Hunter H. Fine, Ph.D. Humboldt State University Syllabus: Communication SOCIAL ADVOCACY THEORY AND PRACTICE

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1 Please read and save this syllabus. If you remain in the course after the first class day, then you are stipulating that you will abide by university and course policies, and that you will be a positive, contributing member of the class. As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another s voices, in recognizing one another s presence. -bell hooks Hunter H. Fine, Ph.D. Humboldt State University Syllabus: Communication SOCIAL ADVOCACY THEORY AND PRACTICE Class Times: MW 5-6:20pm Class Location: ARTA 027 Office: Telonicher House 54 Rm. 6 Office Hours: M-TH 4-5pm & by appt. hf234@humbodlt.edu Office Phone: (707) Mailbox: Communication Office, Telonicher House 54 Course/Cause Social advocacy and rhetorical communication are the foundations of western civilization. Democracy stemming back to the ancient Greeks is founded upon the voicing of individual and collective concerns and thus creating a civic space of dialog. We will strive to create a similar environment within the classroom. What used to be relegated to ceremonial and political oratory dating back to the fifth century B.C.E. we now apply to everyday life as our identities and choices advocate certain perspectives. In this class we will examine interventionist texts, performances, and artifacts in an effort to examine how advanced social advocacy arrives in theory and manifests in practice. Exploring historical examples of advocacy from manifestos, uprisings, performances, and interventions to individual acts of art and protest we will ultimately produce our own manifesto and a corresponding intervention. By combining theory and practice we will not only examine the political, social, and cultural forces that effect us all, but also attempt to intervene in some way in these processes that include, exclude, and silence our own realities. In many ways we will function within a post-revolutionary phase of reconstruction where various viewpoints and ways of living will be sought out and encouraged. By writing our own manifesto we will critically engage this space and advocate for a particular collective identity. Each student will use the manifesto to individually theorize

2 collectivity. Subsequently we will engage, conduct, perform, initiate or administer our own critical intervention, effectively practicing the aforementioned theory. Textbook/Readings We will be using a reader that consists of carefully selected excerpts from various historical texts. These readings are available in PDF form on our class MOODLE site. You are responsible for downloading and/or printing this reader and READING it. There will also be additional expositional readings made available via the course website. Reading 1: Caws, Mary Ann. The Poetics of the Manifesto: Nowness amd Newness. xix-xxi. Print. Reading 2: Danchev, Alex. Introduction: Manifesto, Manifestoed, Manifestoing. Ed. Alex Danchev. 100 Artists Manifestos: From the Futurists to the Stuckists. Washington D.C.: Penguin Books. London: Penguin Books, pgs. xix-xxx. Print. *Reading 3: Marx, Karl and Frederick Engels. Manifesto of the Communist Party. Novel Moscow: Progress Publish, Online. pgs Print. *Reading 4: Marinetti, Filippo Tommaso. The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism , Print. *Reading 5: Tzara, Tristan. Dada Manifesto. Ed. Mary Ann Caws. Manifesto: A Century of Isms. London: UNP, pgs , Print. *Reading 6: Breton, André. Manifestoes of Surrealism. Trans. Richard Seaver and Helen R. Lane. Ann Arbor: Michigan UP. pgs Print. *Reading 7: Debord, Guy. Situationist Theses on Traffic Situationist International Anthology. Ed. and Trans. Ken Knabb. Berkeley: Bureau of Public Secrets, Print Theory of the Dérive. Situationist International Anthology. Ed. and Trans. Ken Knabb. Berkeley: Bureau of Public Secrets, Print. Le Corbusier (Charles Edouard Jeanneret). Towards a New Architecture. Trans. Frederick Etchells. New York: Dover Inc., 1986 pgs. I-31. Print. *Reading 8: DuBois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folk Ed. Mary Ann Caws. Manifesto: A Century of Isms. London: UNP, pgs Print. *Reading 9: Cixous, Hélène and Catherine Clement. Sorties: Out and Out: Attacks/Ways Out/Forays. Trans. Betsy Wing. Newly Born Women. U of MP, Print. *Reading 10: Harraway, Donna J. A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminist in the Late Twentieth Century. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge, Print. pgs *Reading 11: Bourriaud, Nicolas. Postproduction: Culture as Screenplay: How Art Reprograms the World. New York: Lukas & Sternberg, Print. pgs *Reading 12: Thompson, Nato and Gregory Sholette. The Interventionists: Users Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life. Cambridge: MIT P. Print. 2

3 * Readings with an asterisk will be presented to the class as a position presentation. Course Website Outcomes To equip each student with a better understanding of national and global trends of social advocacy. To provide each student with an opportunity to examine how individual and collective freedoms and communication entertwine in everyday life. To understand how social movements have helped shape our society. To describe and explain the contributions of the discipline of Communication Studies to an understanding of how political life is navigated. To embody communication behaviors that reflect each of the goals listed. Policies Class Attendance Policy As members of a learning community instructors and students agree to a tacit social contract. That contract ensures that all participants will attend every class meeting, engage one another in an informed and spirited manner, and complete all assigned responsibilities on time. In other words, when you signed up for this course, attendance, and participation became two of your assigned responsibilities. Like any other assignment you will be awarded points for meeting that responsibility. More than three absences will adversely affect your final grade. Remember that the reason for missing class does not change the fact of your absence. It is also your responsibility to be on time to class, three late arrivals results in one absence. Please avoid arriving more than 15 minutes late to class, anything after will be considered an absence and should be avoided. Class Activities This class involves physical as well as mental effort. The in-class activities will sometimes include physical activity and interaction. Some activities are done solo, some with groups. Come to class prepared to commit to being physically and mental present. 3

4 Classroom Civility Students are expected to be thoughtful in their speech, performance, and general behavior. Sexist, racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, gender biased, and other forms of disrespectful speech have no place in critical contemporary public discourse and I would be doing you a disservice if I tolerated it in class. Participation is an important part of this class; however, please avoid creating a conversational monopoly that constrains discussion. Accessibility In the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I wish to make this course as accessible as possible to students with differing abilities, temporary medical conditions, or mental or emotional health concerns that may affect any aspect of course assignments or participation. I invite you to communicate with me at the beginning of the semester or at your discretion about any accommodations that will improve your experience of or access to the course. Academic Integrity and Reading Academic integrity refers to the adherence to agreed upon moral and ethical principles when engaging in academic or scholarly pursuits. Likewise, reading the carefully selected reader is a major component of the tacit class contract. It is also a foundation of intellectual engagement and should be done with a critical sensibility and rigor. Philosophy/Pedagogy Critical. Aiming to create a unique yet representative civic intellectual space, which encourages all to have an individual and powerful voice, I take the thoughts, ideas, and lives of every student seriously. I am as critical of them as I am of myself as we all have much to learn, gain, and lose. Office Hours I will be available during my office hours and encourage students to contact me with any concerns they might have regarding the class climate and/or content. Grading/Evaluation of Performance The grading criteria are interconnected, as effective class competence entails knowledge of content (tests), critical reflection and active listening (discussion). The areas will be graded concurrently and formally; as you are being graded for speaking (presentations) others are being graded for listening (participation). In-turn responses and assignments should exhibit a progression of such thought (papers) and further research outside of class time. Unit I Test (100 points) Unit II Test (100 points) Reading Presentation (50 points) 4

5 Reading Presentation Handout/Visuals (50 points) Reading Presentation Responses (10 points each/100 points) Manifesto (100 points) Intervention (100 points) Attendance (100 points) Total points: 700 Scale: A=90-100% C=70-79% F=59% and below B=80-89% D=60-69% Tentative Fall Schedule Course schedule is tentative and subject to change. You are responsible for any changes or modifications. Readings should be read by the week they are listed in the schedule. UNIT I 8/22, 8/24: MW Reading 1: Caws, Mary Ann. The Poetics of the Manifesto: Nowness amd Newness. xix-xxi. Print. Introduction to the Manifesto Genre and Course Content 8/29, 8/31: MW Reading 2: Danchev, Alex. Introduction: Manifesto, Manifestoed, Manifestoing. Ed. Alex Danchev. 100 Artists Manifestos: From the Futurists to the Stuckists. Washington D.C.: Penguin Books. London: Penguin Books, pgs. xix-xxx. Print. The Manifesto in Context 9/5: M Classes Cancelled: Labor Day Holiday 9/7: W *Reading 3: Marx, Karl and Frederick Engels. Manifesto of the Communist Party. Moscow: Progress Publish, Online. pgs Print. Socialist Thought, Communist Manifesto, Rhetoric, and Advocacy 9/12: M Class Cancelled: Professional Obligation 9/14: W 5

6 *Reading 4: Marinetti, Filippo Tommaso. The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism , Print. Futurist Manifestos, Speed, and Action 9/19, 9/21: MW *Reading 5: Tzara, Tristan. Dada Manifesto. Ed. Mary Ann Caws. Manifesto: A Century of Isms. London: UNP, pgs , Print. Dadaist Manifesto, Words, Meaning, and Negation 9/26, 9/28: MW *Reading 6: Breton, André. Manifestoes of Surrealism. Trans. Richard Seaver and Helen R. Lane. Ann Arbor: Michigan UP. pgs Print. Caws, Mary Ann. Surrealist Manifesto. Manifesto: A Century of Isms. Ed. Mary Ann Caws. Print. pgs Surrealist Manifesto and Movement Unit I Test UNIT II 10/3, 10/5: MW *Reading 7: Debord, Guy. Situationist Theses on Traffic Situationist International Anthology. Ed. and Trans. Ken Knabb. Berkeley: Bureau of Public Secrets, Print Theory of the Dérive. Situationist International Anthology. Ed. and Trans. Ken Knabb. Berkeley: Bureau of Public Secrets, Print. Le Corbusier (Charles Edouard Jeanneret). Towards a New Architecture. Trans. Frederick Etchells. New York: Dover Inc., 1986 pgs. I-31. Print. Architecture and Movement 10/10, 10/12: MW *Reading 8: DuBois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folk Ed. Mary Ann Caws. Manifesto: A Century of Isms. London: UNP, pgs Print. Black Liberation Theory 10/17, 10/19: MW *Reading 9: Cixous, Hélène and Catherine Clement. Sorties: Out and Out: Attacks/Ways Out/Forays. Trans. Betsy Wing. Newly Born Women. U of MP, 1986 Feminist Thought 10/24, 10/26: MW *Reading 10: Harraway, Donna J. A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminist in the Late Twentieth Century. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge, Print. pgs Cyborg Feminism, Posthumanism, and Feminist Advocacy 6

7 10/31, 11/2: MW *Reading 11: Bourriaud, Nicolas. Postproduction: Culture as Screenplay: How Art Reprograms the World. New York: Lukas & Sternberg, Print. pgs Postproduction, remix culture, and Intervention 11/7, 11/9: MW Classes Cancelled: National Communication Association Conference 11/14, 11/16: MW *Reading 12: Thompson, Nato and Gregory Sholette. The Interventionists: Users Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life. Cambridge: MIT P. Interventionist Practices and Engagement 11/21, 11/23: MW Classes Cancelled: Fall Break 11/28, 11/30: MW Final Presentations 12/5, 12/7: MW Final Presentations Final Examination: Wed. 12/14, 3-4:50pm Unit Exam II 7

Hunter H. Fine, Ph.D. Humboldt State University Syllabus: Communication SOCIAL ADVOCACY THEORY AND PRACTICE

Hunter H. Fine, Ph.D. Humboldt State University Syllabus: Communication SOCIAL ADVOCACY THEORY AND PRACTICE Please read and save this syllabus. If you remain in the course after the first class, then you are stipulating that you will abide by university and course policies, and that you will be a positive, contributing