LAS 284 - Travel & Migration

Calendar of Readings and Assignments

This page contains a list of all readings and assignments. It is subject to change, although I shall try to alert you ahead of time if it does change. You are responsible for checking the website when alerted in class as to changes. Many page numbers will be altered over the course of the semester.

Introduction

F 1/11 Introduction to the course and to each other.
- Common Questions

Takaki - A Different Mirror - Session I

M 1/14 Takaki's purpose and method
- Reading: Takaki 1-20 (R)
- Discussion Questions
  1. What are the connections between Takaki's personal history and the production of this book? Should these connections matter to us as critical readers? How might they alter his approach to his subject matter?
  2. How do contemporary invents inform Takaki's approach to this history?
  3. What are the problems with contemporary historical writing/teaching that Takaki is trying to address?
  4. What, ultimately, is Takaki's goal with this book. Can you extrapolate a "thesis" for the book from the introductory chapters?
W 1/16 Takaki Chapter II
- Reading: Takaki 21-50 (R)
- Discussion Questions
  - What does Takaki mean by "the racialization of savagery?" How does he see this idea as developing over time and what are the consequences?
  - Describe Takaki's narrative of the "discovery" of America in a few sentences (perhaps 2). Are there direct conflicts with the history you have been taught, or does it pretty much line up with your previous understanding?
  - Plan: Break into groups and go through the chapter. In each instance of violence that Takaki describes, why does conflict break out?
F 1/18 Takaki Discussion wrap-up

The Vikings

M 1/21Graenlendinga Saga
- Reading: Vinland 45-72 (R)
  - Questions
W 1/23 Eirik's Saga
- Reading: Vinland 73-105 (R)
  - Questions
F 1/25 Viking Communities, Viking Encounters
- Reading: Re-examine the sagas.Work on paper.
- For class - Look through the Vinland sagas at each moment of contact between the Vikings and the Skraelings. What happens in each encounter? Why do things turn out one way or the other?
  - Also work on your paper.
  - Also look at the Skraelings under the boat episode in page 60, then read Takaki. Be ready to assess Takaki's description.
M 1/28 NO CLASS
- Paper on Vinland due at my office by 12:30

Ourselves, Our Communities

W 1/30 Modern Travel
- Travel narrative presentation (real or imaginary)
- Come to class with your own "travel narrative" written. You will need to present it to the class, and may use pictures/powerpoint if you wish (let me know). I will present my own travel narrative.
- Then we will take these presentations and turn them into papers due on 2/4.
- More info.
F 2/1 Travel in the Media
- Reading: Recent article on travel. (R)
  - Use the Internet to find a recent travel narrative written in a major newspaper or magazine. You need to email me a link to your article by the 5:00 PM on Thursday, just to make sure you are on the right track.
  - Write a reading journal that you can also use to present your article to the class.
  - Think, as always, about our core questions
    - What does the traveler see in a foreign land that a local might not? What do we learn about that land?
    - What might we be able to say about the biases and perspectives that the traveler brings with himself or herself?
M 2/4 Our Communities and Ourselves. Who are we?
- Discussion - Our Communities (details TBA)
- Due Travel Narratives

NOTE - Due to illness snow day, we are now behind. Calendar will be adjusted.

W 2/6 Travel in the Media
- Reading: Recent article on travel. (R)
  - Use the Internet to find a recent travel narrative written in a major newspaper or magazine. You need to email me a link to your article by the 5:00 PM on Thursday, just to make sure you are on the right track.
  - Write a reading journal that you can also use to present your article to the class.
  - Think, as always, about our core questions
    - What does the traveler see in a foreign land that a local might not? What do we learn about that land?
    - What might we be able to say about the biases and perspectives that the traveler brings with himself or herself?
F 2/8 Migration in the media
- Reading: Recent article on migration. (R) Follow the same path as for the article on travel. Email me a link by 5:00 PM on Thursday, as with last time. Consider the following questions as you write your reading journal.
  1. Why are people traveling?
  2. Are there comparisons to be made between the travel-for-pleasure and the travel-for-work?
  3. Do we, again, learn about diverse cultures through reading about migration?
M 2/11 A stranger in our land.
- Due - Traveling Home

The Silk Road

W 2/13 Reading: Whitfield: Introduction and The Merchant's Tale (R)
F 2/15 Reading: The Soldier's Tale and the Horseman's Tale (R)
M 2/18 Reading: The Princess' Tale and the Courtesan's Tale (R)
W 2/20 Reading: The Nun's Tale and the Widow's Tale (R)
F 2/22 NO CLASS. Work on revising your personal travel narrative.
M 2/25 Make our own blogs
W 2/27 Reading: The Monk's Tale and the Official's Tale. Whitfield wrap-up. (R)
F 2/29 Reading: Travel and Migration in medieval central Asia. Consequences
- Presentation on Whitfield due

M 3/1 SPRING BREAK
W 3/5 SPRING BREAK
F 3/8 SPRING BREAK

Great Travelers

M 3/10 Meet in Crown 111 for more work on blogs
W 3/12 Arabs on the Silk Road - Ibn Fadlan (online - print out!) (R)
F 3/14 World of Ibn Battuta
- Paper on Whitfield due - first draft
M 3/17 Battuta pages 3-58 (R)
- For your reading journal each day:
  - Summarize where he goes and what happens, each episode in a sentence or two.
  - Then talk about what we learn in regards to our questions:
    - What do travelers, outsiders, see in the communities that they visit that an insider might miss?
    - What do travelers learn about themselves and their home communities by traveling to other places?
    - Ultimately - how does one's own identity change by seeing how others construct their identities?
W 3/19 Battuta pages 59-100 (R)
F 3/21 GOOD FRIDAY
M 3/24 Battuta pages 101-160 (R)
W 3/26 Battuta pages 183-200, 273-296 (R)
F 3/28 NO CLASS
M 3/31 Movie Day!
- Paper Due on Ibn Battuta
W 4/2 Zheng He - Do in class. Post answers on blog.
F 4/4 DeToqueville - 895-907: "Two Weeks in the Wilderness"
- R - Answer in your blog: Why does the author go to the Wilderness? What does he think of White Americans? What of Indian Americans? What of the relationship between the different groups? How does he describe the wilderness and what impresses him?
M 4/7 DeToqueville - Pages 11-26 (R).
- On page 16, the author writes, "A new political science is needed for a totally new world." Why does he think this? What is political science and why is it necessary? How would he go about constructing a new political science? What are the challenges he faces in coming to understand America? Write your reading journal blog-post on this question.

Takaki II

W 4/9 Takaki - Chapter 3 (R)
- Come to class with three questions about the chapter that you think we should dicuss. Also write a 1-paragraph answer for each question to turn in.
F 4/11 NO CLASS
M 4/14 Takaki - Chapter 8 (R)
W 4/16 Takaki - Chapters 4, 5, 6 (R) (divided)
F 4/18 Takaki - Chapters 7, 9, 10 (R)
M 4/21 Takaki - Chapters 11, 12, 13(R)
W 4/23 Takaki - Chapter 14
F 4/25 TBD

Final Paper is Due: Wed, April 30th, by 3:00


Calendar of Readings and Assignments This page contains a list of all readings and assignments. It is subject to change, although I shall try to alert you ahead of time if it does change. You are responsible for checking the website when alerted in class as to changes. Many page numbers will be altered over the course of the semester. Introduction F 1/11 Introduction to the course and to each other. Common Questions *Takaki - A Different Mirror - Session I* M 1/14 Takaki's purpose and method Reading: Takaki 1-20 (R) Discussion Questions What are the connections between Takaki's personal history and the production of this book? Should these connections matter to us as critical readers? How might they alter his approach to his subject matter? How do contemporary invents inform Takaki's approach to this history? What are the problems with contemporary historical writing/teaching that Takaki is trying to address? What, ultimately, is Takaki's goal with this book. Can you extrapolate a "thesis" for the book from the introductory chapters? W 1/16 Takaki Chapter II Reading: Takaki 21-50 (R) Discussion Questions What does Takaki mean by "the racialization of savagery?" How does he see this idea as developing over time and what are the consequences? Describe Takaki's narrative of the "discovery" of America in a few sentences (perhaps 2). Are there direct conflicts with the history you have been taught, or does it pretty much line up with your previous understanding? Plan: Break into groups and go through the chapter. In each instance of violence that Takaki describes, why does conflict break out? F 1/18 Takaki Discussion wrap-up The Vikings M 1/21Graenlendinga Saga Reading: Vinland 45-72 (R) Questions W 1/23 Eirik's Saga Reading: Vinland 73-105 (R) Questions F 1/25 Viking Communities, Viking Encounters Reading: Re-examine the sagas.Work on paper. For class - Look through the Vinland sagas at each moment of contact between the Vikings and the Skraelings. What happens in each encounter? Why do things turn out one way or the other? Also work on your paper. Also look at the Skraelings under the boat episode in page 60, then read Takaki. Be ready to assess Takaki's description. M 1/28 NO CLASS Paper on Vinland due at my office by 12:30 Ourselves, Our Communities W 1/30 Modern Travel Travel narrative presentation (real or imaginary) Come to class with your own "travel narrative" written. You will need to present it to the class, and may use pictures/powerpoint if you wish (let me know). I will present my own travel narrative. Then we will take these presentations and turn them into papers due on 2/4. More info. F 2/1 Travel in the Media Reading: Recent article on travel. (R) Use the Internet to find a recent travel narrative written in a major newspaper or magazine. You need to email me a link to your article by the 5:00 PM on Thursday, just to make sure you are on the right track. Write a reading journal that you can also use to present your article to the class. Think, as always, about our core questions What does the traveler see in a foreign land that a local might not? What do we learn about that land? What might we be able to say about the biases and perspectives that the traveler brings with himself or herself? M 2/4 Our Communities and Ourselves. Who are we? Discussion - Our Communities (details TBA) Due Travel Narratives NOTE - Due to illness snow day, we are now behind. Calendar will be adjusted. W 2/6 Travel in the Media Reading: Recent article on travel. (R) Use the Internet to find a recent travel narrative written in a major newspaper or magazine. You need to email me a link to your article by the 5:00 PM on Thursday, just to make sure you are on the right track. Write a reading journal that you can also use to present your article to the class. Think, as always, about our core questions What does the traveler see in a foreign land that a local might not? What do we learn about that land? What might we be able to say about the biases and perspectives that the traveler brings with himself or herself? F 2/8 Migration in the media Reading: Recent article on migration. (R) Follow the same path as for the article on travel. Email me a link by 5:00 PM on Thursday, as with last time. Consider the following questions as you write your reading journal. Why are people traveling? Are there comparisons to be made between the travel-for-pleasure and the travel-for-work? Do we, again, learn about diverse cultures through reading about migration? M 2/11 A stranger in our land. Due - Traveling Home The Silk Road W 2/13 Reading: Whitfield: Introduction and The Merchant's Tale (R) F 2/15 Reading: The Soldier's Tale and the Horseman's Tale (R) M 2/18 Reading: The Princess' Tale and the Courtesan's Tale (R) W 2/20 Reading: The Nun's Tale and the Widow's Tale (R) F 2/22 NO CLASS. Work on revising your personal travel narrative. M 2/25 Make our own blogs W 2/27 Reading: The Monk's Tale and the Official's Tale. Whitfield wrap-up. (R) F 2/29 Reading: Travel and Migration in medieval central Asia. Consequences Presentation on Whitfield due M 3/1 SPRING BREAK W 3/5 SPRING BREAK F 3/8 SPRING BREAK Great Travelers M 3/10 Meet in Crown 111 for more work on blogs W 3/12 Arabs on the Silk Road - Ibn Fadlan (online - print out!) (R) F 3/14 World of Ibn Battuta Paper on Whitfield due - first draft M 3/17 Battuta pages 3-58 (R) For your reading journal each day: Summarize where he goes and what happens, each episode in a sentence or two. Then talk about what we learn in regards to our questions: What do travelers, outsiders, see in the communities that they visit that an insider might miss? What do travelers learn about themselves and their home communities by traveling to other places? Ultimately - how does one's own identity change by seeing how others construct their identities? W 3/19 Battuta pages 59-100 (R) F 3/21 GOOD FRIDAY M 3/24 Battuta pages 101-160 (R) W 3/26 Battuta pages 183-200, 273-296 (R) F 3/28 NO CLASS M 3/31 Movie Day! Paper Due on Ibn Battuta W 4/2 Zheng He - Do in class. Post answers on blog. F 4/4 DeToqueville - 895-907: "Two Weeks in the Wilderness" R - Answer in your blog: Why does the author go to the Wilderness? What does he think of White Americans? What of Indian Americans? What of the relationship between the different groups? How does he describe the wilderness and what impresses him? M 4/7 DeToqueville - Pages 11-26 (R). On page 16, the author writes, "A new political science is needed for a totally new world." Why does he think this? What is political science and why is it necessary? How would he go about constructing a new political science? What are the challenges he faces in coming to understand America? Write your reading journal blog-post on this question. Takaki II W 4/9 Takaki - Chapter 3 (R) Come to class with three questions about the chapter that you think we should dicuss. Also write a 1-paragraph answer for each question to turn in. F 4/11 NO CLASS M 4/14 Takaki - Chapter 8 (R) W 4/16 Takaki - Chapters 4, 5, 6 (R) (divided) F 4/18 Takaki - Chapters 7, 9, 10 (R) M 4/21 Takaki - Chapters 11, 12, 13(R) W 4/23 Takaki - Chapter 14 F 4/25 TBD Final Paper is Due: Wed, April 30th, by 3:00
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This site last updated: 1/1/08 Comments to: David Perry Homepage URL: http://domin.dom.edu/faculty/dperry/las284/ © 2007 by David Perry and Dominican University. All rights reserved.