REQUIREMENTS

This course requires regular attendance, diligent reading and study, active participation in class discussions, and the successful completion of take-home exams and essays.

Class participation will include the following: regular attendance at class; serious preparation of the assigned texts; and a sustained effort at contributing to the class discussion through visible attention, helpful questions and worthwhile insights into the issues being discussed. All of this work is mandatory and its quality will be factored into your class participation grade. Class participation will count 10% toward your final grade.

Attendance Policy: Attendance at every class is required. Problems do arise, however, and I ask that you notify me in advance (or even after the fact if it is appropriate) about why you are unable to attend any class meeting. Of course, unforeseen problems do arise and you may need to miss class unexpectedly. This need not be a problem. But given the intensive nature of May Term classes, any more than one absence from class will lower your grade for class participation. If forces beyond your control do force you to miss more than one class, opportunities for make-up work might be available depending on the reason for the absence. It is your responsibility to inquire about these opportunities and to take advantage of them. If you miss class, it also is your responsibility to determine what assignment you may have missed and make arrangements to complete it in a timely fashion. Feel free to contact me directly if you feel you may have missed something.

Take-Home Exams and Essays. The primary written assignments for the course are two take-home exams due on the first day of each new week (June 1 and 7) and a final pair of 1250-word take-home essays each due Monday, June 14 before 5:00 PM. Your take-home exams will require the composition of several 1-2 paragraph-length answers in response to questions that you will be provided with. The questions will ask you to synthesize the course readings together with class discussions and films, and you can use whatever materials you would like to answer the questions. Your final exam essays will be written in response to one of several questions given to you in advance. They will ask you to reflect on the course as a whole and to critically analyze its central themes. You will receive the final exam questions well in advance of the due date and thus will have ample time to think about your responses during the class. Each of your take-home exams will count 25% toward your final grade and each of your final exam essays will count 20%.