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教學大綱


本頁翻譯進度

燈號說明

審定：無
翻譯：陳靖婧(簡介並寄信)
編輯：馬景文(簡介並寄信)
（編註：輔助教室
編輯所設置自學書院網站設有本課程的輔助教室，內容包括部份閱讀文章的翻譯本，中文文獻連結，和自學者論壇。）


課程大綱 (PDF)

課程描述

2001年9月11日世界貿易大厦遇襲，其後24小時內，政客、藝術家和文化評論家開始查詢該如何紀念數以千計的罹難者。這個問題一直存在至今，但同時也可以提出另一問題：建紀念碑是否紀念歷史那一瞬間最好的方法？其他言論、媒體和藝術形式能爲該集體記憶項目提供什麽方法？這些文化構件將如何幫助我們評定對襲擊的瞬間反應？爲了瞭解這些問題，「走出歸零地」回溯早期德國和日本的災難現場。

本課程首先安排於9月11日在紐約實地考察一天。屆時學生與建築師和攝影記者會面，和參觀曼哈頓下城的清理現場。實地考察和閱讀作業會擴大形成跨文化，跨歷史的基礎。課程包括城市文化的「歸零地」訊號文本，也會考慮文學、電影、藝術，以及建築和舞蹈的作品。課程引用這些作品，形成臨時的範疇，用於分析世貿遇襲的各種反應。

這個課程的中心文章是《集體回憶》。法國社會學家Maurice Halbwachs為城市毀壞對社會群體的影響提出深刻見解。然而，Halbwachs的見解：集體身份的確在毀壞中深化――在今天是否仍然作實？他以非建築方法建立社群的論點，更突顯如何分析由911事件衍生媒體和文化的問題。

討論的議題包括：

  • 是否應該有一個世貿紀念碑？如果是，那麽應該何時、如何規劃？受衆群是誰？除建紀念碑外，對911事件還應該有怎樣的其他適當的文化反應？
  • 有什麽樣特別的文學作品和像徵來描繪德累斯頓，廣島和曼哈頓下城這些地方的遺迹？它們是否可以與文學作品描繪的奧斯維辛死亡集中營比較？（編註：德國東部城市德累斯頓，在1945年2月13日被盟軍猛烈轟炸十四小時；盟軍在1945年8月6日向日本廣島投下原子彈；美國紐約曼哈頓下城是世界貿易中心所在；第二次世界大戰期間，德國在波蘭奧斯維辛建造集中營囚禁和殺害猶太人。）
  • 這些地點有何共通和分歧之處？它們是如何烙印於記憶？
  • 歐洲社會思想應用於美國和日本的文化和歷史，有什麽限制？

課程目的

本課程旨在介紹主流社會思想，爲你展現一系列有公衆意義的事件。你要以口頭和書面發表你對事件的論點。

要求

1.課堂參與對於這課程來說很重要。學生必須參加每一節課，才能作出有價值的貢獻。指定閱讀作業需在每堂課前完成。每次作業都有一個引導性問題。不能上課的學生需要提前當面或致電告訴導師。未經允許缺席四次以上會被勒令退學。大多數日子，學生需要就指定閱讀作業提出的問題遞交一份簡短的書面回答（每份100到150字）。儘管這些回答不會打分，但這些個人準備可以增進課堂討論。再者，經常練習寫作有助為長篇論文作準備，不管是本課程還是其他。課程在學期中分發22個題目，學生可選答15個。爲體現進度，每次作業應連續記號（如1/15，2/15……）。這些寫作作業不得延期。討論時請保持禮貌。

評分：參與課堂討論和遞交15份簡短書面回答--25%

2.本課程基本目的之一，是發展和提煉批判性分析和見解。為此，學生要寫兩篇論文。在截止日期前兩周，學生必需提交文章提綱。最後完成的論文必須列出全部參考資料，論文須符合MLA標準（編註：Modern Language Association美國現代語言協會制定的論文格式）。

論文在指定日期的中午截收。未經導師同意遲交的論文將會被降一個等級。遲交一周以上的將降兩個等級。請保留論文打印副本。

評分：第一篇論文――15%，第二篇論文――20%

3.除了寫作作業，學生還要做一次口頭報告。學生需就當日的閱讀資料發表一頁講稿。在20分鐘的報告時間內，學生要總結作者的主要觀點，描述產生文本的歷史背景，和提出幾個討論問題。

報告的評分標準由以下幾點决定：見解、清晰度；更重要的是報告者能激發同學參與思考的程度。

評分：一次口頭報告――15%

4.有一次累計的期末考試。考試由一個「確認」部分和「問答題」組成。問答題會從考試前一周分發的清單選考。

評分：期末考試――25%

要合格，學生必需完成所有課程要求。


　

Syllabus (PDF)


Description

Within twenty-four hours of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 politicians, artists, and cultural critics had begun to ask how to memorialize the deaths of thousands of people. This question persists today, but it can also be countered with another: is building a monument the best way to commemorate that moment in history? What might other discourses, media, and art forms offer in such a project of collective memory? How can these cultural formations help us to assess the immediate reaction to the attack? To approach these issues, "Out of Ground Zero" looks back to earlier sites of catastrophe in Germany and Japan.

This course begins with a one-day field trip to New York on 11 September. Students will meet with architects and photojournalists, and view the clearing in Lower Manhattan. Following the excursion, reading assignments will expand to form a cross-cultural, trans-historical base. The curriculum engages signal texts on the notion of "ground zero" in urban culture. Works of literature, cinema, and art, as well as architecture and choreography will be considered. The course draws from these works to develop a provisional scope through which to analyze the diverse responses to the World Trade Center attacks.

A central text for this course is Collective Memory. Here French sociologist Maurice Halbwachs offers critical insights on the impact of urban destruction on social groups. Does Halbwachs' argument--that collective identity actually deepens in the wake of demolition--still hold today? His thesis about the non-architectural means of community building render more salient the question of how to analyze the media and culture produced in the wake of September 11.

Among the topics of discussion are:

  • Should there be a World Trade Center memorial? If so, when and how should it be planned? Who would be the audience? Besides a built memorial, what are other adequate cultural responses to the events of September 11?
  • What are the specific literary and iconographic dimensions of the ruin of Dresden, Hiroshima, and Lower Manhattan? Can they be compared to literary representations of the death camps in Auschwitz?
  • What are the points of convergence and divergence among these four sites? How do they register in memory?
  • What are the application limits of European social thought on the cases of American and Japanese culture and history?

Purpose

The course will introduce certain main currents of social thought and will expose you to a range of issues of public significance. You will be expected to construct arguments of your own, both in speech and writing, about the issues raised.

Requirements

1. Class participation is essential to this course. In order to make a valuable contribution students should come prepared to each class. Assigned readings must be completed before each class meeting. A guiding question shall accompany each assignment. Students who are unable to attend a class must inform the instructor in advance, either in person or by telephone. Students with more than four unexcused absences shall be dropped from the class.

On most days students shall submit brief written responses (100-150 words each) to the question on the reading assignment. Although these responses will not be graded, such individual preparation will enhance class discussions. Further, regular writing practice will prepare students for longer papers, both in this course and beyond. Of the 22 questions distributed over the course of the semester students may select 15 to which they would like to respond. Students shall account for their progress with this series by consecutively marking each text (i.e. 1/15, 2/15… ). No extensions shall be granted for these writing assignments. Courtesy toward others in discussions is expected.

Grading: Participation in class discussion and submission of 15 brief written responses--25%.

2. One of the primary goals of this course is the development and refinement of critical analysis and argument. To this end students will write two essays. About two weeks before a given due date students must submit a brief outline of the essay they plan to write. In finished essays any and all references must be cited. Essays must conform to MLA standards.

Essays are due at noon on the dates indicated. Essays submitted late without prior permission from the instructor will be penalized by one full letter grade. Essays submitted more than one week late will be penalized by two full letter grades. Always keep a printed copy of your essay.

Grading: First essay--15%, Second essay--20%.

3. In addition to the writing assignments, students will also be expected to deliver an oral presentation. Students shall prepare and present a one-page handout on the day's reading. In these twenty-minute presentations students should provide a summary of the author's main points, describe the historical context in which the text was produced, and open up a few questions for discussion.

Presentations will be evaluated according to the following criteria: insight, clarity, and importantly, the degree to which presenters stimulate the thoughtful participation of their classmates.

Grading: One oral presentation--15%.

4. A cumulative final examination shall be given. The examination shall consist of an identification section and a selection of essay questions from a list distributed one week prior to the test date.

Grading: Final examination--25%.

To receive a passing grade for this course students must meet all course requirements.


 
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