Course: When Worlds Collide
Instructor: Orin James
Course Description:
This course examines episodes of cultural collision, moments when different world views–
ideas about human origins, cultural values and practices, systems of politics,
theories of science–come into contact with one another. We will study instances of cultural
collision and exchange in order to consider some fundamental
questions:
•How are human knowledge, values, and beliefs shaped?
•How do they evolve and spread?
•What can we learn about the values and belief systems of different cultures when they come
into contact with one another?
•What can we learn about ourselves by exploring our encounters with other cultures?
Course Objectives: Upon completing the Core Program, students will be able to describe:
•various ways that human beings come to know the world and themselves, and the various ways
in which they express that knowledge;•connections and conflicts among and between different
intellectual and cultural traditions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas; •the major historical
transitions and paradigm shifts that have characterized human civilization.
In addition, students will acquire skills in:
•analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing complex ideas;
•using information resources effectively;
•communicating effectively in speaking and discussions;
•communicating effectively in writing.
Course Texts (all available at the College Bookstore):
The following texts are required for each section:
•Shusaku Endo, Silence
•James McBride, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
•William Shakespeare, The Tempest
The following texts are required for our section only:
•W.E.B. Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk.
•Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
•Oliver La Farge, Laughing Boy
This information pertains to our section of Core:
Additional Resources:
•In addition to the texts above, I will provide additional reading material on Angel.
These will include excerpts from Homer’s Odyssey, Franz Fanon’s seminal
work Wretched Earth, Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s essay Decolonizing the Mind, Sigmund Freud’s
articles on psychoanalysis among others.
Please stay abreast to reading schedule!
Course Policies:
Elmira College Non-Discrimination Policy: “The College will not discriminate on the basis of
age, color, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability in any
phase of its employment process, in any phase of its admission or financial aid programs,
or any aspects of its educational programs or activities.” It is my heartfelt wish that everyone
lives up to that policy in all aspects of college life.
Respect and Toleration: The issues we will be covering in this class will evoke a variety of
differing opinions and comments; some will be very controversial. Successful college-level
learning requires the careful analysis and dissection of arguments, our own and those of others.
In accomplishing this, we must commit ourselves to listening with respect (not necessarily agreement)
to the views of all members of our group, and to thoughtfully examining and articulating our own views.
Attendance: Attendance in the key to your success in this course, as it will be in class room where you
have an opportunity to share your knowledge and opinion on important issues that will affect you and
others not only in your college career, but thereafter as well. Your grade will be lowered for
unexcused absences. More than 5 absences equals a failing grade.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: Students should read carefully the Academic Policies section of the
Student Handbook which details policies and procedures pertaining to academic dishonesty or plagiarism.
In particular, Section III-A notes: “A grade of “I” or “F” may be assigned for a
course in which academic dishonesty has been substantiated, but an instructor may also assign a zero to the
piece of work or assignment or exam in question; the student may be asked to redo the assignment or
retake an exam if the circumstances warrant.” In addition, all instances of academic dishonesty
will be reported to the Dean of Faculty. One of the features of the Angel system is its link to
Turnitin.com, a tool that will help you better understand the concept of plagiarism.
You will submit all papers for this course electronically, and I will offer you the
opportunity to submit rough drafts. By doing this through Turnitin, you will obtain useful
information about how to treat other sources appropriately. I strongly encourage you to take
advantage of this opportunity.
Students with Special Needs: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 provide students with learning or physical disabilities the right to certain
accommodations. If you will be requesting any such accommodations, please speak with me during the
first week of class so that I can make the necessary arrangements promptly. If you have any questions
about your eligibility for such services, please contact Carolyn Draht, Director of Education Services
(x1922). Please note that, unlike in high school, it is now your responsibility for
communicating your needs to your college instructors.
Grading and Missed Assignments: I will assess your progress in this course in several different ways:
•You will take a one-hour midterm exam on the Friday before midterm break, and a two-hour
final exam at the scheduled time (2/5 of grade);
•You will complete two term projects (2/5 of grade);
•You will participate in coursework, including short writing assignments, quizzes,
other classroom activities, and occasional homework (1/5 of grade).
When Worlds Collide Course Outline, put together by Orin James
Week “O”: Orientation
September 2: Introduction
Summer assignment due
McBride, The Color of Water
Week 1: When Worlds Collide: Introduction to Course’s Core
September 5: Introduction to course
September 7: Found on Angel
Reading of Homer’s Odyssey (Book 9) & The Voyages of Sinbad
Discussion of when worlds collide (understand the concept of “worlds”.
Define collision and what it entails)
September 9: Found on Angel
Reading of Ferdinand de Sausurre (Course in General Linguistics)
Continued discussion of when worlds collide: how are “worlds”
shaped and perceived by others.
Week 2: Shaping a world view and perception of other worlds.
September 12: Found on Angel
Reading of Ngugi wa Thiong’o (Decolonizing The Mind)
Discussion of the role language plays in carrying a culture or world view
Quiz 1 on Saussure reading
September 14: Found on Angel
Reading of Frantz Fanon (The Negro and Psychopathology)
Discussion of the role education plays in shaping one’s world view
September 16: W.E.B Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk)
Discussion of social/political constructs that force an ideology and identity of another “
world”
Audio excerpts from political speeches delivered between F.D.R’s time to
Black Civil Rights Movement
Week 3: Knowing One’s Place
September 19: James McBride (The Color of Water)
Discussion on understanding one’s identity as portrayed in text.
Discussion of Freud’s ideas on the psyche and how the conscious is molded.
Determine what “worlds” collide in this text
Quiz 2 on Week 2’s material
September 21: James McBride (The Color of Water)
Continued discussion of text.
James becomes a critic of two “worlds”
September 23: James McBride (The Color of Water)
Continued discussion of text
Draft of 1st paper due
Week 4: The Crossroads: Point of Decision
September 26: James McBride (The Color of Water)
James and his mother has to choose a side to be on.
Quiz 3 on The Color of Water
September 28: Ralph Ellison ( Invisible Man)
Discussion of main characters choice to join “The Brotherhood” to fight his “world”
September 30: Continued discussion of The Invisible Man
First paper due
Week 5: When Worlds Collide
October 3: Ralph Ellision (Invisible Man)
Discussion of Harlem Riot and Boxing Match
Quiz 4 on The Invisible Man
October 5: W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk)
Identifying the Other and Self
October 7: William Shakespeare (The Tempest)
Introduction of Text
Week 6: Continuation of Week 5 (When Worlds Collide)
October 10: William Shakespeare
Continue discussion of text
Quiz 5 on The Tempest
October 12: William Shakespeare
The Conquest of Mexico
October 14: Midterm Exam
Exam I on material covered through week 5.
Midterm Week:
October 17: Down time
NO CLASSES
October 19: Recap of first half
Going over midterm exam, etc.
October 21: Oliver La Farge (Laughing Boy)
Introduction to text
A discussion on resilience and resistance
Week 7: Obey The God(s) or else!
October 24: Oliver La Farge (Laughing Boy)
Continued discussion on Laughing Boy
Quiz 6 on Laughing Boy
October 26: Shusaku Endo (Silence)
Introduction to text
Role of religion in conquest
October 28: Shusaku Endo (Silence)
Continued discussion of text
Week 8: Continuation of Week 7
October 31: Shusaku Endo (Silence)
Closing discussion of text
Quiz 7 on Silence
November 2: Found on Angel
Harriet Beecher Stowe (Excerpts from Uncle Toms Cabin)
Readings from Russian Chronicles
Greek Mythology
In depth discussion on religion and conquest\
November 4: Found on Angel
Native American mythology before and after the arrival of the Europeans
Closing discussion on religion and conquest.
Rough Draft of Second paper due
Week 9: Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars
November 7: Found on Angel
Judith Butler (Performative Acts and Gender Constitution)
Opening Discussion on “gender” differences and the two “gender” worlds
Quiz 8 on last week’s reading material
November 9: Found on Angel
Michael Foucault (History of Sexuality)
Discussion on possible origins of gender differences
November 11: Found on Angel
German & Russian Folklore
Discussion on possible origins of gender differences
Rough draft of second paper due.
Rough draft of second paper deadline
Week 10: Clash of Genders
November 14: Material from Human Anatomy & Physiology textbook
A look at how biology is used to establish and maintain social differences between genders.
November 16: Feminist Ideologies
A look at the various schools of feminist theories and how they collide.
November 18: Listen to audio excerpts of prominent feminists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony among others.
Rough Draft of Second Paper Due
Week 11: Bring It!
November 28: When is time to collide and who decides?
In class Discussion
Quiz 10 on last week’s material
November 30: Listen to excerpts of speeches delivered by Vladimir Lenin, Adolf Hitler,
Stokely Charmichael,
December 2: Listen to excerpts of speeches delivered by Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr.,
Abraham Lincoln, Malcolm X, James Baldwin.
Week 12: What Now?
December 5: Look at the aftermath of some the worlds greatest collisions
In class discussion
December 7: How do you perceive the world? And what would you do?
In class discussion
Closing remarks
December 9: Course ends
Recap for final exam
Course conclusion
Finals Week:
December 12 (Monday):
9am – 11am: Final Exam