ENGL 198T Manga through a Feminist Lens

MW 3:00-4:15PM, Fall 2017

INSTRUCTOR Kaitlyn E.

EMAIL [email protected]

OFFICE AIRC 4002

OFFICE HOURS MW 5:00-6:30pm & By Appointment

Course Description Image from Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori

University Description1:

Features specialized topics taught by a variety of instructors depending upon the semester. Topics can include subject matter from literature, linguistics, English education, creative writing, composition/rhetoric, and film. Tend to the production of a significant research paper, a paper which will emphasize the student's ability to: Analyze and interpret multiple texts; Integrate primary and secondary sources; Construct a sustained, coherent, and rhetorically sophisticated piece of writing.

 Prerequisite: ENGL 120A and a minimum of 90 units.

Instructor Description:

This is a writing course focusing on manga (Japanese graphic novels) through a feminist lens. Manga has been chosen as the primary text for this course because it offers readers ideas on how to think, act, and reflect upon the world.2 In this course, we will engage in the critical examination of gender roles, race, class, and sexual identity depicted in a selection of shoujo (girls’) manga, yaoi (boys’ love) manga, and josei (adult women) manga. Paired with these manga, we will also read secondary readings that will assist us in considering manga as a tool for analyzing and questioning societal norms from a feminist perspective.

Course Content Disclaimer

The majority of readings for this course are composed of manga (translated in English), sometimes in large amounts, but it will go quickly!3

This semester, we are considering questions of gender roles, race, class, and sexual identity as it is portrayed in manga. The manga in this course will deal with various explicit images and

1 ENGL 198T Course Description pulled from the California State University, Sacramento University Catalog website: http://catalog.csus.edu/courses/2016-17/engl/ 2 Allen, Kate, and John E. Ingulsrud. “Manga literacy: Popular Culture and the reading habits of Japanese college students.” Journal of Adolescents & Adult Literacy, vol. 46, no. 8, 2003, p. 677. 3 Disclaimer adopted from Dr. Grace Ting’ s WGSS S203 (Girls’ Manga and Gender/Sexuality in Japan) syllabus, Yale University & Macalester College topics. If you believe that you will be uncomfortable with reading and discussing these things you may want to consider dropping this course4.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

 Analyze gender, race, sexuality, etc. in manga from the shoujo (girls’ manga), yaoi (boys’ love) manga, and josei (adult women) manga genres.  Challenge and question societal norms depicted in the manga selected for this course.  Critically examine and evaluate manga from a feminist perspective.  Develop a definition of feminist lens from their reading and writing experiences.

Departmental Expected Learning Outcomes5

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

 Identify and research appropriate topics.  Read a number of relevant texts closely and analytically.  Employ critical thinking skills.  Lead one or more seminar discussions on assigned topics.  Participate in seminar discussion.  Engage in various theoretical and/or critical approaches to the course content.

Required Texts

 Scanlation Disclaimer

Scanlation is a fan-made scanning, translation, and editing of comics from one language to another language and is often done without the express permission from the copyright holder.6 I strongly recommend that you legally purchase copies of the manga required for this course. Not only would you be supporting hardworking translators, but we should all refer to the same English translations (some manga may be translated by a different publisher due to licensing rights) during class discussions.7

 Required Texts

I do not order books through the Hornet Bookstore. You may acquire the required texts as you see fit – buy them (new or used) at a bookstore or online, borrow them from the library or a friend, etc. As long as it is within legal bounds, I am not particular about what edition you get.8

Manga is often going out of print. Therefore, please tell me ASAP if you can’t find a book on Amazon or can’t find it for a reasonable price. Other readings will be available on SacCT.

 Manga

4 Policy adopted from Dr. Susan Fanetti’s ENGL 190H (Supernatural Literature) syllabus, California State University, Sacramento 5 ENGL 198T Expected Learning Outcomes as they are listed by the California State University, Sacramento English Department. 6 Definition adopted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanlation 7 Policy adopted from Dr. Grace Ting 8 Policy adopted from Dr. Susan Fanetti o Shoujo . Skip Beat, Vol. 1-3 (3-in-1), Nakamura Yoshiki, VIZ Media . Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1, Bisco Hatori, VIZ Media . Sailor Moon, Vol. 1, Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha Comics . Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 1 & 2, JUNKO, Kodansha Comics o Yaoi . Finder, Vol. 1, Ayano Yamane, SuBLime . Love Stage, Vol. 1, Eiki Eiki & Taishi Zaou, SuBLime . Ten Count, Vol. 1 & 2, Takarai Rihito, SuBLime . Black Sun, Vol. 1 & 2, Ogasawara Uki, 801 Media, Inc. o Josei . Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 1 & 2, Enjoji Maki, VIZ Media . Midnight Secretary, Vol. 1 & 2, Tomu Ohmi, VIZ Media . Nana, Vol. 1, Yazawa Ai, VIZ Media  Secondary Readings (SacCT) o See the course calendar for specific articles and due dates

Course Requirements & Policies

 Assignments Image from Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi o Reading Responses9 . Due on Monday at the beginning of class. . Type up a line or passage from that week’s manga[s] AND a quote from that week’s secondary, scholarly readings. Then write about what interested you in the quotes, explaining links between your primary and secondary citations.  Format: 1-2 pages in length. Typed/double-spaced/12 pt. Times New Roman/1" margins. o You will need to complete 8 out of the 12 reading responses. o Discussion Leader10 . On a day you choose, start class discussion with observations/questions about a passage or passages from that day’s reading (manga or critical): What interests you in the passage(s)? What specific words or ideas in the passage(s) get your attention? Why? How are they tied to other readings/themes/topics from the semester? . This discussion will be 10-15 minutes in the beginning of class. o Paper #1 . Write a 4-5 page paper related to 1-2 manga from class. You will need to incorporate a minimum of 1 secondary reading covered in this class and 1 not covered in this class.  Prompt: What do the works suggest about the ways in which race, class, and/or other cultural factors intersect with gender in producing women’s experience?11  Format: Typed/double-spaced/12 pt. Times New Roman/1” margins. o Paper #2

9 Assignment adopted from Dr. Jason Gieger’s ENGL 190R (Romance Fiction) syllabus, California State University, Sacramento 10 Assignment adopted from Dr. Jason Gieger 11 Question adopted from Lois Tyson, Critical Theory Today: A User Friendly Guide – Chapter 4: Feminist Criticism . Write a 6-7 page feminist research paper on a topic of your choice. This paper will require you to apply both manga and secondary readings to your topic. You will need to incorporate a minimum of 3 secondary sources not covered in this class.  Format: Typed/double-spaced/12 pt. Times New Roman/1” margins. o Feminist Lens Creative Project . Using any medium you choose (such as PowerPoint, Prezi, iMovie, YouTube, a poster, etc.) create a multimodal project that defines what feminist lens means to you. You will be required to incorporate feminist theory in order to support why you have chosen this definition to represent your interpretation.  Reflective Mini-Paper: Write a 1-2 page reflective paper that discusses your creative process for your project. o Questions to Consider: . What manga, secondary readings, and class discussions helped you in defining your interpretation of feminist lens? . What theory/theories did you chose and why? o Format: Typed/double-spaced/12 pt. Times New Roman/1” margins.  Presentation: Your creative projects will be presented in-class. o Manga Commercial12 . Make a 90 second (+/- 3 seconds) video commercial pitching one manga that we will not be reading in this class. The commercial must “sell” the audience on why the manga is applicable to a feminist classroom, why someone should read it, and must make reference to a topic we have covered in class.  Questions to Consider: o What manga do you think should be taught in this class? o You can select any genre of manga. o How is this manga applicable to a feminist classroom? o How does this manga connect to your feminist lens? o What are some secondary readings you would pair with it? o Final Portfolio13 . The final for this course will be a portfolio. This portfolio is a semester long project that will consist of several components. All of your writing assignments will be collected here. The portfolio will be the space where peer readers and the instructor go to give you feedback. As we proceed through the semester you will revise three major assignments for the final assessment. These revised texts, along with a reflective cover letter that describes your experience in this course will be required in order to complete your portfolio.  Required Materials: o Reading Responses o Paper #1 Workshop Draft . Attached Paper #1 Peer Review Handout

12 Assignment adopted from Dr. Jeffrey Dym’s HIST 146C (History of Manga) syllabus, California State University, Sacramento 13 Concept adopted by Valerie Smith’s ENGL 5 (Academic Literacies) syllabus, California State University, Sacramento o Paper #1 Instructor Draft o Paper #2 Workshop Draft . Attached Paper #2 Peer Review Handout o Paper #2 Instructor Draft o Feminist Lens Creative Project Reflection Workshop Draft . Attached Peer Review Handout o Feminist Lens Creative Project Reflection Instructor Draft o Reflective Course Cover Letter  Required Revised Materials: o Paper #1 o Paper #2 o Feminist Lens Creative Project Reflection

Image from Happy Marriage?! by Enjoji Maki  Grading

This course is assessed via a grading contract1415. You will not be graded/given a point value per assignment; instead, you will receive feedback from your peers and instructor per assignment as a guide in your revision process. The grading for this course follows Sacramento State Academic Grade Definitions:

A Exemplary achievement of the course objectives. In addition to being clearly and significantly above the requirements, work exhibited is of an independent, creative, contributory nature. B Superior achievement of the course objectives. The performance is clearly and significantly above the satisfactory fulfillment of course requirements. C Satisfactory achievement of the course objectives. The student is now prepared for advanced work or study. D Unsatisfactory achievement of course objectives, yet achievement of a sufficient proportion of the objectives so that it not necessary to repeat the course unless required to do so by the academic department. F Unsatisfactory achievement of course objectives to an extent that the student must repeat the course to receive credit.

14 Concept and structure adopted from Dr. Tialitha Macklin’s ENGL 10/11 (Academic Literacies I & II) syllabus, California State University, Sacramento 15 Concept adopted from Jane Danielewicz and Peter Elbow’s grading contract featured in “A Unilateral Grading Contract to Improve Learning and Teaching”

You are guaranteed a “B” if you meet the following conditions16:

1. Attendance: You attend class regularly – not missing (for whatever reason) more than 5 class sessions. 2. Participation: You participate in all in-class exercises and activities.  You must attend class in order to participate, but participation means more than simply showing up. As a class, let’s figure out together what “participation” means and when someone does not get credit for it. We’ll add/edit this section to the contract as a class in discussion. o Exceptions: Any absence due to university-sponsored group activity or military duty will not count against you, as stipulated by university policy, as long as you have FIRST provided written documentation at least two weeks before the absence. 3. Classroom Behavior: As an academic community, the classroom will be an ongoing conversation amongst students and the instructor that celebrates each unique idea and perspective. Effective communication requires that all participants listen carefully to each other, whether they are in agreement or not, and share their positions and disagreements with tact. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. 4. Sharing and Collaboration: You agree to work cooperatively and collegially in groups.  As a class, we will discuss what we expect of each other. We’ll add this section to the contract as a class. 5. Plagiarism: The Sacramento State University Policy Manual states that “Plagiarism is the use of distinctive ideas or work belonging to another person without providing adequate acknowledgement of that person’s contribution. Regardless of the means of appropriation, incorporating another’s work into one’s own requires adequate identification and acknowledgement. Plagiarism is doubly unethical because it deprives the author of rightful credit and gives credit to someone who has not earned it. Acknowledgement is not necessary when material used is common knowledge.” Plagiarism in this course is further defined as the intentional or unintentional presentation of another source’s ideas, information, sentences, words, sentence structure, or work as your own or another’s; misquoting, mis-citing; or not citing. 6. Due Dates: You will meet due dates for all papers, assessments, evaluations, portfolios, in-class writings, and other assignments properly and on time. Keep in mind that your colleagues in clad depend on you to get your work done on time so that they can do theirs on time; all late assignments are just as bad as missed assignments.  Late Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted.  Missed Assignments: A missed assignment is an assignment that is incomplete or does not meet the assignment requirements.  Ignored Assignments: Any assignments not done period, or “ignored,” for whatever reason, are put into this category. If any of the major assignments become ignored assignments, it constitutes an automatic failure of the course (e.g. Paper 1, Paper 2, Manga Commercial, Feminist Lens Creative Project, and the Final Portfolio).

16 Grading Contract design adopted/adapted from Dr. Tialitha Macklin 7. Peer Review: You give thoughtful peer feedback during class workshops and work faithfully with your group on other collaborative tasks (e.g. sharing papers, commenting on drafts, peer editing, online discussion boards) 8. Revise: You will sustain effort and investment on each draft of all papers. During conferences you will create a revision plan for your major writing assignments (e.g. Paper 1 and Paper 2)  Revisions include making substantive revisions when the assignment is to revise – extending or changing the thinking or organization – not just editing or touching up. 9. Portfolio: You will submit your completed final portfolio consisting of revisions for Paper #1, Paper #2, Reflective Feminist Lens Creative Project Paper, and Reflective Course Paper.

“A” Grades:

“A” grades depend on two additional things: (1) the acceptable completion of an optional project, and (2) ensuring that this project benefits writing at Sacramento State. The assumption is that doing the extra project that will improve writing at Sac State and will produce deeper engagement and excellence worth the highest mark possible, an “A” course grade.

 Project Description: o Write a 3-4 page paper addressing the question “What does feminism in a writing classroom mean to you?” . Must use feminist theory to support your argument.

Grades Lower Than “B”:

“C,” “D,” or “F” grades occur when you miss class, do not turn in assignments on time, turn in “missed” assignments, intentionally plagiarize work, or show up without assignments. The following is nonnegotiable: You are not eligible for a “B” unless you have met the guidelines described above. If you are falling behind, confused, feeling overwhelmed, or need some help, contact me right as soon as possible. I am absolutely willing to work with you if you contact me BEFORE you miss an assignment.

Plea:

I (Kaitlyn), as the administrator of our contract, will decide in consultation with you (the student) as to whether a plea is warranted in any case. You must come to me as soon as possible, usually before you are unable to meet the contract (before breaching the contract), in order to make fair and equitable arrangements. You may use a plea for any reason, but only ONCE in the class. The please is NOT an “out clause” for anyone who happens to not fulfill the contract in some way; it is for rare and unusual circumstances out of the control of the student.

Contract Agreement:

By staying in this course and attending class, you accept this contract and agree to abide by it. I (Kaitlyn) also agree to abide by the contract, and oversee it fairly and impartially.

Electronic Devices: Cell phones, laptop, netbook, tablet, or e-readers should only be used for course-related work during class meetings.

General Information

 Disability Accommodations

Services to Students with Disabilities (SSWD) offers a wide range of support services and accommodations for students in order to ensure students with disabilities have equal access and opportunity to pursue their educational goals. Working collaboratively with students, faculty, staff and administrators, SSWD provides consultation and serves as the information resource on disability related issues to the campus community. If you are registered with the SSWD and need to speak with me regarding accommodations, please feel free to talk with me after class, during office hours, or via email.

For more information about the SSWD, please contact their office at [email protected].

 University Reading and Writing Center

The primary goal of the University Reading and Writing Center (URWC) is to provide encouraging, focused, and non-judgmental one-to-one tutorials in reading and writing for any undergraduate or graduate student at CSUS. In a collaborative and supportive environment, our peer tutors offer help with reading and writing at all points in the process, from initial planning and organizing through developing and revising a paper or understanding difficult texts. The URWC is supported by Academic Affairs and partners with Associated Students, Inc.

The URWC is located in Calaveras Hall 128. They also offer one unit of academic credit for regular weekly tutoring, ENGL 121. Students can visit the Writing Center the second week of classes to sign up for ENGL 121 and reserve a tutoring slot.

Image from Midnight Secretary by Tomu Ohmi Course Calendar

The following schedule is an outline for how the course will proceed. There may be adjustments throughout the semester to accommodate various needs of the course.

DATE ASSIGNMENT M FIRST CLASS – Introduction 8/28 Tyson, “Feminist Criticism” W READ: 8/30 Shigematsu, “Dimensions of Desire: Sex, Fantasy, and Fetish in Japanese Manga” Toku, “Shojo Manga! Girls’ Comics! A Mirror of Girls’ Dreams” M Unit 1: Shoujo Manga 9/4 READ: Skip Beat, Vol. 1 – 2 Meyers, “Feminists Rethink the Self” DUE: Reading Response #1 W READ: 9/6 Skip Beat, Vol. 3 Shiokawa, “Cute but Deadly: Women and Violence in Japanese Comics” M READ: 9/11 Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1 Suter, “Gender Bending and Exoticism in Japanese Girls’ Manga” DUE: Reading Response #2 W READ: 9/13 Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 Bailey, “Prince Charming by Day, Superheroine by Night? Subversive Sexualities and Gender Fluidity in Revolutionary Girl Utena and Sailor Moon” Grigsby, “Sailormoon: Manga (Comics) and Anime (Cartoon) Superheroine Meets Barbie: Global Entertainment Commodity Comes to the United States” M READ: 9/18 Kiss Him, Not Me!, Vol. 1 Gay, “How We All Lose” Hoshi, “Shojo Feminism, or How I Learned to Love Women (and myself) through Shojo Manga” DUE: Reading Response #3 ASSIGN: PAPER #1 W READ: 9/20 Kiss Him, Not Me, Vol. 2 Welker, “Beautiful, Borrowed, and Bent: “Boys’ Love” as Girls Love in Shojo Manga” hooks, “Feminism Is For Everbody” M Unit 2: Yaoi Manga 9/25 READ: Love Stage, Vol. 1 Kornfield, “Cross-cultural Cross-dressing: Japanese Graphic Novels Perform Gender in U.S.” DUE: Reading Response #4 W PAPER #1 WORKSHOP 9/27 *Bring 3 Copies READ: M Ten Count, Vol. 1 10/2 Nagaike, “Perverse Sexualities, Perversive Desires: Representations of Female Fantasies and “Yaoi Manga” as Pornography Directed at Women” DUE: Reading Response #5 PAPER #1 Instructor Copy W READ: 10/4 Ten Count, Vol. 2 [Insert Secondary Reading] M READ: 10/9 Black Sun, Vol. 1 Nagaike, “Elegant Caucasians, Amorous Arabs, and Invisible Others: Signs and Images of Foreigners in Japanese BL Manga” DUE: Reading Response #6 ASSIGN: PAPER #2 W READ: 10/11 Black Sun, Vol. 2 Zanghellini, “‘Boys Love’ in Anime and Manga: Japanese Subcultural Production and Its End Users” M READ: 10/16 Finder, Vol. 1 Meyer, “Drawing From the Body – the Self, the Gaze, and the Other in Boys’ Love Manga” DUE: Reading Response #7 W PAPER #2 WORKSHOP 10/18 *Bring 3 Copies M Unit 3: Josei Manga 10/23 READ: Midnight Secretary, Vol. 1 Ito, “The World of Japanese Ladies Comics: From Romantic Fantasy to Lustful Perversion” Ogi, “Female Subjectivity and Shoujo (Girls) Manga (Japanese Comics): Shoujo in Ladies’ Comics and Young Ladies’ Comics” DUE: Reading Response #8 W READ: 10/25 Midnight Secretary, Vol. 2 Matanle, Ishiguro, and McCann, “Popular Culture and Workplace Gendering Among Varieties of Capitalism: Working Women and their Representation in Japanese Manga” DUE: PAPER #2 Instructor Copy M READ: 10/30 Nana, Vol. 1 Tsai and Shin, “Strumming a Place of One’s Own: Gender, Independence and the East Asian Pop-Rock Screen” DUE: Reading Response #9 ASSIGN: FEMINIST LENS CREATIVE PROJECT W ONLINE CLASS – Research Day 11/1 *Post 3 citations on SacCT M READ: 11/6 Nana, Vol. 2 Choo, “Girls Return Home: Portrayal of Femininity in Popular Japanese Girls’ Manga and Anime Texts during the 1990s in Hana yori Dango and Fruits Basket” DUE: Reading Response #10 W FEMINIST LENS CREATIVE PROJECT WORKSHOP 11/8 *Meet in Computer Lab M READ: 11/13 Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 1 Salamon, ““Male Chauvinism” as a Manifestation of Love in Marriage” DUE: Reading Response #11 ASSIGN: MANGA COMMERCIAL W DUE: 11/15 FEMINIST LENS CREATIVE PROJECT PROJECT PRESENTATIONS – Day 1 M DUE: 11/20 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS – Day 2 W 11/22 NO CLASS – Thanksgiving Holiday M READ: 11/27 Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 2 Perper and Cornog: “Eroticism for the Masses: Japanese Manga Comics and Their Assimilation into the U.S.” DUE: Reading Response #12 W MANGA COMMERCIAL WORKSHOP 11/29 *Meet in Computer Lab M DUE: 12/4 MANGA COMMERCIALS – Day 1 PORTFOLIO CONFERENCES – Day 1 W DUE: 12/6 MANGA COMMERCIALS – Day 2 PORTFOLIO CONFERENCES – Day 2 W 12/13 FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE