Course Description
This course is designed to study a topic in depth aiming to model approaches to literary criticism and research methodology that will culminate in the students’ final research portfolio project. This spring we will be studying the interplay between history and memory, and the construction of gendered identities as represented in early 20th century peninsular fiction and non-fiction. We will analyze the medical discourse during the first third of the century, and particularly during the Second Republic (1931-1939), insomuch as it supplies the roots of gender construction. We will consider both liberal and conservative viewpoints as well as contemporary perspectives. Finally, we will consider how political ideas change over time.
Learning goals
In this course, students will:
- Conduct an undergraduate level research project, in the subfields of Hispanic Studies, that is informed by relevant literary and cultural theory and effectively communicate it both in writing and orally;
- Gain a nuanced understanding of gender roles and sexual identities in the period preceding the Spanish Civil War while also examining the trajectory of feminism in Spain; and,
- Make connections between culture, politics, and gender roles in order to reach a better understanding of how these ideas influence us today.
Primary Texts
- Amadori, Luis César. Cristina Guzmán, profesora de idiomas. 1968. DVD.
- Burgos, Carmen de. Quiero vivir mi vida. 1931. Ed. Susan Larson. Doral, FL: Stockcero, 2009.
- Cal, Rosa. A mí no me doblega nadie. A Coruña: Edicios de Castro. 1991. 2ª ed. 2009.
- Fernán Gómez, Fernando. Mi hija Hildegart. Madrid: Jet Films, 1977. DVD.
- Guzmán, Eduardo de. El confidente. Madrid: Ediciones Libertad, 1932.
- Guzmán, Eduardo de. Aurora de sangre. Vida y muerte de Hildegart. Madrid: La linterna sorda, 2014.
- Hildegart. ¿Quo vadis, burguesía? Madrid: Ediciones Libertad, 1932.
- Hildegart. Hildegart en La Tierra. Ferrol: Ateneo Ferrolán, 2014.
- Icaza, Carmen de. Cristina Guzmán, profesora de idiomas. 1931. Ed. Paloma Montojo. Madrid: Castalia: 1991.
- Juarros, César. El amor en España. Características masculinas.
- Marañón, Gregorio. Selección de Tres ensayos sobre la vida sexual.
- Marañón, Gregorio. Selección de La evolución sexual y los estados intersexuales.
- Pye, Sheila. The Red Virgin. 2009
- Critical articles are listed in the calendar and posted on the course website.
Work
In this seminar, our class discussions will incorporate critical dialogue of the texts in question. Prior to each class period, you will read a primary work, a critical article or articles, in addition to completing a writing assignment. Each will be of equal importance.
It is essential that you complete the reading on time and with enough time to reflect upon how the reading fits into the overall scope of the course. The assignments below are designed with this goal in mind.
Participation in the day’s discussion is essential. To get the most out of the discussion, you must have read the day’s assigned work, thoroughly and critically. Periodic self, peer, and professor reviews will also inform your final participation grade.
Discussion Leaders / Directores de la conversación: Students will lead class discussions in groups of two. Guidelines to follow.
Written Assignments – The written assignments are designed to prepare you, incrementally, for your final research portfolio due in December:
- Weekly Blogs/Blog semanal (See below)
- Close Reading Assignments/Comentarios de texto
- Annotated Bibliographies/Bibliografías anotadas
- Critical Response Papers/Respuestas críticas
We will divide the class into three groups. Each group will be assigned a role that rotates weekly to contribute to the Class blog / Bitácora:
- First Readers / Lectores iniciales: These students are responsible for posting initial questions and insights about the week’s assignments to the class blog by noon on Monday. These initial posts should be about 200 words and strive to be thoughtful and nuanced, avoiding description and summary.
- Respondents / Estudiantes respondedores: Students in this group will build upon, disagree with, or clarify the first readers’ posts by 10:00pm on Wednesday. The respondents can also incorporate elements of the Tuesday’s class discussion into their posts.
- Searchers / Investigadores: These students are responsible for finding and sharing at least one relevant resource with the class. These resources might include news stories, journal articles, book reviews, and so on. The searchers must provide a short (no more than a paragraph) evaluative annotation of the resource. Due by noon on Saturday (at the end of the week).
Regardless of your group, late posts cannot be made up; if you miss a week, then you receive no credit for that week’s blog.
Final Research Portfolio including the following:
A developed reflection on the blogging experience (500-750 words)
A close reading of the primary text (750 words)
An annotated bibliography of secondary sources used (at least 8 entries)
A critical response to a secondary source used in the research paper (500-750 words)
A research paper with bibliography (2500 words)
Grading
The final grade will be calculated in the following manner:
Class Participation …………………………………………………… 15%
Discussion Leading……………………………………………………. 5%
Blogging……………………………………………………………….. 15%
Close Reading………………………………………………………… 10%
Annotated Bibliographies…………………………………………….. 10%
Critical Response Assignments……………………………………. 10%
Final Research Portfolio…………………………………………….. 35%
A (4.0) = 100-94 C+ (2.3) = 79-78
A- (3.7) = 93-90 C (2.0) = 77-74
B+ (3.3) = 89-88 C- (1.7) = 73-70
B (3.0) = 87-84 D+ (1.3) = 69-68
B- (2.7) = 83-80 D (1.0) = 67-65 (lowest passing grade)
Honor Code
All written assignments must follow MLA research guidelines. Never take credit for someone else’s ideas or words and always document your sources. Cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing will not be tolerated. All violations of the Honor Code will be reported to the Honor Committee.
If you do not own a style guide that covers MLA format, I recommend getting one. I also encourage you to use Zotero, a freely available reference manager for Windows and Mac, which runs as a Firefox extension. See www.zotero.org for more information.
Additional Resources*
The Speaking Center – Chambers North Basement, B-39. Sunday through Thursday from 9-11 pm.
The Writing Center – Chambers North Basement, B-39. Sunday through Thursday, 2-4 and 8-11 pm.
The Reference Desk – E.H. Little Library
*Note: It is not against the Honor Code to avail yourself of these resources. On the contrary, it is wise learning practice to consult the experts at these centers, in particular, those who speak and read Spanish. It is against the Honor Code to have someone at these centers do your work for you.
Email Policies
- I aim to reply to all e-mails within 24 hours. If ever I do not respond to an e-mail within 72 hours, please e-mail me again.
- Please do not send e-mails asking for information that you could find with minimal effort on the syllabus or the web. I may or may not respond to such e-mails.
- It is the student’s responsibility to check email daily.
Disability Policy
In compliance with The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Davidson College is committed to ensuring full access for all otherwise qualified students. Any student who has a documented disability or feels s/he may need accommodations in my class based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss accommodations and/or contact the Office of Disability Resources (Nance Longworth nalongworth@davidson.edu) in The Center for Teaching & Learning. Please initiate the accommodations process as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Electronics in the classroom
Because computer screens block faces and provide distraction, please take notes by hand. You may use a tablet to refer to the PDF documents on our webpage, however keep in mind that it is less cumbersome to annotate hard copies of documents. Please remember to silence your cell phones and always refrain from using social media during class.
Attendance
Regular and prepared attendance is a course requirement; if you must be absent, always give me an honest explanation before or immediately after the absence via e-mail. More than two unexcused absences will result in your final grade being lowered by a third (a B becomes a B-), and this will repeat for each additional absence. According to College Policy, missing a substantial number of classes will result in automatic failure of the course. You are responsible for determining and completing any work that you miss because of an excused or unexcused absence.
Late Assignments & Extension Policy
You are expected to complete all readings, viewings, and assignments on time; even if you are not in class the day it is due, it is still due. Grades on late assignments will be reduced 10% for every day they are late. Assignments more than a week late will only be accepted in extenuating circumstances.
Extensions will not be granted at the last minute, but if you have several projects due at the same time and contact me several days or weeks in advance, you may have one extension per semester. Use it wisely.
(Policy language, some of which has been adapted, is courtesy of Prof. Melissa González.)