E-mail: crystal.alberts@und.nodak.edu

Required Texts:

When Winter Come: The Ascension of York, Frank X. Walker

Buffalo Dance: The Journey of York, Frank X. Walker

The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teachings of Hip Hop, Saul Williams

Maus I, Art Spiegelman

Maus II, Art Spiegelman

Grading:

Attendance/Participation: 10%

5 Short Responses (1-3 pages each) 30%

Paper (5-7 pages) 25%

Final Editing Project 35%

Course Objective:
The UND Writers Conference just celebrated its 40^th Anniversary, but planning for the 41^st conference is already well underway. The theme of next year’s conference, "Mind the Gap: Print, New Media, Art" was chosen to build an appreciation of traditional print literature, as well as celebrate works in emerging media. It was also selected so that we can bridge any generational gap that might exist by inviting individuals such as spoken word and hip-hop artist Saul Williams.

Each year, there is a substantial amount of writing necessary to introduce, frame, and explain the authors/poets/artists participating. In this course, students will read works by authors who may participate (or who influenced those who may participate), write short essays in response to these works, and assist in creating content for 2010 UND Writers Conference website, as well as help expand the Writers Conference streaming video collection.

Course Requirements:

Completion of Work: PLEASE NOTE, ALL PAPERS AND EXAMS FOR THIS COURSE MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED ON TIME TO RECEIVE CREDIT.

Attendance, Participation, and Punctuality: Your attendance and participation in class discussion is essential for the success of the class. Please note that 3 or more unexcused absences will negatively affect your grade and that more than 5 unexcused absences constitute grounds for failure of the course. Note that three unexcused tardies is equivalent to an unexcused absence. Also, I will consider a tardiness of more than 20 minutes an absence. If you do miss a class, please see me during my office hours to find out what you missed, including important handouts, changes in the syllabus, etc.

Essay Format: Essays are due at the beginning of the class in which they are due. In other words, essays e-mailed to me later in the day will be considered late. Essays handed in after the class meeting will be deducted a 1/3 of the letter grade for each day that they are late. For instance, if you get a B+ on the essay, but you hand it in on Thursday instead of Tuesday, your grade will drop to a B-. If there is some reason why you are unable to hand in the essay on time, you must discuss this with me before the due date. For this class, all essays must be written using the MLA format. I will distribute handouts from the MLA Handbook to help you with this. In addition, all essays must be typed using Times New Roman 12-point font. Also, please use a one to one and a quarter inch margin and title your essays. Everyone is strongly encouraged to meet with me to discuss your paper topic.

S-U Option (aka Pass/Fail): If you wish to take the course under the S-U option, please consult the registrar’s office for UND’s policies available at: http://www.und.edu/dept/registrar/catalogs/catalog/ugdept/more.htm.

Scholastic Dishonesty:

Plagiarism, or any other form of scholastic dishonesty, is a serious offense and will be subject to official university policy and punitive action as found in the "Code of Student Life" available at http://sos.und.edu/csl/index.php?main=1&pg=s3&subpg=3-3.

Please remember that you must cite all quotations, summaries, paraphrases and ideas of others. If you have even the slightest doubt about whether or not you should cite a source, err on the side of caution and cite it.

WARNING: I have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy. If there is any academic dishonesty, it can constitute failure for the course, period.

Class Schedule

(the large print giveth, the small print taketh away…schedule subject to change)

8/26 Introduction; Syllabus

8/28 A Brief History of Hip Hop

The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. xi-xxx; "Co-Dead Language," pp. 101-110

8/31 The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 61-85 ("Untimely Meditations," "OM," "1987")

9/2 The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 3-50 ("NGH WHT")

9/4 The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 3-50 ("NGH WHT")

9/7 LABOR DAY, NO CLASS

9/9 SCREENING: SLAM

9/11 SCREENING: SLAM

9/14 Discuss SLAM; The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 53-57; pp. 89-97 ("Amethyst Rocks," "Sha Clack Clack")

9/16 The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 113-141

9/18 The Dead Emcee Scrolls, pp. 142-173

9/21 Buffalo Dance, preface, pp. 1-26

9/23 Buffalo Dance, pp. 27-51

9/25 Finish Buffalo Dance

9/28 When Winter Come, Introduction, pp. 1-27

10/2 When Winter Come, pp. 28-53

10/5 When Winter Come, pp. 54-83

10/7 Finish When Winter Come

10/9 Introduction to Electronic Literature

"What is Electronic Literature?" (click here)

10/12 Introduction to Electronic Literature

10/14 Deena Larsen, "Ferris Wheels", "Firefly", and "Spiritual Comfort"

10/16 Nick Montfort, Excerpt Twisty Little Passages, (Handout)

10/19 Nick Montfort, "The Purpling," "Taroko Gorge," and "The Girl and the Wolf" available at http://nickm.com/works/

10/21 Nick Montfort, Book and Volume, available at http://nickm.com/works/

10/23 Stuart Moulthrop, "Under Language," available at http://iat.ubalt.edu/moulthrop/

10/26 Stuart Moulthrop, "Pax," available at http://iat.ubalt.edu/moulthrop/

10/28 NO CLASS

10/30 NO CLASS

11/2 Stuart Moulthrop, "Radio Salience," available at http://iat.ubalt.edu/moulthrop/

11/4 Mark Amerika, "Grammatron," available at http://www.markamerika.com/

11/6 Mark Amerika, "Grammatron," available at http://www.markamerika.com/

11/9 Mark Amerika, "Hypertextual Consciousness," available at http://www.grammatron.com/htc.html

11/11 NO CLASS

11/13 Mark Amerika, "Phon:e:me," available at http://www.markamerika.com/

11/16 Mark Amerika, "Film Text," available at http://www.markamerika.com/

11/18 Cecelia Condit ("One Wheel Dance," "Why Not a Sparrow," "Little Spirits," "All About a Girl") available at http://www.ceceliacondit.com/

11/20 Cecelia Condit ("Not a Jealous Girl," "Possibly in Michigan," "Oh Rapunzel," "Annie Lloyd") available at http://www.ceceliacondit.com/

11/23 Wrap up Electronic Literature

11/25 Maus I

11/27 THANKSGIVING BREAK, NO CLASS

11/30 Maus I

12/2 Maus I/Maus II

12/4 Maus II

12/7 Finish Maus II

12/9 Final Project Due