This course satisfies the Liberal Education Requirement for Theorizing Race, Power, and Justice (TRPJ).
Course Overview
During this semester, students will examine literature as a means of understanding arguments about the role of race and culture in distributing power between and within various communities in the United States. Readings offer readers opportunities to understand the evolution of race as a cultural concept and the various conflicts over political and social power that have been the consequences of racist and ethnocentric assumptions in American history from the era of colonization and slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Course Objectives
This class will teach students to . . .
. . . have productive conversations about important works of literature dealing with race and racial difference.
. . . expand their understanding of the history of slavery in the United States and its aftermath.
. . . relate literary works to their larger contexts in culture, ethics, and history.
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Module One Exam | 20% |
| Module Two Exam | 15% |
| Module Three Exam (cumulative) | 35% |
| Short Paper on Race and Literature | 15% |
| Quizzes | 5% |
| Informal Assignments | 10% |
Required Texts
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko, Or the Royal Slave. Penguin, 2004.
Do the Right Thing, written and directed by Spike Lee, performed by Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, 40 Acres & a Mule, 1989.
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Modern Library, 2000.
Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele, performances by Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Universal Pictures, 2017.
Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. Harper Collins, 2013.
Locke, Attica. Bluebird, Bluebird. Little, Brown & Co., 2017.
Whitehead, Colson. Underground Railroad. Anchor, 2016.
Wilson, August. Fences. Penguin, 1986.
If you are ordering the books on your own, you may find the following ISBNs helpful:
Behn's Oroonoko: 9780140439885
Do the Right Thing (1989): film available to students through the library
Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: 9780679783282
Get Out (2017): film available to students through the library
Hurston's novel: 9780060838676
Locke's novel: 9780316363273
Wheatley's poems: available online at the Poetry Foundation website
Whitehead's novel: 9780345804327
Wilson's play Fences: 9780452264014
Expectations
Written Work. Your grade will depend primarily on your written work and the understanding of the material that you convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will thus contribute to the determination of your grade in this class.
The Writers' Workshop offers free one-to-one writing support to all members of UMD's campus community. Sessions are held synchronously online or in-person with a graduate student or faculty consultant. Feel free to bring any writing project at any stage in the writing process. To make an appointment, visit http://d.umn.edu/writwork or stop by the Workshop's front desk located on the second floor of Martin Library.
In addition, the Tutoring Center on the second floor of Martin Library offers free tutoring sessions for this course. Your tutor will be a high-achieving student trained to assist you. To learn more about the Tutoring Center, find the tutor(s) qualified for this subject area, or reserve a time with a tutor, please visit the Tutoring Center website. The tutors look forward to working with you!
Final Exams. All 1xxx-5xxx courses offered for undergraduate credit should include a final graded component or end of term evaluation that assesses the level of student achievement of one or more course objectives.ÊAll final graded components are to be administered or due at the time and place according to the final exam schedule and not during the last week of class. The final exam policy is available at https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/final-examinations.
Late AssignmentsÊwill receive a deduction of 1/3 of a letter grade for each business day that they are late. Students who miss exams may not make them up without a valid excuse for the absence. Make-up and extra-credit assignments are available on a case-by-case basis and only in the event of extreme circumstances.
Student Academic Integrity. Academic dishonesty tarnishes the reputation of the University of Minnesota Duluth and discredits the accomplishments of its students. Because the university is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit, it must insist on an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. Consequently, all members of the academic community must regard any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/student-academic-integrity. This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.
Academic Dishonesty and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)—Because they directly contravene the goals of learning to analyze literature and to formulate clear arguments about literary works, artificial intelligence language models and other online learning support platforms cannot be used for course assignments. Written assignments in this course must derive from your personal reflections on and understandings of assigned readings, and this requires me to ban the following:
Submitting all or any part of an assignment statement to an online learning support platform.
Incorporating any part of an AI-generated response into an assignment.
Using AI to brainstorm, formulate arguments, or template ideas for assignments.
Using AI to summarize or contextualize source materials.
Submitting your own work for this class to an online learning support platform for iteration or improvement, though you are welcome to use traditional spelling and grammar-checking tools embedded in word-processing applications within reason.
If you have any doubts or concerns about using an online learning support platform appropriately in this course, please discuss your situation with me (adapted from University of Minnesota policies at https://provost.umn.edu/chatgpt-syllabus-statements).
I am eager to work with and support genuine student responses to the assigned literature, but I have no interest in trying to "grade" how a computer algorithm is interpreting a text. Efforts to use generative AI to evade course requirements will encounter my strong disfavor and have a negative impact on your grade.
Disability Accommodations. Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class should inform me at the start of the semester. The Office of Disability Resources writes that "[i]t is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities.ÊIf there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirements—such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos—please notify the instructor as soon as possible."ÊYou can contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations by calling 218-726-6130 or by visiting the Disability Resources website at http://www.d.umn.edu/access/.
Notetaking. Remember that there are rules against disseminating these notes beyond the classroom community, which you can find at https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/course-notes-materials.
Attendance. This not an online class, so regular attendance is a basic expectation. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on the grade that you receive in this course. Excusable absences include "subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness, bereavement for immediate family and NCAA varsity college athletics." Please contact the instructor about anticipated absences in order to minimize their influence on your coursework. For more information on excused absences, see https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/excused-absences.
Student Conduct. Respect fellow students and refrain from behavior that might impair their learning opportunities. Any behavior that substantially and repeatedly interrupts the instructor's ability to teach or the students' ability to learn will result in appropriate penalties. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of communications technology in the classroom, such as ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, reading email, or browsing the Internet instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities. For further clarification of UMD policies in this regard, consult the Board of Regents Policy at https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf.
Another important conduct code addresses sexual harassment, which means "means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature," and that policy is available at https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2020-08/policy_sexual_harassment_sexual_assault_stalking_and_relationship_violence.pdf.
Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action. As stated in academic policies: "The University provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs and facilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The UMD Department of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity is available to all UMD employees, students, and participants in University-related activities to discuss issues or concerns regarding University policies or practices involving potential bias, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation that an individual may have experienced or observed." For more details, see https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_equity_diversity_equal_opportunity_and_affirmative_action.pdf.
Civility. UMD instructors and students have a responsibility to maintain a learning environment that is, as stated in the Teaching and Learning Policy, "respectful of the rights and freedoms of all members, and promotes a civil and open exchange of ideas." The full policy is available at https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/instructor-and-student-responsibilities.
Academic Freedom and Responsibility. Thoughtful dialog is a cornerstone of higher education. This expectation is upheld in the University of Minnesota'sÊBoard of Regents Policy: Academic Freedom and Responsibility at https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_academic_freedom_and_responsibility.pdf, which says in part:
SECTION II. ACADEMIC FREEDOM.
Academic freedom is the freedom, without institutional discipline or restraint, to discuss all relevant matters in the classroom, to explore all avenues of scholarship, research, and creative expression, and to speak or write on matters of public concern as well as on matters related to professional duties and the functioning of the University.
Mental Health. From UMD's Office of Academic Affairs: "Feelings such as anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem, or tension are a normal part of being human and can affect anyone. Sometimes these feelings are temporary and can be eased by rest, relaxation, exercise, good nutrition, and the support of trusted friends. At other times, stressors, relationships, or past family experiences cannot be managed so easily and become overwhelming. If this happens, and you find it hard to function, you may want to seek professional help. Counseling Services are available at UMD Health Services to assist you.
"If you are in need of mental health support when Health Services is closed, or in case of an emergency, please contact The Birch Tree Center's Crisis line at 218-623-1800 or go to the emergency room/urgent care at either St. Luke's Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital. If an ambulance is needed, call 911.
"If the emergency is non-life-threatening and you do not have a means of transportation, call Campus Police at 218-726-7000). If you have needs that Counseling Services does not treat, they have a case manager who helps connect students to referrals as well as navigating issues with insurance. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus atÊUMD Health Services" at https://health-services.d.umn.edu/counseling-services.
Paper Grading Standards
| Grade | Criteria |
|---|---|
| A | Confident, persuasive written expression An original approach to the work in question A strong thesis statement that is arguable and interesting A clear, well-organized argument Engagement with the audience in a manner that commands attention Consistently good use of evidence in support of contentions and in accordance with MLA format Nearly flawless mechanics (format, spelling, grammar) |
| B | Clear written expression with a few minor breakdowns Somewhat original approach to the work in question A strong thesis statement that is arguable and interesting A well-organized argument that signals its structure to readers by way of effective transitional sentences Adequate use of evidence to support your contentions and in accordance with MLA format Only a few mechanical flaws |
| C | Satisfaction of the basic demands of the assignment General clarity though with a few breakdowns A thesis statement that is arguable and interesting An organized argument Use of evidence in support of contentions and in accordance with MLA format, though not consistently Several mechanical flaws, but not so many that they confuse the meaning of your paper |
| D | Falling short of the basic demands of the assignment Numerous breakdowns impairing the clarity of the argument A thesis statement that is either not arguable or is uninteresting An argument that has minimal organization Use of evidence to support contentions that is wildly inconsistent and/or not in accordance with the MLA format Numerous mechanical flaws interfering with paper clarity |
| F | Failure to satisfy the basic demands of the assignment Unclear writing style Lack of a thesis statement No clear argument—seemingly random arrangement of ideas Mechanical flaws throughout the paper No use of evidence to support the argument or plagiarized work |
Learning Outcomes
This class will support the Liberal Education Programs Student Learning Outcomes for Theorizing Race, Power, and Justice (TRPJ) in the following manner:
SLO 1: Students will describe how historical, socio-cultural, institutional, structural and/or all of the aforementioned (i.e., systemic) ways of thinking can be used to explain present-day racial inequalities or other avenues of racial oppression.
--This course will focus on slavery and its aftermath as an influence on racially-delineated power structures in the United States lasting at least 150 years after the abolition of slavery. Literary accounts of slavery and racial segregation shed light on ways of thinking that linger on long after the repeal of laws enforcing racial hierarchies and racial separation.
SLO 2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of how the above ways of thinking apply to discipline-specific real cases.
--Each literary work will provide a discipline-specific real case of cultural attitudes and ethical problems associated with the African American experience in the United States. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the associated situations and conflicts on three exams, one paper, and frequent informal activities in our class.