ENG 162W-03 (39433): Literature & Place

🌲 Wilderness(es) 🌲

INSTRUCTOR: Eric Dean Wilson

CLASS SESSIONS: MON 6:40p–9:30p (Zoom)*

OFFICE HOURS: MON 4:30p–5:30p by appt. (Zoom)

The story of our relationship to the earth is written more truthfully on the land than on the page. It lasts there. The land remembers what we said and what we did. Stories are among our most potent tools for restoring the land as well as our relationship to land. We need to unearth the old stories that live in a place and begin to create new ones, for we are storymakers, not just storytellers. All stories are connected, new ones woven from the threads of the old.

— Robin Wall Kimmerer, from Braiding Sweetgrass

Course Description

Anything we might call “place” is now endangered. Over the past century, fossil fuel emissions from industrial processes have warmed the average temperature of the planet by 1.1ºC. A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tells us that warming will increase by about 0.5ºC regardless. This isn’t just a planetary crisis; it’s a humanitarian crisis. Global warming will intensify dangerous heatwaves, famines, droughts, sea level rise, polar ice loss, wildfires, refugee crises, and even the loss of other-than-human species. The intensity and unpredictability of these events will increase with each ton of pollution emitted. So: in the face of this looming trouble—all of which is underway already—what’s the use of literature? Can literature help us understand our present environmental crises better? How so?

Through rigorous reading and writing, this section of English 162W will investigate broadly how American literary nonfiction has communicated—and constructed—a theme of “wilderness.” Examining a range of nonfiction texts in the genre of the essay from Thoreau to the present, we’ll consider whether the idea of wilderness might, in fact, threaten it. We’ll begin by building close, critical reading skills to analyze assumptions in environmental texts; then, we’ll read several critical environmental theories and put them in conversation with the wider culture; and, finally, we’ll turn toward a more creative and activist approach to wilderness literature in order to address the problems we face. At the core of this class, however, is a focus on college writing: annotations, weekly low-stakes writing, revisions, peer review workshops, three major essays, and scholarly research.

English 162W is a general education course that satisfies the Literature requirement (LIT) for the College Option under the CUNY General Education structure called Pathways.

This course is a Writing Intensive (W) course and fulfills one Writing Intensive requirement. W classes include a significant portion of time devoted to writing instruction. This may include things such as revision workshops, discussions of rhetorical strategies, or reflective writing about writing assignments.

Learning Objectives

In this course, students will:

Understand & express the advantages of reading literature, especially environmental lit.
Engage in the practice of close, critical reading.
Identify & apply critical theories of place, the environment, and literature.
Analyze how texts of the past in different cultural contexts serve as a foundation for those of the present and describe the significance of works of art in the societies that created them.
Articulate how meaning is created in texts & how experience is interpreted & conveyed.
Use college-level methods of writing & research to understand & appreciate literature.
Investigate how ideas about wilderness & nature are constructed in complex ways.

Digital Spaces We’ll Use

Blackboard: Viewing & Submitting Assignments

All homework assignments & writing prompts will be posted on Blackboard. To access our Blackboard, go to: https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_2047967_1&url=

Not sure what’s due for class or when? Check Blackboard.

Please note that all assignments are due on the listed date before class.

Zoom: Monday Class Meetings

We’ll meet through Zoom at 6:40pm every Monday. This will serve as our virtual classroom. Please plan to attend class for the entire time, though we may end the call early to write or engage in asynchronous work.

To access our Zoom classroom, use the link below (it’s the same each week): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89389033100?pwd=YjEvbGpRZk5iOFVodXJmNEVIdDN2UT09

Meeting ID: 893 8903 3100

Passcode: 977736

Manifold: Course Texts

All course texts will be available on Manifold. Manifold is a free, open-source platform that provides better accessibility than PDFs or Blackboard, and it will also allow us to annotate, highlight, and discuss the texts online with each other before class, which is a crucial aspect of participating in this course.

To access the course texts, you’ll need to first create an account on Manifold. (It’s free.) Once you’ve created an account, you can join our Reading Group that’s specifically created for this course. Once you’ve joined our Reading Group, you’ll be given access to the course texts.

Instructions for students: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/untitled-38aea9c4-5f77-4e1b-9ff4-39a8d80d0738/section/619ed56a-0325-49e6-bedc-573225c687ec
Join the Reading Group: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/my/groups?join=QZB6ZH6J (invitation code: QZB6ZH6J)
Access our Manifold site: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/projects/queens-college-eng-162w-literature-place-instructor-eric-dean-wilson

Microsoft Word: Writing & Collaborative Feedback

You’ll submit writing assignments to me as Microsoft Word docs (*.docx) through Blackboard, but I’ll also ask you to share them with your classmates via Microsoft Word. That way we can comment on and edit each other’s work. This will allow us to have a conversation about our writing both on the actual document and (later) in class discussion.

For drafting, experimenting, and taking notes, a paper notebook and pen is also encouraged but not necessary. You’re welcome to compose using whatever manual or digital platform you’d like as long as you submit to me & share as a Microsoft Word document.

To download Microsoft Office 365, please follow the instructions here: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/Computing/Pages/Office365Instructions.aspx

Course Texts

All readings are available on our Manifold site. Additional PDFs or media will also be available on Blackboard.

Course Grade

In English 162W, you’ll learn and practice a reflective, recursive, and collaborative writing process as you develop final drafts of your writing about literature and place. Your final course grade will be a combination of your writing assignment grades, your completion of steps in the writing process, and your active participation:

MAJOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (45%)

Final Essay 1 10%

Final Essay 2 15%

Final Essay 3 20%

WRITING PROCESS & SHORT ASSIGNMENTS (35%)

Short Writing Assignments & Reflections 20%

Completion of Drafts, Brainstorms, Peer Edits, & Research 15%

CLASS PARTICIPATION (20%)

In-class Discussions & Activities 10%

Reading Annotations 10%

Your final course grade will be computed on the 4.0 scale

Course Policies

Passing the Course

To receive a passing grade (D or above), students must at minimum:

Submit both drafts and revisions of all three major assignments that meet the requirements. (However, simply submitting the three major assignments without completing the other requirements will not guarantee a passing grade.)
Complete reading and writing exercises as assigned. All course readings prepare you to discuss and write about the texts.
Participate actively and thoughtfully with instructor and fellow classmates.

Participation

Since this course uses remote instruction, weekly engagement with and participation in the course materials are crucial not only for your own progress but also for building classroom community. This online classroom is a micro-democracy. Regular participation reflects good classroom citizenship. An online classroom with regular student engagement creates a vibrant dynamic that benefits both you and your fellow student-citizens—plus, it’s more fun that way! To participate regularly is to respect your fellow students.

Participation means: attending class via Zoom, class discussion on Zoom (both audio & chat), making & replying to annotations on course texts, engaging in class activities, and engaging in peer review workshops with your partners.

If you miss a class, you’re still responsible for the assignments that were due on that day. Please email/submit them to me as soon as you can.

If you know you’re going to miss class, please let me know via email. It’s your responsibility to learn what you missed from a classmate.

Holding Respectful Class Discussion

I expect all students to participate regularly in robust class discussion, which will take place both asynchronously and synchronously. In order to ensure our discussions and time collaborating together are enriching, the following rules for discussion must be obeyed at all times (adapted from Dr. Koritha Mitchell’s Classroom Covenant):

Respect your peers and your peers’ ideas. You don’t have to agree with someone’s idea, but you must provide the space needed for your fellow students to articulate their thoughts. Don’t attack your peers personally for their thoughts, if you disagree.
Practice “Step Up, Step Down”—”step up” to speak if you haven’t spoken in a while and “step down” if you’ve been speaking far more than others.
That said, you’re expected and encouraged to talk passionately about your ideas, as long as you communicate with thoughtful and considerate reasoning. Dissent is thinking!
Allow others to participate. Listen. Don’t hog the conversation. Don’t interrupt.
The only ideas I won’t allow in my classroom are those that de-value a person for any reason but especially in terms of (perceived) gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, ability, and/or intelligence—whether intentionally or not.
Similarly, language and hate speech that de-values or attacks anyone in terms of any of these categories won’t be tolerated, particularly expletives related to race, sex, gender, class, ability, and/or sexual orientation, regardless of your identity, even if you’re quoting a text or song lyric. It’s fine to quote an identity slur in a written assignment, but if you’re speaking, please refer to the word by its first letter. It will save us a lot of anxiety, anger, and confusion. The capacity for these words to do violence to your peers extends beyond your intentions.
And although simple profanities (curse words) are sometimes warranted, please keep them to a minimum and be mindful that some may find it more offensive than others.
Celebrate each other’s differences—as long as those differences don’t impose a violent or oppressive ideology on another person or group.

Zoom Calls

While you’re on the call, please mute yourself if you’re not speaking. Otherwise, feel free to speak when no one else is talking. No need to raise your hand.

Turning cameras on is highly encouraged. In these times of remote teaching, we need to introduce as much humanity into our interactions as possible. Showing your face during class helps to make our interactions just a little bit more human.

Late & Missing Assignments

I can’t guarantee written feedback for assignments submitted after the deadline. However, you’re always welcome to make an appointment with me in office hours to discuss your submissions.

Please note that late annotations will not count toward participation. I will not read them. Why not? Because annotations are preparation for class discussion. They must be completed before the class in which we discuss the text.

You’re still responsible for all work, even if the deadline has passed.

If you submit a writing assignment after the deadline, I may not see it. Please email me and let me know that you submitted it. Otherwise, it might go ungraded.

If you have trouble submitting anything, feel free to email me.

Assignment Extensions

If you need to ask for an assignment extension, you should let me know in an email at least 48 hours before the deadline. I can’t guarantee all extensions. It depends on the circumstances and our schedule. Regardless, let me know if you’re unable to finish an assignment and we’ll discuss options.

Email

I’ll communicate with you through the email function on Blackboard as well as whatever email address you give me on the first day. Please make sure you check that email regularly.

I encourage you to email me with any questions, concerns, and thoughts about the class you might have. Before you do so, however, please check this syllabus to make sure the question isn’t already answered here.

You’re welcome to email me whenever, but I may not respond until at least 24 hours afterward. I typically stop checking emails toward the early evening and may not respond immediately to an email sent during the day. I generally don’t check school emails over the weekend either—so plan well in advance if you need a swift response.

Writing Guidance

Since English 162W is a writing-intensive course, student progress will be measured partly via engagement in writing assignments. Writing takes regular practice. Only through thoughtfully producing and revising a significant quantity of words will you improve the quality of your writing. Your completion of such work not only advances your own learning but also contributes to a productive learning environment in the class.

There are three major writing assignments and several short writing assignments for this course. All writing must be submitted as Word Docs (*.docx) through Blackboard and formatted according to MLA guidelines. All writing should be double-spaced in 12-point, Times New Roman font.

For general writing guides, I recommend three sources:

Rules for Writers, 9th Edition, by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers. It’s not a bad idea to purchase a hard copy or ebook, but I’ll also make a link to the epub available to you on Blackboard.
Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)
MLA Website: Using MLA Format

Short Writing Assignments

Almost every week, you’ll complete a short, low-stakes writing assignment that’s designed to help you practice or experiment with the skills needed to complete the major assignments.

All short writing assignments are graded, but you’ll receive one of only four options: check plus (✓+: outstanding), check (✓: good), check minus (✓-: needs improvement), or zero (0: incomplete). More detailed grading instructions to follow.

Unlike your major essay assignments, I won’t respond in much detail (if at all) to these writings, but I will read them!

Invest in these short assignments. Writing is a skill, and you can strengthen it with practice like a muscle. Short writings will flex the muscles you’ll need for the heavy lifting in the big assignments.

Even though the short writings are less formal than major assignments, they should still represent good, thoughtful work. Proofread!

Major Writing Assignments

Essay 1 (2–3 pp) (10%): Noticing Wilderness: Literary Analysis

In a well-structured essay, analyze a short passage (close reading) from one of the literary texts we’ve read so far—Thoreau, Dillard, Kingsolver, Grover, or Kimmerer—in terms of what it communicates about wilderness.

Essay 2 | (3–6 pages) (15%): Questioning Wilderness: Theoretical Analysis

Option 1: Limiting your reading to the theoretical texts we’ve read so far, make an argument for the persuasiveness of one theorist’s ideas about wilderness / nature over another’s.

Option 2: Critique a 21^st century cultural text or object of your choosing while using an idea from at least one of the theoretical texts we’ve read so far as a lens.

Essay 3 | (6–8pp / 5–10m + research bibliography) (20%): Cultivating Wilderness: Place-Based Research Creation

Option 1: Revise and expand one of your previous essays using critical and theoretical research.

Option 2: Make a creative work (e.g. personal essay, film essay, audio essay) that uses both first-person and scholarly research to explore the environmental history and present of a specific place.

Option 3: In a well-structured essay, reflect on your experience volunteering for an environmental justice organization throughout the semester and include some additional research to expand what you learned first-hand. (NOTE: this option requires that you invested significant time outside of the classroom with an environmental justice organization. If you did not do that, you can’t choose this option.)

Avoiding Plagiarism & Maintaining Academic Integrity

ENG 162W will provide you with strategies for working ethically and accurately with the texts you engage. We’ll discuss how to prevent plagiarism, a serious academic offense that runs counter to our academic community’s core values of honesty and respect for others.

My friend and fellow teacher Destry Maria Sibley has written this about plagiarism:

“Original ideas always build from the work of others. No one’s thoughts or research exists in a vacuum. Acknowledgment of the ways that our ideas have been influenced and informed by others’ is an act of respect: one that you owe to others and that others owe to you. Plagiarizing—using someone else’s work or ideas as your own—defeats the purpose of your education. For these reasons we will abide by [Queens College’s] policies of Academic Integrity.”

In other words, you’re encouraged—and, at times, required—to use the words of others, but you must give proper credit, just as I did by acknowledging the above words were written by Professor Sibley, not me.

According to the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity:

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research, or writings as your own. The following are some examples of plagiarism (though there are many others):

Copying other people’s exact or approximate words without the use of quotation marks and citations attributing the words to their sources.
Presenting other people’s ideas in your own words without acknowledging sources.
Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source.
Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.

Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the internet without citing the source, and “cutting and pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.

Websites and businesses that sell papers to students often claim they’re merely offering “information” or “research” to students and that this service is acceptable throughout academia. This is absolutely false. If you buy and submit “research,” drafts, summaries, abstracts, or final versions of a paper, you are committing plagiarism and are subject to stringent disciplinary action.

Final essays that contain plagiarism will receive a zero, may result in failure of the course, and the case will be reported to Queens College.

Accessibility & Accommodations

I strive to make this class accessible, regardless of your ability and/or learning style. My class design has reflected, to the best of my ability, this desire. But if you have or develop any condition that might require accommodation in this class—for example, a medical condition—you should immediately contact Special Services for Students with Disabilities on their website or at 718-997-5870. They will ensure you receive any additional support needed to fully participate in and succeed at this course (and QC). You’re also welcome to inform me if you’re comfortable doing so. If there’s anything about the course that’s inhibiting your successful learning and engagement, let’s talk about possible ways to address or work toward a solution.

Finding Mental/Emotional Support

Counseling Services are available to any Queens College student. QC Counseling assists students with personal concerns that can affect their enjoyment of and success in college. Services are free and confidential. All sessions take place on Zoom or by phone, depending on student preference. To request a session, students should call 718-997-5420 and leave a message with their phone number and CUNY ID. Students can also email counselingservices@qc.cuny.edu.

Campus Writing Resources

If you need additional help with your writing (beyond peer review, my feedback, and my office hours), you’re welcome and encouraged to utilize any of the following online QC writing resources:

The QC Library
The Writing Center provides free writing support services to all enrolled Queens College students.
The Tutoring Center provides free tutoring to students enrolled in many courses offered at QC.

Weekly Class Schedule

Please see Blackboard for up-to-date assignments.

Week 1