East Asian Studies (EAST 319) - Lecture 29
EAST ASIAN VALUES IN A CANADIAN SETTING
Spring Session 2008
Saturday 13:00 - 16:50

Class Dates: May 3, 10,  24, 31; June 7, 14, 21

Instructor:	Mark Baron
Office Location:	SS 720
Office Phone:	220-4183
E-Mail:	baronm@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	http://blackboard.ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	TR 14:00 - 15:00; Sa 12:00 - 13:00 and 17:00-18:00; or by appointment

 

Course Description

This course examines the presence of East Asian values within Canada and their potential for greater acceptance in and contribution to Canadian life.  A series of introductory lectures will critically survey the perspectives on culture, cultural change, social inequality, and ethnic conflict that have been used to analyze the forms of inclusion and exclusion experienced by East Asian communities in the Canadian context.  These perspectives will be applied in the seminar component of the course which will consist of individual students leading class discussions on curriculum-relevant topics of their own choosing.  The course will conclude with an integrative seminar designed to synthesize and review all of the material covered throughout the semester in preparation for the cumulative take home final exam. 

Objectives of the Course

This course seeks to specify (a) how East Asian communities residing in Canada have transformed Canadian society and identity; (b) how East Asian communities residing in Canada have been transformed by their social, cultural, political, and economic interactions with other communities within Canada and with the Canadian state; (c) the patterns of domination and accommodation that have defined East Asian experiences within Canada; and (d) how East Asian communities residing in Canada compare and contrast in terms of identity and experience to similar communities residing elsewhere.   

Textbooks and Readings:

There are no required textbooks for this course.  Readings will be determined by the students in consultation with the instructor.

Assignments and Evaluation

Written Summary of the Presentation - 10%

Seminar Presentation of the Selected Reading - 20%

Revised Hard Copy of the Seminar Presentation - 30%

Cumulative Take Home Final Exam - 40%

 

Topic and Reading Selection:  Students will select a course-specific issue and present a reading related to it.  Students may choose their own topic or pick from the list below.  Students who choose their own topic must have it approved by the instructor no later than 16:00 on Wednesday, June 14.  All students must have their topic selections in place no later than 16:00 on Thursday, May 15 so that the instructor can compile the presentation schedule and distribute it via Blackboard on Friday May 16/08.
(see Seminar Presentation Schedule below).

 

Suggested Topics:

media stereotypes

East Asian film/television

gender

diet

medicine

tai chi

feng shui

educational values

generational/familial issues

business practices

trans-Pacific interactions and linkages

martial and fine arts

body art

anime

organized crime

religion

Chinese-/Japanese-Canadian redress settlements

changing patterns of Chinese immigration to Canada

interest group activity/political lobbies/political representation

East Asian experience in rural Western Canada

settlement patterns and their impact on urban social space/the built environment of cities

 

Seminar Presentation Schedule: Seminar presentations will commence on Saturday, May 24 and conclude on Saturday, June 7.  A schedule with topics and firm time slots for individual presentations will be finalized and distributed via Blackboard on Friday May 16/08.  Students are expected to present within the time limits assigned to them.  These time limits are subject to change depending on enrollment in the course (see Seminar Presentation of the Selected Reading below).  Presenters must participate on the day and in the order assigned to them.  The instructor will not revise the presentation schedule except in extreme circumstances that are outlined in the University Calendar and supported by appropriate documentation.  

 

Written Summary of the Presentation: Each presenter will provide the class with a written summary of their seminar presentation.  The purpose of the summary is to familiarize students with the presenter's topic in advance so that they are able to make informed commentary on the substance of the presentation itself.  The written summary must be written in 12-point font with one-inch margins.  It must not exceed two (2) typed, double-spaced pages in length (500 words) and should be no shorter than one (1) page (250 words).  Presenters are advised that the written summary must include at least two questions that have been carefully formulated to (a) facilitate seminar discussion and (b) to elicit constructive feedback that can be incorporated into the revised hard copy of the presentation.  The summary must also include the complete bibliographic information of the reading being presented.

 

Students presenting on Saturday, May 24 must submit their summaries via blackboard no later than 16:00 on Thursday, May 22.  Students presenting on Saturday, May 31 must submit their summaries via blackboard no later than 16:00 on Thursday, May 29.  Students presenting on Saturday, June 7 must submit their summaries via blackboard no later that 16:00 on Thursday, June 5.  NOTE: Summaries submitted after 16:00 on the assigned due date will be subject to late penalty except in extreme circumstances that are outlined in the University Calendar and supported by appropriate documentation.           

 

Seminar Presentation of the Selected Reading: Each student will make a fifteen (15) minute presentation on a reading related to their topic.  Presenters are advised that their presentations must elaborate significantly on the material outlined in their written summaries.  Presentations that do not move convincingly beyond the summaries or that repeat the summaries verbatim will be penalized accordingly.  In addition, presentations must be analytical rather than descriptive.  Presenters must clearly define the author's main argument and effectively establish (a) how the reading contributes to our understanding of the topic in question, and (b) how the reading contributes to our understanding of East Asian values within Canada in general.  Presenters must also critically evaluate the substance and merit of the author's argument, the evidence marshaled to support it, and the author's approach to the subject.

 

Class Participation:  After presentations have been delivered, the floor will be opened to class discussion.  All students are expected to have read and thoughtfully considered the written summaries by the commencement of each seminar, and to demonstrate that they have done so through constructive contributions to /criticisms of their colleagues' presentations.  Students are forewarned that the material covered in the seminar component of the course (presentations + seminar discussions) will be tested on the Cumulative Take Home Final Examination.

 

Revised Hard Copy of the Seminar Presentation: Students will submit a revised written copy of their seminar presentation that effectively and sincerely responds to the critical insights/constructive criticisms raised by the instructor and their peers.  The revised hard copy must be written in 12-point font with one-inch margins.  It must not exceed eight (8) typed, double-spaced pages in length (2000 words) and should be no shorter than six (6) pages (1500 words).  Students are expected to clearly cite the sources they use and to apply a single style of citation (i.e. MLA, APA) throughout their hard copies.  Please be advised that endnotes/footnotes and bibliography are additional to the length requirement.  NOTE: The revised hard copy of the seminar presentation is due in class no later than one week after the formal delivery of the oral presentation.  Email submissions will not be accepted.  Hard copies submitted after the due date will be subject to late penalty except in extreme circumstances that are outlined in the University Calendar and supported by appropriate documentation.      

Cumulative Take Home Final Examination: An integrative seminar will be held on Saturday, June 14.  The purpose of the integrative seminar is to prepare students to write the Cumulative Take Home Final Examination.  The exam will be essay in format and consist of one question that is to be answered solely on the basis of the material covered in the course.  Additional research is neither expected nor required.  Students are advised that answers must be analytical rather than descriptive, and that they must be written in 12-point font with one-inch margins.  The text of the answer must not exceed eight (8) typed, double-spaced pages in length (2000 words) and should be no shorter than six (6) pages (1500 words).  A more detailed set of instructions will be provided on Saturday, June 14.

 

The Cumulative Take Home Final Examination will be distributed at the end of class on Saturday, June 14 and must be submitted to the instructor in class at 13:00 on Saturday, June 21.  Email submissions will not be accepted.  NOTE: Cumulative Take Home Final Examinations submitted after 13:00 on Saturday, June 21 will not be accepted except in extreme circumstances that are outlined in the University Calendar and supported by appropriate documentation.

 

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

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.

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 Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures, Seminar Presentations, and Readings

 

To Be Determined.