Shadows on the Koykuk

For next week, we'll read Sidney Huntington's classic memoir, Shadows on the Koyukuk.  Per our decision last night, please read as much of the book as you can. I think you'll find it compelling.  In keeping with the trend of discussing a scholarly text one week, and a more literary text the next, my hope is that it will be an easier one to work through, and that we might all make it to conclusion.  

Before we discuss Huntington, however, we will return to Thornton for a bit, working through a bit more of his argument than we were able to last night.  In particular, we will use this classic William Paul speech to return to the questions many of you posed here on the blog last week.  If you weren't in class to get the handout, here's a link to the text of the short speech.  http://www.alaskool.org/projects/ancsa/testimony/afn_paul/we_own_the_land.htm

Finally, don't forget to work on your annotated bibliography for next week.  Looking forward to seeing where you are going with your papers.  As always, feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, or laments.

Until Wednesday...

Kevin

Being and Place Among the Tlingit

Thanks for a good--albeit sometimes bizarre and tangential--conversation about Durbin's book tonight.  I still haven't recovered from the awfully embarrassing vanishing e-mail that clarified last-week's burdensome reading assignment, so, again, apologies.    

In any case, per the plan announced in class tonight, here's how we will approach Thornton's book this week.  

Everyone will read the first two chapters, and the last chapter.   Chelsea, Florence, Alex, Brittney, Blake, Leah, Sarah, and Michael will read chapter three, reporting to the class on the contents; while Ellen, Gina, Phil, Carty, Chris, Ariel, Nick, and Jesse will read chapter four.  As we discussed, the book is dense at times, but there's a lot of really important stuff here.  In particular, in light of our robust critique of Durbin's sometimes too-simple narrative about Southeast Alaska's recent history--and in particular her treatment of ANSCA and Native Corporations--Thornton's book will offer an important counter narrative.  He's not really responding to Durbin or any of her questions, I should clarify, but the book highlights what's at issue in Southeast Alaska land debates, and will help us think more carefully and critically about the legacy of wilderness ideas.  I look forward to your questions and comments in the comments here, and to our discussion next week. 

Until next Wednesday,

Kevin

PS As I don't trust UAS Online anymore, I'm posting a copy of the handout detailing important paper dates here:  

SEMINAR PAPER DETAILS

English 418: The Wilderness Act at 50

Per the description on the syllabus, your 12-15 page seminar paper may be about any text(s) we've read for class and/or any topic related to wilderness that you find interesting. It should be informed by your careful reading of key secondary materials, but you should use these secondary sources as a means to enter into an ongoing scholarly conversation surrounding the text or issue you choose rather than as "support" for your position.

Here are some of the steps that will make this paper process more productive. 

Wednesday Oct 30.  Prospectus. (optional, but HIGHLY recommended)

The prospectus should be a very quick (no more than a page in length) summary of what you imagine will be the main points of your paper.  It should gesture toward a scholarly conversation you imagine you might enter, noting the key questions at issue surrounding your text.  It should also indicate your position, and outline or hint at some of the textual evidence you might use to defend your position. 

 Wednesday Nov 6.  Annotated Bibliography.

The annotated bibliography should include a mostly complete bibliography with at least 4 secondary texts (properly formatted following MLA style guidelines); 2 items in this bibliography should be annotated.  These annotations must be no longer than 150 words and should contain:  a clear articulation of the argument of the essay or book, a brief explanation of this argument, and a quick sentence or two that explains its relevance to your own argument.  (As a point of reference this paragraph contains 85 words—concision is key). 

Wednesday Nov 13.  Preliminary Draft.

After discussion, we will complete a peer review workshop of your papers.  You should have at least 3 pages written for this workshop.  

Wednesday Nov 20 and 27.  Wilderness Conference.  

There will be more details distributed in class, but as described in the syllabus, you will give a 12-minute conference presentation on one of these days.  Your presentation should be a preview of the seminar paper you will complete in the following weeks.  You will also submit a 5-6 page paper with your presentation.

Wednesday Dec 4.  Full draft workshop.

Entire session will be dedicated to a peer review workshop of your papers.  You should have at least 9 pages.    

Wednesday Dec 11. Final paper due

Please bring the final version of your paper with the prospectus,

annotated bibliography, and peer review drafts for final submission.

Tongass

Given the lackluster attendance last week and the fact that nobody finished the reading assignment, my hope is that Durbin's book is a little easier to get through than the more academic articles from last week.  I'm working through it, but it's taking longer than I expected for me to read.

So here's a solution (that I hope isn't coming too late!):

Let's all read the first section, "Part 1: To 1980"; everyone will also read the "Epilogue" and "Five Years After: An Update."  Let's then divide and conquer.

Chelsea, Florence, Alex, Brittney, Blake, Leah, Sarah, and Michael will read "Part II: 1980-1990."   While Ellen, Gina, Phil, Carty, Chris, Ariel, Nick, and Jesse will read Part III: After 1990."  The project in class, then, will be to have each group report back on the key points of each section, so please take some notes and be ready to help your classmates through the section they didn't read.  If this presents problems--like maybe you've already read the entire book!--just drop me an e-mail.

Remember, also, to bring your research question for your final paper to class.  You won't be wedded to the idea you suggest, but the more refined your question, the the more help you'll be able to get, so spend a bit of time thinking about the direction of your final paper this week, too. I have office hours on Tuesday from 3-4:30 if you want to talk about your project.

 Until Wednesday,

Kevin

Wilderness Arguments, Wilderness Critiques

Yosemite Traffic Jam

Thanks for a really good discussion last night.  As I mentioned, I didn't expect to spend so much time talking about gender, but it was a really important conversation--so thanks to Leah for framing the question so eloquently, and thanks to everyone for engaging it so carefully.  

My hope is that this week's readings will not only lead to similar conversations, but that they might be particularly useful as you begin to formulate your seminar paper topics, too.

To that end, as promised, I've photocopied the Nelson, Guha, Cronon, and Plumwood essays and placed them in the box outside my office door.  I have also posted a .pdf of them on the course website, if that is more convenient.

I look forward to hearing what you think about the essays.

In the meantime, let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Kevin

Kerouac questions...

Hope you've having fun with Kerouac this week--the book is more, uh,  far out than I remember it being, but an interesting cultural document nonetheless.  Looking forward to talking about it with you...

Per our usual routine, post your question and 12-minute answer in the comments here.

See you Wednesday,

Kevin