Course Syllabus

 

CSP 105 Reading & Writing Seminar “Insiders/Outsiders” SYLLABUS0-CSP105 Syl-WIN-21.pdf

Course Number: CSP 105-001 Instructor: Dr. Michael L. Naylor / Email: mailto:mnayl@umich.edu

Class Day/Time: M/W 12-1:50 p.m.     Class Room: Remote

Office Hrs.: M 2–4p.m. AND W 12-2 p.m. (and/or Fri’s arranged)

ZOOM Meeting ID: 996 5060 9607 / https://umich.zoom.us/j/99650609607

"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 Sec.-General of the United Nations

Overview: Insiders/Outsiders / Reading and Writing Seminar examines both the perspectives of those within and exterior to racial and ethnic culture groups, as well as our own assumptions and beliefs about race and ethnic identities, histories and values.  We will learn to see ourselves on a cultural competency[1] continuum to all cultures, based on the extent of our experiences, education, and exposures to each culture on their terms.  We will learn that all injustices and inequities across our lifespan, are the manifestations of historically evolved hierarchies and beliefs of value, culture biases, and degrees of privilege and/or ethnic/religious/gender stratification, that can only be made equitable if we become literate and objectively see the underlying history and its impact on our position and roles in pluralistic society.  Note: We will attempt to introduce a world or international vision of R&E (race and ethnicity) concerns, as histories are overlapping and ALL societies pluralistic. However, given on location, we will place a predominant focus on R&E issues in the Americas.

• Course readings include scholarly, literary, and creative writings and media as determined relevant to nurture student DEJI (diversity, equity, justice and inclusive) /R&E competency, including, but not limited to: Native/Indigenous, African/African Diaspora (black), Latinx/Mexican, Romani, Greater Middle Eastern, Asian and diaspora/American and mixed-culture histories and identities. We will also engage intersectional demographics and orientations as overlap with R&E concerns, including, but not limited to, gender, religious beliefs, LGBTQ+ preferences, and ability diversity.   
• Students will read (incl: view/observe/listen) and write (Incl: express/reflect/produce) through an assortment of expressive activities, including: academic discourse (scholarly and non-scholarly research-based writing and documentary film/Ted-Talks), and creative or  literary: (fiction prose, short stories, poetry, song lyrics and spoken word, films, and creative videos etc.), with the goals: to increase student capacity to engage and share experiences in the most diverse and controversial settings with thoughtfulness and dignity.

This course meets the LS&A Race & Ethnicity and Humanities requirements.

PRIMARY Course Processes & Outcomes:

Increasing our cultural competency, which briefly can be defined as perpetual growth in the objective or informed awareness of other races and ethnicities on their terms,  and the growth in our literacy and proficiency, or the willingness to become informed, act and carry-forward our awareness through immersion in, and service to other races and ethnicities proportionate to the social, economic, and cultural status imposed by our histories, demands that each of us grow in our capacity to recognize and sustain efforts to perceive and embrace distorted historical narratives as needed processes for personal DEJI growth over our lives, especially as concerns:

• R&E hierarchies and assumptions of power or privilege,
• Recognizing and working to overcome implicit and institutional biases by preferencing objective self-reflection, immersion learning, and embracing cultural-self-determination ;
• Evaluating readings and media in the context of the long and deeply-embedded practices of inequity and injustice, including how they manifest in the institutions and practices we most value. This also includes reading and extracting ideas for use in our lives, vs. solely for assignment completion, as in: working for beyond the classroom;
• Emphasizing the process of growth over beliefs in achievable, finite, or standardized outcomes EX: one is seldom/never “not” racist--if brought up in a society with the legacy of racism, we may become increasing less so, proportionate to our sustained efforts;  
• Learning new and more culturally-humble ways to engage in discussions, express or write about complex and difficult issues without resorting to argumentation and priority positioning, including: embracing mistakes as essential to growth;
• Practicing Immersion learning, or working in diverse group with those unlike ourselves is essential to sustaining the motivation to embrace discomfort and normalize R&E work, until: discomfort becomes comfortable, immersion in other cultures natural, and advocating equity, justice and inclusivity—over self-serving goals, essential.        

Students will be encouraged to be honest, transparent, and to value making mistakes, in opposition to authority, being fearful, argumentative or defensive.  To facilitate this, we will also review practices of listening and sharing, so that even the most detrimental biases and shortcomings, may be embraced. Overcoming R&E biases and inadequate education, demands the nurturing of cultural humility, grit and growth-mindedness as concerns our beliefs, values and short-comings.

            This course revolves around students knowing and valuing their own race and ethnic values, beliefs, and histories (referred to as: “Insider” status) while elevating the importance and effort given to extending themselves to the concerns of others (referred to as “Outsiders”), preferential to those most under or mis-represented in their own society—as essential to meeting the standards of DEJI (diversity, equity, justice and inclusive) education. 

Required Texts:

ALL Readings will be PDF articles or links to content located in Canvas: SEE LIST in Canvas Files  or provided as links.  All media will be as links to YouTube videos or films available through Netflix, Xfinity, etc.

MODULE/Week SCHEDULE:

Specifically, the CSP 105 course will scaffold the R&E, DEJI learning competency requirements in Modules and activities as follows: 

• Introduction & Module 1 - R&E Terms and Processes: Learning DEJI mindsets and R&E competency for intrinsic goals, beyond the classroom, and for personal life/career application; understanding race and ethnic constructs and historical cause and effect; and familiarizing ourselves with terms and processes we might carry throughout the course.  We will also look at the requirements of learning communities as the basis for class procedures, and the growing our experiences essential to DEJI competency; Selection: students will be placed in groups based on the presentation of a lightning talk [on their greatest R&E immersion needs/interests or passions].   Weeks 1, 2, & 3
• Module 2 - Self-exploration: Students will be asked to examine their own strengths and liabilities as concerns racial and ethnic experiences and beliefs of value through diverse reading experiences, ranging from scholarly journal to video and film. An emphasis of this Module is to normalize and personalize working to eradicate areas of implicit (unconscious) bias and racial, ethnic, gender, religious, gaps in our experiences and literacy. Group
  • Week 4 will include a scholarly reading and writing exercise; Week 5 a personal reflection on “identity” converted to an audio podcast in pairs; and Week 6 a group film discussion and class presentation; Weeks 4, 5, & 6
• Module 3 & 4A&B - Exploring the Evolution and Impact of Race, Gender, and Intersectional Narratives/Bias & Histories to “US”: These modules will encourage the student to examine their position on a cultural competency continuum as well as how they might methodically increase awareness of historical cause and effect on their implicit racial and gender biases and assumptions of value. In particular, we will use the history of racism, patriarchy and practices of gender stratification and the intersectional or overlapping relationships of race and gender in current events and institutionalized value constructs.  Students will be asked to personally consider their own needs in becoming “anti-racist” and gender-equitable, as the basis for moving ever-further towards cultural literacy or global equity literacy. Weeks 7, 8, & 9
• Module 5 - Native & Indigenous Values and History: In two subsequent weeks, students will explore cultures that are among the most invisible in modern, technology-centered societies, most abused historically, yet offer in many ways the antidote to pious ethnocentrism, consumerism, and belief in human value being linked to dominance, patriarchy, imperialism: Native and Indigenous cultures. Week one: they will report in groups to the class their findings for Native readings and presentations of historical events and the impact to Native cultures; Week two: they will read/view contemporary examples of Native art and advocacy to report on Native identity as presented by Native artists. Week 10
• Module 6 - Making our Mark: Having identified a passion or greatest need in race and ethnic or intersectional societal biases and inequities as related to the student’s future goals/career and lives, student’s aided by their group for collaboration, will independently conduct research and extract from their research to organize a three “act” (section) research project. Complete with a carefully written thesis and actionable conclusion and bibliography, the body will consist only of prioritized extractions from articles they find in ProQuest searches (with librarian assistance). Student may apply their research in Group project context in multiple options: narrated PowerPoint, Video or audio podcast.
  • Examples of Topics: Racial/ Ethnic biases/privilege, Cultural-centrism and impact on values or assumptions of intelligence, Diversity in views and beliefs about aging, religious/purpose values, historical evolution of beliefs of morality and exceptionalism, Gender/sexual identity & variations, normalizing diversity in beliefs of ability and considering alternatives to beliefs of wealth/poverty, etc. Weeks 11 & 12

GROUP Class Presentation and Final Project WEEKS:

• Module 7 - Topic of Choice: Based on current events, group passions, topics of R&E or overlapping and intersectional nature, each group will select a final R&E concern or topic – that as a group, has overlapping relevance to all group members. They will then research, plan and create a presentation to the class of their findings, concerns, and visions or solutions to the issue, in an engaging manner.  Each group will have to convert their presentations to a media format as dictated by the skills and passion in group membership.  Goal/Criteria for success: creating an informed, collaborative, creative and unified presentation that may have lasting value beyond the class. Weeks 13 to 14

Course Requirements & Evaluation:

INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION: 30 pts.

Attendance & Participation: Includes attendance at every class with video representation to foster a sense of community – (unless exempted through private conversation with instructor). Timely completion of all assignments and/or communication with instructor to make arrangements for alternative submissions (if in crisis), and attendance at office hours and advisor visits (recommended two each during the semester) 10pts at Midterm / 20 pts Final = 30 pts.

• Points may be added (extra credit) for assistance beyond the requirements of the class or assisting classmates or the instructor in some manner; or they may be deducted per missed class or tardy/late attendance or work (unless excused), or poor engagement or communication with group members;
• Recommendation: We will generally meet as a class only ONCE per week.  The second day, can therefore be used for Reading course work, working in groups, or completing assignments.  Strongly urge you to use this time as if you were attending class.

CLASS WORK/ASSIGNMENTS: 215 Pts.

• Reaction Essay Discussion Boards (to class readings & discussions) multiple diverse Writing Projects in addition to In-Class presentations, your Mid-term Paper and your FINAL Group Project will be required  6 = 110 pts. [1=10/5=20]
• Reading Comprehension Quizzes: these are simple assessments on key points  just to check  your reading concentration and comprehension---with the goal: to use the ideas later in your life… 2 X 10 pts. each = 20 Pts.
• On-GOING Reading Extraction Journal/Bibliography: Throughout the semester – you will be asked to “extract” the most important, relevant content/quotes and citation material, as may be used by you throughout your career:
• Your Extraction Journal/Bibliography: maintained throughout the class for use beyond the class, In-class presentations and Discussions. 25 Pts.
• In-Class Presentations: Each person will be placed in a groups.  Collectively you may be asked to lead class discussions with your observations.  The goals: learn to develop working communities, practice empathetic and equitable consultation, and negotiate presentations with others (those different from you). 45 Pts. [3=10/1=15]
• Individual Research on TOPIC of Personal Passion - will include:

• ONE Scholarly Research Flow-Plan Writing Proposal (2 pages: thesis, 3-development points with citation support, and “what’s next” – conclusion/proposal) Note: leads to Midterm Research Paper/Production 15 Pts 

GROUP PROJECT - All Phases: 40 pts.

Group Projects are built through the entire semester as follows: a) Group class discussions and “break out” (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 group process stages:

• Week 1 Planning: 5 pts.  Include: 1) What will be your end-product (A. Documentary style film with interviews, B. audio narrative with images & interviews, or C. Narrated and recorded (video edited) PowerPoint recording. May include: 1) UofM community resources (‘experts’) for video interviews; 2) roles/responsibilities each student will assume, 3) Target meeting day/times, Submitted on Canvas - 1 per group
• Week 1: Template (Script/Storyboard or Plan): 15 pts each group will complete a production Template  or storyboard/script with intro, segue and closing narratives, and support of research/quotes/statistics, as well as proposed creative ideas [use of music, B-roll images/animations, etc,] A schedule of all group production meetings: to complete production– ONE  per Group.
• Week 2 - 3: Create Final Group Presentation: 20 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).

Grading - Total Points: 285 pts                    

Grades will be posted in CANVAS.  Point to % Grade Conversions (Canvas automatically converts scores to % and grades).  Follow them through the semester… but know: you will get a good grade if you do “good work” – that simple.  Standard grading by % in University is as follows:

Grade Distribution
A+ A	97-100% 93-97%	B	83-86%	C	73-76%	D	63-66%
A-	90-92%	B-	80-82%	C-	70-72%	D-	60-62%
B+	87-89%	C+	77-79%	D+	67-69%

 

Grades: try not to let these be acceptable to you: B- = 80%, C+ = 77%, C =74%, C- =70%

Follow your grading percentages in Canvas as you go, stay in touch with your instructor and advisor, and use office hours EARLY if you have any concerns or questions. Grading note: work for YOU and for growth & GRADES will follow!

The focus of your evaluation will be in your ability to respect “outsider” views and perspectives, demonstrate insightful/critical and invested/creative thought on the readings/topics of the class, and work with your classmates/group to build ‘unique’ and creative written or presented reflections at both midterm and final semester stages – as may bring some vision and value to the world. 

[1]  Cultural Competency – is our relative growth in the objective or informed awareness about other races and ethnicities on their terms. Even in our own race or ethnicity, complete competency in a single life-time is unattainable, but progress and regular immersion in understanding both our own and other cultures over time and space, leads to increased competency.

NOTE: There are a number of deleted assignments that are showing up in the Course Summary assignments.  Please pay attention only to your Syllabus, the Modules and Gradebook -- and ignore below -- until we can figure out why the outdated assignments (which are turned off) are still showing up.... /sorry!