General Studies (GNST) 300 A- 04 Lecture 88051
Heritage I - Perspective
Fall 2008/Winter 2009 - Weekend University
TR 18.30 -19.45
Tutorial minutes: 18.30-19.00

Instructor:	Mr. Andrei Zlatescu, M.A., Ph.D
Office Location:	Instructors' Office: SS 209
Office Phone:	TBA
E-Mail:	anz@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	http://blackboard.ucalgary.ca/webapps/login
Office Hours:	R - 19.50-20.40; Saturdays: 12.15.12.50-uopn appointment

Course Description

Knowledge of one's roots can foster the growth of one's consciousness for the sake of both individual and community. "Culture," a term that has been granted many meanings in the last decades, is in need of proper descriptions and adequate undertakings. In Latin, the origins of this word are found in the verb "colere" which means "to cultivate or till", and the word "cultura," which translates into "soil cultivation." If modern models of political and moral accomplishment originate in the Classical Western civilization, a close examination of its cultural roots offers us valuable guidance here and now, as part of a technological society that struggles to keep alive its cultural memory.

General Studies 300 is an unparalleled opportunity to learn more about ourselves while studying the mythical traditions, historical customs, philosophical schools and major literary works of our common ancestry. By interpreting major texts of cultural history from the Greek Beginnings to the Copernican Revolution, we will uncover some of the rare events that made the world into a baffling, yet wonderful place - as we get to know it today.

Objectives of the Course

In the spirit of interdisciplinarity cultivated within other Communication & Culture classes, students will be expected to complete the course with a provable understanding of the following:

-political outcomes in Classical Greek, Roman and Medieval societies;

- theoretical frameworks of political, economic and aesthetic structures studied;

- the specific influence of scientific and technological achievements on each cultural epoch;

- the channels of symbolic interchange between Western and Non-Western cultures;

- the major confluences between society, science, beliefs, cultural movements and popular culture;

- knowledge of major issues at stake regarding our contemporary society.

As this course is designed to train students in critical thinking, students will effectively participate in class by researching, questioning and networking in workshops. Discussions will be encouraged within the spirit of respect for all possible difference of opinion. Intellectual debates are always formative moments in a student's intellectual life, as they can provide each of us with moral epiphanies regarding the inexhaustible richness of our ethical universe. When diversely motivated individuals gather to achieve a better understanding of cultural variety, a high regard for difference in thought is a must. Tolerance and humor are values that help us overcome the inherent inconveniences of the human condition, and can only bring us closer to each other in a community of learners.

By the end of this course, you should be able to locate the concepts and authors studied within their historical & cultural milieu. This implies that the student will be able to articulate a comprehensive description of the following:

-cultural periods and their subsequent currents of thought;

-the literary works studied and the specific theoretical notions involved;

-short literary biographies of the key-figures studied;

You should be also able to correctly identify the major influence on each of the cultural periods studied, as well as the specific traits of each style (e.g. Classic, Baroque).

You are expected to have finished the assigned readings from the books listed above. You will find the lectures easier to follow if you have completed the readings in advance. For each new class you will be expected to have a general comprehension of the cultural era discussed and a fresh re-reading of the texts assigned in the calendar.

Handouts reviewing the key-terms and notions taught will be periodically distributed to each student.

Textbooks and Readings:

Lawrence S. Cunningham, John J. Reich; Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities - Alternate Edition, 2002

Karl F. Thompson, ed., Classics of Western Thought, Vol. II -- Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation, 4th Edition (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988);

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

First term: Class participation: 5%

Individual project proposal: (2 pages) and bibliography (3 titles) 5% - first week of October

Individual assignment: 1st. paper (7 pages) - 20% - last week of October

Midterm exam - 20% (Date to be confirmed) - last days of school in December

Second term: Class participation: 5% (Blackboard Forums and class- participation)

2nd Assignment Proposal: Class Presentation- 1 page, 4 titles - 5% -second week of January

Second Assignment - 15 minutes class presentation (associate in research groups) - 20% - throughout second term / to be scheduled)

Late April- Final exam - (Date to be confirmed - This IS a registrar-scheduled exam) - 20%

Note: Essay Proposals and Written Assignments will be submitted electronically graded and made visible via Blackboard. A printed copy of each assignment is required.

Exam questions will be based on the assigned readings and will take into account your comprehension of the key-notions taught in class.

Please return assignments directly to the 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. 

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 wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255. 

Grading System

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

(Revised, effective September 2008)

 

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. 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 (SS110) 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/info

"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. Keep an eye on Blackboard for the electronic version of your Syllabus and Lesson plans.