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Welcome to... First Year Seminar EN180G Women Between Cultures
Victoria Kingsley FALL 2007
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Victoria Kingsley. My office is located on the 6th floor of Wheatley room 106. victoria.kingsley@umb.edu
November 20: We discussed Case Study interview questions, etc. We met with our class advisor Julie Sanabria @ the Test Center in the Campus Center. Julie provided us with an overview of the registration process including a hands on demonstration of how to get a credit audit, use the advising tools online to determine needed courses, etc. She removed holds from people's accounts and helped them get registered for Spring Semester. We will continue work on Case Studies over Thanksgiving and after Thanksgiving break. For your information, below is a copy of the details/directions for the Case Study including details of first paper (Paper #2 of course) of Case Study project:
EN180G /Women Between Cultures Case Study Project/Paper #2
Your next formal paper – Paper #2 – will involve a case study of someone who is navigating cultural borderlands – a woman between cultures. In this project, you will do primary research (collecting and analyzing data) as well as secondary research (incorporating findings and analysis of published work). The primary research will entail conducting an interview with the subject of your case study about topics related to living between cultures (issues that your interviewee has dealt with and her strategies for addressing them). Your final paper will present background information, then a narrative account of your subject’s experiences and understandings (with data from the interviews) which you analyze in light of the Kirk and Okazawa-Rey theory, as well as other readings.
You will do this paper in stages: First you will do the interview (by Nov. 29) and transcribe and interpret relevant sections (by Dec. 4). Then you will write a paper in which you analyze the interview in light of Kirk and Okazawa-Rey (Paper #2) (draft done by Dec. 8). In Paper #3 (draft Dec. 13/Final due Dec. 19), you will extend Paper #2 to include additional references that help you understand and analyze the interviews. In addition, in Paper #3 you will discuss insights that the case study yields in terms of issues regarding culture and identity formation.
Paper #2 Calendar:
Interview: Done By: Nov. 29 Interview: Transcribed, interpreted, drafting: Dec. 4 Paper: Draft Analysis of interview using K & O-R: Dec. 6 in class
Step #1: Interview and transcription
1. Appointment: Call or e-mail the person and explain that you are taking a course in which you are investigating issues facing women between cultures. Ask whether you might interview the person for about an hour within the next week – by November 29 (and that you may want to ask a few additional questions after you being writing the paper). Tell the interviewee that you will NOT use her (or his) name in the paper. Arrange to meet in a quiet place.
Preparation: Arrange to get a tape recorder and buy a ninety (90) minute tape (in case the interview takes longer than you expected). TEST the tape recorder before you start the interview. Prepare interview questions which address the issues raised in the Kirk and Okazawa-Rey article (we’ll develop some questions together in class, but you should also be sure to include questions about issues that YOU are struggling with in your own life).
EN180G WBC/ Case Study Project/Paper #2 Page Two
Questions should include:
3. Interview: Test the tape recorder again. Use your questions, but don’t get stuck on them. Remember to follow the interview guidelines we discussed in class.
4. Transcription: You do NOT need to transcribe the whole tape word for word, but you should transcribe especially interesting passages. Listen to the whole tape once, taking notes. Then listen again, this time stopping to transcribe quotes from tapes which are especially compelling, interesting or well articulated. Plan plenty of time for this part of the project; it’s time consuming.
5. Listen to the tape of the interview and decide whether you need to follow up on any of the questions. Is there something you wish you had asked or that you realize you need more information on? If so, schedule another interview.
Step #2: Analysis of Interview in light of Kirk and Okazawa-Rey (Paper #2)
Paper #2 is an analysis of the interview in light of Kirk and Okazawa-Rey’s theory; it is a step along the way to Paper #3.
Process
The following steps may help you to analyze your interview:
over and over? How does she make sense of her own experience? What big factors have shaped her identities? Gloss your notes with post-its to identify the big themes. Group the post-its/glosses into categories.
Suggested format for Paper #2:
* N.B. (Nota Bene): If you feel comfortable doing so, show your draft to the person you interviewed or discuss what you’re finding—check it with him/her: “here’s what I’m noticing as you talk about your experience; did I get this right?”
November 11: On Thursday 11/8 we had a spirited discussion about the article I distributed about what the veil signifies. We also discussed the questions about Marji from the sheet I distributed in class on Tuesday 11/6. The questions dealt specifically with volume I of Persepolis. We will continue our discussion of Persepolis in class on Tuesday 11/13 and also discuss the excerpts from Reading Lolita in Tehran which you can find in eReserves on the Healey Library web site. I sent you an email with this information as well as directions on how to access this reading from eReserves.
November 7: Midterm Portfolios were submitted/turned in on Tuesday 11/6. We began discussing Persepolis Volume 1 which we will continue on Thursday 11/8 when we will also add Volume 2 to the discussion. Bring the sheet to class with questions about Marji that you completed in small groups in class on Tuesday. We will begin our discussion by looking at your answers to these questions as well as looking at the question I posed for Journal #10. A list of a few points or places you may want to look at again in Volume 1: Marji makes "rules" for the new place she will create when she becomes a prophet. (7) A few of these rules include: 6. Everybody shall have a car 7. All maids should eat at the table with others 8. An old person should not have to suffer
You may want to think about what kind of a person or what kind of a world view a person would have who would create or think of these kind of rules. For example, can we determine something about Marji's social location based on the type of rules she creates?
A couple of quotations from Persepolis worth thinking about:
"After a long sleep of 2,500 years, the revolution has finally awakened the people." (11)
"For a revolution to succeed the entire population must support it." (17)
There is a reference to "religious fanatics" on page 15 and Satrapi acknowledges that the Shah warns the country about these religious fanatics. Satrapi says that the people or the country blames the Shah for Iran's problems instead of listening to his warnings about religious fanatics.
On page 19 Satrapi talks about the belief or about being taught in school that the Shah/King was chosen by God. This concept --sometimes called the Divine Right of Kings -- is a familiar concept in so-called Western culture as well. What is it and why does it matter?
Finally, in Persepolis we have many examples or illustrations of the concepts and theories we have read about regarding identity formation and the role of culture. We will discuss this further.
November 4: We met in small groups on Thursday to discuss your portfolios -- the objectives of the portfolio, the practice of self-assessment, etc. I will collect the portfolios in class on Tuesday 11/6. You should be prepared to begin discussing Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (volume one). We will not look at/discuss Volume 2 on Thursday 11/8. October 27: We discussed preparing your midterm portfolio in class on Thursday and I distributed a copy of the description (this is also listed on the Assignments page) of the portfolio requirements. Before Tuesday 10/30, you are to read through Chapter 6 in Portfolio Keeping (the whole book needs to be read for Thursday 11/1). As I said in class, look at Taking Stock exercise #7 and use the web site for the UMass Boston Writing Proficiency program (the "WPE") for information about the values of the writing program at UMass. The link below should take you the main page of the WPE site. When you get there, if you choose "Evaluation Rubric" from the left- hand column, you will find a brief overview of how the WPE exam is graded -- i.e. which element(s) of writing count for how much in the exam. To see a detailed description of the elements of writing and how the university evaluates them, choose the category "Helpful Publications" and then click on "A Printable (PDF) version of the Elements of Writing Proficiency and Evaluation Rubric" (boy that's a catchy title isn't it?! ;) ). Open this and look/read it as it will give you an in-depth explanation of what the university looks for in writing and what it considers to be "good or effective" academic writing. We will discuss this in class on Tuesday 10/30. http://www.umb.edu/academics/undergraduate/office/wpr/guide.html
October 24: We did Post Write (reflection on your writing process and paper after writing) forms in class yesterday 10/23 and turned them in to me along with your Peer Review form completed in class last Thursday 10/18. For your paper to be considered complete, you must submit all these items (Peer Review form in hard copy; Post Write form in hard copy; revised paper submitted as an email attachment). Upon receipt of your revised paper in good order, I will send you a confirmation email that simply says "OK." If you do not get a confirmation email from me within 24 hours of sending me your paper, it means I did not receive your paper and you should contact me. We began talking about the midterm portfolio which we will work on the next two weeks. If you have not looked ahead at the description of this, please do this by looking at the Assignments page. You will read the small paperback book titled Portfolio Keeping (Portfolio Keeping. Nedra Reynolds and Rich Rice, authors. Second Edition. February 2006. ISBN: 0312419090. ) this weekend for next Tuesday 10/30. I will talk about the book in class on Thursday 10/25 so bring it to class.
October 20: We did peer Review workshop in class on Thursday. Look at directions on Assignment page for submitting revised paper to me which is due by midnight Tuesday, October 23. Remember to scroll down the Assignment page past the weekly overview to see the day-by-day detailed instructions for homework assignments. I will collect the Peer Review sheets in class on Tuesday. Make sure your reviewers' (you should have two) names are on the sheet you submit. We will complete a Post Write form in class on Tuesday for your paper. I will explain/we will discuss on Tuesday. Our next major project will be the midterm portfolio which is described on the Assignments page. Have a good weekend and enjoy the weather!! October 13: In class on Thursday, we discussed the requirements and objectives for the paper. One of the objectives of this first formal paper is for you to make sense of or work with the readings/texts we have read for the class thus far. There is not enough time to discuss all the readings in great depth in class, so I want to see what you make of them on your own. This is by design as one of the goals of the course is for you to work on reading complex tests and develop your ability to interpret and apply them to your reading of additional texts, personal experience, and research, etc. Additional research, however, is not the focus of the first paper. (We will do more of this for our second formal paper.) For this paper, as we discussed, foreground your ideas and responses to the readings and class discussions as you identify one, two, or three issues associated with culture and identity formation and use the reading(s) to illustrate, deepen, extend or complicate your thinking/discussion about these issues. Try also to consider how these issues specifically affect women (see in Chapter 1 in Identity and Difference the discussion of women's cultural roles/their position in a culture). Here is the list (paraphrased) we put together on the board of the reasons/strategies for using quoted text in our papers: Why we use Quotations?
See you Tuesday.
October 12: I will post Thursday class re-cap late day Friday including three part process for quotations and list of "Reasons for Using Quotations" strategies we discussed in class. Don't forget if you have concerns about writing/drafting the paper, you can make an appointment or consult with our class tutor Neval. She has access to the assignment and can work with you on brainstorming or paper planning as well as revision. In addition, don't forget the Writing Workshops and tutoring appointments available through the Academic Support department located in the Campus Center. You can phone them for further information or walk in to the department. Finally, if you have any questions about your paper including either topic(s) or approach, please feel free to email me. October 5/6: We discussed Chapter One from the textbook Identity and Difference (I&D) on Thursday and pointed out that the important terms from the chapter(s) are printed in teal color in the margins of the text. We discussed how one of the terms in this chapter "Other" (sometimes referred to as "the other") was introduced and used in the reading "Being American" we read last week. Focus on and work on learning/understanding the terms so that we can begin to use them and apply them to other things we will read and you can use them in your paper(s). The section in the chapter which is especially difficult is the section on the psychoanalytical approach(es) to the study of identity formation and, in turn, cultural formation. This section of the chapter is toward the end before the summary of the chapter. This section of the chapter provides an overview of the main theorists who have written about and explored the psychoanalytical dimensions of how identity is formed and their ideas about this. I do not expect you to become experts on this aspect of identity formation. If you take any psychology courses you will delve further into this. I am more interested that you understand the essentialist / non-essentialist approaches to the study of culture, the concept of "other", the concept of signifying and representation, the argument that we are experiencing an identity crisis throughout the world, etc. We will discuss this further on Tuesday. We also began to discuss the term "diaspora" on Thursday. Coincidentally, at a wedding reception today, one of my husband's relatives mentioned to me that her husband was not at the wedding because he was giving a paper at a conference on "the African diaspora." A couple of people nearby looked at her and said "What's that?" I laughed and told her about our class! Evidently "diaspora" has become its own field within the discipline of history! Check the updates on the Assignments page. See you Tuesday.
September 29: Thank you to all the presenters for the wonderful variety of artifacts, interesting stories, insightful observations, etc. which they shared with us on Thursday. The range of artifacts taught us a lot about our class and classmates. They showed us what matters to them as well as the range of backgrounds in the class, etc. The variety and range of artifacts also illustrated the pervasiveness, what M& E would call the "normalcy," and the almost invisibility of culture in our daily lives. Check the Assignments page for the reading and writing assignments for Tuesday. Bring the textbook Identity and Difference (I&D) to class for discussion. The next Journal -- Journal #6 -- is not due until next Thursday (10/4). We have a few presentations still to be done. We will do these at the beginning of class on Tuesday and move into discussion of the reading. Have a great weekend! September 24: Note that I have posted an Assignment Calendar which can be viewed on the Assignments page. This is an outline of the Assignments for the whole semester. Continue to read the detailed description of the Assignments as we go along located on the Assignment page below or beneath the Calendar and listed by daily date. September 21: On Thursday in class we discussed details about the presentations you will give in class next week. For details see the description of the presentations and the document you will submit in support of your presentation on the Assignments page of the web site which can be reached by clicking on the red notebook in the left hand column above. Below is a list of dates/presenters. We also began to talk about the Engels article. I said that the significance for us of this text is that it is a so-called key moment in the development of a theory of "culture" with its insistence that culture is not "natural" or organic but is man made and "created." The text's importance is its presentation of the idea that a culture and cultural formation has its roots in the economic (which for Marx and Engels is the industrial) base of a society and its declaration that culture is controlled by those who have this power. According to E. and M. a culture can only be changed by a revolution that changes the economic structure or base of that society (M. and E. also manage to poke fun at Germans and German intellectuals -- calling them charlatans among other things -- for thinking that there had been any real changes in German society and thinking. ) Hold onto the second article that I gave you on Thursday as we will look at it the week after next. It expresses a very different point of view about culture from that of M. & E. and is also significant for being a so-called "key" text in the development of theories abut culture --where it comes from ---how it works -- what it represents, etc. See you Tuesday and if you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to email me.
Presentation Sign Ups: Tuesday, Sept. 25 Erin Meaghan Yana Caitlin Sara Shawna Casey Erika Makesha Cora Thursday, Sept. 27 Natalie Nadine Rhiannon Vasthy Stephanie Amanda Marina Jessica Herby Martha Allison Mia Jillian Gabrielle Danielle
September 19: Yesterday in class we discussed the web site, additional books -- see list below-- you will need for the course, presentations, homework, etc. It was a day to catch up before we embark on the meat of the course. As discussed in class on Tuesday, I will distribute a couple of readings to you in class tomorrow but you should get going and get the books we will be using. I have updated the Assignment page to reflect schedule for next two weeks. Check it out.
September 17: Here is list of additional books/texts you will need for the course. I will also be supplying additional handouts. We will discuss in class:
Identity and Difference (Culture, Media and Identities series) (Paperback). Kathryn Woodward, Editor. Sage Publications: London, 1997. ISBN 0-7619-5434-1 This is a paperback textbook and is available in both and new and used versions online through Barnes and Noble and Amazon (used copies start below $10.00). We will need this book in two weeks and will use throughout the rest of the semester.
Portfolio Keeping. Nedra Reynolds and Rich Rice, authors. Second Edition. February 2006. ISBN: 0312419090 This is also a paperback. It is small and new it costs around $7.00. It is available both as a new and used book through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. For any of these books, you can also check Alibris. We will need this book by midterm which is in mid October.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Marjane Satrapi, author. Paperback – Reprint. June 2004. ISBN: 037571457X
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. Marjane Satrapi, author. Paperback. August 2005. ISBN: 0375714669 These two books are volume 1 and 2 of Satrapi’s graphic memoir (graphic as in drawings and visuals not as in explicit!). They are available individually and as a boxed set, new, used, etc. online at B&N and Amazon, etc. and may also be found in local bookstores. These should be easy to find. We will begin reading these in early October.
Other titles (possible) for later in the semester. These are memoir/literature -- not textbooks—and widely available. We will discuss this in class:
Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston. Paperback - International Edition ISBN: 0679721886
Brick Lane. Monica Ali. Paperback. ISBN: 0743243315 Pub. Date: June 2004.
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. By Azar Nafisi. Paperback – Reprint. ISBN: 081297106X Pub. Date: December 2003 September 13: In class today we discussed the Williams reading and definitions of culture. I introduced the Marx/Engels reading and pointed passages/ideas of significance or importance to us in this reading. We also discussed presentations we will give the week after next (9/25 and 9/27). See description of these in the Assignments thread/page which you can access by clicking on the red notebook icon in the left margin above. The agenda for the UMass Fall Institute on women and Islam, a session of which you will be required to attend as discussed in class, is listed there, too. A description of your current journal assignment is also there. See you Tuesday when we will meet at our regular classroom in McCormack @ 1:00.
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