Caribbean Environmental History
Syllabus
A biological, geographical & cultural history of the
Caribbean and northern Latin American regions with an emphasis on native
American, African, and European cultural contact, diffusion, and survivals. The
course retraces the steps of Alexander Von HumboldtÕs 1799 trip to the Americas
so that we focus on how conquest, enslavement, colonization, climate, migration
and an impoverishment of nature reshaped the land's many peoples. This is an
inquiry into past changes in ecological conditions as they influenced the
origins of contemporary economy and societies.
TEXTS:
Junot Diaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar
Wao, (a novel).
Alfred W.
Crosby, Germs, Seeds and Animals.
Keen &
Haynes, A History of Latin America, 7th edition.
Octavio Paz,
The Labyrinth of Solitude.
Sydney W.
Mintz, Sweetness and Power.
W. E.
Burghardt DuBois, The Negro.
Jamaica
Kincaid, A Small Place.
Study
Guide: Nature, History & Place in the Caribbean by J. Siry.
Reserve:
V. S.
Naipaul, The Middle Passage. (a novel).
Eric Said, Culture
& Imperialism.
Graham
Greene, The Comedians (a novel).
Derek
Walcott's, The Antilles.
Each of the above books should be read by focusing on a key
paragraph or page that embodies most or all of what that chapter or essay
means. Discussions center on these key paragraphs or pages; frequently read
aloud and examined in class. Books must be used in all your assignments.
Grades: all
assignments are graded with careful attention to each of these criteria: {CLIFS}
1.
C clarity,
coherence, spelling, grammar & logical consistency
2.
L length
& development of your arguments, ideas, or presentations
3.
I information
from the class texts, library research, or interviews
4.
F frequency
of examples from the lectures, journal, notes & readings
5.
S subject
developed & discussed in a thesis, introduction, summaries, &
conclusion.
Late assignments are severely penalized, but going
to TJs, the writing center, & Olin Library is rewarded. (Read more about
grades and evaluating your work on pages two and three.)
You must write, you must
read, and you must rewrite in order to do really well in this course.
College education consists in
part of a discourse among the writers of the past with you. Without there
ideas, we cannot ably confront the exigencies of the present.
For that reason all writing
in my classes requires a statement as to the explicit sources from which you
took your inspiration, ideas, or quotations. Note the sources for your writing
even if a slight influence by others helped you to conceptualize your thoughts
on the page.
Formal essays must always
have a list of all the authors and titles of the books and periodicals you have
read, notes, and all sources listed with explicit page numbers.
You
are to print all written work, with
numbered pages, and turned in on the date the assignment is due. So, please
plan ahead and start writing one to two weeks before the assignment is due.
Since all writing is redrafting, I encourage you to write drafts and discuss
them with me well before the due date. All collaborative work must be proposed
in writing and pre-approved by me.
Take notes on your
readings and refer to those in class.
Discussions of material during class time should draw from the examples in the
assigned readings for that day. Vocabulary is a significant key to your success
in the class. Consult my web page, as there are several vocabulary
entries—from basic terms to obscure words—on that site.
Failure to do the above, suggested activities could lead to
your failing the course.
My Intentions in this course are for you to:
To practice a writing component of this course, my intent
is for you to critically think and reflect on all of the texts' contents. Write
down our discussionÕs focus during class and integrate concepts by informal
writing. In addition, writing formally requires you to rewrite your papers.
Read all the books carefully, take notes and think critically so you
may synthesize several authors around themes in order to express your ideas
more clearly in a variety of writing formats.
Write frequently in a variety of forms such as notes, e-mail,
free writing, letters or essays to convey complex ideas in a simple, clear and
direct fashion. Use the Internet to communicate with others to exchange
electronic writing on the documentary evidence for change in the Caribbean.
Rewrite formal papers for class, by using the writing
center at different stages in the composition process from invention and
development to early draft and final production of essays, papers, speeches, or
summaries.
Verbally present aloud to the class your questions drawn
from notes on the texts, at least, every two weeks and to practice informal
writing every week from the perspective of oral interpretation of crucial
sections of the texts discovering the significance of spoken words in cultural
advances.
Compare and contrast concepts
demonstrating a chronological understanding in your writing; drawn from books
by our varied authors, whose experiences in describing the diversity and unity
of the Caribbean experience allows you to convey different information in an
historical context.
Select a theme and examine
its interpretive power with respect to informing the public about traditions,
facts and social problems of wide community concern, thus reflecting your
readings tying historical to contemporary matters in the Antilles, Mexico and
Central America.
Central Themes are
An ecological vision ties organic and inorganic facets of
existence together to explain human social developments based on three
principles:
Scientific reality as Von
Humboldt insisted is a set of interdependent geological and biological
relations in which humans act, are influenced by, and affect other life.
The Earth, then, is a
partner in our endeavors and not some inanimate stage upon which we act out our
desires.
Cyclical systems of feedback and
response are a means by which physical (El Nino events) and biological
changes (introduced species) occur in ecosystems over time that influence the
course of human events (Crosby, Mintz, Dubois, Kincaid, & Diamond).
Humans are ecological actors (Crosby) and moral agents (Paz) who nonetheless use machinery with far reaching regional & unpredictable planetary influences (Kincaid).
Education requires a community commitment to honestly convey information to allow for an adaptive response. Knowledge, reason and morality always inform effective action to allow people to improve their conditions.
Alexander Von Humboldt, explorer, diplomat, scientist author of Ksomos.
Grades: in order to receive an:
Average
grade in the course you must complete and comprehend the contrasts in
each of
the above author's perspectives in response papers short essays & a
comprehensive final
paper. An oral presentation based on the paper and the above texts is the final
exam.
C is 70 to 79 percent.
Above
average grade, students will tie the lectures & discussions to the texts in
writing.
B is 80
to 89 percent.
Excellent
score, exceptional students will participate in text-based discussions and do additional
research from the reserve readings and independent inquiry.
A is from 90 to 96 percent
What must you do to do well in this course? You are
judged every week by your comments in class based on the books; your grades
(see below for details): rest on reading texts, working in a community of
learning (TJs, library, groups), & completing all the assignments on time.
%; value What to
do; When
to do it
20 attendance
or compensation field work.
20 interview
at Career Services, prep with office interview & class presentations.
20 1st
essay on ecological invasion and oral presentation from Crosby.
20 2nd essay on Mintz and Keene with oral
presentation on texts.
20 final
essay and oral presentation contrasting Paz to Dubois.
100
What is
due? When
due? Grade
value
Participation -- speaking in class, e-mail, & attending 2
pt./week 20
%;
Asking and answering questions based
on the text, reading aloud and presenting verbal reports, demonstrate alertness
in class and is rewarded as are the outcomes of group work.
1st Essay -- understanding an ecological invasion, written
draft & corrections 20
%;
This is an (6 pp.) essay developed
from the Crosby, Mintz and Haynes texts, primarily but including class discussions, my web site and reserve readings.
Oral -- (Class
presentations) interview and office preparation meeting for 4 talks to class 20
%;
Each month you put together selected readings around the monthly themes of slavery, revolution, Latino identity and cultural syncretism (the blending of African and Ibero, with Euro-American traditions into an Afro-Caribbean heritage). From Crosby, Paz, Mintz and Dubois readings.
2nd
ESSAY -- Òsynthesizing
ideasÓ from
Mintz, Dubois, Paz & Keene draft & rewritten paper 20
%;
This is a process you must participate in fully to pass a credit/no credit pretest, short answer responses to questions on the above texts and a corrected short (3 to 5 pp.) essay.
Final -- ÒThe Caribbean,Ó written essay: &
verbally* present a summary 20
%;
This is a comprehensive written
draft and final essay (7 pp.), & 250-word abstract, a summary of which is
verbally presented at the final exam. Essay must include all the authors on
defining and preserving Caribbean cultural & natural resources with
specific references to all readings, specific places. Discuss and
analyze a reasonable means for us to understand how the regionÕs societies, or
Mexico is best seen as a fusion of resilient cultural traditions that must be
protected & preserved.
All work must be your own, other's ideas or words must
be attributed by a specific reference, or else you have committed a fraud, and
you are guilty of plagiarism, for which you can fail this class.
Keen & Haynes, A History of Latin America & the
Caribbean: should be read throughout the first three months for geographical
and historical details, especially Chapters 1-8, 11-12, 17-18, 20-21.
The other books form the focus of discussions, as follows each
month so keep notes on these authors:
January-February – The
Mayan legacy and Columbian Exchange
Alfred W.
Crosby, Germs, Seeds and Animals
Junot
Diaz, The Brief Wondrous Life
February
– Von Humboldt, Slavery & the role of trade and plantations
Sydney W.
Mintz, Sweetness and Power
March
– The Mexican identity as a model of mestizo culture
Octavio Paz,
The Labyrinth of Solitude
April
– Race prejudice, imperialism and US Foreign policy
Jamaica
Kincaid, A Small Place
W.E.B.
Dubois, The Negro
A summary page of most web links to the class.
Map index to maps in the course.
Calendar
Dates MONTH, Days, & topics
January
16 Who are we
and what do we desire to feel, know, and say?
18 An
introduction to ethnic studies; master narratives & places in our minds
Crosby,
vii-xvi, Keen &
Haynes, pp. xii-4 (ten pages).
23 The
biological elements of culture: expression, food, and range.
Crosby, pp. 28-44. Keene
& Haynes, pp. 5-27.
24 Global
Warming teach-in; Crummer Auditorium
12:30 – 1:50 PM.
25 16th Century:
A holocaust, or "discovery," or a mere disruption?
Juno Diaz, pp. 1-7. Crosby, pp. 3-27 and pp.180-190.
28 Ecology of
Europe in the Caribbean; Turtles, manatees, mangroves, and more!
Crosby
45-61. Keene & Haynes, pp. 35-74.
30 European Wars of imperial rivalry
1660-1715: the Indies as a prize.
Crosby,
pp. 62-96. Keene & Haynes, pp. 75-108.
Do make an
appointment at the Career Services Office for a taped interview.
February
1 Oral presentation of Crosby selections [Choose any chapter except for 8 or 11, to summarize]
Explain your selections & questions, in light of
the Columbian Exchange,
by
defining ecological elements of disease, vegetation, domestic animals, &
place.
4 What is ethnicity? Social Aspects of Culture: language, faith, food, names, stories & collective memory – see Juno Diaz, pp. 11-118.
6
European hegemony & the Wars of imperial rivalry 1710-1815: revolutionary
change.
Keene
& Haynes, pp. 131-156.
8 Who was Alexander Von Humboldt and what did he do? A study in Euro-hegemony and a means of organizing knowledge about the world. Keene & Haynes, pp. 157-175.
11
Food for thought: diet & domain, impacts of food preferences on the terrain
of places.
Crosby, pp. 148-179. Mintz, pp.
xv-18.
13 Von Humboldt, Herder and historicity as HerodotusÕ gifts: Ecological elements of climate, vegetation, domestic crops & animals, disease, settlements and place, Crosby, pp. 82-119. Keene & Haynes, pp. 108-117.
15 ÒEcological InvasionÓ essay (6 pp. typed
excluding a time line) due -- Crosby.
18
Sweetness and Power, Continuity & change in dietary habits, fashion
and desire.
20 Sugar growing & processing as the industrial revolutionÕs origins. Mintz, pp. 74-150
22 Power of taste, fashion, and class identity Mintz, pp. 151-214.
25
formal (practiced) oral presentation of
Mintz material his words & your interpretation
27
Getting real: Ethnicity and Food. Are we any more, or less than what we eat?
29
(Leap Year celebration) day off in lieu of the field trip or the Teach-in
attendance.
Set up fifteen-minute meetings
with me in my office to discuss your final comprehensive essays.
March
3
The Labyrinth of Solitude: What is the
meaning of identity in the modern world?
Keen &
Haynes, pp. 217-226. Paz, pp.
9-64.
5
The MestizŠje Republic: Estados Unidas de Mexico -- final redraft of adding Mintz to Crosby essay
due
Paz, pp. 65-116
7 What do our cultureÕs languages & symbols mean with respect to knowing our history?
10-14 Spring Break
17
Independence to Revolution: defining laissez faire & nationalism.
19
Deconstructing nations and nationalism, what constitutes a people?
Keen &
Haynes, pp. 243-317.
21
Present Day & Dialectic of Solitude:
Is there a means of knowing lies from facts?
24 oral presentation of Octavio Paz selections and their historical meaning.
26 oral presentation of Octavio Paz selections and their historical meaning.
31 West African
Slaving: Are war, human bondage and capitalism related?
Your final essayÕs early draft
due (or make an appointment at the Writing Center! )
Dubois, pp. 160-192.
4
What are the "badges and the symbols" of slavery today?
7 Contemporary voices select a passage from Dubois to interpret
9
Contemporary voices-- Jamaica Kincaid, A Small Place ( Antigua )
11 Creativity & resiliency of African
American island cultures. Paz, pp. 329-398
Last due day for final essayÕs
early draft , ÒThe CaribbeanÓ a theme from
all of the authors
14
Eric Said, Culture & Imperialism (library reserve) Keen & Haynes, pp. 424-520.
16
Haiti and the embarrassing legacy of rebellion. Read hand-outs and web page.
18 Vodun and resistance: web site and web research.
21
How do we judge one culture through the eyes of another?
23
Contemporary voices select a passage from Dubois to interpret
25
The fragmented and hybrid ecology: values and sense of biological diversity.
28
Fractured past, fragmented present, hybrid ecology: Making sense of diversity.
30
ÒProtecting the Caribbean,Ó Your revised essayÕs final draft (7 pp. typed) due
ÒThe CaribbeanÓ a theme derived from all of the authors that you fully develop, such as ÒProtecting Our Past, Ó
ÒPersistence of the Past,Ó ÒHaunted by the Past,Ó Ò The Past as PreludeÓ etc.
May 1Final Exam: A Comprehensive
Final Exam, Thursday: 8-10 AM
A 5 minute verbal synopsis of
your written essay--ÒThe CaribbeanÓ a comprehensive theme derived from all of
the authors, that you fully develop, on topics such as: ÒProtecting Our Past,Ó
ÒRecovering our Past,Ó or ÒMaking Peace with our Past.Ó What elements define
the Caribbean today from its history and its experiences?
What do you have to demonstrate?
20 attendance
or compensations.
20 interview
at Career services & prep with office interview.
20 essay
on ecological invasion and oral presentation from Crosby & Mintz.
20 essay
on Mintz, Dubois, Kincaid, and Keene with oral presentation on texts.
20 final
essay and oral presentation contrasting Paz to Dubois.
100
Compare this map to a map of the Caribbean and Mexico, or New Spain and New Granada in 1570.
It is my desire for you to excel in this class. To improve your
verbal presentations I am asking you to tape an interview in the career
services office, so schedule an appointment there in January. You excel in that interview and the
class by reading carefully and asking serious questions about the texts, the
evidence they present and the conclusions drawn about how social systems
persist despite imperial conquest and cultural domination. I am here to assist
your intellectual and emotional development with respect to understanding
ourselves as public members of a society, ethnic heritage, and cultural
tradition we inherit. I reward you for working hard and developing your own
answers to the rather deep and challenging questions posed weekly in the class.
For every hour of class, three hours of study is expected.
A significant product of my wanting you to perform at an
excellent level is that you may discover the value of persistence: personally
and culturally. There are peoples in the AmericaÕs today; such as Tarahumara,
Hopi, or Arawak societies, whose resilience in the face of five centuries of
European colonization is a testimony to human endurance, creativity and genius.
Life a bit like a play, into which we—as walk-on
actors—enter in the midst of the action, without being aware of what came before we entered the script. This
class tries to reveal to each of you a bit of the ongoing plot with respect to
our neighboring actors in the Antilles.
Books | Grades | My Intentions | Central Themes | Assignments | Readings | Calendar | Final | Continuity
Paz | ConclusionStatement on Excellence | Survival tips | What you have to do | Study Guide | Honor Code
