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UWB BIS 384A, Autumn 2007
Literary and Popular Genres: The Social Functions of Science Fiction Syllabus
Course Description
T/Th
Course website Instructor: Joanne Woiak, jwoiak@u.washington.eduOffice hours: T/Th Science fiction (SF) is often thought of as mere
popular entertainment that tends toward the weird and trashy. In this course, we
will take SF seriously as a genre that utilizes unreal settings to address
contemporary ideas and concerns. SF differs from genres such as biography or
crime fiction in that it cannot easily be defined in terms of subject matter or
narrative structure. So rather than focusing on the question What is SF?, we will ask How does SF work? How do generic conventions shape
the composition and interpretation of literature and films? In particular, we
will investigate the social and political purposes of SF texts dating from the late
19th century to the current day. The stories selected (novels,
plays, short fiction, films, and graphic novels) contribute to public discourse
on modern techno-scientific developments, vital social issues, and philosophical
problems. We will trace how and why SF has changed over time, learn its reading
protocols, and study critical perspectives on its functions. Science fiction is
omnipresent and dynamic; its key themes and approaches are tied to the hopes
and anxieties of a scientific age. Assignments
Learning objectives
Communication: All requirements and policies of this course
are outlined in this syllabus. Any changes to the schedule and readings, as
well as any handouts and announcements, will be posted on the course website.
It is your responsibility to get updated information from the website. The best
way to get hold of the instructor is by email, and you are always welcome to
come to office hours. Essays will be returned as promptly as possible with
detailed comments. Disabilities: The instructor can work in
conjunction with Disability Support Services to provide accommodations of any
sort due to disability, or we can work it out between us if you prefer. Please
feel free to talk with me about any aspect of accommodation. Course requirements
Participation (25% of grade). This is principally a discussion
course, and the direction will be determined by students interests, insights,
and questions. Bring to class all
reading materials and analytical notes you have made. Take especially careful
notes during the viewing of films, writing down such elements as clues about
the setting, key scenes, bits of dialogue, and your interpretive ideas. The in-class
participation component of your grade will be based on evidence of
preparedness and the quality and consistency of your contributions.
Participation includes expressing your own reasoned thoughts about the texts
and constructively responding to classmates.
Missing class will prevent your involvement and affect your grade
adversely. You may also be required to complete small-group work and impromptu
writing.
A component of your participation grade will depend upon your
contributions to the online discussion board. Because a large amount of class time will be
spent viewing films (about one per week), we need to conduct part of our
discussions outside of the classroom. The board for this course is at the
Catalyst GoPost site, and the instructions for posting should be clear (https://catalysttools.washington.edu/gopost/board/jwoiak/2293/).
Each student is required to contribute a minimum of 2 substantial posts each
week (specific topics, instructions, and deadlines will be provided). You are
encouraged to participate in the online discussion on an ongoing basis.
Additional substantial postings will add to your participation grade. Keep in
mind though that your work will be judged according to quality, not just
quantity. Your first posting each week should answer the instructors reading
questions, and then subsequent comments should develop your interpretations
further and exchange ideas about the material with other students. The postings
should be carefully thought out and composed; each comment you make must deal
with the course text(s) in depth and refer to specific pages/passages. I will
let you know if a comment is not substantial enough to count towards your
grade. As in the classroom, please be respectful of other participants and
their opinions.
Written work: 2 short argumentative essays and a final creative project
of your design. Detailed instructions for essays #1 and #2 will be
distributed as soon as possible. You will be asked to interpret specific course
texts using the analytical approaches and contextual material you are learning.
No additional research is required, but you are always encouraged to utilize
and cite additional sources to support your ideas. The final paper is the SF
genre creative project, to be undertaken individually but in consultation
with the instructor. The outcome should not be a traditional essay, but rather
some form of creative writing such as a short story, play, or comic book (I am
also open to proposals for other types of written or visual texts). The goal is
to encourage you to be inventive and produce a work that in some fashion utilizes
the genre conventions of science fiction. Your project must also incorporate
significant analysis of some of the SF texts we have studied in the course. I
will provide one concrete story format you might follow, but I hope that youll
try to come up with your own idea of how both to present your interpretations
of the fiction works and demonstrate your understanding of SF genre in a creative
writing format. More information will be provided via handouts, class
discussion, and the website. Submitting work: All written
assignments will be collected at the start of the class period. Work will not
be accepted via email. Late essays will receive a grade penalty of 5% per day.
Extensions will be considered in cases of emergency or if requested well before
the due date. Keep copies of all submitted work for your protection. No extra
credit or paper re-writes will be permitted. Documentation of sources and
academic integrity: When writing an essay, all direct quotations, paraphrases,
information, interpretations, and opinions taken from another persons work
must be identified. Every essay submitted for this course must have a bibliography
listing all sources consulted and copious citations (either footnotes or
in-text) to indicate where facts or ideas have been borrowed. All work
submitted for evaluation and course credit must be an original effort.
Plagiarism means presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they
were your own, for example by turning in someone elses work or failing to
document material you have quoted or borrowed. It is a serious offence and
punishable under the provisions of the Universitys Student Conduct Code. If
you are unsure about your use of sources or are having other difficulties with
your writing, please come to my office hours or make an appointment with the Incompletes: In accordance with University policy, I can
give an incomplete only if the student has been attending class and doing all
the major assignments until within two weeks of the end of the quarter, and if
proof has been provided that the work cannot be completed because of
circumstances beyond the students control. |
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jwoiak at u.washington.edu Last modified: 9/30/2007 1:16 PM |