Multiculturalism in Literature
Tuesday
8:30-10:00
Vered 602/4
Instructor: Dr. Ruwida Abu Rass
Objectives: This course aims to introduce participants to concepts of
multiculturalism, cultural diversity and the lives of ethnic groups in other
parts of the world. The focus of investigation will be on English speaking
countries - primarily the United States and Canada. Students will learn
about issues of cultural conflict and accommodation strategies. The
experiences of new immigrants will be highlighted; we will discuss their
reasons for immigrating, their integration into their new countries, and
challenges they face in this process.
The course will begin with the screening of a movie called the Statue of
Liberty. This is meant to give students the opportunity to explore the
history of America's premier symbol of liberty, along with the concept of
liberty itself. The reading list will deal with issues related to
accommodating different cultures, conflicts which stem from cultural
differences and the adjustment of the authors and their communities in
the cultural melting pot of American society. We will introduce concepts
such as colonialism, post-colonialism, imperialism and communism;
these themes will be linked to the motives of the authors and the content
of the selected readings.
Course Description: The students will be required to read a variety of
stories by different authors who represent various ethnic and linguistic
minority groups in English speaking countries. It will include Native
American and Canadian writers. Students will explore the lives of these
authors through the viewing of films and subsequent discussions. Some
of the authors (American and Canadian) will include O. Henry, Maxine
Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, Bharati Mukhejee Akhil Sharma, Thomas
King, M. G. Vassanji and Minnie Aodla Freeman.
In addition to the film The Status of Liberty, other films will include
Shawnee: Indians of the Midwest, African American Lives, The Jewish
Americans, A visit to a Mosque in America, American Beyond the Color
Line, The Peace Tree, Between: Living in a Hyphen and Inuuvunga.
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These will be paired with written course materials to present a full picture
of the way ethnic minorities from around the world lived throughout the
20th century and continue to live today.
Grading Policy: Students are expected to actively engage in the course
by reading the assigned short stories or poems at home and participating
in class discussions. In addition, each student will prepare a mini
presentation about an author and present it to the class. Please see the
scheduled presentations. Students are also required to reflect on stories
and movies; these should be submitted according to the attached
schedule. The mid-term paper will be due at the beginning of the second
semester. Additionally, the class will be divided into groups of three
students each who will be assigned a story to read. They will need to
answer questions which will be presented to them about the story.
Grading Components:
Attendance
Active In-class Participation Including
Mini presentations
Mid-paper
Reflections
Final Exam
Required to pass
10%
20%
10%
60%
Bibliography
Bennett, D. & Brown, R. (2010). An anthology of Canadian Literature in
English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
The Cambridge History of Canadian Literature.
Leroux, C. & Cunningham, T. Writing without Direction: 10 1/2 short
Stories by Canadian authors under 30. Chapters.indigo.ca
http://www.owell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/eelephant
http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1303
http://litmed.med.edu/Annotation?action=view@annid=12231
http://books.google.co.il
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Fall Schedule 2010-2011
12/10
19/10
Introducing the course
Reading the syllabus and acquainting students with
course requirements
Screening the Movie: Statue of Liberty
Multiculturalism and Globalization by Neil Ten
Kortenaar
Reading and Discussion: Shooting the Elephant by
Orwell
http://www.owell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e
26/10
Reading and Discussion: Shooting the Elephant by
Orwell (continuation)
http://www.owell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e
elephant
Reading and Discussion: The Last Leaf by O. Henry
http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1303
2/11
Reading and Discussion:
The Woman Warrior: Memories of a Girlhood
Among Ghosts by Marine Hong Kingston
9/11
Reading and Discussion: The Joy Luck Club
Showing some segments of a movie about Marine
Hong Kingston
Assignment I: What have you learned about the lives
of Chinese Americans in these stories?
16/11
‫عيد األضحى‬
23/11
Reading and Discussion: A collection of poems by
Elmaz Abinader
Screening a Movie: A Visit to a Mosque in America
30/11
Screening a Movie: The Peace Tree
7/12
‫رأس السنة الهجرية‬
14/12
Harpoon of the Hunter by Morkoosie (Canadian)
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21/12
Harpoon of the Hunter by Morkoosie (continuation)
28/12
Reading and Discussion: Two Old Women by
Velma Wallis. To be downloaded from
http://books.google.co.il
4/1
Reading and Discussion: Two Old Women by
Velma Wallis (continued)
11/1
Reading and Discussion: Two Old Women by
Velma Wallis (continued)
What common themes appear in the two stories
Harpoon of the Hunter and Two Old Women?
2nd Semester
22/2
Screening the Movies: Eskimo Arts and Crafts, Circles and
Shawnee: Indians of the Midwest
1/3
Discussing Four Stories: Never Marry a Mexican; The German
Refugee; The Middleman and Home-base.
Group work: Each group will discuss and present the content
of the story.
8/3
Reading and Discussion: The Orange Fish by Carol Shields
15/3
Reading and Discussion: Her Two Husbands by M.G.
Vassanji
22/3
Reading and Discussion: Uhuru Street by M. G. Vassanji
(Canadian Author)
29/3
Reading and Discussion: A Coyote Columbus Story by
Thomas King (Canadian Author)
Reading and Discussion: My Dungeon Shock by James
Baldwin
Screening a Movie: African American Lives
Reading and Discussion: The Tenant by Bharati Mukherjee
(Canadian Author)
5/4
12/4
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19/4
26/4
Passover Break
Reading and Discussion: Surrounded by Sleep by Akhil
Sharma
3/5
Screening a Movie: Between: Living in a Hyphen
10/5
17/5
Independence Day Break
Reading and Discussion: Among the Qallunat by Minnie
Aodla Freeman (First Nations Canadian Author)
Reading and Discussion: The Book of Negroes by Lawrence
Hill (Canadian Author)
Reading and Discussion: The Book of Negroes by Lawrence
Hill (Canadian Author)
24/5
31/5
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