Course Syllabus

Dr. Michael L. Naylor / Email: mnayl@umich.edu

Class Day/Time: M/W 2-3:50 p.m.        Class Room:  3353 MH         Course Number: CSP 105

Office Hrs.: M/W 12-2 & 4-5 p.m. (or arranged)        Location: 1153 Angell Hall (CSP area)

"People of different religions & cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what – and who... we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings." —Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

Overview:

“Insiders/Outsiders” Reading and Writing Seminarexamines both the perspectives of those within and exterior to racial and ethnic cultural groups, where we may be on the cultural competency continuum (based on experiences, education, and exposures), and the causes and effects of historically evolved discrimination, culture biases, racism, privilege and religious/gender identity in a pluralistic society (today ALL societies are largely pluralistic, but a large focus will be on that of America). Course readingsinclude scholarly and literary writings and media as determined relevant from those within each culture: Native American, African American, Latino/Latina, Arabic/Middle Eastern, Jewish/Romani & from intersectional demographics and orientations including: religion, gender, LGBTQ and ability diversity.  

Students will “read”(observe/listen) and “write”(reflect/speak/create) through an assortment of diverse expressive forms and genre -- Academic discourse: (scholarly and non-scholarly research-based writing and documentary film/TedTalks), and Literary: (fiction prose, short stories, poetry, song lyrics and spoken word, feature films, and music videos etc.). See Syllabus for more...

NOTE: This course meets the LSA Race & Ethnicity and Humanities requirements. Texts, films, and discussions will focus specifically on ways that racial and ethnic intolerance has and is impacting our society. 

PRIMARY Course Outcomes:

Increasing Cultural Proficiency: Recognizing &"healing" Biases and Mis-information. Since the entire course evolves around you both “knowing yourself” (in what way you are an “Insider”) as well as where your experiences and knowledge fall on the cultural literacy or competency spectrum to others (“Outsiders”).  The key to success in this course will reside in the student’s willingness or motivation to learn, grow and expand their capacities to respect others (on their terms (giving all cultures/identities the right of self-determination).  We will frequently work in groups to help us develop the necessary mind and skill-sets to embrace recognize and overcome biases (implicit & explicit) Identities/Biases we will Engage: Racial/Cultural/Ethnic, Assumptions of Intelligence/literacy, Generational/Age/Era, Religious/Purpose Identity, Historical evolution of Morality/Values/Purpose, Gender/Sexual, Ability, and Wealth/Poverty. See Syllabus for more info on building Quality work over the Semester

GROUP & FINAL PROJECTS / Working with Others to Find Common Ground / Pay it FORWARD: Immersion Learning (learning by immersing ourselves in other cultures or in diverse groups) and creating scholarly or refined “writing” (expressive) projects in a group setting (working with those who differ in their backgrounds to create well-though-out and supported presentations) using the sum of group academic and creative abilities (maximizing group/community efficacy to tell a story or put something of value "into" the world) is critical to the acculturation of selflessness and reinforcement of the belief that our abilities to serve others and improve the conditions of our world, is a mandatory "outcome" of cultural literacy or proficiency.

Note: students will be encouraged to maintain an annotated bibliography of quotes, statistics, media, etc. to carry race & ethnicity equity/justice into their careers and lives, as well as use as support for their essays and final projects.

This Syllabus – all due dates, requirements, and grading criteria are subject to change during the course of the semester.  

Required Texts: MOST Readings will be PDF articles – located in Canvas: SEE LIST in Canvas Files.  The following may be purchased or checked-out as needed.

• ISBN: 0345514408 I know why the caged bird sings, Author: Maya Angelou., Publisher: Ballantine Books Ballantine 2009 All Editions OK.
• ISBN: 1555919774 Walking the Rez Road : stories, Author: Northrup, Jim, 1993- All Editions OK.

Films: Inside Class  -- Note: For "in-class" ALL films – they will start immediately at 2:00p.m. and go to 4 p.m.+  ON film days – please plan on getting to class early– and see if you can’t get a 5-10 minute allowance for any 4p.m. commitments (so you can see the entire film).

• Straight Outta Compton, Biographical portrayal of NWA in reaction to social/racial conditions of the 1980's, 2 hrs, 47 min's.
• Chocolat, a tale of community, bias, and courage (Roma "outsiders"_. 2 hrs.
• Spirit Game, Documentary on Native Lacrosse World Cup & Native concerns;
• The Kite Runner, based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini, 2 hrs. 8 min’s
• Bend it like Beckham, a cross-cultural comedy/drama of fusion and conflict depicting a Punjabi Sikh’s family living in West London, 1 hr. 52 min.;

Course Requirements/Assignments:

Attendance & Participation:(including: required office hour andadvisor visit during the semester) 20pts at Midterm / 40 pts Final= 60 pts.

• Attendance/Participation includes: class attendance (on time), submission of all work (on time), and a "growth/learning" mindset as applies to all class and group work, AND
• Office Hr./Advisor meeting: You should schedule at least ONE office hr. (min.) with your instructor and advisor (each) by Midterm. My email: mnayl@umich.edu
• Create an Annotated Bibliography/Journal:this is the way you collect bib. Info, citations, and ideas for use later in your degree, career, life.  See: 0-Naylor “Seeing the end…” (15 pts – of final Part. grade) Note:[if students do NOT score 12 pts. or better, they must resubmit their Bibliography at end of semester with improvements]
• In-Class Presentations: Each person will be placed in a group based on a Race & Ethnicity topic of their choosing. Collectively in groups, you will lead class discussions with your observations. 

EIGHT Reading-Writing assignments will include: “Reaction” Essays, Talks, or Discussion Boards(to class readings & discussions) in addition to In-Class presentations, your Mid-term Paper and your FINAL Group Project will be required– (95 pts)

• TWO reflective Scholarly Discussion Boards (10 ea./20 pts),
• ONE NPR – 1-2 page Audio Script (10 pts),
• ONE NPR-Style Audio story/report (15 pts),
• ONE Scholarly Essay Writing Proposal(1-2 pages abstract, main points, quotes/citation support, and “what’s next” – conclusion/proposal) (5 pts),Note:leads to Midterm Research Paper
• ONE pocket production Music/Spoken Word Video(rap/song/spoken word lyrics with non-copyrighted or original music and visuals – done with your group & friends) (15 pts), OR
  • ONE Group: “pocket production Video”Mini-documentary[4-6 min.] (15pts) posted Online for the Class to see [academic “report” presentation recorded with your phone],
• ONE TEDTalk (6-8 - minute scholarly presentation based on Midterm Topic Research work [top “Talks” will voted by class and repeated at end of semester for College] (10pts)
• Midterm Research paper: 20 pts.4-5 pg. cross-literary comparative essay on readings/media on a self-chosen topic of “passionate interest” directed at the culture or issues of your Group final project, using a prepared “annotated bibliography” of self-initiated research [as well as observations from class readings, films, & discussions] related to your final project theme= 5 pts. Proposal/Outline (above) / 20 pts. Paper – submitted in Word.doc format for instructor feedback/editing.

Group Project Process: 75 pts.

Group Projects are built through the entire semester as follows: a) Group class projects (designed to get you working as group and build trust and friendships with your group members; b) Individual research (group discussions, data base research, discussion board, & individual midterm paper); c) Collaboration on full resources/talents in group – creation of project plan, and d) completion of the following group process stages:

• Group Project Plan: 10 pts.  Include: 1) What will be your end-product (A. Documentary style film with interviews, B. audio narrative with images & interviews, and/or C. community resource compilation with video interviews) 2) What roles will each student assume (try to divide efforts “nearly” equally), 3) Target dates, meeting day/times, due dates for each phase, Submitted on Canvas - 1 per group
• Group Project Template: 25 pts After completing the Project Plan, with interview, shooting ideas, scripting intros, etc., each group will complete a production Template including: written scripted narrative (anything that you will read/record as introduction or transition materials between interviews, under images, etc), and a list of ALLresearch/quotes/statistics, as well as proposed creative ideas [use of music, B-roll images/animations, etc,[ (including: ALL anticipated additional shooting of video, images, etc. if multi-media) AND a specific “schedule” for group meetings to complete production (using dates/class times as guides), roles and responsibilities of each group member, – ONE plan per Group - Submitted on Canvas
• Final Group Project: 30 pts Final presentation of Group project to CSP/College, including a planned and well-presented demonstration of all stages of the project process. Oral Presentation (Summary:individual research, group evolution of topic/project, roles, acknowledgement of “experts” and presentation of final work for CSP/University (Optional: to be posted on YouTube/CSP web platform):Total: = 30 pts.
• Individual “Group” Project Reflection Post: Canvas = 10 pts. Each individual will submit an individual group dynamic/participation and project reflection essay.  This report evaluates self-awareness, understanding of the ethnicity or group you worked with, an account of the struggles, challenges and how you coped with each, and group accountability assessment (how you felt each group member participated or communicated in the process.

Grading [total pts for the course]: 245 pts. All grading will posted on Canvas and is converted to percentages and your grade estimate maintained over the semester.  Be sure to talk to your instructor if you have grade concerns/anxiety -- so clear perimeters for success can be communicated.

STANDARD WEEK: (class/assignment work)

Wk 1

Wed. Sept. 5                            

Introduction & Class Overview: What  is cultural competency, literacy or proficiency? What changes (for us) if we are “Insiders” or "Outsiders" ? What is a competency continuum (or the benefit to us)? Class overview:

• Course Introduction: cultural competency / reading & writing defined /Motivation & Benefits of Diversity
• Do we have single stories?Video: power of a single story...[beg: to 9:36]

Assignment:Canvas/Files

• Read: find in Canvas under "Files" / B-CSP Reading PDF's 0-CSP 105 Introduction, 1-Thriving in Diversity, & 1-Benefits&Chall.
• POST Discussion Board: Reflective Essay #1 - Personal Reaction to readings [find ALL posts under Assignments: read instructions carefully]
• Bring to next Class:1-Miner "Body Ritual of Nacirema" (Canvas>Files -- InClass) NOTE: this is a note of what someone might need to prepare for class.

 Discussion Bd. #1: Due Sunday – 9/9 11:59p.m. NOTE: all assignments and due dates and times will be clearly notated.  Try always to get them done early!