Dr. Jacquie Scott Irish A-208 (480) 965-6780   Jacquie.Scott@asu.edu Office Hours: W 8:40-10:30 a.m. F 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. & by appointment

HON 272: The Human Event Caspar David Friedrich, Cloister Graveyard in the Snow , 1810

Spring 2008 Last Updated April 2008

2008 Daily Schedule

Readings are assigned for discussion in class on the day they appear on the schedule.
  This schedule is subject to change; any changes will be announced in class.

Week 1		January 16-18
W		Introduction to class
F		Swift, "A Modest Proposal"; Bernier (handout). Seminar Participation Guidelines.  Syllabus quiz. A Modest Proposal" Background & Focus Questions;  Bernier focus questions: What is Bernier's thesis?  Which assumptions does he make in arguing his most important points? Do you agree with his assumptions and argument?  Why or why not? Seminar Participation acceptance due to blackboard (use the Discussion Board tool) by 5:00 p.m.  The message you post should (1) indicate that you have read and accept the Seminar Participation Guidelines, and (2) briefly introduce yourself to our online community.  Remember that I have three Human Event sections using one blackboard, so not everyone who you may be interacting with online will have heard your in-class introduction.
Week 2		January 23-25
W		Rousseau, “On the Origin of Inequality among Men” (CR) Focus Questions: Characterize, with textual evidence, Rousseau's concept of human beings in a state of nature. According to Rousseau, what separates humans from animals? Note passages that support this view. Explain Rousseau’s concept of amour propre and his view on its relationship to social inequality. Do you agree with him? What is Rousseau's attitude toward personal property? Do you agree with him? Most importantly, according to Rousseau, what *is* the origin of inequality among humans?
F		John Locke, from The Second Treatise on Civil Government;  The Declaration of Independence Focus Questions: Locke: What is humankind's state in nature? Locke: What distinguishes a civil society from one that is in the state of nature?  Locke: What does he say is the basis for human equality? Declaration of Independence: What is meant by "all men are created equal?"  Equal in what ways and on what basis?
Week 3		January 30-February 1
W		Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville.  Focus Questions When Rousseau reflects on the choice"to be or to seem," he suggests that civilized humans are hypocritical because they strive to appear as someone they are not. Which character(s) in the Barber of Seville create a false facade?  Do these serve or hinder their humanity?   Are there situations in which seeming like something one is not is beneficial?  How might Rousseau evaluate such situations (if they exist). After witnessing a discussion between Bartholo and Bazile regarding their proposal of the use of Calumny to ruin the Count's reputation Figaro states that you need "position in the world, family name, rank, standing in fact, to achieve anything efffective by Calumny." Is Figaro right? Does this relate to the underlying theme of class consciousness in the play? Would these requirements for effective use of Calumny still apply in today's society? In Act Four, after Bartholo discovers that the Count and Rosine are married, he attempts to fall back on his " authority as guardian" (101). However, the Count informs Bartholo that he "forfeited" his power and authority by abusing it (101).  How does Barber's theme of power and authority function as a cultural critique of 18th century French society?
F		Beamarchais, The Marriage of Figaro.  Focus Questions Who are the new characters inthis play? Figaro delivers a long monologue at the beginning of Act 5 (199-202). What purpose does Figaro's speech serve? Do you think Beaumarchais is trying to convey an important point? If so, what is that point? In The Marriage of Figaro, Count Almaviva has taken to confining Rosine to her room and being outrageously suspicious and jealous of her, just as Bartholo was in The Barber of Seville. How do you account for the Count adopting the same behaviors from he had helped Rosine escape in the earlier play?    At the end of the play, the Countess accepts the Count’s plea for forgiveness, even though a few moments earlier, when the Count thought the Countess was asking for forgiveness, he replied with “No, no!” (215).  What do we learn from the different approaches to forgiveness we observe in different characters?  What might Beaumarchais be suggesting with the forgiveness theme?  On page 162 Figaro says to the Count, "Brains a means to advancement? Your Highness is pleased to make fun of me. Mediocrity and subservience - those are the qualities one needs. Given them a man can get anywhere."  How does the Count receive this statement? Does Figaro’s statement (and/or the Count’s reply) apply to those pursuing careers in government or business today?
Week 4		February 6-8
W		Beaumarchais: Scenes & Discussion
Th		By 5:00 p.m. today, (1) email a complete draft of your paper to your reviewers and (2) submit to Blackboard. Paper Resources: "How to Write a Human Event Paper" "Questions to Address as You Review
F		Kant, "What is Enlightenment?"   In-class handouts: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen; Backgrounds on the Enlightenment. Focus questions: In "What is Enlightenment," what IS enlightenment according to Kant? In "A Modest Proposal," Swift compared humans to animals to horrify readers and reveal the similarities between consuming animals and devouring the poor. In "What is Enlightenment?" Kant asserts that a human “is more than a machine” and must be treated “in a manner appropriate to his [or her] dignity” (5).  Do you see a connection between the points these two authors are making?
Week 5		February 12-15
W		Marx & Engels, from The Communist Manifesto ; Idea Map of Sections I & II.  Courbet, The Stone Breakers, 1849-50.  Optional: Affluenza Website.  Extended deadline: Paper #1 due at the beginning of class; electronic submission due to Blackboard Safe Assignment by 5:00 p.m.
F		Darwin "On the Races of Man" (CR) & this excerpt from The Voyage of the Beagle ;  Darwin Focus Questions
Week 6		February 20-22
W		Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in Classic Slave Narratives.  Read "Letter from Wendell Phillips" and Chapters 1-7.  Kant, "Of National Characteristics"; Hume, from "Of National Characters." Focus questions:  Look for evidence in Douglass' narrative that shows precisely how slavery alienates the slave--and from whom or what.  Mark the page(s)!  Explain how Douglass' first three paragraphs, on his age and his parents, introduce the theme of identity and the way the slave system operates to deny slaves an identity.  Douglass manages to establish a human identity in spite of the system.  Trace this development--including where he "loses" it, and how he regains it. Look for connections between the philosophical texts we've read (e.g., Kant, Rousseau, Marx) and Douglass' experiences.
F		Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas in Classic Slave Narratives.  Read Chapters 8-11 and Appendix.  Dunbar, "We Wear the Mask" In Chapter 10, what is the significance of the event that FD calls "the turning point in my career as a slave"?   FD tells us that we've "seen how a man becomes a slave, now you shall she how a slave becomes a man."  How does that happen?   At which point in his narrative does he consider himself free? How does Douglass show that slavery dehumanizes both slave and slave owner?  Who are his examples of dehumanized slave owners in the text?
Sunday, Feb. 24		Barrett Movie Night: Modern Times (1936) at 5:30pm
Week 7		February 27-29
W		Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl in Classic Slave Narratives.  Read the introductory material (title page, preface by the author, etc.) and chapters 1-17.  Focus Questions.
F		Class will not meet today, but you are responsible for reading Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, 18-25
Week 8		March 5-7
W		Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, 26-41.  Hurston, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” (CR)
F		Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper What do Jane’s ideas about the wallpaper reveal about her self identity? Do these ideas change throughout the story? Does Jane's situation resemble that of other characters we've read about?  In what ways do the themes or concerns in The Yellow Wallpaper connect to other texts we’ve read in The Human Event?  Who is responsible for Jane's sickness? On page 12, Jane says that most women don't creep by daylight.  What does that mean at this point in the story?  How does this line affect your understanding of the end of the story?  Please bring in at least one question of your own to pose to the class.

Week 9	Spring Break!  Spring Break!  Spring Break!  Spring Break!
Week 10	March 19-21
W	Pierre Curie, by Marie Curie (CR)
F	Eugenics Readings by Galton, Davenport, Grant, and Laughlin. Please print out these readings and bring to class. Focus Questions.
Week 11	March 25-28
T, 3/25	By 5:00 p.m., email a complete draft of your paper (1) to your reviewers and (2) submit to Blackboard.
W	Eugenics II Assignment and Focus Questions (including Instructions on Accessing Texts from the Eugenics Archive.  Reviewed paper exchange.  Buck v. Bell Supreme Court Decision
F	Harlem Renaissance P oetry Focus questions: "I Too" and "If We Must Die" represent two possible responses to oppression: to endure it or to fight it.  Which would you choose? "Heritage":  What are the main tensions in the poem "Heritage"?  What do you make of the repetition of "so I lie"--what's the significance?  What's your sense of the final three lines, "Not yet has my heart or head/ In the least way realized/ They and I are civilized"?  What do these lines mean? Ultimately, in what sense does heritage influence this speaker’s identity? How do these poems connect to other texts we've read this semester?
Sunday, March 30	Barrett Movie Night: Gandhi (1982) at 5:30pm
Week 12	April 2-April 4
W	Gandhi (CR).  Paper #2 due at the beginning of class.  Electronic submission due by 5:00 p.m. “Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.  It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”  --Gandhi “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”  --Albert Einstein on Gandhi Focus questions: To prepare for a student-run discussion, identify those themes or terms you find most significant. Do you have questions about what Gandhi means or his illustrations?  Can you think of other illustrations, either from our previous class reading (e.g., slave narratives, harlem renaissance poetry, etc.) or from world history?  Make sure you understand the different terms Gandhi uses. Some possibilities for discussion: How can we reconcile Gandhi's advice to his son on pages 70-71 with his anti-violence principles? Letter to Lord Irwin: analyze Gandhi's rhetoric/strategies for argumentation. What role doe fasting/hunger strikes play in social protest?
Th, 4/3	Rhodes Lecture: Eric Schlosser.  8:00 p.m. at Gammage Auditorium
F	Sartre, from "Existentialism is a Humanism" (CR) Focus questions for Sartre: What does Sartre mean when he says that "existence precedes essence"? How are we different from paper-knives, according to Sartre? What does it mean that when we make choices, we define humankind? What does he mean when he says humans are "condemned to be free"? What do you find attractive and/or problematic about this philosophy? Explore connections between the ideas in "Existentialism is a Humanism" and one author we've read recently (from the slave narratives on). According to Sartre’s existential philosophy, what would be our primary responsibilities to the human community? Reflect on the conflict between Existentialism (existence precedes essence) vs. Eugenics (essence precedes existence).
Week 13	April 9-11
W	Sartre, No Exit In No Exit, one of the characters says "Hell is other people."  (L’enfer, c’est les autres.)  How might that fit with existential philosophy? When the door finally opens, why do the characters make the choices they make?
F	Arendt, from Eichmann in Jerusalem (handout--to be distributed in class on Wednesday, April 9) Focus questions: (1) How does Eichmann employ Kant's idea of the categorical imperative?  Does he apply it or pervert it?  (2) How does he dehumanize himself in his role in the Holocaust? (3) Do you think his "I was just following orders" excuse is valid?  Did he have a choice?
Week 14	April 16-18
W	Achebe, Things Fall Apart I & II .  Focus Questions.
F	Achebe, Things Fall Apart III
Sunday, April 20	Barrett Movie Night: Battle of Algiers (1966) at 5:30pm
Week 15	April 23-25
W	McEwan, Enduring Love, Chapter 1 (CR)
F	Class Project Presentation
Week 16	April 30-May 1
W	Reading Day--no class
Th 5/1/08	Paper #3 due to my office by 3:00 p.m.; Electronic submissions due by 5:00 p.m.

• Tara's Glossary of Terms
•  If your cell phone rings in class, I get to answer it.
• This syllabus is subject to change; changes will be announced in class.
• DID YOU KNOW a class syllabus is, legally speaking, a binding contract?

Critical Reading Tips:
To help you read and think critically thoughout the semester, try to ascertain the following for each text.

1. What are the author’s thesis and most important points?
2. What are the author’s assumptions?  Do you agree?
3. Strengths or weaknesses in the argument?
4. What surprised you or confused you?
5. What question(s) does this work raise for you?
6. What’s the most significant thing you take from this reading?

Student Conduct

Students must conduct themselves according to the ASU policies posted online at http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial .  These include the ASU Student Code of Conduct and the Student Academic Integrity Policy .  See http://www.asu.edu/honors/forms.html for information on the BHC policies for grievances and grade complaints.

 
Papers must present a clearly organized and persuasive argument relating to the material we have studied. You must develop an opinion about the work and use evidence from the text to substantiate your claims. As this course aims to have you think critically about primary sources, no secondary material may be utilized in your papers, which will be judged on the quality of your ideas, the form in which you present those ideas, and your use of textual evidence.  
 
Formal papers must be neatly word processed according to current MLA documentation guidelines on white bond paper.  Use only a 12 point font, one-inch margins, and double spacing.  (Note that take-home reading responses should be single spaced).   You are also required to submit an electronic copy of the three formal papers.
 
A (90-100): An A paper is outstanding in every way: in the originality of its thought, in the persuasiveness of its argument, and in the clarity and power of its writing. The prose is free of grammatical and spelling errors. The thesis goes beyond what has been discussed in class and everything in the essay relates to that thesis.  Each paragraph has a topic sentence, and the argument includes counter-arguments that anticipated and address likely reader objections.
 
B (80-89): A B paper is approximately what is to be expected of a student in an honors course. The essay shows serious thought beyond class discussions, and for the most part is well organized, though it may lose its focus or clarity in places.   The prose is generally clear and readable, but there are some grammatical problems and some sentences may be awkward.
 
C (70-79): An essay in this range may be a “mixed bag” of strengths and weaknesses.   It often has a  bland, obvious thesis and few, if any, counter-arguments.  Alternatively, it may have a promising thesis but an under-developed argument due to lack of focus, unclear prose, or insufficient textual evidence.  
 
D (60-69): D papers have serious weaknesses in content and style. They usually have no clear thesis and display no critical thinking beyond points discussed in class. The writing style is difficult to read due to egregious organizational, stylistic, and/or and grammatical problems.
 
 
Participation Grading Criteria :
 
The Human Event is a seminar course; you are expected both to have carefully read the assigned texts and to engage in discussion during class-time.  Coming to class and having read the assigned reading do not count as participation; you must contribute to the discussions to succeed in this class.  Note on Disruptive Behavior: Disruptive behavior such as nap-taking, whispering during discussions, and making late entrances will cause your participation grade to plummet.
 
A (90-100):   Students in this grade range contribute extensively in class. They arrive to class thoroughly prepared with comments and questions on the assigned reading.  At least occasionally they initiate the discussion, without waiting for the instructor to do so.   They do not, however, try to dominate the class. Instead they listen carefully to the remarks made by fellow class members, and respond as readily to these as they do to the instructor’s questions.
 
B (80-89):   Students in this grade range participate in most discussions, although not as fully or reliably as the student described above. They give evidence of having done the reading. At least part of the time they contribute by raising their own questions. They pay attention to the comments of peers.
 
C (70-79):   Students in this grade range participate only intermittently, perhaps only second or third class.  They tend to demonstrate more willingness to discuss broad, general questions than to engage in concrete analysis of an assigned text.  They are sometimes unprepared, and may display a lack of interest in other students’ ideas.
 
D (60-69): This student seldom contributes to class discussions.