Pictographs on Hide, Lakota, 1880s

Fr. Raymond A Bucko, S.J.
St. Joseph's University
Spring Semester -- 2007
Bellermine 115
Tu Tu 10:00 - 11:15 AM

Course Schedule

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces students to the fundamental paradigms and methods of social science, particularly anthropology, sociology and history through a study of contemporary and historical Native American Studies . Through a series of lectures, discussions and field trips to local sites, students will become familiar with the variety of historical and contemporary Native societies and the manner in which social scientists have and continue to dialogue with Native peoples in the present.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Through a broad introduction to Native American studies rooted in the methodologies of the social sciences, through seminar presentations which will develop students' organizational, oratorical and critical thinking skills, and by writing topical papers and comments on contemporary Native issues in which the student integrates classroom learning with a deeper investigation of a specific topic, this course seeks to fulfill these objectives:

• Students will identify the various social science methodologies employed in Native American studies.
• Students will be able to distinguish basic approaches to the study of Native cultures and evaluate their merits and deficiencies from within the disciplines themselves and as voiced by various Native peoples.
• Students will know the complexity of Native American cultures through examining a variety of cultural groups.
• Students will know, analyze and debate the ethical actions of students of Native cultures in the past and present and the importance of ethical responsibility in working with Native communities and individuals.
• Students will identify the importance of ethical research and basic respect in the study of Native peoples.

COURSE FORMAT

This course is a combination of interactive lecture, discussion, writing, and field experience with written reflections. Students are required to come prepared for each class having read the material for that day and engaged in written discussion of the topic on Blackboard..

CONTACT INFORMATION

Office: 112E Barbelin

Office Hours:
Tuesday 11:30 - 12:30 AM
Wednesday 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Thursday 8:30 - 9:30 AM
and by appointment

Phone:
Room Phone: 610-660-1432
Office Phone: 610 660 1150

There will be a sign-up sheet on my office door for appointment times. Please sign up for as much time as you think will be necessary.

E-Mail Office Hours:
I normally check my e-mail several times a day. I receive over 100 e-mail messages a day. Generally you will receive a brief reply from me. I am not being dismissive of your message but expeditious in working through my mail. If you find my response inadequate, please notify me and I will respond again more fully. If your question or request is complicated, I may ask you to sign up for office hours rather than respond to you by e-mail. Because I encourage electronic communications, I guarantee that I will check my e-mail and respond to your questions and requests at minimum on the following days and times:

Monday 6:00 AM

Wednesday 6:00 AM

Friday 6:00 AM

COURSE TEXTS

Buckley, Thomas 2002 Standing Ground: Yurok Indian Spirituality, 1850-1990.

Deloria, Ella Waterlily. University of Nebraska Press.

Deloria, Vine, Jr. 1969 Custer Died for Your Sins; an Indian Manifesto. New York: Macmillan.

Erdrick, Louise 1984. Love Medicine. New York: Bantam Books.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• ACTIVE Class participation: You are expected to read the texts, and respond to assigned questions on the BSCW BEFORE each class. Readings and assignments are due on the date they are listed on the Course Schedule. Thus, the readings for September 14th are to be read for the class to be held on September 14th. Participation includes the following:
  • speaking in class,
  • adding internet sites relevant to our course of studies to the BSCW,
  • using the academic resources of the college such as writing center and office hours which the professor holds,
  • responding to your classmates and professor's comments on the BSCW and the Course Mailing List. You are also expected to check the on-line Course Schedule when and if the professor negotiates any changes. Attendance, deep thought, attentiveness, and interest are all vital to your success in class but represent passive participation. Active participation is any public act that enhances the educational experience for everyone in the class.
  • diligently commenting on each of the news items presented on Thursdays
    
• Papers: You are required to write 4 papers on four "field experiences". A brief synopsis of the papers are as follows:
  • 1- 2 Two films will be shown in class: "Nanook of the North" by Robert Joseph Flaherty and "Nanook Revisited" by Claude Massot. After viewing the first film and before viewing the second film you are to write a 2-3 page analysis of how Robert Flaherty portrays Inuit (Eskimo) life: discuss the images he portrays of Native life and Native people themselves. You are required to complete this reflection BEFORE the you view the second film on Thursday, "Nanook Revisited". After viewing the second film, reread what you wrote about the first film and analyze the images of Native life and Native people based on both of these documentaries. The second part of the paper is to be between 3 - 5 pages.
  • 3 Visit the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (you may choose either the Southwest Section or the Arctic Section and write a 3 - 5 page essay about how Native People are represented in the exhibit.
  • 4 View any film that concerns itself with Native Americans. You will write a 3 - 5 page essay on how Native People are presented in the film and how is it at variance or in harmony with what we have covered so far in the class. You need to propose your film on blackboard for approval. Film approval is based on first come first served-- no two students may view the same film.
• Exams: Students will take a midterm exam.
  
• Group Culture Area Presentations : Groups of students will present a short seminar based on one of each of the ten culture areas in Native North America.
• Final Project: Each student will submit a focused final written paper based on some element of Native American Studies such as language, contemporary politics, culture, religion, or arts. Students are encouraged to pick topics either in the culture area they studied or in their major area of studies at St. Joseph's University. The final project will be from 7 to 10 pages in length.
• Computing: You are expected to be able to use e-mail, the discussion list, search engines and word processing to enhance your educational experience in this class. Each student is required to have an active e-mail account at St. Joseph's University. All correspondence from your professor will be sent to your St. Joseph's account. The professor will teach the students all the electronic skills necessary for this course so a current lack of confidence in this area should not discourage a student from signing up for the course.
  
• Comments on Native News and Issues : You are expected to read two news articles and answer a discussion question for each article. This is to prepare you to discuss the issues in each Thursday class.
  
• Culture Area Presentation: Each student will join a research group in the class to study one of the 10 Native American culture areas as defined by Native Americanists. At the end of the semester each group will present its findings to the class.

PAPER SUBMISSION

The printed versions of your papers are each to be 3 - 5 complete pages long, 12 point font, and 1 inch margins on all sides of each page. Please use spell-check to proof for spelling errors. A visit to the Writing Center for review of your draft will greatly improve clarity. You may also ask me to review a draft of your paper before submission provided you give me sufficient time to read the paper and meet with you again.

A half letter grade will be deducted for each day an assignment is late unless there are special circumstances and the professor is notified no less than 24 hours before the assignment is due. Note that missing the class on the day which an assignment is due does not give you an extension for the assignment. You need to notify the professor why you were absent for that day and turn in your paper that day unless you have made previous arrangements or there are extenuating circumstances.

For each of the four papers required this semester you are required to submit both a hard copy of the paper and a digital copy which you will upload to the proper folder on the BSCW. I do this for two reasons: 1) I link examples of outstanding papers to the course page for the rest of the class to read provided I have the permission of the authors; 2) I maintain a digital database of previous papers to ensure that there is no plagiarism in these assignments either among classmates or from year to year. If there is a suspicion of plagiarism I will utilize copyfind to substantiate or disprove the suspicion. On each of your papers you are required to provide the following information: Name, Course Number (ANT111), Course Section (A or B or C), File Type (Microsoft Word 2000, Word Perfect etc.). If you are using a MAC or Microsoft Works please save your paper in Rich Text Format (RTF) before uploading it to the BSCW. You do not have to digitally submit ancillary materials such as field notes in digital form unless you wish to do so. If you are not technologically inclined I am most willing to help you provided you come for office hours well in advance of the due date for the first paper, preferably in the first two weeks of the semester.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are required to adhere to the requirements of integrity as outlined by St. Joseph's University. Students are expected to interact with each other in a way which will enhance the learning experience of all and which is never destructive of other persons. Because of the importance of acknowledged collaboration, students are required to cite all assistance, including that gained from peers. Students must never plagiarize work or cheat on quizzes or exams. The professor maintains an audit policy for papers submitted in this course to both reward extraordinary performance and to guard against misuse of sources. Creighton College of Arts and Sciences (my home University) provides a guide to the culture of scholarship which includes information on what constitutes plagiarizing. Acts of cheating and/or plagiarizing (which is also cheating) will result in penalties up to and including being reported to the academic dean and/or receiving a failing grade (F) for the course.

MUTUAL EXPECTATIONS

Below are mutual expectations for this course. I invite students to amplify the list for this specific course for both expectations of me and of yourselves.

You can expect me to :

• be on time for class and office hours
• be prepared for class
• return tests and papers promptly with sufficient comments so you understand why you received the grade you received
• distribute grade reports electronically so you can check the accuracy of my grade book and know your standing in the class at any given time
• allow students to question grades without prejudice and, when asked, re-evaluate work based on the material you initially gave me
• be respectful and attentive when you speak
• give prior notice of any necessary changes made in the syllabus and make additions or alterations only with the consensus of the class
• treat you with respect, fairness and impartiality
• tell jokes and make humorous remarks, some of which may actually be funny
• create at least one opportunity for students to socialize with each other and the professor over a gourmet meal

I expect you to:

• be on time for class (Note: When people arrive late for class, they interrupt the work that has begun. If you are late, I believe an explanation is due us immediately after class.)
• do all assignments on time and be prepared for class by completing all the required readings and pre-discussions
• sign up for office hours at least 24 hours before the actual appointment and be on time for the appointment.
• be respectful and attentive when I speak and when your classmates speak. Never hold a private conversation in class once we have begun.
• treat each other and me with respect consistent with the norm of academic freedom and the Jesuit tradition's focus on the dignity that is due all individuals
• not leave class once it has begun unless some truly critical situation arises (Note: If you know you must leave class before the period ends, you should explain this to me before class; if you find that you must leave class without prior notice, you should explain the situation to me by the next class meeting.)
• attend class and give prior notice of illness or other events that prevent you from attending class
• give me prior notice of important events/conditions (e.g. disabilities, medical conditions, child and other care-providing obligations, work schedules, etc.) in your life that may influence your performance in the class, if you believe that these events/conditions put you at an unfair disadvantage relative to other students and you believe that there is some way in which I can assist you (Note: prior notice is essential. Once exams are taken and papers turned in, my ability to assist you is extremely limited.)

GRADING

I determine grades in the following manner:

Participation	10%
Group Culture Area Presentation	15%
Papers	25%
Midterm Exams	25%
Final Written Culture Area Project	25%

Letter Grades are Awarded as Follows:

A	100 - 90
B+	89.9 - 85
B	84.9 - 80
C+	79.9 - 75
C	74.9 - 70
D	69.9 - 65
F	Below 65

A half letter grade will be deducted for each day an assignment is late unless there are special circumstances and the professor is notified no less than 24 hours before the assignment is due.

GRADING CRITERIA

Participation:
You will be asked to evaluate our own participation performance twice during the semester. It pays to examine the self-evaluation form ahead of time to see the criteria for self-evaluation. The professor will take your own evaluation into consideration when formulating your participation grade.

Papers and Final Project:
In terms of style and execution I utilize the grading criteria of of the English Department for papers submitted to its English 150: Rhetoric and Composition Course. The following are the department's specific norms which I will utilize in this class:

These comments refer to the evaluation of the end product of a lengthy process--the final revised version of a paper, not the first or even the second draft. It is the policy of many composition programs and English departments that global and local revision are vital components of the writing of any student.

An A (outstanding) paper is unique, original, engaging, and full. It will have virtually no grammatical, usage, punctuation, or spelling errors. It has an unique "voice" that reflects an individual writer behind it, and will speak with authority and clarity. It is rich in detail, showing a clear understanding of differences in levels of specificity; it provides justification or support for all general assertions. Its treatment of the topic avoids a feeling of "anonymity." It addresses the assignment directly without avoiding specific requirements.

The B (above average) paper falls short of an A paper usually in two areas: style and development. It has some errors in grammar, usage, punctuation, or spelling, but usually very few; or it has some awkward phrases--but in neither case enough to impede the reading of the paper. Its development is consistently strong, with detail and support present in most, but perhaps not every, instance. Its sense of audience is clear. The B paper addresses the assignment directly and satisfies almost all of its requirements. The B grade is not given to a paper that is not clearly and demonstrably above average.

The C (average) paper addresses the assignment directly and relatively clearly, but without significant depth or clarity. Stylistic errors may be noticeably present, but not in such quantity as to impede the reading in a significant way. A C paper generally provides some support for assertions, but not enough to give the impression of complete thoroughness. The tone and voice of a C paper are fairly clear but often lack a sense of individuality of author or sense of authority. A C paper often has an "anonymous" quality to it, restating standard opinion or assertions without going into significant depth. A C paper is in control of its subject in a reasonable but not yet comprehensive manner.

It is important to note that a C grade on a paper does not mean that the writing, or the student's performance, is in any way poor or substandard. A C means that the work is basically solid and acceptable.

A grade of C+ may be given to a paper whose elements place it in the upper range of C papers, but which is still not of B quality.

The D (below average) paper addresses the assignment only in a brief way, avoiding some of the requirements of the assignment. Many general statements without proof, support, or justification often characterize it. Its usage, grammar, punctuation, or spelling are such that reading the paper is somewhat difficult; it has more than a few such errors per page. It is kept from being an F paper by the fact that it does address the assignment in some way and that it has some structure and does make coherent points.

An F paper has many grammatical, stylistic, punctuation, usage, or diction errors (enough to make reading the paper difficult); it makes few if any coherent assertions about the point; it has little structure; or it has any combination of these problems. A paper which may be acceptable in style and development, but which does not address the assignment at all, may also be given a grade of F.

Special thanks to Bob Whipple for use of these criteria.

Exams:
Examinations will consist in both objective questions of fact to see if the student has a control of the data presented in the course and essay questions which will test the students' ability to synthesize material. Each exam will be graded on a 100 point scale.

Culture Area Presentation:
Your presentation will be graded on the vitality of the delivery, the depth of research of the material, the efficient use of time, the usefulness of the hand-out, the ability to work together as a group and allow full participation of all members, and the professionalism of the dress and presentation of the group.

Contesting a Paper Grade:
If a student feels that a paper was not graded accurately the student should do the following: 1) print out the full requirements for that particular paper; 2) print out a copy of the "exemplary student paper" posted to the BSCW, 3) write a single page explanation of why the grade is inaccurate based on the content of the submitted paper, the paper requirements and the exemplary paper. Note that I cannot grade you on what you intended to say or do or mean unless I have evidence of this in the paper you submitted. Please give all this material to the professor and allow 48 hours for a reevaluation of your paper.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

You are allowed (but not encouraged to use) up to three excused absences during the semester. If you exceed two unexcused or three excused absences or a combination of excused and unexcused absences that totals more than three, you will lose a half a grade for each excessive absence from your final average ( thus if your final numerical grade is the equivalent of a B you will receive a C+ for one excessive absence) unless you can demonstrate that you are in a special situation or you have made arrangements before time with the professor.

An excused absence is defined as an absence in which the student advises the professor by e-mail or phone before the class (whenever humanly possible) takes place and the student substantiates the absence through written documentation which is due within seven days of the absence.

CLASS CANCELLATION

In the event that I have to cancel class due to inclement weather or illness I will send a notice on the Blackboard list. This is the only official notification you will receive. I am establishing procedures because of problems with students posting "class cancelled" notifications in classes that were not cancelled. So to avoid confusion or fraud check your e-mail be be sure that class has been OFFICIALLY cancelled. If you are in the classroom waiting for class and the room is suspiciously empty you can go to the professor's consol and check blackboard from there.

SPECIAL NEEDS

If you have any special learning needs, a documented disability, or are in circumstances which necessitate special consideration, please contact me within the first three weeks of the semester. Students who believe that they have a disability that may influence their academic performance, but who have not yet had the disability documented, should immediately contact and meet the proper personnel at St. Joseph's University.

COURSE READING AND DISCUSSION SCHEDULE

Please refer to the course schedule for a comprehensive listing of readings and other assignments. Note that I have yet to complete this task!

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This page is managed by Rev. Raymond A. Bucko, S.J. Donald MacLean Chair Spring Semester 2007 College of Arts and Sciences Saint Joseph's University 5600 City Ave. Philadlephia, Pa. 19131 E-Mail: bucko@creighton.edu Page Last Updated: March 26, 2007

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