Globalization and the Fate of Literature


English 395.301 – Fall 2004
Tues & Thurs 12:00 – Logan 204

DESCRIPTION:

What is happening to literary culture as new systems and technologies of exchange alter the world order within which literature is produced and consumed?  This course will consider contemporary novels and films in the context of recent debates among economists, sociologists, and historians over globalization.  We will read work by some of the major scholars who have contributed to these debates, including Anthony Giddens, David Harvey, Benjamin Barber, and Arjun Appadurai.  These writings will provide the framework for our consideration of recent novels and films from various parts of the world:  David Malouf's Remembering Babylon (1993), Naruddin Farah's Maps (1986), Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses (1989), Jessica Hagedorn's Dogeaters (1990), J.M Coetzee's Disgrace (1999), Ha Jin's Waiting (1999), Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost (2000),  William Gibson's Pattern Recognition (2003), and films by Ken Loach and Gurinda Chadha.  The course is intended as an introduction; no previous coursework in these areas is required or expected. It is, however, an Honors seminar open only to Franklin Scholars in the College or in Wharton.
 

REQUIRED WORK:

There will be three interterm exams, each counting 10% of the final grade.  Written work will consist of two 3-5-page research reports (which will be presented orally, in summary form, to the class), each counting 15% of the final grade, and a 15-page research paper counting 35% of the final grade.  Late papers will be marked down 3 points per day.  Attendance is required: points will be deducted from the final grade for unexcused absences or habitual tardiness.

BOOK LIST:

The following books are available from the Penn Book Center at 34th and Sansom:

A coursepack of additional readings will be available from Wharton Reprographics after September 15th.


SCHEDULE:


Thurs Sept 9

Introduction
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I.  Globalization and the Colonial Encounter Revisited
Tues  Sept 14
Held and McGrew, "Globalization"
Jeremy Seabrook, "Localizing Cultures"
Giddens, "Globalization"

Thurs Sept 16

Malouf, Remembering Babylon

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Tues Sept 21

Malouf, Remembering Babylon


II.  Globalization and the Dilemmas of a National Literature

Thurs Sept 23

Paik Nak-Chung, “Nations and Literatures in the Age of Globalization” (CP)
John Tomlinson, "Globalization and Cultural Identity" (CP)

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Tues  Sept 28
Farah, Maps
[see map of Ogaden here]
[link to Ogaden Online]

Thurs Sept 30

Farah, Maps
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III.  World Literature, World Religion

Tues  Oct 5

Samuel Huntington, "Clash of Civilizations" (CP)
Benjamin Barber, Intro to "Jihad vs. McWorld" (CP)
Rushdie, Satanic Verses I and II 
Chadha, I'm British But . . . (in class)

Thurs  Oct 7

Fouad Ajami, "The Summoning" (CP)
John Bowen,"The Myth of Global Ethnic Conflict" (CP)
Rushdie, Satanic Verses III and IV
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Tues Oct 12

Rushdie, Satanic Verses V, VI, and VII
EXAM 1 (on units I through III)

Thurs Oct 14
Rushdie, Satanic Verses VIII and IX


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IV.  Local Appropriations of Global Media

Tues  Oct 19

Thompson, "Globalization of Communication" (CP)
Barker, "Global Appeal of Soap Opera" (CP)
Appadurai, "Disjuncture and Difference" (CP)
Hagedorn, Dogeaters

Thurs Oct 21

Hagedorn, Dogeaters

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Tues Oct 26
FALL BREAK

Thurs Oct 28

V.  Globalization, Higher Education, and Literary Knowledge

Altbach, "Globalization and Higher Education"
Drohan and Freeman, "English Rules" (CP)
Fishman, "The New Linguistic Order" (CP)

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 Tues Nov 2

Coetzee, Disgrace

Thurs Nov 4

Coetzee, Disgrace

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VI.  Family and the "Democratization of Emotions"

Tues  Nov 9

Giddens, "Family"
Giddens, "Family" Revisited
Ha Jin, Waiting

Thurs  Nov 11

Ha Jin, Waiting
EXAM 2 (on units IV though VI)

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VII.  Mobility and the Globalization of Human Rights

Tues  Nov 16

Ondaatje, Anil's Ghost
THESIS PARAGRAPH AND BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

Thurs  Nov 18

Ondaatje, Anil's Ghost
Bauman, “Tourists and Vagabonds” (CP)

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VIII.  Consumerism as Global Dystopia

 Tues  Nov 23

    Eissenstein, "Cyber Inequities" (CP)
    Harvey, "Time-Space Compression" (CP)
    Jameson, "Fear and Loathing in Globalization"

Thurs  Nov 25

THANKSGIVING BREAK

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Tues Nov 30

Gibson, Pattern Recognition 

Thurs Dec 2

Gibson, Pattern Recognition

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IX.  Local Vernaculars and the World Cinema

Tues  Dec 7

Loach, Riff Raff  (reserve)
Loach, Bread and Roses (reserve)
EXAM 3 (on units VII through IX)
Thurs Dec 9
Final Class.  Review and Wrap-Up

[RESEARCH PAPERS DUE BY DEC 10th]