Goals.  Until Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988, few people in the English-speaking world (including people in literature departments) knew much about contemporary writing in Arabic.  There are lots of explanations for such ignorance of what is, after all, a major world literature, some of them rooted in the politics of the publishing business—not to mention the West’s lingering racism where Arabs are concerned.  But over the past twenty years or so, the situation has at least begun to change:  it’s increasingly (though inconsistently) easier to find writing in translation from unfamiliar parts of the world, and students of the humanities increasingly feel that it’s incumbent upon them to comprehend the human experience represented in that writing.  Our aims in this class are in line with those trends.  We’ll expose ourselves to some of the major contemporary literary figures from a chronically misunderstood part of the globe, gain some small sense of the traditions out of which those writers have sprung, and become familiar with some of the recurrent concerns that cut across their work:  the slings and arrows of recent regional history, the place of women in Arab and Muslim societies, and the Arab world’s diverse encounters with a western-inflected “modernity.”

Work.  There will be times when I’ll need to lecture at you, in order to fill you in on some important background or simply plant some idea or other in your head.  But since I’m a relative newcomer to this territory myself, I’m expecting you to be enthusiastic learners who’ll explore it with me, both independently and cooperatively.  Here’s how:  nearly every week, beginning January 30th, half the class will post a response to the week’s reading to one of a series of Blackboard discussion forums that will be linked from the class web page.  I realize that technological unfamiliarity and general fear and loathing can sometimes conspire to rob such tools of their full potential for knowledge-pooling and community-building.  Still, this is one of the best ways I know for you to begin gathering your thoughts about a text and articulating them.  So, um…what exactly do I mean by a “Reading Response”?  Look for a separate, long-winded handout.  For now, let me stick to logistics:

You must post your response no later than 7:00 p.m. on Sundays in weeks when you’re assigned to write (see the Calendar, below), so that other folks have a fighting chance of digesting it (or at least tasting it) before class the next day.  Always save a copy on your hard drive and print out a hard copy for yourself, and bring that copy with you to refer to in class.  (Unless there’s been a system-wide network failure or a documented problem with your Internet provider or in your computer lab, late responses will count against you.  Missing responses may result in a failing grade.)  Each response should be the equivalent of at least two handwritten pages—roughly 400-500 words.  But since this requirement is aimed first and foremost at getting you to think out loud, without undue pressure or judgment, about challenging and sometimes provocative texts, I will normally merely count words unless you specifically ask me (in person or by e-mail) to give you a more substantive response.  A minimum, good-faith effort will be good for something in the “C” range; 600-750 words will earn a B; 800-1000 words an A.  (I hope some of you will be motivated enough to do so of your own volition, but if you’re stirred by grades, you can also guarantee yourself a bump of at least ? of a grade on any given response by writing a reply or a follow-up of at least 100 words later in the week.)    

Collectively, these responses—which, though informal, should still be thoughtful, not slapdash—may constitute a separate, free-standing discussion, especially if enough people post enough replies to turn them into genuine conversations.  But taking the trouble to work amorphous, gut responses into ideas on screen should also give you ready-made material (work-in-progress, anyway) to refer to in class.  So sometimes we may bring what takes place here into the classroom, too, and your on-line responses may become starting points for in-classdiscussion.  To that end, everyone should try to at least glance at other folks’ posts.  (Believe me, you’ll often find some brilliant ideas there.)  But those not slated to write on a given occasion should take special care in their perusal of that week’s forum, imagining how some of the posts might “speak” to each other and suggest an agenda for in-class discussion.  To wit:

On your choice of four of the off-weeks when you’re not submitting a “Reading Response,” you’ll formulate and post a discussion question inspired by those who have.  Your query might be triggered by a specific remark in someone’s Response, it might bring (parts of) two or more posts into direct dialogue (Cartman said X about topic Y and Kyle, by contrast, said Z; what I’m wondering is…?), or it might reflect a more general synthesis of your reaction to everything in the forum.  But give it some heft:  it should make explicit reference (at least in passing) to at least one reading response, and it should be both pointed and open-ended enough to invite some genuine dialogue.  There’s no guarantee that these questions will get used in class, but it’ll be nice to have them on hand.  And in many ways I’m more interested in merely having you put in the thought and care required to cook them up.  A class session can be a lot more interesting if you’ve had a chance to read, hash over, and maybe even respond to what other folks are thinking before you all sit down in a room together.

You should always feel free to log on to the forum and make a spontaneous post of any length, at any time, even if you’re not doing so for formal credit:  the boards remain open during the 165 hours of the week when our class doesn’t meet, for gripes, questions, objections or clarifications; remarks on something that I or anyone else did or didn’t say in class; afterthoughts or second thoughts about the texts; etc.  Lively debate, even strong language, is always welcome.  Just don’t get personal, and do try to keep a civil tongue.

So, to enumerate your basic responsibilities (and how they count towards your final grade) more formally:

1.       Regular attendance.  To contribute to a good discussion (and to get anything out of one), you’ve got to be here.  So don’t cut a lot of class; we’ll miss you, there’s no telling what you’ll miss, and your grade will suffer.  I won’t ask questions if you’re gone up to four times (a courtesy call or e-mail is always appreciated), but more than that will begin to hurt.  Should you miss more than 20% of the class (six times), I’ll probably talk to you about dropping.

2.       Careful and on-time reading of required texts, five (5) informal written responses to what you’ve read (as outlined above, and according to the calendar below), and some sort of active engagement in the collective talk that ensues.  You need to do your small part in starting up discussions and keeping them going—i.e., to show some degree of intelligence, inquisitiveness and enthusiasm both in responding to one another and to the materials on the table, and in helping to control the direction and flow of the conversation.  (1 and 2 together about 50%.)

3.       Four (4) potential discussion questions (as outlined above).  I’ll credit you strictly according to how many you submit over the course of the semester:  1: D; 2: C; 3: B; and all 4: A.  (About 10%)

4.       Development of one of your informal responses into a formal essay.  In light of feedback from me (and perhaps from others in the class), further discussion on the work(s) in question (as well as other books), your own experience and continued reflection, etc., you’ll revise, expand, and possibly selectively combine one (or more) of your postings into something more structured and substantial—around five to seven pages.  Details to follow later in the semester.  (About 20%.)

5.       A poetry project involving collaborative research and critical and/or creative work on a modern Iraqi poet.  You’ll assemble and share your work with the rest of the class via a web page.  Details to be announced.  (About 20%.)

Texts.  Since this is an introductory survey of an enormous field, our reading list is pretty heavy.  There are eleven (!) books you should buy at the HSU Bookstore, your local independent bookstore, or anywhere else you can find them.  Together they’ll take a bite out of your wallet, but you may take some comfort in the fact that most of them are relatively short:

• Zayd Dammaj, The Hostage
• Emile Habiby, The Secret Life of Saeed the Pessoptimist
• Tahar Ben Jelloun, Corruption
• Sahar Khalifeh, Wild Thorns
• Naguib Mahfouz, Midaq Alley
• Fatima Mernissi, Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood
• Amos Oz, Black Box [N.B.: this is currently out of print; you’ll need to start checking used bookstores or online sources ASAP]
• Nawal el Saadawi, Woman at Point Zero
• Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North
• Hanan al-Shaykh, Women of Sand and Myrrh
• Saadi Simawe, ed., Iraqi Poetry Today: Modern Poetry in Translation

(If you’re strapped for cash, try local and/or online used booksellers such as Half.com or ABEBooks.com, check the library, share a book or two with a friend, or ask me if I have an extra copy to lend you.)

Although our main focus is on imaginative writing, I think it’s also important to put that sort of writing in dialogue with other kinds—critical, theoretical, expository.  To that end, I’ve assembled an on-line “Reserve Reader” which is only accessible via the class Web Page (NOT Blackboard or Oncores); it contains various required, recommended, and general reference readings in whose light our primary texts should make a different kind of sense.  (I’ve also compiled a page of weblinks consisting of general reference sources on Middle Eastern history, politics, culture, and so on.  Check all this out on the class web page.)  Since much of this material is copyrighted, and since most publishers have lately adopted (and zealously enforced) an uncharitable position as to what constitutes “fair use” for educational purposes, you’ll be asked to enter a username and a password to view it.  (These are revealed on the print copy of your syllabus; e-mail me if you've mislaid it.) If you need instruction in any of this electronic technology, see me or someone else who knows immediately.  One final note: the Reserve Reader’s contents may change or grow as the semester wears on; I’ll keep you abreast of changes. 

Miscellany:  I may occasionally send official communiqués (schedule changes, afterthoughts or announcements I forgot to make in class, etc.) by e-mail, so if you don’t do so already, get in the habit of checking your e-mail nightly.  If you have something for general distribution, feel free to use the class listserv.  Just send an e-mail to this address:  hsu-engl240-1@redwood.humboldt.edu. 

Grades:  Here’s where the oppressive substructure of my seemingly benign classroom shows through.  My letter grades conform to official guidelines:  “A” is reserved for exceptionally, stunningly well-written, well-spoken and insightful stuff.  “B” gets tacked onto the extra-ordinary—work which is qualitatively beyond mere course requirements.  “C” is standard and normal; it meets the minimum requirements in every way.  “D” is worthy of credit but substandard, and we all know what “F” means.  If you’re taking the class CR/NC, you need the equivalent of a “C” to pass.  I don’t expect to give any Incompletes. 

I’ll read and respond to anything you ask me to and put a grade on your formal written work.  I welcome you to come see me at any point in the term to discuss your progress, prospects, enthusiasms or anxieties.  If you’re getting behind in the class, feeling as though you’re not “getting” something, or just having an unspecified qualm or problem either mild or severe, please, please, please:  don’t sit around fretting and cowering—come and talk to me without delay.

Calendar

(Caution:  Highly volatile!  Subject to change!)

Mondays will often be devoted to a variety of activities, including but not limited to mini-lectures, guest visits, Q & A, videos, agenda-setting, and preliminary discussion.  Wednesdays will be given over predominantly to discussion of the week’s readings. All required reading should be finished by Monday’s class.

Unless otherwise noted, all reading assignments listed below are required.  Be aware, however, that nearly every week you will find additional reading and/or web resources—in all cases highly recommended—in the on-line Reserve Reader.  I strongly encourage you to make time for as much of this supplemental material as you can.  Reading responses should focus primarily on the week’s required reading, but feel welcome to incorporate relevant thinking about the other items, as well  Again, you must post your response to the discussion forum no later than 7:00 p.m. Sunday.

N.B.: If necessary, we may meet one last time during our scheduled exam period, Wednesday, May 11, from 3:00-4:50.

You may begin your formal paper once you’ve completed three (3) reading responses, and you may hand it in to me at any time during the second half of the semester. The absolute, final deadline is 3:00, Wednesday, May 11.