Postcolonial
Literature:
Colonial/Postcolonial Dialogues
This course is designed as an introduction to postcolonial
literature and culture for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The
emphasis this semester will be on reading contemporary literary works from
Central America, Africa, and the Middle East within the historical, cultural,
and political context of European colonialism and anti- and postcolonial resistance.
Though the majority of the reading is originally written in English, the course
will also include works translated from Spanish, Arabic, and French. (Students
capable of reading the texts in their original language are invited to do
so.)
We will use a series of texts as focus works and then, in independent groups,
students will explore a series of literary, historical, and theoretical texts
that create a dialogue around the focus text. In this way we will investigate
the relationships between postcolonial and canonical works of English literature.
The primary written work for this class will be developing
web pages for every text read and pages introducing and connecting specific
literary dialogues around the focus texts. Pages will demonstrate a mastery
of the academic content of the course, high-quality scholarship, library and
web research, html literacy, graphic and artistic skill, and include and extensive
links to on-line resources. The web site will be created for the
use of scholars, teachers, and students interested in postcolonial literature
and its dialogues with the British and American literary canons.
We will also have a special electronic conference
that will serve as an additional space for discussion and learning. The class
will be taught in a new wireless, laptop classroom.
It will be assumed that students have no experience in creating or publishing
web pages and these skills will be introduced during class. Additional help
with web pages is available in the Information Technology Lab on the third floor
of Sangren Hall.
Since this is a discussion based, seminar-type class attendance is essential.
Students are expected to attend every class meeting; missing more than four
meetings will lead to failing the course.
The class web page and other resources are also accessible from my web site:
http: //vms.cc.wmich.edu/~careywebb.
Required Reading:
| |
Focus Text
|
Literary Dialogue
|
Additional Works (Choose One)
|
|
Central American Struggle
|
I, Rigoberta Menchu
|
The Nine Guardians
|
B. Traven Jungle Series: Government, The Carreta, March to the Monteria,
Trozas, The Rebellion of the Hanged, General from the Jungle; Men of
Maize, Don't Be Afraid Gringo, One Day of Life, etc.
|
|
Sub-Saharan African Colonialism
|
Arrow of God
|
Heart of Darkness
|
Things Fall Apart, A Man of the People, Anthills of the Savanah,
Gods Bits of Wood, Xala, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, etc.
|
|
Middle East
|
Men in the Sun
|
The Day the Leader was Killed, Woman at Point Zero
|
Woman of Egypt, Habibi, etc. Films: Faat-Kine, I.D., Life
on Earth, Night of Fate, etc.
|
Major Assignments
Syllabus
Tuesday, Jan 8: Introductions
I. Central American Struggle
Thursday, Jan 10: Read: I, Rigoberta Menchu, chaps. 1-4.
Tuesday, Jan. 15:
Read: I, Rigoberta Menchu,
chaps. 5-18.
Thursday, Jan. 17:
Read: I, Rigoberta Menchu,
chaps. 19-23.
Mon. 1/21 Martin
Luther King Jr. Birthday
Tuesday, Jan. 22
Attend: 4:00-5:30 "Teaching About MLK:" Schneider Hall, room 2000;
and
7:00 MLK Convocation,
Keynote speaker educator Marva Collins, Miller Auditorium.
Thursday, Jan. 24:
Read: I, Rigoberta Menchu, chaps. 24-end
Bring to Class the Focus Text Assignment
Tuesday, Jan. 29
Read: The Nine Guardians
Thursday, Jan. 31, Tuesday, Feb. 5, Thursday, Feb. 7, Tuesday, Feb. 12, Thursday,
Feb. 14
Read: additional work treating Central American struggle, research and create
text web page, due Feb. 14
II. Sub-Saharan African Colonialism
Tuesday, Feb. 19
Read: Arrow of God
Thursday, Feb. 21
Finish: Arrow of God
Bring to Class the Focus Text Assignment
Tuesday, Feb. 26
Read: Heart of Darkness and Achebe Essay
Thursday, Feb 28, Tuesday, Mar. 12
Read: additional work treating Africa, research and create text web page,
due: March 19
Spring Break
Gregory Jay Visit "Talk on Whiteness" Date to Be Announced
Thursday, Mar. 14, Tuesday, Mar. 19
Read: additional work treating Africa, research and create text web page,
due March 19
III. Middle East
Tuesday, Mar. 19
Read: Men in the Sun
Bring to Class a Focus Text Assignment on
one of the Middle Eastern Focus Texts
March 20-24 Film Festival, Little Theater
Thursday, Mar. 21
Read: Woman at Point Zero
Tuesday, Mar. 26
Discussion of African Film
Thursday, Mar. 28
Read: The Day the Leader Was Killed
Tuesday, April 2, Thursday, April 4, Tuesday April 9, Thursday April 11
Read: additional work treating Middle East, research and create text web
page, due April 11
Tuesday April 16, Thursday April 18
Create Theme Web page, due April 23
Finals Week
Tuesday, April 23, 5-7pm
"Final Exam:" Display Web Pages
Course Evaluation, Examine: on-line
postcolonial literature courses
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created by careywebb@wmich.edu
last modified: 1/02.
