HNRS 40001001: WE ARE WHAT WE READ?

FEMININITY THROUGH YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Leslie Robinson Bowling Green State University, Fall 2012 Wednesday 9:30 AM 11:15 AM, Harshman 264D (Seminar Room) COURSE SYLLABUS FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION E-mail robinsl@bgsu.edu Office Harshman E209, Honors Loft Office Phone 419-372-8506 Office Hours Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00am-12:00pm; 1:00pm-4:00pm Tuesday/Thursday 9:00am-11:00am (and by appointment) Campus Mailbox Harshman 209E, Honors Program Main Office COURSE DESCRIPTION Are we what we read? How much does literature reveal about us? What power do the words we read have over our own self-definitions, values and beliefs? As literature becomes ingrained in the popular culture of American lives through films and media, it has the potential to shape or alter our perceptions of self and others. The recent popularity of books like the Twilight and Hunger Games series, which feature prominent female characters, are now potentially influencing the way scores of readers define what it means to be a woman. In this course, we will read and examine how the characterization of female protagonists within modern young adult literature speaks to and shapes the female archetype in society. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (adapted from Heath Diehl, Instructor, Honors Program) Upon completion of this section of HNRS 4000, students will be able to: Read critically and understand literary, visual, and theoretical texts interpreting and analyzing such texts with special emphasis on the literary, socio-cultural, and theoretical traditions of which they are part. Interpret and understand literary, visual, and theoretical texts within their historical, literary, and sociocultural contexts, with a special emphasis on characterization of female protagonists; Learn and make effective use of a specialized vocabulary for the communication of ideas about literary, visual, and theoretical texts; Comprehend major socio-cultural, literary, visual, and historical traditions, events, influences, and ideas that shaped (and have been shaped by) the emergence and wide-spread proliferation of young adult literature featuring female protagonists in the contemporary period; Make informed judgments in interpreting literary, visual, and theoretical texts; Analyze and synthesize information in a written and/or creative format to discover original insights about feminine identity as defined by young adult literature; Organize and communicate knowledge and ideas in a logical and purposeful way;

These objectives will be measured through instructor observation of, and engagement with student contributions to in-class discussions regarding the texts and teacher-generated rubrics for student written, creative, and/or oral presentation assignments. COURSE TEXTS Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Harrisonburg, VA: RR Donnelley & Sons Company. "Speak up for yourself - we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows that this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In this powerful novel, an utterly believeable [sic] heroine with a bitterly

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ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself. 1 Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sisters place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead beforeand survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love. (Back cover summary) Durrow, H.W. (2010). The girl who fell from the sky. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Rachel, the daughter of a Danish [sic] mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop. Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring a constant stream of attention her way. Its there, as she grows up and tries to swallow her grief, that she comes to understand how the mystery and tragedy of her mother might be connected to her own uncertain identity.2 Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human. (Copyright page Summary) Qamar, A. (2008). Beneath my mother's feet. New York, NY: Simon and Shuster. Nazia doesn't mind when her friends tease and call her a good beti, a dutiful daughter. Growing up in a working-class family in Karachi, Pakistan, Nazia knows that obedience is the least she can give to her mother, who has spent years saving and preparing for her dowry. But every daughter must grow up, and for fourteen-year-old Nazia that day arrives suddenly when her father gets into an accident at work, and her family finds themselves without money for rent or food. Being the beti that she is, Nazia drops out of school to help her mother clean houses, all the while wondering when she managed to lose control of her life that had been full of friends and school. Working as a maid is a shameful obligation that could be detrimental to her future -- after all, no one wants a housekeeper for a daughter-in-law. As Nazia finds herself growing up much too quickly, the lessons of hardship that seem unbearable turn out to be a lot more liberating than she ever imagined. 3 Vaught, S. (2008). Big fat manifesto. New York, NY: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books. Jamie is a senior in high school and, like so many kids in that year, doing too muchincluding trying to change the worldand fighting for her rights as a very fat girl. And not quietly: she's writing a column every week in the paper with her thoughts and fears and gripes. As her column raises all kinds of questions, so too, must she find her own private way in her world, with love popping up in an unexpected place, and satisfaction in her size losing ground to real frustration. Tapping into her own experience losing weight, her training as a psychotherapist, and the current fascination in the media for teens who are trying drastic weight-loss measures including surgery, Susan Vaught's searing and hilarious prose will grip readers of all sizes, leaving them eager to hear more. 4
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Book description. (2011, May 10). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Speak-Laurie-HalseAnderson/dp/0312674392/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334455179&sr=1-1 2 Book description. (2011, January 11). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/The-Girl-Who-FellSky/dp/1616200154/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334454549&sr=1-1 3 Book description. (2011, April 19). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Mothers-Feet-AmjedQamar/dp/1442414510/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334455635&sr=1-1 4 Book description. (2007, December 26). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Manifesto-SusanVaught/dp/B002UXS0BG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334455851&sr=1-1

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COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (all sections adapted from Heath Diehl, Instructor, Honors Program) Attendance and Participation (adaption from Julie Haught, Senior Lecturer, English) Learning flourishes when we take what we think we know and offer it as community property among fellow learners so that it can be tested, examined, challenged, and improved 5 Education is a collaborative process by a group of interested parties who wish to learn. I assume each person in this class wants to learn and I expect that each person understands that learning is an active process that involves the participants commitment to the material and to his/her colleagues. Given this basic philosophy toward education, I expect you to attend class regularly and punctually. Moreover, I expect active participation for the entirety of each class session. Students attending class without adequate preparation, arriving to class more than 5 minutes late, sleeping through class, or leaving class early without prior notice will be marked absent (if you arrive late, come in with as little disturbance as possible). If you do arrive very late, please see me after class. Please be aware that you are responsible for all material covered in class. Similarly, when you have unavoidably missed an entire class meeting, it is up to you to coordinate with your classmates to find out what you missed. Of course, I understand that there may be instances where you are ill, have personal emergencies, job interviews, and/or university-sponsored activities that will interfere with your ability to attend this class during the semester. For this reason, every student is allowed one excused absence with no penalty (see below for examples of excused absences). If you miss an excessive number of classes, whether excused or not, then your work (and your grade) will suffer. Specifically, if your absences begin to affect your progress, then I will ask you to come in to my office for a personal conference. If you miss more than one class, excused or not, then I reserve the right to reduce your course grade by of a letter (50 points) for each additional absence over the allotted one. Excused Absences An excused absence is one that is caused by documented illness, inclement weather disturbances (see below), or a university-sponsored field trip. Under these circumstances, I will work with you to help you make up the material and the graded assignments that you miss (these absences still count toward your maximum one). Two additional attendance policies are worthy of note: First, in the event of a students extended absence as a result of personal illness or emergency, the student and I will discuss the best resolution to the semester and the attendance policy above may be amended to accommodate the student. Second, if in the case of severe weather an official agency such as the State Highway Patrol reports that hazardous driving conditions exist and travel is not advised, then students who must commute to Bowling Green may be excused from classes at my discretion. Upon return to class (or through e-mail prior to his/her return to class), the student should inform me of his or her inability to travel due to hazardous driving conditions.

Late Work Assignments must be turned in during class at the assigned times. Late work will not be accepted (unless, of course, there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from turning in an assignment on time, and then only if you have discussed these extenuating circumstances with me in advance of the due date). An assignment is considered late if you have not submitted it by the beginning of class on the assigned day. If you fail to turn in one of the assignments for HNRS 4000, then you will automatically receive zero credit for the assignment. Finally, if you

Shulman, L.S. (1999). Taking learning seriously. Change, 31(4), 11-17.

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miss a class, then you miss the work for that day. There will be no make-up assignments or individual extra credit. Cellular Telephones and Other Technological Distractions Cellular telephone use during class is disruptive and shows a lack of courtesy and respect for your Instructor and peers. Thus, please turn off (or silence) cellular telephones prior to the beginning of each class session. Please Note: In cases of personal emergency you may answer your cellular telephone, and with as little disturbance as possible to the classroom, step into the hall. I ask that should these circumstances arise, please inform me prior to the beginning of class, and sit near the door of the classroom. Texting in class as well as any use of technological devices (including but not limited to tablets, laptop computers, and so forth) for anything other than course-related purposes and endeavors will result in students being counted absent for the class period. The 24-Hour Rule Because I devote a significant amount of time and effort to commenting on and evaluating final drafts of assignments, I expect you to read through the comments several times, engage with them, and attempt to understand them before you approach me with questions. In order to facilitate this, I have instituted the 24-hour rule. Simply put, this rule maintains that you cannot ask me questions about my comments on a final evaluated draft of an assignment until 24 hours have passed from the time that I handed the draft back. (Rough drafts of assignments are exempted from the 24-hour rule.) After 24 hours have passed, you may ask any question you wish; be advised, however, that I will never negotiate grades. Plagiarism (some information taken from CSU, Fresno University Catalog) Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one's grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this definition that the term cheating not be limited to examination situations only, but that it includes any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating that consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e., their intellectual property) as one's own work. Plagiarism can also involve quoting without acknowledging the true source of the quoted material (whether that error was made intentionally or unintentionally) and even indirect quotations and/or paraphrasing where the sources are not properly cited. I take cheating and plagiarism very seriouslyeither act breaks a trust between professor and student, undermines your integrity, and is unfair to your peers. Students are expected to maintain the highest level of integrity in their academic work and, as a result, plagiarism simply will not be tolerated under any circumstances. If you are discovered to have plagiarized any or all of your assignments for HNRS 4000, then you will receive a WF for the course and I will send a letter to the Dean of your College charging you with plagiarism. Consult BGSUs Code of Academic Conduct for information regarding this Universitys academic honesty policies and penalties for violation of those policies. These policies and penalties apply to our class, as well as to all other classes at BGSU. (The Code of Academic Conduct is available online @ http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/studentdiscipline/page13640.html.) Finally, be advised that as per the Honors Program Student Handbook (available on the Honors Program Blackboard site), if you are charged with and found guilty of academic dishonesty, then you not only will be subject to punishment at the University level, but also could be removed from the University Honors Program. Students with Disabilities Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 require faculty at Bowling Green State University to provide an academic adjustment and/or a reasonable accommodation to any individual who advises us of a physical or psychological disability. If you have a physical or psychological limitation that requires an academic adjustment or an accommodation, then please arrange a meeting with me at your earliest convenience. Students with a documented disability who require specific examination and/or course-

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related academic accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services by phone at (419) 372-8495 or in person at 413 South Hall. Office Hours and Communication I keep regular office hours (see above) in addition to being available for appointments. I am also available to chat over lunch, while grabbing coffee, or you can always catch me immediately prior to, or following class to make an appointment. If you have problems, concerns, questions, complaints, or comments regarding this course, then it is your responsibility (and I encourage you) to bring them first to me for discussion and resolution. Finally, if you have a question about anything relating to this course, then it really is best if you ask me. If you ask the person who happens to be sitting next to you or someone who has had the course before, then I am not responsible for what he or she may tell you. The Fine Print (some information taken from Fritz Wenisch, University of Rhode Island) Important oral and/or written announcements, including announcements modifying the terms of this syllabus, may from time to time be made in class during the course of the semester (in other words, this syllabus is subject to change). If you miss class (or are late for class or "daydream" during my announcements), then it is your responsibility to inquire whether such announcements have been made. Additionally, I will regularly communicate class updates, readings, etc. via email and the course website. I also encourage each student to communicate comments, questions, and course-related material to the class through the course website. It is each individual students responsibility to regularly check their email and the course website for updates and announcements. Finally, if you believe that a penalty for noncompliance with a rule announced (either in this syllabus or orally or in writing later in the semester) should be waived because of a legitimate excuse on your part, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment or drop by during office hours to discuss it. I cannot guarantee that I will grant your request, but I will always engage in conversation with you about your reasoning. COURSE EVALUATION (all sections adapted from Heath Diehl, Instructor, Honors Program) Proposal for Final Project Final Project Oral Presentation on Final Project Discussion Questions 100 points 500 points 250 points 150 points

Incomplete Policy A grade of Incomplete will be granted to a student in rare instances and will be considered only in cases of documented medical emergency or other, comparably grave circumstances, and then only when a student has discussed these circumstances with me and made appropriate arrangements for the Incomplete prior to the end of the term during which the student is enrolled in one of my courses. Generally, to receive a grade of Incomplete, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, be earning a passing grade, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion and that occur after the deadline to withdraw from the course. All required work for the course must be completed by the designated dates (i.e., March 1 Fall; August 1 Spring; November 1 Summer) for the granting of an appropriate grade. Failure to complete the work by the designated date will result in a failing grade for the course. Course Grading Scale The course grading scale is set in stone. No bumps up or pushes of any type exist in this course, even if you are only 6 points away from the grade you desire. No exceptions will be given under any circumstance, so please do not even ask. Total Points 1000 900 899 800 799 700 699 600 599 0 Letter Grade A B C D F

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If you wish to discuss a grade received, please be prepared to discuss the following two questions: (1) in what specific ways was the evaluation of your work inaccurate? (2) In what specific ways did the evaluation not align with the rubric or provision of this syllabusor a later oral or written modification of it? LEARNING ACTIVITIES (all sections adapted from Heath Diehl, Instructor, Honors Program) Below you will find a written description of the learning activities for this course. I encourage you to read carefully and ask any clarifying questions prior to the deadline for each activity. Discussion Questions This term we will be reading six novels from the young adult literature genre. Through our discussions of these texts, I hope that each of us will cultivate better listening, discussion/conversation, and questioning skills. In order to assist in the cultivation of these skills, everyone will create five open-ended discussion questions for two of the texts included in the course-reading schedule. A sign-up sheet will be passed around during the initial class period. Only a limited number of slots will be available for each book and slots will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Discussion questions are due one class period prior to the class period during which the discussion of the book is scheduled to take place (with the exception of the first novel). The specific due dates for each book are listed below in the Course Reading Schedule. Students are responsible for turning in one print copy of their questions at the beginning of class on the assigned due date. In general, students will be evaluated on the basis of two criteria: one, organization and preparedness (with regard to the creation of the questions); and two, quality of the discussion (that results from the questions posed). Each set of (5) discussion questions will be worth 75 points toward your final course grade (out of 1000 points). That means that each discussion question is worth 15 points and that the discussion questions assignments (together) will be worth a maximum of 150 total points toward your final course grade Final Project The final project for this section of HNRS 4000 is to answer the question What does it mean to be a 21 st century woman? You will complete this assignment by selecting from the following two basic options, or tracks: the traditional track and the creative track. Track One: The Traditional Seminar Paper If you opt for Track One, then you will be required to write an extended academic researched essay about some narrowed aspect of the topical focus of this seminar. For this assignment, I want you to explore some aspect of a text or a series of texts that you find interesting, provocative, unusual, original, or otherwise noteworthy to explain how you came to your definition. I hesitate to put too many restrictions on this assignment, since I want this essay to emerge from the set of values, assumptions, and interests that you bring to the chosen texts (as well as from the particular expertise that you bring to this class). In general, there are three basic approaches to this assignment, including: Literary Analysis: researching a particular literary aspect of the text(s) (e.g., character, theme, generic tradition, etc.) and exploring its implications and manifestations in the text(s) through close textual analysis of specific passages/excerpts Contextual Analysis: researching a relevant socio-cultural context for the text(s) and analyzing the influence of the context on the text(s) Critical/Theoretical Analysis: researching and applying a critical theory to the text(s) (e.g., philosophical theories regarding freewill v. predestination, cultural theories regarding social class, feminist theories regarding gender roles and expectations, etc.) This essay should be 15-20 pages in lengththough you can opt to exceed the minimum page length requirements where appropriateand it will be evaluated according to a rubric (that will be made available on Blackboard). It should draw on and make use of at the very least ten credible, current, and scholarly sources (i.e., academic books, journal articles, and disciple-specific reference worksbut absolutely no webpages). Of the required ten academic

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sources, a maximum of two of them can be literary/cinematic/television works. (However, you can use more than two literary/cinematic/television works; just be aware that only two of them will count toward your minimum ten.) The essay should be typed and double-spaced with 1 margins on all sides of the printed page. It should be formatted according to APA style and it should include a separate References page that documents all source materials (including all literary and/or cinematic texts) that have been referenced within the essay. Finally, be aware that I am looking for some original critical thought about the text(s) that you have chosen to analyze and what it/they mean(s) to you. You should locate your ideas within the ongoing critical conversations about the text(s) (which is in large part why I am requiring you to include some outside research), but you should attempt to assert an original claim about the texts that you have chosen to analyze. Given that this seminar paper constitutes the bulk of your grade for this course, I am strongly encouraging you to submit a rough draft on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2012. (Please note that if you would like to submit your rough draft earlier than this date, then you are free to do so. That way, you could potentially submit multiple rough drafts. However, be advised that I will not accept any rough drafts after the October 10 deadline.) Rough drafts will not be issued a grade, but I will offer substantial commentary on each draft that I receive. I also am requiring you craft a Project Proposal that will be due on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 (please submit these proposals via e-mail as .doc, .docx, or .rtf; that way, I can respond to them more quickly and efficiently). Final drafts of the seminar paper will be due at the beginning of class on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012. Track Two: The Creative Project If you opt for Track Two, then you will be required to select one narrowed concept/idea/text/series of texts that has captured your interest in our in-class discussions and/or required course readings and use that idea as a springboard for a project that demonstrates your thorough familiarity with and understanding of that concept and its significance to your definition. This project can take pretty much any form that you wish and it can focus on pretty much any topic that you wish. Some examples of previous creative projects are: I Spy books, scripts for stage plays and television programs (both pre-existing and original), novels, novellas, short stories, websites, board games, training manuals, graphic novels, podcasts and video-casts, movies, etc. The only limitations, in other words, are your own imaginations, so dont assume anything is off limits until I say, That wont work and advise you to re-think your proposal (I would, however, advise you to play to your strengths and to take on a project that you already possess the skills to complete). I will expect you to have conducted some research on the topic, though the amount and kind of research might vary from one project to another depending on the shape, focus, and purpose of individual projects. Given that these projects will vary quite considerably from one person to another, I cannot offer as specific guidelines regarding my expectations as I can with other projects and therefore I would like for each of you to craft a Project Proposal which will be due on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 (please submit these proposals via e-mail as .doc, .docx, or .rtf; that way, I can respond to them more quickly and efficiently). Moreover, given that this creative project constitutes the bulk of your grade for this course, I am strongly encouraging you to submit a rough draft on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2012. (Please note that if you would like to submit your rough draft earlier than this date, then you are free to do so. That way, you could potentially submit multiple rough drafts. However, be advised that I will not accept any rough drafts after the October 10 deadline.) Rough drafts will not be issued a grade, but I will offer substantial commentary on each draft that I receive. Final drafts of the project will be due at the beginning of class on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012. Tracks One & Two: Proposals Regardless of the track which you choose, all students will be required to turn in (via e-mail as an attachment in .doc, .docx, or.rtf format) a seminar paper/creative project proposal on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012. Included in the proposal should be a thorough description of your project (an outline of any research questions, an explanation/justification of methodology, etc.) as well as any questions and/or concerns that you would like for me to address directly. I would expect proposals to be at least two full pages in length (double-spaced, 1 margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman or equivalent, etc.). Tracks One & Two: Oral Presentations Regardless of the track that you choose, all students will be required to develop, practice, and then deliver an inclass oral presentation on the argument that you have staked out in your seminar paper or on the creative direction

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that you have taken in your project. The presentation may simply be an oratory, or it may use any forms of visual or audio aids that are appropriate (and that do not overshadow your own research results and conclusions). You will not be able to present an entire researched essay or creative project in the short time allotted to you, nor should you try. Instead, focus on the essential information required to help your audience understand what you learned, how you learned it, and why it was important to learn. Your presentation should follow the basic structure of a basic academic essay or oral presentation; in other words, it should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. In addition to the basic structure (introduction-body-conclusion), you can improve the organization of your presentation by using transitions from one section to the next and within each section as well. Transitions provide clear guides to your audience as they listen to your speech. Some helpful reminders to consider when planning your oral presentation include: Practice your presentation in advance; the more times you run through it, the more comfortable you will be with it. Also, time your talk beforehand so that you do not fall minutes short or run too long. (Students will be given a specific time limit. Those who do not fall within this time limit will have points deducted from the delivery portion of their score.) In order to create an effective presentation, do not try to recreate the entire paper/project in oral form. Instead, foreground your thesis and pick out the strongest part(s) of your paper/project, presenting them as illustrations of the thesis. Prepare your presentation so that someone unfamiliar with your subject easily can follow along. Remember that your listeners havent spent the time you have working with the information you are presenting. Consequently, re-emphasize your thesis and repeat your main points using the signposting technique (that is, simple transitional devices and preview sentences). This is not an informal presentation of research. Though you are acquainted with your classmates and this helps you, this is a professional, academic presentation of research that requires most of the elements of a presentation to a group that you arent acquainted with. Remember you are here to inform and you want your listeners to take your information seriouslyso, be professional in every aspect of the presentation. Be prepared to answer questions afterward. In non-academic situations, the prepared remarks often are little more than a prelude to the real thing: the question-and-answer period. For this assignment, expect to field questions from your instructor and peers.

Please note that if you plan to use any kind of audio/visual aids, then make sure that you make any arrangements necessary for their use and come early to class. During the presentation segment of the course, I will be at class ten minutes before we begin to start up the monitors, etc. If, for example, you will make a presentation using Power Point, then you will want to bring the presentation on an appropriate disk or, better, upload it to your eportfolio and then open it on the classroom computer. We all know how technology likes to play with us, so plan ahead and make a back-up plan. The oral presentations will be evaluated using a rubric that will be made available on Blackboard. In general, you will be evaluated on content (i.e., development and clarity of presentation of ideas), organization (i.e., use of transitions, inclusion of thesis statement, use of clear and logical organizational plan, etc.), ability to respond to questions, and delivery (i.e., adherence to time limit, clarity of speaking voice, etc.). Presentations will be held during our regularly scheduled final examination period (and perhaps the final day of class, depending on the length of the presentations and the number of students enrolled in our class).

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COURSE READING SCHEDULE (format adapted from Maureen Wilson, Full Professor, Higher Education and Student Affairs) AUGUST 22 CLASS #1: COURSE OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTIONS READ: Kaminer, W. (1993, October). Feminism's identity crisis. The Atlantic, Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1993/10/feminism-apos-s-identity-crisis/4921/ (Blackboard) DUE: What does it mean to be a 21st century woman? one page definition AUGUST 29 CLASS #2: QUESTIONS OF STRENGTH: WHAT MAKES A FEMALE STRONG? READ: Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. Rosenburg, A. (n.d.). A condemnation of sparkly vampires. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/11/a-condemnation-of-sparkly-vampires/7792/ (Blackboard) Silver, A. (2010). "Twilight" is not good for maidens: Gender, sexuality, and the family in stephanie meyer's "twilight" series. Studies in the Novel, 42(1/2), 121-138. (Blackboard) DUE: Discussion Questions for Twilight SEPTEMBER 5 CLASS #3 READ: Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. DUE: Discussion Questions for Speak SEPTEMBER 12 CLASS #4: FEMININE CONSTRUCTIONS OF SEXUALITY READ: Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Harrisonburg, VA: RR Donnelley & Sons Company. Burr, J. (2001). Women have it. Men want it. What is it?: Constructions of sexuality in rape discourse. Psychology, Evolution & Gender, 3(1), 103-105. doi: 10.1080/14616660110049618 (Blackboard) Prince, J. (2008, December). Writing from the heart: an interview with laurie halse anderson. Teacher Librarian, 36(2), 70-71. (Blackboard) DUE: Final Project Proposals SEPTEMBER 19 CLASS #5 READ: Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Harrisonburg, VA: RR Donnelley & Sons Company. Read, B. (2011). Britney, beyonc, and me- primary school girls' role models and constructions of the 'popular' girl. Gender and Education, 23(1), 1-13. (Blackboard) DUE: Discussion Questions for The Hunger Games SEPTEMBER 26 CLASS #6: MASCULINE FEMININITY? READ: Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. The hunger games is a sexist fairy tale. Sorry. (2012, April 10). Retrieved from http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/04/the_hunger_games_is_sexist_fai.html (Blackboard) Berlatsky, N. (2011, November 11). 'Twilight' vs. 'hunger games': Why do so many grown-ups hate bella?. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/11/twilight-vs-hunger-games-why-doso-many-grown-ups-hate-bella/248439/ (Blackboard) OCTOBER 3 CLASS #7 READ: Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. Hall, J. M. (2008). Tomboys: Meanings, marginalization, and misunderstandings. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 29, 555-565. doi: 10.1080/01612840802048691 (Blackboard) DUE: Discussion questions for The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

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OCTOBER 10 CLASS #8: ETHNIC IDENTITY AND FEMININITY READ: Durrow, H.W. (2010). The girl who fell from the sky. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Borrero, N. E., & Yeh, C. J. (2011). The multidimensionality of ethnic identity among urban high school youth. Identity, 11(2), 114-135. doi: 10.1080/15283488.2011.555978 DUE: Final Project Draft Due (optional) OCTOBER 17 CLASS #9 READ: Durrow, H.W. (2010). The girl who fell from the sky. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. DUE: Discussion questions for Beneath my Mothers Feet OCTOBER 24 CLASS #10: SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF FEMININITY READ: Qamar, A. (2008). Beneath my mother's feet. New York, NY: Simon and Shuster. Hamid, S., Johansson, E., & Rubenson, B. (2009). "Who am i? where am i?" Experiences of married young women in a slum in islamabad, pakistan. BMC Public Health, 9, 265-272. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-265 OCTOBER 31 CLASS #11 READ: Qamar, A. (2008). Beneath my mother's feet. New York, NY: Simon and Shuster. DUE: Discussion questions for Big Fat Manifesto NOVEMBER 7 CLASS #12: BODY IMAGE AND IDENTITY READ: Vaught, S. (2008). Big fat manifesto. New York, NY: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books. Bonafini, B. A., & Pozzilli, P. (2010). Body weight and beauty: The changing face of the ideal female body weight. Obesity Reviews, 12, 62-65. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00754.x (Blackboard) Judd, A. (2012, April 9). Ashley judd slaps media in the face for speculation over her 'puff'y appearance. Retrieved from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/09/ashley-judd-slaps-media-in-the-face-forspeculation-over-her-puffy-appearance.print.html (Blackboard) NOVEMBER 14 CLASS #13: READ: Vaught, S. (2008). Big fat manifesto. New York, NY: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books. DUE: Wrap Up Discussion Questions NOVEMBER 21 NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING BREAK) NOVEMBER 28 CLASS #14: BURNING QUESTIONS AND SEMESTER WRAP UP DUE: Final Project (optional) DECEMBER 5 CLASS #15: ORAL PRESENTATIONS DUE: Final Project (mandatory) DECEMBER 10-14 FINAL EXAM TBD