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Academic Year 2003/2004

American Tropics: Literature from the U.S. Colonies - Hawaii, the Philippines and Puerto Rico
ENGL 340 FA

By extending its borders to incorporate tropical lands and peoples through its neo-colonial adventures at the turn of the century, the U.S. nation-state created an "American Tropics" as part of its national identity. How does America imagine the tropics and, in turn, how do the tropics incorporate "America"? As colonized spaces, the islands of Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, among others, also imagine and write "America," turning and distending America's borders upon itself. The class shall read novels by authors from each area or its diaspora (Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Philippines) and make connections across these American tropics. We will explore the texts' relationship to its aesthetic, historical and cultural connection with each other, the United States and the idea of "America." We will then ask, How we begin to re-write and re-imagine "America" from these colonial outposts?

MAJOR READINGS

Among other texts may include:
Dominis Holt, WAIMEA SUMMER
Kiana Davenport, SHARK DIALOGUES
Santiago, WHEN I WAS PUERTO RICAN
Thomas, DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS
Hagedorn, DOGEATERS
Gamalinda, EMPIRE OF MEMORY
Anderson, IMAGINED COMMUNITIES
Stephanson, MANIFEST DESTINY
Reader with Fanon, Wald, Said, Trask, Diaz, Ileto, Salman, etc.
Film: BLUE HAWAII, ACT OF WAR, THE REAL GLORY, SAVAGE ACTS, WEST SIDE STORY, PALANTE SIEMPRE PALANTE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Students will submit weekly brief 10 1- 1 1/2 page inquiry papers on the assigned reading(s). Each student will present an aspect of the class session's reading assignment, distributing a 4-6 page written version to other students. Grades will be based on quizzes, one 15-page final paper, inquiry papers, presentations and active listening and participation in class discussion.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ENGL    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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