Objectives of the Course

By the end of this class students will:

• Be exposed to a variety of historical and contemporary debates about drugs
• Develop analytic tools that enable an informed, critical discussion of drug issues
• Be able to discuss the relationship between representations and cultural discourses
• Refine critical thinking and research skills

Textbooks and Readings

In addition to a book of Custom Course Materials, the following books are required and available for purchase through the University of Calgary bookstore. Used copies and other editions will be fine if you can find them.

Baudelaire, C. (2002). On wine and hashish. Trans. A Brown. London: Hesperus.

Burroughs, W. (1977). Junky. London: Penguin Classic.

Huxley, A. (2004). The doors of perception, and Heaven and hell. New York: Perennial Classics.

Wolfe, T. (1968). The electric kool-aid acid test. New York: Bantam.

Assignments and Evaluation

1. Oral Presentation on an Assigned Reading (10%) Scheduled throughout term, sign-up to occur in first class

2. Film Response (20%) Due July 8, 2008

3. Readings Log Part I (10%) Due July 22, 2008

4. Readings Log Part II (10%) Due August 14, 2008

5. Term Paper (40%) Due August 14, 2008

6. Participation (10%) Ongoing

All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade for this course. 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:  No

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.

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.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class.