College Writing R1A: Accelerated Reading and Composition
"California History and Culture"
Description:
The state of California encompasses a tremendous amount of social, cultural, environmental, and regional diversity. Operating under the premise that our diverse community stands to benefit from intellectually informed ideas and opinions, the purpose of this class is to introduce practical methods for reading historical and cultural “texts” (print, visual, auditory, social, etc.) and activating the writing process as a method for engaging with the dynamic issues they raise. Together we will examine a number of short and long texts that draw from and speak to a variety of academic discourses, including film, journalism, environmental studies, literature, social sciences, history, and cultural studies. Beginning with an overview of the place of California in writing, we will work together to define the limits of a “California imaginary” to serve as our common ground while identifying and pursuing issues relevant to our own interests. Students will be asked to read deeply and carefully, and to practice both formal and informal writing with the goal of forming their own perspectives on relevant issues.
The state of California encompasses a tremendous amount of social, cultural, environmental, and regional diversity. Operating under the premise that our diverse community stands to benefit from intellectually informed ideas and opinions, the purpose of this class is to introduce practical methods for reading historical and cultural “texts” (print, visual, auditory, social, etc.) and activating the writing process as a method for engaging with the dynamic issues they raise. Together we will examine a number of short and long texts that draw from and speak to a variety of academic discourses, including film, journalism, environmental studies, literature, social sciences, history, and cultural studies. Beginning with an overview of the place of California in writing, we will work together to define the limits of a “California imaginary” to serve as our common ground while identifying and pursuing issues relevant to our own interests. Students will be asked to read deeply and carefully, and to practice both formal and informal writing with the goal of forming their own perspectives on relevant issues.
