Critical Social Inquiry 0282 - Defamiliarizing the "East"

The critic David Lodge describes defamiliarization as "Overcoming the deadening effects of habit by representing familiar things in unfamiliar ways." Our focus will be on re-perceiving the East, asking what it is, how we see it, how we don't see it, how we could see it, all in the hopes of more closely, critically, and compassionately developing different habits about where and how to look. Not deadening habits: living habits. Course requirements will include reading international fiction and non-fiction; in-class presentations; critical response papers; creative writing; and keeping a regular "sensory journal" in which individual, cultural, and/or universal habits are re-examined (e.g., on dress, foods, music, war.) and periodically shared with the class. Bringing supplementary materials to the class (e.g., an article that made you rethink a comfortable position on the 'other') is strongly encouraged. Note: Students MUST attend the first day of class in order to keep their seat.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.