COURSE SYLLABUS

LITT 2306: Cultures of Colonialism

MWF 2:10 – 3:25 pm, room H-113

Instructor: Brooke Stanley

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Office: F-243
Office hours: MW 12:45-1:45 and by appointment
N.B. It’s always a good idea to email me before dropping by office hours, to make sure I don’t
have another appointment.

Course Description

This class introduces students to works by Anglophone writers from around the world. We will
read texts written by authors from the former British Empire, ranging from Africa, the
Caribbean, India, and Ireland, and compare connected works from within England. We will also
compare the issues which these writers write about historically, and the similarity of their
concerns and their conditions. How do colonial texts in English represent empire? What are
postcolonial texts, and how do they respond to the Anglophone canon? When and why do
postcolonial authors refuse to “write back” to the canon? We will explore these and other
questions, reading works of colonial and postcolonial literature in dialogue.

This course fulfills the following requirements:

1900-Present
Ethnic/Postcolonial Literature
British Literature
Literary Interpretation
International/Multicultural (I)

Required Texts and Expectations for Reading

Please purchase books at the Stockton University Bookstore (101 Vera King Farris Drive).
It is important that you have the same editions we will be using in class, and that you bring books
to class with you. It is also important to have your own copies, rather than copies from the
library, so that you can annotate the text.
If purchasing the books for this class presents a financial hardship, please email me or come
speak to me in office hours so we can try to find an accommodation.

Required:
E.M. Forster, A Passage to India 978-0156711425
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness 978-0-140-18513-3
Zakes Mda, The Heart of Redness 0-312-42174-5
Aimé Césaire, A Tempest 1-55936-210-3
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things 978-0-8129-7965-7
Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea 0-393-96012-9
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 2

Brian Friel, Translations 978-0-571-11742-0

James Joyce, Dubliners 978-0140186475

Optional:
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre 1-55111-180-2

A note on the text marked “optional” to buy: excerpts from Jane Eyre will be required reading.
Those excerpts are available in your Norton Critical Edition of Wide Sargasso Sea. However, I
encourage you to read Jane Eyre in its entirety if you want to, especially if you’ve never read it
before. Please buy it if you think you might like to read more than just the required excerpts.

Various other readings will be made available on Blackboard.

Readings are due and will be discussed on the day they are listed. Always bring the text with you
in hard copy. (PDFs may be either printed in hard copy, or brought on a tablet that allows you to
annotate directly on the text. Laptops and phones are prohibited in class. See the Electronic
Devices Policy below.) You are expected to take notes while you read. Come to class ready to
discuss your thoughts on the text and its relation to the themes of our course. While reading, take
note of examples from the text to illustrate up your ideas. It’s always a good idea to be able to
point to a specific page number to show evidence for a claim you would like to make.

Assignments and Grading Breakdown

All written assignments should be typed unless otherwise noted. Written assignments should be
formatted according to MLA standards: 12-point Times New Roman Font, double-spaced, with
header in the upper left hand corner (of the first page) and page numbers in upper right hand
corner. Consult the Written Assignment Expectations sheet, which you will be given in class. [It
is also available on Blackboard]

Written assignments are due at 1:30 p.m. on the day they are listed and should be submitted as a
Microsoft Word file (doc or docx) through Blackboard, unless specified otherwise. Frequently
we will also discuss them during class on that day, so I recommend having access to your
assignment (bring a printed copy with you or have it pulled up on a tablet).

Attendance and active participation – 10% (50 points)

Short written assignments – 10% (50 points)
Will include a Close Reading Exercise (assigned as homework) (20 points), plus other
short written homework and/or occasional in-class writing.
Imitation, Adaptation, or Parody Creative Assignment (1-2 pages) – 10% (50 points)
Joining the Scholarly Conversation Assignment (1 page + in-class debate) – 10% (50 points)
Presentation – 20% (100 points)
Final Paper Proposal (1 page) – 10% (50 points)
Final Paper (4-5 pages) – 30% (150 points)

Total points available: 500

 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 3

Schedule

Wednesday, January 17.

In class: Introductions
Colonial literature, postcolonial literature
Review of syllabus

Unit 1. Ireland

Friday, January 19.

Due: Brian Friel, Translations, Act One (1-37)
In class: Discussion of Translations
Presentation assignment explained
--

Monday, January 22.

Due: Translations, Act Two (38-67)
Written list of your top three choices to present on
In class: Discussion of Translations

January 23rd is the last day of the Drop/Add period.

Wednesday, January 24.

Due: Salman Rushdie, “The Empire Writes Back with a Vengeance” [Blackboard]
In class: Discussion of Rushdie
Presentation dates assigned

Friday, January 26.

Due: Translations, Act Three (68-91)
In class: Discussion of Translations
--

Monday, January 29.

Due: James Joyce, “Araby” (21-28) and “Eveline” (29-34) from Dubliners
In class: Discussion of “Araby” and “Eveline”

Wednesday, January 31.

Due: James Joyce, “Counterparts” (82-94) from Dubliners
In class: Discussion of “Counterparts”

Friday, February 2.
Due: James Joyce, “The Dead” from Dubliners (175-225)
In class: Discussion of “The Dead”
Close Reading assigned (to be due next Friday)

-- Unit 2. India
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 4

Monday, February 5.
Due: E.M. Forster, A Passage to India, Chapters I-VI (7-61)
In class: Discussion of A Passage to India

Wednesday, February 7.
Due: A Passage to India, Chapters VII-XII (61-126)
In class: Discussion of A Passage to India

Friday, February 9.
Due: Close reading exercise!
A Passage to India, Chapters XIII-XXI (126-192)
In class: Discussion of A Passage to India
--

Monday, February 12.

Due: Edward Said, from the introduction to Orientalism (pages 1-9 required; pages 9-
28 optional) [Blackboard]
In class: Discussion of Said, with A Passage to India (bring both Said and Forster)
Imitation, Adaptation, or Parody assigned (to be due Monday March 5)

Wednesday, February 14.

Due: A Passage to India, Chapters XXII-XXVII (192-255)
In class: Discussion of A Passage to India (bring both Said and Forster)

Friday, February 16.

Due: A Passage to India, Chapters XXVIII-XXXVII (finish the novel) (256-322)
In class: Final discussion of A Passage to India (bring both Said and Forster)
--

Monday, February 19. (N.B. We do have class although it is Presidents’ Day.)

Due: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things, Chapters One through Three (3-89)
In class: Discussion of The God of Small Things

Wednesday, February 21.

Due: The God of Small Things, Chapters Four through Seven (90-156)
In class: Discussion of The God of Small Things

Friday, February 23.

Due: The God of Small Things, Chapters Eight through Twelve (157-225)
In class: Discussion of The God of Small Things
--

Monday, February 26.

Due: The God of Small Things, Chapters Thirteen through Twenty-One (226-321)
In class: Final discussion of The God of Small Things
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 5

Unit 3. England and the Caribbean

Wednesday, February 28.

Due: Francis Wyndham, Introduction in your Norton Critical Edition of Wide Sargasso
Sea (3-7)
Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea, Part One (9-37)
In class: Discussion of Wide Sargasso Sea

Friday, March 2.
Due: Wide Sargasso Sea, first half of Part Two (38-71)
In class: Discussion of Wide Sargasso Sea
--

Monday, March 5.
Due: Imitation, Adaptation, or Parody Creative Assignment!
Wide Sargasso Sea, second half of Part Two (71-104)
In class: Discussion of Wide Sargasso Sea

Wednesday, March 7.
Due: Chandra Mohanty, “Under Western Eyes” [Blackboard]
In class: Discussion of Mohanty and Wide Sargasso Sea (bring your books)

Friday, March 9.
Due: Wide Sargasso Sea, Part Three (105-112)
Excerpts from Jane Eyre included in the “Backgrounds” section of your Norton
Critical Edition of Wide Sargasso Sea (119-132)
In class: Discussion of Wide Sargasso Sea and Jane Eyre
--

Saturday, March 10 – Sunday, March 18. Spring Break – No classes.

--

Monday, March 19.

Due: Robin D.G. Kelley, “Poetry and the Political Imagination” (Introduction) in your
edition of A Tempest (vii-xvi)
Aimé Césaire, A Tempest, Prologue and Acts I and II (pages 1-35)
In class: Discussion of A Tempest
Joining the Scholarly Conversation assigned (to be due Monday April 2)

Wednesday, March 21.

Due: A Tempest, Act III and Annex (pages 36-69)
In class: Discussion of A Tempest

Unit 4. Sub-Saharan Africa

 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 6

Friday, March 23.

Due: Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, Part I (47-84)
In class: Preliminary discussion of Heart of Darkness
Discussion of potential topics for final paper, guidelines for writing your proposal
(proposal due April 9, rough draft of paper due April 23, final paper due May 2)
--

Monday, March 26.

Due: Heart of Darkness, Part II (84-116)
In class: Discussion of Heart of Darkness

Wednesday, March 28.

Due: Heart of Darkness, Part III (116-148)
In class: Discussion of Heart of Darkness

Friday, March 30.

Due: Nothing due today (use time to work on Paper Proposal, due Monday April 9, and
Joining the Scholarly Conversation Assignment, due Monday April 2)
In class: Step Up! Presentation on Bystander Intervention
--

Monday, April 2.
Due: Joining the Scholarly Conversation Assignment: Views on Heart of Darkness
Chinua Achebe, “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness”
[Blackboard]
Edward Said, “Two Visions in Heart of Darkness” from Culture and Imperialism
[Blackboard]
John Lyon, “Conrad, theory and politics” section (xxxv-xliii) from the
Introduction in your edition of Heart of Darkness (You are encouraged to also
read pages vii-xxxv of Lyon’s introduction if you like, but not required)
In-class: Debate portion of Joining the Scholarly Conversation assignment – come to class
prepared!

Wednesday, April 4. Preceptorial Advising Day – No class.

Friday, April 6. Last day to withdraw from a full-term course with a W grade.
Due: Zakes Mda, The Heart of Redness, chapters 1 through 3 (3-58)
In class: Discussion of The Heart of Redness
--

Monday, April 9.
Due: Paper Proposal! Be ready to discuss in class – we will have a group
feedback/brainstorming session to help each other out.
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 7

(Note that a rough draft of your paper will be due on April 23, to exchange with a
partner for peer editing.)
In class: Discussion of paper proposals
Paper-writing tips

Wednesday, April 11.

Due: The Heart of Redness, chapters 4 and 5 (59-122)
In class: Discussion of The Heart of Redness

Friday, April 13.

Due: The Heart of Redness, chapters 6 and 7 (123-174)
In class: Discussion of The Heart of Redness
--

Monday, April 16.

Due: The Heart of Redness, chapters 8 and 9 (175-224)
In class: Discussion of The Heart of Redness
Partners for peer editing assigned (reminder that you need to email your rough
draft to your partner and submit it on Blackboard before class time next Monday)

Wednesday, April 18.

Due: The Heart of Redness, chapters 10 through 12 (225-277)
In class: Discussion of The Heart of Redness

Friday, April 20.

Due: Amitav Ghosh, “Wild Fictions” [Blackboard]
In class: Discussion of “Wild Fictions”

--

Monday, April 23.

Due: Draft of your paper emailed to peer editing partner and submitted on Blackboard
In class: Wrapping up conversation on The Heart of Redness and “Wild Fictions”

Wednesday, April 25.

Due: Read your partner’s paper, annotate suggestions on it, and be prepared to discuss
your suggestions with your partner (and give them annotated copy) during class
In class: Peer editing session in pairs

Friday, April 27. Last day of class.

In class: Closing conversation and reflections

--

Final Papers due Wednesday, May 2 by 10 pm [submit on Blackboard]

 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 8

Policies and Statements

A note on course content

The readings covered in this course may be considered challenging due to topics that some find
upsetting, offensive, and/or disturbing. Our classroom provides an open space for the critical and
civil exchange of ideas. I will try my best to forewarn students about potentially disturbing
subjects and request that all students aim to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and
sensitivity as well. If you have specific questions or concerns about the subject matter we are
covering, please feel free to come discuss them with me during my office hours.

Statement on wellness

Please feel free to use me as a resource if you are experiencing negative feelings and need
someone to talk to. I’ll be happy to listen and put you in touch with other resources. Please also
be aware of your classmates and friends. Don’t ignore it if you think someone might be in
trouble – you can speak to me about what steps to take, or reach out to another university
resource. Developing a caring community is important for us as a seminar and a university.
Please also be aware that you have Stockton’s Counseling Center as a free crisis counseling
resource: https://www.stockton.edu/wellness-center/counseling-center/index.html, (609) 652-
4722, [email protected]. See also the additional campus resources below.

Accessibility statement

I am committed to making our classroom a shared place where all of us can work collaboratively
to meet our individual learning needs. We each learn in different ways and may need particular
accommodations. If certain circumstances will affect your performance in the class, please let me
know so that we can work to accommodate you. If you have a medical, physical, psychological,
or learning disability that may affect your work in the course, please contact the Learning Access
Program as soon as possible (J204 or call 652-4988). Stockton University complies with Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additional program
information available on the website: https://www.stockton.edu/wellness-center/disability-
services/index.html. Aim to submit your accommodations letter during the first week of classes.

Preferred pronouns and names

In pursuit of gender inclusivity in this class, we will all introduce ourselves to each other with
preferred names and gender pronouns (she/her, they/them, he/him, etc). Please be attentive to
what pronouns your classmates use. If you make a mistake with someone’s name or pronoun and
realize it, I would suggest you calmly apologize, correct yourself, and move on with what you
were saying. Please don’t assume you know someone else’s pronoun until they tell you: learning
someone’s pronoun is like learning their name. Please also be aware that someone’s preferred
name or pronoun could change.

If at some point during the semester your preferred pronoun or name should change, please don’t
hesitate to let me know, if you feel comfortable doing so. I will be happy to model this in class.
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 9

Literature Program statement on recent hate crimes and harassment

As you are no doubt aware, acts of bias, harassment, and intimidation have increased on college
campuses and elsewhere in the wake of last year’s presidential election, specifically toward
women, people of color, Jews, Muslims, members of the LGBTQ community, those with
disabilities, and immigrants, regardless of documented status. The Literature Program deplores
and condemns all such acts, and we offer support and solidarity to any individuals or groups
targeted by them. The Literature Program’s primary mission is to teach and support our students
and community in the most inclusive and respectful way. We will stand up to all forms of
sexism, racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and any
forms of hatred and discrimination based on ability, class, sexual or gender identity, immigration
status, or beliefs.

In the event that you or someone you know are the target of, or witness to, acts of intimidation,
harassment, or violence, you can report such acts to one or more of campus offices listed below.
Literature program faculty would be glad to help you in reporting these incidents.

Campus resources

These resources may be relevant should you need help managing or reporting an incident of bias,
discrimination, harassment, or assault. Please feel free to contact me if you need help getting in
touch with a resource.

Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities: F-107 • 609-626-3585 • [email protected]

Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Center • J-204 • 609-626-3611 • [email protected]
Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity • L-214 • 609-652-4693 • [email protected]
Stockton Campus Police • Chief Cynthia Parker • 609-652-4390 • [email protected]

If you don’t feel comfortable reporting through official channels on campus, the Literature
Program encourages you to report hate speech or actions to:
Southern Poverty Law Center • https://www.splcenter.org/reporthate

Stockton’s Counseling Center offers counseling services to students who need support:
J-204 • 609-652-4722 • [email protected]

Attendance policy

You may miss up to four classes without penalty, for any reason. Letting the instructor know by
email if you will be absent is appreciated. However, there is no distinction between “excused”
and “unexcused” absences, in the sense that an absence counts towards your four even if you
have informed me in advance that you will be away for a particular reason. Plan throughout the
semester accordingly. Additional absences will negatively affect your attendance and
participation grade, unless there is an extenuating circumstance (e.g. a serious illness, accident,
death in the family, etc). In that case, please keep me informed in order to facilitate a
conversation about how to document the situation and make up any missed work.
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 10

Please contact me two weeks in advance to make arrangements if you will miss class for the
observance of a religious holiday.

Please note that if you are absent on the day an assignment is due, that assignment will still be
considered late unless it is submitted electronically prior to the start of class, unless you have
already arranged an extension. If you are absent, you are responsible for making up reading and
contacting a classmate to be aware of any instructions or information you may have missed in
class.

Tardy policy

I take tardiness rather seriously, because it affects our ability to have engaged conversations as a
scholarly community. Everybody goofs up or has unexpected things happen, so I’ll look the
other way if you’re a little late once or twice. After that, tardiness will negatively impact your
attendance & participation grade. If there is a systematic reason why you have a problem making
it to class on time (e.g. you have a class right beforehand on the other side of campus), please see
me outside class to discuss documenting and addressing the problem.

Late work and extensions policy

Late work will generally be accepted, but for a reduced grade. For most written assignments, I
will deduct one full letter grade for each day that the assignment is late. If the assignment is
several hours late, I will usually deduct 1/3-2/3 of a letter grade. In some case, I will not be able
to accept late work: for example, at the end of the semester when the work no longer fits within
the timeline for grading.

I will generally only approve extensions if you ask for them in writing (i.e. over email) at least
four days before the assignment is due, and if there is a specific reason why you are requesting
the extension, such as something out of the ordinary in your work schedule, familial
responsibilities, health, or the like. If and when you request an extension, you should include this
reason, and a reasonable timeline on which you propose that you will be able to submit the
assignment. If I can approve the extension, I will either agree to your timeline or propose a
revised timeline. Bear in mind that I will be less likely to grant an extension in the case of a
presentation or other event whose rescheduling would affect other members of your class.

I will be flexible with the timeline for approving extensions in the case of a medical emergency,
death of a family member or close friend, or similarly serious and unanticipated problem. In such
cases, you should let me know what’s going on as soon as you are reasonably able.

Grading Scale

100-93: A 82.9-80: B- 69.9-67: D+

92.9-90: A- 79.9-77: C+ 66.9-63: D
89.9-87: B+ 76.9-73: C 62.9-60: D-
86.9-83: B 72.9-70: C- 5 9.9 & below: F
 Syllabus – Cultures of Colonialism 11

Electronic devices policy

Small e-readers and tablets (such as iPads) are allowed in class if you are using them to read and
annotate directly on PDFs, or take notes. (If you are found to be using an e-reader or tablet for
social media, email, or other purposes not appropriate during class, or are too distracted by your
e-reader to participate in conversation, you will most likely be prohibited from bringing it for the
rest of the semester.) In order to facilitate an engaged seminar atmosphere, laptops and phones
are not allowed except when you are asked to bring them for a specific activity (unless you have
an accommodation from the Learning Access Program that necessitates a laptop or phone).
Please plan accordingly: print out PDFs of readings or bring them on a tablet rather than a
computer or phone, etc. (Note that if you run out of pages of free printing, it is possible to apply
for more.) Silence or turn off your phone before class.

Academic honesty

There is no toleration in this course for copying or buying papers, or any other form of
plagiarism, which will result in zero credit for assignments and possible disciplinary action.
Perhaps more importantly, cheating is a waste of your own time. Please also note that failing to
properly cite sources constitutes plagiarism, regardless of intent. Plagiarism (one form of
academic dishonesty) includes, but may not be limited to: using all or part of a source, either
directly or in paraphrase, either intentionally or unintentionally, whether that source is published,
or online, or taken from a fellow or former student, without properly acknowledging that source.
When in doubt, cite your source in order to avoid accidental academic dishonesty. You should
also make yourself aware of Stockton’s Academic Honesty Policy:
http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=209&pageID=17.

If you are found to have represented the work or ideas of others as your own, intentionally, or
unintentionally, you will face serious consequences, as follows: 1. If this is the first time the
student has been found to have plagiarized, he/she will receive an "F" for that paper or
assignment and/or the course. 2. For second offenses of plagiarism, the student will receive an F
for the course. 3. Whenever possible, a student who is found to have plagiarized a paper or
assignment, in full or in part, should meet with the professor of the class for which the paper is
written in order to review and discuss the suspect work. Additionally, in accordance with
Stockton College policy, Literature faculty will report all instances of plagiarism to the Provost
of Academic Affairs. Students may be subject to discipline by the college, such as being placed
on academic probation or expelled. If it is the final assignment that is plagiarized, although I will
not necessarily meet with the student, I will report the incident to the Provost of Academic
Affairs.

If you have any questions about plagiarism, I will be glad to discuss them with you. If you have a
question specific to a paper you are working on, please bring it to my attention.