SUSAN KIRSCHNER RICHARD PECK GENERAL STUDIES 102 WINTER 1985 LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE SELF AND SOCIETY Description During fall term you examined a variety of ancient and modern texts and explored how individuals who differ by class, gender, and ethnicity define themselves and are defined by their social and historical contexts, and also how societies define themselves in very different ways in relation to a physical and moral universe. During this term we will continue to engage many of the same questions and issues but will focus entirely on the continent of Africa during the past one hundred years. We will be approaching this topic principally through literature, and therefore one part of our goal will be to become active, engaged, confident readers who are conscious of the ways in which we will be using literary materials to get an understanding of the self in different cultures and societies, as well as to understand and appreciate the literature itself. Our task will be two-fold. We will try to understand the integrity of cultures we study and the definitions of selfhood in relation to those cultures as a whole; and we will try to understand how particular works of literature function as a whole. In both cases primary attention will be given to learning how to inquire into what gives significance or meaning to human life in particular cultures and in particular texts. Indeed, inquiry is central to this course. It is our assumption, based on previous experience, that only a few if any of you will have had significant prior experience with or knowledge about Africa. So the question is, how does one begin to become knowledgeable in a new area? How does one learn what to look for, what questions to ask, what the "problem" is? Considerable attention will be given during the term to learning how to read actively and attentively and to write in your own natural voice, out of your own serious engagement with texts. Our purpose is to help you increase your ability and self-confidence as readers, thinkers, and writers. But you will not be working by yourself. Rather, your own individual inquiry into the meaning of the texts we will read will be done in the context of the class itself, which should strive to become a community of inquirers, seriously engaged in examining texts, issues, ideas, and information in order to become more knowledgeable about Africa and about the general theme: self and society. Texts Chinua Achebe, Man of the People Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Buchi Emecheta, The Joys of Motherhood Nadine Gordimer, The Burger's Daughter Bessie Head, Maru Wole Soyinka, Ake: The Years of Childhood Colin Turnbull, The Forest PeoPle Requirements l) Notebook assignments: (Please use an 8-1/2 x 11 loose leaf notebook such that individual pages can be taken out, and put back in.) Notebook assignments this term will once again be designed to help you become active, engaged readers, with lots of ideas to share in class discussions. They should also help you to develop your ability to read and think for yourself and to prepare you for the more formal writing assignments. 2) Formal papers: There will be two more formal papers, the first on Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood and the second on The Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer. These papers should be 4-5 pages in length, typed and double-spaced. Drafts of these papers will be due a week before the deadline. Writing workshops will focus on these drafts. 3) Exams: A mid-term and a final examination will be designed to assess your ability to read actively and critically. Readings, class discussions, and, most importantly, serious dedication to the notebook assignments will be your best preparation for exams. Course Outline Week I Jan. 9 General introduction. In-class writing assignment. Jan. 11 Introductory lecture on Africa, with slides. Week II Jan. 14 The Forest People, Colin Turnbull. In-class notebook assignment. Jan. 16 The Forest People. Jan. 18 Video tape on Mbuti Pygmies. Week III Jan. 21 The Forest People (conclude). Jan. 23 Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad. Article by Achebe (handout). Jan. 25 Heart of Darkness. Week IV Jan. 28 Heart of Darkness. Jan. 30 Mid-term. Feb. 1 The Joys of Motherhood, Buchi Emecheta. Week V Feb. 4 The Joys of Motherhood. Feb. 6 The Joys of Motherhood. Feb. 8 Writing Workshop. Week VI Feb. 11 Nigeria lecture. Feb. 13 Ake: The Years of Childhood, Wole Soyinka. Feb. 15 Ake: The Years of Childhood. Week VII Feb. 18 Ake: The Years of Childhood. Feb. 20 "The White Laager" (film). Feb. 22 "South Africa Belongs To Us" (film). Week VIII Feb. 25 Burger's Daughter, Nadine Gordimer. Feb. 27 Burger's Daughter. Mar. 1 Burger's Daughter. Week IX Mar. 4 Writing Workshop. Mar. 6 Maru, Bessie Head. Mar. 8 Maru. Week X Mar. 11 Man of the People, Chinua Achebe. Papers due. Mar. 13 Man of the People. Mar. 15 Man of the People. Week XI Mar. 18 Final Exam (tentative).