Syllabus, ID1, Wellsprings of Courage, Laura Hoopes, x77438, Seaver West 021, lhoopes@pomona.edu.
WEEK 1:
Tues Aug 30 convocation/lunch
Thurs Sept 1 Introductions, syllabus. Discuss “Courage” by Anne Sexton; definitions and examples of courage; writing assignment in class.
Recommended event:
“An Evening with
Jamaica Kincaid: A Reading”
8 p.m., Bridges Auditorium.
Lecture and book
signing by acclaimed author Jamaica Kincaid whose works of short fiction, novels
and essays explore the tenuous relationship between mother and daughter, as well
as themes of anti-colonialism. A former contributor to The New Yorker magazine,
Kincaid is recognized for her personal, stylistic and honest writings. Sponsored
by five of The Claremont Colleges.
Cost: $5.
WEEK 2:
Tues Sept 6 Topic: Courage: Physical Duress. Reading: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning. LH will act as discussion leader in this session. Look for questions to think about to be emailed to you the afternoon before the class.
Thurs Sept 8 continued, physical duress. Reading: Nelson Mandela, available online, http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html excerpts from his autobiography, Long Road to Freedom, “Robben Island” (prison). Discussion leader 1: Jeremiah Buder
**Writing due: 1 page, single spaced essay. Encircle the thesis sentence.
Compare how Frankl and Mandela describe imprisonment and show, citing evidence, whether you think their responses to duress were similar or dissimilar.
WEEK 3:
Tues Sept 13 Topic: Courage: Political Duress/Discrimination. Reading: Martin Luther King, Jr., available online . http://members.aol.com/klove01/martinsp.htm, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream” speech. Portions of this material will be played in class as well. Discussion leader 2: James Kato
Recommended event:
Sept. 14
“Leap of Faith:
School Choice in Rural Pakistan”
12:10 p.m., Blue Room, Frank
Dining Hall.
Tahir Andrabi,
associate professor of economics. Fall Faculty Lecture Series.
Thurs Sept 15 continued, political duress/discrimination. Reading: Audre Lorde, Cancer Journals. “Silence” essay. NOTE: next Thurs your prospectus for your long paper is due! Discussion leader 3: Jeanne Segil
**Writing due: 2 page, double spaced essay. Encircle the thesis sentence. What kind of forces in society silenced those friends that King and Lord knew to be on their sides? Are the same forces active today in the American society? How have you felt and/or responded to these forces?
WEEK 4:
Tues Sept 20 Topic continued, political duress/discrimination. Reading: Susan B. Anthony. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/anthony/sbahome.html on her trial for voting in a presidential election; collection of scanned original documents, letter summaries. Discussion leader 4: Caitlin Krier Discussion of peer review process, assignment of peer review groups, handout and emailing of forms for authors and reviewers.
Recommended event:
Sept.
21
“How Some Young
Women Became Heroines During WWII? How Did They Resist, How Did They
Fight?”
12:10 p.m., Blue Room, Frank
Dining Hall.
Monique
Saigal, professor of romance languages and literatures. Fall Faculty Lecture
Series.
Thurs Sept 22 continued, political duress/discrimination. Instead of class, attend this Hart lecture where you will hand in your paper prospectus to Dr. Hoopes:
Sept. 22
“Race and Demography
in British America: Who Counted?”
11 a.m., Rose Hills Theatre,
Smith Campus Center.
Lecture by Joyce
Chaplin, history professor at Harvard University. Hart Institute Lecture Series
on American Science.
** writing due to Dr. Hoopes at the talk: 1 page, single spaced prospectus for long paper. Title, your name, 2 or 3 paragraphs about the subject you will address. Include complete references to any material you have already found that you plan to use.
WEEK 5:
Tues Sept 27 Reading: Cesar Chavez. Biographical material: http://www.ufw.org/cecstory.htm Summary of events in the 1965 grape strike. Statement by Cesar Chavez on the conclusion of a 25 day fast for nonviolence: http://www.sfsu.edu/~cecipp/cesar_chavez/other.htm.
Discussion leader 5:Sarah Mahlab LH: Discussion of library visit coming up on Thursday.
** Writing due: 3 page, double spaced essay, hand in four copies to enable peer review.
Is the courage Anthony needed to vote in an election the same quality as the courage required to picket grocery stores or protest in public areas? Argue on either side, with strong supporting evidence and a conclusion.
Thurs Sept 29. Meet at library during class to learn about researching for long paper.
WEEK 6:
Tues Oct 4 …continued, political duress/discrimination. Readings: Mohandas Gandhi. http://streams.gandhiserve.org/mahatma.html; listen to the multipart 1 hour English summary of Gandhi’s life by Jhaveri, with particular emphasis on “Birth of Satyagraha”, “Final Phase of the Struggle”, “ The First Satyagraha in India” through “Identification with the Poor.” Also Nelson Mandela. http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html; biography from the African National Congress web site, selected speeches, statements, and writings: 1964-1990, and “Long Walk to Freedom: excerpts, especially those from “Freedom” section. Discussion leader 6: Josh Gardner
NOTE: peer reviews are due today, or better, have been given to the author before this point.
Thurs Oct 6 Topic: Courage: Physical and mental illness. Reading: Donna Williams, Somebody Somewhere. Discussion leader 7: Sandra Hamada
** Writing due: revision of first peer reviewed paper; hand in WITH ALL REVIEWS AND YOUR STATUS SHEET.
WEEK 7:
Tues Oct 11 continued, illness. Reading: Audre Lord, Cancer Journals. Discussion leader 8: Page Adams
** Writing due: 2 page double spaced. Bring 4 copies for peer review. Is the character trait needed to face medical difficulties or mental illness the same as courage needed in other contexts? Support either side, using specific examples from Williams and Lord.
Thurs Oct 13 (Yom Kippur cont.) Topic: Courage: Career Discrimination and Risk. Tracy Kidder, Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World. Random House, paperback, 2004. Discussion leader 9: Michelle Pham
WEEK 8:
Tues Oct 18 no class, fall recess
Thurs Oct 20 continued, career discrimination and risk. Reading: Derrick Bell, Ethical Ambition: Living a Life of Meaning and Worth. Chapters will be recommended. ISBN:1582343039. Paperback, 2003, Bloombury USA. Discussion leader 10: Priscilla Hernandez
**Writing due: revision of second peer reviewed paper, hand in WITH ALL REVIEWS AND YOUR STATUS SHEET.
SPECIAL EVENT OF INTEREST TO SEMINAR:
Performance artist Rhodessa Jones, founder of The Medea Project: Theatre for Incarcerated Women, will be visiting IWS as the Fall 2005 Scholar/Practitioner-in-Residence. She will be in residence through late October.
Thursday, October 20, 7:30 p.m. — performance, Balch Auditorium, Scripps
For more information about Rhodessa Jones, visit:http://www.culturalodyssey.org/v2/aboutus/rhodessa_bio.html.
You may comment on this event or any of the other recommended events in any of your papers where it is relevant.
WEEK 9:
Tues Oct 25 continued, career discrimination and risk. Reading: Brenda Maddox, Rosalind Franklin---The Dark Lady of DNA. Chapters will be recommended. Harper-Collins, 2002, New York. Discussion leader 11: Derek Buchner
Thurs Oct 27 Topic: Courage: Taking action, preparation for interviews. Reading: William Zinsser, “Writing about People: The Interview” from On Writing Well, Quill:Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. Form interview teams of 2 students. Discussion of interviewing. Melinda’s Darfur trip background. Practice interview 1, 2.
WEEK 10:
Tues Nov 1 continued action. Generate interview questions in groups; presentation of questions chosen/reasons. Tentative interview subject identified by each group.
Thurs Nov 3 In-class writing assignment. Brief reports on interview scheduling, completion. Scheduling long interview reports to whole class; a two to three page double spaced interview paper is due on the day your group presents to the class.
WEEK 11:
Tues Nov 8 Interview reports, part 1 (2 groups, who also turn in interview reports).
Thurs Nov 10 Interview reports, part 2 (2 groups, who also turn in interview reports).
WEEK 12:
Tues Nov 15 Interview reports, part 3 (3 groups, who also turn in interview reports).
Thurs Nov 17 Topic: Military Courage. Readings: George Kateb, “Courage as a virtue”, Social Research 71(1) Spring, 2004, 39-72. Discussion leader 12:Ken Diamond
** Writing due: long paper (5-6 pages double spaced), hand in 4 copies for peer review.
Make sure it includes thesis and support, with careful attribution of sources of evidence and a section entitled literature cited with complete citations given.
WEEK 13:
Tues Nov 22 continued military courage. Stephen Crane, Red Badge of Courage. Available online:
Discussion leader 13:Max Fowler Cohen
Thurs Nov 24 Thanksgiving; relax, enjoy turkey, give thanks.
WEEK 14:
Tues Nov 29 continued, Military
courage. Reading online: Various authors, stories from soldiers in Iraq,
http://www.loc.gov/vets/stories/
Discussion leader 14: Sophie Dowse
Thurs Dec 1 continued, Military courage Discussion leader volunteer or no leader:
WEEK 15:
Tues Dec 6 last day for Tu/Thurs classes. Final discussion on essential features of definition of courage, based on all readings and discussions. Required class; if you are not able to be present, talk with the professor in advance.