core 220 syllabus fall 2015

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1 What is Art? The dictionary defines “art” as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” But is it more than this? This course aims to get at the heart of the question posed above. But more than defining art, this class is about exploring what makes painting, film, music and literature such potent forces in our lives. While the role of the artist has changed throughout history, art continues to matter to people individually and culturally. In this class, we’ll trace both of these things: why art matters to us and to others. But we’ll do this in a unique way. In this section, students will discuss and analyze art that emerged from Western counterculture movements— specifically the British Romantics, Transcendentalists, Beat Generation and hippies. Through these movements, we will examine issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality. As we do, we’ll explore how art can give voice to the disenfranchised and to original thinkers, and how art can form and transform cultures. In short, this class is at the intersection of sex, drugs, and rock & roll and style, form and rococo. Core 220 is one of six second- year courses that explore Western traditions of thought. In exploring the ideas that formed the philosophical underpinnings of art, science, religion, politics and more, we’ll see how new ideas are formed, how old ideas break down, and sometimes come back to us. Understanding how ideas form and transform is akin to learning what it means to think differently and to open up to new ideas. Ultimately, this class is about more than talking about art—it’s about giving you a foundation for exploring new ideas in later classes and in life. CORE 220 Aesthetics Countercultures in this syllabus >>> What is Art? Nitty-Gritty Details Grade Breakdown Writing Resources Course Calendar questions? concerns? contact me here: >>> email: [email protected] phone/text: 715.937.0507 office/office hours: Aiken 100/TBA Course Website: We’ll use Canvas LMS. Find it under “Current Students.” An Overview of the Course, Expectations, Assignments, and Objectives Your Instructor: Brett Sigurdson The Portable Sixties Reader ed., by Ann Charters ISBN: 9780714832470 Champlain College But is it Art? by Cynthia Freeland ISBN: 9780192853677 “Western Aesthetics: A Quartet of Traditions,” by Richard L. Anderson Distributed in Class On the Road by Jack Kerouac ISBN: 9780140283297 SECTIONS 12, 13 | WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS Fall 2015

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The syllabus for Champlain College's COR-220, sections 12 and 13, for the fall of 2015.

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What is Art? The dictionary defines “art” as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual for m such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” But is it more than this? This course aims to get at the heart of the question posed above. But more than defining art, this class is about exploring what makes painting, film, music and literature such potent forces in our lives. While the role of the artist has changed throughout history, art continues to matter to people

individually and culturally. In this class, we’ll trace both of these things: why art matters to us and to others. But we’ll do this in a unique way. In this section, students will discuss and analyze art that e m e r g e d f r o m We s t e r n counterculture movements—s p e c i fi c a l l y t h e B r i t i s h Romantics, Transcendentalists, Beat Generation and hippies. Through these movements, we will examine issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality. As we do, we’ll explore how art can give voice to the disenfranchised and to original thinkers, and how art can form

and transform cultures. In short, this class is at the intersection of sex, drugs, and rock & roll and style, form and rococo. Core 220 is one of six second-year courses that explore Western traditions of thought. In exploring the ideas that formed the philosophical underpinnings of art, science, religion, politics and more, we’ll see how new ideas are formed, how old ideas break down, and sometimes come back to us. Understanding how ideas form and transform is akin to learning what it means to think differently and to open up to new ideas. Ultimately, this class is

about more than talking about art—it’s about giving you a foundation for exploring new ideas in later classes and in life.

CORE 220

AestheticsCountercultures

i n t h i s s y l l a b u s >>>

What is Art?

Nitty-Gritty Details

Grade Breakdown

Writing Resources

Course Calendar

questions?concerns?contact me

here:>>>

email: [email protected]

phone/text: 715.937.0507

office/office hours: Aiken 100/TBA

Course Website: We’ll use Canvas LMS. Find it under “Current Students.”

An Overview of the Course, Expectations, Assignments, and Objectives

Your Instructor: Brett Sigurdson

The Portable Sixties Reader ed., by Ann

Charters ISBN: 9780714832470

Champlain College

But is it Art? by Cynthia Freeland

ISBN: 9780192853677

“Western Aesthetics: A Quartet of Traditions,”

by Richard L. Anderson

Distributed in Class

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

ISBN: 9780140283297

SECT

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13

| W

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Fall 2015

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The Nitty Gritty... Everything that you need to succeed in this course

Attendance As a student in this class, you are expected to contribute to your fellow students’ edification and growth. As s u c h , yo u m u s t m e e t c e r t a i n expectations so that we may all benefit from your experiences, opinions, and p e r s p e c t i ve s . T h i s s t a r t s w i t h attendance.

Repeated absences will negatively affect your grade. You may miss a maximum of six class periods. More than six absences will lead to automatic failure. Keep in mind, I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences—if you miss, you ’re absent . However, i f an emergency will keep you from attending class for multiple days, please reach out to me and let me know. I will try to post homework in Canvas every day, though I’m not always timely. Should you miss class and need homework info, a workshop partner, etc., please reach out to someone in class for immediate help.

Class Participation We’re going to talk—a lot. About art, movements, and ideas, about things that you might believe are right and things you might believe are wrong. Because these things largely extend from a personal reaction, I want to know your p e r s p e c t i ve , yo u r t a s t e s , yo u r

interpretations, your ideas. You should want the same from your classmates. So, please show up for class ready to talk and discuss. Part of your grade will depend on your participation in class. Students will receive an overall participation grade based on 1) completed writing notebooks, 2) engagement in small-group activities, 3) attending class on time and being clearly prepared, 4) being engaged in class material and/or discussions, 5) proper communication with me. On several occasions throughout the semester I will share a rubric outlining the students’ performance with a letter grade. Please know our classroom is a safe place. You should feel comfortable sharing your ideas without feeling judged.

Assignments This class will consist of four medium-sized papers and projects, several short essays (worth 25 points each), writing notebooks (more on those below) and class participation. In total, we’ll have at least 500 points for this class. To keep up with things, please check Canvas daily. There you will find information on the class, including digital copies of all assignments, your grades, links to important websites, and postings concerning class discussions and topics of interest to our work.

Writing Notebook Please bring a notebook solely for fast-writing assignments beginning the second day of class and continuing until the end of the semester. Your notebook

will be the place where you explore your ideas, doodle, react to writing prompts, and hopefully plant the seeds of ideas for future writing projects. The type of notebook that you provide is of little significance. What matters is that you’re comfortable writing in it and that you use it only for this class. I will require you to turn in your writing notebooks an unspecified number of times at least twice throughout the semester, something which will count towards your overall grade. Note: I have a strict deadline for notebooks. If I leave campus without your writing notebook, you will not receive points for the assignment. If you will be away from class, you can send it to class with someone.

Information Literacy We’re not big fans of tests in classes like this, but every section of COR 220 is required to include an information literacy session. Information Literacy in Fall COR 200-level classes explores the theme of ethical use of information. The IL session for COR 220 explores new information formats in digital music and art—for example, the ethics and merits of song mash-ups. The COR 220 IL session is delivered online via Canvas. This is a self-paced, self-directed online lesson that you’ll take on your own time between September 28 and October 19. The online IL lesson has a number of components. The first aspect of the lesson includes a short video for students to watch. This is followed by a short interactive survey, followed by two separate zero-grade discussions.

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‘Art is either plagiarism or revolution’

Paul Gaugin

In addition to skills and knowledge, Champlain College aims to teach students appropriate Ethical and Professional Standards of Conduct. The Academic Honesty Policy exists to inform students and Faculty of their obligations in upholding the highest standards of professional and ethical integrity. All student work is subject to the Academic Honesty Policy. Professional and Academic practice provides guidance about how to properly cite, reference, and attribute the intellectual property of others. Any attempt to deceive a faculty member or to help another student to do so will be considered a violation of this standard.

The penalty for plagiarism in this course may include, but is not limited to, failure of English 112. For questions or concerns, I encourage you to consult a reputable source, the Writing Center, or me.

AcademicIntegrity

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The Nitty Gritty... Everything that you need to succeed in this course

Final Portfolio Writing is a process. You’re not going to sharpen your ability to write by getting one shot at it. Therefore, you will be encouraged to improve the assignments that you submit throughout the semester until the last week of the course. On the final day of classes, you’ll submit to me a portfolio of all your major assignments, edited and sculpted to (I hope) perfection. Here’s how it will work: after you submit an assignment to me, I’ll respond with comments and a grade—the grade you would receive if you didn’t do any more work on it. If you’re satisfied with your work and the grade do nothing more. However, if you feel that you can do better, continue to work on the paper throughout the semester through revision, visiting with the Writing Center, and meeting with me. At the end of the semester, you’ll submit your work to me in a portfolio with a cover letter. The work that you submit should be your very best. The portfolio will stand as the bulk of your grade for the class.

Students Requiring Accommodations

If you believe that you require accommodations in this class, please contact Counseling and Accommodation Services as soon as possible. You will be able to schedule a meeting with Denise Myers and have your documentation reviewed. During that meeting, Denise will provide you with letters for your faculty, which will detail your needed accommodations. It is the student's

re spons ib i l i t y t o s eek and s ecure accommodations prior to the start of a test or project.

Contact: Denise Myers, Counseling and Accommodation Services, via phone ( 8 0 2 . 8 6 5 . 5 4 8 4 ) o r e m a i l ([email protected]). Her office is located in Skiff Hall, room 100.

Class Philosophies This is not a difficult class, though it’s not easy either. The most successful students in my courses aren’t necessarily the best writers; rather, the most successful students simply do the work. To succeed in this class, you simply need to show up, do each assignment, push yourself to create your best work, and revise, revise, revise. While the quality of your work takes precedence over anything else in terms of your grade, the above-mentioned things will lead to quality work.

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

1. No matter what, you each have something to gain from this class. I expect all my students to push themselves. 2. If you tell me before, it’s an explanation. If you tell me after, it’s an excuse. I’m up for working with you in the case of the former, less so in the latter. 3. At any point during the semester, I will be happy to respond to questions or concerns regarding this course, your performance, or your grade. Please feel free to visit me during my office hours or to make an appointment. 4. I reserve the right to change assignments, due dates, etc. on the syllabus with proper warning. 5. You have a number of ways to contact me. I expect you to work with

me if you are having problems with your work or the course. Please don’t wait until the end-of-course evaluations to share your issues or struggles with this class. 6. Finally, let’s face it: technology breaks. servers go down, transfers time out, files become corrupt. The list goes on and on. These are not considered emergencies. They are part of the normal production process. An issue you may have with technology is no excuse for late work. You need to protect yourself by managing your time and backing up your work.    

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WORKSHOPS While this isn’t a writing class per se, you’ll be writing a lot

in this class, and I’ll expect to receive top-notch papers from you. The best way to find out if your paper is successful is to get feedback from other people. To that end, we’ll spend a number of class sessions doing workshops throughout the semester.

Though you’ll participate in a few kinds of workshops, you’ll always do the same three things:

1. Read and respond to line-level things such as misspellings, inconsistencies, etc. 2. Write a few sentences about at least one thing that is working at the end. Write a few sentences about one thing that could be better. 3. Go over feedback with partner. Ask writer if he/she has questions. We will spend one class period during week three going

through how to workshop effectively.While many of you may be against letting peers read your work, this is a required part of

my class and one that you’ll soon come to see has enormous value to you.

Each workshop will be worth 10 points. If you miss a workshop due to absence, you can still get the points by finding a partner with whom to exchange papers. You must read a paper as well as exchange your own. Each partner must verify he or she workshopped in order to get the points.

If you don’t have a paper to share, don’t come to class. Use the time to work on your paper.

I expect you to take workshops seriously. They aren’t a time to talk or do work for other classes. In order to realize the true value of workshops, you’ve got to come prepared each time ready to talk about your revised work

Ultimately, it’s up to you to take advantage of the workshop experience. You must come to class ready to get good feedback and offer it to your partner. Simply participating in workshops doesn’t guarantee your paper will improve. You’ve got to be an active participant in the workshop process. Ask questions. Listen. Ask more questions. Do this until there are no more questions

‘Interpretation is the revenge of the intellect upon art.’

Susan Sontag

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The Writing Center

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Week One [9/2–9/4] W: What is Art? Bring Writing Notebook, Buy Books F: Is Art Irrelevant? Read Syllabus

Week Two [9/9–9/11] W: Art According to Tolstoy, Emerson, et al F: How an Artist Sees

Week Three [9/16–9/18] W: Four Quartets F: Gender/Sexuality/Race

Week Four [9/23–9/25] W: How to Write About Art F: Museum Visit. Art Manifesto Due

Week Five [9/30–10/2] W: Beethoven’s Eroica F: John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme

Week Six [10/7–10/9] W: Bop Music F: NO CLASS—Work Day.

Week Seven [10/14–10/16] W: This is the Beat Generation F: Whitman, Romantics, Transcendentalists. My Love Supreme Due

Week Eight [10/21–10/23] W: Discuss Reading 1 of On the Road F: Discuss Reading 2 of On the Road

Week Nine [10/28–10/30] W: Discuss Reading 3 of On the Road F: Discuss Reading 4 of On the Road

Week Ten [11/4–11/6] W: Women of the Beat Generation F: Burroughs, Snyder, Corso, Welch, Ferlinghetti. Research Paper Due

Week Eleven [11/11–11/13] W: Avante-Garde Art F: Kesey, Wolfe, Thompson, Didion

Week Twelve [11/18–11/20] M: Black Arts/Civil Rights W: The Women’s Movement

Week Thirteen [11/25–11/27] W: NO CLASS—Thanksgiving Break F: NO CLASS—Thanksgiving Break

Week Fourteen [12/2–12/4] W: It’s Only Rock n’ Roll But I Like It F: Talkin’ Dylan

Week Fifteen [12/9–12/11] W: Film F: Film

Final Portfolio, Art Project Due Week of Dec. 14

Though the plethora of portable devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc.) available to us can make our lives easier and more enjoyable, they are of limited application in the classroom. I have no patience for cell phones or off-topic computer use in my classroom.This is disrespectful to me and your classmates. If I see you using a cell phone or computer for use other than notes, recording homework, or an appointment, you will be given an absence. If you must text or call someone during class, simply let me know and step outside the classroom.

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The Champlain Writing Center provides free one-with-one writing support for all members of the Champlain community. Writing center consultants work with students on a wide-range of writing topics, including brainstorming ideas, topics selection, understanding assignments, essay organization and sentence-level revisions. The consultants are also trained to work with the writing you do outside of class as well. For example, the staff is prepared to discuss creative writing projects, cover letters and public writing composed by the students, staff and faculty at Champlain.

The Champlain Writing Center has two locations. The first is located on the second floor of the Miller Information Commons and is open between 1-4 Monday-Friday. Evening hours are also available in the SMART space, located in Coolidge Hall between 5-8 Sunday-Thursday.

Champlain College is taking precautionary measures to ensure that this class can continue in a "virtual environment" even during an extended emergency such as severe weather, contagious disease, physical infrastructure failure, campus closure, or similar incident. This course will continue either online through a college-provided learning management system (Canvas), or through some other process unless cancelled.

In the event of such an emergency, students are expected to continue instructor-designated class activities, as directed by the instructor. Due to the nature of the "virtual environment" learning activities may differ slightly from the on-campus course. In order for this emergency preparedness plan to be effective, you are asked to ensure that you will have a computer and internet access at the location in which you will reside during an extended campus closure, prepare yourself with the basic skills of logging into Canvas via the dashboard, finding your course(s) and entering them, and participate in a "warm up" online activity in the "virtual environment" when directed to do so by your instructor.

Business Continuity

technology

√ Evaluate works of art using the vocabulary, categories, and theories of aesthetic criticism. √ Situate works of art in the historical and cultural contexts in which they were created. √ Articulate theoretically- informed conclusions about the role of the arts in Western society and in their lives. √ Evaluate works of art through the interpretive lenses of race, class, and gender.

Course Objectives...course calendar... This is a broad overview of this course’s trajectory. This will most likely evolve and change as we progress and figure out where we need to spend more or less time. Specific homework will be given each day in class. You should read each chapter before the day it is listed on the schedule.

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Helpful Words >>>

‘Artists must be sacrificed to their art. Like bees, they must put their lives into the sting they give.’

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

‘Children, like animals, use all their senses to discover the world. Then artists come along and discover it the same way again.’

—Eudora Welty

MajorAssignments

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Paper Two: My Love Supreme. This assignment asks you to compose a symphony like Beethoven or a concept album like John Coltrane. Seriously. Well, kind of. After analyzing Beethoven’s Eroica and Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, you’ll compose your own musical statement about a time and place using the music of others. The goal of this assignment is to produce a symphony that follows Beethoven or Coltrane’s epics in mood while creating a playlist and paper that says something about your life. 100 Points. Due 10.16

Paper Three: Research Paper. This paper will ask you to analyze a work of art or one that you create, using the critical theories and approaches we talk about throughout the semester. You’ll also be asked to write a narrative of experiencing it. 150 Points. Due 11.6.

Paper Four: On the Road, On the Canvas. For this assignment, you’ll take a cue from the Beats and hippies and do something unique: take a road trip, go for a long hike, spend some time in the city exploring—something you wouldn’t normally do. Inspired by this experience, I want you to create a piece of art. It can be a painting, sculpture, performance piece, short story, poem, essay—it’s up to you to manifest your experience into a piece of art as we come to define it. After you complete your piece of art, you’ll analyze and reflect on it. On the final day of class we’ll have a gallery show and reading in which you’ll present your work to the class. 200 Points. Due Finals Week.

Paper One : Art Manifesto. We’re studying counterculture art movements in this class, all of them born from some sort of idea about what art is, isn’t, and should be. For this assignment, you’re going to write a paper detailing your own art manifesto. 100 points. Due 9.25.Feeling depressed? Anxious?

Get help. As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. If you come to me with non-course-related concerns, I will seek to keep information you share private to the greatest extent possible.  However, I also have a mandatory reporting responsibility related to my role as a faculty member. Please understand that I am legally required to share with designated Champlain College offices information regarding sexual misconduct such as sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and partner or relationship violence. Here is the college policy that applies in this area: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?cataoid=15&navoid=472  If you need to talk to someone, my door is always open. You can also access confidential support by contacting Counseling and Accommodation Services.  The Director, Skip Harris, can be reached at 802-651-5961 or [email protected], and his office is in Skiff Hall.

Necessary small print: COR 115 is offered in partial fulfillment of the New England Association of Schools and College’s

requirement that one-third of a student’s education at a NEASC-accredited institution be comprised of general education courses.  According to NEASC, which is Champlain College’s accrediting body, “The general education requirement . . . ensures adequate breadth for all degree-seeking students by showing a balanced regard for what are traditionally referred to as the arts and humanities; the sciences including mathematics; and the social sciences.  General education requirements include offerings that focus on the subject matter and methodologies of these three primary domains of knowledge as well as their relationships to one another.”

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Grade Scale ≥ 100=A+ 93–99=A 90–92=A- 87–89=B+

83–86=B 80–82=B- 77–79=C+ 73–76=C

70–72=C-

63–69=D

0–59=F

Note 1: The content of these assignments, the point values, a n d e ve n t h e a s s i g n m e n t s themselves may change as we go through the semester.

Note 2: You will submit all assignments to me via Canvas, where I will grade them and return them to you via the same manner with feedback and a rubric. If you’re unsure how this works, don’t worry. We’ll go over it in class.