Humanities & Cultural Studies
Midwest French, Francophone & Francophile Festival & Convention Discussion & Planning Series
Planning meetings for the Midwest French, Francophone & Francophile Festival & Convention set for September 28 and 29 are open to the public at DeLaSalle High School (Nicollet Island) from 5:00-6:30 on Feb. 2 & 16; and March 8.
Enter the school through the door at the far end of the parking lot, the one closest to down town Mpls. A sign inside will tell you what room to look for.
January 19 (Franco-Americans), or separately by appointement on Jan. 20.
Feb. 2 (France), or separately by appointment on Feb. 3.
Feb.16 (Africa, Haiti), or separately by appointment on Feb. 17.
March 8 (Michif and other interested cultural groups related to la Francophonie), or separately on March 9.
We will be discussing and planning for the September convention at which Franco-Americans, Francophone Africains, French, Haitians, Metis, and Francophiles will present their
communities and heritage.
Everyone is Welcome to any of these meetings!
Performance & Poetry
This class will listen and view poetry in performance—audio, film, and live. The Twin Cities is a hotbed for this type of poetry, and we will take advantage of this opportunity.
Performance poetry takes many forms: highly dramatic reading, spoken word, hip hop, even types of singing. All will be explored.
We will discuss and, perhaps, critique the performances. We will also bring in performance poets to help us better understand their art and the art form in general.
Finally, we will do our own writing and performing. Nobody will be asked to do something they don't feel comfortable with, but some sharing will be encouraged. If desired, a class members may receive critique from me or their classmates either in a public discussion or privately.
As for me, I have been an active, publishing poet since 1989. While I am not only a performance poet, performance has always been one of my central interests. If curious, check out my website at jeffersonhansen.com.
African American Patriots of the Revolutionary War
A historical look at the events leading up to and the events of the Revolutionary War. The emphasis will be placed on African-American patriots and how they helped win America's war for independence.
Arts Writing: How to Write a Review
More and more people are writing about arts events—plays, movies, art shows, books—on their blogs and in news publications like the Twin Cities Daily Planet. But how to do it well? What do readers need to know? How much should be fact, and how much should be opinion? What's a writer's relationship to the artist, and to the audience? Daily Planet arts editor Jay Gabler has published hundreds of reviews and features; in this class, he'll take you through the review-writing process from choosing a publication to attending a show and finding readers for your review. This class is free, but enrollment is limited; to register, e-mail jay@tcdailyplanet.net.
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Fiction Writer's Workshop
This is a bi-weekly fiction writer's workshop that will, for the most part, consist of reading the work of peers outside of class and providing feedback in a traditional workshop format. Anyone participating should be willing to read outside of class and also have be an active writer of literary fiction who can bring pieces to class as part of workshop.
Please submit a short writing sample before registering.
Radical Parenting Art & Discussion Workshops
These workshops will provide participants with a forum to discuss & reflect on the many topics related to radical child raising. Each session will include time for creativity & artistic expression relating to the subject. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A BIOLOGICAL PARENT TO PARTICIPATE, anyone who cares about youth are welcome to attend! Child care will be provided and youth are welcome. At least one workshop will include a field trip (for female-identified folks) to participate in the YO MAMA program at Juxtaposition Arts with the amazing Amoke Kubat.
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The Fantasy of the American Dream in Post-Modern Culture
Over the last thirty-years we have seen a return of social conservatism within our culture, particularly within our economic policies. This has led to a growing gap between the rich and the poor, to the consolidation of wealth and power in the hands of the few, and to the erosion of the basic infrastructure within urban communities. Why? Many scholars argue that the laissez-faire values that have been resuscitated within American politics have enabled the ruling class to control media outlets in ways that garner public consent and shape public policy. This course is an honest attempt to investigate the history, theory, and effects of what many scholars call neo-liberalism--this political project of the new conservatism. If you have any interest in politics, economics, and philosophy, as it pertains to our current state-of-affairs, then you would be interested in taking this course.
Fiction and Literature Monthly Book Club
This class will be a book club held monthly during the evening. Day of the week is flexible and can be agreed upon once enough members have joined.
I'm interested in popular fiction, as well as literature and sci-fi/fantasy books. I have a special place in my heart for young adult books, especially young adult fantasy novels and series.
For the first book I suggest I Am The Messenger by Marcus Zusak. Once several people have joined we can agree upon a meeting time in a few weeks at a coffeeshop or the library in Uptown. I will check to see if Spyhouse will let us use their back room, but am open to suggestions regarding location!
I will informally lead the discussion of the first book, but whether the discussion remains on the book the entire time or digresses to other topics I do not mind. At the end of the first meeting someone else can suggest a book for our next meeting and plan to lead that discussion.
Hopefully after a few meetings we'd be able to move the club to the "facilitator's" abode and start bringing food and wine.
Feminism discussion circle
What is your story with feminism? How do you interpret feminist ideas in the context of your own life? How do you benefit from hearing the stories and ideas of (other) feminists? This discussion circle is a place to share our stories, to truly listen to one another, and to see how we might benefit from connecting our ideas together in discussion around feminism. This is a place for feminists and womanists including transwomen, men and humans of all genders who want to discuss feminism. Discussion will be semi-structured to promote fair exchange, so that all who wish to speak may speak, with the option of feedback from the group. I will send out a reading for those who wish to read it, but you do not have to complete the reading to be welcome in our circle. Please email me with any questions. I look forward to our discussions!
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Adventures in Science Fiction
Thursdays 7-9pm
First class: June 9
The screenwriter Rod Serling once defined science fiction as 'the improbable made possible'. Science fiction is a rich and creative genre whose roots delve far into antiquity, and whose shoots continue on into the present day. Through an exploration of science fiction, you can gain insight not only into what direction the future of humankind is headed, but also learn much about the dreams and ambitions of the past.
My course is a media- and discussion-based project designed to uplift the imagination and explore the worlds manifested by creative minds who took the box and went far, far beyond its limits. More than a survey of science fiction though, my course will explore both the historical, social and scientific foundations of science fiction and will examine the ways in which our human experience is reflected in the alien, surreal and the fantastic.
The course will be arranged thematically, exploring such topics as the concept of the alien, science fiction as utopia or dystopia, and the landscapes and imagery of science fiction. Featured works range from poems to novels - full and excerpted - to film to works of fine art.
Approachable to learners of all types and ages, this course will push but not tear at the critical side of the mind, examining and reflecting on the beauty of this genre.
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Abolition, Race, Science Fiction: Reading Octavia Butler's Kindred and Terry Bisson's Fire on the Mountain
Class time to be determined - sadly, the time interface isn't working so it's showing up wrong!
How does science fiction write American history? How does science fiction write racism, slavery, insurrection, rebellion? What is it to be a writer of color writing slavery? What is it to be a white writer writing slavery?
In Butler's Kindred, a working class African-American writer is pulled back through time to a Maryland plantation because of her connection to her white, slave-owning ancestor. In Bisson's Fire On The Mountain, the raid on Harper's Ferry succeeds and an anti-slavery guerilla war begins, rewriting American history (for the better, obviously). These novels talk about community under racism, individual responsibilities, group struggles and the personal costs of fighting slavery. Both have a lot to say about how and why people engage in struggle.
In this class, we'll read a section from each book for every class session. We'll do a lot in pairs and small groups, with some big-group work. Discussion structure will use Training for Change methods as much as possible. I'll also have some material and do a couple of short presentations about the history of radical science fiction and science fiction writers of color. We'll talk about what the books have to say and how they say it. Our first meeting will be to talk about class goals, discuss what we like to read and talk a little bit about science fiction writers of color and science fiction that talks about race.
I have a couple of reading copies of the books available for loan. Books will be available at a 20% discount through Boneshaker.
We'll meet as often as the class wants - if everyone wants to read 1/2 a book each time, we can have two discussion sessions; if everyone wants to read more slowly, we'll adjust. We'll establish this at the first meeting.
Stolen Words: Plagiarism in the Age of Hip Hop, Sampling and the Internet
NOTE: THIS CLASS IS CANCELLED. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING IT IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE CONTACT THE FACILITATOR @ FLUFFYSINGLER@EARTHLINK.NET.
Are plagiarism and copyright still relevant ideas in the era of the internet when everything is available to all of us at any time? We’ll look at the traditions of avant-garde writing over the last 100 years including Dadaism and Beat poets like Tristan Tzara and William S. Burroughs with their “cut up” and collage poems, all the way up to hip hop and sampling in music and writing today. Students will get to practice all forms of plagiarism from the blatant to the subtle. Meanwhile, we will discuss the ethical and legal ramifications of fair use and sampling in writing and music.
Playing with Words: An Experimental Poetry Workshop
Always want to be a poet, but can't quite set the words to paper? Write that Great American Novel? We'll use some unique techniques and prompts taken from avant-garde writers and literary movements (and a few of my own) to generate material and get you writing--whether think you are creative or not. You will leave with 2 – 3 new pieces of writing each week and a wealth of ideas for even more!
Drop-in class members are also welcome. So if you think you can't commit to every session, but you can come to at least two, feel free to sign up at the last minute!
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Writing Our Lives In Society
Writing Our Lives in Society: You don't have to think of yourself as 'a writer' for this class... but you DO have to write - in the ways you want to - to tell your stories and find your truths about what you've lived and seen. That might mean true stories, fiction, poetry, essays, opinions... pretty much anything you feel compelled to write. And you have to read other people's writing, and come ready to talk about it when we meet every other week. We'll talk about how each piece of writing affects us personally, what we think about the ideas, why we write what we write, and how our writing makes up pieces of this huge collective reality we call 'our society.' This isn't your usual 'creative writing' class - we aren't going to criticize each other's writing artistically, suggesting that this word is 'too cliche' or that sentence should be moved. We aren't going to correct grammar or spelling, either. What we're doing is writing through our experiences - past and present - using writing to discover, to grow, to connect to other people, and to critique our society through this writing.
The main thing here is the desire and willingness to write, to have others read what you have to say in written form, and to talk about each other's writing.
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Re-thinking Schools, Re-thinking Learning: Democratic Education Discussion Group
Calling all youth-workers, education rabble-rousers, social justice educators, EXCO fellows, free schoolers, home schoolers, de-schoolers, un-schoolers, re-schoolers...what is your vision for education? Share it with us!
Our intention with this class is to create a space to learn together about various forms of alternative, democratically based education. By that we mean schools or other sites of learning (EXCO, for example!) that are re-defining what it means to be educated. We mean educational spaces that are specifically centered on self-directed learning, youth governance and development of students ability to think & learn outside the classroom. We will explore schools & projects here in the Twin Cities that are intentionally structured to give students a voice in their own education. We will be structuring the course as a discussion group – a space to workshop ideas, share thoughts and revelations, and attempt to answer some of these questions together. As facilitators, we will try our best to foster a climate of curiosity and learning - you can expect us to prepare readings, share our experiences in the traditional public school setting, and lead discussion – but we are not experts, and what this class/group becomes very much depends on those who are present! In the spirit of EXCO, we invite you to join in a collective learning experiment – we will see what we can learn together.
Over the course of this group, we will work together to come to a better understanding of alternative ways of learning & "doing" school. Topics and discussions could take many different forms, and will be determined by group interest. Facilitators will provide readings/videos/topics for the first few weeks.
Questions we might explore:
What is the purpose of education, and what are the goals of “becoming educated”? To what extent does our current system achieve this aim?
What is learning and where does it happen?
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Restoring our Relationship with Earth: Achieving Sustainability in a Resource Hungry World
This class will investigate the necessary transition towards a harmonious existence with our natural environment. To re-establish this harmony, we will discuss the implementation of ecologically based approaches as we move from a human view to an ecological view of the world where each transaction inherently restores the water, air, soil, and habitats to health and indefinite sustainability.
This course is designed to provide the information necessary to initiate a paradigm shift towards a harmonious existence with our natural environment. Topics of discussion will include presentations on Ecological Issues (6th Mass Extinction/Climate Change/Energy Descent), Political Issues (Global Discrepancy in “Wealth”/Centralized Power/Ecologically Based Economics) and Psychological Issues (Consumerism/Increases in Disorders of Modernity). From these discussions, we will investigate truly sustainable and resilient approaches to a more fulfilling and improved quality of life. Through this class, we will develop the ability to proactively implement such approaches in your community.
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Namibia: One of Africa's Newest Nations
In the first half of the workshop, we examine Namibian history, geography, politics, and culture from the perspective of Namibian activists, freedom fighters, politicians, teachers, and students. During the second half, we learn from successful Namibian initiatives such as the Penduka Cooperative for Women, Habitat Research and Development Centre, Basic Income Grant, and Young Achievers Empowerment Program.
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Astrology 101: Wish Upon a Star
I have for many years fostered an interest in the study and practice of the oldest science, astrology. For millennia people watched the heavens to determine the best time to accomplish tasks, from mundane everyday things, to planning weddings, and waging wars. Over the centuries, astrology has been celebrated, refined, condemned, and celebrated again. It has been called an art, a science, and a superstitious pseudoscience. It is my goal to share the facets of it that emphasize all three. It is my hope that even if you do not subscribe to the beliefs of astrological pinciple that you will at least garner some information that can be used, at the very least, as a nice icebreaker in any social situation. In this class I will share my knowledge on the following aspects of a very important piece of human history:
*Natal astrology, or birth signs, using the traditional method and the supposed effects on personality
*Synastry, or astrological compatibility
*Using natal astrology to learn more about what the stars say about your natural tendencies, hopefully to gain insight into your psyche (whether it be through belief or disbelief is up to you)
*Mythology behind the constellations used and the different guises that each sign has gone through
*A history of the use and misuse of astrology across the globe
*Astrology from other cultures (briefly) Including Chinese "astrology", Vedic Astrology, and Mesoamerican astrology
*Whatever else we get around to!
Black Folk: Culture Defeats Holocaust
This class explores in depth the social and institutional struggles of African-Americans in the United States. Dealing the the problems and effects of racism, and the state of race relations today.
Thursdays 6-8PM
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Anticipating Collapse
Preparing for Collapse
Collapse is coming. Collapse of exactly what? The U.S. dollar? Agro-industrialism? Civilization itself? Ecological environment? Is it already here?
This discussion group will explore these possibilities and more in an attempt to understand the impending feeling of a fore-coming collapse. Many communities anticipate some sort of rupture to this current state of culture/society. What will this look like? What perspectives are worth considering when attempting to understand the nature of collapse?
A great attempt will be made to keep meetings from becoming alarmist or conspiratorial. This is an opportunity to mingle in many perspectives of collapse. People who are primarily interested in propagating their own vision without space for others are not welcome. This is a sincere effort to understand the nature of collapse to give solid ground to any efforts of preparation. Once a semi-solid understanding of collapse is reached, discussion on preparation will be held. The intention of this group is to be productive in moving forward towards preparation.
Expect meetings weekly during the month of October.
School Choice, Charter Schools, and Minneapolis: Exploring the Privatization and Marketization of Schooling in Our City
The class will be a majority reading and discussion group with the potential to get involved in some education activism, through our class or through other projects that are already in the works in the area. I will have interesting and relevant readings prepared. However, the class will be a project of all involved and all will have a say in what we read, discuss, and do together.
We will work together to understand how the impact of school privatization via charter or contract schools, and other trends and policies that seek to transform public education to align with neoliberal and free market ideologies. We will discuss how this transformation benefits/negatively impacts different groups of people in the cities, the possibilities for radical change in the way we think about educating young people, and the relevance of the public school system in its current form to our daily lives and desires. There are many ways we can explore these issues including but not limited to:
- privatization and the increasing role of philanthropy in public education
- the commercialization of schooling and students and parents as consumers
- the increasing hierarchization of public schooling (i.e. magnet schools) and unequal distribution of resources
This is an ambitious class with many fruitful directions to take - directions that we can decide on as a group based on our collective interests.
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The Exploration of Societal Ideologies
To Whom It May Concern:
The class in which I intend to propose will be entitled: The Exploration of Societal Ideologies. The primary emphasis of the class will be to explore and contemplate the numerous social experimentations that have rectified and destroyed entire civilizations alike. One of the greatest aspirations of the curriculum will be to shed light on the correlation between the principles of social ideologies and the functionality of empowered governments (past and present) that are then in turn bound by the underlying historical relevancies that have measured its performance. A series of connections can be made about a particular nation, community, and culture by observing these fundamentals.
The initial policy of education that I intend to incorporate to the class curriculum will diverge on methods of self-empowerment and interpretation of the given subject matter. In my own personal conviction I feel that the greatest learning experiences can only truly be embraced once an independent perspective is formulated on the receiving end on behalf of the student. This methodology extends a sense of academic self-sufficiency that establishes this degree of independent interpretation. In reference to my own experiences in which I have embraced through my own academic career I have come to the realization that the stimulation of independent thought processes develops the greatest degree of general awareness within the vast academic realm.
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Early British Reprensentations of Afghanistan
This course will be a guided discussion of readings related to the British presence in Afghanistan in the first half of the 19th century. Our entry point will be the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42), which ended in disaster for the British - nearly the entire British force, which consisted of 4,500 troops (both British and Indian) and 12,000 camp followers (including wives, children, and servants), was destroyed, either killed or taken prisoner by Afghan forces throughout January 1842. We will look at how the British represented this "fringe of empire" and its inhabitants before and after the war. Additionally, we will consider the importance of race and gender in the construction of these narratives. Finally, we will shift between the past and the present to demonstrate how the language of "treachery," "barbarism," and the "failed state" used in descriptions of Afghanistan have both a history and contemporary political significance. The goal of this course is not to provide simple answers for our present situation, but rather to allow us to think more critically about imperial power (and its failure), historical memory, and the politics of representation.
Readings: selections from various British narratives of Afghanistan in the 19th century (including Lady Florentia Sale, Alexander Burnes, and Mohan Lal), histories of the First Anglo-Afghan War and British Empire, and contemporary journalism related to Afghanistan. These readings do not need to be purchased. I will provide scanned copies of the selections from historical texts and point you to places online to find the others.
Assignments: None, but if we would like to share writing (whether historical, creative, journalistic, or otherwise), I am definitely open to incorporating a workshop component into our course. I am also open to commenting on any writing you might want feedback on.
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Creative Writing for the Non-Creative
Always want to be a poet, but can't quite set the words to paper? Write that Great American Novel? Your memoirs? This class will help you get started. We'll use some unique techniques and prompts to generate material and get you writing--whether you are creative or not. You'll be amazed at what you -- yes, YOU! -- will come up with. There's no painful dredging of memories here or journaling. (Unless you want to. But it's not required for the class). We'll be creating actual poems and short pieces based on observation, word play, etc. Did I mention that you'll actually have FUN writing?
About the class:
This class will be offered online. Student will be expected to read and comment upon one another's writing each week of the class and to participate in discussion. Given the techniques we are using, there wont' be any "critique" per se. We'll talk about the process of writing and what further ideas for poems and stories these prompts generate.
There will be one to two writing prompts for you to respond to each week and it's based on about two - three hours per week (the same that you'd spend in class). You certainly can write and contribute more if you like. If there is sufficient interest, we'll schedule live chat times. Otherwise, the class will be generated through a bulletin board for posting.
There will be no texts for this class beyond the prompts. However, students may share information about books and articles of use and interest to them
About the instructor:
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The Difference Between Blogging and Great Blogging
So you're blogging, or you want to start blogging...but you want to do it well, and hopefully attract some readers. The key to good blogging is to write well. Jay Gabler, associate editor of the Twin Cities Daily Planet and author of the Front Row Seat blog, offers a two-hour class on writing, etiquette, and promotional tips for bloggers. What information should you offer? How much of "yourself" should you put in your blog? How long should blog entries be? How do you connect with other bloggers and share your blog with people who might be interested?
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What's Your Story? Citizen Journalism 101
In this series, participants will develop ideas about what they see going on in their communities and turning it into meaningful content. We'll cover how to best use a blog, using pictures to tell your story and fundamental best practices for telling your story online. Community Engagement Coordinator Ann Alquist will facilitate this series, which start June 9 and repeats the following 3 Wednesdays on June 16, 23 and 30 at the same time and location: Rondo Community Library in Saint Paul at 6:30pm.
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Intro to Anarchist Studies 101
Anarchists recognize the massive injustices and spiritual emptiness of the present way in which US mainstream society is organized and propose a cooperative, restorative world free of coercion and hierarchy – beyond the state, capitalism, sexism and other forms of oppression. Dismantle and Build.
Every week we will read and discuss short articles, chapters and zines as a group. This class is an overview of anarchist movement, ranging from historical texts and theory, to foklore to contemporary anarchist beliefs, actions, lifestyles, etc... We'll be looking at how anarchist movement is influenced by other liberation struggles around the world. We'll be studying anarchist movement in other parts of the world such as south america, europe, and asia. In the anarchist tradition, this class is participatory and slightly on the edge. If you’ve ever been curious about anarchism, this class is for you!
1st class. Introduction
Readings: "Peace is Patriotic, and that's the problem. An Anarchist Perspective" Pamphlet (http://zinelibrary.info/peace-patriotic-and-thats-problem)
We will discuss what folks want to get out of the class, where we want to take it, guidelines, and what type of world we want to live in.
Together we will create a syllabus for the rest of the classes. (But don't worry--the facilitator will have suggestions too. So please don't shy away if you have no idea what you want the class to look like! All are welcome).
Suggested topics: history, anarcha feminism, primitivism and eco-anarchism, anti-civilization movements, contemporary anarchist movement, and so on...
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Writing Self through Gender
We plan, in this class, to take that strange animal, the memoir, and turn it on its head. Memoir is best thought not merely as "who am I," but more centrally as "where do I belong." Part of belonging is seeing yourself and being seen, being naked to yourself and the world at large. This nakedness tends to expose our fears, fears which can be addressed through understanding, self-exploration, and self-revelation. We plan to address one aspect of that fear, the fear of being seen as a gendered person, through memoir, understood here broadly as any text (written, audio, visual, performative) that engages in real self-exploration. We will be employing various media to facilitate self-exploration, including personal essays, audio, video, performance, etc. Each week students will be expected to read short personal essays and listen to/watch relevant audio and visual pieces. Students should come to class prepared to discuss how gender participates in the formation of identity, and how this understanding can aid with the development of memoir. Students will also be expected to keep a journal, from which they will ultimately draw their final project, to be presented to the class. This course calls for self-revelation, both through the final project and throughout the semester. Therefore it will require courage. But fear not: we're all in this together.
The class will meet for two hours each week for twelve weeks. People of all backgrounds and levels of experience are encouraged to attend.
From Abbie Hoffman to Reverend Billy: History, Practice and Pedagogy of Culture Jamming
The term culture jamming comes from broadcasting terminology for jamming the airwaves and involves ways of making your own media to counter the media messages we see every day. We’ll look at the history of culture jamming, including the Situationists International and the Yippies from the 1960s, feminist zines from the 1980s and 1990s, to the current practice by the Yes Men and Reverend Billy. We’ll watch movies, have discussion, and participate in some low cost/low tech (but potentially high visibility) culture jamming of our own as well as discussing some current theories of culture jamming. Some light reading (less than 15-20 pages per week) will be given.
Class meets 7-9:30, Thursdays from March 18 - April 15th in 430 Blegen at the University of Minnesota.
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Citizen Journalism: Empower Yourself, Empower Your Community
Journalism takes practice, and this introduction offers ways to get started writing and assignments that will put class lessons into practice. The four sessions will include:
- a brief history and introduction to journalism beginning with the penny press to our current multimedia, multiple platform landscape; identifying and surfacing story ideas and focusing stories; finding information and triangulating sources;
- five W's; basic story structures; hard and soft ledes; review of first story;
- interviewing strategies; features, investigative reporting, enterprise stories; review of second story;
- getting in print and on-line; op-ed, letter to the editor, blog post, community reporting; review of third story; plans for future.
We will use a class blog to publish and share stories generated during the class, and will explore other options for publishing participants' writing.
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