Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Erika Paterson

Department: English

Course Number: ENGL 372

Course Title: Canadian Studies: Canadian Literary Genres

Course Credits and Duration: 3, One Semester

Course Type: Online

Course Description

This course provides a scholarly study of Canadian literature in a historical context with a focus on the intersections and departures between European and Indigenous traditions of literature and orature.

At the heart of this course is an examination of the power of stories, and in particular the stories we tell ourselves about being in Canada. We will examine story telling in literature and the stories we tell about literature; we will look at “whose stories” we listen to, and whose stories we cannot seem to hear – and why not?  Edward Chamberlin urges us that, “now, it is more important than ever to attend to what others are saying in their stories and myths – and what we are saying about ourselves.”  Students will read a range of literary texts, academic articles and relevant material. Students will be encouraged to develop independent critical responses to the texts as well as active participation in online discussions.

ENGL 470A Canadian Studies is designed for senior students and requires analytical skills and written assignments as befits a 400-level course. This course is of most interest to upper level students specializing in English, Education, First Nations, or History. The
course requires regular and consistent engagement and the ability to work with an online community of fellow students. In return, this promises to be an engaging course designed to facilitate regular and lively dialogue between students and with the instructor.

Course objectives

The objectives of this course are to strengthen your critical and literary skills and to enrich your understanding of the complex historical and contemporary relationships between literature and storytelling. This includes an understanding of the historical relations between nation building, canonization and colonization. This course requires that students have a willingness to develop a critical awareness and sensitivity to the tensions created by
racism in Canada in the past and the present.

Through this course of studies students will:

  • Gain perspectives and develop a dialogue on the historical and critical process of developing a Canadian literary canon
  • Develop an understanding of the relations between nation building and literature.
  • Discuss, research, and write about the intersections and departures between literary narratives and oral stories.
  • Develop reading strategies for recognizing allusions and symbolic knowledge other than Western.
  • Learn to recognize and challenge colonizing narratives and representations
  • Gain some expertise in story telling.
  • Cultivate the ability to create knowledge through social relationships
  • Developing expertise with collaborating in online spaces, writing for online spaces and presenting for an online conference.
  • Come to some conclusions on the state of literature in Canada today and offer up ideas for the future.

Upon completion of this course students will be able to discuss the historical and critical processes involved in developing a Canadian literary canon and explain the relations between canon building and nation building in a context that includes First Nations participation and agency in this process. Students will have developed reading strategies for recognizing and understanding allusions and symbolic knowledge other than Western. The end goals for this course are to be able to recognize colonizing narratives and
representations, to be able to discuss, research, and write about the intersections and departures between literature and story, and to speculate on the future of literature in Canada in consideration of new media technologies.

Structure of lessons and assignments

This course requires a weekly blog that responds to class readings. These blogs will be assigned due dates that will guide the student’s pace through readings.

There are four units, with three lessons in each unit. Each unit begins with an introduction blog from the instructor that will provide an overview with a suggested schedule for the entire unit. Each lesson includes a required reading and viewing list and sometimes includes recommended titles. The lessons are introduced by way of a lesson plan that provides lesson objectives and introductory comments on each assigned reading with questions to consider as you read. At the end of each lesson there is a blog assignment that normally consists of a list of questions. Students will answer one of these questions.

As well, on a weekly basis students will comment on each other’s blogs. These comments will provide significant and relevant observations or question in the comment box. By significant I mean; the comment offers a new insight or a new example from the text that will enlarge the original answer, or a question with some measure of complexity, or a criticism supported by evidence from the weekly readings.

Instructor’s role and communication options for students

The instructor will keep a regular Course blog that will provide commentary on readings and invite student commentary. The Instructor’s blog will sometimes provide hyperlinks to supplementary readings, visual and video resources, webcam talks,

Students are also encouraged to contact their instructor directly with more specific questions or concerns that arise from the course content, about their assignments or marks, as well as the discussion boards.

Students can e-mail the instructor who will respond at the earliest
convenience. Students should not expect responses on weekends or holidays.

Assessment and Assignments

Students are assessed on their written assignments, which include:

  • 30%: 9 Blog Assignments
  • 20%: Dialogues
  • 30%: Conference Presentation
  • 20%: Final Paper

NOTE: Due to the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic there are three options for grade distribution.

Option One: For those of you completing the course the grade distribution remains the same:

  • 30%: 9 Blog Assignments
  • 20%: Dialogues
  • 30%: Conference Presentation
  • 20%: Final Paper

Reweighed Grade Options:

Option # Two

  • 9 Blogs: 60 %
  • Dialogues: 40%

Option # Three

  • 9 Blogs 50%
  • Dialogues: 20%
  • Final Paper: 30%

The above options require that students complete Unit Three to receive a complete grade.

The Conference is much trickier; i.e. there are four members in each team that all need to make the same choice to continue smoothly to the end of the semester. Under these circumstances research teams can be as small as two people and as large as five people.

NOTE: Due dates from March 16th forward are flexible – there will be no late penalties applied.

The final date for submitting assignments is Friday April 17th.

Course Requirements

  • 9 Blog Assignments.  Students will publish a weekly blog ( 500 – 600 words) with at least two hyperlinks. These blogs will be based on assignment guidelines. Blogs will be assessed and graded twice: once at mid term for 12% of the total grade and again end of term for 18% of the total grade. Students will be asked to submit their favorite three blogs for evaluation at mid term.
  • Dialogues:  Dialogues will be graded midterm for 8% of the grade and again end of term for 12% of the grade. This is a class participation grade based on the frequency and quality of participation and evaluated on an ongoing basis. 
  • Conference Presentations: Working in small research groups, students will organize and participate in an online Conference that is centrally concerned with innovative ways to intervene in the future direction of Canadian Literature. The conference is an opportunity for students to use their new understanding of how oral stories and textual literature are powerful agents of action in the world  — as colonizing narratives or as narratives of liberation or revival.  The conference is also an opportunity for students to demonstrate their new social media skills.

End of term Paper: You can choose from three types of papers: a reflective essay, a literary essay or a research paper.  See the list with instructions at the end of lesson 4:4.  Final papers are due in the Instructor’s email box. Papers should be approximately 2000 words and formatted according to MLA formatting and style guide.  Papers should be saved as a PDF file before emailing.

Grading standards

Assignments in the course will be evaluated according to English Department grading standards. All written assignments may be awarded letter grades to be converted to numerical values at the end of the term.

Student blogs and dialogues will be graded twice, mid-term and again at the end of term.

Late Assignments will receive a penalty of .05% of the total grade per day.

Final Course Grades

The final course grade will not be a precise mathematical averaging of
numerical grades on written assignments, though there will be a correlation between grades on assignments throughout the term and the final grade. The final grade will represent the instructor’s judgment of the student’s total performance in the course.

Required Reading

Asch, Michael. “Canadian Sovereignty and Universal History.” Storied Communities:        Narratives of Contact and Arrival in Constituting Politcal Community. Ed. Rebecca Johnson, and Jeremy Webber Hester Lessard. Vancouver: U of British Columbia P, 2011. 29 – 39. Print.

Barton, Matt and Klint, Karl. “A Student Guide to Collaborative Writing Technologies,” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Vol. 2. Writing Space.org. April 04/ 2013. Web. http://wac.colostate.edu/books/writingspaces2/barton-and-klint–a-students-guide.pdf

CanLit Guides. “Reading and Writing in Canada, A Classroom Guide to Nationalism.” Canadian Literature. Web. April 4th 2013.

Read the sections that deal with nationalism.

Carlson, Keith Thor. “Orality and Literacy: The ‘Black and White’ of Salish History.” Orality & Literacy: Reflectins Across Disciplines. Ed. Carlson, Kristina Fagna, & Natalia Khamemko-Frieson. Toronto: Uof Toronto P, 2011. 43-72.

Chamberlin, Edward. If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories? Finding Common Ground. Toronto: AA. Knopf. 2003. Print.

Chester Blanca. “Green Grass Running Water: Theorizing the World of the Novel.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

Fee, Margery ed.  “50th Anniversary Interventions.” Spec. issue of  Canadian Literature 204 (2010) Print.

Read the Editorial (6 – 8)

Read all of the “interventions” (103 – 162).

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161/162 (1999). Web. April 4th 2013.

This is a reference article that you should study along with your reading of Green Grass Running Water.

Frye, Northrop. The Bush Garden; Essays on the Canadian Imagination. 2011 Toronto: Anansi. Print.

Read Linda Hutcheon’s“Introduction”, Frye’s “Author’s Preface”, and the final chapter: “Conclusion to a Literary History of Canada.”

“Get the Most From Word Press.com.” Learn Word Press. Web. April 04/2013. http://learn.wordpress.com/

King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Peterbough:Anansi Press. 2003. Print.

– “Godzilla vs. Post-Colonial.” Unhomely States: Theorizing English-Canadian Postcolonialism. Mississauga, ON: Broadview, 2004. 183- 190.

– Green Grass Running Water. Toronto:  Harper Collins, 1993. Print.

Lutz, John. “First Contact as a Spiritual Performance: Aboriginal — Non-Aboriginal Encounters on the North American West Coast.” Myth and Memory: Rethinking Stories of Indigenous-European Contact. Ed. Lutz. Vancouver: U of British Columbia P, 2007. 30-45. Print.

– “Contact Over and Over Again.” Myth and Memory: Rethinking Stories of Indignenous- European Contact. Ed. Lutz. Vancouver: U of British Columbia P, 2007. 1-15. Print.

MacNeil Courtney. “Orality.” The Chicago School of Media Theory.  Uchicagoedublogs. 2007. Web. 19 Feb. 2013

Maracle, Lee.Lee Maracle Toward a National LiteratureEd. Paul DePasquale, Renate Eigenbrod, and Emma LaRocque. Toronto: Broadview, 2010. Print.

Moodie, Susanna. Roughing it in the Bush.  Project Gutenburg, 18 January 2004. Web. 9 Apr 2013.

Robinson, Harry. Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory. Compiled and edited by Wendy Wickwire. Vancouver: Talon Books2005. (1-30)

–  “Coyote Makes a Deal with the King Of England.” Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory.  64-85.

Required Viewing & Listening

Bony M. “The Rivers of Babylon.” Lyrics. Metro Lyrics. Web. April 04 2013.

Chamberlin, Edward. “Interview with J. Edward Chamberlin.” Writer’s Café. Web. April 04 2013.

King, Thomas, “The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative.” CBC Massey Lectures. CBC Ideas. Web. April 04/2013.  . http://www.cbc.ca/ideas

King, Thomas. “I’m not the Indian You had in Mind.” Video. Producer Laura J. Milliken. National Screen Institute. 2007. Web. April 04/2013. http://www.nsi-canada.ca/2012/03/im-not-the-indian-you-had-in-mind/

Wilson, Jordan. “Another Interview with Thomas King.” Canlit.ca/interviews. Video. Web. April 04/2013.

This webpage includes a video file and a transcript of the interview: http://canlit.ca/interviews/21

What I Learned In Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom. Dir. Karrmen Crey and Amy Perreault. First Nations Studies Program, U. of British Columbia, 2007. Web. April 04 2013. http://www.intheclass.arts.ubc.ca.

Academic Concessions:

If you miss marked coursework for the first time (assignment, exam, presentation, participation in class) and the course is still in-progress, speak with me immediately to find a solution for your missed coursework. Any concessions that will result in a change to the student record will be referred to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for evaluation.

If this is not the first time you have requested concession or classes are over, please consult the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies’ webpage on academic concession, and then contact me where appropriate.

Academic Integrity:

The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply when the matter is referred to the Office of the Dean. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences. A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures, may be found in the UBC Calendar: Student Conduct and Discipline.

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

Academic accommodations help students with a disability or ongoing medical condition overcome challenges that may affect their academic success. Students requiring academic accommodations must register with the Centre for Accessibility (previously known as Access & Diversity). The Centre will determine that student’s eligibility for accommodations in accordance with Policy LR7: Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities. Academic accommodations are not determined by your instructors, and instructors should not ask you about the nature of your disability or ongoing medical condition, or request copies of your disability documentation. However, your instructor may consult with the Centre for Accessibility should the accommodations affect the essential learning outcomes of a course.