literature emphasis: social advocacy and ethical life

Bateman

SAEL 200: Social Advocacy and Ethical LifeSec. 027: MW 2:20-3:35, Room: Hamilton College 140

Instructor: Cynthia Bateman

Contact Information:Office: Humanities Office Building, Room 323Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Monday 12:30-2:00, Monday 5:20-6:00, and by appointment

Course Overview:Social Advocacy & Ethical Life is addressed to the nature and relationship of ethics and forms of expression in a variety of socio-political contexts. Students in the course will have an opportunity to critically investigate theories of ethics and principles of spoken advocacy, and to apply their inquiry in a cumulative series of exercises and performances. Both critical and practical, the work undertaken in this course offers a chance for students to: 1) question the meaning and importance of contemporary calls for civility, engaged citizenship, and deliberation; 2) investigate the roots, power, and limits of ethical discourse and its relevance to social and political decision-making; and 3) develop a working understanding of the principles of social advocacy and the ways in which communication constructs, supports, and remakes the grounds of ethical interaction.

Learning Outcomes:Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Define the idea of social advocacy, identify distinct forms of advocacy, and demonstrate an understanding of the respective values and limits of such communicative practices in a variety of social, political, and cultural situations;

Define sources and functions of ethical reasoning and explain its importance in the development of individual and collective life, identify key ethical concepts and recognize the kinds of social and political issues that provoke ethical questions, and critically analyze and engage ethical controversies that shape personal and social norms of responsibility;

Understand, perform, and critically assess the ways in which social advocacy can invent, shape, and upset personal and collective ethical commitments and the ways in which ethical frameworks enable, promote, and guide advocacy;

Understand and explain the fundamental concepts and frameworks that enable social advocacy, including principles of argumentation, ethical forms of persuasion, theories of the rhetorical situation and audience interaction, and modes of listening;

Apply and demonstrate the basic concepts of ethical social advocacy through the performance of speeches that address a variety of ethical issues and which engage audiences with diverse and conflicting ethical commitments;

Critically assess the ethical responsibilities entailed in social advocacy and the conditions under which advocacy may be an ethical responsibility.

Course Materials: Course Reader (purchase in Russell House Quick Copy) Additional course readings on Blackboard (student is responsible for printing

these out and bringing them to class). A notebook designated for this course only. You will also need access to a college-level dictionary.

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mailto:[email protected]

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Course Structure and Required Assignments:In this course, we will engage in a variety of activities, including lecture, lecture-based discussion, group activities, student speeches, and critical evaluation of contemporary discourse. Over the semester, students in this course will be asked to undertake and complete the following assignments. Each assignment will be detailed in handouts posted to our course website and discussed in class.

Class Participation, Preparation, and Engagement with Readings: Includes coming to class on time, having readings printed out and marked up, pen, and class notebook out on desk and ready to go, and contributing to each class discussion with thoughtful questions and engaging commentary. As you can see, this is a reading intensive course. At times the readings are dense and difficult and will require multiple readings on your part (I suggest you allow yourself time to read each reading twice). I encourage you to utilize office hours to discuss readings or concepts you find particularly difficult. In addition, I expect you will bring your questions to class and share them as our class is best served when its focus is directed by and towards your learning needs. To aid you in your reading process, I will provide you with a set of guided reading questions to be completed for each theory reading. Class participation is worth 175 points.

Speaking: 1. Imagining Advocacy : For this assignment, each member of the course will

develop, compose, and deliver a 2 ½ - 3 minute speech addressed to a social, political, and/or cultural problem that provokes their interest and for which they are willing to advocate. The assignment is worth 50 points.

2. Discovering an Issue : In this second speaking assignment, each member of the class will research a significant social-political-public issue and then develop and deliver a 4 ½ - 5 minute speech addressed to the history, contours, and ethical importance of that issue. The assignment is 75 points.

3. Making a Case : This assignment asks each member of the class to develop and present a 5 ½ - 6 minute speech that proceeds from a specific claim about an issue and which endeavors to generate interest from an audience. Working with the issues taken up in the “discovering an issue” speech, the goal of this speech is to move from providing information about a problem to making a specific claim about the meaning, significance, and/or approach to understanding of an ethical issue. The assignment is worth 100 points.

4. Debating for Judgment : The aim of the assignment is to undertake a debate over a single issue or problem and to do so in a manner that invites an audience to undertake deliberation and judgment about the merits and implications of the question under consideration. This is a collaborative exercise in which class members will work in assigned groups. Each debate will consist of a twelve 10 minute performance. The assignment is worth 100 points. Please note: this is a group grade.

Writing 1. Mediating Ethics, Draft 1 : This assignment requires you to put an assigned

theoretical reading in conversation with a current news event and a multimodal artifact of your choosing. Triangulating the assigned reading with your event and artifact, you will compose a conversation of sorts, mediated a specific line of ethical inquiry through the three objects. This paper is to be three-pages minimum. This assignment is worth 75 points.

2. Mediating Ethics, Final : This assignment requires a significant revision and elaboration of the conversation began in draft 1 of this paper. Students are required to schedule individual conferences with me to discuss their revision

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plans prior to submitting the final draft of this paper. This paper is to be six-pages minimum. This assignment is worth 125 points.

3. “Reading Through” Analysis Paper : This assignment requires you to conduct an analysis of a specific aspect of J. M. Coetzee’s The Lives of Animals by reading Coetzee’s work through the lens of one of the theoretical readings of the course (you may choose which theory reading to use for your analysis). This paper is to be three-pages minimum. This assignment is worth 100 points.

Course Policies: Attendance: Students are expected to attend every class meeting in accordance

with the University Attendance Policy. Success in this course rests heavily on engaged participation. If you are not present, you cannot participate. Also see the section below on course policies regarding make-up speeches.

Class Preparation: Readings are to be completed for the day they are listed on the schedule (for example, come to class Tuesday having read the materials listed for Tuesday). All students are expected to bring hard copies of their readings printed from Blackboard to class everyday. Electronic versions of readings will not be allowed. On days that you deliver or workshop a speech, all preparatory forms must be completed. Speech outlines must be submitted at the time of speaking.

Technology: I have a “No Screens” policy. This means no laptops, tablets, cell phones, etc. Please put your cell phones on vibrate before the start of class. If you are expecting a call or urgent notification and need to have your cell phone out, please let me know at the start of class. Otherwise, this is a strictly pen and paper course.

Grading Scale: The following scale will be used for the calculation and assignment of all grades in the course.

Total possible points: 800

A: 100%-90% (800-720)

B+: 89-86% (719-680)

B: 85-80% (679-640)

C+: 79-76% (639-608)

C: 75-70% (607-560)

D: 69-60% (559-480)

F: Below 60 (<480)

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Make-Up Speeches: In order to complete our work and deliver a full complement of speeches, all students must be diligent in presenting their speech on the day it is assigned. It is almost impossible to allow make-up speeches in class. For this reason, unexcused missed speeches may be performed only outside of class (i.e. office hours) and for no more than 50% credit. Students can make up their speech in class for full credit only if there is clear and authoritative documentation that attendance was prevented by: bereavement; disabling illness; accident or disabling injury; legal obligation; university authorization. No late written work will be accepted.

Classroom Conduct: Because this is a discussion-based class it is most beneficial for you to engage in classroom conversations with the instructor and with one another. Please speak freely and often, i.e., it is not necessary to raise your hand and wait to be acknowledged in order to speak. Having said that, I do expect that you will exercise common courtesy when communicating with the instructor and your classmates. Please refer to the Carolina Creed for additional information on appropriate campus behavior: http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/).

Academic Responsibility, Integrity and Ethics: The Carolina Community holds that “It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina to adhere steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud or deceit of any type in connection with any academic program. Any student who violates this rule or who assists others to do so will be subject to discipline.” Dishonesty will constitute:

o Giving or receiving unauthorized assistance, or attempting to give or receive such assistance, in connection with the performance of ANY academic work.

o Unauthorized use of materials or information of any type including the use of any obtained through electronic or mechanical means.

o Access to the contents of any test or examination prior to its administration.

o Unauthorized use of another person’s work without proper acknowledgement of source, regardless of whether the lack of acknowledgment was unintentional.

o Intentional misrepresentation by word or action of any situation of fact, or intentional omission of material fact, so as to mislead any person in connection with any academic work.

o Please visit the following link for a thorough explanation of USC’s honor code: http://www.sc.edu/policies/staf625.pdf

Email Etiquette: The best way to reach me is via email. In order to receive the fastest response possible, please format your email as follows—include a topic in the subject line, a greeting, and sign the message with your first and last name (I may have three Amy’s in class. Which one are you?) I will respond to emails received between the hours of 8:00am and 7:00pm Monday-Friday the same day I receive them. I will respond to emails received outside of this window the next day. Emails sent after 7:00pm on Friday will be returned the following Monday.

Students with Disabilities : Any person who because of a disability may need special arrangements or accommodations to meet the requirements of this course should consult with the instructor as soon as possible. The Office of Disability Services may be reached at (803) 777-6142, or at www.sa.sc.edu/sds/.

Additional Resources:

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http://www.sa.sc.edu/sds/

http://www.sc.edu/policies/staf625.pdf

http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/

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USC Writing Center- The Writing Center offers help in developing, organizing, proofreading, and clarifying your papers. Their services are free to university students so take advantage of them! The Writing Center is located in Byrnes Building, room 703. Please call (803) 777-2078 or visit http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/write/ to make an appointment.

USC Counseling Services provides students with confidential access to speak with trained counselors for any number of reasons including stress, anxiety, depression, etc. This service is available at no cost to registered students. Counseling Services is located on the seventh floor of Byrnes Building. Please call (803) 777- 5223 to make an appointment.

OWL- The Purdue Online Writing Lab (or OWL) is a great resource for a variety of writing issues such as MLA and APA format and guides to avoiding plagiarism. Please visit OWL at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

***This syllabus may be altered at any time throughout the semester at the instructor’s discretion. Changes will be announced in class and on our website.***

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http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/write/

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Daily Schedule (Subject to change)

Week 1:

Monday, August 24th

Welcome; Foundational Concepts

Lecture: What is ethics and how does it relate to advocacy?; how to be successful in this course in three

easy steps

Wednesday, August 26th

The Difficulty of Expression, Part I

Readings due: Audre Lorde’s “The Transformation of Silence Into Language and Action, bell hooks’ “Theory as

Liberatory Practice

Week 2: Monday, August 31st

Rhetoric and Argumentation, Part I

Readings due: Foss and Griffin’s “Invitational Rhetoric;” Assign “Imagining Advocacy” speech

Wednesday, September 2nd

Rhetoric and Argumentation, Part II

Readings due: Brockreide and Ehninger’s “Toulmin on Argument,” Woolf’s “The Death of the Moth”

Week 3: Monday, September 7th No Class: Labor Day

Wednesday, September 9th

Rhetoric and Argumentation, Part III

“Imagining Advocacy” speech due; Readings due: Klump’s “Taking Social Argument Seriously”; Assign: “Discovering

an Issue” speech

Week 4: Monday, September

14th

Freedom and Equality, Part I

Readings due: John Stuart Mill’s “Utilitarianism,” Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron;” in-class artifact viewing


Freedom and Equality, Part II

Readings due: Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, Morality,” Cohen’s “When Good People Do Nothing: The

Appalling Story of South Carolina’s Prisons”

Week 5:

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Monday, September 21st

Justice and Fairness, Part I

Readings due: Rawls’ “A Theory of Justice,” Kafka’s “Before the Law;” in-class artifact viewing

Wednesday, September 23rd

Justice and Fairness, Part II

Readings due: Young’s “Displacing the Distributive Paradigm;” in-class artifact viewing

Week 6: Monday, September

28th

Speeches

“Discovering an Issue” speeches due; Assign: “Mediating Ethics, draft 1” Essay


Speeches

“Discovering an Issue” speeches due; Assign “Making a Case” speech

Week 7: Monday, October 5th

Ethics, Advocacy, and Social Life, Part I

Readings due: Coetzee’s The Lives of Animals, part I; Assign: “Reading Through” Analysis Essay

Wednesday, October 7th

Ethics, Advocacy, and Social Life, Part II

Readings due: Coetzee’s The Lives of Animals, Part II


Ethics, Advocacy, and Social Life, Part III

Readings due: Wallace’s “Consider the Lobster;” In-class: Radio Lab “Yellow Rain” excerpt


The Difficulty of Expression, Part II

Readings due: Havel’s “A Word About Words;” In-class: Toni Morrison’s “Oppressive Language” audio and

transcript


The Function of ArtReadings due: Butler’s “The Value of Being Disturbed,” in-

class artifact viewing

Wednesday, October 21st

Beauty

Readings due: Santayana’s “The Nature of Beauty,” in-class artifact viewing; “Reading Through” Analysis Essay

due

Week 10:

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Monday, October 26th

Speeches“Making a Case” speech due


Speeches

“Making a Case” speech due; assign: “Debating for Judgment” speech

Week 11: Monday, November 2nd

Deliberating and Judging, Part I

Readings due: King, Jr’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” Coates’ “Nonviolence as Compliance;” Vallone’s “Protest is

Broken”

Wednesday, November 4th

Deliberating and Judging, Part II

Readings due: Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience,” Louis Hyman’s “Why the CVS Burned”; in-class artifact viewing

Week 12: Monday, November 9th

Deliberating and Judging, Part III

Readings due: Sher’s “But I Could Be Wrong,” Hume’s “Moral Distinctions Not Derived From Reason,” McBrayer’s

“Why Our Children Don’t Think There are Moral Facts”


Terms of Ethical Life, Part I

Readings due: Jonathan Bennett’s The Conscience of Huckleberry Finn; Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk

Away”

Week 13: Monday, November

16th

Terms of Ethical Life, Part II

Readings due: Irigary’s “Animal Compassion;” due: “Mediating Ethics, draft 1”


Meet with speech partner independently


23rd

Happiness

Readings due: Ahmed’s “Why Happiness, Why Now?”


Terms of Ethical Life, Part I

No class: Thanksgiving

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30th

Speeches

“Debating for Judgment” speech due

Wednesday, December 2nd

Speeches

“Debating for Judgment” speech due

**Final Exam period tba: “Mediating Ethics, Final” Essay will be due during our final exam period.**

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literature emphasis: social advocacy and ethical life

Documents