Required Texts:

Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
Aradhana Seth, Dam/Age: A Film with Arundhati Roy (film)
Secondary readings on reserve at Dunbar Library

Secondary Reading on Reserve at Dunbar Library:

Examples of colonial discourse:
Lugard, Frederick. “The Value of British Rule in the Tropics to British Democracy and the
Natives.” Postcolonialisms: An Anthology of Cultural Theory and Criticism. Ed. Gaurav Desai and Supriya Naik. New  Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2005. 35-45. 

Macaulay, Thomas Babington. “Minute on Indian Education, February 2, 1835.” Postcolonialisms. 121-131. 

Miscellaneous background material:
Bergner, Daniel. “The Post-Colonial Missionary.” The New York Times Magazine. Jan. 29, 2006: 40-47; 72-74.

Polgreen, Lydia. “In Congo, Hunger and Disease Erode Democracy.” The New York Times. June 23, 2006.

Porter, Eduardo. “Here Illegally, Working Hard and Paying Taxes.” The New York Times.

Post-colonial theory:
Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. “Imperialism, History, Writing, and Theory.” Postcolonialisms. 94-115.

                                                                                                                             Top

About the Course:

The primary objective of this course is to give students a critical introduction to contemporary women’s post-colonial texts. The three writers chosen are masters of the craft of novel-writing. Students can expect to be treated to a feast of words, concepts, and characters as they read fiction by women writing at the height of their creative powers. Regions of the world covered are Africa, India, Great Britain, and the United States. In particular, students will learn about how women in the non-western world are negotiating social and personal change in relation to a range of topics: patriarchal societies; religious and cultural practices; class and caste formations; environmental concerns; nationhood; and migrant identities via immigration. Students will also be trained in reading and identifying aspects of writing that have come to be recognized as hallmarks of post-colonial literary style: play within and between different languages systems, parody of authoritative (read male) discourse, and subversion of English and its “standard” rules.

                                                                                                                             Top

• Participation:  This course will be conducted as a discussion group with occasional lecture. Hence, students are expected to participate regularly and actively. 20% of the final grade is based on participation. If you are unsure about guidelines and grading policies for participation, please contact me. Note to graduate students: You are especially encouraged to stimulate and lead class discussion.
   
• Attendance: Attendance will be taken ten times during the term, making up 10% of the final grade. These times will be randomly chosen. If you miss class on the day attendance was taken, you will not be counted as present under any circumstance. I will not accept make-up work as counting towards attendance. If you must be absent from class, please make arrangements with someone to take notes for you.
  
  LATE ARRIVAL: Please be on time for class. Being on time means being in class when your name is called for roll. Two tardies equals one absence.

If you are late for class, please let me know, after class, that you were present for the class session; otherwise, I will count you absent.

If you must leave before class is over, please let me know before class. Otherwise, you will be counted absent for that class.

• Essays: Students will write a total of two essays for this course. These will be 4-5 pages in length, typed and
  double-spaced. The first essay, due at mid-term, will be written in response to a topic chosen by you from a handout
  of suggested topics. The second essay, due at the end of the quarter, will focus on a topic of your own choice.
  Students are required to read secondary materials placed on course reserve at Dunbar Library; you will be instructed
  on how to access this material as soon as it becomes available online. Discussion of our secondary material will
  always accompany discussion of our primary texts, so be sure to keep up with your reading of reserve materials. You
  will also be expected to incorporate these secondary readings into your essays. Your essays should follow MLA style
  format. They will be graded on argument (thesis and support for thesis), organization, and writing skills. Each essay
  counts toward 30% of the final grade. Note to graduate students: In place of this requirement, you will write one
  long paper due at the end of the quarter; length of paper: 10-12 pages.
   
• Response papers: You will write one response paper based on questions emerging from class discussion. This will be at least 2 pages long; students may write one more response paper for extra credit if they like. The response paper is worth 10% of the final grade. Note to graduate students: In place of this requirement, you will do one class presentation, at least 10 minutes long, on a topic of your choice; turn in the written version of your presentation in the next class period for my comments.
   
• Students with disabilities should make arrangements with me and with Disability Services in order to complete the assignments. Disability Services may be contacted at 775-5680.

Note on Academic Integrity:
The internet has made it so very easy for students to find completed essays, reader's notes, and commentaries on all of the
texts that we will read in this class. Please remember that all Wright State students are responsible for upholding the
University's Code of Academic Integrity (available through the Office of Judicial Affairs). Academic dishonesty, including
instances of cheating and plagiarism, will not be tolerated. Students who violate the University's policies on Academic
Integrity risk not only failing the course but also receiving further penalties imposed by an Academic Integrity Hearing
Panel. If you are at all unsure about whether you might have plagiarized someone else's writing, please talk to me before
you hand in your papers.
                                                                                                                             Top


Grading:

All grades will be computed on a 100-point scale: 100-90=A; 89-80=B; 79-70=C; 69-60=D; 59-0=F. For the record, here is a general summary of what each grade signifies:

A–excellent overall
B–mostly adequate, with some excellent aspects
C–adequate
D–mostly adequate, with some unacceptable aspects
F–unacceptable overall

                                                                                                                            Top