English 272M (H-WI)—Cross Cultural Perspectives: Literature of Hawai‘i, Oceania, and Asia
Fall 2008
CRN 33258: TR 10:45-12:00 p.m. – Kalia 102

orange square bullet Course description:

ENG 272M engages students in the study and interpretation of selected literary works of Hawai‘i, Oceania, and Asia, focusing on the interaction between and among peoples and cultures as reflected in literature and exploring such themes as place and identity, migration and colonization, conflicts among cultural norms and ideals, and responses to change (resistance, assimilation, alienation, transformation). My section of ENG 272M is Writing Intensive and meets the HAP focus requirements.

Hallmarks of Writing Intensive Classes

  1. The class uses writing to promote the learning of course materials.
  2. The class provides interaction between the instructor and students while students do assigned writing.
  3. Written assignments contribute significantly to each student’s course grade.
  4. The class requires students to do a substantial amount of writing—a minimum of 4,000 words, or about 16 pages.
  5. To allow for meaningful professor-student interaction on each student’s writing, the class is restricted to 20 students.

Hallmarks of HAP Focus Classes
To fulfill the Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues Focus requirement, at least two-thirds of a class must satisfy the following Hallmarks:

  1. The content should reflect the intersection of Asian and/or Pacific Island cultures with Native Hawaiian culture.
  2. A course can use any disciplinary or multi-disciplinary approach provided that a component of the course uses assignments or practica that encourage learning that comes from the cultural perspectives, values, and world views rooted in the experience of peoples indigenous to Hawai?i, the Pacific, and Asia.
  3. A course should include at least one topic that is crucial to an understanding of the histories, or cultures, or beliefs, or the arts, or the societal, or political, or economic, or technological processes of these regions; for example, the relationships of societal structures to the natural environment.
  4. A course should involve an in-depth analysis or understanding of the issues being studied in the hope of fostering multi-cultural respect and understanding.

Course Competencies/Learning Outcomes: By the end of the semester you should be able to:

  • Analyze a work of literature as a reflection of its cultural milieu and compare that milieu with one’s own.
  • Identify and use literary terms to analyze literary works.
  • Identify major themes in a work of literature, explore their implications, and identify their basic assumptions.
  • Analyze structure; explain how form contributes to meaning.
  • Evaluate the artistic merits of literary works and the artistic achievements of writers.
  • Use literary evidence to support interpretations and ideas regarding literary works.
  • Produce clear and effective written responses to literature
  • Describe the cultural diversity of world views expressed in literary works
  • Identify the literary achievements of selected writers and storytellers of Hawai’i, Oceania, and Asia.
  • Examine both the universality of human experience as well as the qualities that make a particular ethnic or cultural group distinct.
  • Write papers on different literary problems related to cross-cultural perspectives.

purple square bullet Textbooks

green square bullet Course calendar and other materials are available to students registered in the class. ENG 272M students should access their ENG 272M calendar and assignments through the Laulima portal at https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal.

Sign in to Laulima using your UH login and password. Or you can also access Laulima through your MyUH Quick Links window on the top right hand side of your screen. Look at the top of the screen for the link to your class.

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