HUM 211 Course Description

HUM 211 - Culture and Literature of Africa
Introductory study of representative oral arts, literature, films, and related creative arts, in English or in translation, of sub-Saharan African peoples, examined in context of their histories and cultural traditions. Credits: 4  Lecture: 4
> COCC 2009-10 Catalog Brief Course Description
URL: https://oraweb.cocc.edu/2010/HUM.htm#HUM211

Recommended preparation: Students are best prepared to succeed in HUM 211 if they have college-entry level reading, writing, & critical thinking skills.  HUM 211 is an introductory college-level course, so previous coursework in African studies is not required (although such background is, of course, helpful). 

What does HUM 211 count as?

HUM 211 is one of the COCC college transfer "Humanities Distribution course options" "approved by the College's Curriculum Committee for use as General Education Distribution courses for the AAOT, AS, AAS, and AGS degrees" > COCC 2009-10 Catalog, p. 45 - also available online:
http://current.cocc.edu/UserData/Documents/current/catalog/2010%20Pathways%20pp33-47.pdf
Successful completion of HUM 211 (with grade of "C" or higher) can also be applied toward satisfying:
--Oregon Transfer Module (OTM) "Introduction to the Disciplines: Humanities/Arts & Letters" requirement
--AS-DT (Associate of Science-Direct Transfer) general education requirements
--COCC Career-Technical Program Certificates of completion general education coursework requirements
--OUS (Oregon University System), non-OUS and out-of-state colleges and universities' lower-division transfer coursework for general education, cultural diversity, major, and/or elective requirements

For more information, please consult your COCC Advisor, Cora Agatucci, and COCC Catalog: http://current.cocc.edu/Degrees_Classes/Catalog/default.aspx

What will you learn in HUM 211?
HUM 211 Course Learning Outcomes (AKA: Objectives)

Students who successfully complete Humanities 211 - Culture and Literature of Africa  (with grade of "C" or higher) will be able to achieve these Learning Outcomes:

1. Build knowledge of language arts and cultures different from one’s own

1.a. Identify distinctive characteristics, genres, periods, themes of traditional and modern African orature, literature, and film (e.g., proverb wisdom, call-and-response, praise-poetry, African griot traditions, colonial and post-colonial African "response" literature, anti-apartheid resistance arts).

1.b. Situate individual African texts in their historical, national/regional and cultural contexts, and analyze significant ways that these texts reflect or represent those contexts (e.g. cultural values and beliefs, intellectual and creative traditions, historical and biographical backgrounds, social and political realities).

1.c. Evaluate the limitations and benefits of studying African works in cross-cultural translation (e.g., across one or more different languages; across oral and literate-based cultures; across orature, literature, film).

2. Apply this knowledge to cross-cultural comparative analysis

2.a. Identify and analyze significant cross cultural differences and similarities--among different African texts and their cultures; between African language arts/cultures and one’s own; and/or between African works and cultures and those of other non-Western groups.

2.b. Examine the effects of individual and culturally-determined factors (such as race, gender, class, nation, biases of information sources, prior cross-cultural experiences) on one’s own and others’ responses to African texts and cultures.

2.c. Identify topics of personal interest, unanswered questions, controversial claims and alternative viewpoints arising from one’s cross-cultural comparative study for further research and investigation.

3. Construct and communicate persuasive cross-cultural interpretations

3.a. Formulate responses and interpretations using varied strategies and resources (e.g., active reading/viewing skills; self-reflection, critical and empathetic thinking, oral discussion and writing, multiple perspectives, comparative analysis, and interdisciplinary knowledge).

3.b. Create a persuasive cross-cultural interpretation of an African text that integrates ethnorelative perspectives and analytical criteria appropriate to African language arts and their cultural contexts.

3.c. Communicate one’s interpretations in informal and formal writing, using relevant, well-selected evidence from African texts and their cultural contexts to support one’s points.

3.d.  Avoid plagiarism by using an acceptable academic style (e.g. MLA) to cite direct quotations, paraphrases (indirect quotations), and summaries taken from primary and secondary sources.

Humanities Dept. General Education Program update 07-09-2007:
See http://humanities.cocc.edu/UserData/Documents/humanities/Humanities.pdf
Humanities Dept > Programs and Classes > Humanities and Film Arts:
http://humanities.cocc.edu/Programs_Classes/HUMFA/default.aspx

Proper in-text citations and complete bibliographical documentation of any and all sources that you quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize in your writing are required whenever you borrow the words, facts, and/or ideas of others. Not only direct quotations but also paraphrases (indirect quotation) and summaries must be cited.  Note well that even putting others’ ideas into your own words (i.e. paraphrasing and summarizing) still means you are borrowing, and you need to give credit where credit is due. To avoid plagiarism, source(s) must be cited and documented, both:

(a) at the point in your papers where the borrowing occurs (using in-text and parenthetical citations for MLA and most documentation styles), and
(b) in a list of all sources cited given at the end of your written assignments, especially formal graded papers.

Plagiarism—intended or not—is considered a violation of academic honesty and legal intellectual property rights. Plagiarism in any HUM 211 writing assignment is grounds for an "F" on that assignment.

BUT DO NOT PANIC!  Directions & models for citing your sources (using MLA style) in Humanities 211 assignments will be given and discussed further in class this term.  Meanwhile, if you have questions or concerns, please see Cora to discuss.