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RMTH 709: INQUIRY IN HUMANITIES AND CULTURE

2021 A

January 1 to June 30, 2021

Instructor name: Dr. Woden Teachout

Contact information: woden.teachout@myunion.edu

Seminar Description

RMTH 709 provides an introduction to theories and practices of aesthetic, literary and cultural criticism, as

well as historical research methods. The seminar begins by identifying issues in research methods in the

humanities and exploring the relationship between theories and methods. Students next engage with

influential and emergent theories that undergird approaches to research, reflecting on debates about

language, context, and meaning-making, and considering examples of interpretations of texts. By

examining the socio-political contexts from which these theories and debates emerge, students will grapple

with issues related to the political nature of aesthetic, historical, and literary criticism. In the third and final

unit, students investigate different methodologies in light of their interests and disciplinary inclinations,

using them to interpret texts and developing a final project in which they discuss a variety of possible

methodological approaches. Throughout the seminar, students will experiment with possible approaches,

theories and methods in relation to their own research questions; by the end of the seminar, students will

be able to articulate a theoretically grounded rationale that will guide their own research moving forward.

Integration of Program Theme(s)

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The knowledge acquired and the skills developed during this seminar will enable students to evaluate and

conduct research that bears upon issues of social justice, creativity and differences. Through critical

exploration and writing, students’ understanding of issues related to power in human discourse and action

will be deepened.

Individualized Learning

This seminar considers theories and methods in relation to each student’s research interests as well as offers

students choice in supplemental readings related to their field(s) of inquiry. Written assignments are

designed to relate to students’ individualized research project.

Learning Outcomes & Competencies

(Include University, Program, Major and Course Outcomes and Competencies aligned to

this seminar)

This seminar focuses on the following Ph.D. program outcomes and competencies for CRITICAL &

CREATIVE THINKING: Using different modes of disciplinary and interdisciplinary inquiry to explore ideas

and issues from multiple perspectives. By the end of the course, students will be able to present compelling

evidence of ability to formulate clear and precise research questions, assess established interpretations and

call assumptions into question, move from theory to socially relevant discourse/writing, and construct

alternative ways of confronting and interacting with the world:

Identify the audience and the purpose for a range of professional, academic written texts.

Review (summarize, relate, and critique) relevant literature in the field.

Interpret existing literature and interact with theoretical debates to consider alternative

interpretations of existing conceptual structures regarding the field of Inquiry in Humanities

and Culture.

Articulate one’s own position related to epistemological differences.

Develop a working knowledge of at least three theories employed in research in Humanities &

Culture that hold promise for student’s research goals.

Gain familiarity with ethics in research including academic integrity, perspectives on the

researcher’s accountability and IRB processes.

Develop a working knowledge of at least three methods for conducting research in

Humanities & Culture that hold promise for student’s research goals.

Conduct bibliographic research to identify relevant sources pertaining to research interests.

Document research.

Plan and execute academic writing projects with a focus on the expanding/evolving nature of

the study of the humanities and culture.

Base conclusions on arguments about the relevance/applicability/significance of evidence and

interpretation of texts and/or artifacts.

Virtual Residency

January 2 - 10

Important Dates

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Post-Residency: Jan 11 - 17 no written assignments (papers or discussion posts) due the week

after Residency, but it is expected that students will remain actively engaged in course readings

as required by the instructor.

Mid-Semester Break: March 7-13. No written assignments (papers or discussion posts) due, but

it is expected that students will remain actively engaged in course readings as required by the

instructor.

Virtual Mid-Semester Residency (MSR):

Social Justice Presentation, Saturday, March 20 @ 11a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (eastern)

Conference Day, Saturday, March 20 beginning at 1:30 pm (eastern)

Workshops will be held throughout the semester. Students are required to attend at least

one workshop.

Evaluation

The final grade will be based on quality of written work and contributions to the class (participation in

residencies, forum posts in response to readings, and peer posts). Rubrics detailing guidelines and

expectations for each assignment will be available in the Brightspace seminar site. General criteria for

successful course work include:

Presentation of clear thesis statements that are supported with reasons and sufficient

evidence.

Attendance to nuances of argument and inference through the careful exegesis of key

text passages.

Evaluation of arguments from multiple perspectives (e.g. through acknowledgement,

refutation, and/or concession).

Awareness of how gender, class, racial, and ethnic differences (or concepts thereof)

shape perceptions and constructs of knowledge.

Consistent use of scholarly tone and adherence to academic conventions of

presentation.

Persuasive writing empowered by the use of imagery, metaphor, analogy, and/or

other creative rhetorical devices.

Utilization and correct documentation of data/evidence from scholarly sources.

Integration of scholarly and creative data/evidence in a rigorous interdisciplinary

way.

Regular and informed contribution to all discussions.

Thorough and substantive revision of all written assignments when required.

Professionalism: Completion of all seminar requirements in a timely fashion and

communication with instructor should any issue arise that keeps you from active

participation or meeting target due dates.

Assignment weights:

Participation/Professionalism (participation, timeliness, communication): 15 pts.

Cumulative Annotated Bibliography: 10 pts.

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Four short papers (Question =10 pts, Theory =10 pts, Method =10 pts, Dissertation = 10

points): 40 pts.

Powerpoint presentation on theory in your field: 5 points

Short analysis practice paragraphs (4 @ 3 points each): 10 points

Final review paper (draft=5 pts, final draft=15 pts): 20 pts.

Readings and Resources

REQUIRED TEXTS & SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

All but the following texts can be accessed electronically via direct links, UI&U’s Library, public

internet sites or as handouts in the seminar’s Brightspace site. Students should plan to obtain

the following:

Peter Barry’s Beginning Theory, fourth edition. Manchester: Manchester UP, 2017.

In addition, students doing work in the following areas are strongly recommended to get the

following texts and use them as references:

Literary and cultural studies: Wolfgang Iser, How to Do Theory, Malden MA: Blackwell

Publishing, 2006.

Historical research: John Tosh’s The Pursuit of History, fourth edition. Harlow, England:

Pearson/Longman, 2006. (This is available as a E-book in UI&U’s Library)

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Common texts – those that everyone reads—are indicated below with an asterisk (*). A list of supplemental

sources will be available in the Brightspace seminar site.

WEEK of...

READINGS FOR RESIDENCY AND DISCUSSION

FORUMS

ASSIGNMENTS

Unit I

(Residency):

RESEARCH

ISSUES IN

HUMANITIES

& CULTURE

July 2-10,

2021

Session 1: Research in the Humanities

*Gregory Jay, “The Engaged Humanities:

Principles and Practices of Public

Scholarship and Teaching" (2010).

Imagining America. 15. Link at

https://surface.syr.edu/ia/15/.

Read/view all sources prior to the first

seminar meeting of the Residency.

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Session 2: Questions and Methods: An

Intimate Relationship

No reading required for this session.

Session 3: Theory, Method and

Methodology

These are excerpts from dissertations that

discuss methodology. Please read all of

them, focusing on the big picture and

thinking about which might be models for

your work. Come prepared to lead a

discussion on the three that seem closest to

an approach that you might take. Be ready

to describe what the author chose to do,

how they did it, and why they did it that

way.

Gay Grimes, “Learning An Ethics of

Commitment: A Scholarly Personal

Narrative About Creating a

Community and Family of Choice,”

University of St. Thomas. ProQuest

Dissertations Publishing, 2015. Read

from p. 6 (start at “Significance of

Study and Research Questions”) to

p. 28. Available in Brightspace or

link here.

Elizabeth DeBetta, “Un-M-Othered:

An Autoethnographic Performance

Narrative of Adoption and

Patriarchy.” Union Institute and

University, 2020. Not yet on

ProQuest; available in Brightspace.

Read “Methodology”, pp. 22-43.

Link to performance here.

The following are UIU dissertations on

ProQuest, searchable on our library’s

website here:

Heid Erdrich, “Ojibwe Writers:

Words Come Speaking In Our

Dreams,” Union Institute and

Due for session 2:

First CAB entry

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University. ProQuest Dissertations

Publishing, 2012. Read the Preface

to p. ix

Natalie Jones, “The Womanist

Ethics Matrix: A Methodological

Tool for Transformation and Social

Change.” Union Institute and

University. ProQuest Dissertations

Publishing, 2017. Read the

Introduction

Lawrence Karn, “Photographic

Transactions Involving Self, Other,

Identity.” Union Institute and

University, ProQuest Dissertations

Publishing, 2017. Read

“Introduction: Photography’s Five

Faces”

Ryan Schowen, “Precarity and

Affective Labor: Toward A Spatial

Ecology of Dispossession.” Union

Institute and University, ProQuest

Dissertations Publishing, 2017. Read

the Introduction.

Post-

Residency

week of Jan

11-16

No written assignments due the week after

Residency

Assignments

Unit II:

THEORY

Jan 17-24

A. Getting Oriented With Theory

Read Peter Barry’s Beginning Theory, fourth

edition. Manchester: Manchester UP, 2017.

NB: Read this like a graduate student. Focus

on the introduction and conclusion and

chapters which are relevant to your work.

Skim the rest so you know what is in them.

(Students in Literary and Cultural Studies

may also want to read Wolfgang Iser, How

to Do Theory, Malden, MA: Blackwell

Publishing, 2006.)

By Jan 24: Your Topic and Your Questions

paper due

AND

Submit annotated bibliography entries for

residency readings and for Barry. Please

include one sentence on at least three

theories that you see as useable for your

work.

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Jan 25-31 B. Theory in Your Field/s

Week of Jan 25: Readings to be determined,

according to your interests, by Dr.

Teachout.

Jan 31: Annotated bibliography entries for

your sources. Make sure to include at least

one sentence about which theorist/s the

articles use.

Feb 1-7 Week of Feb 1: Develop a 15 minute Powerpoint/presentation for our class meeting. The presentation should:

1) Identify key theories and debates in your field

2) Choose two or three theories that you find particularly compelling, and describe them

Please note: you should practice TIMING, as you will need to do in all professional presentations. I will stop you after 15 minutes whether you are finished or not.

Feb 8: Powerpoint presentation due; you

will be presenting these in class.

ZOOM MEETING February 8, 6 PM EST

Feb 8-14 C. Applying Theory in Your Field Find and review three recent articles (published in the last five years) in your field. ** Be sure to vet these with Dr. Teachout first **.

Feb 14: Annotated bibliography for these

articles. Include at least one sentence

about which theorist/s the authors use,

and how they are used.

Feb 15-21 Writing Week: Theory Paper (see instructions)

Feb 21: Theory paper due

UNIT III:

METHODS

Feb 22-28

Methods Practicum

Textual analysis

Visual analysis

Contextual analysis (historical/cultural)

Readings in your field TBD in conversation with Dr. Teachout

Feb 22: ZOOM MEETING 6 PM

Feb 28: Short analysis practice 1: One

paragraph close reading analysis; one

paragraph visual analysis; one paragraph

contextual

Mar 1-7 Methods Practicum

Ethnography

Oral history Readings in your field TBD in conversation with Dr. Teachout

Mar 2: ZOOM MEETING 6 PM EST

Mar 7: Short analysis practice 2: One

paragraph oral history; one paragraph

ethnography

March 7-13 Break Week – no assignments

March 13-21

Methods Practicum

Memoir

Autoethnography

Mar 13: ZOOM MEETING 6 PM EST

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Creative

Readings in your field TBD in conversation

with Dr. Teachout

Mar 21: Short analysis practice 3: One

paragraph memoir; one paragraph auto-

ethnography; one example creative

Virtual Mid-

Semester

Residency

March 20

Virtual Mid-Semester Residency (MSR)

Sessions:

Social Justice Presentation, Mar 20, 11a.m.-

1 p.m. (Eastern)

• Conference Day, Mar 20: 1:30 p.m.

onward (Eastern)

MAR 22-28 Methods Practicum

Crowdsourcing

Other digital humanities Readings in your field TBD in conversation with Dr. Teachout

Mar 22: ZOOM MEETING 6 PM EST

Mar 28: Short analysis practice 4: One

example crowdsourcing; one example

other digital humanities

Mar 29-April

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Writing Week: Methods paper April 4: Methods paper

April 5- 18 Writing Weeks: Dissertation review paper

(During this period you will review at least

5 dissertations in your field TBD in

consultation with Dr. Teachout and our

research librarian.)

April 18: Dissertation review paper

AND

Annotated bib entries on dissertations

April 19-25 Writing week: Final Review Paper April 25: Draft of Final Review Paper due

April 26-May

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Revision week: I will get you feedback early

in the week

May 2: Upload draft with revisions

highlighted

Cumulative Annotated Bib (including

sources used in final project)

Assignments

CUMULATIVE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

YOU will track your reading this semester through a cumulative annotated bibliography. You will submit

these throughout the semester, after reading each text. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submit complete

bibliography by May 2.

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SHORT PAPERS

YOU will produce three short papers (~5 pages), elements of which may culminate in the final research

paper. Guidelines and expectations for each assignment will be available in the Brightspace site.

1. Your Topic and Your Questions Paper (5 pages). This paper should articulate your topic and your question as you see them right now. What do you want to know that you don’t know already? There is no prescribed format for this paper: feel free to make it an actual reflection. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submit by Jan 26th.

2. Theory Paper (5 pages). By now you have read and discussed different theoretical approaches. This paper should describe where you see your research questions and interests now, and assess the relative strengths and shortcomings of three theoretical approaches in relation to them. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submit by Feb 21th.

3. Methods Paper (5 pages). This paper should apply at least three theories or methods to a text or artifact, showing how each illuminates the text/artifact in a different way. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submit by April 4th.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

You will develop a 15 minute Powerpoint presentation for our class meeting on February 8. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submit by Feb 8th.

SHORT ANALYSIS PRACTICE

YOU will produce four short analysis documents, one for each methods practicum, that consist of a

paragraph using each method on a text/artifact in your field. Full instructions in Brightspace. Submission

dates Feb 28, Mar 7, Mar 21, Mar 28.

FINAL REVIEW PAPER

Building upon course readings, independent research, and ideas developed in the short papers described

above, students will produce a final seminar review paper (15-20 pages) centered on their emerging

research interest/question(s) within the field of humanities and culture. Full instructions in Brightspace.

Submit draft by April 15; submit final by May 2.

Final Deadline for all work

June 1 – Final deadline for students to submit all outstanding work

June 15 – Final deadline for faculty submission of online grades (grading opens June 1). The Writing Center Union Institute & University’s Writing Center offers self-help resources and free one-on-one tutoring sessions over the phone for all students. Tutoring sessions are available mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends. Self-help resources are located at http://www.myunion.edu/writing-center. Appointments for tutoring by telephone can be scheduled through the writing center’s CampusWeb

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group or by contacting the center (phone: 513-487-1156 or toll free: 1-800-861-6400 ext. 1156 or email: writing-center@myunion.edu). ADA Accommodations Union Institute & University is committed to providing equal access to its academic programs and resources for individuals with disabilities. Information on ADA policies and services is located on UI&U’s public website: https://myunion.edu/current-students/student-services/disability-services/

Academic Integrity

Union Institute & University’s Academic Integrity policy can be found on Campus Web at

https://campusweb.myunion.edu/ICS/icsfs/Academic_Integrity_Policy.pdf?target=9ccd7549-1590-445f-

876e-a959b1724c31

Grading Scale and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (Grading, SAP and Financial Aid Policies can be found in the University Catalog

http://myunion.edu/academics/catalog/)

Students in the Cohort PhD Program must make satisfactory academic progress every term. This means

that students must earn at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or S. Students must also successfully complete

at least 67% of cumulative credits attempted. For example, if a student has attempted 60 credit hours

during enrollment, he/she must successfully complete 40 or more of those hours. Student completion

rates are reviewed at the end of each term of attendance. Grades of U, W, I, V, NE and WIP adversely

affect a student’s completion rate because they are calculated as attempted but not completed. This

can cause a student’s completion rate to drop below 67%. This may result in the student not meeting

the SAP requirement facing possible academic and financial aid probation and/or dismissal from the

program. Grades of C or U adversely affect the student’s GPA and academic standing in the program.

A special review will be initiated if a student receives a C, U or two or more incomplete (I) grades.

Grading Scale

Grade Criteria

A Academic work reflects impressively thorough and accurate knowledge of assigned material, including the complexities and nuances of major and minor theories, concepts, and intellectual frameworks; exceptional evidence of capability to compare, assess, and synthesize material; especially strong capability to logically critique extant theories and claims and to develop persuasive arguments based on original thinking. 4.0 Quality Points

A- Criteria for A work not fully met. 3.70 Quality Points

B+ Criteria for B work is more fully met. 3.30 Quality Points

B Academic work reflects accurate grasp of major concepts, theories, and prevailing knowledge; abundant evidence of capability to offer informed analysis of extant knowledge and ideas; clear capability to synthesize and apply key information from prevailing knowledge; appropriate critiques of extant theories and knowledge;

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considerable demonstration of capability to develop and logically present own judgments. 3.0 Quality Points

B- Criteria for B work is not fully met. 2.70 Quality Points

C+ Criteria for C work is more fully met. 2.30 Quality Points

C Academic work reflects adequate familiarity with key ideas and knowledge, although interpretations of key theories and concepts are occasionally incomplete and flawed; written and verbal accounts of information, theories, and concepts remain primarily at the level of description; critiques are present but not well developed with occasional interpretive errors. 2.0 Quality Points

S Academic work reflects satisfactory completion of all prescribed learning and is equivalent to B or better at the doctoral level on a standard letter grading scale. The S grade is used only for ACS 897, ECL/HMS/PPS 841, 850, 860, MLK 800, MLK 890 and RSCH 900 Dissertation. 0.00 Quality Points and does not calculate into the GPA

U Academic work reflects insufficient capability to comprehend and accurately present ideas and information; superficial and unpersuasive critiques; little evidence of capability for original thinking. Unsatisfactory performance is defined as any performance less than C at the doctoral level. A U grade should be given only on the basis of less than satisfactory work and should not be given because a student has not been present in a seminar (in such a case a V grade should be given). 0.0 Quality Points

W Withdrawal: Student initiated withdrawal from a seminar or the program. Withdrawal

from the program discontinues connection to university passwords and accounts.

I Incomplete: Student completes at least 60% of work in a seminar but less than 100% of the required work in a seminar.

NE Never Engaged: An NE grade will be assigned during the first 21 days of each term for a student who neither attends nor engages in a registered seminar (including the residency sessions).

V Vanished: A V grade will be assigned six weeks after the beginning of a term by the Dean’s Office, or during end-of-term grading by a faculty member for a student who attends/engages in a registered seminar (including the residency sessions) but subsequently ceases to attend/engage in the seminar and does not officially withdraw from the seminar.

WIP (No grade)

No Grade: Faculty member has not submitted a grade for a student.

Repeated Seminar

Students are permitted to repeat any seminar once after receiving a U. The last grade earned is calculated in the GPA.

Successful Completion

A grade of A through C or S is considered successful seminar completion.

Special Note Regarding Incompletes:

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Students must have approval from the seminar faculty member to receive an incomplete for the

term. If this approval is not requested and approved, the student will receive a W (withdrawal) or V

(vanished), depending on the circumstances in regard to attendance in the seminar. In other words,

incompletes are not automatic and students should not assume that they can take incompletes at

will. All incomplete work for a current term must be submitted by May 15 or November 15 of the

following term. It is always best for students to stay in communication with faculty members and to

try to get all the work done for the term by the deadline. Students and faculty members should

explore all options together before deciding that the incomplete route is the one to take.