Fall 2018 - ENGL 359 D100

Studies in the Literature of British Columbia (4)

Class Number: 6931

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2018: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Two 100 division English courses, and two 200 division English courses.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The study of selected works of British Columbian literature.

COURSE DETAILS:

English 359: Land, Water, and Memory

Course Description: 
In recent months, the struggles over the TransMountain pipeline have raised many questions about British Columbia’s relationship to its neighbouring provinces and the rest of the country, where control and sovereignty over this land reside, and our responsibilities to the land, water, and those that live on it, to name just a few. What these debates highlight are the competing ways in which we define and understand this space as well as those that inhabit it. In this course, we will analyze contemporary literature that asks us to reflect upon the particular ways in which we are positioned within the social and physical landscapes of British Columbia. We will examine place in relation to the histories of migration and settler colonialism, memories of displacement, and local practices of forgetting that shape individual and collective memories in order to determine how they shape our understanding of British Columbia. This course will read contemporary literary representations of British Columbia to consider the dissonance between celebrated and forgotten histories, competing local, national, and transnational conceptions of community and identity, and the possibilities of moving within Vancouver as well as between it and rural spaces. Our readings include poetry, short stories and novels that engage with key issues such as the environment, Indigenous histories, race, migration, and gender and sexuality.

Grading

  • Regular attendance and thoughtful participation 10%
  • Reading Quizzes 5%
  • First Essay (4-5 pages) 15%
  • Research Essay (7-8 pages) 35%
  • Group Seminar Presentation 10%
  • Midterm Exam 25%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Dream/arteries.Phinder Dulai.
The Outer Harbour. Wayde Compton.
Monkey Beach. Eden Robinson.
Dead Girls. Nancy Lee.
The Ever After of Ashwin Rao. Padma Viswanathan.
Undercurrent. Rita Wong.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.

For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS