DISCOURSE, CULTURE, AND IDENTITIES
COMM 2400-720
FALL 2011
Class location: BUCK S106; Class time: 9.30-10.45
Instructor: David Boromisza-Habashi
Contact: BUCK S121 (office); 303-735-7113 (wk phone); dbh@colorado.edu
Office hours: TH 11.00-12.00 in BUCK S121
M 10.00-11.00 in HLMS 78
1. Course Purpose
Through our communication, sometimes consciously, often unconsciously, we display who we
are (male or female, old or young, American or Japanese, African-, Anglo-, Hispanic-, or NativeAmerican, a student, a teacher, an attorney, a friend, an acquaintance, “skeptical,” “rude,”
“sleazy,” “caring, “funny,” and so on). It is also the case that we talk to people (and people talk
to us) on the basis of what is believed to be true for a person of a particular category. This class
has three purposes. A first purpose is to develop your skills in analyzing communication – to
increase your ability to notice, name, and explain what goes on as people talk to and about
each other. A second purpose is to foster a deeper understanding of how communication can
go awry and why, more often than we would like, communicative exchanges can involve
tension or conflict. The final purpose is to encourage you to develop informed and thoughtful
positions about a set of controversial issues that involve how language, talk, or interactive
practices do or should link to different categories of people.
The course fulfills the College of Arts & Sciences’ Human Diversity requirement.
2. CULearn
To access the course website, go to http//culearn.colorado.edu. Your CULearn login is your CU
login name (the same one you use for your email account). Your password is your Identikey. If
you don’t know your CU login name, then you should contact (303) 735-HELP (or 5-4357) from
a campus phone) or you can email help@colorado.edu. We will be using CULearn for a variety
of purposes. Study questions, required readings, an extra credit option, and assignments will
also be available there, as will your grades (accessible only to you). I will also ask you to submit
an electronic copy of all of your assignments via CULearn.
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3. Course Materials
Required Reading:
Everyday talk: Building and reflecting identities (Author: Karen Tracy, 2002, Guilford Press).
A set of readings, available on CULearn in the “Required Readings” folder. Readings include:
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Bailey, B. (2000). Communicative behavior and conflict between African-American
customers and Korean immigrant retailers in Los Angeles. Discourse & Society, 11, 86108.
Boromisza-Habashi, D. (2010). How are political concepts ‘essentially’ contested?
Language & Communication, 30, 276-284.
Cameron, D. (1998). ‘Is there any ketchup, Vera?’ Gender, power and pragmatics.
Discourse & Society, 9, 437-455.
Cameron, D. (2006). Performing gender identity: Young men’s talk and the construction
of heterosexual masculinity. In A. Jaworski & N. Coupland (Eds.), The discourse reader
(2nd ed., pp. 419-432). London: Routledge.
Philips, S. U. (1990). Some sources of cultural variability in the regulation of talk. In D.
Carbaugh (Ed.), Cultural communication and intercultural contact (pp. 329-344).
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Tannen, D. (1994). Gender and discourse. New York: Oxford University Press. [chapter 3,
Gender & discourse]
4. Course Assignments and Assessment
4.1. Exams (270 points)
There will be three exams, a quiz (30 points), a midterm (100 points) and a cumulative final
(140 points). The quiz and the midterm will include multiple choice questions and short essay
questions, the final will only include multiple choice questions. Test questions will involve
understanding of terms and issues, and will assess your ability to analyze transcribed talk in the
ways we will be practicing in class. Anyone who misses an exam without a legitimate reason
that has been approved in advance will have the exam grade lowered by 10 points.
4.2. Interaction Analysis Project (90 points)
A main goal of the course is to develop your ability to observe and analyze everyday
communication. For this interaction analysis paper, you will participate with a classmate in a
discussion that you audio record. This recorded conversation will become the object of
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transcription (20 pts) and analysis in a paper (70 pts). See CULearn for a full description. Please
turn in one hard copy and an electronic copy of ALL assignments. You should submit the
electronic copy of ALL assignments via CULearn (and NOT via e-mail!).
4.3. “Silent Afternoon” Essay (60 points)
I will ask you to spend one afternoon after class without speaking to anyone. You will write 2-4
pages about how lack of verbal interaction affected your identity presentation. Your account
will consist of two parts: (1) a detailed description of your afternoon, and (2) a reflection on
various aspects of your identity presentation.
4.4. “Dialogues on Immigrant Integration at CU” Essay (60 points)
Sometime in early October, immigrant workers at CU will visit our class. (Details TBA.) I will ask
you to write a 3-5-page essay about issues with identity presentation we will discuss with the
workers.
4.5. Article Review (60 points)
During the second half of the course, I will ask you to review two scholarly articles related to
gender or race/ethnicity. Your 3-5-page review will consist of three parts: (1) a summary of the
arguments made in the articles about gender and racial/ethnic identities, and (2) a reflection on
a personal experience using concepts and arguments from the article. Reading questions
designed to help you write this paper will be posted on CULearn.
4.6. Participation (20 points)
I will not be taking attendance in this class – therefore your attendance will not factor into your
participation score. I consider you an adult who makes their own choices about how best to
spend their time. The only days when I do require your attendance are those (1) when you are
scheduled to give a presentation, (2) when assignments are due, and (3) when there is an exam.
Having said that, I will point out that I work best in a class where people are consistently
present and involved with the course content. Being “involved” means being physically and
mentally present in class, having and using the text and other required materials, completing
assigned readings before they’re discussed, turning in assignments on time, and participating in
classroom discussions and activities. To put it bluntly, your involvement will ensure that I will
remember you and your contribution to the course at the end of the semester. I also want
you to talk with me about potential absences before they happen, to use discretion, sensitivity,
and respect in class discussions, and to do your own work. At the end of the course, I will
subjectively evaluate your participation based on the above criteria.
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You also have the right to have expectations of me, and I will do my best to honor them. I
assume that you expect me to show up on time for class, be prepared, respect you and your
efforts, communicate my grading standards clearly, return your work promptly, grade fairly,
and maintain scheduled office hours. If you have other expectations of me, please let me know.
4.5. Extra Credit (20 points)
You can write one extra credit paper (3-4 pages) for a maximum of 20 points during this course.
I will ask you to provide a detailed description of interaction during a class-related event or an
event organized by the RAP and a reflection on that experience using course concepts from
Everyday Talk and the scholarly papers you will read. Further details about this assignment will
be provided in class.
5. Late Assignments
Assignments are due by the end of a class period on the assignment due date. Although I will
accept late assignments I will automatically subtract 2 points for each class day that they are
late (i.e., 2, 4, 6, etc.).
6. Re-writes
If you are not happy with a score you received on a written assignment (not an exam!), let me
know. You can rewrite your essay. Rewritten essays are due one week from the day the score
assigned to the first version are posted.
6. Course Evaluation is based on the three exams (270 points), the interaction analysis project
(90 points), the three essay projects (180 points), and participation (20 points) for a total of 560
points. You are also able to earn a total of 10 points as extra credit. Grades will be assigned
using the following point schedule:
A
A- (90%)
521 and above
504-520
B+
B
B- (80%)
487-503
465-486
448-464
C+
C
C- (70%)
431-447
409-430
392-408
D+
375-391
D
353-374
D- (60%) 336-352
F = 335 and below
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7. Department and University Services and Policies
Technology Services
The Communication Department has equipment that is available for students to checkout.
Equipment includes laptops, digital VHS cameras, web cameras, wireless Internet cards,
transcribers, tape recorders, and more. Please see http://comm.colorado.edu/tac for more
information.
Academic Accommodation
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from
Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services
determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Center
for Community N200, and http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see guidelines at
http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/go.cgi?select=temporary.html
Disability Services’ letters for students with disabilities indicate legally mandated reasonable
accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be
found at www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal
reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with
scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, I ask you to inform me of
your religious observance needs during the first two days of class. See full details at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Classroom Conduct
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning
environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to
discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to
individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics,
veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age,
disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student’s legal
name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun.
Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate
changes to my records. See policies at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html
and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
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Discrimination and Harassment
The University of Colorado at Boulder Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures,
the University of Colorado Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures, and the University of
Colorado Conflict of Interest in Cases of Amorous Relationships policy apply to all students,
staff, and faculty. Any student, staff, or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject
of sexual harassment or discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin,
sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the
Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Student
Conduct (OSC) at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies,
and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment
can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh
Honor Code
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering
to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include:
cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening
behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council
(honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the
academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member
and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or
expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
8. Tentative Schedule
This schedule will be adapted to meet the needs of the class. You are responsible for date
changes announced in class. These will be posted on CULearn.
Week
Topic
August
22-26
Introduction to discourse, culture, and
identities
August 29 –
September 2
“Talk and identity”
Assignments
Read:
ET Chapter 1
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September
5-9
“Rhetorical vs. cultural perspectives”
Read:
ET Chapter 2
9/8: Quiz
September
12-16
“Person-referencing practices”
Read:
ET Chapter 3
9/13: Record conversation with a pair at the
end of class
September
19-23
“The sound of talk” –Transcription
Read:
ET Chapters 4
9/22: Transcript due
September
26-30
“Speech acts”
Read:
ET Chapter 5
9/29: “Silent Afternoon” essay due
October
3-7
“Language selection”
Read:
ET Chapter 6
Review for midterm
10/6: Transcript analysis due
October
10-14
Interaction structures
Read:
ET Chapter 7
MIDTERM EXAM
October
17-21
Direct/indirect styles
Read:
ET Chapter 8
October
24-28
Stance indicators
Read:
ET Chapter 10
10/27: “Dialogues” essay due
October 31 –
November 4
Narratives
Doing gender
Read:
ET Chapter 9
Tannen, “Gender and discourse”
November
7-11
Doing gender
Read:
Cameron, “‘Is there any ketchup, Vera?’”,
“Performing gender identity”
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11/10: Article review due
November
14-18
Doing race/ethnicity
11/18: NCA annual convention – no
class
November
21-25
FALL BREAK
November 28 –
December 2
Language controversies
December
5-9
Read:
Bailey, “Communicative behavior and conflict”
Philips, “Some sources of cultural variability”
Read:
Boromisza-Habashi, “How are political concepts
‘essentially’ contested?”
Review for final
12/8: Extra credit essay due
FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, December 14, 4.30-7.00 pm
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