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Zoom Link: UGS 303: Communicating America through Baseball Spring 2021 Tu/Th, 12:30-2:00, online Professor: Michael L. Butterworth, Ph.D. (he/him/his) E-mail: [email protected] Discussion Sections: F, 9:00-10:00, online (61792) F, 10:00-11:00, online (61793) F, 11:00-12:00, online (61794) F, 11:00-12:00, online (61780) F, 12:00-1:00, online (61785) F, 1:00-2:00, online (61790) Twitter: @BurntO_Butterwo Office: CMA 7.138B Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00-11:00 and by appointment Office Phone: 471-1931 UGS 303: Communicating America through Baseball, Spring 2021, 1 Zoom Link: Course Description: It is the “national pastime,” or the “American game.” We know that it is as “American” as motherhood and apple pie. It has occupied the attention of sports fans, academics, popular writers, and politicians alike, all of whom seem eager to hail the game’s special link to the nation. It is celebrated as a romantic metaphor for life’s seasons, for its pastoral imagery that evokes an agrarian past, and above all, as an ideal institution of liberal democracy. In short, baseball has earned a unique place in American history and culture. However, rarely do we ask how baseball came to be the national pastime or why it is important to the public to think of a given sport as a reflection of national identity. This course, therefore, looks to baseball as a lens through which we can analyze, understand, and even critique American culture. It argues that baseball's history constitutes a myth that works alongside other myths that have shaped people and ideas in the United States. It is not, therefore, a course about baseball in and of itself. Rather, it is a course that sees baseball as a communicative phenomenon, one through which America as a nation is constructed, maintained, and modified. Course Objectives: By the end of this course, students should be able to: Understand baseball’s role in U.S. history Summarize key developments in the game’s history as they relate to national identity Evaluate claims made about baseball being the “national pastime” Identify themes of innocence and purity evident in baseball Examine baseball’s ability to fulfill its democratic promises Evaluate nostalgic discourses within the game and popular media Assess the contemporary status of the national pastime Class Sessions: Class meetings will introduce foundational myths rooted in claims about democracy, innocence, and purity in order to evaluate baseball’s role in American life. Our time will be spent in lecture and discussion, and we will also review relevant artifacts of popular culture. The Friday discussion sections offer more time for extended conversation, questions, and review of media. Readings: Readings come from journalists, popular writers, and academics. Although this course is grounded in the discipline of communication studies, students will also read from traditions in sociology, history, literature, and political science. Most of the readings are designed to be introductory; however, by the end of the semester, students will read more advanced scholarly work. All readings are available either on Canvas or online. Dropping this Course: Undergraduate students can drop this course through February 3, 2021, and there will be no documentation of a drop on your UT transcript. You may use a Q drop to drop this course at any time between February 4, 2021 and May 11, 2021 (5:00 pm CDT) by meeting with your academic advisor. This Q drop will be recorded as non-academic and will not count against your six-drop limit. UGS 303: Communicating America through Baseball, Spring 2021, 2 Zoom Link: Assignments and Grading: Your final grade in this course will be based on the following: Discussion Sections: The discussion sections provide students with an opportunity to raise questions, challenge ideas, and discuss issues related to the readings. Students will be evaluated based on evidence that they have read assigned work and are consistently engaged in discussions. Exams: The course is organized around three broad sections. There will be an exam at the end of each section. Timeline Project: Baseball and its role in American life has evolved over time. This project asks you to identify a key theme (commercialism, integration, labor relations, etc.) along with the most significant moments in that theme’s evolution. The timeline will be represented graphically and supported by credible research. Lecture Paper: UGS students are invited to attend University Lecture Series events. Spring dates are: March 2, March 23, April 21. None of these lectures will be about baseball, specifically. This assignment asks students to interpret the lecture as if it were about baseball, demonstrating how the topic of the lecture might inform the game or how baseball might inform the topic. Group Project: Students will be organized into groups of five/six and be expected to make a persuasive argument in response to a controversial issue in baseball. The project must be based on credible research and each member of the group should participate equally. The final format of the project will be up to each group. It may be a paper, oral presentation, video project, podcast, or a website. Assignments and guidelines will be available in the middle of the semester. All students in the group will receive the same grade. Assignments Discussions ............................................................................................................................. 50 First Exam ............................................................................................................................... 40 Second Exam ........................................................................................................................... 40 Third Exam ............................................................................................................................. 40 Timeline Project ...................................................................................................................... 40 Lecture Paper .......................................................................................................................... 40 Group Presentation ................................................................................................................ 50 Total ....................................................................................................................................... 300 UGS 303: Communicating America through Baseball, Spring 2021, 3 Zoom Link: Grading Scale 300-278...................................................................................................................................... A 277-269.....................................................................................................................................A- 268-263.................................................................................................................................... B+ 262-248...................................................................................................................................... B 247-239..................................................................................................................................... B- 238-233.................................................................................................................................... C+ 232-218...................................................................................................................................... C 217-209..................................................................................................................................... C- 208-203....................................................................................................................................D+ 202-188...................................................................................................................................... D 187-179.....................................................................................................................................D- 178-0 .......................................................................................................................................... F *** Late assignments will receive a 10% deduction for each class day they are overdue.*** Changing the Grading Status of this Course: If you wish to change this course to, or from, pass/fail, there are two different options: Standard Pass/Fail: You may change up to two Letter-Graded courses to Pass/Fail or any Pass/Fail Course to Letter-Graded one time between February 4, 2021 and April 5, 2021 (5:00 pm CDT). Unless only offered on a Pass/Fail basis, a course taken under the Standard Pass/Fail option will generally only count toward elective hours and not toward Core, Flag, Minor, Certificate, or Major requirements. Students who are Moody majors must take ALL Moody courses for a Letter Grade in order for the course to count for a Moody degree (unless it’s only offered on the Pass/Fail basis, or unless you use the COVID-19 Pass/Fail Exception, see below). You should check with your academic advisor before choosing to use this option. COVID-19 Pass/Fail Exception (CPFE): This also allows you to change a course to, or from, the pass/fail status. You may change the grading status of up to three courses TOTAL using a CPFE for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 combined (e.g., one course for Fall 2020 and two for Spring 2021). You can change the grading status