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Migration LiteratureProfessor Michael Malouf 202.014 Sp 20119:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 1109 EngineeringOffice: A441 Robinson mmalouf@gmu.edu(703) 993-4798 T 12-1 & by appmt

Course DescriptionMigration across borders, either by choice or necessity or some mixture of the two has

become a common global experience. In this course, we will read some of the literature that hassought to capture that experience in fiction and nonfiction. Reading works of migration that bringtogether Ireland and Nigeria, Haiti and the US, as well as the US and Mexico, and India and Egypt,this course introduces students to reading texts in terms of their cultural contexts as well as theirformal innovations. In addition, English 202 will help develop skills of interpretation, analysis, andcommunication through the close analysis of imaginative texts.

TextsRoddy Doyle, The Deportees (Penguin; 9780143114888)Edwidge Danticat, The Dew Breaker (Vintage; 9781400034291)Luis Urrea, The Devil s Highway (Back Bay; 9780316010801)Amitav Ghosh, In an Antique Land (Vintage; 978-0679727835)

G radesParticipation

This class will be conducted like a seminar therefore your attendance and activeparticipation in its dialogue is required in order for it to succeed. All unexcused absences after threewill result in a 1/3 point reduction in your final grade. Quizzes and in-class writing will be includedas part of the participation grade. One of these will be held regularly, at least once a week, at thebeginning of class. The quizzes are short, usually multiple choice, questions on the assignedreading, while the in-class writing will be a brief, one-page essay written following a specific

prompt. They will often be reviewed in class and shared with classmates. The lowest grade will bedropped (that is, a recorded grade; a zero for a missed quiz or writing will not be dropped) and theycannot be made up. If the student has an excused absence, then the missed quiz or writing will alsobe excused.

Presentations Each student will make two presentations over the course of the semester, one on context

and one on form. The context presentation will help explain historical and social contexts that are assumed in the reading but may not be widely known and are helpful for understanding the plot and the narrative. The formal presentation will focus on aspects of character and narrative.These will be assigned on the second class meeting and will be described further in a handout.

Essays There will be three graded critical responses of 1-1.5 pages and three essays of 4-5 pages,with one to be completed as the midterm and the other as the final. The critical responses will beshort, three-paragraph essays, focusing on specific aspects of writing about literature. The finalessay, due for the midterm, will draw on one or all of these in developing its topic, examples, andargument. It will be revised in the second half of the semester and the final grade will be theaverage of the grades on all of the pre-writing and the revision grade. Essay two will be on Desert Highway and one of the assigned secondary readings. This essay may also be revised (it is not required) and receive a grade for the average of the two essays. Essay three will be a reflective

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essay that can take many possible forms including a personal essay in the style of Ghosh s memoir,or a research essay that explores an aspect of the narrative. Assignment sheets with more specificinstructions and expectations for each essay will be handed out during the semester.

G rade Breakdown10% Presentations 15% Participation 15% Critical Responses 60% Essays (20% each)

G rading ScaleA = 93 A- = 90 B+ = 87 B = 83 B- = 80 C+ = 77 C = 73 C- = 70 D+ = 67 D = 63 F = 0-59

Policies & RequirementsPaper Format

All essays should be typed, with a regular font size, double-spaced, and stapled. Your name,course title, my name and section number, and the date should appear single-spaced on the upperleft-hand corner with a clear, succinct title in the center (note: no cover pages). In-class writingshould be done in pen on notebook paper with perforated edges. All citations should be madeaccording to the MLA style. Please see the Writing Center website (below), in order to familiarizeyourself with this style. Responses are due at the beginning of class on the assigned date. Lateessays will be penalized a grade for each day that they are late.

Incompletes All of the coursework must be completed in order for the student to receive a passing grade.

Because even missing one assignment will result in failure, if a student is unable to complete all of the work due to extenuating circumstances s/he may request an incomplete. I can only give anincomplete at the student s request. The request must be made either in person or by email andrequires the student to complete a contract on the terms for completing the work (the paperwork can be found in the main office, Rob A487).

Civility It is expected that members of the class will demonstrate proper respect for one another,

the instructor, and the course material. This includes proper manners of address during in-classdiscussion (and peer review) as well as electronic correspondence. It also includes appearing ontime, refraining from texting or websurfing during class, eating in class. Because I consider suchbehavior disrespectful to one s fellow students and the professor, I will always call on students that I suspect to be distracted electronically and ask them to account for their behavior and tocontribute to the current discussion or assignment.

Academic Honesty Be aware that GMU is an Honor Code university. The GMU Honor Code reads as follows: To

promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the G eorge Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personalachievement, we, the student members of the University Community have set forth this: Student members of the G eorge Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie inmatters related to academic work (http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu/honorcode/). The 2010-11GMU catalog defines honor code violations as Cheating and attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying,and stealing of academic work and related materials ( Student Rights and Responsibilities,http://catalog.gmu.edu). You should also be aware that it states that students and facultymembers must report all alleged violations to the Honor Committee. Any student who hasknowledge of, but does not report, a violation may be accused of lying under the Honor Code( Student Rights and Responsibilities, http://catalog.gmu.edu). Plagiarism means using words,

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ideas, opinions, or factual information from another person or source without giving due credit. Inthis class, you are expected to use the MLA documentation style in order to give credit, such asparenthetical citation, footnotes, or endnotes; a simple listing of books and articles consulted is not sufficient. One useful way to avoid unintentional plagiarism is to use signal phrases whenever youare referring to someone else s work or ideas. If you are unclear about what you should document,consult with me; but when in doubt, document.

Other InformationWriting Center: A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-1200; http://writingcenter.gmu.eduG MU Email Accounts: Students must activate their GMU email accounts to receive important Universityinformation, including messages related to this class.Office of Disability Services: If you are a student with a disability and you need academicaccommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 993-2474. Allacademic accommodations must be arranged through the ODS. http://ods.gmu.eduUniversity Libraries Ask a Librarian http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.htmlCounseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): (703) 993-2380; http://caps.gmu.eduUniversity Policies: The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource foruniversity policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs.

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Course Schedule202 Migration Literature

1/25 Introduction27 Lovelace, Joebell and America (handout)2/1 Doyle, Deportees : Foreword ; Guess Who s Coming to the Dinner3 Deportees : The Deportees

Due : Critical Response 1: Definition (ungraded)8 Deportees : New Boy ; Black Hoodie10 Deportees : Home to Harlem ; I Understand15 Ma and Cheng, Naked Bodies ; Appadurai, Difference and Disjuncture (BB)

Due: Critical Response 2: Close Reading17 Danticat, Dew Breaker : The Book of the Dead ; Seven22 Dew Breaker : Water Child ; The Book of Miracles24 Dew Breaker : Night Talkers ; The Bridal Seamstress

Due: Critical Response 3: Compare and Contrast 3/1 Dew Breaker : Monkey Tails ; The Funeral Singer3 Dew Breaker : The Dew Breaker

Due: Critical Response 4: Narrative8 No Class: Student Meetings10 Due: Essay 1 (submit to BB)Spring Break 22 Urrea, Devil s Highway , ( Author s Note & pgs. 1-28); Lehman, Matters of Fact (handout)24 DH , (chaps. 1-3; pgs. 28-65) 29 DH , (chaps. 4-9; pgs. 66-129); Kristeva, Approaching Abjection (handout)31 DH , (chaps. 10-12; pgs. 133-161); Mexican Migration Project (link on BB)4/5 DH , (chaps. 13-15; pgs. 162-193); Massey, The Wall that Keeps Illegal Workers In (BB)

Due: Revision of Essay 1 (required; submit to BB)7 DH (chaps. 16 & acknowledgements; pgs. 194-228)12 No Class: Student Meetings

14 Peer Review of Draft of Essay 219 Ghosh, In an Antique Land : Prologue & Latafa (parts 1-5; pgs. 13-60)21 Antique Land : Latafa (6-12; pgs. 60-105)22 Due: Essay 2 (submit to BB)26 Antique Land : Nashwy (1-8; pgs. 109-174)28 Antique Land : Nashwy (9-17; pgs. 174-237)5/3 Antique Land : Mangalore, Going Back, & Epilogue (241-353)

Peer Review of Thesis & Outline of Essay 35 Peer Review of Draft of Essay 3 5/17 Due: Essay 3 and Revision of Essay 2 (optional; submit to BB)