COURSE DESCRIPTION

AMH2097(W)(Y) Nationality, Race, and Ethnicity in the United States (3): The history of immigration to the United States. Includes the evolution of ethnic cultures and the role of race, acculturation and assimilation, and the conflict from colonial times to the present. Course will not count as credit toward the history major.This course satisfies the “Y” Multi-Cultural Credit, FSU Writing Requirement (W), and is also a Liberal Studies Course:
Multi-Cultural Credit (Y): This course will introduce students to the diversity within Western culture by examining the nature of the relations among the many groups that have contributed to Western experience. Courses will focus primarily on one or more groups whose contributions traditionally have been undervalued. Topics such as race, class, gender, or ethnicity will be explored. The characteristics and historical experiences of Multicultural groups are central to all aspects of this course.  The assignment designated as specifically assessing “Multicultural understanding” will enable students to demonstrate that the can: apply the categories and insights about Multicultural groups that they have learned in the course, 2) analyze significant groups, and 3) synthesize the material into a nuanced understanding of the Multicultural nature of American society.
FSU Writing Requirement (W): In order to fulfill FSU’s Gordon Rule “W” designation (writing) credit, the student must earn a “C-“ or better in the course, and in order to receive a “C-“ or better in the course, the student must earn at least a “C-“ on the required writing assignments for the course.  If the student does not earn a “C-“ or better on the required writing assignments for the course, the student will not earn an overall grade of “C-“ or better in the course, no matter how well the student performs in the remaining portion of the course.
The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past and present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we inhabit. This course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies Area III, History and Social Science, and in combination with your other Liberal Studies courses, provides an important foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students will:

1.Students will be able to identify key moments, themes, and individuals in the racial and ethnic history of the United States.

2.Students will be able to identify factors of race, class, gender, and ethnicity in shaping in the racial and ethnic history of the United States.

3.Students will be able to analyze and synthesize knowledge about cultural variation within and/or between American cultures.

4.Students will be able to generate a carefully constructed and persuasive historical interpretation in an essay.

COURSE INTRODUCTION

This course seeks to provide you with an understanding of how ideas, place, and politics have defined the social construct of race, and how that construct has structured and influenced American society.  We will first examine what it means to use the terms “race” and “ethnicity,” and how they have been defined throughout history.   We will explore the racial landscape of America from European arrival in the “Age of Conquest” to the twentieth century “Age of Extremes” and how race and ethnicity came to define and dictate the “immigrant experience.”  

We will investigate the social and cultural impact of immigration and how immigrants became racialized through the processes of colonialism, enslavement, trade, and capitalism.  We will study the rationalizations and justifications for racial superiority in the US and how indigenous people, slaves, and immigrants have negotiated their places in the New World. 

Throughout the course, we will survey cultural representations of race and ethnicity, including film, music, spoken word, paintings, and photographs.  We will probe the purposes of cultural creators and the impact those representations have on our perceptions of race in America, paying special attention to (mis)representation and stereotypes.  We will also consider how these images connect to the reality of racial and ethnic identification in the US.

This course has three primary goals: to improve critical thinking skills, including the ability to “think historically”; to develop an understanding of how historians work with primary sources, including film; and to gain an understanding of history of race and ethnicity in America, both past and present.

COURSE READING

•Tan, Shaun.  The Arrival. 2007.

•Kiyama, Henry Yoshitaka. The Four Immigrants Manga: A Japanese Experience in San Francisco, 1904-1924.  1931.

•Suggested: Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. 2008.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

COURSE BLACKBOARD SITE:  This course has a blackboard web site at (http://campus.fsu.edu). 

You must have a university email account to access the site.  On this site, I will post your syllabus, course documents, useful questions (study guides) and other information, as well as any announcements for the class (changes in test dates, sickness, etc...).  This is here to help you, so it is essential that you be able to access it.  It is your responsibility to access this site before every class.

Quizzes:  You will have several opportunities to complete unannounced iClicker quizzes in class from which you five highest grades will be recorded. 

EXAMINATIONS:  There will be two non-cumulative multiple-choice exams related to lecture topics and within the reading assignments and films. 

WRITING REQUIREMENT (W):  In order to fulfill FSU’s Gordon Rule “W” designation (writing) credit you must complete a 3,000 word requirement with a C- or better. 

This requirement will be met by the following assignments:

For each essay, specific requirements and a guide to help you get started are available on Blackboard. If you submit a draft of your essay on or before the draft dates stated below, you will have an opportunity to make revisions in order to improve your final grade.  I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.  After the due date, I do not allow rewrites. 

First Essay:

1200 words.  Construct an essay on the Tan or the Kiyama book (or both) and how it depicts the immigrant experience.  You do not have to write about Japanese immigrants if using the Kiyama book, but you should use it as a guide to experiences.  Consider what other groups may have had in common with the four immigrants in the manga.  For the Tan book, what do the illustrations tell you about what the immigrants may have been feeling and/or experiencing? What is the purpose of these books?  What points are they trying to convey?  Do they succeed in making those points?  What do you think about the presentation – illustrations only or manga – as a medium to convey information?  

Draft Date: October 16
Due Date: October 21

Second Essay:

1800 words. Compare/contrast two pieces of media (film, music, spoken word, etc) that you have viewed and how they represent three different immigrant groups in the United States within the historical contexts we have discussed in class.  What are the stereotypes?  Are there film clichés?  What do the representations tell you about the racial attitudes of the time the film was made? Be sure to tie the film to the lectures and readings and use key terms, events, places, and people within your analysis.   To complete this assignment you should refer to your film guides, your notes, and course outlines.  While you are welcome to use outside sources, they are not required.

Draft Date: November 23
Due Date: November 25

Essays should be double spaced with one-inch margins on all sides. You should include an introduction, a body/argument, and a conclusion.  Please refer to the writing guide and rubrics on Blackboard for specific guidelines, tips, and expectations.

Students with last names A – K will turn papers in to me. 
Students with last names L – Z will turn papers in to Ms. Palmer. 

I fully support sustainability initiatives on the FSU campus. To reduce paper use, most of your course documents (including the syllabus, readings, and assignment materials) will be provided on the course Blackboard page. Please try to save paper by reading these documents online, if possible. If you must print out documents, please consider printing double-sided and with two pages per sheet/side of paper. The electronic versions of your essays are graded through Turnitin on the course’s Blackboard site.  If you prefer to turn in a hard copy (in addition to your Turnitin submission), I will accept (and encourage) assignments on recycled paper and/or double-sided printing.  Please note, my flexibility in accepting essays this way does not exempt you from formatting requirements.  For more information about sustainability on campus, please see http://www.sustainablecampus.fsu.edu.

COURSE POLICIES

ATTENDANCE:  Mandatory attendance on the first day of classes is a University-wide policy, and will be taken on the first day of classes.  If you are not present for this class, you will automatically be dropped from the roll.

After the first day, there is no formal policy on attendance.  However, it is doubtful that you will do well in the course with several absences.  Therefore, you should make every effort to attend class.  If you miss a class, you are responsible for getting the material.  I will answer specific questions, but I will not re-teach any lecture or give the notes for it.

Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

MISSED EXAMS: Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

In the case of a personal or family emergency, you must contact the Dean of Students at 644-2428.  I will receive official notification from them if your absence is to be excused.

If you have an EXCUSED absence, you will need to meet with me in my office during hours or before or after class at the next class date to discuss a make up exam.

***A missed exam due to unacceptable reasons will result in a failure for that exam. Note: All make-up exams will be based on the same information, but are understandably different and will reflect the additional time you have had to study.

LATE PAPERS:  The same valid excuses apply for late papers. 

Late papers will lose one half of a letter grade for each day (not class day) late.   Papers are to be submitted to Turnitin by 5:00pm on the day that they are due.  Once you submit your paper you should receive an email confirmation.  Do not delete this email. It is evidence that you submitted your paper on time should there be an issue.

If you have an excused absence for the date that a paper is due you have 2 business days to turn in the work. 

E-MAIL: With the exception of weekend and holidays, I will respond to emails within 24 hours.  Please address your emails in a respectful and professional manner and avoid the usage of “netspeak.”

ACADEMIC HONOR CODE AND PLAGIARISM:  Plagiarism is a serious offense and will be dealt with according to the University Policy—I will always pursue the strictest recourse.   I do not accept papers that were written for other courses.  If you are in doubt or have any questions, please come talk to me.

With all assignments at FSU, the Academic Honor Code applies.  You are expected to be familiar and abide by the University’s Academic Honor Code, listed below.  You are also expected to know the definition of plagiarism.  You must do your own work and make sure that others are not plagiarizing your work.  Failure to abide by the honor code could result in a “0” for the assignment, an “F” for this course and/or possible dismissal or suspension from the University.  In other words - do your own work.

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY’S ACADEMIC HONOR POLICY:  The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s expectations for the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process.  Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “. . . be honest and truthful and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.”  (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://dof.fsu.edu/honorpolicy.htm.)

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:  Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:

(1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and

(2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class.

This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.  For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the:

Student Disability Resource Center

874 Traditions Way, 108 Student Services Building

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167

(850) 644-9566 (voice), (850) 644-8504 (TDD)

sdrc@admin.fsu.edu, http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/

EVALUATION PLAN:

Essay #1: 20%
Essay #2: 25%

Midterm: 25%
Final Exam: 25%

Quizzes: 5%

Grading Scale:

93-100%     A

90-92%       A-

87-89%       B+

83-86%       B

80-82%       B-

77-79%       C+  

73-76%       C

70-72%       C-

67-69%       D+

63-66%       D

60-62%       D-

>60%          F

SYLLAUBS CHANGE POLICY

Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus, including the schedule of assignments, lectures, and the selected readings.