Africa, Asia, and the English speaking Caribbean. The course will introduce us to the expanding body of “postcolonial literature,” a term used to describe the work of writers from formerly colonized nations. In this course, we will examine the ways in which postcolonial writers transcend the imperial legacy of colonialism to redefine their own distinctive social and cultural worlds. By reading a diverse selection of both colonial and post-colonial texts, we will focus primarily on the lives and identities of their characters have been radically altered through the experience of colonialism. This course will also approach the study of literature in ways that intersect with other fields such as critical race theory and diaspora, feminist, indigenous, and transnational studies by turning to topics such as decolonization, migration, language, knowledge production, and representation. Overall, this course aims to reflect on government, justice, ethics and morality. Prerequisites: ENG 101 and 201 or ENG 121 Student Learning Outcomes: Students who successfully complete this course can expect the following outcomes:

1. Be able to bring classic literature of European colonialism and emerging literature from the postcolonial world into dialogue by contemplating conscious debates between authors. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.

2. Be able to identify a distinctive language regarding the themes and terms of analysis used in postcolonial studies. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.

3. Be able to articulate representations or repressions of gender in male-dominant fields of cross-cultural contact. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.

4. Be able to extend the colonial-postcolonial transition to a contemporary wave of transnational migration. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.


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General Education Outcomes: Below are the college’s general education goals that students who successfully complete this course can expect to have achieved:

1. Communication Skills: Students will write, read, listen, and speak critically and effectively. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.

2. Values: Students will make informed choices based on an understanding of personal values, human diversity, multicultural awareness, and social responsibility. Assessment: graded out-of-class essays, written responses, in-class discussion, and research project.

Course Requirements: Students receive letter grade, A through F, based on their attendance, in-class and out-of-class writings, class participation, and their performance on the final research project. Course work counts for 70% of the grade, and class participation counts for 30%. By the conclusion of English 336-161, students will have completed two formal, thesis-driven essays of six to eight typewritten pages (double space/12pt). In addition, students will write in-class essay responses for in-class discussion. Students are responsible for work covered on days missed due to absence. Essays due are to be handed in at the beginning of that class session. Essays handed in after this point (even later during the same class) will not be accepted. Papers handed in late will not be graded. The work of this course is intensive, and it will be difficult to catch up if you fall behind. Students must come to class prepared to participate. Thus, the reading and assignments must be done on time before each class session. Students unable to participate in class discussions because they haven’t done the reading will find their class participation grade will suffer. Students will not have an opportunity to make up in-class quizzes or peer-review sessions, and missed sessions on these days will be reflected in the student’s grade. It is the students’ responsibility to take notes in class no matter who is speaking and to make sure that what is said by both the instructor and fellow student is clear. If you do not understand our readings or discussion, you must ask questions. Evaluation: Class Participation: 30%

Mid-Term Paper: 30% Final Paper: 40%

Required Course Texts: All required books are available for purchase at the Borough of Manhattan Community College Bookstore. 1) Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. On Reserve at BMCC Library, Call Number: PR 9387.9. A3 T5 1994. 2) Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness: A Norton Critical Edition. 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. On Reserve at BMCC Library. 3) Lee, Chang-rae. A Gesture Life. New York: Riverhead Books, 1999. On Reserve at BMCC Library. 4) Rhys, Jean. Wide Sargasso Sea: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1999. On Reserve at BMCC Library, Call Number: PR 6035. H. 96 W5 1999.


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Absence and Lateness Policy: The allowed absences are designed for you to take advantage of in emergence situations like majoring scheduling conflicts. Many students think they can miss the maximum hours, then miss more if they have a good reason. Regardless of the reason, AN ABSENCE IS AN ABSENCE; I never need a note. If you are absent one session, you are losing 2 points. If you are more than 10 minutes late to a scheduled class session, you are losing 1 point. Accumulated points will be applied to student’s final grade. If you miss class, you may contact me via email or ask another student what you have missed. Quizzes and in-class writing cannot be made up. College Attendance Policy: At BMCC, the maximum number of absence is limited to 4 hours of absence (not 4 days) for a 3-hour course. In the case of excessive absences, the instructor has the option to lower the grade or assign an F or WU grade. (Students more than 10 minutes late to a scheduled class session will be marked absent for the session.) Classroom Conduct: During the session, there is no bathroom break. Cell phones must be turned off during class time. You will be asked to leave and counted absent if your phone rings in class (same rule applies to texting during the session). Academic Adjustments for Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (Room N-320, OSSD telephone: 212-220-8180 Fax: 212-220-1264). BMCC is committed to providing equal access to all programs and curricula to all students. BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement: Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s web site, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available online). BMCC Learning Assistance Centers: 1) A. Philip Randolph Memorial Library offers an online tutorial to assist students in researching and writing research papers. The tutorial is highly recommended for each student and can be found at http://lib1.bmcc.cuny.edu/. 2) Writing Center (Room S-500W Tel: 212-220-1384) is designed to serve the writing needs of the BMCC community.


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COURSE SCHEDULE

Week One: What is “postcolonial literature?” 01/29 (Tue): Introduction: Discuss course schedule and policies 01/31 (Thu): Read Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden & Robert Young, “Introduction: Montage” from Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction Week Two: Imperialism in Africa 02/05 (Tue): Read Aimé Césaire, “Discourse on Colonialism”; G.W.F. Hegel, “The African Character” in Heart of Darkness (hereafter HD), pp. 208-212; Frantz Fanon, “The Negro and Hegel” 02/07 (Thu): Read Heart of Darkness (hereafter HD), pp. 3-31 Week Three: Imperialism in Africa 02/12 (Tue): NO CLASS (COLLEGE CLOSED) 02/14 (Thu): Read HD, pp. 31-54 Week Four: Imperialism in Africa 02/19 (Tue): Read HD, pp. 54-77 02/21 (Thu): Read Chinua Achebe, “An Image of Africa” in HD, pp. 336-349 & Edward Said, “Two Visions in Heart of Darkness” in HD, pp. 422-429 Week Five: Anti-Colonial Responses 02/26 (Tue): Read Things Fall Apart (hereafter TFA), pp. 3-62 02/28 (Thu): Read TFA, pp. 63-125 Week Six: Anti-Colonial Responses 03/05 (Tue): Read TFA, pp. 129-167 03/07 (Thu): Read TFA, pp. 171-209 Week Seven: Colonialism and Gender 03/12 (Tue): Film Christopher Columbus 03/14 (Thu): Read John McLeod, “The Double Colonisation of Women” *Mid-Term Paper Due Week Eight: The Caribbean Writes Back 03/19 (Tue): Read John McLeod, “Re-reading and re-writing English Literature” & Jane Eyre in Wide Sargasso Sea (hereafter WSS), pp. 119-132. 03/21 (Thu): Read WSS, pp. 9-37 Week Nine: Spring Recess 03/26 (Tue): NO CLASS (SPRING RECESS) 03/28 (Thu): NO CLASS (SPRING RECESS) Week Ten: The Caribbean Writes Back 04/02 (Tue): NO CLASS (Spring Recess)


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04/04 (Thu): Read WSS, pp. 38-104 Week Eleven: The Carribean Writes Back 04/09 (Tue): Read WSS, pp. 105-112 04/11 (Thu): Gayatri C. Spivak, “Wide Sargasso Sea and a Critique of Imperialism” in WSS, pp. 240-247 & Elleke Boehmer, “Native, Settler, Creole”

Week Twelve: Reflections on Exile 04/16 (Tue): Read Albert Camus, “The Guest” from Exile and the Kingdom 04/18 (Thu): Read Edward Said, “Representing the Colonized” from Reflections on Exile and Other Essays Week Thirteen: Transcultural Experience 04/23 (Tue): Documentary Film The Murmuring (1995) by Byun Young-joo 04/25 (Thu): Read A Gesture Life (hereafter GL), pp. 1-84 Week Fourteen: Transcultural Experience 04/30 (Tue): TBA 05/02 (Thu): Read GL, pp. 85-176 Week Fifteen: Transcultural Experience 05/07 (Tue): Read GL, pp. 177-271 05/09 (Thu): Read GL, pp. 272-356 Week Sixteen: Final Discussion 05/14 (Tue): Final Presentation *FINAL PAPER DUE 05/16 (Thu): Final Discussion; what has changed and what do I carry from this class?

syllabus_eng_336-161 (1)

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