ENGL 440 A: Special Studies in Literature

ENGL 440 / TXTDS 404: Power, Publishing, and 20th Century Literature

Winter 2023 | Tuesday/Thursday, 12:30-2:20 | Gould Hall 435

Anna Preus (apreus@uw.edu) | office hours: Wed. 10-11 on Zoom; Thurs. 9-10 in PDL-426

Class Notes Page >>

Syllabus Download >>

Course Description

Who decides what gets printed? How do publishing conditions affect our conceptions of literary movements? And how did authors from around the world navigate the publishing industry in England during the high period of British empire? This course traces histories of publishing in the 20th century, focusing in particular on works published with independent and non-commercial presses. We will discuss books by a range of authors—including Rabindranath Tagore, W.B. Yeats, Claude McKay, Mulk Raj Anand, Virginia Woolf, Chinua Achebe, and Arundhati Roy—in the context of their publication histories and material forms. In addition to looking at the historical circumstances of publishing, we will explore 21st-century interpretations of modern texts in the form of digital editions, online archives, and other forms of interactive media. The final assignments for the course will be portfolio of past writing and a substantial research paper. This course will take place in person. 

Required Texts

Mulk Raj Anand, Untouchable [ISBN: 0141393602]

Virginia Woolf, Three Guineas, Annotated [ISBN: 0156031639]

Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart [ISBN: 9780385474542]

Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things [ISBN: 0812979656]

All other readings will be available on Canvas.

Technology

Please bring a device you can use to access the internet to each class. If you do not have access to a computer you can bring to class, you can check one out through the Student Technology Loan Program. If you have concerns about technology access for this class, please let me know via email or in office hours.

Contact & Office Hours

I will be happy to address brief questions via Canvas message. If you have more involved questions, I will be glad to speak to you in office hours or by appointment.

Office Hours: Tue. 2:30-3:30 on Zoom; Wed. 12:00-1:00 in MGH 082

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate familiarity with a range of genres, authors, and perspectives from the 20th century, from widely read and influential works to historically marginalized voices, including characteristics of literature written in the period and important aspects of material contexts for it. Be able to explain how those characteristics and contexts relate to major historical events or social transformations.
• Draw on digital tools, editions, databases, and datasets to understand historical, print-based textual production and to examine important aspects of the British publishing industry across the 20^th-century.
• Situate works within the world in which they were written and printed, especially in terms of systems of literary production, circulation, and preservation. Understand forms, genres, ideas, persons, and institutions as historically constituted, coming into and out of being in different times and places in conjunction with social, economic, political, and ecological conditions.
• Examine how systems of power including capitalism, racism, white supremacy, sexism, heteronormativity, ableism, transphobia, colonialism and imperialism impact the production, reception, dissemination, preservation, and valuation of literature, culture, and language.
• Amplify alternative methodologies and ways of knowing, listening and learning about the past and present, the local and the global.
• Demonstrate understanding of research methods in English literature and reflect on experiences across the English major. 

Grade Breakdown

Assignment                                                      Percentage                  Due date

Participation                                                   15%                             ongoing                      

Discussion posts                                             10%                             ongoing

In-Class Note Taking                                      5%                               sign up for a class

Analysis of a Material Text                            10%                             Jan. 20

Analysis of a Digital Resource                       10%                             Feb. 3

Paper Proposal & Bibliography                      5%                               Feb. 17

Portfolio & Reflection                                    15%                             Mar. 3

Final Paper                                                      30%                             Mar. 14

Assignments

Participation (15%): This is a senior capstone course, and for many of you it represents, in part, the culmination of your career as an English major. The course is therefore designed so that you may discuss shared reading material and learn from each other as junior scholars. Please complete assigned readings by the day they are listed on the schedule and come to class ready to engage constructively with the material alongside your classmates. Contributing to in-class discussions is important, but it is not the only way to earn a strong participation grade. Many types of engagement can contribute positively to your grade, including coming to class on time and prepared, taking part in in-class writing assignments and polls, communicating promptly about alternate assignments for missed classes, and attending virtual or in-person office hours.

Discussion posts (10%): The course Canvas page will have a discussion forum for you to practice writing skills in an informal setting. You are expected to post to the course discussion board at least three times over the course of the quarter. Please respond to course discussion boards within 2 weeks of when they are posted. 

Note-Taking Assignment (5%): You will need to sign up for one class during the quarter where you will be a designated note-taker. The person in this role on a given day will take notes on the content covered and post them to the Class Notes Page. Notes should be posted within 24 hours of the end of the class they cover so that classmates who have missed the class will be able to access them before the next class.

Analysis of a Material Text (10%): Early in the quarter, you will write a short analysis of a material text. You may choose any text as long as it was published in the 20^th century, and you are able to reference a physical copy. This analysis will be an investigation of the relationship between the form in which a text is published and the content of the text itself. The analysis should be 500-750 words in length and presented in MLA format.

Analysis of a Digital Resource (10%): Around midterm, you will write a short analysis of a digital resource. You must choose a digital resource on the syllabus or get prior permission from me to choose an alternate resource. This analysis will be an investigation of how the digital resource presents the content it is devoted to. The analysis should be 500-750 words in length and presented in MLA format.

Final Paper Proposal & Bibliography (5%): The proposal for your final paper should indicate the primary text or texts you plan to focus on (2-3 texts at most) as well as the contexts or scholarly conversations you plan to engage. If you plan to draw on a database or dataset, you should indicate that in your proposal. Your bibliography should include a list of at least three sources you plan to draw on in your final paper.

Writing Portfolio & Reflection (15%): Toward the end of the class, you will create a portfolio of at least three pieces of past writing and write a brief piece reflecting on the writing skills that you have developed over the course of your university experience. The portfolio may include pieces of writing from any discipline. The reflection should consider your development as a writer thus far and should articulate future goals for your final paper.

Final paper (30%): Your final assignment will be a research paper on a topic of your choosing. It must discuss at least one of the texts we’ve discussed in class and should not include more than three primary texts (more than three secondary texts are fine). Your paper should also include references to at least 4 scholarly sources outside of those listed on the syllabus. Your paper may include references to a database or dataset. The paper should be ~2,250-2,500 words in length and presented in MLA format.

Course Grading Scale

Grading of Written Work

All papers should be word-processed, double-spaced in 12-point font and submitted via Canvas. Please use MLA formatting for in-text citations and your works cited page.

An “A” paper directly and specifically addresses the prompt and makes a meaningful interpretive claim that is relevant to conversations about humanities data science. The writer includes an original thesis statement that is backed up by defined points that are rooted in analysis of concrete evidence. It moves beyond material covered during class discussions. The writing is clear and conveys the author’s points effectively.

A “B” paper addresses the prompt and makes an interpretive claim about a literary work, but the claim may be overly broad or narrow, or the author may not adequately demonstrate why it matters to conversations in humanities data science. The paper presents a solid argument and evidence but may lack specificity or stray from the primary claim. It mostly moves beyond material covered in class discussions. The writing is generally clear but may contain errors that interfere with its readability.

A “C” paper to some degree addresses the prompt and demonstrates a generally good grasp of the material, but its analysis may be weakened by problems with organization, clarity, or vagueness. The paper makes good points and demonstrates an understanding of its subject, but it is not well organized or backed up by a close examination of that subject. It tends to present summary in the place of analysis and the argument may not be backed up with concrete evidence. The paper may contain errors that interfere with its readability.

A “D” paper attempts to address a reasonable subject but lacks an original thesis. The paper does not make a clear point or does not have a clear argument, and the reader may be confused about what the essay is trying to accomplish. The paper may include misreadings, or grammatical errors that obscure meaning. Like the C paper, it tends to present summary in the place of analysis and may contain errors that interfere with its readability.

English Department Statement of Values

The UW English Department aims to help students become more incisive thinkers, effective communicators, and imaginative writers by acknowledging that language and its use is powerful and holds the potential to empower individuals and communities; to provide the means to engage in meaningful conversation and collaboration across differences and with those with whom we disagree; and to offer methods for exploring, understanding, problem solving, and responding to the many pressing collective issues we face in our world—skills that align with and support the University of Washington’s mission to educate “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.”

As a department, we begin with the conviction that language and texts play crucial roles in the constitution of cultures and communities.  Our disciplinary commitments to the study of language, literature, and culture require of us a willingness to engage openly and critically with questions of power and difference. As such, in our teaching, service, and scholarship we frequently initiate and encourage conversations about topics such as race, immigration, gender, sexuality, and class.  These topics are fundamental to the inquiry we pursue.  We are proud of this fact, and we are committed to creating an environment in which our faculty and students can do so confidently and securely, knowing that they have the backing of the department.

Towards that aim, we value the inherent dignity and uniqueness of individuals and communities. We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where any of us can seek support. This includes people of all ethnicities, faiths, genders, national origins, political views, and citizenship status; nontheists; LGBQTIA+; those with disabilities; veterans; and anyone who has been targeted, abused, or disenfranchised.

UW English Dept. Statement on Non-Verbalization of Racial Slurs and the N-word >>

Schedule of Readings and Assignments

(see Canvas modules or syllabus download)

Policies and Resources

Attendance

This is an in-person course. Please make an effort to attend all classes. If you need to miss class, you can find notes on the material we covered in that session on the Class Notes Page. Your health and safety and the health and safety of everyone in the course is of the highest importance, so please adhere to University requirements in relation to the ongoing pandemic, and please do not attend class if you are experiencing symptoms. You can find resources for students, including information on monitoring for Covid-19 symptoms and accessing testing here: https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/students/.

Late Work

All assignments should be submitted on Canvas by the end of the day they are listed on the syllabus. Submitting late work is strongly discouraged, but if you have extenuating circumstances, please contact me so we can discuss it. In general, late work will be graded for 75% credit.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another’s work as your own.  It is important that you do not use material from the web without citing it properly in your papers.  The University of Washington takes plagiarism very seriously.  For more information, see the University’s policies at: http://depts.washington.edu/grading/conduct/honesty.html.  Infractions will result in a grade of ‘x’ and be referred to the Dean's Representative for Academic Conduct.

Face Coverings in the Classroom

The health and safety of the University of Washington community are the institution’s priorities. Please review and adhere to the UW COVID Face Covering Policy.

Access and Accommodations

Your ability to engage and participate fully in this course is important to me. If there are circumstances that may affect your ability to meet certain requirements as assigned in the course and/or if you have had specific accommodations approved by Disability Resources, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can work with you to develop strategies for adapting assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. Whether or not you have a documented disability, resources exist on campus to support your education, and I am happy to talk with you about them at any point. I am also including the more official language about access and accommodations from the university below:

It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please activate your accommodations via myDRS so we can discuss how they will be implemented in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), contact DRS directly to set up an Access Plan. DRS facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations. Contact DRS at disability.uw.edu.

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Sex and Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

UW, through numerous policies, prohibits sex- and gender-based violence and harassment, and we expect students, faculty, and staff to act professionally and respectfully in all work, learning, and research environments. For support, resources, and reporting options related to sex- and gender-based violence or harassment, visit the UW Title IX webpage, specifically the Know Your Rights & Resources guide.

If you disclose information to me about sex- or gender-based violence or harassment, I will connect you (or the person who experienced the conduct) with confidential and/or private resources who can best provide support and options. Please note that some senior leaders and other specified employees have been identified as “Officials Required to Report.” If an Official Required to Report learns of possible sex- or gender-based violence or harassment, they are required to call SafeCampus and report all the details they have in order to ensure that the person who experienced harm is offered support and reporting options.

Mental Health Resources

The University of Washington offers a range of resources related to mental health and wellbeing. You can find information on available resources—which include 24/7 confidential mental health and crisis intervention support, options for ongoing individual and group therapy, one-time workshops, and links to off-campus resources—here: https://wellbeing.uw.edu/topic/mental-health/.

Writing and Academic Support

Improving your writing is hard, but it is not something you need to take on alone. The Odegaard Writing and Research Center and CLUE Study Center offer great options for writing tutoring and support. You can schedule an appointment to talk with someone at any point in your writing process, whether you’re generating ideas, conducting research, composing a draft, incorporating feedback, or even proofreading.

Bias Reporting

UW has a process through which students, faculty, staff and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice or discrimination can report their experiences to the University’s Bias Incidence Advisory Committee. Information is available here: https://www.washington.edu/bias/.

Basic Needs Security

If you are facing challenges affording groceries or accessing sufficient food, or if you are lacking a safe and stable place to live, please reach out for support. The University offers food assistance through a range of resources associated with the “Any Hungry Husky” program. You can order food online through the UW Food Pantry, apply for Emergency Food Assistance, find out about low-cost food available through The Bean Basket, or apply for emergency aid more broadly. A list of off-campus resources, including housing resources, is also available. If you feel that issues of housing or food security may affect your performance in this course, please come talk to me if you feel comfortable doing so.