Tentative Course Schedule
T 1/13
Add Policy, Intro to class, Syllabus
TH 1/15
Questionnaire, Find Someone. RR # 1 due.
T 1/20
Discuss Effective Reading. In-class: 3 Major Points. Finalize ADDs.
Read: Effective Reading
TH 1/22
GHOTI presentation. Discuss ideas of RR # 1. Convince me to stay…
Watch: State of the Union Address (5pm).
T 1/27
Propaganda quote. Discuss various forms of propaganda: politics, advertisement and TV.
Read: How To Detect Propaganda (IPA, 156)
TH 1/29
Discuss advertising weasel words: what does it sound like, what does it actually do,
contemporary examples.
Read: With These Words, I Can Sell You Anything (Lutz, 393)
RR # 2: Detect all forms of propaganda in Bush’s S.O.U Address.
T 2/3
Doublespeak and You! Refer Bush article. Hand out packet.
Re-examine: Bush’s S.O.U address in light of doublespeak.
Read: Doubts About Doublespeak (Lutz, 184).
TH 2/5
Hand out Essay I Prompt (rough due Th 2/12, final due Th 2/19).
In-class writing- “staying in touch” with major source of info.
Discuss our TV viewing habits.
RR 3 #: Find a plain text and “goose” it up with doublespeak.
Read: 19-Inch Neighborhood (Meyrowitz), Until the Gulf War, We Loved Our
Television News (Perkinson), Peek-A-Boo World (Postman).
T 2/10
Finish discussing Postman and TV’s effects. Examine TV news programs.
RR # 4: Has TV’s effects been positive or negative to us?
Read: Now…This (Postman), Spudding Out (Ehrenreich).
TH 2/12
Rough draft due at beginning of class. Bring 4 copies. Group workshop.
T 2/17
Free day!
TH 2/19
Essay I due at beginning of class. Gender War!!
T 2/24
Discuss the state of women (then and now). Are women marked?
Read: Professions for Women (Woolf) Find this article on-line!
Every Choice A Woman Makes, Sends A Message (Tannen)
TH 2/26
Discuss women’s roles in the economy and at home (macro V micro).
Read: Higher Economic Purpose of Women (Galbraith) and Housewives’
Hours (Schor).
RR # 5: Interview mom/grandma/aunt… who did/does most of the chores? How
many hours, what tasks?
T 3/2
Discuss the daily sufferings of woman at the hands of language, culture and practice.
Read: One Small Step for Genkind (Miller and Swift).
TH 3/4
Do men actually suffer sexism? Follow the life of a male.
Read: Real Men Don’t (August)
T 3/9
Hand out Essay II Prompt (rough due Th 3/18, final due T 3/23).
Gender association quiz. Discuss masculinity and “femininity” in men.
Read: The Androgynous Man (Perrin) and Against Androgyny (Norman).
TH 3/11
Discuss “the gay thing…” Read: Men Loving Men (Kinsman) and Free and Clear
(Tuaolo & Cyphers).
T 3/16
Free Day!
TH 3/18
Essay II rough due. 4 copies. Group workshop.
T 3/23
Essay II due at beginning of class. Should racist speech be protected?
Read: Regulating Racist Speech on Campus (Lawrence III, 471)
TH 3/25
Discuss if racist and offensive speech have a role on college campuses. Should we
set rules to regulate? RR # 6: Should we limit forms of speech? Suggest forms to ban or
regulate. List and tell us why. Defend.
Read: Betrayal of Liberty on America’s Campuses (Kors, 464) and
Muzzling Free Speech (Silvergate, 487).
T 3/30
Discuss the origin and practice of hate speech. Start reading 1984!!
Read: Hate Speech (Lakoff, 498).
TH 4/1
Conferences with students.
T 4/13
Essay III Prompt (no rough, final due T 4/20)
Group members for Orwell’s 1984. Discuss censorship and book banning.
Read: Freedom to Read (ALA, 445) and Book Banning (452).
TH 4/15
Groups are set. Gather necessary contact info and start discussing.
Final Essay Prompt given and discussed.
T 4/20
Essay III due.
TH 4/22
Group I for 1984 presents.
T 4/27
Group II for 1984 presents.
TH 4/29
Group III of 1984 presents.
T 5/4
Group IV of 1984 presents.
TH 5/6
Group V of 1984 presents.
T 5/11
Free day; use it well! Work on final essay!
TH 5/13
Final Essay due.