Writing II: Exploring Global Multi-Culturalism Through People and Places Class code Instructor Details

Writing II Exploring Global Multi-Culturalism Through People and Places

Class Details

Dr. Rochelle Almeida [email protected] OR [email protected] Room 2 (Basement) NYU-L Academic Center, 6 Bedford Square, London Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays from 1.00-2.00pm and By Appointment.

Prerequisites

Spring 2009 Mondays, 10 am-1 pm. and 2 to 5 pm. Location to be confirmed. Students should have taken and passed Writing I

Class The main objective of this course is to develop and refine the skills necessary for writing a universityDescripti level research paper. Whatever a student’s current writing ability or background, this course increases self-awareness as a writer, encourages curiosity about research and sharpens persuasive use of evidence. Reading and writing assignments are designed to focus upon these skills. The subject matter to be researched and written about is places and people within the global context . It will combine investigation into space as a historical entity and into ethnography-- a sociological term that means a profile, or a description of a person in a culturally specific context. Just as a place offers an insight into history and culture, so does ethnography. It offers a window into a culture through a written account of a specific person’s circumstances: his or her physical, social, cultural, psychological and economic situation. We will read and analyze how much interest in these subjects have grown as our society has become more multi-cultural. Being based in London, we will receive an understanding of the complexity of multicultural and multiracial societies that breed their own variety of problems and conflicts. Students write independent research essays based on field trips as well individual ethnographies, using library research and interviews to investigate a culture other than their own.

Desired Outcomes

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1.

Through writing workshop structures, to develop and refine the skills necessary for writing a university-level research paper.

2.

To introduce students to university-level library research and to practice assessing evidence using the University of London’s Senate House Library as well as NYU’s Licensed academic research databases.

3.

To investigate the forms and functions of the traditional academic research paper in creative ways that emphasize student engagement and audience awareness.

Assessment omponents

The final grade will depend upon the following: First short essay (5 pages ) –Cornwall Travelog—20% Second short essay (5 pages)—Portsmouth Harbor and Winchester Cathedral—20% Ethnographic Essay (6 pages)—Profile of a Representative of Contemporary Global Multi-Culturalism— 30%.

In-class Writing and Informal Writing Assignments—20% Class Participation---10% Reading: Students are required to come to class having covered the assigned readings for the day to enable active class participation.

Assessment Expectations

Grade A: Excellent. Work demonstrating lucid, original thining, superior writing, outstanding discussion and sustain engagement with the course requirements. Grade B: Good work demonstrating persuasive original thinking, strong writing skills and sustained engagement with the course requirements Grade C: Satisfactory work demonstrating adequate writing abilities, average contributions to discussions and acceptable engagement with the course requirements. Grade D: Poor work with significant writing flaws, poor spoken communiation, and questionable engagement with course requirements. Grade F: Inadequate written work, insufficient engagement with course requirements..

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Grade conversion

NYU in London uses the following scale of numerical equivalents to letter grades: A=94-100 A-=90-93 B+=87-89 B=84-86 B-=80-83 C+=77-79 C=74-76 C-=70-73 D+=67-69 D=65-66 F=below 65 Where no specific numerical equivalent is assigned to a letter grade by the class teacher, the mid point of the range will be used in calculating the final class grade (except in the A range, where 95.5 will be used).

Grading Policy

NYU in London aims to have grading standards and results similar to those that prevail at Washington Square. At the College of Arts and Sciences, roughly 39% of all final grades are in the B+ to B- range, and 50% in the A/A- range. We have therefore adopted the following grading guideline: in any non-Stern course, class teachers should try to insure that no more than 50% of the class receives an A or A-. (Stern has a different grading policy that we follow in all Stern courses). A guideline is not a curve. A guideline is just that-it gives an ideal benchmark for the distribution of grades towards which we work.

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Attendance Policy

NYU-L has a strict policy about course attendance. No unexcused absences are permitted. Students should contact their class teachers to catch up on missed work but should NOT approach them for excused absences. Absences due to illness must be discussed with the Assistant Director for Student Life within one week of your return to class. Absence requests for non-illness purposes must be discussed with the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs prior to the date(s) in question. Unexcused absences will be penalized by deducting 3% from the student’s final course mark. Students are responsible for making up any work missed due to absence. Unexcused absences from exams are not permitted and will result in failure of the exam. If you are granted an excused absence from examination (with authorisation, as above), your lecturer will decide how you will make-up the assessment component, if at all (by make-up examination, extra coursework, or an increased weighting on an alternate assessment component, etc.). NYU-L also expects students to arrive to class promptly (both at the beginning and after any breaks) and to remain for the duration of the class. If timely attendance becomes a problem it is the prerogative of each instructor to deduct a mark or marks from the final grade of each late arrival and each early departure. Please note that for classes involving a field trip or other external visit, transportation difficulties are never grounds for an excused absence. It is the student’s responsibility to arrive at an agreed meeting point in a punctual and timely fashion.

Late Submission of Work

(1) Written work due in class must be submitted during the class time to the professor. (2) Late work should be submitted in person to the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs in office hours (Mon – Fri, 10:30 – 17:30), who will write on the essay or other work the date and time of submission, in the presence of the student. Another member of the administrative staff can accept the work, in person, in the absence of the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs and will write the date and time of submission on the work, as above. Please also send an electronic copy to Becky Kelley ([email protected]) for submission to Turnitin. (3) Work submitted within 5 weekdays after the submission time without an agreed extension receives a penalty of 10 points on the 100 point scale.

(4) Written work submitted after 5 weekdays after the submission date without an agreed extension fails and is given a zero. (5) Please note end of semester essays must be submitted on time. Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism: the presentation of another person’s words, ideas, judgment, images or data as though they were your own, whether intentionally or unintentionally, constitutes an act of plagiarism. All students must submit an electronic copy of each piece of their written work to www.turnitin.com and hand in a printed copy with the digital receipt to their professor. Late submission of work rules apply to both the paper and electronic

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submission and failure to submit either copy of your work will result in automatic failure in the assignment and possible failure in the class. Electronic Submission All students must submit an electronic copy of their written work to www.turnitin.com. This database will be searched for the purpose of comparison with other students’ work or with other pre-existing writing or publications, and other academic institutions may also search it. The database is managed by JISC (Joint Information Systems Council) and has been established with the support of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. In order for you to be able to submit your work onto the Turnitin website, you will need to set up an account: 1) Go onto the Turnitin website http://www.turnitin.com 2) Click ‘New Users’ in the top right hand corner 3) Select user type of ‘student’ 4) Enter your class ID & Turnitin class enrollment password (these will be e-mailed to you at the start of term, or contact Becky Kelley if you have misplaced these at [email protected]) 5) Follow the online instructions to create your profile. To submit your work for class, you will then need to: 1) Log in to the Turnitin website 2) Enter your class by clicking on the class name 3) Next to the piece of work you are submitting (please confirm the due date), click on the ‘submit’ icon 4) Enter the title of your piece of work 5) Browse for the file to upload from wherever you have saved it (USB drive, etc.) and click ‘submit’ 6) Click ‘yes, submit’ to confirm you have selected the correct paper (or ‘no, go back’ to retry) 7) You will then have submitted your essay onto the Turnitin website. 8) Please print your digital receipt and attach this to the hard copy of your paper before you submit it (this appears on the web site, immediately after you submit your paper and is also sent to your e-mail address). Students must retain an electronic copy of their work for one month after their grades are posted online on Albert and must supply an electronic copy of their work if requested to do so by NYU in London. Not submitting a copy of a piece of work upon request will result in automatic failure in the assignment and possible failure in the class. NYU in London may submit in an electronic form the work of any student to a database for use in the detection of plagiarism, without further prior notification to the student. Penalties for confirmed cases of plagiarism are set out in the Student Handbook.

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Required Text(s)

This text is mandatory and every student is expected to purchase a copy of it. Sections must be read in time for our class discussions (as laid out in the calendar below). Please bring a copy of the textbook to every class.

Cosmopolitanism: Ethnics in a World of Strangers by Kwame Anthony Appiah (W.W. Norton and Co, New York and London, 2007) ISBN: 978-0-393-32933-9

Supplemental Texts(s) (not required to purchase as copies are in NYU-L Library) Internet Research Guidelines

To be discussed in class

Additional Required Equipment

Two written assignments are based on field trips (one to Cornwall; the other to Winchest and Portsmouth). These are not mandatory and those students who prefer to visit a venue in London, can do so with my permission and after gaining approval of the choice of alternative venue from me.

Session 1

Introduction to the Course & Explanation of Course Requirements In-Class Writing: Draft My Ethnographic Profile HW: Re-write—My Ethnographic Profile Also, each student must visit one of London’s ethnic quarters, observe and make notes about experiences there. Suggestions for places to visit will be distributed in class. Discussion: Turkish London

[Jan 19]

Session 2

[Jan 26]

Session 3

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Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 1 The Shattered Mirror Workshop Session: My Ethnographic Profile In-Class Writing: Draft: My Visit to a London Ethnic Quarter HW: Rewrite-- My Visit to a London Ethnic Quarter Discussion: African London Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 2

[Feb 2]

Session 4

[Feb 9]

Session 5

[Feb 16]

The Escape from Positivism Workshop Session: My Visit to a London Ethnic Quarter In-Class Writing: Draft: Observations on Ethnic Person in Ethnic London Quarter HW: Rewrite: Observations on Ethnic Person in Ethnic London Quarter Research Component of this paper: We will discuss ways to begin research on the internet on the place about which you will write your first research paper. If you intend to join the field trip to Portsmouth and Winchester on February 20, please inform me. If you prefer not to attend, please find an alternative London venue that would interest you, read up on it and bring me a few suggestions/ideas for my approval. Your research paper needs to include investigations into the history of the chosen site and its impact on the cultural development of the region either as a tourist resource or a place of economic enrichment. In the case of Winchester, the place of Cathedrals in English cultural and religious life will be the focus. In case of Portsmouth, the role of the harbor in the growth of development of English as a significant maritime will be the subject of research. It is strongly recommended that you join the field trip as it will bring topical consistency to our class discussions. Discussion: Bangladeshi London

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 3 Facts on the Ground Workshop Session: Observations on Ethnic Person in Ethnic London Quarter In-Class Writing: ‘Space as Culturally Significant’ Essay (Portsmouth/Winchester or Alternative London site)—What I chose to investigate and Why. HW: Rewrite: Portsmouth/Winchester Essay—What I chose to investigate and Why Discussion: Punjabi London

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 4 Moral Disagreement Workshop Session: Portsmouth/Winchester Essay—What I chose to investigate and Why. In-Class Writing: Draft: An Ethnic Person that I Have Known HW: Rewrite: An Ethnic Person that I Have Known Discussion: Caribbean London February 20: Field Trip: Portsmouth and Winchester

Session 6

[Feb 23]

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Discussion on Creating an Ethnographic Profile. Workshop Session: An Ethnic Person that I Have Known In-Class Writing: Draft—The Most Historic London Space I’ve Seen HW: Rewrite: The Most Historic London Space I’ve Seen Discussion: Chinese London

Session 7

[Mar 2]

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 5 The Primacy of Practice Workshop Session: The Most Historic London Space I’ve Seen In-Class Writing: Draft: What I have read about Cornwall/ Alternative London site. HW: Rewrite: The Aura of Cathedrals and their Place in Human History Discussion: European London March 6-8: Field Trip to Cornwall

Session 8

[Mar 9]

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 6 Due: Draft. Essay One: Portsmouth Harbor and Winchester Cathedral/Alternative Site Imaginary Strangers Workshop Session: The Aura of Cathedrals and their Place in Human History In-Class Writing: Draft--Ports and their Place in Human History HW: Rewrite: Ports and their Place in Human History Discussion: Greek London

Session 9

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 7

[Mar 16]

Cosmopolitan Contamination Workshop Session: The Cornish Riviera and its place in Human History and Development Research Component for this Paper: We will discuss ways to begin research on the internet on the place about which you will write your second research paper. If you intend to join the field trip to Cornwall on March 6-8, please inform me. If you prefer not to attend, please find an alternative London venue that would interest you, read up on it and bring me a few suggestions/ideas for my approval. Your research paper needs to include investigations into the history of the chosen site and its impact on the cultural development of the region either as a tourist resource or a place of economic enrichment. However, the connection of the region (Tintagel, for instance) with the Arthurian Legends, the setting of Penzance as the topic of Giulbert and Sullivan’s opera The Pirates of Penzance, St. Ives as the center of the Cornish artistic community led by Barbara Hepworth are just some of the aspects of Cornwall that you might want to make the subject of your second research paper. It is strongly recommended that you join the field trip as it will bring topical consistency to our class discussions. In-Class Writing: Draft—Cornwall/Alternative London site: What I chose to focus on. HW: Rewrite--Cornwall/Alternative London site: What I chose to focus on. Discussion: Irish London

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Session 10

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 8

[Mar 23]

Whose Culture Is It, Anyway? Due: Essay One: Portsmouth Harbor and Winchester Natural Versus Manmade—History, Attraction, Significance Workshop Session: Portsmouth and Winchester: What I chose to focus on In-Class Writing: Draft: Ethnographic Essay--My Sources HW: Rewrite: Ethnographic Essay--My Sources Discussion: Japanese London

Session 11

[Mar 30]

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 9 Due: Draft. Essay Two: A Cornwall Travelog (History, Culture, Environment) The Counter-Cosmopolitans. Research Component for Essay Three: We will start a class discussion on how to go about obtaining ethnographic data and material that will form the base of your third research essay. Interview techniques and the creation of a questionnaire will be some of the items covered. How to botain source material, where to find historically significant material and how to go about integrating internet information with that obtained directly through oral history as some of the topics that this third essay will cover. Workshop Session: Ethnographic Essay--My Sources In-Class Writing: Draft--Multiculturalism on the NYU-L Campus HW: Rewrite: Multiculturalism on the NYU-L Campus Discussion: Jewish London

Session 12

[Apr 20]

Session 13

[Apr 24]

Cosmopolitanism—Chapter 10 Kindness to Strangers Workshop Session: Multiculturalism on the NYU-L Campus In-Class Writing: Draft—Multiculturalism in London HW: Rewrite: Multiculturalism in London Discussion: Latin American London

Make Up Monday Class. Due: Essay Two—A Cornwall Travelog (History, Culture, Environment) Workshop Session: Multiculturalism in London In-Class Writing: Draft—What I Have Learned from my NYU-L Experience HW: Rewrite: What I Have Learned from my NYU-L Experience Discussion: Middle Eastern London

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Session 14

[April 27]

(Last Class): Due: Draft Essay Three: Ethnographic Profile Appiah’s View of Cosmopolitanism Assessed Workshop Session: What I Have Learned from my NYU-L Experience In-Class Writing: Draft: What I Have Learned from This Writing II Course HW: Rewrite: What I Have Learned from This Writing II Course Discussion: Polish London

Session 15

Due--Ethnography Profile.

[May 12]

Overview of Course and Return of Course Materials Workshop Session: What I Have Learned from This Writing II Course Discussion: South East Asian London

Classroom Etiquette

Eating is not permitted in any classrooms in 6 Bedford Square or at Birkbeck College. Please kindly dispose of rubbish in the bins provided.

Required Cocurricular Activities

Field Trips. All instructions will be announced in class.

Suggested Cocurricular Activities

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