Dr. Ted Toadvine, Plumb Hall 411P  Office: 3:00 - 4:00 MWF, 3:30 - 4:30 R (or by appt.)  Phone: 341-5566 (office); 341-5462 (Social Sciences)  Email: toadvint@emporia.edu

Dr. Elizabeth Locey, Roosevelt Hall 208A  10:00 - 10:50 MTRF (or by appt.)  341-5520 (office); 341-5424 (Foreign Lang.)  loceyeli@emporia.edu

 

Sartre, No Exit
Sartre, Anti-Semite and Jew
Beauvoir, The Second Sex
Beauvoir, A Very Easy Death
Genet, The Blacks
Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks
Gordon, Bad Faith and Antiblack Racism
Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism

On Library Reserve:
Sartre, "Existentialism as a Humanism"
Sartre, "Revolutionary Violence"
Sartre, Preface to Fanon's Wretched of the Earth
Beauvoir, Preface to Leduc's La Bâtarde
Leduc, In the Prison of her Skin
 

Team-taught by professors from Philosophy and French, this course will begin with an introduction to 20^th century existentialism in post-war France, focusing on the work of the two most famous existentialist theorists: Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. These two thinkers lay the basic methodological groundwork for existentialism, and also underline its most controversial dilemma: the problem of reconciling human freedom and autonomy with the exigencies of worldly situations and institutions. In a nutshell, the key philosophical problem of existentialism--and this course--is understanding how to reconcile our own personal and individual freedom with the fact of belonging to traditions and institutional structures which circumscribe our power and control, especially those institutional structures which prescribe sexual and racial norms or result in racist or sexist oppression. How is our very freedom and consciousness altered by being embedded in the fabric of a racist or sexist society? And what kind of consciousness can we ascribe to the perpetrators and victims of racist or sexist oppression?

We find these specific questions examined, more or less directly, throughout the literary and philosophical writings of the existentialist period in France, and we will examine a diverse collection of writings representative of different styles and approaches to these issues. In closing, we will examine a contemporary work by the most outspoken proponent of the return to existentialism as the basis for a viable philosophy of race and racism.

COURSE GRADING & REQUIREMENTS

• average of weekly reading reflections = 50%
• take-home essay = 15%
• mid-term (15%) and final (20%) exams = 35%

2. This is a reading-intensive class. You will have reading assignments for every class, some of which may be quite lengthy. You are expected to be in command of the assigned readings PRIOR to the class period in which we will discuss them. Otherwise, any attempt to discuss the material will be a waste of time. Some of the readings will be quite dense and require effort on your part to understand them. Give yourself time to read difficult passages more than once.

3. Every week, unless otherwise announced, you will be expected to bring to class a one-page (typed) READING REFLECTION. These reflections should discuss the reading assigned for the current class period, and may include questions, comments, ideas, objections, comparisons, relevant experiences of your own, or any other reaction which thoughtfully engages with the assigned material. During weeks in which an assignment is given on both class days, you may choose to write your reflection for either class. We will often begin discussion by randomly selecting students to read their reflection papers to the class: as it will be your turn to read on at least a few occassions, be prepared. While you will not be graded on the reading of your essay per se, this activity is a required part of your participation in the class. Therefore, regular absence or failure to have a paper to read will have a chilling effect on your grade. Each reading reflection will receive a grade of -, , or +. These will be worth 3, 4, or 5 points, respectively. The average of all reflection grades will account for 50% of your final course grade (multiply the average of all reflection grades by 10).

4. You will write one take-home ESSAY, worth 15% of the final course grade, in response to questions distributed in class. Essays must be at least 1500 words (about 5 pages), and a WORD COUNT must appear on the first page of your essay. Papers less than the minimum number of words will receive an "F." Essays will only be accepted if TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE-SPACED, STAPLED, AND PROOF-READ, and must be brought to class on the due date. Late essays will lose one letter grade per calendar day late. Assistance in writing essays is available from the Writing Center, 345 Southeast Morse Hall (341-5380). If you anticipate trouble with your writing, please consult with us or the Writing Center as soon as possible during the semester. Students having trouble with writing fundamentals may be required to seek assistance from the Writing Center as a condition for continuing in the course.

5. MID-TERM AND FINAL EXAMS, respectively worth 15% and 20% of your final course grade, will include an "objective" component and an essay component. Review sheets will be distributed one week prior to exams, and ample class time will be provided to ask questions about the material to be covered on exams. Although the final will concentrate on material from the second half of the course, you will be expected to draw on material from throughout the course.

6. Discussion is crucial to this class, and we are counting on you to provide it. We will do our best to make everyone feel at ease and welcome to contribute to the discussions. Talking with each other about these sometimes difficult and/or controversial topics is a sure-fire way to understand them better (and it also makes for a livelier class period). So our hope is that you will put in your two cents whenever you are struck by a question, idea, problem, or objection. NO RELEVANT REMARK IS OUT OF BOUNDS IN THIS CLASS. As an added incentive for your participation, we will take into account your regular contributions to the ongoing discussion in borderline grade cases. For example, regular thoughtful participation in discussion (not just quantity, of course, but also quality) may raise a high "B" grade (say, an 89) up to an "A." 

PLEASE NOTE

1. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes plagiarism, the paraphrase or quotation of any published or unpublished source--including the textbook--without full and clear acknowledgment. If you are uncertain about what documentation is appropriate, please consult with us or the Writing Center before submitting your written work. The university policy regarding academic dishonesty, as explained in the Student Handbook (p. 37), will be strictly enforced.
 

2. If you have a documented disability, please let us know as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodation can be made.