Canadian Studies (CNST) 433 L 20
The Arts and Popular Culture in Canada
Spring 2008
Tues / Thurs 14:00 - 16:45pm; SA 129

 

Instructor:	Brigit M. Knecht
Office Location:	SS 209
Office Phone:	710-7923
E-Mail:	bmknecht@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	By Appointment

 
Course Description

CNST 433 is an interdisciplinary examination of the nature and the place of the arts and popular entertainment in Canadian culture. The course examines a variety of arts, including literature, painting, drama, music, and film & television, with a view to putting selected figures and their work in social, economic, and political context. Organized thematically and topically, CNST 433 explores such arts-related matters as the economic survival of the arts; the role of the state in fostering the arts; the relationship between the arts and national and regional cultures; the search for a distinct Canadian identity; the impact of new technologies on the arts; and the problems associated with bilingualism and biculturalism. The course will help students develop a critical response to art, artistic practices, and art policies in Canada as well as an understanding of Canadian cultural history.

Objectives of the Course

 

• To introduce students to a variety of arts in Canada, via the artists and the cultural movements they represent;
• To introduce students to the key issues artists in Canada have faced over the past hundred years;
• To introduce students to a variety of Canadian artists in a variety of disciplines; and
• To sensitize students to the construction of knowledge via the disciplines studied, not to mention the advantage/disadvantage of studying them from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Textbooks, Readings, and Performances:

Book of Readings, available at Bound and Copied.

Additional materials, such as hand-outs and notes, will be posted on blackboard.

NB - Attendance at off-campus events outside of class time is mandatory

Assignments and Evaluation

• an oral performance critique of 10 minutes in length, due June 10, 2008, worth 25 per cent of the final grade;
• a research and analysis paper of 7 - 10 pages in length, due June 24 worth 30 per cent;
• class-participation, based on such factors as preparation for class, contribution to discussion and group work; worth 10 per cent;
• a registrar scheduled final exam, based on the readings, the lectures, the class discussions, and the audio-visual materials studied in class, and attended performances; worth 35 per cent.

 

All assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  YES

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Note: There will be no extra work or make-up assignments given for assignments which were not submitted at all or for those which earned a poor grade.

 

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class.