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ENGL 2850-M01: Nation, Identity and Literature
Spring 2022
Class Days and Time: T, Th; 3:30-4:45PM
Classroom: Padre Rubio Hall 4
Credit(s): 3
Instructor: Dr. Olivia Badoi
Instructor’s Email: [email protected]
Zoom Office Hours: Wednesdays, 10-12PM
Zoom Office Hours Link: https://slu.zoom.us/j/3278553503 (Links to an external site.)
Meeting ID: 327 855 3503
Password: 231657
Course Description
This course introduces literary study within the context and theme of nation and identity. Each of the four novels that we will read examines the relationship between nation and identity from a different vantage point. Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation asks us to consider what separates the human from the non-human, from other life forms, both terrestrial and alien. Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands/La Frontera challenges us to conceptualize the borderland as a space that is both physical and psychological. In Beloved, Toni Morrison explores what happens when we are haunted by history, while Virginia Woolf’s Orlando interrogates the fixed nature of concepts such as time, history, and gender.
By analyzing each novel, as well as by placing them in dialogue, we will grasp a better understanding of the role played by literature in both forging and contesting national identities and myths of national unity. We will explore how notions of foreignness or otherness create divisions within nations, and how literature and film try to address (and perhaps even heal) a fractured sense of identity, whether national or individual. To aid us in this quest, we will discuss literary works alongside fundamental theoretical texts such as Benedict Anderson’s “Imagined Communities” and Homi K. Bhabha’s theory of Otherness.
Through engaging with a wide variety of genres – including magic realism, eco-fiction, pseudo-biography– the course engages students in literary ways of knowing. Methods
include close reading, comparative textual analysis, and argumentative and reflective writing.
Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes
Students who complete this course will be able to:
• Generate engaged and responsive close readings of texts;
• Describe and analyze the various ways in which texts reflect and help shape wider
cultural conditions;
• Construct clear spoken and written arguments that demonstrate an awareness of purpose
and audience.
Our literary-interpretative objectives for this course are to:
• Read texts by authors who offer unique perspectives on the relationship between nation&identity;
• Read closely and critically, learning to interpret literature in ways that are both
intellectually rigorous and personally significant;
• Discuss written reflections on literature in group settings, enriching our ability to
express ideas and insights clearly and concisely.
Required Texts and Films
You are required to purchase the same edition as what is indicated below. The books are available at the SLU bookstore. It is your responsibility to purchase them before class starts.
• You are required to have the assigned reading with you for each class! Failure to do so will affect your grade.
Anzaldua, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera, Fourth edition*. Aunt Lute Books. 2014.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Vintage. 2004.
Vandermeer, Jeff. Annihilation. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2014.
Woolf, Virginia. Orlando. Penguin Classics. 2019.
(*this is the only book in the list that is harder to find. If you are able to find it on ebay etc., do purchase it. It is better to have the physical copy of the book. However, an electronic copy will be made available to you on Canvas)
The following films will be screened in class. If you miss the screening, you are required to watch the film on your own.
Beloved. Director Jonathan Demme. 1998.
Annihilation. Director Alex Garland. 2018
Course Assignments and Grading Rationale / System
1) Attendance and participation 5%
2) Response Papers 20%
3) Presentation 15%
4) Interpretive Paper 1 15%
5) Interpretive Paper 2 20%
6) Midterm 10%
7) Final Exam 15%
Response Papers
You will write 6 short response papers (2 pages each) in response to an indicated reading or film screening. The response papers are short, informal pieces of writing that are intended to give you the opportunity to reflect on the reading and to consolidate, organize and build on your thoughts from class discussion. They can often serve as sounding boards for ideas that you will later develop in the interpretive papers.
In order to pass this class, you must complete at least five of the six required response papers.
Response papers must be submitted to Canvas on the due date indicated in the course outline. All papers must follow the formatting guidelines of
academic writing (name, course number, date in top left corner, title in center before response).
Presentations
Every single student will deliver one in-class, 10 to 15-minute presentation during the semester.
The topic for the presentation will be selected from a list of topics that will be made available on Canvas.
The presentation is your opportunity to acquire a deeper level of expertise on a topic that your peers might not know that much about. You will then put on “your teacher hat” and present this newly acquired knowledge to the class in an engaging and informative way.
Important: it is your responsibility to schedule a meeting with me one week prior to the date of your presentation, so we can touch base on your thoughts for the presentation.
Interpretive Papers
You will write 2 interpretive papers (between 3-4 pages in length) during the semester. These papers will focus on developing your close reading and interpretive skills, and will demonstrate your ability to develop and sustain arguments about literature. Papers must follow MLA formatting.
• All papers must be submitted to Canvas by the due date and time. Canvas will automatically apply a 5% grade deduction for each late day.
In addition to these assignments, there will be occasional unannounced quizzes, the purpose of which is to assess that you are keeping up with the reading.
Criteria for an Excellent Literature Paper
1) Strong, clear, precise, original thesis (at this introductory level, original means going
beyond related ideas discussed in class)
2) Perceptive argumentation from textual evidence demonstrating ability to understand
literary language, applying the close reading skills with awareness of the literary forms,
strategies, and devices discussed in class
3) Skillful organization and integration of evidence into a well-organized argument
whose sections or steps are clearly related to the paper’s thesis
4) Clear, varied, vivid style.
5) Correct use of mechanics—punctuation, spelling, MLA citation format
6) Where relevant, skillful integration of historical and biographical material or
secondary criticism in support of one’s argument
Points 1-3 are crucial to passing this class, while Points 4-5 play a significant role in borderline grades. Within this spectrum:
o A papers must achieve Points 1-5 with great competence, and where relevant, Point 6. Sloppiness in Points 4-5 prevents papers from earning an A.
o B papers are usually missing one of Points 1-3 (and Point 6 where relevant) or more than 1 but excel in the other areas (e.g., a paper with a strong, interesting thesis and good evidence that struggles with organization). Severe problems with Points 4-5 may prevent a paper from earning a B.
o C papers usually lack two of Points 1-3 (and Point 6 where relevant) or achieve all 3 at a mediocre level.
o D papers lack or are very weak in Points 1-3 (and Point 6 where relevant), struggle with Points 4-5, and lack flashes of insight or excellence to compensate.
o F papers are devoid of ideas, partly or completely copied, or still unwritten.
Grading Scale
Attendance Policy: Regular class attendance is mandatory. Normally. But since we don't live in "normal times," some level of flexibility is required.
Simply put, I expect that you are committed to your own education and that you will attend class whenever you are able to.
That said, even if you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to: 1. inform me. 2. do the work.
Participation: To ensure good participation, read assignments before class, speak up in class, help your classmates in their learning, and complete thoroughly any in-class assignments. That means being present intellectually, not just physically, for in-class writing exercises and peer workshops.
•
Mask Policy
Face masks must be worn on campus and especially during our class. Follow social distancing rules in the classroom. Avoid moving the desks or furniture, as these may have been arranged to maximize space between individuals.
Please remember: No food or drink (except water) in the classroom at any time. Use your laptop or tablet for taking notes or working on the readings. No cell phones on your desks at any time. Class time is limited and therefore precious. Why waste it?
Academic Honesty/Integrity: You are an original human being. Plagiarizing means that you don’t believe that to be true. Don’t plagiarize. Plagiarists cheat themselves of the education they deserve. If you feel tempted to plagiarize due to time pressure or lack of confidence in your own ability, DON’T. Come talk to me. We will work something out. Once you have plagiarized, it is too late to negotiate and there will be consequences. Don’t hesitate to contact me about any concerns you have regarding keeping up with coursework. If you are having problems, I am happy to help try and find a solution, so please speak with me before it is too late.
English Department Plagiarism Statement
In the instance of a suspicion of plagiarism or other form of academic dishonesty it should be remembered that the instructor has the right to require the student to prove (by quiz, interview, or other means) that they are
the author of submitted work. Inability to do so will result in a report to the committee for academic dishonesty.
The full University-level Academic Integrity Policy can be found on the Provost's Office websiteLinks to an external site.. Additionally, SLU-Madrid has posted its academic integrity policy onlineLinks to an external site.. As a member of the University community, you are expected to know and abide by these policies, which detail definitions of violations, processes for reporting violations, sanctions and appeals.
University Policies: Important! Please Read Carefully
GDPR Norms Concerning Class Recordings
In accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we inform you that as a participant within this on-line classroom, your image and voice may be recorded by Saint Louis University in Spain, S.A., CIF A28654879, in 28003 Madrid (Spain), Avenida del Valle 34, for the sole purpose of the instruction of the said class that you are registered in. This information will be stored for the duration of the on-line class and erased thereafter by the professor of the course. Should you not want your image or voice to be a part of this class recording, please contact your professor to indicate that you will be turning your camera and microphone off and be participating via chat.
In addition, we would like to inform you that all recordings will be available to you in Blackboard and are exclusively for the use of the participants of the said class and should not be published on any other platform without the prior consent of all participants that may appear in the recording.
According to the rights conferred by the current GDPR regulation, you may exercise your rights of access, rectification, limitation of treatment, deletion, portability and opposition to the processing of your personal data, as well as the consent given for the treatment of it by directing your requests to the address indicated above or by sending an email to [email protected].
Use of Posted Course Content
SLU-Madrid prohibits recording and transmission of classroom lectures and discussions by students unless written permission from the class instructor has been obtained and all students in the class as well as guest speakers have been informed that audio/video recording may occur. Recordings, course materials, and lecture notes may not be exchanged or distributed for commercial purposes, for compensation, or for any other purpose other than
study by students enrolled in the class. Public distribution of such materials may constitute copyright infringement in violation of Spanish law. Violation of this policy may subject a student to disciplinary action in accordance with SLU-Madrid policies on Student Rights and Responsibilities and Community StandardsLinks to an external site..
Assessment of Student Learning
In order to maintain quality academic offerings and to conform to accreditation requirements, SLU-Madrid regularly assesses its teaching, services and programs for evidence of student learning. For this purpose, SLU-Madrid keeps representative examples of student work from all courses and programs on file, including assignments, papers, exams, portfolios and results from student surveys, focus groups and reflective exercises. Copies of your work for this course may be kept on file for institutional research, assessment and accreditation purposes. If you prefer SLU-Madrid not to retain your work for this purpose, you must communicate this decision in writing to your professor.
Diversity and Inclusion
Saint Louis University is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive and welcoming learning and working environment. SLU-Madrid's policies prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, disability, physical appearance, financial or socio-economic status, immigration status, parental or marital status, veteran status or any other aspect of identity. Discrimination includes any form of unequal treatment such as denial of opportunities, harassment, and violence. Sex-based violence includes rape, sexual assault, unwanted touching, stalking, dating/interpersonal violence, and sexual exploitation.
If you experience or witness any kind of discrimination, you are encouraged (but not required) to report the incident to the SLU-Madrid's Department of Student Life, whose office is located in Padre Rubio Hall ([email protected]; +34 915 54 58 58, ext, 213). You can also report the incident to the University's Hotline (900-99-0011; then enter 877-525-5669 when asked for the hotline number).
Instructors have a responsibility to inform SLU-Madrid when made aware of incidents of discrimination, harassment sexual misconduct, and/or related retaliation, to ensure that individuals impacted receive information about options for reporting and support resources.
If you wish to speak with a confidential source, resources are available on campus and off campus:
o Counselors at SLU-Madrid's Wellness Center, located on the third floor of San Ignacio Hall ([email protected]; 915 54 58 58, ext. 230).
o Counselors at Sinews Multilingual Therapy Institute, SLU-Madrid's off-campus counseling and mental health services provider (sinews.es (Links to an external site.); 917 00 19 79).
o SLU-Madrid's Campus Minister, Fr. James O'Leary, S.J. ([email protected]; 915 54 58 58, ext. 279).
Additional information and resources are posted on our Safety and Security and Community Standards webpages.
Disability Accommodations and Learning Resources
In recognition that people learn in a variety of ways and that learning is influenced by multiple factors (e.g., prior experience, study skills, learning disability), resources to support student success are available on campus. Students who think they might benefit from these resources can find out more about:
o Course-level support (e.g., faculty member, departmental resources, etc.) by asking or emailing your course instructor.
o University-level support (e.g., tutoring/writing services, Disability Services) by contacting the Academic Dean's Office ([email protected]) or by reviewing the Academic Resources website onlineLinks to an external site..
Students with a documented disability who wish to request academic accommodations must contact Disability Services to discuss accommodation requests and eligibility requirements. Once successfully registered, the student also must notify the course instructor that they wish to access accommodations in the course. Please contact [email protected] or +34 915 54 58 58, extension 242 or 249. Confidentiality will be observed in all inquiries. Once approved, information about the student’s eligibility for academic accommodations will be shared with course instructors via email from Disability Services. Note: Students who do not have a documented disability but who think they may have one are encouraged to contact Disability Services.
For more information about academic accommodations, see the SLU-Madrid Disability Services webpage.Links to an external site.
Needs Security Statement
Students in personal or academic distress and/or who may be specifically experiencing challenges such as securing food or difficulty navigating campus resources, and who believe this may affect their performance in the course, are encouraged to contact Marta Maruri, SLU-Madrid’s Director of Student Life ([email protected] or +34 915 54 58 58, ext. 213) for support. Furthermore, please notify the instructor if you are comfortable in doing so, as this will enable them to assist you with finding the resources you may need.
Spring 2022 Course Outline
Spring 2022 Course Outline
Week Tuesday Thursday
Week 1
Jan. 13
First day of classes
Course introduction
Week 2
Jan. 18
Origin Stories part 1
Read Winthrop’s “A Model of
Christian Charity”
Jan. 20
Origin Stories part 2
Week 3
Jan. 25
Read Benedict Anderson
First response paper due
Jan. 27
Read chapter 1 from
Borderlands
Presentation (1)
Week 4
Feb. 1
Read chapters 2 and 3 of Borderlands
Feb. 3
Read chapter 5 of Borderlands
Presentation (2)
Week 5
Feb. 8
Read chapter 7 of Borderlands
Second response paper due
Feb. 10
Borderlands wrap-up
Presentation (3)
Week 6
Feb. 15
Read Introduction and chapter 1 of
Orlando
Presentation (4)
Feb. 17
Read Orlando chapter 2
Week 7
Feb. 22
Midterm
Feb. 24
Winter break
Week 8
March 1
Read Orlando chapters 3&4
Third response paper due
March 3
Read Orlando chapter 5 (157-
182)
Presentation (5)
Week 9
March 8
Read Orlando chapter 6 (182-228)
March 10
Orlando wrap-up
Presentation (6)
Interpretive Paper 1 Due
Week 10
March 15
Read Beloved (pages 1-75)
Presentation (7)
March 17
Read Beloved (pages 76-134)
Presentation (8)
Week 11
March 22
Read Beloved (pages 134-248)
Fourth response paper due
March 24
Read Beloved (pages 248-end)
Presentation (9)
Week 12
March 29
Screening Beloved part 1
March 31
Screening Beloved part 2
& film discussion
Week 13
April 5
Read Annihilation
chapter 1 “Initiation”
Fifth response paper due
Presentation (10)
April 7
Read Annihilation
chapter 2 “Integration”
Week 14
April 12
Semana santa, campus closed
April 14
Semana santa, campus closed
Week 15
April 19
Read Annihilation chapters 3-5
(“Immolation, Immersion, Dissolution”)
Sixth response paper due
Presentation (11)
April 21
Screening Annihilation
Week 16
April 26
Presentation (12)
Interpretive Paper 2 Due
April 28
Annihilation wrap-up
Presentation (13)
Week 17
May 3
Last day of class
