Bodies and Public Space: Introduction and Contents
How do our embodied experiences change depending on where we are and the social norms governing particular spaces? How do historical legacies and accompanying power dynamics that attach themselves to certain marked bodies determine not just how we view and experience ourselves, but also how others come to view and understand who we are in the world? This section of Bodies will engage with these questions alongside of how discourses of race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, ability, among other embodied positionings, come to affect our worldview and our views of others. We will read Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi in addition to engaging with contemporary pop culture representations, spoken word, and current events.
The full course syllabus can be found on our Canvas shell, along with course assignments and a few additional course readings. Below you will find the reading schedule with hyperlinks to the readings available through our online reader!
COURSE SCHEDULE:
BODIES IN THE WORLD
Week One: Theories of Embodiment
T 8/29 Introductions. Review Syllabus
“Why the Body?” (Bodies)
In class: Breathing Exercise
TH 8/31 “Embodiment,” and “Intersectionality” (Bodies)
Elizabeth Grosz, "Refiguring Bodies" (Bodies)
In class: What are your social locations?
Week Two: Cultural Norms, Stigmas, and Bodily Difference DISCUSSION POST #1
T 9/5 “Cultural Norm,” and “Stigma” (Bodies)
Silja J. A. Talvi, “Marked for Life: Tattoos and Redefinition of Self” (Canvas)
Carolyn Mackler, “Memoirs of a (Sorta) Ex-Shaver” (Canvas)
In class: How have our own bodies been stigmatized?
TH 9/7 “Bodily Difference” (Bodies)
“Why are Glasses Perceived Differently Than Hearing Aids?” (Bodies)
Erin J. Aubry, “The Butt: Its Politics, Its Profanity, Its Power” (Canvas)
In class: “Fighting the Stigma of Disability”
SMALL GROUP FACILITATION #1
Week Three: Disciplining the Body DISCUSSION POST #2 DUE
T 9/12 Michel Foucault, “Panopticism” (Bodies)
Katy Waldman, “The Tyranny of the Smile” (Bodies)
Olga Khazan, “Why Americans Smile So Much” (Bodies)
In class: Screen “Bitchy Resting Face”
In class: Review Body Project Assignment, Brainstorm Session
TH 9/14 Michel Foucault, “Docile Bodies” (Bodies)
Jennifer Berger, “Initmate Enemies” (Canvas)
Lisa Jervis, “My Jewish Nose” (Bodies)
In class: Preliminary Topic Choice
BODIES AND SPACE IN THE U.S. CONTEXT
Week Four: Bodies, Privilege, and Public Space DISCUSSION POST #3 DUE
T 9/19 Zenovia Toloudi, "Are We in the Midst of a Public Space Crisis?"
Rachel Kolb, “The Deaf Body in Public Space” (Bodies)
Julie Guthman, “‘If They Only Know’: Colorblindness and Universalism in
California Alternative Food Institutions” (Bodies)
TH 9/21 T. J. West, "Are You Gay? Public Space, the Closet, and the Exercise of Privilege" (Bodies)
Field Trip! Bring your notebook, a utensil, your observation, and walking shoes!
Week Five: The Racialized Body in Public Space DISCUSSION POST #4 DUE
T 9/26 Michael Omi and Howard Winant, “Racial Formations” (Bodies)
Brent Staples, “Black Men in Public Space” (Bodies)
TH 9/28 Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me (pp. 1-71)
Fred Kent, “Fear, Isolation, and Public Spaces (Bodies)
Project Proposal Due Sunday, October 1 by midnight (Canvas)
Week Six: Black Men and Public Space FIELDWORK ANALYSIS #1 DUE
T 10/3 Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me (pp. 72-130)
Darnell Moore, "Urban Spaces and the Mattering of Black Lives" (Bodies)
TH 10/5 Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me (pp. 130-152)
Kayla Renee Parker, "Black Women vs. White Men in Public Spaces:
A Crosswalk Experiment and Relevance” (Bodies)
SMALL GROUP FACILITATION #2
Week Seven: Women and Public Space DISCUSSION POST #5 DUE
T 10/10 No class. Fall Recess. Enjoy!
TH 10/12 Lisa Moricoli, “Double Life: Everyone Wants to See Your Breasts
Until Your Baby Needs Them” (Canvas)
In class: Screen Killing Us Softly 4
Week Eight: Gender and Public Space DISCUSSION POST #6 DUE
T 10/17 Ada Guzman, “What Happens When Women Manspread” (Bodies)
“Women Try Manspreading for a Week” (Bodies)
“What is Manspreading?” (Bodies)
In class: Body Project Fieldwork Reports
TH 10/19 Nico Lang: “Separate Is Never Equal: What Hidden Figures Says
About America’s Trans Bathroom Debate” (Bodies)
Jeannie Suk Gersen, “The Transgender Bathroom Debate and
the Looming Title IX Crisis” (Bodies)
SMALL GROUP FACILIATION #3
BODIES IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD
Week Nine: Transnational Bodies DISCUSSION POST #7 DUE
T 10/24 Shani Mootoo, “Out on Main Street” (Bodies)
TH 10/26 June Jordan, “Report from the Bahamas” (Canvas)
Reflection Paper on Embodied Experience due Sunday by midnight (Canvas)
Week Ten: Religion, Sexuality, and Public Space FIELDWORK ANALYSIS #2 DUE
T 10/31 Leila Ahmed, “On Becoming an Arab (A Personal History)” (Bodies)
TH 11/2 Alok Vaid-Menon, "(A)Head of Her Times: The Sexual Politics of the
Headscarf in the Netherlands" (Bodies)
Krista Tippett, "The Veil as Resistance: Muslim Women
and Social Change in Egypt" (Bodies)
SMALL GROUP FACILITATION #4
Annotated Bibliography due Sunday by midnight (Canvas)
Week Eleven: Religion and Public Space DISCUSSION POST #8 DUE
T 11/7 The Complete Persepolis (pp.1-79)
"The Islamic Veil Across Europe" (Bodies)
TH 11/9 The Complete Persepolis (pp.80-188)
SMALL GROUP FACILITATION #5
Week Twelve: Hybrid Bodies and Public Space
T 11/14 The Complete Persepolis (p.189-257)
TH 11/16 The Complete Persepolis (p.258-319)
Researched Embodied Experience Paper due Sunday by midnight (Canvas)
Week Thirteen:
T 11/21 The Complete Persepolis (p.321-end)
In class screening of Persepolis
TH 11/23 No class. Thanksgiving Break.
Week Fourteen: Drafting the Final Project
T 11/28 Small Group Working Session
TH 11/30 Small Group Drafts Due
Week Fifteen: Dress Rehearsals!
T 12/5 Group Project Presentations
TH 12/7 Group Project Presentations
Final Exam Time for Bodies Projects Exhibits:
W 12/13 Core Convivium 2:30-5:30pm
