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Welcome to... First Year Seminar EN180G Women Between Cultures
Victoria Kingsley Spring 2008
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Sunday, May 4: Class re-cap Thurs. 5/1: We discussed interpreting your interview transcriptions by applying the themes we discussed in class on Tuesday 4/29 and/or developing your own themes taken from our reading and class discussions this semester. I told you to hold on to your interview transcriptions as you would need them to create your Paper #2 draft. (I will collect the interview transcriptions on Thursday, May 8. Label the transcription as Journal #11 and submit it to me by Thurs. 5/8). We also looked at the sample format for Paper #2 -- discussing and answering questions about how to take the transcription and turn it into Paper #2. We also discussed Presentation #2 -- a presentation of your case study. A description of this assignment is on the Assignments page. If you have not signed up for Presentation #2 , contact me about this as soon as possible. We will do Peer Review of Paper #2 in class on Tues. 5/6. Food! and Culture Last Class Meeting: Nadine emailed you about signing up to bring "cultural" food items to our last class meeting on Tuesday 5/13. She asked you to get back in touch with her re: what you will bring. If you did not get the email, please email Nadine @ nadine.samaha001@ to ask her about this or talk with Nadine or me about this on Tues. 5/6. I am/will bring the paper goods (plates, cups, napkins, cutlery) and drinks. I will also bring a food item --still trying to decide what .......
Wednesday, April 30: Class re-cap: We looked at Nieto sample case studies again --this time to determine or identify themes Nieto examined in the case studies. We looked at the notes/answers we got to our case study interview questions to start identifying themes or issues of importance to our subjects. Here is the list of themes we identified (you can use this list --apply it to your notes to see if any of these themes apply to your interview subject and her concerns/issues): Overall Objective of Our Case Studies: To gain a greater or deeper understanding of the struggles, dilemmas, and experiences that women between cultures face in forming their identities. Possible Themes: Marriage/ motherhood Expectations: professional and educational Problems with choosing a career Social and Peer Pressure Social relationships/ interaction with w/ others Communication and language (learning English) Family relations/ Family Values Multicultural identity Gender roles in society Interracial conflict Stereotyping --appearance Racism Acceptance (equality among diverse groups) Balancing cultures and forming own identity
Case Study Presentations: We discussed and signed up for Case Study Presentations (see description of this assignment on Assignments page) which will be divided between Thursday 5/8 and Tuesday 5/13. See schedule below. A few folks escaped from class without signing up --Be sure you sign up with me to do this presentation. Thursday, May 8: Dija, Sophie, Ty, Charnee, Maira, Jon, Lori, Linda (1 slot available) Tuesday, May 13: Alyssa, Indah, Hannah, Claude, Britney, Anshika, Shajeda, Katie, Ashley, Uyen (1 slot available) Class Thurs. 5/1: Bring your interview notes to class and bring the calendar hand out for Paper 2 and Paper 3 which was distributed in class two weeks ago (this is also posted on the Assignments page). We will look at the suggested format for paper #2 and talk about identifying themes in your interview transcript and turning the transcript into Paper #2.
Friday, April 25: Class re-cap : We looked at and discussed the format Nieto used in the body of her article -- the actual case studies (there are three case studies included in the article). We looked at and talked about the interview/interview questions packet/readings I gave you Tuesday --discussing the goal or objective of your interview and your final Case Study. We identified the overall goal of the Case Studies as being to gain a better understanding of the struggles and obstacles women between cultures or on the borderlands face in forming their identities (I am paraphrasing from what we put on the board --if anyone feels I have not captured what we said about this, please email me so I can change it here!! )
Get your interviews done and come to class on Tues 4/29 with your completed interview notes. We will discuss your interview transcription and strategies for interpreting your interview results. Enjoy your interviews! I think you may be surprised at how enjoyable -- as well as rewarding and illuminating -- you will find doing this !
Wednesday, April 23: Class re-cap: We looked at the opening section of the Sonia Nieto article, found in Healey Library eReserves, and discussed the characteristics ad philosophy of case studies and qualitative case study research. We also discussed how to conduct your interview, types of questions to ask, and looked at sample questions. In addition, we talked about the differences between Paper #2 and Paper #3 (Paper #2 is not the transcript of the interview. It is the paper you create from the transcript of the interview using the format I suggested in the packet I gave you with the calendar for the Case Study project. This is also posted on the Assignment page of this web site. Paper #2 is also a step in the process of creating Paper #3 which is the actual Case Study. I will also lay out the format you will use for this). If you have not printed it out yet, Print Out!!!! the Nieto article and bring it to class Thurs. 4/24 so we can look at a case study format, etc.
Sunday. April 20: Class re--cap: On Thurs. 4/17 we talked about the Case Study Interview -- what kinds of questions to ask and possible interview subjects -- and the Case Study Interview paper. We looked at the sample case studies included in the Sonia Nieto article posted in eReserves on the Healey Library site for our class. We looked at the lay-out or structure Nieto used for her case studies and began to talk about what she described at the beginning of her article as the characteristics, objectives, and philosophy of case studies. We will finish discussing the beginning or introduction of Nieto's article where she discusses characteristics of case studies, etc. as well as look at questions people plan to use for their interviews. In addition, if anyone has questions about their subject or interviewee, we/the class can help/discuss this. Finally, we will discuss American Chica applying the theory of social location to the protagonist of the book as we did for Marjane in Persepolis. BTW, I posted a newspaper article on the Resources page (click on the icon of the globe on topo of some books above --it's labeled Resources) from the NYTimes dated Saturday, April 19. The article is about two women who are what is called performance artists who undertook a trip, hitchhiking while wearing bridal gowns, throughout the Balkans and the Middle East to promote the idea that different cultures should or could get along -- or as the artice says "by overcoming differences and lowering the level of conflict, individuals and cultures could come together." Why the bridal gowns? The article discusses this. I think that the story connects to what we have been talking about this semester in a number of ways. Unfortunately, the story does not have a happy ending - in fact, ends in a way that has resonance with some of our discussions this semester, too. Take a look and read the article so that we can discuss it. Be prepared to name the ways or ideas to which this story connects.
Wednesday, April 16: Class re-cap: On Tues. 4/15 we discussed the readings I distributed in class last week and for which you created Journal Entries. I distributed a description of the Case Study Interview Paper (Paper #2) and the Case Study (Paper #3). We will talk about these papers in class on Thurs. 4/17. We will also talk about the theory behind case studies and creating questions for your Case Study interview.
Sunday, April 13: Class re-cap: On Tues. 4/8 and Thurs. 4/10 we read and discussed handouts telling the stories of a variety of women between cultures. We discussed the concept of being in the "borderlands" as well as "los intersticios" and looked at how some types of knowledge have been traditionally associated with women while knowledge in the rational or hard sciences has been considered masculine and associated with men (illustrating the old attitude "boys are better at math and girls are better at English"). We noted connections in the handouts (essentialism! for example) to ideas already discussed in class and read about this semester. Class Tues. 4/15: We will continue discussing the handouts on Tuesday as well as begin to discuss American Chica. We will look at and discuss case study interview, and case study projects.
Sunday, April 6: Class re-cap: On Tues. 4/1 we held Portfolio Conferences and I met with you to discuss your work, self-assessment, your reflective/introduction essay, and what you are going to put in your midterm portfolio. On Thurs. 4/3 we did Peer Review for the Reflective/Introduction essays and answered questions about the portfolios. Put your portfolio items in a folder with pockets to be handed in to me on Tues. 4/8.
Thursday, March 27: Class Re-cap: We discussed metacognition and Midterm Portfolios. We looked at Portfolio Keeping and did one of the Taking Stock exercises (#3) together (you can use these in your Portfolio --see the Portfolio description). See you for yur Portfolio Conference on Tuesday 4/1. Come to the classroom with your materials prepared to discuss the specifics of what to put in your portfolio and how to do it --including the reflective/introduction essay (see the list of suggestions for themes/focus of portfolio and reflective/introduction essay on pgs. 51-52 in Portfolio Keeping (a copy of this is on Reserves in Healey Library available at the main circulation desk on the second floor). Portfolio Conferences Tuesday, April 1: (updated Thurs. 3/27) 10:00: Charnee, Ashley, Ty 10:20: Britney, Shajeda, Linda 10:40: Dija, Sophie 11:00: Jon, Michele, Maira 11:20: Hannah, Uyen, Anshika 11:40: Claude, Alyssa 12:00: Norma, Indah, Nikki 12:20: Katie, Lori
Wednesday, March 26: Class Re-cap: On Tuesday we discussed Persepolis (both volumes) as we applied K & O-R's categories of social location to Marjane. We looked at how her social location changed as she grew up and as she moved from one country to another. I distributed a description of the Midterm Portfolio and you signed up for portfolio conferences with me which will take the place of class next Tuesday 4/1. Conferences will be held in the classroom in groups of three for 20 minutes and you need only come @ your appointment time. Below is a list of the Conference Appointments. Be sure to bring the book Portfolio Keeping to class Thursday, March 27 as we will work with the material in it and look at/do the "Taking Stock" exercises. Portfolio Conferences Tuesday, April 1: 10:00: Charnee, Ashley, Ty 10:20: Britney, Shajeda 10:40: Dija, Lori 11:00: Jon, Michele, Maira 11:20: Hannah, Uyen 11:40: Claude, Linda, Sophonie 12:00: Norma 12:20: Katie
Tuesday, March 11: CLASS CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS
Friday, March 7: Class re-cap: We did Peer Review in groups of three so that people could get feedback from two readers. We alo discussed the expectations for this paper. The paper is due to me by email attachment on Tuesday 3/11 (see Assignments page for details). Submit to me by email: draft and revision. We will do the Writer's Post Write in class on Tuesday which you will hand in to me along with the completed Peer Review form (pink sheets) your reviewers did for you. Save your paper in doc or rtf format as: LASTNAME_EN180G_Paper01 For example, if I was submitting a paper, I would save it as: Kingsley_EN180G_Paper01 Please also title the subject line of your email exactly the same way. This will enable me to save your paper and not lose or misplace it among all my email.
Wednesday, March 5: Class re-cap: We discussed the paper, the readings, terms to use in your paper from the readings, etc. We will do Peer Review of our paper in class on Thursday.
Monday, March 3: Class re-cap: We met in the library for instruction in using library databases for research. The reference librarian (Frances Schlesinger) showed us the Wiki set up for our class (you can access this by going to the Healey Library home page and choosing Course Wikis from the left column. This will take you to a list of courses for which Wikis have been created. Choose our class and you will be taken to the wiki which has been custom designed for our course. It includes a list of reference links and other resources that you can use for research). We downloaded the lead article on "culture" from Britannica online and looked for possible sources to use in your papers in which you identify one or two issues associated with culture and identity formation. We will discuss our reading, research, and papers in class on Tuesday 3/4. See you then.
Wednesday, February 27: Class re-cap: We finished the presentations and ate a lot of good things in the process, listened to some music, and watched some dancing (food, music, dance, and film all fit Wiliams' 3rd definition of culture as a product don't they?! And these products are a form of cultural representation (one of the terms from Woodward we have begun using and applying to our observations.) We began work on the worksheets I distributed in class that list significant terms from the Woodward reading. Complete the sheet on terms and bring it to class with you Thursday. I will collect it and we will finish discussing it next Tuesday 3/4. (I have posted a copy of this on the Assignment page). See you in the library tomorrow (2/28) in the Center for Library Instruction.
Monday, February 25: Check out the poem titled "Indian Movie, New Jersey" I posted on the Resources page of the web site --click on globe icon above. Read the poem and think about Anshika's presentation of Bollywood or the Indian film industry and the films it produces as cultural artifacts of India. She suggested that there are many cultures and sub-cultures within India and that the films create a larger "Indian" culture both in the way they represent India and in the way that all Indians come together to view, enjoy, and appreciate them.
Sunday, February 24: Class Re-cap: We did more presentations in class on Thursday and the range of cultural artifacts -- I'm wondering if we should use the terms "product" and/or representational or symbolic systems in keeping with our reading -- continues to intrigue if not amaze me in its variety and creativity. We've played games, eaten food, listened to music, looked at slides and videos, and learned a lot (I have anyway !). We will finish the presentations on Tuesday 2/26 (see schedule below). For the second part of class on Tuesday, we will continue our conversation/discussion about the two readings I asked you to review over the weekend (Woodward and K & O-R). Bring Journal #3 to class with you and I will return Journal #4 in class.
Presentation Schedule (Updated 2/19 due to tech issues in class) Thurs 2/21: Uyen Pham; Katie Volta; Linda Nguyen; Britney Esper; Niki Hansen,: Anshika Verma Tues 2/26: Alyssa McGarvey; Ashley Peppe; Adrianna Leiva; Indah Hutabarat; Norma Surpris; Shajeda Mahmood; Lori Pelosi
Wednesday, February 20: Class Re-cap: Ahhh technology... it's great when it works.. or doesn't.. :( After numerous phone conversations, etc. the media lab has promised me that we will have a laptop that works (connects to the internet, etc.) for class tomorrow. I am very cautiously optimistic so suggest that if you plan to present a Powerpoint, YouTube or other video that you have it saved on a flashdrive that you bring to class and not count on being able to access the internet/your email to view your presentation. My apologies for those of you who were affected by the technical glitches Tuesday! However, that said, I think we can all agree that we had a varied, fun, beautiful, and interesting range of presentations-- some of them tasted good, too! ;) I'd like to encourage the presenters who have not gone yet to try not only to describe their artifacts but also to point out the cultural significance of them. For example, try to answer the question(s) what does the particular artifact show about the values and/or concerns of the culture that it represents? Using terms from the Woodward reading, the artifact(s) can be seen as signifiers of a particular culture. Maira raised some interesting issues in her discussion of cultural clashes and her distinction between what she described as the culture of Pakistan vs Muslim culture. It got me thinking about the categories we have been using (race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc.) to describe culture(s) and the fact that we have been using these categories interchangeably without any discussion of whether they are truly interchangeable categories or classifications. Maybe we need to talk about this? We will have a few more presentations Thursday and leave a little time to talk about the reading for last week. Bring your Journal #3 so that we can do this. See you tomorrow.
Monday, February 18: Class Re-cap: We did/had our first two presentations in class on Thursday. Thanks to Hannah and Michelle for breaking the ice for the rest of us and for showing us that cultural artifacts can take many different forms! We will have fourteen presentations on Tuesday so it is important that folks work with and be conscious of the time limit set for the presentations. Sticking to and fulfilling the time limitation is part of the discipline or capability that we are working on in doing presentations. I will keep track of the time and let presenters know when they have reached their limit of 5 minutes. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing the presentations! I know from experience that I will learn lots from you and that you will find hearing from your fellow classmates to be one of your favorite parts of the course. See you Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 13: Class Re-cap: We met in the computer lab and did a number of things from looking at the class web site to signing into the class writing room to looking at the WPE web site and discussing the WPE requirement. We also discussed presentations --description, requirements, expectations. I returned Journal #2. See Assignment page for description of Journal #3 due in class on Thursday 2/14. Class Presentations: We signed up for presentation dates (details of presentation assignment are on the Assignments page). See schedule below: Presentation Schedule Thurs 2/14: Hannah Pelletier; Michelle Organ Tues 2/19: Ty Le; Uyen Pham; Claude Fortune; Katie Volta; Jon Cronan; Leo Boer; Dija Bhulasar; Maira Jamil; Shajeda Mahmood; Linda Nguyen; Charnee Alkins; Sophonie Bernard; Tenzin Passang; Norma Surpris Thurs. 2/21: Britney Esper; Niki Hansen; Alyss McGarvey; Adrianna Leiva; Indah Hutabarat; Ashley Peppe; Anshika Verma
In addition to listening to/enjoying :) Hannah and Michelle's presentations in class Thursday 2/14, we will continue our discussion of the Woodward reading.
Sunday, February 10: Wasn't the weather dreary this week?! Well, onto week three of the semester believe it or not! Remember we are meeting in the computer lab (Purple Lab) on Tuesday 2/12. Come straight to the computer lab for class and Nadine and I will see you there. See details below: Instructor: Victoria Kingsley
Class re-cap We discussed Williams' essay on culture further -- touching on the idea of whether culture is genetic, the belief in the past (although, perhaps, we should discuss whether we think that this idea persists among some people today) that those who are considered upper class by virtue of birth (money, land, connections, etc.) are automatically considered more cultured than those who would be categorized as lower class by these same measurements (money, land, etc.), the effects of social and geographic mobility on notions of culture, etc. We took a look at the reading from Identity and Difference which I distributed on Tuesday which we will discuss in more depth this week. We also discussed the expectations for Presentation #1. However, did anyone notice I did not send around sign up sheet for this as I said I would!? I wanted to start Presentations on Thursday 2/14 and hope we can still do this. We will do the sign up in class on Tuesday 2/12. Be sure to read the expectations and rubric for this on the Assignments page you can access through the red notebook icon above. I collected Journal #2 which I will return to you Tuesday. In the lab, we will: 1) look at the class web site in more depth; 2) sign in to the Writing Room and post some writing to it; 3) discuss/look at procedure for submitting work to me electronically; 4) look at the WPE site and discuss requirements; and 5) look at electronic reserves for the course. Keep warm and see you Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 6: Class Re-cap We began discussing Raymond Williams' essay on Culture from his book Keywords. As we discussed in class, Williams attempts to define important terms or words from the discipline of cultural studies --- terms whose meaning has been contested or up for debate. We will continue our discussion of this Thursday and will consider such questions as to whether culture is "natural" or man made and whether culture is inborn and class specific. We will also begin to look at the concept of identity formation which the reading from Identity and Difference by Kathryn Woodward I distributed in class on Tuesday will address. Ana Ketler our class advisor attended class and presented much useful information about registering for classes, services available through Academic Support, etc
I returned Journal #1 to you and I will collect Journal #2 (on the Williams essay) Thursday 2/7. Please make sure to look at and write in response to the questions listed on the Assignments page for Journal #2. We will look at and use the Writing Room among other things when we meet in the computer lab for class on Tuesday 2/12.
Friday, February 1: Class Re-cap We did introductions in class yesterday. What a varied and interesting group of folks we have in class! Nadine and I are looking forward to working with you and getting to know you better this semester as we tackle and, we hope, master that list of capabilities listed on the course syllabus. I collected Journal #1 on the quotations from the class syllabus in class and distributed an essay article for you to read for Tuesday 2/5. Detailed directions for homework assignments can be found on the Assignments page which can be reached through the Assignment icon/link in the left column above. As I said in class, the class advisor Ana Ketler will come to class on Tuesday 2/5 @ 11:30. She will talk about degree audits, etc. and answer any advising questions you have. Poems I have posted a couple of poems on the Resources page--see the link/globe icon above and in the left column -- by women who are between cultures. The poems are by a Japanese-American woman and a Latin American woman and address the idea of how to blend or manage multiple identities. The poems also suggest how culture saturates or affects every aspect of life from religion to concepts of female beauty. Click on the link and take a look. I plan to share poems by and about women between cultures throughout the semester. If you have any poems (or music !) you think would fit what we are talking about this semester and you would like to share them, please let me and/or Nadine know and we will post them or make it possible for you to post them. Feel free to email me or Nadine with any questions. Go Pats!! Remind me who in class volunteered to host the Super Bowl party ;) ? Have fun but stay out of trouble as I don't want to be reading about you in the paper (that's not one of our capabilities..... )
Wednesday, January 30: We went over the syllabus in class yesterday and I highlighted a few things from it such as the "capabilities" the university expects first year seminars to emphasize and to enable students to develop. I asked you to find the class web site online and now that you are here, take a look around and familiarize yourself with the layout and what features are included. Plan to look at this blog regularly to stay updated with class activities and discussion and check out the assignments page for all homework assignments. You will be responsible for knowing what is here and staying up to date. We began what will be our semester-long discussion on culture and looked at and began talking about the four quotations about culture on our syllabus. I will collect Journal Entry #1 in class tomorrow and look forward to seeing you then. Here are the texts/books you will need this semester:
Required Texts/Books for EN180G Women Between Cultures:
Packet of Readings (I will distribute next week. Approx. $20-25) *Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon Books (June 2004). Paperback: 160 pages. *Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon Books (August 2005). Paperback: 192 pages. American Chica: Two Worlds, One Childhood by Marie Arana. Dial Press (May 2002). Paperback: 320 pages. Portfolio Keeping: A Guide for Students by Nedra Reynolds and Rich Rice . Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2nd edition. (February 2006). Paperback: 53 pages. __________________________________________________ * Persepolis is available as two single paperbacks and as a boxed set. Both versions are available new and used online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I found all the titles above used online through Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble in the $6.00 to $7.00 apiece range.
Tuesday, January 29: Hi. Welcome to EN180G. Ways to get in touch with me: To find the homework assignment(s) and questions for written homework assignments, click on red notebook icon labeled “Assignments” in left column above on class homepage. You will submit all your assignments (unless indicated otherwise) to me via Email following the instructions below. Guidelines for Submitting Paper(s)/Assignment(s) via Email Please help me manage my mail and avoid losing your papers by doing the following: 1. Use the following formula to name your paper or assignment when you save it for the first time: LASTNAME_SECTION# -ASSIGNMENT#. For example, a person whose last name is Jones, is in Section 15, and is submitting assignment 01, would save the document as: Jones_15-01. 2. When you are submitting an assignment, write on the “subject” line of your email to me the same information as above: LASTNAME_SECTION# -ASSIGNMENT#. In addition, make certain your name is at the top of the exercise or your paper. I probably will not open and record your submitted assignment until the afternoon or evening. At that time, I will send you a confirmation – an email that says brief note that “Thanks”. This will confirm my receipt. If you don’t receive a confirmation by the end of the next day, re-send the assignment and explain you are re-sending as you did not receive a confirmation from me. If you still don’t hear from me, print a hard copy and talk to me in class about it as something is wrong. 3. If /when you ask me a question, or have some kind of problem, write QUESTION or PROBLEM on the email subject line. I will open and respond to your question as soon as I see it. Please submit your assignment(s) as an attached document. To make sure that I can open it and view it, please be sure to save your work in .doc or rtf format(s). We will discuss this in the computer lab.
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