2017-2018 Winter

This quarter centers on various forms of resistance to empire. We will challenge the idea of conquest through an examination of the Inca empire; reflect on how literary revisions of traditional texts, such as Shakespeare’s Tempest, undermine the structures of power that sustain empire; and critique the responses of Indian anti-colonialists to the British Raj. We will reflect on how empire structures the way we think about conquest, mastery, oppression, rebellion, resistance, revolution, race, gender, civilization, otherness, community, legitimacy, property, and progress. And we will analyze these ideas in written texts, cultural artifacts, images, and film.

Your academic writing last quarter focused on formal elements of writing and argumentation: making arguable claims, choosing persuasive evidence, writing strong warrants, developing logical transitions, and composing rhetorically effective introductions and conclusions. This quarter, you will perfect those abilities while learning how to evaluate and integrate secondary sources.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Books will be available at the bookstore. Important: The course requires the specific editions listed.

Césaire, Aimé. A Tempest. Translated by Richard Miller. TCG Translations, 2002. ISBN 9781559362108.

Gandhi, Mohandas. “Hind Swaraj” and Other Writings. Edited by Anthony J. Parel. Centenary Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2009. ISBN 9780521146029.

Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Signet Classics, ISBN 9780451527127.

Castillo, Larisa, ed. Humanities Core Writer’s Handbook. Xanedu, 2017. ISBN: 9781506698427.

Lectures are held:
M/W (not on Fridays) 9:00-9:50am in BS3 1200
M/W (not on Fridays) 11:00-11:50am in BS3 1200
Tu/Th 9:30-10:20am (not till 10:50am) in HIB 100

Students in Humanities Core enroll in a lecture and in a corresponding writing seminar. This calendar (subject to change) provides information about the lecturing faculty, readings, writing assignments, study questions (SQ), and special events. The reading assignment for each lecture should be completed before the lecture. The password for downloadable pdfs will be provided to enrolled students. If and when lecture slides are available for a particular lecture, a link to download them will be provided.

For information about your writing seminar, please sign in to MyEEE.
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