Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Course Description
The term “postmodern” has been the subject of much debate over the past few decades. Today it can be
used to define literature that (among other things) challenges our versions of history, our national
mythologies, our sense of subjectivity, and our expectations as to what fiction and poetry can do. In this
course, we will be looking at American postmodern fiction and poetry from the last 20 years. We will
review the antecedents of postmodern literature (from the historical avant-garde, High Modernism, and
the Post War period) as well as influences from other countries. In keeping with the interdisciplinary
nature of our programs, we will be studying these works as scholars as well as creative writers, analyzing
subject matter in addition to craft. Finally, we will consider each text as a product of a particular cultural
moment as well as a potential agent for change.
The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers (8th Edition--or an earlier edition) ed.
Hairston, Ruszkiewicz, Friend
Additional Requirements
Access to a computer and a photocopier
An e-mail account
A journal: one notebook that you will consistently use for writing exercises and daily pages.
Folders for class handouts, weekly writing assignments, and final portfolios.
Week 1: Aug 22
Discuss: Expectations, course goals, assignments, and policies
Literary Analysis and its Goals: “The Red Wheelbarrow”
Literary Criticism: the State of the Discipline
Assignment: “Introduction” from Postmodern American Fiction (ER).
Week 2: Aug 29
Library Research Session
An Introduction to Postmodern Fiction
Presentation Group Assignments
Assignment: White Noise and selected critical responses including “Topics for papers or discussion”
(515); Baudrillard “From Simulacra and Simulation” (ER).
Week 3: Sept 5
White Noise
Presentation Group 1
Assignment: “Introduction” from American Poets in the 21st Century: The New Poetics (ER).*
Week 4: Sept 12
White Noise and Critical Approaches to Writing about Literature
Post-Modern Poetry: An Overview
Assignment: Madonna Anno Domini: Poems.
Week 5: Sept 19
Madonna Anno Domini
Presentation Group 2
Assignment: Dictee
Week 6: Sept 26
Dictee
Presentation Group 3
Assignment: Borderlands, Begin researching topics for your seminar paper
Week 7: Oct 3
MID-TERM RESEARCH BREAK: CLASS DOES NOT MEET
Week 8: Oct 10
Borderlands
Presentation Group 4
Assignment: Sleeping with the Dictionary. Hooks “Postmodern Blackness” (ER)
Week 9: Oct 17
Sleeping with the Dictionary
Presentation Group 5
Assignment: The Activist. “Poetry, Politics and Translation: American Isolation & the Middle East” by
Ammiel Alcalay (can be downloaded as a PDF at <http://www.palmpress.org/press/index.php?id=8>
Week 11 Oct 31
The Activist/The Road
Presentation Group 7
Assignment: Complete first draft of your final paper
Group Presentation (30%). Each student will participate in a group presentation of one of
the seven major texts we will read. Presentations will include a brief author bio, brief
summary of the critical response to the text, discussion of the social/historical context of a
work and a series of interpretive and exploratory discussion questions for the class. These
questions must be turned into me the week before a group is scheduled to present.
Final Paper (50%). Your final paper will look at how the works we’ve read speak to one
another, to history, or to the culture at large. We will discuss possible topics. You are
expected to make use of scholarly sources in your essay, and you'll want to build in plenty of
lead-time for research. You will also be required to present a small paragraph discussing the
journals for which your research might be appropriate and what changes (in terms of style or
length) might have to be made to your essay in order to meet a particular journal’s
submission requirements.
Your final semester grade will be calculated according to the above percentages. Do not discard any
drafts, notes, papers or research materials you produce during the semester until you receive a final grade
A few of you have come to me asking to be able to fulfill your translation requirement through this class.
That’s a hard request, considering this course will be focused on postmodern American literature. That
being the case, you can use the final paper requirement as a way to demonstrate your aptitude in another
language. A paper such as this might apply some aspect of postmodern theory to the work of a writer
publishing in another language. You might choose to write a comparative analysis of an American and a
foreign author. What is important is that your research would require you to read in another language. I
would ask that you include copies of the articles or works consulted in a foreign language with your final
paper. Should that work be written in a language in which I do not have reading comprehension, we
would need to arrange for another faculty member to verify your comprehension.
If you would like to pursue this option with me, please come see me to discuss before the midterm break.
I am willing to make suggestions as to the kinds of articles and essays that would be suitable for this
assignment. I will not simply read your translations.
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance
You are expected to be punctual, to attend class daily, and to participate in all in-class editing,
revising, and discussion sessions. Excessive absenteeism (4 absences) will result in failure of the
course. There is no difference between excused or unexcused absences. Save any absences to
use when you are sick or when you have an emergency. If you find that an unavoidable problem
prevents you from attending class, please discuss the problem with me before you have reached
your absence limit.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3,
and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of
Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the
Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating
the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by
the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments
of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to
resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the
grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain
primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at
that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic
Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic
appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary
to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for
students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for
example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired).
Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible
facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration,
note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring
special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.