Friday, September 25

I wanted to touch base with you following yesterday's class. Here's what I propose for Friday:

1:30-2:30 - Continue our discussion of bell hooks' essay.

Please spend some time preparing for that discussion by reviewing the article, updating your questions/points of discussion, and looking up the following terms from her essay:
- dominant culture
- cultural hegemony
- counter-hegemonic
- dichotomy
- false dichotomy

This article demands that we explore questions that can be difficult to talk about--race, class, family, etc.--but that are essential issues of life. Please challenge yourself to respond to the questions at hand with thoughtful analysis. Please remember as we continue that it's okay if there is difference among the members of the group in terms of responses to the text. What matters most is that the discussion is:
- on point, i.e., focused on the text itself (what it says, what it means, why it matters)
- civil (free of dismissive or inflammatory language)
- open (that everyone has the opportunity to speak and listen)

In response to Maggie's question in class, the article was first published in 1989.

2:30 PM - We will walk to Seattle Public Library and undertake our field study there. (I'll give you instructions in class.) Read "Seattle Public Library" in your course reader as preparation. Please bring picture ID, a notebook, and a pen or pencil. Wear walking shoes.

Also! It looks like we'll be joined by 4 new students. Please join me in welcoming them to our group.

Please bring your final draft of Paper #1 (or you might call it your "revised revised draft") on Monday, along with your first draft of Paper #2.