Often, we will begin each session by eliciting everyone s sense of the books or articles major arguments, research approaches, and contributions, before we turn things over to the discussion leaders. During each class we will attempt to analyze the readings until we comprehend how the authors have framed their questions, what promise they offer for thinking about issues currently resonating in American Studies and in Native American Studies, and how well the arguments or research programs have been executed. Part of our task will involve demystifying the ways scholars talk about their issues, translating their arguments when necessary, and assessing the suggestiveness of their ideas. Please come to class with a couple of comments and a couple of questions to contribute. When scheduled to lead a discussion, your job will include presenting a brief grasp and work through the key issues or concepts in the text.
Different texts inspire different kinds of discussions.
For some readings, you may wish to focus on difficult or obscure passages or concepts and enlist everyone s help in working through them. For others, your presentation might consist of a critical evaluation of the work s purpose, scope, theoretical framework, methods, and major arguments. In other cases, you may wish to poll the class to elicit their opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of readings or on controversial points raised. Each Student will prepare an autobiographical statement of approximately 7-10 minutes to be presented to the class. The purpose of this exercise is to ask everyone to reflect upon her relationship with her scholarship and to situate herself intellectually, politically, personally, or artistically.