The Contemporary Situation
Core One | Fall 2014
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Table of Contents
Mission Statement………….…………………….…………….…4
Course Understandings...………………….…………………...4
Collegial Agreements….………………………………………….5
Faculty……………………………….………………….……………..…5
Required texts…………….……………………….………………...6
Guest lecturers……………………………………….……………...6
Reflective essay handout…………………………………..……7
Reflective essay rubric…………………………..……..………..9
Argument handout……………………………………………….10
Argument rubric……………………………………..……….……12
Reading and lecture schedule………………….……………13
Best of Core contest winner.……………………..………….19
“Monster Masculinity” (supplemental reading)......26
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Cover photo by “dhester,”
made available by morguefile.com.
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Mission Statement
Core One begins the Core journey of self-discovery, encouraging students to engage in critical analysis of our
world today. It helps students understand that individuals in contemporary society are interconnected, are
impacted by the communities and cultures we live within. In examining the complexities of the contemporary
world, the course emphasizes the Christian Humanist values of social justice, of treating human beings as
individuals to be respected, rather than used as means to an end, and of recognizing that people can act as
agents of change.
Core One also begins a parallel journey of four years of skill development, offering students repeated
opportunities to develop reading, writing, listening, and discussion skills. It asks students to write reflective
and argumentative essays to explore the connections between the individual and the contemporary world.
Key Understandings
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students will understand that individuals in contemporary society are interconnected, are impacted by
the communities and cultures we live within.
Students will question the contemporary world’s challenges and opportunities from more than one
perspective.
Students will engage in respectful discussion to develop a deeper understanding of course material and
diverse perspectives of that material.
Students will write reflective and argumentative essays that respond to course material and are
coherent, developed, and unified.
Students will comprehend texts, that is, read to identify the purpose, genre, main ideas, and the
evidence the author uses to support those main ideas.
Content Understandings
A. Students will understand that each individual is comprised of a complex mix of factors, including both
biological and cultural factors.
B. Students will understand that family values change throughout time and across cultures.
C. Students will understand that human societies are man-made products, and as such, we have the power
to change them.
D. Students will understand that human societies establish systems that can cause the success or failure of
its citizens.
E. Students will understand that media images and advertising influence more than just our purchasing
choices.
F. Students will understand that the goods we buy at the store are the result of a global economic system,
with far-reaching impacts. Further, they will understand that our purchases connect us to people all
along those lines of production.
G. Students will understand that technological developments change us, and that the pace of technological
change today makes it crucial that we anticipate the direction we are headed.
H. Students will understand that a certain disjunction exists because the human body and mind evolved
over long periods of time to cope with the specific demands and opportunities of natural environments,
but we most often today live in man-made environments rather than natural ones.
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Collegial Agreements
The Core One faculty agree
 to hold students accountable for reading, hearing, and viewing all course material by means of
regular assessment, including tests with short answer or essay components.
 to create assignments that will allow us to determine how well students have met the course’s
key understandings and content understandings.
 to encourage student participation and initiative in discussion sections and to note what
students can do in discussion to help the class move toward a better understanding of course
material.
 to require each student to deliver an oral presentation.
 to administer, during final exam week, a written exam with a comprehensive component.
 to assign and assess a minimum of 15-20 pages of formal writing, some of these pages requiring
research.
 to offer students multiple opportunities to practice writing reflective and argumentative essays.
 to use a common rubric for the evaluation of these reflective and argumentative essays.
 to guide students in the use of Newsbank in writing assignments.
 to help students distinguish what Internet material is acceptable for use in writing assignments.
 to give students both formative (in-process) and summative (a final evaluation) feedback on
their written work.
 to collect, for the purposes of formal assessment, final paper scores (out of 100 total points) for
every student and for every paper given and graded with the common rubric (these will be
reported without student names attached).
Faculty
Professor Sally Berger, WPUM radio station, 866-6211, sallyn@saintjoe.edu
Professor Ashley Federer, office and phone TBA, afederer@saintjoe.edu
Professor Tony Franco, Core 205, 866-6302, tfranco@saintjoe.edu
Professor Elizabeth Gray, Computer Center, 866-6371, egray@saintjoe.edu
Dr. Maia Hawthorne, Core 204, 866-6418, maia@saintjoe.edu
Professor Kendra Illingworth, Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, McHale Hall, 866-6428, kendra@saintjoe.edu
Professor Joe Koczan, Raleigh Hall 110, 866-6480, jkoczan@saintjoe.edu
Professor Chris LaCross, Core 211, 866-6395, clacross@saintjoe.edu
Dr. Jerry McKim, Core 251, 866-6438, jmckim@saintjoe.edu
Professor James Nichols, Core 211, 866-6395, jnichols@saintjoe.edu
Professor Heidi Rahe, Halleck Center 201, 866-6394, heidir@saintjoe.edu
Dr. Rochelle Robertson, Core 233, 866-6376, rroberts@saintjoe.edu
Dr. Tom Ryan, Core 249, 866-6232, tryan@saintjoe.edu
Professor Courtney Stewart, Core 239, 866-6174, cstewart@saintjoe.edu
Dr. Bill White, Core 202, 866-6236, billw@saintjoe.edu
Professor Bonnie Zimmer, Core 260, 866-6379, bonniez@saintjoe.edu
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Required texts
The following books are required for the course.
Anderson, M. T. Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2002. Print. ISBN: 978-0763622596.
Core One Coursepack. Saint Joseph’s College. 2014. Print. (Available at the SJC College Store.)
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. New York: Vintage, 2009. Print. ISBN: 978-0307387943.
Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York:
Norton, 2006. Print. ISBN: 978-0393933611.
Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2011. Print. ISBN: 9780385528207.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print.
ISBN: 978-0547750330.
Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle: A Memoir. New York: Scribner, 2005. Print. ISBN: 978-0743247542.
Guest lecturers
Dr. Bob Brodman, Biology
Professor Susan Chattin, History
Dr. Michael Nichols, Philosophy and World Religions
Dr. Chad Pulver, Psychology
Dr. Mark Seely, Psychology
Dr. Michael Steinhour, Sociology
Dr. Lana Zimmer, Education
Dr. Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer, Mathematics
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The Reflective Essay
In Core One you’ll be writing two kinds of essays: the argument and the reflective essay. It is likely that you
already have a sense of what an “argument” is. But what is a reflective essay?
Our idea of the reflective essay is inspired by Michel de Montaigne, the sixteenth-century French writer who
invented the essay form by writing short, subjective pieces on various topics of importance in his day, such
as religious controversy, the colonization of the New World, and the institution of marriage. This semester,
we will ask you to write short, subjective pieces that consider questions relevant to our Core One subject
matter.
The following are the criteria we have in mind for reflective essays.
1. Reflective essays are driven by questions. These essays should develop out of questions that
you have, questions that are open-ended, rather than questions that have definite answers. In your
Core One essays, the questions you consider should be ones that arise out of the subject matter of
the course. Here are some examples of questions that arise out of the reading and lecture material:
“What does The Glass Castle tell us about parenting?”
“How was I parented and was it beneficial?”
“Has the place that I’m from marked me in some way?”
“What makes some people successful and others not?”
“Are cities preferable to small towns?”
“Are we too reliant on the Internet?”
“How does marketing shape my behavior?”
“What’s the proper relationship between man and nature?”
“Are local economies preferable to global ones?”
You’ll note that these questions fall into several different categories:
(1) questions specifically about the books or characters
(2) questions about your life that are inspired by the books/lectures
(3) questions about our world that are inspired by the books/lectures
Each kind of question is acceptable. And depending upon which kind of question you are answering,
you might recognize that your essay begins to share characteristics in common with other genres:
literary analysis, memoir, report. What sets them apart from these other genres is what follows on
this list of characteristics.
About the above list of questions: as you read, listen, and discuss this semester, you’ll be able to add
your own questions to the list. Be alert for open-ended questions that arise for you as you read.
These could become springboards for some great reflective essays.
2. Reflective essays are unified. Each essay should consider one primary question rather than a
string of questions. It is a cohesive piece of writing that has a clear focus.
3. Reflective essays are subjective. They represent your thinking about the subject matter, rather
than a report on someone else’s thinking. They open your mind up to readers.
4. Reflective essays are speculative in tone. In writing, “tone” refers to one’s attitude toward the
subject matter. In a comic essay, for example, you might adopt a sarcastic tone. In an argument,
your tone might be firm, insistent. Given that your task in the reflective essay is to consider a
question, you should adopt a thoughtful, reflective, speculative tone.
5. The body of reflective essays simply consider the question at hand. This criteria is one way that
these essays differ from arguments. In a written argument, you’ve already come to a conclusion and
you’re trying to persuade others that your conclusion is the right one. A reflective essay allows room
for thought on a question about which you don’t necessarily have a solid answer. So the point of
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reflective essay is to try to work through the question, acknowledging its challenges. Difficult
questions require time and space to organize and make sense of your thoughts. That’s what this
genre allows for.
6. Reflective essays are thoughtful. That means they aren’t superficial--they really think something
through. If you find yourself stuck as you generate material for your essay, see whether the following
questions help prompt more ideas.
● Consider your connection. What’s been your experience with this issue? How might
that experience compare with others’?
● Consider its various parts. Take apart the issue at hand. Is one part of it clear, but
another one murky?
● Consider it from various points of view. Who are all the parties affected by this issue?
How might the issue look to them?
● Consider its context. How do the circumstances in which this issue arises come to
bear upon it?
● Consider relevance. Why is this issue important?
7. Reflective essays are written with an external audience in mind. Given what we have said
above, you might be tempted to think of the reflective essay as “private writing,” writing intended only
for you. Not so! The kinds of questions you’ll be considering in these essays are the kinds of
questions that are interesting to a wide audience. Print and online magazines are filled with essays
on Core One-type questions, because these questions are pertinent to human lives today. The Core
One faculty expect that all the essays you write for Core One be written for an audience broader than
just yourself. That means these essays are formal writing, just as the arguments are. For more
specific information about whom you should have in mind as you write, see your instructor.
8. Reflective essays include relevant supporting details. As with any essay, you need to paint a
vivid picture for your audience. Dramatize what you’re talking about! Make your points clear with
anecdotes, examples, hypothetical situations, narratives, descriptions. Use all the tricks that good
writers use to show your readers what you’re talking about.
9. The organization of reflective essays grows out of their content. You might find yourself
needing to be more attentive to organization in reflective essays than in arguments because you’re
spinning out trains of thought rather than supporting a thesis. As you decide how to organize the
material you’ve generated in early drafting, consider the following to help you organize your ideas.
● Be thorough. Work through one idea completely before moving on to the next one.
You know what you’re talking about, but your audience might not! Keep that
audience in mind as you explain yourself.
● Be methodical. Move logically from one idea to the next. Again, keep the audience in
mind. What would make the most sense for your reader?
● Provide transitions. Help baby-step your reader from one idea to the next by
explaining explicitly the connections between ideas.
10. The conclusions of reflective essays are honest assessments of where your thinking stands.
If you work through the question at hand and feel you feel that you have come to some sort of
resolution, great. But if you feel only tentative about the conclusions you’ve reached, explain that.
What do you know for certain and what is there left to discover? If there are aspects of the question
that still elude you, for instance, acknowledge them. If your thinking has led you to another question
that needs further research before you can move ahead, explain that. Honestly assess what you can
feel confident about concluding and what you cannot.
Your instructor will provide you examples of reflective essays. Look for the above criteria in those essays.
Ask your instructor any questions you might have about what qualifies as a reflective essay.
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Reflective Essay Rubric
| Core One | Fall 2014
Category Excellent
Content
50%
Organization
20%
Writing Style
and
Conventions
30%
Acceptable
Unacceptable
45-50 points
 Expertly responds to the assignment
 Expertly explores an open-ended courserelated question
 Focuses on one particular subject
 Develops subject thoroughly, thoughtfully
 Includes relevant supporting evidence or
details
 Employs adept logical thinking
 Arrives at a highly satisfactory conclusion
 Sources (if any) are appropriate
 Sources (if any) are mined for useful
information and incorporated skillfully in
the content
 Successfully addresses the appropriate
audience
35-44 points
 Generally responds to the assignment
 Explores an open-ended, course-related
question
 Tends to focus on one particular subject
 Tends to develop subject
 Tends to include relevant supporting
details
 Tends to employ sound logical thinking
 Arrives at a satisfactory conclusion
 Sources (if any) tend to be appropriate
 Sources (if any) mostly mined for useful
information and competently incorporated
in the paper
 Tends to address appropriate audience
<35 points
 Does not respond to the assignment
 Does not explore an open-ended, courserelated question
 Does not focus on one particular subject
 Undeveloped
 Tends not to include relevant supporting
details
 Logic tends to be faulty
 Does not arrive at a satisfactory conclusion
 Sources (if any) tend not to be appropriate
 Sources (if any) not mined for useful
information, awkwardly incorporated in the
paper
 Tends not to address appropriate audience
18-20 points
 Employs an appropriate organizational
strategy
 Presents material in a logical order
 Includes a variety of appropriate
paragraph to paragraph and sentence to
sentence transitions which help the
reader move from one idea to the next
14-17 points
 Has an organizational strategy, but it may
not be the one best suited to the material
or it may be employed somewhat
inconsistently
 Seemingly presents some material out of
logical order, but not enough to distract
the reader from the essay’s overall
message
 Includes paragraph to paragraph and
sentence to sentence transitions that are
mostly successful
<14 points
 Does not seem to employ an organizational
strategy
 Seemingly presents some material well
enough out of logical order that it distracts
the reader from the essay’s overall
message
 Does not offer transitions that assist reader
paragraph to paragraph and sentence to
sentence
27-30 points
 Tone of the piece is questioning,
speculative, curious
 Strong sense of the author’s voice
 Precise, vivid, and striking vocabulary
and phrases
 Variety of grammatical structures that
seem carefully chosen for their rhetorical
effect
 Sentences are clear and graceful
 Sources (if any) correctly documented in
the citation style required by the
instructor
 Very few, minor deviations from Standard
Written English (SWE)
 Page formatting matches assignment
21-26 points
 Tone mostly questioning, speculative,
curious
 Author’s voice beginning to emerge
 Precise vocabulary and phrases
 Some variety of grammatical structure
 Sentences are clear
 Sources (if any) documented properly for
the most part
 Some deviations from Standard Written
English (SWE), but deviations that tend
not to distract readers from content
 Page formatting matches assignment for
the most part
<21 points
 Tone not questioning, speculative, curious
 Little sense of the author’s voice
 Somewhat limited or otherwise problematic
vocabulary and phrases
 Repetitive or non-grammatical structures
 Problems with clarity
 Sources (if any) not properly documented
 Deviations from Standard Written English
(SWE) distract readers from content
 Page formatting deviates from assignment a
great deal, distracts reader from content
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Comments
The Argument
One genre of writing you’ll be working on this semester is the argument. By “argument” we don’t mean a
fight. We don’t have in mind an essay that is hostile or combative. What we do have in mind is the most
common kind of academic writing you’ll find that you’ll do while in college and beyond: writing in which
you take a reasoned position on a debatable issue and attempt to persuade your readers that your
position is the best one.
The following are the criteria we have in mind for arguments.
1. An argument is driven by a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a simple, clear statement
of your position. It is often just one sentence. Though there is such a thing as in inductive
argument essay, in which the thesis statement comes at the end, you’ll likely be asked more often
to write with a deductive format, in which the thesis is presented at the outset of the essay. The
deductive format, with the thesis statement located at the beginning of the essay, is the kind of
argument we’ll ask you to concentrate on this semester. The following are examples of thesis
statements that might arise out of the content in the first unit of the course:
Rex Walls is an irresponsible parent.
The Walls family’s problems might, on the surface, seem problems of poverty, but they
are really problems of alcoholism.
The members of the Walls family are, to some degree, products of the places they’ve
lived.
While parenting styles are shaped by culture, and therefore relative, parenting styles are
simply not equal. Some cultures encourage parenting styles that are more
humane than others.
Americans hold on to outdated notions of family because cultural attitudes take longer to
change than do the material conditions of our lives.
Media presents a distorted view of the American family.
You’ll note that these thesis statements fall into a couple of different categories:
(1) positions taken about the content or characters of one of our readings
(2) positions taken about the world we live in
In an essay with the first kind of thesis statement, you’d be drawing upon evidence from the book
to support your position. In an essay with the second kind of thesis statement, you’d be drawing
upon evidence of other kinds: your own observation, lecture content, news accounts, studies,
published academic arguments. Your instructor’s assignment prompt will guide you in terms of
what kind of thesis statements you’ll be writing this semester.
2. An argument is unified. Each argument you write this semester will argue one position. The
whole essay should stay focused on supporting that one position.
3. An argument is about a debatable subject. If the issue at hand is not debatable, why bother?
You can’t make an argument out of an opinion, for instance. “I love Jeannette Walls’s depiction of
her siblings” is not a good thesis statement because no one can really argue with you about it!
You also can’t make an argument out of a fact. “Jeannette Walls wrote The Glass Castle to come
to terms with her origins, which she was having a hard time reconciling with her adult life.” Walls
tells us as much in interviews, so a paper that explores this is more a report than an argument. As
you try to arrive at a thesis statement that will result in a strong, exciting paper, consider whether
your thesis statements could be stronger by moving away from “less debatable” positions toward
“more debatable” positions. “Rose Mary Walls often makes choices that are difficult to
understand” is an okay place to start, but is perhaps closer to a statement of fact than a true,
arguable thesis. Consider how much stronger a paper would be with this thesis statement: “While
Rose Mary Walls’s actions can confuse and frustrate readers, a close reading of the book
suggests that her parenting behaviors are a response to her husband’s alcoholism.” That’s
mapping out a position!
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4. An argument explains the context. Arguments don’t happen in a vacuum; they are part of a
larger conversation. They respond to things that other people have said, or might say, about your
topic. The book we’re using as an aid in our writing class, They Say / I Say, will put it like this: “[I]n
the real world, we don’t make arguments without being provoked. Instead , we make arguments
because someone has said or done something (or perhaps not said or done something) and we
need to respond.” (3) Your arguments should include that context! What are others saying, not
saying, or likely to say about your topic? Include that in your essay!
Arguments also often require some background information to make sense. If you’re arguing that
Americans hold onto outdated notions of family, you need to explain a bit about the history of the
American family for that to make sense. What did those families once look like? What do they
look like now? What attitudes about family do American express when they are asked? Only once
readers have that context will your argument make sense.
5. An argument is based on good reasons. A position alone is not enough in a written argument:
you need also to show the reader you have sound reasons for holding your position. What has
brought to your position? Spell those reasons out methodically for the reader.
6. An argument uses evidence to support those reasons. As noted above, the kinds of evidence
you use will be different depending upon the kind of argument you’re writing. These could include
examples from a text, your own observation, lecture content, news accounts, statistics, studies, or
published academic arguments. Discuss with your instructor what kinds of evidence might make
the most sense given your thesis.
7. An argument is persuasive. To be persuasive, you have to consider your audience. Who are
they? What would they find persuasive? Appeal to their knowledge base and their values. If
you’re not clear about who the audience is for your paper, ask your instructor.
8. An argument employs an appropriate tone and voice. Readers need to trust and respect a
writer to accept her argument. Something to consider as you write, then, is how to create a
honest, trustworthy voice. “Voice” refers to the persona the reader “hears” as he reads. Voice
comes from a number of elements of the writing, like how the sentences are put together, word
choice, and tone. “Tone” refers to the writer’s attitude about the content of a written piece. The
writer of a comic essay, for instance, might adopt a sarcastic tone. The tone of an argument could
be firm, insistent, even urgent, or it could be cool, reflective, thoughtful. As you write, think about
what kind of voice and tone to which your audience would be most receptive and how you might
convey that voice and tone in the written word. Look at model arguments to help you think about
how voice and tone are created by words.
9. An argument considers the opposition. They Say / I Say calls this “Planting a Naysayer in
Your Text.” If your position is truly debatable, that means that others hold other points of view.
What are those positions those folks hold? Where do their arguments have merit? Why do you
disagree? Your own argument will become much clearer and stronger if you work through where
and why your position meets and diverges from others’. They Say / I Say has much to offer on
this subject, and we’ll be using it this semester to figure out how to enhance your own argument
by drawing in the opposition.
Your instructor will provide you examples of arguments. Look for the above criteria in those essays. Ask
your instructor any questions you might have about what qualifies as an argument.
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Argument Rubric
| Core One | Fall 2014
Category Excellent
Content
50%
Organization
20%
Writing Style
and
Conventions
30%
Acceptable
Unacceptable
45-50 points
 Expertly responds to the assignment
 Purpose is clear
 Takes a clear and debatable position
 Offers appropriate background
information
 Offers sound reasons
 Uses well-researched, appropriate,
convincing evidence
 Carefully considers alternate positions
 Employs adept logical thinking
 Includes only relevant information
 Sources (if any) are appropriate
 Sources (if any) are mined for useful
information and incorporated skillfully
in the content
 Successfully addresses the
appropriate audience
35-44 points
 Generally responds to the assignment
 Purpose tends to be clear
 Takes a debatable position that is clear
for the most part
 Tends to offer appropriate background
information
 Tends to offer sound reasons
 Tends to use well-researched,
appropriate, convincing evidence
 Tends to consider alternate positions
 Employs sound logical thinking
 Tends to includes only relevant
information.
 Sources (if any) tend to be appropriate
 Sources (if any) mostly mined for useful
information and competently incorporated
in the paper
 Tends to successfully address
appropriate audience
<35 points
 Does not respond to the assignment
 Purpose tends not to be clear
 Position unclear
 Tends to neglect necessary background
information
 Reasons weak or unclear
 Weak or scanty evidence
 Does not consider alternate positions
 Logic faulty
 Tends to include irrelevant information
 Sources (if any) tend not to be
appropriate
 Sources (if any) not mined for useful
information, awkwardly incorporated in
the paper
 Unsuccessful in its attempts to speak to
its audience or appeals to the wrong
audience
18-20 points
 Employs an appropriate organizational
strategy
 Thesis presented at the outset
 Presents material in a logical order
 Includes a variety of appropriate
paragraph to paragraph and sentence
to sentence transitions which help the
reader move from one idea to the next
14-17 points
 Organizational strategy may not be the
one best suited to the material or it may
be employed somewhat inconsistently
 Thesis presented at the outset
 Some material out of logical order, but
not enough to distract the reader from
overall message
 Mostly successful transitions between
paragraphs, sentences
<14 points
 Does not seem to employ an
organizational strategy
 Thesis not presented at the outset
 Some material well enough out of logical
order that it distracts the reader from the
essay’s overall message
 Lacks transitions between paragraphs,
sentences
27-30 points
 Voice and tone of the piece are
appropriate for the subject matter
 Precise, vivid, and striking vocabulary
and phrases
 Variety of grammatical structures that
seem carefully chosen for their
rhetorical effect
 Sentences are clear and graceful.
 Sources (if any) correctly documented
in the citation style required by the
instructor
 Very few minor deviations from
Standard Written English (SWE)
 Page formatting matches assignment
21-26 points
 Voice and tone of the piece tend to be
appropriate for the subject matter
 Precise vocabulary and phrases
 Some variety of grammatical structure
 Sentences are clear
 Sources (if any) documented properly for
the most part
 Some deviations from Standard Written
English (SWE); tend not to distract
readers from content
 Page formatting matches assignment for
the most part
<21 points
 Voice and tone tend not to be appropriate
 Somewhat limited or otherwise
problematic vocabulary and phrases
 Repetitive or non-grammatical structures
 Problems with clarity
 Sources (if any) not properly documented
 Deviations from Standard Written English
(SWE) distract readers from content
 Page formatting deviates from
assignment a great deal, distracts reader
13
Comments
Core One: The Contemporary Situation
Reading and Lecture Schedule 2014
Core One asks students to think critically about our contemporary world and culture. It also begins the Core journey of selfdiscovery. The course is organized around a number of topics and essential questions related to those topics:
FAMILY VALUES, CULTURAL VALUES: How do family and culture play a role in making us who we are? What kinds of
family values and cultural values are we seeing in our country today?
AMERICA UNDER PRESSURE: From industrialization and globalization to threats to national security,
how have these challenges impacted us? How well are we holding up under the pressure?
A LOOK AHEAD: What does the future hold for us? What do we want our future to look like?
As students and faculty read books that ask these questions, they will also hear from experts across academic disciplines and
professions about what their discipline or profession brings to the question at hand. Students should leave this course with an
appreciation of the complexities of these issues and with experience charting the intersection of these issues with their own lives.
Week
Day
Reading
Lecture
Tuesday 8/19
One
Introduction
No reading
Dr. Maia Hawthorne, English, “Welcome to Core”
In this lecture Dr. Hawthorne, Director of Core One, will welcome students to liberal arts
education at Saint Joseph’s College—the Core program—and to Core One in particular,
outlining expectations for the course. Dr. Hawthorne will also ask students to begin
considering the question of what’s “contemporary” about the contemporary situation and
what that might mean in our lives.
Writing
No reading
--
Thursday 8/21
The Glass Castle, pages 1-57
(57 pages)
Dr. Maia Hawthorne, English, “Memory and Meaning-Making: The Memoir”
The Glass Castle is a memoir. What does that mean? Who reads memoirs and why? Why are
we reading memoir in Core One? Why do people write memoirs? What’s the relationship
between memoir and the “reflective essay” that’s a required part of the writing program in
Core?
The Glass Castle, pages 58-115
(57 pages)
Dr. Tom Ryan, Education, “The Glass Castle and The Reflective Essay: Using the
Readings To Explore the Meanings inside One's Experiences”
Dr. Ryan will build on Thursday’s lecture to demonstrate how The Glass Castle might be used
as a springboard for your own work.
“The Reflective Essay.” This handout
is included in the coursepack. Model
reflective essays will be provided by
your instructor.
(2 pages)
--
Writing
Two
Tuesday 8/26
One
FAMILY VALUES, CULTURAL VALUES: How do family and culture play a role in making us who we are?
What kinds of family values and cultural values are we seeing in our country today?
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Thursday 8/28
Tuesday 9/2
The Glass Castle, pages 175-234
(59 pages)
Professor Susan Chattin, History, “The American Family: A Historical Perspective”
The Glass Castle helps us think about the relationships between individuals and their
families, but how typical is the family in this memoir? What have American families looked
like historically? What do they look like today? What can that tell us about who we are?
Writing
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
Thursday 9/4
The Glass Castle, pages 235-288
(53 pages)
Dr. Chad Pulver, Psychology, “You’re Just Wired That Way”
As a counter to the idea that “who we are” comes from how we were parented and where
we grew up, this lecture will look at the biological, genetic impact on behavior, decision
making, and personality.
Tuesday 9/9
“Monster Masculinity: Honey I’ll Be
in the Garage Reasserting My
Manhood” by Peter Tragos. This
article can be found in the
coursepack.
(14 pages)
Missrepresentation, 45 minutes of a 90 minute film
To what extent do the values of corporate America impact us beyond our purchasing
choices? This documentary considers that question, focusing specifically on images of
women in advertising.
--
Writing
“The Argument.” This handout is
included in the coursepack. Also,
“Sports: It’s Just a Name,” model
argument found in the coursepack.
(8 pages)
The Other Wes Moore, Part One
(62 pages)
Michael Steinhour, Sociology, “Black American Families”
What light can recent sociological studies of black American families shed on the families of
The Other Wes Moore?
The Other Wes Moore, Part Two
(66 pages)
Video lecture by Michelle Alexander on her book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age
of Colorblindness, introduced by Dr. Rochelle Robertson, Communication.
The New Jim Crow argues that we have not ended a racial caste system in this country.
Alexander suggests that by targeting black men through the War on Drugs and labeling
them felons, it is possible to discriminate in many of the same ways our country did
historically—through housing, employment, education, and public benefits. It could be
argued that this is the system that shapes the lives of the two Weses.
Writing
They Say, I Say, preface and
introduction
(26 pages)
--
The Other Wes Moore, Part Three,
Epilogue, Afterword, and A Call to
Action
(66 pages)
Dr. Jerry McKim, Education, “The Opportunities Afforded by Our Nation’s Schools”
The Other Wes Moore ends by asking us to seriously consider the options we, as a nation,
present to or withhold from our children. This lecture will consider education as a part of
that equation.
Five
Tuesday 9/16
Thursday
9/11
Dr. Michael Nichols, Philosophy and Religion, “Cultural Perspectives on Parenting”
This lecture asks questions about how parenting influences children and how culture
influences parenting. What assumptions are made in different cultures about parenting and
the role of parents in helping children develop? Is there such a thing as a "right way" to raise
children?
Thursday 9/18
Three
Four
The Glass Castle, pages 116-174
(58 pages)
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Tuesday 9/23
Six
Test day, no reading
Test day, no lecture
Thursday 9/25
--
Fast Food Nation:
Introduction
Chapter 2: Your Trusted
Friends
(38 pages)
Guest lecturer, Dr. Lana Zimmer, Education, “The Industrial Food Complex”
Fast Food Nation is an example of investigative journalism, a journalist’s deep investigation
into a particular topic, in this case, fast food. Food author Michael Pollan has said that we
live in an age in which we need investigative journalism to unveil the origin of the food we
buy, not just in fast food establishments, but in supermarkets as well. How can that be true,
and what does it mean for us? What are some of the ways that communities across the
nation have responded to this state of affairs and what’s being done locally to that end?
Fast Food Nation:
Chapter 3: Behind the Counter
Tony Franco, Business Administration, “The Battle Over Minimum Wage”
Fast Food Nation gives us a glimpse of the working lives of those people who work behind
the fast food counter, the very population who have been in the news a great deal over the
last couple of years as they have fought for higher wages. Who tends to work behind fast
food counters today? What is their argument for higher wages, and the broader argument
to raise minimum wage, about?
Writing
--
Fast Food Nation:
Chapter 7: Cogs in the Great
Machine
Chapter 8: The Most
Dangerous Job
(37 pages)
Dr. Bill White, History, “Is America a Great Place to Work?”
We will begin by reviewing the various pressures on meat packing executives and the people
who work in their factories as described in Fast Food Nation. Then we'll examine how work
has been organized in America from 19th stores to a 2014 McDonald's. Students will better
understand fights over who controls the workplace.
Fast Food Nation:
Chapter 9: What’s in the Meat
(29 pages)
Dr. Bob Brodman, Biology, “How Can We Make Sure Our Food Is Safe to Eat?”
To best serve their economic interests the fast food industry has devised food processing
methods to increase the uniformity of their products and has lobbied to reduce expensive
government regulations. Consumers like that because it keep prices low and quality
consistent. But how safe is food processed this way? How does it affect nutrition and put us
at risk of food poisoning? Has this process affected worker safety? Have things gotten
better in the 10 years since Fast Food Nation was written? What can you do to ensure that
your food is safe to eat?
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
Fast Food Nation:
Chapter 10: Global Realization
(27 pages)
Dr. Bill White, History, “A Post-American World”
A quick synopsis of the debate over globalization will introduce a film that examines WalMart’s pricing and purchasing practices. Students should understand that the goods we buy
are often the result of global decisions that have effects upon workers in the United States
and abroad.
Tuesday 10/7
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
Thursday 10/2
(30 pages)
Writing
Eight
They Say, I Say, part one
(33 pages)
Thursday 10/9
Seven
Tuesday 9/30
Six
Writing
AMERICA UNDER PRESSURE: From industrialization and globalization to threats to national security,
how have these challenges impacted us? How well are we holding up under the pressure?
16
Tuesday
10/14
Writing
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
Thursday 10/16
Zeitoun, pages 1-68 (Friday, August
26 through Saturday, August 27)
(68 pages)
Guest lecturer, Dr. Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer, Mathematics, “Living in the Age of Extreme Weather”
Zeitoun takes place during Hurricane Katrina, the devastating storm that ravaged New
Orleans in September 2005. Katrina is one example of the increased severity of storms
around our planet today. Why is this extreme weather happening? Is extreme weather the
new normal? How should we respond?
Tuesday 10/21
Zeitoun, pages 68-127 (Sunday,
August 28 through Thursday,
September 1)
(59 pages)
“Act I” of When the Levees Broke, a documentary film by Spike Lee
What did New Orleans look like and feel like as the storm approached and hit? Through a
mix of footage of New Orleans, media clips, and interviews, this documentary helps us see
and feel what the residents of New Orleans were experiencing in the days leading up to and
after the storm.
Writing
They Say, I Say, part two
(50 pages)
--
Zeitoun, pages 127-191 (Friday,
September 2 through Tuesday,
September 13)
(64 pages)
Joseph Koczan, Core, “The Breaching of the Levee and the Fault Lines of Race and Class in New
Orleans”
During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, some Americans suggested that the inadequate
government response was due in part a manifestation of its racism and classism, given that
many of the storm’s victims were black and poor. This story about race and class in the
aftermath of Katrina speaks in interesting ways to Zeitoun’s own experience of being a
Syrian-American in a post-9/11 America under pressure. How did Katrina expose our
nation’s race anxiety?
Tuesday 10/28
Zeitoun, pages 191-256
(Wednesday, September 14, Kathy’s
perspective, through Wednesday,
September 14, Abdulrahman’s
perspective)
(65 pages)
PBS Frontline special “The Storm”
What do we expect of our government during threats to our security? How well did the
government respond during Katrina? This 60 minute program was broadcast six months
after Hurricane Katrina and analyzes the government response to the event.
They Say, I Say, part three
(56 pages; a lot of reading, but note
that the last 15 of these pages are a
sample student essay)
--
Zeitoun, pages 256-325 (Thursday,
September 15-end)
(69 pages)
The Core One Colloquium, featuring the work of current Core One students
The Core One colloquium gives you, the students, an opportunity to have your voices join
those of our Core One lecturers and authors and to share your perspectives with an audience
wider than your own professor or discussion section. It gives those of us in attendance an
opportunity to see what others have been thinking about Core One subject matter or the
ways in which the course’s subject matter has served as a springboard into personal
reflection. Details about how the colloquium works are forthcoming.
Thursday 10/30
Eleven
Thursday 10/23
Inequality for All, 45 minutes of a 90 minute film
In 2013, President Obama called economic inequality “the defining issue of our time.” This
documentary by political economist and commentator Robert Reich explores the history of
economic inequality and the reasons for it.
Writing
Nine
Ten
Online reading from: The full
transcript of President Obama’s
December 4, 2013, remarks on the
economy, available at
www.washingtonpost.com.
17
Tuesday 11/4
Twelve
Test day, no reading
Test day, no lecture
Writing
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
Thursday 11/6
Growing up Online, PBS Frontline
video watched outside of class,
available online at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/fr
ontline/kidsonline/
Sally Berger, Digital Media and Journalism, “Our Relationship with Social Media”
This lecture will explore the ways that social media changes the way we live and think.
Tuesday 11/11
Feed, pages 1-72
(72 pages)
Dr. Maia Hawthorne, English, “Science Fiction”
This lecture will introduce the book Feed by considering the following questions: how is
science fiction used to explore what it means to be human? How is Feed an example? What
are the questions recent science fiction has considered? What are the questions Feed is
considering?
Writing
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
--
Tuesday 11/18
Professor Bonnie Zimmer, Art, “21st Century Artists Respond to Their World: Exploring Our
Relationship with Nature”
Alexis Rockman and Chris Jordan are two artists whose work meditates on the relationship
between man and nature. Professor Zimmer will introduce us to the work of these artists,
suggesting ways that it comments on our recent discussions about man and our planet.
Feed, pages 151-226
(75 pages)
Writing
Courtney Stewart, Philosophy, “Digital Reading, Digital Thinking, and Ethics”
This lecture will investigate how the brain works at a biological and neurological level,
contending that our online lives have fundamentally changed the organization of our brains.
It will consider the differences between the “old,” linearly-organized brain, and the “new,”
non-linearly organized brain. In addition, this lecture will consider what biological, personal,
and social outcomes may result from continuous interaction with and increased dependence
upon technology and explore the ethical implications of this trend.
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
Thursday 11/20
Feed, pages 73-150
(77 pages)
Feed, pages 227-300
(73 pages)
Professor Jon Nichols, Composition and Rhetoric, “Transhumanism as Science Fact “
Transhumanism is the idea of using technology to enhance a person's body and mind. We
see numerous examples of this in Feed. Prof. Nichols will take a look at these aspects of the
book as well as other examples from science fiction and connect them to real world,
cutting-edge technology. Feed may not be so fictional after all.
11/25 &
11/27
Break
Fourteen
Thursday 11/13
Thirteen
Twelve
A LOOK AHEAD: What does the future hold for us? What do we want our future to look like?
Thanksgiving Break
Enjoy your holiday!
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Tuesday 12/2
Dr. Mark Seely, Psychology, “A Touch of Nature”
Human bodies and minds are designed by evolution to cope with the specific demands and
opportunities of natural environments. Despite this, most of us spend the greater portion of
our lives in human-constructed environments, largely isolated from the natural world. Wild
nature is typically treated either as an alien and inhospitable place or as a kind of “spice” to
be added here and there in tiny, controlled doses (pets, houseplants, weekend camping
trips). This lecture will use research findings from the field of evolutionary psychology to
explore some of the ways that our physical and psychological wellbeing are affected by
exposure—and lack of exposure—to the natural world.
No reading (or reading assigned by
your instructor)
--
No reading
Dr. Maia Hawthorne, English, “What Does the Future Hold for You?”
This lecture will use the essential questions of the final unit to ask us to think about the
meaning of the overall project of Core One and what it has helped us accomplish. It will
address the question “Tell me again--why are we doing this ‘Core’ thing?”
Consult the exam schedule and your
professor for the time of your
section’s exam.
Hope you enjoyed Core One.
Good luck to you on your exams!
12/8-11
Exam
week
Thursday 12/4
Writing
Fifteen
Online reading: “A Walk in the
Woods: Right or Privilege?” by
Richard Louv (March/April 2009).
Available at
www.orionmagazine.org.
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