Introduction to Cultural Studies (Spring 2012)
Course #46-1100 / Course #51-1210
Wednesdays, 12:30-3:20 in 624 S Michigan, Room #1303
Wednesdays, 12:30-3:20 in 624 S Michigan, Room #1303
Columbia College Chicago / 600 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Department of Humanities, History & Social Sciences / Cultural Studies Program
Professor: Zack Furness, PhD
Office: 624 S. Michigan, Room #13N
Office hours: Wednesdays 12:30-3:00 and by appt.
Office phone: 312-344-8791 (Email is my preferred mode of communication)
Mailbox: On the 10th floor, in the main suite of the HHSS Department
Email: zfurness@colum.edu (Please give me up to 24 hours to respond)
HHSS Dept phone: 312-369-7295
Last Day to Add Classes: January 23
Last Day to Drop Classes: January 30
Last Date to Withdraw from Classes: March 12
Spring Break: Monday, March 26 - Sunday, April 1
Instructional Resources Fees: None
Course information and syllabus are online at OASIS
Course Description
Office: 624 S. Michigan, Room #13N
Office hours: Wednesdays 12:30-3:00 and by appt.
Office phone: 312-344-8791 (Email is my preferred mode of communication)
Mailbox: On the 10th floor, in the main suite of the HHSS Department
Email: zfurness@colum.edu (Please give me up to 24 hours to respond)
HHSS Dept phone: 312-369-7295
Last Day to Add Classes: January 23
Last Day to Drop Classes: January 30
Last Date to Withdraw from Classes: March 12
Spring Break: Monday, March 26 - Sunday, April 1
Instructional Resources Fees: None
Course information and syllabus are online at OASIS
Course Description
This course introduces students to the terms, analytical techniques, and interpretive strategies commonly employed in cultural studies. Emphasis is on interdisciplinary approaches to exploring how cultural processes and artifacts are produced, shaped, distributed, consumed, and responded to in diverse ways. Through discussion, research, and writing, class members investigate these varied dimensions of culture; learn to understand them in their broader social, aesthetic, ethical, and political contexts; and thereby prepare for more advanced coursework in Cultural Studies.
Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Cultural Studies is designed as a gateway course to the Cultural Studies major and as a general education option for students in other majors who would like an introduction to Cultural Studies. The following learning outcomes have been established to fulfill these purposes:
Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Cultural Studies is designed as a gateway course to the Cultural Studies major and as a general education option for students in other majors who would like an introduction to Cultural Studies. The following learning outcomes have been established to fulfill these purposes:
- In order to develop fluency in Cultural Studies terminology, students will become familiar with the vocabulary of the field of Cultural Studies, including its basic terminology: for instance, power& agency, identity & subjectivity, Marxism & ideology, modernity & post-modernity, hegemony & resistance, theory & praxis, colonialism & post-colonialism, myth/symbol & semiotics.
- Students will discover the contours of Cultural Studies as a field of inquiry, situating their learning within explorations of the disciplinary and historical context of the field.
- Students will learn to use interdisciplinary critical perspectives to examine the diverse and sometimes contested meanings of cultural objects and processes, establishing a basic knowledge of the theoretical paradigms of Cultural Studies.
- Students will learn strategies for connect cultural knowledge to everyday life and practices, gaining a preliminary understanding of the relationship of methodology (paradigms for study) to inquiry in Cultural Studies.
- Students will learn to develop their analyses of culture through oral and written modes of communication, with an emphasis on the skills of critical analysis and close reading, building a foundation for further study of Cultural Studies theory and praxis.
Credit Information
With a grade of "C" or better, this course satisfies a CORE COURSE requirement in the MAJOR in Cultural Studies or a CORE COURSE requirement in the MINOR in Cultural Studies.
For non-Cultural Studies Majors, This course bears Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credit for Humanities. By taking this course you will complete three (3) of the required Culture, Values, and Ethics credits needed to graduate from Columbia College. By taking a Humanities course, students will be exposed to the basic ethical questions that have confronted human kind as well as various methods and approaches to these questions.
Required Text
With a grade of "C" or better, this course satisfies a CORE COURSE requirement in the MAJOR in Cultural Studies or a CORE COURSE requirement in the MINOR in Cultural Studies.
For non-Cultural Studies Majors, This course bears Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credit for Humanities. By taking this course you will complete three (3) of the required Culture, Values, and Ethics credits needed to graduate from Columbia College. By taking a Humanities course, students will be exposed to the basic ethical questions that have confronted human kind as well as various methods and approaches to these questions.
Required Text
- Jeffrey Nealon & Susan Giroux, The Theory Toolbox, 2nd Edition, Rowman & Littlefield: 2011 (available at the school bookstore).
- All other assignments will be available (for free) in PDF format, via the course blog.
Recommended Text
- Ziauddin Sarder, Introducing Cultural Studies. *Any edition of this text is fine to purchase and we won’t be using it right away, so feel free to order one off the Internet or just buy one at the school bookstore. I will also provide you with a PDF copy of this text.
Grades
Grading Rubric
Class Participation 15%
Fieldwork Paper 15%
Exams (x2) 30%
Case Study Analysis 15%
Final Exam 25%
Grading Scale
Class Participation 15%
Fieldwork Paper 15%
Exams (x2) 30%
Case Study Analysis 15%
Final Exam 25%
Grading Scale
A (90-100%) B (80-90%) C (70-80%) D (60-70%) F (59% or below)
Participation
Participating in class is not to be confused with simply showing up and occupying the same space as your fellow students. Participation means coming to class ready to ask questions, discuss weekly reading assignments, and engage in thoughtful, respectful conversation with your peers (and the professor). In short, your participation grade is not a ‘freebie’; it is earned and I do not give A’s as a reward for just paying attention in class (this much is expected of you in any college course).
Exams
We
will have three exams throughout the semester; please see the semester
schedule for the appropriate days/times. The final exam will happen on
the LAST DAY OF CLASS (Absolutely no exceptions or excuses for missing
it).
Papers
- Field Work Paper. This is a 3-page report on a ‘field work’ assignment that you conduct outside of class. You will use readings & concepts from class to frame your analysis and more details will be posted on the blog. DUE WEEK THREE.
- Case Study Analysis. This is a 4-page CULTURAL STUDIES analysis of a very specific topic. In lieu of writing a traditional research paper, I want to see you make use of concepts & terms from class by posing questions and thinking through the 'proposal' end of a project. A (very) full description of the assignment—including helpful hints about researching & selecting a case study topic—will be posted on the blog. DUE WEEK TWELVE.
Important information about papers
All papers must be submitted to me via Moodle in PDF format. Please do not submit a ‘hard’ (print) copy of your paper unless I ask you for one.
All papers must be submitted to me via Moodle in PDF format. Please do not submit a ‘hard’ (print) copy of your paper unless I ask you for one.
- Paper format: Double-spaced, 1” margins, 12pt font.
- Handwritten papers will not be accepted.
- Late papers will not be accepted without a legitimate (i.e. verifiable, documented) excuse.
- Clear and coherent writing will be an important factor in your success in this class. I urge you to visit Columbia College's Writing Center and make use of their tutors before you hand in written work. I will also be more than happy to look at rough drafts during my office hours and via email…but only if you give me adequate time to do so (for example, emailing me 1-2 days before the assignment is due is not acceptable).
Before submitting any written assignment to me, make sure you can answer the following, basic questions about your paper:
- Does my paper have a clear, concise thesis?
- What am I arguing in this paper, and why?
- Do I clearly explain (in my introduction) what I’m going to say & do in the paper?
- Does my paper make use of concepts and relevant readings from the class
- Do I properly cite my sources?
- Does my research support my argument?
Course Policies (Our Contract)
These policies are important: PLEASE READ THEM
1. Email
All students are required to make use of their Columbia College email accounts. While I recognize that you all have your preferred email addresses, you will still be expected to check your school email account on a regular basis, and I will use this address to contact you throughout the semester. With respect to our correspondences, please give me up to 24 hours to respond to emails. In addition, make sure to consult the syllabus and any relevant documents (such as paper assignments) on the course blog before emailing me with questions that I have already explained and/or addressed in writing. I am more than happy to answer questions via email, but I receive 20-40 emails a day and strongly prefer not to answer questions about things that are clearly posted online.
2. Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes and read the assignments so as to be prepared for class discussion. Experience shows that there is a direct relation between attendance and performance in the course. Absences hurt your ability to learn and they hurt your grade. In short, come to class! Signing up for this class indicates that you are committed to being here for the full class period each class meeting. If you have some extenuating circumstances that make it difficult for you to attend class on time or stay for the entirety of class, please find another section of this course that better suits your schedule. Absences will negatively impact your participation grade as well as your overall scores for weekly reading checks. If you miss class, you are still responsible for whatever was covered in lecture and discussion that day. On a related note, please do NOT email me (if you were absent) in order to ask what you missed in class…just check the course blog. Similarly, there is no need to email me in order to tell me why you missed class…just show up the next week ready to go!
3. Assignments and Extensions
Reading assignments and paper assignments will be provided well in advance of due dates. Late assignments will not be accepted without a verifiable, documented excuse.
- Clear and coherent writing is an important factor in your success in this class. I urge you to visit Columbia College's Writing Center (33 E. Congress) and make use of their tutors before you hand in written work. I will also be more than happy to look at rough drafts during my office hours.
- A note about computer/printer problems, software issues, email access, etc: I recognize that computer, printer, and email problems can and do arise. Be sure to back up your work on an external hard drive, or simply email copies of your work to your school account (and preferably an additional email account). Always keep back up copies of your papers. In addition, if you do not have Microsoft Word or a PDF reader installed on your computer, you will need to set aside time in order to use one of the school’s computer labs so that you can utilize these programs (if/when necessary). If your printer breaks down the night before a paper is due, I don’t need to hear the reasons why or how…I just expect you to email me the paper (as an attachment) by the time our class period begins. I mention these things because problems related to computers, printers, software and/or email are your responsibilities to address; they are NOT legitimate excuses for late work, incomplete assignments, and so on.
4. Academic Integrity
Plagiarism consists of using someone else’s ideas as your own in formal writing. If you use someone else’s ideas, you are expected to cite them. If you use someone else’s exact words, even if it is just part of a sentence, then you must put quotation marks around the phrase or sentence and properly cite the author. I may not be the smartest person in the entire world, but you can rest assured that my research skills, as well as my ability to spot plagiarism, are of a Bruce Lee caliber. In short, plagiarism will not be tolerated. If I catch you doing it, you will receive an immediate ‘F’ for the course and all further discussions on the matter will take place between you and the director of the Cultural Studies program. You will not get a second chance. PERIOD. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please see me and/or consult Columbia College’s undergraduate catalog.
5. Grading Policy
I am eager to help you do well on assignments before they are due. Please visit me during office hours to ask me questions when you are working on an assignment or reviewing material. I grade assignments based on your performance, not your intentions. In addition, your effort is important and will be recognized in your participation grade for the course. Here are the circumstances under which I would change a grade for an assignment: (a) if I have made an error, or (b) if I have failed to hold you to the same standard as everyone else. In the event that you feel you received an undeserved grade, I will be happy to discuss it with you.
Plagiarism consists of using someone else’s ideas as your own in formal writing. If you use someone else’s ideas, you are expected to cite them. If you use someone else’s exact words, even if it is just part of a sentence, then you must put quotation marks around the phrase or sentence and properly cite the author. I may not be the smartest person in the entire world, but you can rest assured that my research skills, as well as my ability to spot plagiarism, are of a Bruce Lee caliber. In short, plagiarism will not be tolerated. If I catch you doing it, you will receive an immediate ‘F’ for the course and all further discussions on the matter will take place between you and the director of the Cultural Studies program. You will not get a second chance. PERIOD. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please see me and/or consult Columbia College’s undergraduate catalog.
5. Grading Policy
I am eager to help you do well on assignments before they are due. Please visit me during office hours to ask me questions when you are working on an assignment or reviewing material. I grade assignments based on your performance, not your intentions. In addition, your effort is important and will be recognized in your participation grade for the course. Here are the circumstances under which I would change a grade for an assignment: (a) if I have made an error, or (b) if I have failed to hold you to the same standard as everyone else. In the event that you feel you received an undeserved grade, I will be happy to discuss it with you.
- Grades will be posted online, in a downloadable Excel spreadsheet. The document will only list student ID numbers and the actual scores…there will be no printed names, so you can be assured of your anonymity.
- An Incomplete final grade (I) for the course can only be issued for an undergraduate student who meets specific criteria. For more information, see: www.colum.edu/Administrative_offices/Provost/Incomplete_Grade_Policy.php
6. Students with Disabilities
Columbia College seeks to maintain a supportive academic environment for students with disabilities. Students who self-identify as having a disability should present their documentation to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. After the documentation has been reviewed by the SSD office, a Columbia College accommodation letter will be provided to the student. Students are encouraged to present their Columbia accommodation letters to each instructor at the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department, or the faculty member, as appropriate. Accommodations will begin at the time the letter is presented. Students with disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should visit the office of Students with Disabilities, Room 304 of the 623 S. Wabash building (312-369-8296).
7. Nondiscrimination Statement
As a professor at Columbia College Chicago, I value equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic/cultural diversity. Be assured that I will promote a safe and conducive environment for learning. In accordance with college policies, I will not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, etc. In addition to the Columbia’s policies, and within the bounds of the course, I do not discriminate on the basis of political creed. In the simplest terms possible, this means that you do not have to agree with me in order to do well in this course. So long as you demonstrate an understanding of (and engagement with) the course material, you are under no obligation to agree with the professor, your classmates, or anything we read (you don’t even have to agree with yourself, for that matter). If there is something I can do to make the class more hospitable, please let me know.
8. Compliance
Columbia College seeks to maintain a supportive academic environment for students with disabilities. Students who self-identify as having a disability should present their documentation to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. After the documentation has been reviewed by the SSD office, a Columbia College accommodation letter will be provided to the student. Students are encouraged to present their Columbia accommodation letters to each instructor at the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department, or the faculty member, as appropriate. Accommodations will begin at the time the letter is presented. Students with disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should visit the office of Students with Disabilities, Room 304 of the 623 S. Wabash building (312-369-8296).
7. Nondiscrimination Statement
As a professor at Columbia College Chicago, I value equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic/cultural diversity. Be assured that I will promote a safe and conducive environment for learning. In accordance with college policies, I will not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, etc. In addition to the Columbia’s policies, and within the bounds of the course, I do not discriminate on the basis of political creed. In the simplest terms possible, this means that you do not have to agree with me in order to do well in this course. So long as you demonstrate an understanding of (and engagement with) the course material, you are under no obligation to agree with the professor, your classmates, or anything we read (you don’t even have to agree with yourself, for that matter). If there is something I can do to make the class more hospitable, please let me know.
8. Compliance
By staying enrolled in this class, you acknowledge that you understand – and agree to abide by – the following rules and regulations and Columbia College’s policies (i.e. the accepted codes of conduct and academic integrity). Failure to follow the letter and the spirit of these reasonable guidelines can result in a reduction of your final grade, failure of the course, and/or other penalties as set by the college.
9. The Learning Studio
9. The Learning Studio
The Learning Studio, located at 618 S. Michigan, first floor, is an excellent resource for academic progress and success for all students at any level. The Learning Studio provides tutoring in a number of disciplines including Accounting, the Science and Math Learning Center, the Foreign Languages Lab and the Writing Center. Students are encouraged to go to the Learning Studio and work with the tutors. Students can make an appointment through Oasis (using the “Make Appointments” tab) or call the Learning Studio at 312-369-8130. Please visit the website at www.colum.edu/learningstudio.
Semester Schedule
- The schedule is posted on the course blog and it is subject to change (You will be notified in advance if/when such chages occur. Be sure to check the blog and your Columbia loop email!
- Reading assignments from the book will be abbreviated on our schedule as TT (Theory Toolbox)
- Suggestions for further reading and research, as well as reading questions & reading guides will be posted online.
