Syllabus

Department of Black and Latinx Studies

Baruch College

Survey of Caribbean Literature in English

Fall 2024 BLS/CMP/ENG 3038 – Section: ETRA

Tuesday/Thursday 2:30-3:45

Room: VC 12-170

Professor: Dr. Rebecca L. Salois

Email

[email protected]

I will periodically check email Monday through Friday throughout the day until approximately 4:00pm. Please include your name and course section in your emails for reference.

Drop-In Hours

Where: VC 4-273

When: Tuesdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays throughout the day, by appointment

Required Texts

  • Lucy, Jamaica Kincaid (ISBN: 9780374527358)
  • Hungry Ghosts, Kevin Jared Hosein (ISBN: 9780063213418)
  • Erzulie’s Skirt, Ana-Maurine Lara(ISBN: 9780978625108)

Print, digital, or audio books are acceptable for any title when available. I believe Erzulie’s Skirt is only available in print, so please order this book early! Additional readings, podcasts, and videos will be provided to you via Brightspace or E-Reserves.

Technology

For this class, you will need access to Audacity, Blogs@Baruch, Brightspace, Google Docs, and possibly Zoom. The Zoom link is located on Brightspace within the “Welcome Folder.” Audacity is a program you will need to download onto your computers, but it is a free program. Any additional technology that may be used will be free and open access.

Class Description

This course charts the development of Caribbean literature in English and emphasizes its formal and thematic aspects. Special attention is given to the influence of Caribbean geography and Caribbean history on its literature. Themes include anti-imperialism and nationalism, globalization, migration and exile, the treatment of race, the treatment of women, class systems and carnivalesque subversions.

Students will develop close reading, analytical, and writing skills through class discussions and informal writing assignments that promote an awareness of the cultural and historical factors of each of the texts. Students will engage in a variety of communication-intensive activities, both oral and written, designed to enhance their appreciation of literature and their awareness of the way it shapes and reflects a multicultural world. The semester will culminate in a public-facing podcast project that demonstrates student understanding of the themes and topics covered in the course.

Learning Goals

  • Recognize, analyze, and understand the history of the diverse cultural viewpoints presented in Caribbean literature.
  • Use critical reading skills to make knowledgeable and insightful comments on narrative forms and communicate insights, questions, and information about the texts provided.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the history, significance, and contemporary directions of the emerging genres of Caribbean literature.
  • Develop a theoretical framework for how Caribbean literature intersects with issues of race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and social and economic classes.
  • Communicate thoughts and knowledge effectively and critically in written, spoken, and digital forms.

Statement of Care

I will do my best to assist you in whatever way I can. My door is open for discussions, and I will always engage in thoughtful and respectful conversations with you. With that in mind, there may be times when I do not have the tools or resources to fully help you. If you are in any need of assistance beyond that which I can provide, please contact the following departments/individuals:

  • Baruch’s One Stop Shop (BOSS):This is a one-stop resource for students. It contains links and information that will connect you to assistance with tech needs (including computers), emergency funds, and guides for academic success as they study remotely.
  • Baruch Computer and Technology Center (BCTC): For technology-based help including logging in to your Baruch account, Blackboard access, Baruch student email, assistive technology, CUNYFirst, and more.  
  • https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bctc/ 
  • [email protected] 
  • 646-312-1010 (M-Th: 8am-8pm)  
  • Baruch Counseling Center: The stress that students experience has always been high, and now with the pandemic and social-political turmoil, students are experiencing increases in depression, anxiety, substance and alcohol use, grief and loss, family conflict, and more. Combined with the demands of on-line learning, and stress levels are becoming debilitating for many. The Counseling Center offers free and confidential services to help you deal with these challenging times.  
  • https://studentaffairs.baruch.cuny.edu/counseling/ 

Majoring and Minoring in BLS/LTS

Baruch College now offers a bachelor’s degree in Black and Latino Studies! You can learn more about the requirements and courses here.

The Black and Latino Studies major offers interdisciplinary, intersectional approaches to the study of the ideas, history, politics, literature, music, religions, cultures, economic and social contributions by people of African and Latin American descent, including the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. You can declare a BLS major here.

The department’s learning goals are real-world career skills. They cultivate student thinking in ways that support theoretical knowledge and practical skills for work and for life after college. Its commitment to active and empowered teaching and learning supports cultures of creativity, problem solving, and community engagement. Through course content, research practice, and fieldwork, upon completion of the BLS major students will be able to:

Coursework
  • Closely read and contextualize texts and artifacts related to Black and Latino Studies
  • Articulate multiple scholarly and applied theories of culture, power, and social change.
  • Assess and evaluate both quantitative and qualitative evidence and arguments.
  • Analyze knowledge production using interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives.
  • Communicate complex ideas and arguments in written, oral, and digital forms.
Fieldwork
  • Identify, explain, and analyze key dynamics in cultural, political, economic, and/or ecological issues that specifically affect Black and Latino peoples.
  • Develop community-engaged, practical applications to classroom learning.
  • Reflect on the ethics of cross-cultural research, representation, and collaboration.
  • Practice skills that support career preparedness and/or graduate studies.
Public Knowledge Projects
  • Create and share accessible content and resources that advance racial and social justice.
  • Design and conduct critical research that offers practical solutions concerning relevant social and cultural questions.
  • Connect coursework with community interests and concerns.
Minors in Black and Latino Studies

The department currently offers minors in the areas of Black Studies (BLS), and Latino Studies (LTS), and in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS). The minor is 9 credits, including a capstone course.

Questions? Contact any BLS/LTS professor, or Department Chair Professor Shelly Eversley

Academic Integrity

The Department of Black and Latino Studies fully supports Baruch College’s policy on Academic Honesty, which states, in part:

“Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the college’s educational mission and the students’ personal and intellectual growth. Baruch students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work, to learn the rules and definitions that underlie the practice of academic integrity, and to uphold its ideals. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for disobeying them. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned.”

Academic sanctions in this class will range from an F on the assignment to an F in this course. A report of suspected academic dishonesty will be sent to the Office of the Dean of Students. Additional information and definitions can be found at http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html

AI

AI (including ChatGPT) is not only plagiarism, it is racist! Therefore, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is prohibited in any assignment. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of AI-generated text, speech, or images, as well as the use of AI tools or software to complete any portion of a project or assignment. Any violations of this policy will result in a failing grade for the assignment and/or course. The Dean of Student Affairs Office will also be notified. One of the goals for this class is to encourage critical thinking and creativity, and the use of AI detracts from this goal. Students are expected to use their own knowledge, research, and analysis to complete all assignments.

Policies and Requirements

This class is an in-person class. As such, we will meet every Tuesday and Thursday on campus. Exceptions may occur and class may take place online if circumstances change or situations arise.

You are expected to complete all readings, podcast episodes, and/or videos prior to the class session in which they are posted. These items will vary in length, so be sure to give yourself sufficient time to complete them prior to completing the assignments. Do not save your work until the last moment! Additionally, you are expected to actively participate in class sessions as well as meet the deadlines for any assignments.

Take note of which assignments are due when. Please log into Brightspace regularly to keep up to date on these assignments and reach out to me with any questions or concerns as they arise. Due dates are indicated on the syllabus. Late work may be considered for reduced credit, however, only after an in-person meeting with the professor.

If you have concerns about assignment due dates or the use of technology on a regular basis (especially as it pertains to Audacity), it is your responsibility to let me know ahead of time. I am willing to work with you if you communicate with me. You are encouraged to email me, stop by my office hours, or request a Zoom meeting for any questions or further clarification of any readings and assignments.  

Grade Breakdown 

The final grade for this course will be determined as follows. Descriptions and details of each component follow. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have about any part of this grade breakdown.  

  • Attendance/Participation – 25%
  • Blog Posts – 15%
  • One-on-One Meeting – 5%
  • Podcast Workshops – 15%
  • Final Podcast Project – 40%

Attendance/Participation

In-class participation is a crucial part of this course. Please be prepared to attend every class and engage in small group and whole class conversations. Missed classes will affect other aspects of your grade, including in-class assignments and participation.

In-class participation is a crucial part of this course. Simply attending class is not enough. You are expected to actively participate during in-class activities, conversations, and assignments throughout the semester. There will be multiple opportunities to do so in each class.Please be prepared to attend every class on time and engage in all small group and whole class discussions.

Because in-class engagement is such an important component of this course, your grade will drop by one grade letter (A to B, B to C, etc.) after every three absences. This means that on the fourth absence, your grade will drop one full letter from the grade you have earned. If this is a concern for you, please be sure to communicate with me. If you are absent more than three times or due to extenuating circumstances, you must meet with me one-on-one and in-person after your return, to determine the best course of action. Arriving more than 10 minutes late to class is equal to ½ absence.

Blog Posts

These will be 500-600 word written posts sharing your thoughts on a specific text. I will provide at least two prompts for each of the required posts, and you may choose which one you will respond to. You must complete a total of three blog posts (one per unit), and then reply to a peer’s post (again, one per unit). Each original post will be worth 25 points (for 75 points total), and the three replies (graded for completion) will be worth the remaining 25 points. Blog posts will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Cover image (3 points)
  • Length of post (2 points)
  • Answer to the prompt (15 points)
  • Incorporation of a quote from the primary source (3 points)
  • MLA Works Cited entry for any cited sources, including the primary source (2 points)

One-on-One Meetings

It is important to establish a good habit of visiting your professors. As such, students will be required to have at least one one-on-one meeting with me. This should take place in-person in my office (VC 4-273) between October 1st and November 26th. The meeting will last approximately 15 minutes. We will touch base on your progress in the class, your plans for the final project, and anything else that might be useful at that point in the semester.

Podcast Workshops

During the semester, there will be five in-class podcast workshop days designed to help you create a high quality audio project with your group. These will cover topics such as how to use Audacity (audio editing software), microphone skills, adding music and effects, and editing. You are expected to attend all workshops and each one is worth 3% of your final grade. If you must be absent for any of these workshops, you will be required to meet with me in person (beyond the standard one-on-one meeting). It is your responsibility to reach out to me to schedule this meeting.

Podcast workshop days are as follows:

  • Thursday, September 5th
  • Tuesday, September 24th
  • Tuesday, October 29th
  • Thursday, November 21st
  • Tuesday, December 10th

Final Podcast Project

For our final project, you will be working in groups to create a series of public-facing podcast episodes on Caribbean literature. The details of this project will be provided to you in late September and there will be five podcast workshop days in class throughout the semester. While you will be working with a group, each of you will be graded individually for your specific component of the project. In other words: This is a group assignment, but it will not result in a group grade. If someone does not fulfill their role in the project, it will not hurt your grade. If you feel as though you have not done your best work, your efforts will not have a negative effect on the grades of others.

Along the way you will be expected to complete the following components

  • A project proposal for the group
  • A proposal for your individual segment
  • A draft bibliography
  • An outline or draft script

At the end of the project, you will be expected to complete a self-reflection and assessment of the work and effort you put into your section of the episode.