ASSIGNMENT 1 | Participation (40)

The majority of your learning will take place within the space of the seminar. This will take place in three main ways: 1) coming to class prepared to participate; 2) weekly reflections on the readings; 3) acting as a host to our guest speakers at least once; 4) possibly co-facilitating one of the seminars.

In class discussion | Each seminar is a space to explore ideas and to learn from each other. The success of this relies on you completing each reading in advance and being fully present within each seminar and ready to discuss the ideas, themes and questions. We will strive to make the classroom inclusive, the goal is to hear from every student in each class (although naturally, in some classes, some students have more interest in the topic and so will speak more; rather, the idea is that no one person or group of persons should ever dominate every seminar). Please see the section on ‘Respect and Inclusion’ on this website, and we can discuss the first class a set of agreements on how we want to be together. If speaking in class is something you feel uncomfortable with or if it’s an off week for you, please reach out.

Reflections/Comments | These are due at 8pmt, the day before class. You are to prepare short reflections on the readings (500 words) and post these to the class website at 8pm prior to class (see posts on front page, right hand column).  ** Reflections are not summaries of the readings.** Rather, it is an opportunity to practice feminist reflexivity and curiosity (see class 2).  Pull out some central concepts / quotes you found useful or thought-provoking, and consider some of the interconnections between readings. “Why did this idea, text, or concept resonate with you? What did it remind you of? “What surprised you? What new questions did they raise, and were there insights that you connect with, or that unsettle you? You might want to link these to current events, other readings/films/literature that connect for you, or lived/embodied experiences you have that help further the discussion. At the end of each reflection, pose 1 or 2 sharp and well focused questions, we will try to get to these in class discussion.  Questions should reflect deep engagement with all the readings, but consider posing it in a way that generates discussion. Remember: Weekly reflections on readings and the question are due at 8pm the day prior to class.

Note: The day you present, you are expected to do the readings, but do not have to prepare a comment.  There is no comment first class.

Notetaking and preparing for class | (for those of you who take the portfolio option, this will be useful for the final assignment) What concepts do the authors develop? How does each reading approach this? What is at stake in the reading? How do the readings speak to each other? How is the author making their argument, and what are they using to help get there? Is there an issue or event you connect the readings to, and if so how? 

Hosting our speakers |  We will have five guest speakers this class. For this component of your participation grade, you will be assigned one guest speaker (depending on the size of the class, there may be two persons assigned for this).

role 1: Introduce the speaker in a creative way (eg. not just reading their bio) by drawing on highlights from their bio, telling us something you learned about them through a google search,  by reading a quote from their work, or one that you feel is fitting to introduce the speaker.
role 2:  Introduce the class to the speaker by telling them about the class and drawing on some of the highlights from the reflections / comments of your peers posted the night before.
role 3: To close the seminar discussion by thanking them and highlighlighting key take aways from the class / that gives you pause for further thought / questions moving forward / connections you made.  You may also want to link this to policy. You will act as a rapporteur of sorts but this should be no more than 3-5 minutes in total.