Humanities 1171 is a directed, in-depth study in the humanities with a focus that is interdisciplinary, and has an emphasis on cultural, historical, and social perspectives. The theme for our course this Fall 2001 is "Customs, Traditions, and Celebrations: The Human Drive for Community." 

This is a seminar course, which means that you should practice both your listening and speaking skills. Because this is an Honors course, more is expected from you in all that we do together this semester. Come to class prepared to discuss with me and your fellow classmates, bring provocative and insightful questions and comments about the reading material, and reflect on everything you hear and read.

At the completion of this course, you should be able to:

• gather, analyze, and report on information pertinent to issues on our topic 

• critically read and discuss various texts, from inside and outside the classroom

• present through short papers your responses to and evaluations of issues raised by class discussions and your own readings on our topic

• articulate your own personal assumptions and beliefs, and perhaps how they have changed, about the issues raised this semester 

• explore in detail at least one aspect regarding the questions raised about our topic 
  

Malidoma Patrice Some: Ritual: Power, Healing, and Community
James Agee: A Death in the Family 
Chaim Potok: The Chosen 
Marlo Morgan: Mutant Message Down Under
William Shakespeare: Macbeth
T. S. Eliot: Selected Poems
Truman Capote: A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, and A Thanksgiving Visitor

Course Ground Rules:

1. Attendance is critical. We meet only once per week, so missing one class is the same as missing one week’s worth of course work. While I know that legitimate reasons do occur for absences, please make every effort to attend our sessions.  Attendance factors into determining grades, since your participation in discussion is a component of calculating your final grade.
   
2. If you miss class, contact another student for notes and explanation of assignments.  I will keep extra copies of any handouts on file in my office.  If you have any questions about assignments or responsibilities, call or come see me before the next class. 
   
3. Have all reading and writing assignments completed by the beginning of class.
   
4. Plagiarized work is unacceptable. Please understand what this means and do not attempt to pass off the work of someone else as your own. If I have any questions about the legitimacy of your work, I will ask you to produce proof that the writing is original.
   
5. Expect to spend 4 to 7 hours per week of reading and writing outside of class time.
   
6. Active participation in group and class discussions is essential. If you are naturally shy, explore ways in which you might contribute: participate in smaller groups, offer opinions when I’m asking for a response that has no right or wrong answer. If you are naturally talkative, share your thoughts with the class but be sensitive to those who may not be as willing to share: do not dismiss another’s opinion as wrong, and encourage or affirm what someone else has said if you agree. Above all, practice mannerly conversation in all your circles. 

Description of Class Assignments:

You will have four types of assignments this semester: reading, participation, writing assignments, and individual and group presentations. 

Reading

Reading assignments occur every week. While reading the material, feel free to mark up the books or hand-outs to help you absorb what you are reading. Read slowly and carefully, paying as much to what is said as to what might be implied. Be a good critical reader. 

Participation

Classes will consist mostly of guided discussion, so your participation is critical and will be noted. To share your responses to the readings, you will work in small groups on occasion to exchange ideas, generate questions, and perhaps lead discussions on an issue or a text.

In anticipation of our time together in class, please bring to class at least one question that you have about what you have read. It may be a question about the factual information, or it may be a speculative or interpretive question. We will use some of these to ensure that we discuss the issues that have triggered a response in you.

Written Assignments

There are two categories of papers for this course: one, a selection of four short response papers, and another longer, in-depth analytical paper.

The short papers are approximately 500-word, typed responses to an issue raised by our discussion. These are due the week following the class period in which the material that provoked you to comment was discussed. You may choose from any class period up to and including our discussion of the final text for our semester. 

The longer paper will be an analysis paper on a topic of your choosing on the issues we've raised concerning our topic. This assignment should be 4 to 6 pages long, and should include a complete Works Cited page.  The paper is due the day you make your class presentation (see below), which means this must be submitted either December 5th or December 12th. Topics for this assignment need prior approval. Topics will need to be chosen by November 14th.

Both types of papers should be typed, double-spaced, and free of errors and corrections. The longer writing assignment should include a title page (with the paper title, your name, course title, instructor’s name, and date) and page numbers. All late papers will be penalized.

Presentations

While there is no mid-term or final exam, there is a presentation. Using the subject you have researched and studied for your longer 4 - 6 page paper, deliver a 15-minute presentation on your topic to the class.  Exactly how we will conduct this will be determined both by class size and my additional thinking on this.

Grading Scale:
                    A = 90 - 100%
                    B = 80 - 89%
                    C = 70 - 79%
                    D = 60 - 69%
                    F = Below 60%

Schedule of Classes and Assignments:

The following class schedule should be considered a guideline for what we hope to cover in Humanities 1171. Depending on the depth and length of class discussions, and the content and nature of the reading assignments, our dates may vary. Please do keep up and be aware of what we intend to cover each class period.