ENMC 4530
Spring 2014
MW 2-3:15 p.m.
Bryan 330
Christopher Krentz
ck9m@virginia.edu
Office: 110 Bryan Hall
Office hours: MW 3:30-4:30, F 2-3
p.m., and by appt.
Seminar in Modern Studies:
Disability in Postcolonial Literature
Jan.
13 M Introduction
Reconsidering Interdisciplinarity; Disabled Voices
15 W Joe Moran, “Conclusion,” from Interdisciplinarity (Course Reader);
Excerpt from Ved Mehta, Face to Face (Collab);
Claudia Gordon quote (Collab);
Watch one of the short videos on the African Youth with Disabilities
Network (link on Collab)
20 M MLK Day – No Class
Surveying the Theoretical Terrain
22 W Pramrod Nayar, “Introduction: Postcolonial Thought” (CR)
27 M Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, “Disability Studies: A Field Emerged”
excerpt (Collab)
Lennard J. Davis, “Constructing Normalcy” (CR)
Recommended: Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, “Disabled Women as
Powerful Women” excerpt (Collab)
29 W Clare Barker and Stuart Murray, “Disabling Postcolonialism” (CR);
Look at United Nations Enable page (link on Collab)
Recommended: Jaobus tenBroek, “The United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Toward a New
International Politics of Disability” (CR);
Ato Quayson, “Looking Awry” (Collab)
Feb.
Argentina and Nigeria
3 M Jorge Luis Borges, “Funes, the Memorious” (1942) (CR);
Chinua Achebe, “The Madman” (1971) (CR)
5W
10 M
12 W
17 M
Columbia
Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) (through
p. 101)
*Response paper due; One Hundred Years of Solitude (103-222)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (223-313)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (finish)
South Africa
19 W J.M. Coetzee, The Life and Times of Michael K (1983) (through p. 59)
24 M The Life and Times of Michael K (60-142)
26 W The Life and Times of Michael K (finish)
Coetzee, Jerusalem Prize Acceptance Speech (1987) (Collab)
Recommended: excerpt from Ato Quayson, Aesthetic Nervousness
(Collab)
28 F Recommended: attend one hour of Disabling Normalcy symposium
(which will take place 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the
Harrison Institute/Small Special Collections Library)
March 3 M
5W
10 M
12 W
17 M
19 W
24 M
India
*First paper (6-8 pages) due; Salman Rushdie, The Moor’s Last Sigh
(1995) (through p. 24)
The Moor’s Last Sigh (25-120)
Spring recess
Spring recess
The Moor’s Last Sigh (123-258)
The Moor’s Last Sigh (259-316)
The Moor’s Last Sigh (finish)
Haiti and the United States
26 W Edwidge Danticat, Breath, Eyes, Memory (1994) (through p. 76)
31 M Breath, Eyes, Memory (77-165)
April 2 W Breath, Eyes, Memory (finish)
7M
9W
14 M
16 W
India and the United States
Anita Desai, Fasting, Feasting (1999) (through p. 72)
Fasting, Feasting (73-156)
Fasting, Feasting (finish)
Jhumpa Lahiri, “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar” (1999) (CR)
Nigeria
21 M Chris Abani, Song for Night (2007) (through p. 77)
23 W Song for Night (finish)
28 M *Second paper (9-11 pages) due;
Short four-min. presentations on final paper;
conclusion
Format: This class will feature a range of learning approaches. You can expect some lecture, but we
will also have open discussion, co-leading of discussion, and small-group work. These techniques are
intended to give you a larger role in the learning process, to get you talking to each other, and to
strengthen our intellectual community. To get the most out of this course, you should complete
assigned readings by the due date and come to class ready to talk thoughtfully about them.
Requirements:


Active and well-prepared participation in class discussion.
Occasional quizzes and short written assignments (as assigned).

Two papers. These essays should have a fully-developed thesis, an argument supported by
relevant textual evidence, and logical structure.
Grading: First paper (6-8 pages) (25%); second paper (9-11 pages) (35%); quizzes and short writing
assignments (20%); preparation and participation, including group leading of discussion (20%).
Policies:
 All assignments are due in class on date indicated. Please submit a hard copy of papers.
 Extensions must be requested at least two days in advance.
 Late papers will be penalized by -1/3 letter grade per day.
 Attendance is expected. You are allowed two absences; further absences will negatively
affect your final grade. If you have special circumstances that cause you to miss
class, please let me know at the time.
Books are available at the University bookstore. The course reader is at N. K. Print & Design on
Elliewood Ave.