First-Year English Program

Fall 2008
Course Descriptions

General Description of 76-100, Reading and Writing in an Academic Context 9 units

76-100 is a reading and writing course for multilingual students, especially those who are not
native speakers of English. Students who have identified themselves as those who speak English
as a second or third language rather than as their primary or home language are eligible to take
this class. The course, designed as a prerequisite for 76-101, stresses reading in English for
comprehension and application of key concepts for writing summaries and short position papers.
Students will be introduced to readers' expectations for western rhetorical style at the sentence,
paragraph, and whole text levels. Norms for academic English will be explicitly taught within the
contexts of these assignments, as well as academic standards for citing sources. Students who
take this course will qualify through a placement test that is administered through the university
prior to the fall semester.

Section Class day/time Instructor

A MWF 10:30-11:20 AM D. Zawodny Wetzel

B MWF 10:30-12:20 PM R. Bahamondes Rivera

C MWF 12:30-1:20 PM Y. Zhao

D MWF 12:30-1:20 PM A. King

E MWF 1:30-2:20 PM A. Karlin

F MWF 2:30-3:20 PM L. Diprete

General Description of 76-101, Interpretation and Argument 9 units

Gen Ed: Fulfills CCR2 Requirement for H&SS and a designated writing course for other
colleges.

76-101, a research-based First-Year English course, is structured to introduce students to an

inductive process for writing an argument from sources. The course assumes that reading and
writing are inseparable practices for responsible, academic authoring. In the course, students are
exposed to a variety of different texts, both fiction and nonfiction, so that they can explore and
critically evaluate a single issue from multiple perspectives. They are taught to summarize and
analyze arguments within that issue so that they may contribute an argument of their own.
The course is also geared toward helping students understand the requirements of college-level
writing. Students should learn to be reflective and strategic with their composing processes as
they plan, write, and revise their own texts. Ultimately, the course provides opportunities for
students to develop critical thinking skills and strategic methods for analyzing and producing
texts within the context of an academic community.

Section A
K .Lundgren
8:30-9:20 AM
Is Violence an Inevitable Part of Power?
In Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mafia film The Godfather, Michael Corleone says about the
Don, "My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president
or senator." In this section of Interpretation and Argument, we will investigate Michael's
claim. Is violence an inevitable part of power? This may seem like a simple yes or no
question, and yet issues of legitimacy, authority, and justice exist to complicate it. Over the
course of the semester, we will read a variety of arguments about violence and power. Some
will say that real power comes without violence, while others assert that all power is based on
violence and the threat of violence. Some will argue that there is no difference between a
Mafioso and a President, and others that there is all the difference in the world between
them. By using the Godfather as a case study, we will return to the issues raised in the film
while reading more or less theoretical arguments about these issues. Students will learn to
summarize an argument, synthesize differing perspectives on an issue, and ultimately to
contribute to an ongoing scholarly conversation about the relationship between power and
violence.

Section B
S. Jordan
9:30-10:20 AM
Arguments from a Pandemic: the Global response to HIV/AIDS
As the 25th anniversary of the first reported cases passes, the world continues to be ravaged
by HIV/AIDS. More than twenty million people have died from HIV/AIDS worldwide, and
the World Health Organization estimates that 40 million more are likely to die in the next
decade, most of them in poor and developing nations. In this section of 76-101 we will focus
on the global HIV/AIDS crisis by evaluating academic and public arguments about education,
research, treatment, and other priorities in the context of political, social, and financial
realities for the United States and other nations. We will engage a single open question
“What is the best way to respond to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic?” as an organizing
principle for our inquiry. Our understanding will be motivated by critically reading
challenging articles from recent academic journals and mass media publications, supplemented
with literature and several films. In a series of three major writing assignments, we’ll first
learn to accurately represent the perspectives of individual participants in these discussions
by describing their arguments in detail, then we’ll seek to clarify and define specific issues by
putting the stakeholders into critical dialogue with each other, and finally we will enter into
the conversation by articulating an original perspective on how the United States fits into a
world strategy which demands global thinking but depends on local action.
Section C
G. Glover
9:30-10:20 AM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section D
V. Perry
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section E
N. Datta
9:30-10:20 AM
Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Contemporary Consciousness

This course will look at William Shakespeare's Hamlet as its central text. The play will serve as a
mirror for explorations of private and public spheres of activity, the representation of
individualism, and the creation of the self as a performance, which foreshadow some of the most
fundamental problems of our age and time. This will be achieved by looking at key issues that
surround the reception of the play. Contrary to popular belief that works of art become
incorporated into consumer culture, this course will look at the opposite--how a popular and
entertaining play has come a high cultural artifact like a Ming vase in a museum. This is the
central issue that grounds our understanding of the play today..

Students will utilize various interpretive tools presented in class to reconstruct the arguments
about the play as well as select film and stage adaptations to focus on the central issue of the
course. It will enable them to address the 3 papers for the course, a summary, a synthesis that will
enable them to map a range of possible responses to the play, and a contribution paper that will
ask students to shoot for a new method of looking at the play.

Section LL
M. Castagnaro
9:30-10:20
Frankenstein, Technology and Dystopia
In this section of 76-101, we will be dealing the novel (Frankenstein) and the film (Blade Runner
1982). We will be reading these texts for key issues of class, gender, technology, and genre. We
will begin by first looking at a key style of narrative known as the gothic, its continuation into
more recent contexts (Frankenstein), and its diffusion into more recent science fiction and horror
films. Students will engage scholarly debates surrounding these texts through three cumulative
assignments (argument summary, argument synthesis, and contribution). Aside from the primary
goals of the course, this class will work to augment students’ ability to think critically about the
media, which pervades our daily lives in a consumer-based society. In short, what we see on TV
or in films, hear in music, read in novels, or glance at in advertisements, is never “only
entertainment.”

Section F
J. T. Dawson
10:30-11:20 AM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section G
D. Cloud
10:30-11:20 AM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section H
S. Liming
10:30-11:20 AM
Punk and the Politics of Subculture
This course begins with a question – what is punk, anyway? – to which there are a variety of
contested answers. Punk is a style, a look, a language, a political movement, and a way of life;
it’s teddy boys and riot grrrls and New Wave and Hot Topic; you can watch it on television, listen
to it on vinyl, or buy it at the mall. You just can’t go calling it mainstream … or can you? This
section of 76-101 looks to chart the history, influence, and controversies of punk culture through
several mediums, and will approach the topic through music, film, literature, and criticism with
an eye for the politics of punk. The aim is not, however, to limit our discussion to punk itself, but
to interrogate the larger problems of mass culture and lesser “subcultures” using punk as a
primary lens for the viewing of this problem. Over the course of the semester, students will
interact with texts in order to build a cumulative repertoire of critical thinking and writing skills.
Students will develop an understanding of the controversy through a spectrum of arguments made
for and against punk and, ultimately, will formulate their own arguments which contribute to the
debate about punk as well as popular culture and mass media.

Section HH
A. Karlin
10:30-11:20 PM
Theories on Non-Violence
It's on every beauty queen's lips - “world peace!” We wish for it, fight for it, write about it,
but what does it mean? What exactly is this glorious end-point that inspires war, debate,
action and inaction? What does it mean to promote the method of non-violence to reach
this end? From the Bhagavad Gita toGhandi, Biblical allegories to Martin Luther King Jr.,
Buddha to the Beatles, Quakerism to PETA, and Earth First! To Greenpeace, different groups
and ideologies have defined non-violence and peace in different ways, and often have
disparate notions of how to achieve this elusive end. In this course, we will explore various
arguments within the stance of non-violence towards human beings, animals, and ecosystems,
situating them within current trends in national and international policy-making debates.
This course is devoted to looking closely at theories and methods of non-violence - should we
use our bodies or our words, should we publish articles or protest in the streets, should we
isolate ourselves from society or work within it, quietly confronting what we find unjust?
Through a step-by-step scaffolding of summary, synthesis, and analysis of the various view-
points on non-violence, we will build a foundation that will lead each student in the class to
develop an informed, creative, and well-composed contribution to this on-going discussion.
Section I
D. Haeselin
10:30-11:20 AM
Property and Privacy in a Digital Culture
We can no longer understand the material aspects of property and notions of individual
privacy as we had in the days before the Internet. As we spend more and more of our lives online,
these two seemingly unrelated concepts converge into a significant component of what we may
attempt to call digital culture. This section of Interpretation and Argument will explore the sites
of contention surrounding this so-called culture in an attempt to formulate critical approaches to
the questions: What classifies as intellectual property after the Internet? Can and should the
current systems of copyright protection reliably promote innovation in the arts without infringing
on basic rights to privacy and anonymity? Does the proliferation of weblogs and other user-
generated content facilitate new forms of creative production or does it signify a turn towards
mob-rule? And, perhaps finally, do the technological advances of the digital age create a
pragmatic space for progressive thinking or only update and disseminate the same inherent flaws
of the material world? Students will engage these questions in order to develop the techniques
and strategies of academic research and argumentation culminating by staking out their own
position concerning the future of the Internet¹s role and possible need for reform in global culture.

Section J
D. Dickson-LaPrada
11:30-12:20 PM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section K
S. Seibert
11:30-12:20 PM
Race and Representation
This course will look at debates concerning racial representation in a variety of media. We will
focus on identification and representation of race in literature, film, photography, stage, and
newspapers. We will examine theories about race and reflect on the complicated relationship
between racial and national identification in the United States. This course will compare
definitions of race by looking at historical, scientific, and autobiographical texts. Students will
complete the three core 76-101 writing assignments: Argument Summary, Argument Synthesis,
and Contribution. By the end of the semester, students will construct their own arguments about
a particular question within the issue of the race and representation.

Section L
J. McNair
11:30-12:20 PM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section M
D. Cerniglia
11:30-12:20 PM
The University
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight
car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Is that what we’re all
doing here? Can we help you steal a railroad? This 76-101 section asks the questions: What is a
university? Why do we have universities? What are universities supposed to do? Participants
will engage with debates about academic labor, student debt, the definition of “university,” and
the corporatization of universities. Not only introducing participants to academic essays, this
course will also equip students to critique and interpret the arguments made by journalists,
activists, politicians, and philosophers. Participants will begin to learn to self-consciously “read”
their position as students and workers in the university and to recognize the powers and
responsibilities attending these positions in this institution. They will interact with texts through
a variety of in-class activities and the practice of several academic composition genres, as well as
by completing the three core 76-101 writing assignments. By the end of the course, participants
will enter the larger conversation by constructing their own arguments about a question of their
choosing within the current discussion about the American university and its role in the world.

Section N
K. Dreher
11:30-12:20 PM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.

Section JJ
D. Markowicz
12:30-1:20 PM
Defining Terrorism
Terrorism has become a central element in contemporary American politics and international
conflict. But pinpointing a definition of terrorism has proven to be elusive. This course will
explore different interests behind competing definitions of terrorism and their political
implications. Is terrorism merely a destructive force bent on undermining Western civilization?
Is it a politically necessary tactic or strategy? Is it used only by the powerless to resist
domination? Or do powerful states and institutions also use terror for their own purposes? What
forms of protest are labeled as “terrorism” and who has the authority to make such distinctions?
This writing course will provide students with an entry into contemporary arguments concerning
issues of terrorism and power using texts that demonstrate a wide array of disciplinary styles-
including cultural analysis, testimonials, fiction and film. Students will interrogate these texts
through a sequence of assignments (argument summary, argument synthesis, and contribution)
that will allow them to critically examine competing definitions of terrorism

Section O
H. Steffen
12:30-1:20 PM
The University
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight
car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Is that what we’re all
doing here? Can we help you steal a railroad? This 76-101 section asks the questions: What is a
university? Why do we have universities? What are universities supposed to do? Participants
will engage with debates about academic labor, student debt, the definition of “university,” and
the corporatization of universities. Not only introducing participants to academic essays, this
course will also equip students to critique and interpret the arguments made by journalists,
activists, politicians, and philosophers. Participants will begin to learn to self-consciously “read”
their position as students and workers in the university and to recognize the powers and
responsibilities attending these positions in this institution. They will interact with texts through
a variety of in-class activities and the practice of several academic composition genres, as well as
by completing the three core 76-101 writing assignments. By the end of the course, participants
will enter the larger conversation by constructing their own arguments about a question of their
choosing within the current discussion about the American university and its role in the world.
Section P
S. Seibert
12:30-1:20 PM
Race and Representation
This course will look at debates concerning racial representation in a variety of media. We will
focus on identification and representation of race in literature, film, photography, stage, and
newspapers. We will examine theories about race and reflect on the complicated relationship
between racial and national identification in the United States. This course will compare
definitions of race by looking at historical, scientific, and autobiographical texts. Students will
complete the three core 76-101 writing assignments: Argument Summary, Argument Synthesis,
and Contribution. By the end of the semester, students will construct their own arguments about
a particular question within the issue of the race and representation.

Section Q
R. Reames
12:30-1:20 PM
Free Speech and the College Campus
Bong hits for Jesus, professors fired for their views on 9/11 or the Virginia Tech massacre,
and the Tartan scandal here at CMU in 2004 are all situations that raise questions and
concerns about Freedom of Speech in the context of education. To what extent should free
speech be preserved on the college campus? What is the relationship between free speech and
academic freedom? What is the purpose of a university education, and can that purpose still
be pursued if speech is constrained? By reading current arguments on freedom of speech and
academic freedom--contextualized by historical and philosophical positions on the issue--
students will learn to summarize and synthesize perspectives in order to build toward their
own contribution argument.

Section R
K. Sampsel
12:30-1:20 PM
Is Race a Dead Issue?
As presidential candidate Barack Obama said, the United States has come a long way since the
Civil Rights movement. Has the country's view of race changed so much that racial differences
no longer give rise to serious social problems that require policy for social change? Have we
merely changed the way we talk about race so that the same discussions are taking place under
new identity codes? In this section of 76-101, we will read arguments from a variety of texts
about what, if anything, makes race controversial in public discourse. We will begin the course
by interrogating different conceptualizations of race, and then we will consider various
perspectives about the presence, or lack thereof, of race in American public discourse. We will
read some authors who evaluate the debate in terms of equal opportunity policies, authors who
describe a debate in terms of cultural and historical differences, and others who dismiss the
debate altogether. In the course, students will summarize, analyze, and synthesize other authors'
views about race as an American issue. By the end of the semester, students will author their own
argument about what is the status and meaning of race in American life.
Section S
D. Cerniglia
12:30-1:20
The University
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight
car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Is that what we’re all
doing here? Can we help you steal a railroad? This 76-101 section asks the questions: What is a
university? Why do we have universities? What are universities supposed to do? Participants
will engage with debates about academic labor, student debt, the definition of “university,” and
the corporatization of universities. Not only introducing participants to academic essays, this
course will also equip students to critique and interpret the arguments made by journalists,
activists, politicians, and philosophers. Participants will begin to learn to self-consciously “read”
their position as students and workers in the university and to recognize the powers and
responsibilities attending these positions in this institution. They will interact with texts through
a variety of in-class activities and the practice of several academic composition genres, as well as
by completing the three core 76-101 writing assignments. By the end of the course, participants
will enter the larger conversation by constructing their own arguments about a question of their
choosing within the current discussion about the American university and its role in the world.

Section II
H. Franklin
12:30-1:20 PM
Communicating Globally: The world is your Audience
Shakespeare's famous line that "All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely
players" is memorable, but the relationship between today's player and his ever-expanding global
stage deserves deeper consideration. The twentieth-century explosion of technologies allows easy
and rapid communication on a global scale, and globalization impacts communication as much as
politics or economics. An audience can now grow as fast as a military coalition or a trade deficit.

In this section of 76-101, we'll move beyond simple evaluative judgments of globalization to
examine different perspectives on its impact on how we communicate—as a process of
homogenization, integration, or raising awareness of diversity. We'll pursue the relationship
between today's player and the global stage through topics that range from English-only
movements in the multicultural United States to officially multilingual countries and endangered
languages in other parts of the world. We'll also consider the influence of medium on
communication, from blogs to oral storytelling. Students will summarize and synthesize a variety
of arguments, then contribute their own argument on the issue of global communication.

Section T
S. Hagan
1:30-2:20 PM
Understanding Images
While some argue for the existence of a grammar of images (Kress & van Leeuwen, 1996), one
that allows us to share the meaning of its shapes and colors, others say that images seldom have
that quality because of the nature of the eye (Solso, 1994) and the availability (or lack) of cultural
norms (Olson, 1994). For that second group, the image communicates, but what it says to us
usually begins and ends in the mind of the individual. Coming to terms with these conflicting
perspectives, and arriving at your own reasoned stand, is critical because of the ubiquitous nature
of images and the place that they hold as communication tools in this society.

In this class, we will explore the image (both still and in motion, alone and with text) as an
element of argument by first reading relevant literature and engaging in discussions. Based on
those readings and discussions, you will develop an argument summary, in which you provide
evidence for another writer¹s argument concerning the image¹s place in argument. You will then
develop an analysis/synthesis paper in which you tie together a number of distinct sources into
one coherent description of an issue. Finally, you will develop a contribution, in which you enter
into a specific debate, identifying new solutions to a problem, evaluating a particular case that
illuminates new facets of the conversation, or identifying a position that you wish to argue as a
means of clarifying the debate. Finally, you will present your argument to the class.

Section U
G. Jurecka
1:30-2:20 PM
Harry Potter and the End of Reading
Never has a work of literature been read by more people in a single cultural moment than Harry
Potter. Ever since the early sales success of the books, there has been a great deal of debate
surrounding the potential of Harry Potter to lure children away from electronic media and “bring
reading back”. One of the underlying concerns has involved the question of literacy. In this
course, we will focus on the shifting ways in which the notion of literacy is understood in these
debates. Why do we read? What does it mean to be literate? What values and interests underlie
these concerns? We will draw materials from cultural literacy debates and arguments dealing with
popular vs. literary texts. How have the issues been defined in these debates, and from what
points of view? What significance is attached to them? By exploring the debate from a critical
distance we will be able to not only productively enter into the conversation ourselves, but also
examine how to develop effective arguments.

Section V
W. Marcellino
1:30-2:20 PM
Interrogating Democracy in America
Is democracy as practiced in America a robust, effective political system, or is democracy a
fragile system in need of serious reform? We’ll learn answers to that question in a series of
readings from political scientists, commentators and activists who address the issue of how
effective democracy is. Because “democracy” is a broad subject, we will ground our discussion in
“election reception”—how election results are interpreted by winning and losing sides. In the
course, you will be exposed to a variety of different authors who offer analysis and criticism of
democracy in America, so that you can explore and critically evaluate the issue from multiple
perspectives. Through these shared readings, class discussion, and your own argumentative
writing, this section of Interpretation & Argument is structured to introduce you to fundamental
practices of critical reading and writing. Within three major writing assignments you will learn to
summarize and synthesize arguments on the issue, so that you may contribute an argument of
your own to the ongoing discussion. The course is also geared toward helping you understand the
requirements of college-level argumentation and composition—to help you to be able to raise and
attempt to answer academic questions. Becoming a competent writer in this way requires that you
be reflective and strategic in your composing processes, particularly with planning, writing,
detecting and diagnosing problems within you own work, and finally with revising your own
texts. This process of achieving competency as a writer will produce a set of skills that are useful
beyond academic work, broadly applicable to your future professional, personal, and civic life.

Section AA
E. Vazquez
1:30-2:20 AM
Defining Terrorism
Terrorism has become a central element in contemporary American politics and international
conflict. But pinpointing a definition of terrorism has proven to be elusive. This course will
explore the different interests behind competing definitions of terrorism and their political
implications. Is terrorism merely a destructive force bent on undermining Western civilization?
Is it a politically necessary tactic or strategy? Is it used only by the powerless to resist
domination? Or do powerful states and institutions also use terror for their own purposes? What
forms of protest are labeled as “terrorism” and who has the authority to make such distinctions? Is
terrorism something deriving from ancient influences? Or is it a wholly new form of politics?

This writing course will provide students with an entry into contemporary arguments concerning
issues of terrorism and power using texts that demonstrate a wide array of disciplinary styles-
including cultural analysis, testimonials, interviews, fiction and film. Students will interrogate
these texts through a sequence of assignments (argument summary, issue analysis, and
contribution) that will allow them to critically examine competing definitions of terrorism.

Section BB
J. Wilton
1:30-2:20 AM
State of a movement: Punk in the 21st century.
Since the emergence of punk rock in the 1970’s, the idea of “punk” has come to describe much
more than a brand of stripped down, aggressive rock ‘n roll. “Punk” in the 21st century is
associated with mainstream pop, (Green Day), big advertising (Ramones songs used to sell cars)
and mall culture (Hot Topic). Yet the initial “do-it-yourself” impulse of punk has been also been
embraced by artists in other mediums, giving rise to a new kind of “underground.” Which of
these is the real face of punk? The marketing category, or the sneering attitude of subversive art?
Or something else altogether?

This 76-101 course uses punk as a way to think about the significance of contemporary popular
culture. We will use academic texts, non-fiction articles, film, and music to explore this issue,
with an eye towards the future of “underground” art movements in America. Students will write
essays that summarize and synthesize various authors’ perspectives, culminating an essay in
which they make a contribution to the way we understand punk in the 21st century.

Section CC
E. Hanbury
2:30-3:20 PM
Democracy: Under the influence?
This section of 76-101 will address the idea of public opinion in democratic theory and the
factors said to influence it. We will divide these influences into two broad categories, i.e.,
persuasion and propaganda, and attempt to define both. Through a collection of essays,
images, and film, this section will explore and attempt making sense of the term ‘public
opinion,’ how it is constructed within the above debate, and how some see the relationships
among public opinion, influence, and the workings of a democratic society. Rather than ‘take
sides,’ we will seek to come to an understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, concerns,
assumptions, and (possibly) worth of both perspectives. During this exploration, students will
develop fundamental critical thinking skills in interpretation and argument for the purpose of
composition (summary, synthesis, analysis, and contribution).

Section DD
D. Schuldt
2:30-3:20 PM
Interrogating the Concept of the Canon
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the concept of the English/literary canon as “a body of
literary works traditionally regarded as the most important, significant, and worthy of study; those
works of esp. Western literature considered to be established as being of the highest quality and
most enduring value; the classics.” Yet many people are concerned that these classics are mostly
by “dead white guys.” In the resulting debate, the values of representation and literary judgment
are raised. Is the canon of dead white guys to be defended because it consists of what history has
deemed the best that has been written and thought? Or does this concept of the canon support
white male authority by neglecting representation of other groups—for example, women as well
as ethnic or queer minorities? This section of 76-101 will begin with these arguments and then
add complicating arguments on genre and medium. For example, should texts like comic books,
science fiction, or film be taught in English departments? Should each of these genres or
mediums have their own canon? After learning to summarize, synthesize, and analyze arguments
about the canon, students will write their own arguments examining a facet of the debate of their
choice and thereby enter into the canon debate themselves.

Section EE
A. Teagarden
2:30-3:20 PM
I am Science, and so can you!
This course looks at historical descriptions of science as a discipline and the
contemporary debate about what makes someone a scientist or something scientific. Is science a
method for observing the world (which anyone can practice) or an acculturation to professional
norms (that requires specific training)? Whether as close as campus or far-reaching as national
policy, definitions of science often silently, but always powerfully, affect views on critical issues:
how students get taught, whose research gets funded, where accountability lies, and what truth is
pronounced. Over the semester students will read a sample of arguments that attempt, in various
ways, to define what science is. We will also look at what (and how) definitions underpin various
popular media depictions of science. Along with analysis of the individual arguments, students
will produce syntheses of the course readings and, in the final part of the semester, develop,
compose, and present their own research projects, which will be expected to contribute in some
way to the ongoing discussions in the fields of science studies.
Section KK
M. Thomas
2:30-3:20 PM
Individualism and Society from 430 BC to Last Tuesday

America stands for freedom, but if you think America¹s free, try walking into a deli, and urinating
on the cheese. --The Vandals
It has been said that the US is the home of “rugged individualism” and that the romantic notion of
an independent spirit and the individual pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness are the crowning
achievements of Western democracy. Yet, there are constant calls upon our individual free will,
stuff like the law, the family, nationalism, religion, consumer culture, employers, schools,
fashion‹you get the picture. So how rugged and individual are we really?

This course examines a number of ways in which we navigate the voluntary (and involuntary)
relationships between ourselves and the institutions, organizations, and groups which comprise
human existence. We’ll consult anarchists, monarchists, and everyone in between, including
classical thinkers such as Plato, Thoreau, and Paine and more recent perspectives like Bowling
Alone, as we seek to address the question: how do we balance our own individualism with the
larger demands of culture and society?

Section FF
G. Caruso
3:30-4:20 PM
The Place for Gambling in American Society
In his book, Something for Nothing: Luck in America, cultural historian Jackson Lears posits
two contradictory and competing narratives in American intellectual and social history. Lears
argues that the first is a culture of chance, informed by an ethic of fortune and a belief in
manna (or at least “luck”). This culture of chance has coexisted uneasily with an emergent
culture of control, informed by an ethic of mastery based on the “faith that we can master
chance through force of will, and that rewards will match merits in this world as well as the
next.” Gambling is an American cultural practice with its roots in this division, and Lears
argues that “debate about gambling reveals fundamental fault lines in American 11 character,
sharp tensions between an impulse toward risk and a zeal for control.” We will use Lears’
book as a stepping off point to bring a broad cultural studies perspective to the question of
gambling’s significance and its proper place in American Society.

Section GG
D. Phillips
3:30-4:20 PM
Media and Public Debate
In the U.S., journalism is commonly understood as the professional practice of collecting and
reporting the news to promote an engaged, democratic society. Few would argue that traditional
media outlets, while claiming objectivity, at least contain the potential for biased reporting in
terms of selection of stories, political slant, time allotted to alternate views, etc. And in an
increasingly online and thus connected world, traditional media outlets are losing consumers at
rapid rates to alternative news sources. Do these new media outlets serve to bring the U.S.
towards a more unified public sphere or do they, in fact, fragment our society into competing
public spheres that actually undermine the unified democratic process?

Course texts include academic essays, editorials mission statements, weblogs and Wikinews. At
the end of the semester, students should be able to situate their opinions with the context of the
larger debate. Students will be asked to summarize and synthesize major approaches before
offering their own original argument. Students will also present their own original argument to
the class.