Cornish College of the Arts
Humanities and Sciences Department
Global Dialogues: Self & Other in International Literature &
Film
Course Number/Name: Integrated Studies Section 4
(HS 111 Writing & Analysis and HS 119 Global Lit & Film)
6 credits
Semester/Year:
Fall 2010
Days/Time/Location:
Mondays & Wednesdays 4:30-5:50, Fridays 1:30-4:20
MCC Floor 7 - The Board Room
Instructor:
Dr. Cori Adler
Contact Information:
cadler@cornish.edu
MC3 (Notions Building) floor 1
message phone 206-726-5166
What is Integrated Studies and how does it fit into Humanities and Sciences?
How is Global Dialogues like/unlike/connected to other IS classes?
Humanities and Sciences Department Mission:
The Humanities and Sciences Department provides a curriculum that engages Cornish students in an exploration
of the social, environmental and cultural contexts in which artistic production takes place. The aim of the
department is to inspire curiosity about the world, cultivate civic awareness and foster the habits necessary for lifelong learning.
Integrated Studies Program Description:
All Integrated Studies classes meet the College writing requirement and introduce students to college learning
through reading, writing, research and seminar discussion. In addition, Integrated Studies promotes an
understanding of the nature and value of liberal studies learning by providing opportunities to engage with
problems and issues from multiple perspectives and to develop a personal synthesis and stance that can be
supported with a variety of forms of evidence. This full-year program helps prepare you for the remainder of your
college program and life after graduation.
Integrated Studies Learning Objectives:
During the year, you will gain experience and practice in the following:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Observing, listening, and reading in order to deepen your understanding
Discussing, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating information and ideas
Identifying and examining your own assumptions
Recognizing and drawing from multiple perspectives as you shape your own perspective
Finding the appropriate and reliable information you need to support your ideas
Clearly expressing your perspectives and ideas through writing, discussion, and oral presentation
Course Description:
This year in Global Dialogues you will learn about how politics, art, culture and community intertwine in
disparate regions of the world, and explore your own identity as a Global Citizen-Artist. Artists and writers travel
the world, at least in imagination, through their work. How will you travel?
As a tourist, consuming the bric-a-brac of other cultures from a safe distance?
As an entertainer, being consumed by others and moving on untouched?
Or as a traveler engaging with the cultures of the world, including your own, on a deeper level?
Page 1 of 7
This class is for those who love to lose, and find, themselves, and diverse others, in stories (or would love to learn
to do so). We will read literature and view films from around the world approaching them as gateways to
understanding the nuances of culture and nationhood as well as larger political and historical issues, particularly
the history of colonization and the present workings of globalization;
the dynamics of institutionalized social power based upon race, gender and class;
and the activist, social change potentials of art, literature and film.
This semester - Self & Other in International Literature and Film - our discussions will revolve around issues of
identity and relationship. I’ve selected texts in which characters interact with others -- real or imagined, present or
from a known past or imagined future -- whom they perceive as either "like" or "different from" themselves. Their
sense of likeness or difference might be based upon culture, gender, ethnicity or sexuality; values, politics or
national identity; personal conflicts, intuitions or shared experiences. And they might both identify and feel
alienated from one another at the same time for different reasons. Through interactions with a variety of “others”
(for example lover or antagonist; ancestor or offspring; “kin” or “exotic,”) they discover something about
themselves. Weekly units are organized to suggest a series of imaginary cross-cultural dialogues between authors,
about topics ranging from Colonization to Lipstick. Each week we will read multiple perspectives and discuss how
the authors and texts seem to “speak to” one another. You will be encouraged to develop your own voice within
these “dialogues” and to analyze how your own life and identity have been shaped within historical, cultural and
social contexts.
Course Learning Objectives:
The goal of this course is to create a learning community in which students:
 examine (on a global level) interconnections between literature, film and society
 become competent, confident writers,
 and develop their own understanding of how those learning experiences can help them grow as artists and
human beings.
See also: Integrated Studies Learning Objectives (above).
What do I need?
to class)
(Things to buy, bookmark and bring
Required Texts and Materials:
IS Textbook: Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg, The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Handbook, New York:
W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. Available at the University Bookstore on “the Ave” in the U District. 4326
University Way NE.
Bring this textbook to class when assigned.
Global Dialogues Reading Packets available week 2 of the semester at Perfect Copy and Print 111 Broadway E,
in Capital Hill. http://perfectcopyandprint.com/contact.php Be sure to ask for it by the course name, Global
Dialogues, or my name as there will be several other IS classes’ packets there. There are two of these, Part 1 (weeks
4-8) and Part 2 (weeks 10-15). You can buy both right away, or wait and buy Part 2 later. As they only print a
limited “initial run,” you may need to ask them to run you a copy, pay for it, and come back to pick it up later.
Bring the current reading packet to class every session.
Supplies: Notebook(s), binder(s) and/or folder(s) dedicated to this class (only) in which to
(Thing 1) take class notes and save handouts, in an organized way.
Bring this to class every session.
(Thing 2) Save all your written work, including drafts and revisions, formal and informal, papers and
journal entries. Keep the hard copies with instructor or peer comments!
Keep this organized and bring to class as assigned/needed.
I will also give you a folder in which to hand in papers (each draft along with earlier versions with comments).
Cori’s Favorite Resources: I have created my own site with links to my favorite online resources for literature,
film, writing and researching: http://facweb.northseattle.edu/cadler/ Please bookmark this site. If I can, I will
create a course site which you can link from this site, where you can download assignments and handouts.
Page 2 of 7
What will we do?
and my career?
How will it help me with my art, my education
Learning Experiences:
Integrated Studies classes emphasize discussion and collaboration and braid self-reflection with contextualized
thinking. In Global Dialogues you will be introduced to core academic concepts from literary criticism, cultural
theory & film studies and use them to deepen your understanding of literary and cinematic texts. You will
engage in a variety of tasks designed to hone your critical thinking and articulation skills, to develop and stretch
your beliefs, and to articulate these discoveries within your own art form.
IS classes are intensive in both reading and writing. Each week, you will be assigned about 50 pages which you are
expected to read carefully, engage with intellectually and come to class prepared to discuss. You will also complete
writing assignments every week including formal and informal essays, drafts and revisions, reflections and
creative work. Punctual and thorough completion of all reading and writing assignments is essential to the
learning experience, and thus to passing the class. This semester’s goals emphasize depth of understanding and
learning to express your ideas within a variety of forms.
Overview of Major Assignments
(I will give more specific instructions, and detailed Assignment Description handouts, when we begin work on each.)
Reading: Roughly 50 pages per week. Engaged Reader Journal entries due with each reading assignment
Papers: All will require at least one Revision based upon my comments, workshop &/or peer review.
Myself and Another - a personal narrative
Death & Taxes – a Reader Response essay
Imaginary Dialogues - an exploration of literature within its global context which you will draft in 3
different forms.
Global Artist Manifesto – a persuasive and reflective document. We will collaboratively design this
assignment, then each student will write his/her own manifesto.
Other Writing Exercises, including dabbling in poetry and short story writing, will be completed in and out of
class. These are not graded. However, if you miss an in-class writing exercise, or are unable to complete one
because you were unprepared, you may be required to make it up.
Presentations: Each student will make two presentations,
Doublespeak Presentation – a speech employing concepts from the shared IS curriculum on The Power of
Language.
Creative Presentation - responds to one of the course concepts or dialogue topics within your own artistic
medium. You are encouraged to collaborate with other students for this one.
I will also regularly ask students to volunteer to open discussion of the day’s topic & readings or to be first
responder to films. These do not require special preparation and are informal and ungraded.
Portfolio: a selection of the work you completed for the class with a cover letter reflecting on your learning.
What will I be graded on and how?
The Golden Rules and Social Contracts of Integrated Studies
Demonstration of Learning and Evaluation:
We (the faculty of the IS Program) really want your efforts in this class to be motivated by excitement for the topic
and the skills you are learning, rather than by a score. Also, because the IS curriculum is designed to take students
“where they are” and help everyone improve their writing and critical reading skills, yet students come to IS with
disparate skill levels in these areas, grading scales would be difficult, perhaps even detrimental. IS is therefore
graded P/F (Pass Fail). But beware ! P and F are real grades that seriously impact your GPA and your future at
Cornish -- a lot, in fact, since at 12 credits (6 each term), IS is about half of your workload for your freshman year.
P’s satisfy Cornish Writing and H&S Requirements, while F’s can cut your GPA in half. This section of the
syllabus is designed to make my evaluation process transparent, so that you can take charge of your own learning
Page 3 of 7
process. I want everyone to succeed! (and no one to find themselves, at midterm, surprised to discover they’re
failing).
The title of this section (Demonstration and Evaluation of Learning) is standard to syllabi in H&S and signals
the golden rule
of success in H&S (and perhaps of college success in general)…
Demonstrate Your Learning!
… as well as its implicit social contract …
It is students’ responsibility to demonstrate their learning, professors’
responsibility to evaluate it.
In other words, to pass this class, you not only need to do the required reading, writing etc., but also to
actively show me (and often your classmates as well) that you have fully engaged in the learning process. This
is less about proving that you deserve credit (though there’s a bit of that too) and more about learning to
articulate what you have learned, which helps you consolidate and retain it, as well as being an invaluable
career tool.
Since it is essential that you pass IS (see above), you need to know, from the outset, what is expected of you and,
during the semester, how you are doing. To that end, you will receive
 written feedback on each assignment including a code that makes explicit whether it satisfies the
requirements, and
 periodic Evaluations (some of which go to your department chair, your parents or the registrar) telling you
whether you are succeeding in the class as a whole.
Here are the specifics…
Assignment Grades: Each of the major assignments listed above will be returned to you with descriptive
comments, tailored to your skill level and designed to help you improve your writing and analytical skills,
whatever “level” you are working at. In addition, I’ll mark each with a code:
√ = you met the core expectations of the assignment. (Clear sailing)
R = revise/redo and resubmit to make it meet core expectations. (My feedback will explain.)
X = unacceptable; talk to me (a rare mark).
R is not a failing grade and you should not feel bad if you get an R. It means you need another draft in order to
achieve all the assignment goals. This is as often (in my observation) a matter of writing and learning styles as of
either effort or ability. Sometimes you need more guidance or feedback, more steps in your writing process, or
more time; professional writers often do too. The revision is required though! There is no difference between
getting an S on the first try and revising to bring your work up to the S.
If you do not turn in an assignment on the due date and haven’t talked to me about an extension, I will record
NC = No Credit
in my grade roster. NC is a failing grade. It remains on the roster till I accept and pass (√ ) the missed assignment.
See Late Work policy below (pg 6).
Evaluation of Reading: Nowhere is the golden rule more applicable and illuminating. This is a Global
Literature class; reading is at its core. It is absolutely essential -- to your own learning and to the learning
community -- that you give the reading assignments the full attention they deserve and that you demonstrate your
familiarity and engagement with the nuances of the literature to me and your classmates, building a community in
which we can all trust one another to arrive informed and excited and support one another’s intellectual growth.
I have three vehicles for assessing whether you are keeping up with these responsibilities: the Engaged Reader
Journal, your class participation, and QWUs (quiz/warm ups). Since I don’t believe in assessment for
assessment’s sake, each also has a learning objective, all of which revolve around bridging reception, cogitation and
articulation:
 The journal gets you thinking (or responding with other intelligences) as you read;
 the QWUs ground you in the reading at the beginning of the class period and provide a jumping off spot
for discussion.
Page 4 of 7

Participation builds individual skills in oral communication and collaboration, and is the foundation of a
vibrant learning community.
Successful, demonstrative journals and participation stay close to the reading (even when you draw connections to
personal experiences and larger ideas) and home in on its nuances. (“I liked/didn’t like this” can be quite useful
for me to know, but it does not demonstrate learning or accomplish these pedagogical objectives. )
Course Grade: To pass this course (P), you will need to attend, participate and complete all the assignments to the
core expectations. My roster must show:
√’s on all assignments listed above (no outstanding R or NC)
> 75% of possible points on QWU’s
< 9 hours of absence (See Departmental Absence Policy below)
Consistent with departmental and college-wide policies failure can result from deficits in any of these areas, or from
academic dishonesty (see next page).
Written Evaluations: Rather than a letter grade, students in Integrated Studies courses receive written evaluations
in which the professor describes the student’s progress in the class.
The Midterm evaluation is short and structured, a chart listing essential skills marked acceptable or needs
improvement, and brief comments. It is sent to the H&S Dept Chair and to the Chair of your major
department, to let them know how you are doing and whether or not your are passing the course. You
will have a chance to give me input on these before I send them to the Chairs.
If you are at risk of failing at midterms, I am required to send an MTE (see student handbook) to the
registrar. Where applicable, the registrar sends these to parent/guardians.
The Final Course Evaluation (for passing students only) is longer and more narrative. This takes the form
of a letter from me to you, responding to the learning reflections you wrote me as cover letter to your final
portfolio. I will describe my observations about your learning at the Big Picture level and recommend
strategies or areas of focus for second semester. These are sent to you and the H&S department Chair;
students can share them with their faculty advisors, unofficial mentors or department chair.
In addition, we’ll have a conference at midterm to talk about how you are doing. All these evaluations, as well as
the midterm conference, are standard practices within all IS classes. I may require additional conferences for
struggling students. I am always happy to schedule informal meetings to help you with your work, at your
request.
The Fine Print
(Rules, Policies, and Practices and other essential things to keep in mind that will keep you doing fine,
most of which apply to college courses in general and some of which are in fact College or Departmental
policies.)
H&S Department Practice and Policy
Academic Etiquette:
 Arrive on time
 Cell phones off
 No headphone use during class time
 No checking e-mail, text messaging or surfing the web during class
 Respectful participation in discussion is expected
Attendance:
The learning experience cannot be duplicated outside of class and depends on the participation of all classroom
community members. Attendance is required for all Humanities and Sciences courses. To pass Integrated Studies,
students may not exceed 9 hours of absence. In all other Humanities and Sciences courses, students are permitted
three absences before having their grade affected. In all courses, these permitted absences include absence due to
personal matters or illness, and absences due to departmental commitments, such as rehearsals, performances, or
show installation. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the student to alert his or her instructor of a pending
absence and to make arrangements to complete all coursework in a timely manner. To minimize absences,
Page 5 of 7
students should take care to register for courses that fit their schedules and that do not conflict with other courses
or internships. If students miss class for any reason, they are still responsible for turning in their work on time and
for any material or assignments covered during the class meeting.
Academic Honesty :
The College demands a high level of artistic integrity and academic honesty on the part of students. No form of
academic dishonesty (for example, cheating and plagiarism) will be tolerated. If an instructor demonstrates to the
Department Chair that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty, the student will be assigned a failing grade for
the entire course. All cases of academic dishonesty are reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee.
Disciplinary action may be determined by the Academic Standards Committee depending on the circumstances of
the particular case. Further disciplinary actions may include warning, probation, suspension, and expulsion.
Further Practices and Policies for This Class
Bring these things to class every day: the current Reading Packet and your notebook (see Required Texts and
Materials pg 2 above; more info follows). Bring, as assigned, The Norton Field Guide, papers and other assignments
we are currently working on. Have these out in front of you and put everything else, not for this class, away.
Note-taking (in a dedicated Global Dialogues notebook or binder) is required. I will explain during the first
week of class what I expect and my reasons/learning goals. If you use your laptop for taking class notes, turn off
internet access and close all files except the one in which you are taking notes.
Make a pact with another student in the class during the first week of class. Agree that you will do the
following for each other:
 notice when your colleague is late or absent,
 collect handouts for her,
 inform him of changes to the schedule & other announcements,
 take more detailed notes than you usually do, copy them, and spend 30 minutes going over the lesson.
It may be wise to select a colleague from a different major to lessen the chances of you both being absent on the
same day.
Late Work:
 Do not turn in late work without talking to me; I may not accept it.
 I am more likely to grant an extension when you ask before the due date.
 I am less likely to grant an extension when a workshop or peer review exercise is scheduled on the due
date.
 I will not accept late papers once the next paper is due.
These policies are all based upon the learning process I’ve designed. Assignments and exercises build upon one
another, so sequencing is crucial. Assignments utilize principles demonstrated during that unit, so timeliness is
crucial. Both you and your classmates benefit from peer review exercises, so bringing your work is essential to the
learning community. Therefore, I am more likely to grant an extension or accept late work if you offer me a
proposal for how you would recreate the learning experience (for example visiting the writing lab to make up for
missing workshop).
Resources and Support Services
everyday student life)
(for crises and
Student Affairs:
Student Affairs is dedicated to enhancing and complementing students’ educational experience through programs,
services and opportunities that aid in their personal development. Student Affairs is committed to community
building, co-curricular learning, and student support. If you are a student with a documented disability and you
need accommodations, please make an appointment with the staff in Student Affairs, located in room 301 at the
Main Campus Center. You can call 206-726-5098 to reach them.
Counseling:
The mission of the Counseling Offices at Cornish College of the Arts is to assist students with their academic and
artistic pursuits by providing supportive counseling, referrals and outreach programs that promote students'
Page 6 of 7
mental health and emotional well being. To schedule an appointment, call a Counselor at 206-726-5027 or 206-7265047. If they are not available, please leave a message on their voicemail and they will return your call as soon as
possible. The Counseling Offices are located in rooms 308 A & B in the Main Campus Center.
Library:
The Library's mission is to support and enhance the college curriculum, to play an integral role in academic life at
Cornish College of the Arts and to do so in a manner that promotes information literacy and encourages lifelong
learning. In addition to books, periodicals, and media available on site, the library website has online resources
that may be accessed from home with your last name and Cornish ID number. Databases include many full-text
resources and digital images. If you need assistance finding information, Librarians are available at the reference
desk during business hours. The library is located on the 2nd floor of the Main Campus Center in Room 205.
Also, feel free to call (206)726-5145, or e-mail the library libraryref@cornish.edu. To learn about these services and
more, please visit the Cornish Library homepage: http://www.cornish.edu/cornish_library/.
Writing Center:
The Writing Center is a free resource for all Cornish students, faculty and staff who are interested in developing
their writing and reading. Located in room 311 of the Main Campus Center, the Writing Center is a place where
students come to work on their writing and receive individual guidance at any phase of the writing process,
regardless of their level of development. Drop-ins are welcome during posted hours. Contact Amanda Hill at
ahill@cornish.edu or 206-315-5806 for appointments and information.
General Safety:
Please inform yourself of safety procedures for this room, including emergency evacuation routes and the location
of the closest first aid kits and fire extinguishers. Consult the Health & Safety Procedures booklet posted near doors
and eyewash stations. Detailed information is also provided in the College student handbook.
Companion document: Course Schedule
Page 7 of 7