San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus

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BLAS 100 (01415) INTRO TO BLACK STUDIES 2011 - FALL

INSTRUCTOR: DARIUS SPEARMAN TELEPHONE: (619) 388-3187 E-MAIL VIA BLACKBOARD OFFICE HOURS: MON & WED 9:30-11:00AM; TUE & THUR 11:05AM-12:35PM AND BY APPOINTMENT, ROOM A-1(E) CLASS MEETS: ONLINE FROM 8/22/2011 TO 12/17/2011;

ADVICE: English 51 and passing score on English 51 exit exam THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Students will be notified of syllabus changes during a regularly scheduled class. It will be the students responsibility to ensure they possess the latest version of the class syllabus.

NOTE: Controversial subjects may be the topic of discussion or readings. WHATS INSIDE:
COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES .............................................................................................................. 2 COURSE REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 ATTENDANCE AND GRADING ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT ................................................................................................................................................... 4 DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 4 COURSE SCHEDULE .................................................................................................................................................................. 5

San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus REQUIRED TEXTS

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1. Brown, Scot. Fighting for Us: Maulana Karenga, the US Organization, and Black Cultural Nationalism., NYU Press, 2005, ISBN: 0814798780 2. Henry, Charles. Long Overdue: The Politics of Racial Reparations, NYU Press, 2009, ISBN: 0814737412 3. Online Readings (See BlackBoard)

COURSE DESCRIPTION & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course is a survey of the Black Studies discipline including its social and academic origins, goals and development. Emphasis is placed on providing students with an understanding of the fundamental areas of study within the field and of the interdisciplinary approach to studying the African experience in America and the world. This course is intended for students who wish to major in Black Studies and/or who wish to gain general knowledge of the Black experience. Upon successful completion of the course the student will have gained experience in: 1. Explain the origins and relevance of Black Studies as a discipline and analyze the ways in which its interdisciplinary scope has affected the development of topics and trends in the field. 2. Describe, compare and contrast Nile Valley, Western Sudanic and Moorish civilizations and explain the decline of early African societies. 3. Set up a timeline to illustrate the experience of Africans in America from enslavement through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement and the struggles of the late 20th century. 4. Compare and contrast ancient African religious traditions with subsequent and contemporary Black Christian and Islamic traditions. 5. Use historical and current data to assess contemporary issues related to Blacks in American society, politics, economics and business. 6. Analyze the history of Black artistic, musical and literary expression from its African origins to the present. 7. Distinguish among the traditional, reformist and radical schools of Black psychology. 8. Evaluate contemporary academic, political and intellectual challenges and possibilities facing the discipline of Black Studies.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
4 Response Papers (50 points each) Write a 500-700 word typed paper on a prompt to be determined in class. To adequately address each question, we would suggest a minimum of 3 main points explored in a fair amount of detail. The assigned readings should be sufficient to adequately address the topic, and should be the only materials referenced in your essays. DO NOT CITE FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES. Key points must be supported and cited with evidence from the required readings. You MUST cite from at least two sources per paper i.e. (Author, p. 10). Allow the material to speak to you and for you. Doing so should also permit you to be creative in how you piece the material together. Be SPECIFIC in your answer. Eliminate the following words from your vocabulary: this, these, that, they, its. Please see the Response Paper Grading Rubric for specific details on how you will be assessed for this assignment.

San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus

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Class Discussion/Participation (300 Points) Your participation in the weekly discussions, your ability to answer questions, and to initiate dialogue based on the required readings, will be graded. Each student is expected to have read the assignments and have given them careful thought. You will be given a weekly prompt for discussion and will be graded based on the posted rubric. Be sure to incorporate one of the key terms from the current unit, and do so in a way that makes clear that you understand the term. A passing reference to "afrocentrism" is not sufficient. In order for me to assess your understanding of the material, you must say something like "...afrocentrism, which is defined as ..." (be sure to underline key terms). Each weeks discussion is worth 20 points. Honors Option (100 Points)* Write a 7-10 page research paper on the topic of your choice. Your paper should include no less than four print sources such as books or scholarly journals no more than two of those sources may be from texts used in the classroom. Please discuss and clear your topic with me by September 23, 2011. Computer Skills Advisory Enter level of computer skills expected or types of assignments requiring computer skills. (In most college courses students are expected to have a basic familiarity with computer terms and use: word processing, document manipulation, spreadsheets, email, and online services. These skills can be learned at any of the colleges or Continuing Education.)

ATTENDANCE AND GRADING

Attendance Requirements Students may be dropped after four (4) week without an active log in OR after having missed four (4) assignments. The 4 week/4 assignment rule is at my discretion, though, so please keep me informed of any issues as they arise and allow me to help you work through them. It is the students responsibilisty to drop all classes in which (s)he is no longer participating. Deadline to drop classes with no W recorded is 9/6/2011. Withdrawal deadline is 10/28/2011. No drops may be accepted after this date. Students who remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline, as stated in the class schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in this class.

Grading will be on a point scale and will be assigned as follows:

REGULAR SCALE
A B C D F = = = = < 500-450 Points 449-400 Points 399-350 Points 349-300 Points 300 Points

HONORS OPTION*
A B C D F = = = = < 600-540 Points 539-480 Points 479-420 Points 419-360 Points 360 Points

Points for individual assignments will be broken down as follows:

*

Response Papers: 200 points

Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.

San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus

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Online Discussion: 300 points Optional Honors Paper: 100*

Credit/No Credit Beginning Fall 2009, the title credit/no credit will change to pass/no pass in accordance with Title 5, section 55022. All assignments are considered due by the posted due date: LATE WORK WILL BE FORGIVEN ONCE (FOR ANY REASON) AFTER THAT NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED

HONEST ACADEMIC CONDUCT

Students are expected to be honest and ethical at all times in their pursuit of academic goals. Students who are found in violation of district Procedure 3100.3, Honest Academic Conduct, will receive a zero (0) grade on the assignment in question with no opportunity to make up the grade. Additionally students may be referred for disciplinary action in accordance with Procedure 3100.2, Student Disciplinary Procedures. This policy applies to all work submitted in class or online including, but not limited to, emails, discussion postings, assignments, essays, and exams.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) STATEMENT

Please meet with me to discuss any academic accommodations that may be necessary for students with disabilities. An alternate from of this syllabus and other class handouts is available upon request. Further accommodations can be made upon arrangement with myself and the Department of Disability Support Programs and Services (DSPS), Room A-115 (619) 388-3513

Please contact the Honors Department for details in room A1-N (619) 388-3512, or http://www.sdcity.edu/honors/.

San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus

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COURSE SCHEDULE
UNIT 1: AFRICANA STUDIES (5 WEEKS)
Week Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Date Aug 22 - Aug 27 Aug 28 - Sep 3 Sep 4 - Sep 10 Sep 11 - Sep 17 Sep 18 - Sep 24 Topic Introductions (Ungraded Topic) Discussion 01: The Development of Africana Studies Discussion 02: Black Studies In Liberal Arts Education Discussion 03: Why Become an Intellectual? Discussion 04: African Centered Education Assignment Online Reading #1; Colon, Article Online Reading #2; Rooks, Ch 1 Online Reading #3; Dyson Brown, Ch 1

UNIT 2: THE ROOTS OF THE TREE A BIT OF HISTORY (4 WEEKS)

Week 6 Sep 25 Oct1 Discussion 05: Early Africa in Historical Context Online Reading #4; Outterson, pp. 135-149 Response Paper 1 Due Online Reading #5; Asante, pp. 3-13 Online Reading #6; Winbush, pp. 46-54 Online Reading #7; 109134 Online Reading #8; Rooks, Ch 5

Week 7 Week 8

Oct 2 - Oct 8 Oct 9 - Oct 15

Discussion 06: The Shaping of Black America Discussion 07: Assessment of Reconstruction

Week 9

Oct 16 - Oct 22

Discussion 08: Conservative Backlash: Challenge of Conservatism

UNIT 3: Black Culture and Artistic Traditions (5 Weeks)

Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Oct 23 - Oct 29 Oct 30 - Nov 5 Nov 6 - Nov 12 Nov 13 - Nov 19 Nov 20 - Nov 26 Discussion 09: Healing as Resistance Discussion 10: Cultural Nationalism Discussion 11: The Politics of Culture Discussion 12: DN! Amiri Baraka on the Black Arts Movement **Thanksgiving Holliday** Online Reading #9; Voeks Response Paper 2 Due Brown, Ch. 2 &3 Brown, Ch. 4 & 5 Brown, Ch. 6 & 7

San Diego Community College District Course Syllabus

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UNIT 4: Reparations and Healing (3 Weeks)

Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Nov 27 - Dec 3 Dec 4 - Dec 10 Dec 11 - Dec 17 Discussion 13: What is Reparations? Discussion 14: Randall Robinson on DN! "Bush Was Responsible for Destroying Haitian Democracy" Discussion 15: A True Revolution Henry, Ch.1 & 2 Response Paper 3 Due Henry, Ch. 3, 4 & 5 Henry, Ch. 6 & Epilogue Response Paper 4 Due