GENDER, MEMORY and NATIONALISM MA Level Elective Class, 2 Credits (Online) Fall 2020
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Central European University (Vienna Campus) Department of Gender Studies GENDER, MEMORY AND NATIONALISM MA Level Elective Class, 2 Credits (Online) Fall 2020 Course Syllabus INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Instructor: Dr Hannah Loney Email: [email protected] Virtual Office Hours: Monday 9.00am–11.00am and by appointment (via Zoom) Teaching Assistant: Tegiye Birey Email: [email protected] Virtual Office Hours: By appointment (via Zoom) COURSE INFORMATION Course Description: This course examines the complex relationships between gender, memory and nationalism. It addresses the main theoretical perspectives on nations and nationalism, as well as feminist critiques of these perspectives. The course also considers the material ways in which nationalist discourses and practices are both gendered and sexualized. Paying particular attention to the politics of memory, the course approaches the concept of the nation and its variants as historically contingent, and continually reproduced through discourse and practice. Particular areas of focus include imperialism, citizenship, sexual violence, ethnicity, migration and populism. Geographically and historically, the course takes a broad and comparative view of gender, memory and nationalism across time and space. Note: This course shares many core readings and our TA with the 4-credit on-site course in Vienna, “Gender and Nationalism”, which is taught by Professor Elissa Helms. Students may participate in joint online discussions between the two classes, where available, but they can be enrolled in only one of the courses. It is not possible to switch from one course to the other after the end of the official drop/add period. Students who expect to be present in Vienna may wish to choose Professor Helms’ course instead. Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: • identify and discuss the main theoretical perspectives on nations and nationalism, and their critiques; • recognize and analyze the ways in which notions of gender, sex and sexuality are implicated in nationalist discourses and practices; • understand the role of memory within processes of nationalism; 1 • critically assess and compare class readings according to different theoretical arguments and methods; and • present critical written analysis that is supported by arguments and evidence, and identify and research a topic relevant to the themes of the course. REQUIREMENTS & EXPECTATIONS This course will be taught entirely online. All materials will be made available via the course e-learning site (Moodle). The course will be comprised of asynchronous (not at a set time) and synchronous (at a set time) activities. Each week, students are required to watch a short online lecture (15-20 minutes) that will introduce key themes and ideas related to the weekly topic. Students are also required to participate in an online class discussion (1 hour). Following the online class discussion, students are required to submit (at least) two quality posts to the online discussion forum within one week. The online class discussion will be held on Fridays from 9.00am–10.00am (CEST until 25 October, then CET) via Zoom.* If you are concerned that you may not be able to participate in the online class in any given week – due to illness, serious unavoidable matters, religious observances, or if emergency childcare obligations arise – please contact the instructor in advance, so that alternate arrangements can be made. In these circumstances, and conditional upon the approval of the instructor, students may write a 1-page (approx. 250-word) response to the weekly topic, required readings and discussion questions. This response must be submitted via Moodle within one week of the missed class. Where appropriate, students with a disability, medical condition or carer responsibilities should contact the instructor prior to the start of term to discuss suitable adjustments to their participation or assessment. ASSESSMENT Your final grade for this course will be based on: • Online class attendance and participation: 30% • Reaction paper: 20% • Group media project: 50% Online Class Attendance and Participation (30%) There are two components to the online class attendance and participation grade: 1. Attendance and participation in online class discussions (15%) Students are expected to regularly attend, prepare for, and participate constructively in weekly online class discussions (conducted via Zoom). Students may have one unexcused absence and two excused absences, as per the above * Please note that the online class discussion may be rescheduled, or an additional class added, depending on students’ time zones (see “Preparing for Online Learning” questionnaire on Moodle). 2 guidelines. Beyond that, each unexcused absence will negatively affect your attendance and participation grade by 0.5%. In order to prepare for class discussions, students should: watch the online lecture before class; read the short summary of the weekly topic and introduction to the readings; complete the “Required Reading”; and make some notes in response to the questions posed. 2. Contribution to online discussion forums (15%) Students are also required to participate in the online discussion forms. This will involve posting one concise reflection (approx. 100 words) upon the topics and readings introduced each week. Some weeks, you will be required to post responses to set discussion questions or tasks. In general, though, you should consider: what was the most striking point that emerged from the readings and class discussions this week? How did it add to / enrich your understanding of the complex relationships between gender, memory and nationalism? In addition, you are expected to review posts by classmates and post one short, insightful and constructive response (this only needs to be a few lines in length). Both posts must be made within one week of the online class discussion. Students will receive interim feedback on their online class attendance and participation via email at the end of Week 6. Online class attendance and participation will be assessed on the following criteria: • Regular attendance and posting • Evidence of preparation • Active participation • Quality of comments and reflections • Listening skills Reaction Paper (20%) – due Friday 30 October at 11.59pm Students are required to write a reaction paper of 2–3 pages (approx. 750 words). The reaction paper should provide a coherent summary and critical analysis of one of the reading from Week 3, 4 or 5 (note: you may select from the list of “Required Reading” or the “Recommended Reading”). Your paper should provide a short summary of the key ideas discussed, but the emphasis should be on critically analysing and engaging with the arguments put forward in the text. Consider the following questions as you prepare your response: • What is the main argument contained within the text? What are the sub- arguments? • To whom is the text speaking? (who is the author and how are they situated geographically, disciplinarily, in terms of seniority; where did the publication appear, in what debates is the text intervening, whether implicitly or explicitly?) • What evidence does the author present to support the argument, and how was it gathered? • Is the argument convincing? Why or why not? 3 • How does this reading relate to other literature we have discussed within this course (or other material you have read)? To your own knowledge and experiences? Does it further our understanding of gender and nationalist processes? Reaction papers will be assessed on the following criteria: • Understanding of key ideas and concepts • Clarity and quality of summary and analysis • Critical, effective and economical use of texts • Quality of written expression and structure • Correct referencing and formatting Note: Students may not write their reaction paper on a similar topic to any responses completed in lieu of online class attendance and participation. Group Media Project (50%) Students are required to complete a group media project that aims at engaging with the key themes, theories and methods discussed within the course. In groups of 2–4 (depending on the size of the class), you are required to select one case study (a public spectacle, practice, state initiative, citizen group, media debate, or other phenomenon) that illustrates the complex relationships between gender, memory and nationalism. Your case study must be accessible visually: an illustrated newspaper or magazine article, website, YouTube video, film clip, Facebook group, blog, etc. Your case study can be from any country or setting, but it must not have been analysed in the scholarly literature (as far as you can reasonably ascertain). You are required present your analysis in two stages, as a group and individually: 1. Group Presentation (20%) – due Friday 11 December, 11.59pm You are required to present the findings of your group media project in a short online format (for example, a 15-minute video, podcast or PPT with recorded narration), to be uploaded to Moodle by Friday 11 December, 11.59pm. The presentation may include images, short clips and brief text (focus on key conclusions and arguments). It should also contain analysis; that is, it should illustrate points from and comparisons with class readings, showing how your case study challenges /expands upon any of the texts’ main arguments. All group projects should be uploaded to Moodle; you will then have the opportunity to view other projects, offer feedback