Evidence, Artifacts and
Heirlooms of Otherness 2018
7344 PLDS 3004 A
Instructor:
Tony Whitfield
cell:
718 809 9791
land:
718 638 4514
Thursdays
7:00-9:40
65
Fifth Ave; Rm 710
Course
Description
This course explores the ways in which objects
and material culture embody personal narrative.
Moving back and forth from ephemeral traces of events and experiences to
the culturally invested luxury goods that create legacy to the objects that
facilitate daily life, this class will use, as its primary references, examples
that draw from queer and African American cultures to underscore the potential
of objects to tell the stories that not only reflect majority traditions and
experiences but those of the disenfranchised, the details of whose lives are
often obscured. In addition to readings that will provide background for class
discussion, student will be asked to play the roles of detectives,
archeologists, and curators at various sites around New York City. Each student will also be asked to create an
annotated material record that reveals the public and private lives of one
individual of their choosing as a final project. That record may consist of texts, objects or
any variety of media chosen or designed by the student.
This syllabus is subject to change based upon the
evolution of student needs.
Evaluations and Grading
• Class discussion, presentations and participation 30%;
Assignments 30%; Final project including archive 30%; blog posts 10%
Aug 28
In class
Introductions and
discussion of student interests & backgrounds: overview of course themes,
issues, agreements and goals. We will also determine tool set among class participants.
Introduction to class blog:
Each student must make 3 or more blog entries each
week. Each entry should be identified as either an example of evidence,
artifact or heirloom with a description of why your entry fits into each the
assigned category. Your entry can be
anything ranging from news on current events to an object, a film, book or
performance that provides food for thought or a design by you or someone else.
Blog name: evidence, artifacts
& heirlooms
Password: Philadelphia1954!277
Discussion of
bibliography and resources.
Primary texts for this course will be:
Queer America: A People’s History of
the United States by Vicki L. Eaklor
Art and Queer Culture by Catherine Lord and Richard
Meyer.
A Geneaologist’s Guide to Discovering
Your African-American Ancestors, How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage by Franklin Carter Smith and Emily
Anne Croom, an ebook found in books at play.google.com
Screening and discussion of Through A Lens Darkly by Thomas Allen
Harris
Assignment for Sept 6
Each student will prepare a self portrait
constructed from evidence, artifacts and heirlooms that are in your possession
or easily attained. Make notes on each component of your self-portrait
outlining why you feel these materials are important aspects of your personal
narrative.
On Google play, purchase a copy of A
Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors,
______________________________________________________________
Sept 6
In class
Presentation of Self Portraits in Evidence,
Artifacts and Heirlooms
Screening of In The Life: Episode 1310, Historical Blindness
Assignment for Sept 13
Read “Mapplethorpe’s Living Room” in Other
Objects of Deisre, by Michael Camille, pgs, 130-150.
In A Genealogist’s Guide …read pages 1-33
Sept
13
In
class
1. Screening and discussion of Black, White + Gray, A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff
and Robert Mapplethorpe
2. Discussion of assigned reading and blog
posts.
Assignment for Sept 20
In A Genealogist’s Guide …read pages 34-60
Sept 20
In class
Discussion of assigned reading.
In class research of three subjects.
Review of subject research
Assignment for Sept 27
In A Genealogist’s Guide …read pages 61-117
Read Chapter 5, Creating Communities: late 19th Century to the mid 1960’s
in Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites, pages 49-74
______________________________________________________________
Sept 27
In class
Discussion of assigned reading.
In class research of three subjects.
Review of subject research.
Assignment for Oct 4
In A Genealogist’s Guide …read pages 118-144
Read Chapter 6, We’re Here, We’re Queer, Get Used To It: Mid 1960’s to United States v.
Windsor (2013) in Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic
Sites, pages 75-105
______________________________________________________________
Oct 4
In class
Discussion of assigned reading.
In class research of three subjects.
Review of subject research.
Assignment for Oct 11
In A Genealogist’s Guide …read pages 145-
162
______________________________________________________________
Oct 25
In class
Discussion of assigned reading.
In class research of three subjects.
Review of subject research
Assignments for Oct 25, Nov 1, Nov. 8
Project 1. Using the film you have been
assigned from the group below, develop a photo-based presentation that conveys
an area of exploration suggested by the biography presented and/or the
construction of that biography. The installation should include between 15 and
30 images/elements that will form the basis for an in class discussion that you
and a project partner will lead. Your goal is the engagement of the class in
the narrative you have crafted on your subject.
EVERYONE MUST VIEW ALL FILMS IN ADVANCE OF IN
CLASS PRESENTATIONS. Each pair of students will have one for their
presentation. It is expected that clips from the film as well as other
supporting materials will be used to build one’s thesis inspired by the
subject.
If appropriate, consult the following
libraries/archive to develop historical context for your presentaions:
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of the New York
Public Library
The
Lesbian Herstory Archive
The Gay and
Lesbian Collections - AIDS/HIV Collections of the New York Public Library
The films we will all view are:
The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson by David France, 2017
Brother Outsider, film
by Nancy Kates and Bennet Singer, 2003
Finding Vivian Maier, film
by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel, 2013
Find the video on Netflix.
The Witness, film by James Solomon, 2017
Find the video on Netflix.
______________________________________________________________
Oct 25
In class
presentation on Brother Outsider
______________________________________________________________
Nov 1
In class
Presentations on
The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne and
The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson
______________________________________________________________
Nov 8
In class
Presentations on
The Witness and
Finding Vivian Maier
Assignment for Nov 15:
Prepare a final, in class presentation of Project
1. That presentation should be no longer than ten minutes.
Prepare a 50 to 100 word project subject
statement/description for Project 2, a presentation that constructs a
“portrait” of an individual of your choosing developed from a conscious investigation
of the ways in which the persons life and context can be defined through
evidence, artifacts and heirlooms. That portrait must also contain or be
accompanied by an annotated material record that details/reveals the public and
private life of the subject. Beginning with photographs, that record may, but
is not required to, also include texts, objects or any variety of media chosen,
produced or designed by the student.
_______________________________________________________________
Nov 15
In class
·
In class presentation of proposed
subject for Project 2
________________________________________________________________
Nov 22 and Dec 6
In class
Discussion and development of digital presentation
on the class blog of Project 2
________________________________________________________________
Dec 13
In class
Final project presentation
Divisional, Program and Class Policies
● Responsibility
Students
are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent. Late papers, failure to complete the readings
assigned for class discussion, and lack of preparedness for in-class
discussions and presentations will jeopardize your successful completion of
this course.
● Participation
Class
participation is an essential part of class and includes: keeping up with
reading, contributing meaningfully to class discussions, active participation
in group work, and coming to class regularly and on time.
● Attendance
Faculty
members may fail any student who is absent for a significant portion of class
time. A significant portion of class time is defined as three absences for
classes that meet once per week and four absences for classes that meet two or
more times per week. During intensive summer sessions a significant portion of
class time is defined as two absences. Lateness or early departure from class
may also translate into one full absence.
● Canvas
Use
of Canvas may be an important resource for this class. Students should check it
for announcements before coming to class each week.
● Delays
In
rare instances, I may be delayed arriving to class. If I have not arrived by the time class is
scheduled to start, you must wait a minimum of thirty minutes for my
arrival. In the event that I will miss
class entirely, a sign will be posted at the classroom indicating your
assignment for the next class meeting.
● Academic
Integrity
This
is NSU’s Statement on Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and cheating of any kind
in the course of academic work will not be tolerated. Academic honesty includes accurate use of
quotations, as well as appropriate and explicit citation of sources in
instances of paraphrasing and describing ideas, or reporting on research findings
or any aspect of the work of others (including that of instructors and other
students). These standards of academic
honesty and citation of sources apply to all forms of academic work
(examinations, essays, theses, computer work, art and design work, oral
presentations, and other projects).
It
is the responsibility of students to learn the procedures specific to their
discipline for correctly and appropriately differentiating their own work from
that of others. Compromising your
academic integrity may lead to serious consequences, including (but not limited
to) one or more of the following: failure of the assignment, failure of the
course, academic warning, disciplinary probation, suspension from the
university, or dismissal from the university.
Every
student at Parsons signs an Academic Integrity Statement as a part of the
registration process. Thus, you are held
responsible for being familiar with, understanding, adhering to and upholding
the spirit and standards of academic integrity as set forth by the Parsons
Student Handbook.
Guidelines
for Written Assignments
Plagiarism
is the use of another person's words or ideas in any academic work using books,
journals, internet postings, or other student papers without proper
acknowledgment. For further information on proper acknowledgment and
plagiarism, including expectations for paraphrasing source material and proper
forms of citation in research and writing, students should consult the Chicago
Manual of Style (cf. Turabian, 6th edition). The New School
University Writing Center also provides useful on-line resources to help
students understand and avoid plagiarism. See
www.newschool.edu/admin/writingcenter/usefullinks.html.
Students
must receive prior permission from instructors to submit the same or
substantially overlapping material for two different assignments. Submission of the same work for two
assignments without the prior permission of instructors is plagiarism.
● Student
Disability Services
In
keeping with the University’s policy of providing equal access for students
with disabilities, any student with a disability who needs academic
accommodations is welcome to meet with me privately. All conversations will be kept
confidential. Students requesting any
accommodations will also need to meet with Jason Luchs in the office of Student
Disability Services, who will conduct an intake, and if appropriate, provide an
academic accommodation notification letter to you to bring to me. At that point I will review the letter with
you and discuss these accommodations in relation to this course. Mr. Luchs’ office is located in 79 Fifth
Avenue, 5th floor. His direct line is (212) 229-5626 x3135. You may also access more information through
the University’s web site at www.newschool.edu/studentservices/disability/
