Earlham College, Spring Semester 2000-2001
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00-11:50. Carpenter 323
Instructor: Ferit Güven
Office: Carpenter 331
Office Hours: Monday, Friday, 12:00-2:00 and by appointment
Office Phone: 983-1399 (voice mail)
e-mail: guvenfe@earlham.edu
web page: http://www.earlham.edu/~guvenfe/
Course Description: This course will study selected topics in
Colonialism, and Postcolonial Theory in connection to the 20th Century
philosophy. The course aims to introduce you to several discussions within
the growing field of postcolonial theory and to investigate the philosophical
presuppositions of these discussions. Even though the course will focus
primarily on philosophy it aims to incorporate an interdisciplinary perspective,
and questions raised in other disciplines such as anthropology, politics,
and history. Our general question will be how philosophical discourse influences
interactions among cultures. Specifically, I want to investigate the relationship
between Modern philosophy and European Colonialism. What conceptual backgrounds
inform particular ways of understanding culture? Is European philosophy
necessarily a "dominating" discourse? Finally, how can one understand "our"
current preoccupation with multiculturalism and pluralism in light of history?
Even though Colonialism is not considered to be "popular" anymore as descriptive
term, according to some scholars, it still determines the relationship
between the West and the East. In this seminar we will learn the historical,
political, social and ethical background of Colonialism and Orientalism
in order to assess how much they are still very much at work today. At
a time when the Western countries feel the need, and even willingness to
learn about other cultures, and their ways of thinking, a study of how
different cultures interacted in the past is inevitable. Not only has the
West defined the East as its Other, and constituted its identity in opposition
to the East, but also the knowledge the West produced about the East became
a tool for the East to understand its own identity in the form of "self-colonization."
There is, therefore, a very difficult question of representation to be
addressed. How is the East represented in the West? How do so called "scientific
and scholarly" works contribute to the formation of concrete policies?
The general aim of this course is to investigate how very complex social,
political, historical and philosophical ideas contribute to the ways in
which we perceive those who are other than us.
Required Texts: (available in the Earlham College bookstore)
Michel Foucault. Discipline and Punishment, (New York: Vintage
Books, 1979)
Edward Said. Orientalism, (New York: Vintage Books, 1978)
Frantz Fanon, A Dying Colonialism, (New York: Grove Press, 1965)
In addition to these texts, I will provide the following photocopied
material:
Jacques Derrida, "Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the
Human Sciences."
Gayatri Spivak, "Can the Subaltern Speak?"
Homi Bhabha, "The Other Question: Stereotype, discrimination and the
discourse of colonialism."
Course Requirement and Evaluation:
You are expected to write two short papers (5-6 page) and one long
paper (10-12 page). I will provide paper topics for each assignment. You
are also allowed to decide on your own topic provided that you discuss
your topic with me at least a week before the deadline. Along with the
paper topics I will also provide specific guidelines for each topic. Besides
this, for every paper (including papers on topics of your own choice) you
are responsible for following the general guidelines provided. (See "Comments
and Suggestions for Papers").
For each week, one student will prepare a two paged (single-spaced)
protocol of the material discussed during the previous week.
A protocol is a carefully edited summary of the previous class sessions
written in full sentences. Protocols will be photocopied by
the student who wrote it and handed out to all students at the beginning
of each Monday to be read aloud, and will serve as a cumulative record
of the course. The student who prepares the protocol will be required to
come to class a couple of minutes early, so that the protocols will have
been distributed at the beginning of the class (i.e., at 11:00). In addition
to reviewing the material covered in the previous class, the protocol should
include announcements made in class, questions raised, and, if possible,
future questions for the material to come. The best protocols will be those
that do not simply reproduce word for word everything that was said during
class, but those that rearrange the material thematically, editing out
what was unimportant, and emphasizing what was significant. The point of
this is to allow you to think during class, and not just take notes; because
someone will be taking notes for you, you can concentrate on the ideas
being presented, and participate without having to write constantly. Also
you will have a summary of every class which will help you with writing
papers.
Each student will prepare one presentation. These presentations will
provide us with a background in Colonial history. You will choose one country
which had colonies (e.g. England, France, Spain, etc.) or one country or
region which was colonized at one time (e.g., Algeria, the Middle East,
North Africa, East Asia etc). These presentations will consist of quite
straightforward reporting of events, dates, and the (not so straightforward)
impact of Colonialism. If you choose France, for example, you must answer
the following questions: What were France's colonial possessions? When
were they invaded, colonized? When were they decolonized? What were some
of the major events in this process of colonization/decolonization? How
was the economy of France affected by colonization?
Similarly, if you choose Egypt, for example, your questions will be:
When was Egypt colonized? Which country or countries had a colonial presence
in Egypt? When did Egypt gain independence? What are some major events
in this process of colonization and decolonization? How was the economy
of Egypt affected by colonization? And what are the consequences of colonization
today?
You will use library resources as well as the Internet. Your presentation
must be typed (around 5 double-spaced pages) and distributed to all the
members of the course.
Your grade will be calculated according to the following distribution:
Paper I: 10%, Paper II: 20%, Paper III: 30, Presentation: 15% Protocol:
15%, Class Participation and Attendance: 10%.
In order to pass this course you must complete all the assignments.
Class participation and attendance:
There will be no final examination. Indeed, there will be no exams
in this course. However, in order to make sure that you are doing the reading,
I may give in class quizzes. The success of this course is dependent upon
your contribution. In order for all of us to have a good course your individual
contribution will be needed. Given the size of the class, missing a session
will be very disruptive for all of us. Consequently, you should feel a
responsibility not only to me, but also to your friends in this course.
If you miss more than six sessions you will fail this course.
Our sessions will start at 11:00 am. Students are expected to come
on time. Walking into the classroom while the session is in progress is
extremely disruptive for everybody; so is walking out while the session
is in progress. I ask you not to do these.
Office hours are for students to discuss ideas, assignments and questions.
You are encouraged and welcome to come by my office or make appointments
for times other than scheduled office hours. You should take advantage
of office hours and appointments not simply to discuss your papers (you
are obviously welcome to do that too) but also to understand ideas, and
texts discussed in class.
Calendar:
There may be some modifications to this calender. It is your responsibility
to be aware of these changes. These changes may be announced in class.
If you miss a class you should make sure that you are informed about the
assignments for the next session.
Week 1: January 10-12: Introduction; Postcolonial Theory
Week 2: January 15-17-19: Foucault, Discipline and Punish
Week 3: January 22-24-26: Foucault, Discipline and Punish
Week 4: January 29-31- February 2: Foucault, Discipline and Punish,
Said, Orientalism
Week 5: February 5-7-9: Said, Orientalism, First Paper Due
Week 6: February 12-14-16: Said, Orientalism
Week 7: February 19-21 (23: Mid-semester Break) Fanon, A Dying Colonialism
Week 8: February 26-28 March 2: Fanon, A Dying Colonialism
Week 9: March 5-7-9: Fanon, A Dying Colonialism
Week 10: March 12-14-16: Derrida, Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse
of the Human Sciences, Second Paper Due
Spring Break: March 17-25
Week 11: March 26-28-30: Spivak, "Can the Subaltern speak?"
Week 12: April 2-4-6: Spivak, "Can the Subaltern speak?"
Week 13: April 9-11-13: Bhabha, "The Other Question: Stereotype, discrimination
and the discourse of colonialism"
Week 14: April 16-18-20: Bhabha, "The Other Question: Stereotype, discrimination
and the discourse of colonialism"
Week 15: April 23-25: Evaluation and Review, Final Paper Due