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 .