Samuel G. Collins
Li-318A, x43199
scollins@towson.edu
www.towson.edu/~scollins
Office Hours:
Mondays, 1-3 p.m.
Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.
class description:
At its inception in the late 18h century, American Studies included the search
for the purported "national character" of the newly formed United
States. "What then is the American, this new man?" asked de
Crèvecoeur in 1782. Later commentators looked to immigration, the frontier,
individualism and adaptability as essential, national characteristics. Today, of
course, "American exceptionalism" could just as easily be defined
through negative qualities. The United States is, as of 2004, the most obese
country and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases; among industrialized
countries, the U.S. shows the largest gap between rich and poor, has the highest
number of uninsured people and executes the most prisoners. Per capita,
gun-related deaths in the U.S. exceed Brazil and Mexico, are approximately twice
that of Northern Ireland, three times that of France and fourteen times that of
England (Associated Press, 4/171998).
However, a truly anthropological understanding is inimical to such essentialist definitions of culture, whether critical or self-aggrandizing. Instead, this course considers the United States as a concatenation of real and imagined geographies crossed by overlapping networks of immigration, globalization and transnationalism. That is, the United States is more than the sum of its geopolitical borders; it exists in the practices and experiences of people and institutions abroad as well as within the U.S., in the proliferation of global culture, in the impact of U.S. foreign policy, in the resentments and aspirations of a world population variously impacted by the "American century."
Rather than some ontological project defining national character, this class
will approach the anthropology of American culture through the metaphor of
movement. Starting from an ethnography of Cambodian refugees in California, we
look to multiple valences connoted by the meaning of "citizenship" as
Cambodians negotiate the institutions that govern their American lives.
Shifting registers, we will then turn to life and work in what Manuel Castells has called the "network
society," i.e., the social, cultural and institutional changes that have
taken place as the U.S. moves to a knowledge-based economy. Is this
frenetically paced, boom-and-bust lifestyle really the future of the United
States? Are there alternatives to monolithic, "global"
cultures? Finally, we follow Americans in a series of essays and
short stories about the life of the "expat," raising questions about
the extent to which the U.S. is truly "globalized" at all. If
cosmopolitanism is a "dynamic of mutual transformation" (Michel Feher),
then what would a United States truly transformed by immigration, globalism and
cultural difference look like?
In a class where every student is a potential expert on some facet of American
life, I expect everyone to participate enthusiastically. After all, the answers
to these perplexing questions could just as easily emerge from our discussions.
required readings:
The following texts are available in the campus bookstore:
Henry de Tessan, Christina (2002). Expat. NY: Seal Press.
Ong, Aihwa (2003). Buddha is Hiding. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Shaviro, Steven (2003). Connected. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
graded assignments:
attendance
Attendance in this course is required. Here's how it works: students begin the
course with an "A" in attendance but, for each class missed, lose two
points. However: each student can miss
two "grace classes" before being penalized. 30 pts.
activities and homework (Fridays)
On Fridays, students will (generally) undertake activities related to readings and lectures, including group discussions, films and out-of-class assignments. Students will be graded on the work they produce and their participation in the activity. 30 pts.
midterm exam (October 13)
The midterm exam will test both your knowledge and understanding with a battery
of multiple choice, "True-False" and short answer questions. 50 pts
final exam (December 13 or 14)
The final exam will test your intellectual probity through a series of in-class
essay questions. 40 pts.
essay (Due November 22)
Students will choose one of the texts discussed in Shaviro’s Connected
and discuss its relevance to society today through comparisons of that text to
class lectures and current events. For example, one might analyze Samuel Delaney’s
Stars in My Pockets Like Grains of Sand in light of changing gender mores
in the U.S. A style guide will be available after the midterm. 50 pts
class grading:
A 186+
A- 180-185
B+ 174-179
B 166-173
B- 160-165
C+ 154-159
C 146-153
C- 140-145
D+ 134-139
D 120-133
F <120
class schedule:
1st Week: Introduction to the course and explanation of syllabus.
(8/30-9/3) What is Anthropology?
Film: Western Avenue (1993, Chang Kil Soo)
2nd Week: Race, Gender and American Anthropology
(9/8-9/10) Assigned Reading: Ong, Chps. 1-3
September 6: LABOR DAY
September 8: Change of Schedule Period Ends
3rd Week: The New Immigration
(9/13-9/17) Assigned Reading: Ong, Chps. 4-6
Film: The New Americans (2004)
4th Week: Globalization and Global Culture
(9/20-9/24) Assigned Reading: Ong, Chps. 7-9
"Rites of Production." J.A. English-Lueck. http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPrite.html
Film: Secrets of Silicon Valley
5th Week: The Network Society
(9/27-10/1) Assigned Reading: Ong, Chp. 10-Conclusion
"Family Model, Model Families." Charles Darrah. http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPfmmf.html
6th Week: Postmodernism
(10/4-10/8) Film: Wag the Dog (1998, Barry Levinson)
Assigned Reading: Shaviro, 1-51
7th Week: Critical Theory and Media
(10/11-10/15) October 13: Midterm Examination
Assigned Reading: Shaviro, 52-83
Film: Edward Said on Orientalism (1998, Sut Jhalley)
8th Week: Knowledge and Power
(10/18-10/22) Assigned Reading: Shaviro, 84-133
"Students, Technology, and Everyday Life." Charles Darrah. http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPstel.html
9th Week: Global Culture and Resistance
(10/25-10/29) Assigned Reading: Shaviro, 134-185
10th Week: Utopia, Dystopia and Alternative Futures
(11/1-11/5) Assigned Reading: Shaviro, 186-250
Film: Dr. Strangeglove (1963)
11th Week: Alternative Futures Redux
(11/8-11/12) Assigned Reading: Expat, 1-57.
November 10: Last day to withdraw with a ‘W’; last day to change pass/fail and audit options.
12th Week: The U.S. Abroad
(11/15-11/19) Assigned Reading: Expat, 58-106.
Film: Lost in Translation (2003, Sofia Coppola)
13th Week: Universalism, Pluralism and Cosmopolitanism
(11/22-11/24) Assigned Reading: Expat, 107-152.
November 22: ESSAYS DUE
November 25: Thanksgiving
14th Week: Cultural Imperialism, Cultural Resistance
(11/29-12/3) Assigned Reading: Expat, 153-221
15th Week: Transnationalism and Nationalism?
(12/6-12/10) Assigned Reading: Expat, 222-298.
Film: TBA
Last day of Classes: December 10
Final Examination (10-10:50): December 13, 10:15-12:15 pm
(11-11:50) December 14, 10:15-12:15 pm
notes
1. Although exams and graded work will remain as stated above, I may have to
change different readings or films on the syllabus throughout the semester. I
will, in any case, try to give you ample warning of any syllabus changes.
2. Each student is required to review and understand the University's rules regarding cheating and plagiarism (Towson University
Undergraduate Catalog, Appendix F). Neither will be tolerated in my class and
will result in a flunking grade.
The faculty of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Criminal Justice take a strong stand against Academic Dishonesty of all forms. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any class. It includes, but is not limited to, any form of cheating or unapproved help on an exam or academic exercise, copying someone else’s written work without citation, presenting fabricated information as legitimate, any unauthorized collaboration among students, or assisting someone to cheat in any way. All students have the ethical responsibility for doing their own work. A student who is uncertain about whether or not something constitutes academic dishonesty in a particular class has the obligation to see their instructor for clarification. Consistent with university policy, the minimum penalty for academic dishonesty in any form is determined by the individual faculty member in each class, and may consist of “a reduced grade (including “F” or zero) for the assignment; a reduced grade (including “F”) for the entire course,” or other options as stipulated in Appendix F of the Undergraduate Catalog. Students who are charged with academic dishonesty must remain enrolled in the course and cannot withdraw. Instructors who make the determination that academic dishonesty has occurred will notify the student in writing of the finding, the penalty, and the process for appeal. The same written notice will be forwarded
3. Students with learning disabilities should register at the Disability Support
Services Office.
explanation of grading
Consistent with University policy, the following grades will be assigned
according to the designated criteria:
A: A superior performance surpassing assigned work in unique and novel ways and
integrating diverse ideas from a wide range of sources in addition to those
discussed in class.
A-
B+
B: Excellent work surpassing the expectations of the assignment and
demonstrating initiative
and a willingness to move beyond the basic requirements of the assigned work.
B-
C+
C: Satisfactory work meeting all basic requirements of the assignment.
C-
D+
D: Work in some way less than satisfactory. Although conforming to basic
requirements in some way, the completed work is nevertheless not a coherent
response to the
assignment.
F: A profoundly unsatisfactory performance which doesn't meet
the intent of the assignment at any level.