ENG 715: Topics in Digital Studies (Topic: The Digital Black Atlantic)
Dr. Roopika Risam
Spring 2019
Hybrid / MH 218

Office Hours: M, 3-4:30pm; Wednesday, 3-4:30pm; and by appointment
Office: Meier Hall 102D
Email: rrisam@salemstate.edu (preferred)
Phone: 978-542-2662

Course Description: This course offers an intensive examination of highly specialized topical areas in digital studies. May be repeated, with a different topic, for up to 6 credits with permission of the English MA graduate coordinator.

Faculty Course Description: As digital methods for humanities research produce a digital cultural record of humanity, we must be sure that we resist reproducing literary and cultural canons that privilege white European and American writers. Do you want to become part of an emerging community of literary and cultural studies scholars who are using computational and digital tools to change how we read, interpret, and teach African diasporic cultural production? This course examines how digital humanities methods can be applied to African American, Black British, Caribbean literary and cultural production to ensure that voices and stories that have long gone unheard find their place in the digital cultural record. Together, we will examine scholarship on African diaspora digital humanities and analyze digital archives, databases, critical digital editions, maps, and multimodal compositions of African diasporas. We will then use our knowledge and insights to collaboratively produce a digital humanities project using African diasporic materials as our sources. No prior experience with digital humanities or computational or digital tools is necessary.

Goals: In this course, students will:

Examine digital cultural production of the African diaspora;
Understand the types of questions that digital tools help us answer for African diaspora cultural production;
Learn about the types of tools and methodologies that scholars of African diaspora studies are using in their research;
Gain knowledge about the emerging field of digital humanities.

Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Articulate the stakes of digital humanities for the African diaspora;
2. Design a research question and project idea about African diaspora cultural production;
3. See themselves as both critical consumers and producers of digital texts on the African diaspora;
4. Respond to scholarship at the intersections of African diaspora studies and digital humanities.

Required Reading: There are no books to purchase. Readings will be posted on Canvas in the weekly modules. Please note that projects count as "readings," and if there is an assigned project, you are expected to look through the project extensively, think about it critically, and be prepared to discuss and ask questions about it.

Assignments: Preparation and Active Participation: This is a student-centered, discussion-based course that relies on your advance preparation and active participation. Please complete your online work and attend our class meetings regularly.

Online Work: During the weeks that we are working online, you will be required to complete reading assignments and to post to the Canvas discussion board. Please post a 300-word response to the prompt by Thursday at 11:59pm of the week we are not meeting in person. Please post at least three follow-up comments (in response to your classmates' posts, or your classmates' and my responses to your post). Your response should be approximately 100-150 words minimum, which allows you to express a substantive responses (not just "I agree!") and to further the conversations emerging on the discussion board. Make every effort to not wait to the last minute to post, so that conversations can develop.

In-Class Work: For the weeks we meet in person, we will engage in several activities. Most of the weeks, we will have a 30-minute Skype guest speaker, who is an expert in the area we are studying. You will need to come to class with a question prepared for our speaker, based on your reading of their work (including their project). Please also be prepared to discuss the reading for 45 minutes. Two students will be in charge of being discussion leaders for the reading (everyone will lead discussion once). There will also be hands-on work on digital projects, which Dr. Risam will lead. Please participate with an open mind and a health capacity for play (and failure – this is the first time I’m teaching this course, so who knows what could happen!). At the end of the weeks where we meet in person, there will be a short (~300 word) reflection due, where you will discuss what you learned this week. These reflections are an important record of your developing ideas on the course materials that will help you with both your independent project idea and your reflection paper at the end of the semester. These reflections will be due by Sunday at 11:59pm after our in-class meetings.

Leading Discussion: For each class meeting, a small group of students will lead discussion of the week's reading (including projects viewed) for 45-60 minutes. This is not a presentation and you shouldn't summarize the reading for the class. Instead, you should be prepared with questions to guide our discussion based on the reading. Of course, you are welcome to experiment with discussion methods aside from the "sit in a circle and discuss" method. There's a great list of discussion strategies here: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/

Reflections: After each in-class meeting you will have a ~300 word reflection due on Sunday by 11:59pm. This is an opportunity to record your thoughts on the digital black Atlantic based on our work for the week - and this is a great way to track how your ideas are growing and changing over time. These reflections can also be a place to test out ideas for your final project and can be used as the basis your final reflection paper.

Final Reflection Paper: For your final reflection paper, you will write a 500-750 word reflection responding to my and Kelly Baker Josephs' introduction to The Digital Black Atlantic. You will have the opportunity to discuss it with your classmates during the week before and then you will write your response. I suggest looking back to your reflections and drawing on them in your response.

Project Review Presentations: During the semester, you will give one presentation in which you discuss a digital humanities project. This is a 10-minute presentation where you shed light on the value and use of the project in the broader context of the digital black Atlantic that we are discussion together. More details for this assignment will be available in Canvas.

Project Protoype: Based on the work we've been reading and discussing, you have the opportunity to design a prototype for a project. You will not be implementing the project, rather you will come up with an idea for a project that would contribute to the digital black Atlantic. This process will be scaffolded for you and more details will be available in Canvas.

Grade Breakdown:

To earn an A:

Maximum of one absence

Complete and hand in all reflections and the final reflection paper

Participate in all online discussions

Demonstrate preparation for and active participation in class discussions and activities

Lead one class discussion on assigned reading

Give a project review presentation in class

Give a project prototype presentation in class

To earn a B:

Maximum of two absences

Complete and hand in all but one reflection and the final reflection paper

Participate in all but one online discussions

Demonstrate preparation for and active participation in class discussions and activities

Lead one class discussion on assigned reading

Give a project review presentation in class

Give a project prototype presentation in class

To earn a C:

Maximum of three absences

Complete and hand in all but two reflections and the final reflection paper

Participate in all but two online discussions

Demonstrate preparation for and active participation in class discussions and activities

Lead one class discussion on assigned reading

Give a project review presentation in class

Give a project prototype presentation in class

To earn a D:

Maximum of four absence

Complete and hand in all but four reflections and the final reflection paper

Participate in all but three online discussions

Demonstrate preparation for and active participation in class discussions and activities

Lead one class discussion on assigned reading

Give a project review presentation in class

Give a project prototype presentation in class

Attendance: Since discussion is integral to this course, please be in class, on time, for all scheduled meetings. Emergencies do happen, I know, so one class meeting can be missed without affecting your course grade. This is reflected in the grading scheme above. Should a more significant issue arise and cause multiple absences, please speak with me as soon as you are able. I don’t need the details but can help you figure out the best course of action with respect to this class.

Academic Integrity: Please familiarize yourself with the academic regulations, including those regarding academic integrity for Salem State University as published in the course catalog: http://catalog.salemstate.edu/content.php?catoid=32&navoid=5456#Academic_Integrity. All work you submit for this course must be your own. If you draw on another source for an assignment, such as a lesson plan you find online, please make sure to cite that source. Plagiarism will result in not receiving credit for the assignment and could lead to additional consequences, including failing the course. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please contact me right away.

Equal Access: Know your rights and responsibilities! Salem State is committed to providing equal access to the educational experience to all students in compliance with section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act and The Americans with Disabilities Act and to providing all reasonable academic accommodations, aids or adjustments. Students with disabilities who have not already done so should schedule an appointment with the Office of Disability Services (978-542-5217) to provide documentation and develop the Faculty Contact Form that informs me of accommodations. Any student who has a documented disability requiring an accommodation, aid, or adjustment should make sure give me their Faculty Contact Form so that I can meet their needs and contribute to their success in this course.

Emergency Plan: In the event of a university-declared emergency, this course plan may be altered. Students should refer to www.salemstate.edufor information and updates about university emergencies. Our course attendance policy remains in effect unless there is a university-declared emergency. In case of one, we will use Canvas and video conferencing software to continue our work together.