Renison University College Affiliated with the University of Waterloo 240 Westmount Road N, Waterloo, ON Canada N2L 3G4

Phone: 519-884-4404 | Fax: 519-884-5135 | uwaterloo.ca/Renison

Renison University College Land Acknowledgement

With gratitude, we acknowledge that Renison University College is located on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe, and ​ Haudenosaunee peoples, which is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometres on each side of the Grand River.

Winter 2020 Course Code: SDS 240R ​ Course Title: Art & Society ​ Class Times/Location:

Tuesdays, 2:30pm-5:20pm, REN 1918

Instructors: Farrah Miranda & Ryan Hayes ​ Office: REN 1623 ​ Office Hours: Tuesdays before or after class, by appointment ​ Email: [email protected]; [email protected] (TBC) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Course Description

Our course examines pressing social issues in Canada through art. Drawing on work by socially-engaged artists, we explore a range of ways of seeing and being in the world. Topics include indigeneity, migration, racism, incarceration, austerity, gender identity, queerness, and disability justice. We review both performances of power and resistance, culminating in a hands-on creative project focused on building communities of care.

Pedagogy

We will host a generative learning space where we can collectively:

● Create an exciting and supportive class for reciprocal learning ● Explore current issues and developments in art and politics in Canada ● Embrace artworks as powerful learning tools ● Connect to real-world opportunities for applied learning As instructors, we value the kind of critical education that recognizes the relations of power that shape history and the political, economic and cultural environments in which we live. We select readings, artworks, music and conversations by artists and thinkers situated within and beyond the academy.

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

● Demonstrate critical thinking by applying social theory, including decolonization, ​ ​ anti-racism, disability justice, queer theory and feminism, to our current context ● Demonstrate creative inquiry by exploring the role of art in society and art as a force ​ ​ for social change ● Produce a socially-engaged art project through a collaborative process of research, ​ ​ development and critique

Required Text

● Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2018). Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice. ​ ​ Arsenal Pulp Press.

Readings Available on LEARN

All other readings will be available via the course LEARN page. The collaborative spirit of this class depends upon a high level of participation from students, which includes keeping up with the readings and engaging in our weekly discussions.

Course Outline

WEEK DATE TOPIC READINGS ASSIGNMENTS

INTRODUCTION: WAYS OF SEEING, WAYS OF BEING

1 January 7 Ways of Seeing: Indigenous Simpson, Dunkin, & Settler Aesthetics Lampert

2 January 14 Frameworks for Holmes, Helguerra Socially-Engaged Art

3 January 21 Print Culture: Publications Benjamin, Schultz, and Public Actions Dailey

BURNING ISSUES: PERFORMANCES OF POWER AND RESISTANCE

4 January 28 Enacting Sovereignty: From Taylor SHOW Indigenous Recognition to & TELL Decolonization (15%)

Presentations continue Week 4-9

5 February 4 Undoing Colonial Borders, Melo, Razack PROJECT Citizenships and Illegalities PROPOSAL (10%)

6 February 11 Are Prisons Obsolete? Hoszko, Chak, MIranda

7 February 18 Reading Week

8 February 25 Against Erasure: Walcott & Abdillahi, Confronting Anti-Black Maynard Racism in Canada

9 March 3 Resisting Cuts to Life: Klein, Moeller Fighting Neoliberal Austerity

10 March 10 Blessed are the Trans: Ramirez, Thom PROJECT Building Alternatives with DRAFT Trans Communities (15%)

MAKING CHANGE: CREATING COMMUNITIES OF CARE AND HEALING

11 March 17 Dreaming Disability Justice Piepzna-Samarasinha

12 March 24 Making Magic from the Ware, PROJECT Madness Piepzna-Samarasinha PRESENTATION (15%)

13 March 31 Change the Culture, Change Ware, Rodriguez ARTIST’S the World STATEMENT (20%) Course Readings Schedule

1) INTRODUCTION: WAYS OF SEEING, WAYS OF BEING

WEEK 1: Ways of Seeing: Indigenous & Settler Aesthetics

● Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (2017). “how to steal a canoe” in This Accident of ​ ​ ​ Being Lost. House of Anansi Press. P69-70 ​ ● Jessica Dunkin (2018). “Canoe” in Symbols of Canada. Between the Lines. P18-29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Nicolas Lampert (2013). “Parallel Paths on the Same River” in A People’s Art History ​ ​ ​ of the United States. The New Press. P1-10 ​

WEEK 2: Frameworks for Socially-Engaged Art

● Brian Holmes (2012). “Eventwork: The Fourfold Matrix of Social Movements” in ​ ​ Living as Form: Socially Engaged Art from 1991-2011. P72-85 ​ ● Pablo Helguera (2011). Education for Socially Engaged Art: A Materials and ​ Techniques Handbook. P1-25 ​

WEEK 3: Print Culture: Publications and Public Actions

● Walter Benjamin (1934: 1970). “The Author as Producer” in New Left Review 62. P3 ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Heath Schultz (2018). “On Pamphlets and Class Struggle: Notes on the Communist ​ Manifesto, Part 1” in Counter-Signals 3. P6-15 ​ ​ ​ ● Courtney Dailey, Onya Hogan-Finlay, and Leila Pourtavaf (2014). The Bookmobile ​ Book. Self-published by the BOOKMOBILE Collective. P7-9 & P21-37 ​

2) BURNING ISSUES: PERFORMANCES OF POWER AND RESISTANCE

WEEK 4: Enacting Sovereignty: From Indigenous Recognition to Decolonization

● Diana Taylor (2003). “Acts of Transfer” in The Archive and the Repertoire: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Performing Cultural Memory in the Americas. Duke University Press. P1-51 ​

WEEK 5: Undoing Colonial Borders, Citizenships and Illegalities

● Carla Melo (2015). “Are We All In the Same Boat: Staging the “Invisible Majority” In ​ the Streets of Toronto” in Canadian Theatre Review, vol 161. University of Toronto ​ ​ ​ Press. P33-37

● Sherene Razack (2002). “When Place Becomes Race” in Race, Space and the Law: ​ ​ ​ Unmapping a White Settler Society. P1-20 ​

WEEK 6: Are Prisons Obsolete?

● Sheena Hoszko (2016). “Of Birds, Ointments, and Care: How Peter Collins’ Artworks ​ Kept Him in Prison” in MICE Magazine 2 (Healing Justice). ​ ​ ​ ● Tings Chak (2017). Undocumented: The Architecture of Migrant Detention. Ad Astra ​ ​ Comix. P165-182

● Farrah Miranda (2016). “Convergences in Art, Architecture and Migrant Justice ​ Activism: On Tings Chak’s Habitable Space” in VOZ-À-VOZ. E-fagia organization. ​ ​ ​

WEEK 7: Reading Week [No Class]

WEEK 8: Against Erasure: Confronting Anti-Black Racism in Canada

● Rinaldo Walcott and Idil Abdillahi (2019). “After Black Lives Matter: Black Death, ​ Capitalism and Unfreedom” in BlackLife: Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom. ​ ​ ​ Arbeiter Ring. P71-86

● Robyn Maynard (2017). “From ‘Woke’ to Free: Imagining Black Futures” in Policing ​ ​ ​ Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present. Fernwood ​ Publishing. P229-234

WEEK 9: Resisting Cuts to Life: Fighting Neoliberal Austerity

● Naomi Klein (2007). “Blank Is Beautiful: Three Decades of Erasing and Remaking the ​ World” in The shock doctrine: The rise of disaster capitalism. New York: Metropolitan ​ ​ ​ Books/Henry Holt. P3-21

● Robert Moeller (2014). “Social Practice for Domestic Workers” in Hyperallergic. ​ ​ ​ ​

WEEK 10: Blessed are the Trans: Building Alternatives with Trans Communities

● Kai Cheng Tom (2017). “Your Grief is my Grave” in Rebellious Mourning. AK Press. ​ ​ ​ ​ P75-86

● Aemilius Ramirez (2018). “Speaking Our Truths, Building Our Futures: Arts-Based ​ Organizing in 2SQTBIPOC Communities in Toronto” in Marvellous Grounds: Queer of ​ ​ Colour Histories of Toronto. Between the Lines. P71-82 ​

3) MAKING CHANGE: CREATING COMMUNITIES OF CARE AND HEALING

WEEK 11: Dreaming Disability Justice

● Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2018). “Writing (with) a Movement from Bed” in ​ ​ Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice. Arsenal Pulp Press. P15-29 ​ ● Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2018).“Toronto Crip City: A Not So Brief, ​ Incomplete Personal History of Some Moments in Time, 1997-2015” in Care Work: ​ ​ Dreaming Disability Justice. Arsenal Pulp Press. P79-96 ​

WEEK 12: Making Magic from the Madness

● Syrus Marcus Ware (2016). "Magic from the Madness: On Black Disabled Artists and ​ Activists Making Change" published online by CBC Arts. ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Syrus Marcus Ware (2019). “How to fight activist burnout” in NOW Magazine (August ​ ​ ​ ​ 7).

● Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (2018).“Cripping the Apocalypse: Some of My ​ Wild Disability Justice Dreams” in Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice. Arsenal ​ ​ ​ Pulp Press. P122-135

WEEK 13: Change the Culture, Change the World

● Syrus Marcus Ware (2017). “On Writing: 2025: Light Black Years From Now” in C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Magazine 132. ​ ​ ● Favianna Rodriguez (2013). “Change the Culture, Change the World”. Creative Time ​ ​ ​ Reports.

Course Requirements and Assessment

ASSIGNMENTS DUE DATE VALUE

1) PARTICIPATION ALL 10%

2) STRUCTURED CRITICISMS ALL 15% - 5 Reflections (minimum), completed in-class

3) SHOW & TELL PRESENTATION - Brief Presentation WEEKS 4-9 15%

4) CREATIVE PRINT PROJECT

Collaborative - Proposal (750 words) WEEK 5 10% - Draft (16-24 page zine) WEEK 10 15% - Final Presentation (10 minutes) WEEK 12-13 15%

Individual - Artist Statement (750 words) WEEK 13 20%

1) PARTICIPATION – 10%

We all live busy lives and have many competing demands on our time. However, in order to make the most of our time together we expect each student to make their best effort to show up to class and be prepared to discuss each week’s assigned readings. Participation will be assessed based on attendance and active engagement in our weekly class sessions.

2) STRUCTURED CRITICISMS – 15%

Structured criticisms are an opportunity for you to briefly reflect on your learning process and to provide feedback to the course instructors so that we can tailor our teaching to your needs. Reflections will be completed in the last 15 minutes of each class. Each structured criticism will account for up to 3% of your grade, to a maximum of 15%.

Weekly prompts may include the following:

- Identify a key idea that stuck with you from today’s class - Share one thing from your reading that connected with today’s class - Using examples, describe your learning style and ideal learning environment

3) SHOW & TELL PRESENTATION – 15%

Each student will deliver a brief, 5 minute presentation between Weeks 4 and 9. Students will sign-up for a presentation time slot to share an example of an artwork that speaks to that week’s course theme, which will help deepen our understanding of the topic. Presentations will be organized by each week’s topic as described in this course outline. Course instructors will be available to provide feedback on your ideas and can suggest a list of further resources to consult.

Students may choose to use a modified Pecha Kucha format (10 slides x 20 seconds) or a format of their own choice, particularly one that is complementary to the medium you are exploring. As these presentations are very short, you must skillfully give your audience a sense of the artwork you are reviewing and identify the key points that make it relevant to this course (socially engaged art, public interventions, social change work, etc.).

4) CREATIVE PRINT PROJECT – see below for assignment weights i) Project Proposal (750 words) – 10%

Option A: Creating Communities of Care

For this option, student groups may choose to produce a zine that will serve as a companion to A Streetcar Named Amarna, a socially-engaged art project. Taking Tennessee Williams' ​ ​ ​ ​ iconic play A Streetcar Named Desire as its starting point, the project considers the classic ​ ​ play’s themes of racism, sexism and ageism alongside the lived realities of low-income elders in Ontario.

Student contributions to a “fair guide” (as opposed to the payment-focused “fare guide” that many transit systems distribute) may address one or more of the following topics: ● Labour/Employment ● Immigration ● Housing ● Income Security

Contributions may include: ● An interview with an activist working on one of the above topics ● An Interview with an elder in your community (who may or may not be an activist) ● Profiles of elders in your community, highlighting the contributions they’ve made, and socio-economic barriers they face ● A reflection on your relationship with ageing and elders in your community

Contributions may employ mediums such as visual art, creative writing or interviews. In your 750 word proposal, tell us about the topic you have selected and why, and the roles and responsibilities of your group members.

Option B: Self-Directed Theme

Alternatively, your group is welcome to develop and propose your own concept, subject to approval from the course instructors. Once we have signed-off on your concept, you can complete the full project proposal where you will tell us: What is the title of your zine, what will the focus be, and how will you draw on course materials or respond to themes raised in this course? How will you craft the text and/or include visual material to make your publication as compelling as possible?

Contributions may employ mediums such as visual art, creative writing or interviews. In your 750 word proposal, tell us about the topic you have selected and why, and the roles and responsibilities of your group members. ii) Project Draft (16-24 page zine) – 15%

The production of socially engaged artwork often involves an iterative process of conceptualizing, experimenting, revising, sharing, and further developing your work. A complete draft (hard copy) of your group's 16-24 page zine is due in advance of your final presentation. Instructors will provide constructive feedback on your group's submission. Your group is expected to draw on this input to make edits, honing and improving your work for the final presentation. iii) Final Presentation (15 minutes) – 15%

This is a chance for you and your group to share the most exciting elements of your work with the class in a 15 minute presentation. Following your presentation, your group will have 5 minutes to respond to questions from the class.

The ability to make clear, coherent and well-organized presentations is an essential skill in many professional fields, including the arts, education, public policy, law, health and social services. Supporting you to develop these skills, your final presentation will be evaluated for its content, organization, and creativity. We want to see each member of the group participate equally in the presentation – this includes responding to questions. iv) Artist Statement (750 words) – 20%

Unlike the first three components of this project, this activity will be completed individually. The artist statement consists of your personal motivations, learnings and reflections on the production process. Your artist statement must provide insight on the content of your zine. It must address the significance of the topic to you. Why did you include what you did and how did you decide how to present this content?

Late Work

If you encounter circumstances that you feel may cause you to be late in submitting any particular assignment you should contact the instructor immediately, explain the circumstances, and we may negotiate an extension. To do so you must be in contact with your instructor at least 24 hours prior to the deadline to request an extension. No last minute extensions will be granted.

Late assignments will be accepted up to a week beyond the deadline at a penalty of 2% per day. Afterwards, late assignments will not be accepted for any reason except those outlined in the UW calendar (e.g. medical or family emergencies, or some other such event) and will receive a grade of 0. If an extension is granted, students are expected to submit their assignment at the agreed upon time and date, with the appropriate documentation. Please review the UW policy regarding accommodation for illness for unforeseen circumstances. http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/students/accom_illness.html

Electronic Device Policy Electronic devices are allowed in class, provided they do not disturb teaching or learning.

Attendance Policy

Your participation in the course will be based in part on the regularity and consistency of your attendance. You are free to make the choices that best suit your lived realities, however, chronic and unaccountable absences from class may have a negative impact on your grade, specifically in terms of your participation mark and ability to complete a sufficient number of structured criticisms in-class.

Final Examination Policy For Winter 2020, the established examination period is April 8-25. The schedule will ​ ​ ​ ​ be available at the end of January. Students should be aware that student travel plans are not acceptable grounds for granting an alternative final examination time (see:Final ​ Examniation Schedule https://uwaterloo.ca/registrar/final-examinations

Accommodation for Illness or Unforeseen Circumstances:

The instructor follows the practices of the University of Waterloo in accommodating students who have documented reasons for missing quizzes or exams. See http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/students/accom_illness.html

Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the UWaterloo Academic Integrity webpage ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/) and the Arts Academic Integrity webpage ​ ​ ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/arts/current-undergraduates/student-support/ethical-behaviour) for more information.

Discipline: Every student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to ​ avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their own actions. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity (https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity) for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ more information.] A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration, should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or Academic Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties are imposed under the University of Waterloo Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline ​ ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-71). For typical ​ ​ penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties ​ ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat-general-counsel/policies-procedures-guidelines/guide lines/guidelines-assessment-penalties). ​

Students should also be aware that copyright laws in Canada prohibit reproducing more than 10% of any work without permission from its author, publisher, or other copyright holder. Waterloo’s policy on Fair Dealing is available here: https://uwaterloo.ca/copyright-guidelines/fair-dealing-advisory Violation of Canada’s ​ Copyright Act is a punishable academic offence under Policy 71 – Student Discipline.

Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of university ​ ​ life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4 ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat-general-counsel/policies-procedures-guidelines/polic ​ y-70). When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative ​ assistant, who will provide further assistance.

Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and ​ ​ Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there are grounds. Students who believe they have grounds for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals ​ ​ (https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat-general-counsel/policies-procedures-guidelines/polic y-72). ​ Academic Integrity Office (uWaterloo): http://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/ ​ ​

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

Note for Students with Disabilities: The AccessAbility Services office, located on the ​ ​ ​ ​ first floor of the Needles Hall extension (NH 1401), collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities, without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AAS office at the beginning of each academic term.

Intellectual Property. Students should be aware that this course contains the intellectual ​ property of the instructor, which can include:

● lecture handouts and presentations (e.g., PowerPoint slides) ● lecture content, both spoken and written (and any audio or video recording thereof) ● questions from various types of assessments (e.g., assignments, quizzes, tests, final exams) ● work protected by copyright (i.e., any work authored by the instructor)

Making available the intellectual property of instructors without their express written consent (e.g., uploading lecture notes or assignments to an online repository) is considered theft of intellectual property and subject to disciplinary sanctions as described in Policy 71 – Student Discipline. Students who become aware of the availability of what may be their instructor’s intellectual property in online repositories are encouraged to alert the instructor.

Mental Health Support All of us need a support system. The faculty and staff in Arts encourage students to seek ​ ​ out mental health supports if they are needed. ​ ​ On Campus Counselling Services: [email protected] / 519-888-4567 xt 32655 ​ ​ MATES: one-to-one peer support program offered by Federation of Students (FEDS) and ​ Counselling Services Health Services Emergency service: located across the creek form Student Life Centre

Off campus, 24/7 Good2Talk: Free confidential help line for post-secondary students. ​ Phone: 1-866-925-5454 Grand River Hospital: Emergency care for mental health crisis. Phone: 519-749-4300 ext. 6880 Here 24/7: Mental Health and Crisis Service Team. Phone: 1-844-437-3247 ​ OK2BME: set of support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning ​ teens in Waterloo. Phone: 519-884-0000 extension 213

Full details can be found online at the Faculty of ARTS website ​ ​ Download UWaterloo and regional mental health resources (PDF) ​ ​ Download the WatSafe app to your phone to quickly access mental health support ​ ​ ​ information

A respectful living and learning environment for all Everyone living, learning, and working at Renison University College is expected to contribute to creating a respectful environment free from harassment and discrimination. If you experience or witness harassment or discrimination, seek help. You may contact Credence & Co., Renison’s external anti-harassment and anti-discrimination officers, by email ([email protected]) or by phone (519-883-8906). Credence & Co. is an independent K-W based firm which works with organizations toward thriving workplace cultures, including professional coaching, consulting, facilitation, policy development, conflict mediation and ombudsperson functions. Harassment is unwanted attention in the form of disrespectful comments, unwanted text messages or images, degrading jokes, rude gestures, unwanted touching, or other behaviours meant to intimidate. According to the Ontario Human Rights Code, discrimination means unequal or different treatment causing harm, whether intentional or not, because of race, disability, citizenship, ethnic origin, colour, age, creed, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, or other personal characteristic.