Spring 2012 ENGLISH 101-6 Freshman Seminar- Assimilation in Early 20th C. Literature

"Assimilation in Early 20th C. Literature" - Freshman Seminar

With the election of President Obama, much media attention has been given to the claim that the United States is a post-racial society. But how does such a claim ring in the ears of non-white bodies still navigating day-to-day in the streets of a nation with such bitter and brutal race and ethnicity-based inequalities in its not so distant past? How genuine are descriptors such as "color blind," "multicultural," and "melting pot" for a country with de facto segregated neighborhoods, Arizona's HB1070, and gangsta rap? In this course we will think about and interrogate these pressing and decidedly twenty-first century questions through the lens of early twentieth century American literature. By reading texts written by racial and ethnic minorities before the civil rights movements, we will explore the ways that U.S. citizens of different colors thought about assimilation and Americanization before these became dirty words in the pop culture imaginary. We will also read texts by historians, philosophers, and sociologists, etc. to better inform our understanding of issues of race, ethnicity, and nationality. Weekly we will make mental trips back to the future to contextualize and complicate our opinions about the relevance and persistence of the plights of our authors.

Participation (includes: class discussions, attendance, and group work)15%; Critical Thinking Exercises (includes: Class presentations and current events inquiries)15%; Informal Writing Assignments (includes: Working essay drafts and Blackboard postings)15%; Peer Evaluations15%; Annotated Bibliography10%; Revised Formal Essays30%. 3 Essays: Critical Reflection Essay2-4 pp; Literary Analysis Essay4-6 pp; Research Essay6-8 pp

Wanalee Romero studies and teaches about ethnicity and race in late nineteenth century and early twentieth century American literature. Interrogating conceptions of borders and national belonging, she concentrates on literary sentimentality, folklore, and the Gothic. When not drafting chapters or grading essays, Romero listens to reggaetón while walking her Chihuahua, Lucy, along the lake.

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