INDTS 391: The Immigrant as Subject: Literary and Anthropological Perspectives
Spring 2017
Tuesday/Thursday: 1:30- 2:45 pm
Oddfellows 105C
Instructors: Rehenuma Asmi and Aline Lo
Office: Oddfellows 109 (Asmi) and 218 (Lo) (Joint office hours will be held in
Philosophy Lounge/ Oddfellows 113A)
Office hours: Joint: Thursdays: 10am-Noon; by appt.
Phone: Ext x 2794 (Asmi) x 4333 (Lo)
Email: [email protected] and [email protected] (please email both professors)
Class email: [email protected]
Course Description
An exploration of interdisciplinary work using literary and anthropological
approaches to the immigrant subject in a local and global context. We begin by breaking
down how each discipline examines the immigrant subject and then move on to examples
of interdisciplinary work. We investigate the limitations of each discipline and consider
the need to extend the way we study an increasingly complex topic that requires us to
understand legal, cultural, and humanitarian implications. We engage with literary and
anthropological texts as well as film and practice close reading and ethnographic field
work. This class will be a dance between our disciplines in which you will be learning
how to intellectually tango between the two. Missteps, flexibility and humor are to be
expected, so get ready to have some fun!
Learning Objectives:
• To understand close reading and ethnography as core disciplinary methods that
define literary analysis and anthropology, respectively
• To be able to explain literary and anthropological approaches to immigrants as
subjects of each discipline
• To analyze and identify interdisciplinary work that bridges the two disciplines
• To create and outline an interdisciplinary project
Course Requirements
Participation
As you can see from the objectives of this class (and the grade breakdown), your
active participation in this course is necessary if you want to succeed. Participation
entails more than simply showing up to discussion. You must also be prepared to take
notes, listen attentively, read carefully, respond thoughtfully to course material (this
includes lectures, readings, presentations, and comments made in class), and present your
ideas to others. We understand that many of you may be shy about speaking in front of
class, but bear in mind that part of being in college is learning to express yourself even if
you are only beginning to think through complex ideas.
Leading Discussion
You will be required to help lead at least one discussion by coming up with two
questions/responses to the assigned reading. You will do this in pairs or groups of three
and will have the opportunity to sign up for your desired week. We do not expect a
formal presentation, but simply a couple of things to get discussion going. On your
assigned day you will come in and we will start discussion with your
questions/comments. Because the aim of this exercise is to begin discussion, you’ll
probably want to address difficult passages or concepts, moments in the texts that you
found particularly interesting, connections that you see with material from previous
weeks, or other points that you gathered from discussion.
These questions will be sent out to the entire class a full 24 hours before you
lead discussion. You can send this email through Sakai. You may also want to consult
with the other discussion leaders so that you can avoid being repetitive, and you are more
than welcome to talk to us about your questions.
Assignments
• Literary Analysis, a short, 2-page paper analyzing an assigned text;
• Ethnographic Field Report, a 2-page report on field work;
• Synthesis Paper, Two 4-page papers comparing/discussing the two disciplinesliterature and anthropology;
• Project Portfolio, a 6-8-page source-driven exploration of a question important
to you that makes an argument for an interdisciplinary approach,
complemented by relevant shorter assignments (e.g., annotated
Bibliography, earlier reflection pieces);
• Reflections, Two 1-2-page informal papers that discuss your learning
process/progress and/or your thoughts on interdisciplinarity.
Grades
Course Breakdown:
Literary Analysis (10%)
Ethnographic Report (10%)
Synthesis Papers (15% each)
Participation (10%)
Reflections (5%)
Project Portfolio (20%)
Discussion Leading (5%)
Presentation (10%)
Important Dates
Ethnographic Report: February 23
Literary Analysis: March 1
Synthesis Paper: February 16; March 16
Reflections: January 19; April 20
Project Portfolio: May 9 (2pm)
Policies
Attendance
Though you are expected to attend all sections, you are allowed three “grace”
absences. The fourth absence will result in the drop of your course grade by one letter
grade (about 3-5 points). After the sixth absence, you will receive a failing grade for
the course. The only time we will excuse an absence is for legitimate university
obligations, religious holidays, and documented emergency situations. However,
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whether excused, unforeseen (sickness, etc.), or planned (wedding, etc.), an absence still
amounts to missing class, so be aware and plan accordingly. It is your responsibility to
keep track of your absences, to stay informed about what you missed, and to make me
aware of any circumstances that will affect your attendance. You may want to have a
contact within the section so that you can access any materials you may miss due to your
absence or tardiness. Also keep in mind that assignment due dates will not change
because of your absence unless you have arranged something with us well in advance.
If you come to class unprepared (no book, no paper, no pen, etc) or are distracted (with
other work, phone, facebook, etc), you will be marked as absent. Please know that simply
showing up to class is not acceptable.
Tardiness
Because of the amount of material we must cover each section and to respect your
classmates, you are expected to be in class on time and will be penalized for repeated
tardiness. Each third tardy will result in 3 points off your participation grade.
Late Work
We do not accept late papers unless you clear it with use well in advance. Each
of your writing assignments, unless noted otherwise, will be due at the beginning of class
on the specified date. Anything not following these guidelines and accepted scholarly
style guidelines (consistent use of either MLA or APA) for written work will be counted
as late. Make sure that you remind yourself of the paper guidelines before turning in
your final copy to me. We will discuss style guidelines in class so you will be expected
to be familiar with them.
Plagiarism
Please be aware that we take plagiarism very seriously and know that you will not
pass this course when you are caught plagiarizing. Using someone else’s work (be they
exact words or ideas) and presenting them as your own (this means not giving the other
person credit for his or her words/thoughts) will count as plagiarism. If you ever have
any questions about plagiarizing please direct them to us. Remember that it is always
better to overcite than to be accused of plagiarizing.
Resources
Students may contact the Office of Student Disability Services by calling
814.332.2898; by visiting the office in the Learning Commons; or, by using their website
(http://sites.allegheny.edu/disabilityservices/).
Students may also want to visit the Learning Commons for speech, technology, or
writing consultations (http://sites.allegheny.edu/learningcommons/writing/).
If your performance in class is being disrupted or hindered by non-academic
situations, please don’t hesitate to contact one or several of these offices: Reslife, the
Dean of Students Office, the Counseling Center, Religious Life, Safety and Security, the
Health Center. The Title IX Office can help with discrimination on the basis of sex
against any person in education programs and activities receiving federal funding. Title
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IX concerns sexual harassment and sexual assault in all forms, including rape, sexual
violence, dating violence, stalking and domestic violence.
“Allegheny students and employees are committed to creating an inclusive,
respectful and safe residential learning community that will actively confront and
challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment
and discrimination. We encourage individual growth by promoting a free exchange of
ideas in a setting that values diversity, trust and equality. So that the right of all to
participate in a shared learning experience is upheld, Allegheny affirms its commitment
to the principles of freedom of speech and inquiry, while at the same time fostering
responsibility and accountability in the exercise of these freedoms. This statement does
not replace existing personnel policies and codes of conduct.” – Allegheny’s Statement of
Community
Required Texts
Texts below can be found at the college bookstore. Additional course material will be
accessible online through SAKAI.
Fadiman, Anne. 2012. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Yang, Kao Kalia. 2005. The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir.
Minnesota: Coffee House Press.
Resources on Immigrants in the News Media and Popular Culture:
• This American Life Series on Refugee Camps in Greece:
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/greece/
• Humans of New York Series on Refugees and Syrian Americans:
http://www.humansofnewyork.com/tagged/syrian-americans
http://www.humansofnewyork.com/tagged/refugee-stories
• NPR’s Immigration:
http://www.npr.org/tags/127600895/immigration
• Serial, Season One, About the murder of Hae Minn Lee and the trial of Adnan
Syed
https://serialpodcast.org/season-one
Scholarship on Immigrants and Interdisciplinary Work on Immigration:
• Literature, Writing and Anthropology Collection of Works
https://culanth.org/curated_collections/5-literature-writing-anthropology
• Center for Migration Studies: http://cmsny.org/
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Introduction to Interdisciplinary Team Teaching
Week 1: Introductions
Tuesday, Jan. 17
Thursday, Jan 19
Week 2
Tuesday, Jan. 24th
Thursday, Jan 26th
Introductions, Syllabus
Short Reflection Due, Survey on Course
Ewell and McConnell, “An Experiment in
Interdisciplinary Team Teaching”
Chronicle Article on Why STEM Needs the
Humanities
Literary and Ethnographic Approaches to the Immigrant Subject
Week 3
Tuesday, Jan. 31st
Thursday, Feb. 2nd
Lecture on Immigrant, Refugee and Migrant Studies
Read Miner’s Nacirema, Read Guest’s Chapter 13 on
Migration
Week 4
Tuesday, Feb. 7th
Thursday, Feb. 9th
Read excerpts from Norton introduction
Lecture on Hmong
Week 5
Tuesday, Feb. 14th
Fadiman, Preface and Ch. 1/Yang, Prologue and Ch. 1
Thursday, Feb. 16th
1st Synthesis Assignment
Disciplinary Methods
Week 6
Tuesday, Feb. 21st,
Thursday, Feb. 23rd
Week 7
Tuesday, Feb. 28th
Thursday, Mar. 1st
Fadiman, Ch.2/ Yang, Ch. 2 and 3
Fieldwork Report Due
Fadiman 3 & 4/ Yang, Ch. 4 & 6
Close Reading of the Text Due
Comparing each Discipline's Approach to the Immigrant Subject
Week 8
Tuesday, March 7th
Thursday, March 9th
Week 9
Tuesday, March 14th
Thursday, March 16th
Week 10: Spring Break
Fadiman Ch. 14 & 16/ Yang 11
Fadiman 15/ Yang 12
Fadiman, 17 until the end/ Yang 14 until the end
Wrap up discussion of texts; Second Synthesis Essay
Due
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Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries
Week 11:
Tuesday, March 28th
Thursday, March 30th
Introduction to Project Portfolio
Read Malkii’s “National Geographic”
Week 12:
Tuesday, April 4th,
Thursday, April 6th
Watch Betrayal (watch in class)
Discuss Betrayal
Week 13:
Tuesday, April 11th
Thursday, April 13th
Read Narayan’s Alive in the Writing, Preface & Ch. 1,
Ch. 5
Watch Bronx Princess (watch in class)
Week 14:
Tuesday, April 18th
Thursday, April 20th
Harvest of Loneliness (watch in class)
Reflection Two Due
Week 15:
Tuesday, April 25th
Thursday, April 27th
Presentations
Presentations
Project Portfolio due on Sakai on Tuesday, May 9 at 2pm