Syllabus for Concepts of Culture

Heritage Studies 7903 Fall 2001

Instructor: Dr. Deborah K. Chappel

Office: 221B Wilson Hall

Hours: 3-4:30 MWF and by appointment

Phones: 870 972 3043 (ASU English office; leave message)

870 935 5736 (home; before 10 pm please)

Email: dchappel@astate.edu

Texts: Websites as assigned

Artifacts and articles on reserve as assigned

Description of course:

A graduate seminar designed to:

1. Provide definitions and approaches to the study of culture in the four specialty areas of Heritage Studies on topics such as race, class, gender, region, religion, and issues of rural and urban life.

2. Supply examples of how interdisciplinary scholars study culture.

3. Practice approaches by examining one or more expressive productions.

This course will help students understand the fundamental assumptions about truth and method of various disciplines involved in Heritage Studies by examining representative well-known scholarly articles from history, literary study, geography, folklore, and cultural anthropology. Students will also study race, class, and gender theories as they are discussed in the various disciplines involved in Heritage Studies, and will ground the theory in discussion of various models in Heritage Studies, including artifacts from material culture and controversies in museum studies.

Course Requirements:

1. For each class period in which essays are assigned for reading, students will produce 1-2 page position papers responding to major issues in one or more of the readings. The top ten grades on position papers will determine 30% of the student's grade for the course.

2. A seminar paper 15-20 pages in length utilizing theory and methods from the course on an issue related to cultural resource management. The paper should use a documentation system appropriate to the discipline in which the paper might be considered for publication. 30% of the student's grade for the course.

3. Two presentations during the course of the semester utilizing the student's choice of media, articles assigned by the instructor, and handouts provided for the students summarizing and evaluating the material covered. 30% of the student's grade for the course.

4. Take-home final exam on material covered in the course. 10% of the student's grade for the course.

Notice to Disabled Students

If you have a disability which makes it difficult for you to complete the requirements of this class, please let me know as soon as possible so that we may discuss possible accommodations. Confidentiality will be maintained.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense and breach of academic integrity that may result in failure for the course, failure for the individual paper or assignment, and expulsion from Arkansas State University. Most plagiarism is unintentional; please consult your instructor if you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism.