ANG 1005 – Reading Popular Culture Instructor: Dr. Sarah Henzi Class Schedule: Tuesdays 9:00-12:00, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, room A-135 Office Hours: TBD Email: [email protected] COURSE DESCRIPTION This course examines works of popular culture by Indigenous authors and their use of specific genres. The field of Indigenous literatures of North America has focused largely on the novel, drama and poetry. With regard to film, attention has been given primarily to the documentary. But what of more contemporary modes of storytelling, such as the graphic novel, speculative fiction, science fiction, erotica and spoken word, as well as animation, experimental film, and video gaming? So far, conventional theories of cultural studies or popular culture do not account for the historical and political specificities of these kinds of productions. The contemporaneity of these genres and works is an important component in the creation of a transcontinental public space in which Indigenous productions are participant in the making of new possibilities for renegotiation and reconciliation, and exploring – amongst others – contemporary environmental and sustainability concerns. Drawing upon conceptual tools that arise from the already-existent critical theory around Indigenous artistic projects, we will examine the continuities and discontinuities between the literary and the visual, bearing in mind the importance of addressing the specificity of both generic and filmic questions. Some of the questions we will explore include: How is the mythical brought up-to-date with the contemporary within new spaces of diffusion and discussion? How do these newer genres, in their use of the visual, the mythical and the supernatural, subvert traditional genres? How do they break away, while expanding the field? How does the specific use of the visual speak beyond linguistic and generational gaps, and what does this mean in terms of collaborative work between artists? And finally, what does this new branch of Indigenous literature bring to the existing literary scholarship, and how might existing critical theories be applied and expanded to this new media? REQUIRED TEXTS (available for purchase at the Bookstore) Alexie, Sherman. Flight. Grove Press, Black Cat (2007) Dillon, Grace L. (ed.) Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction. University of Arizona Press (2012) Robertson, David Alexander (Author) and Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator). 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga. HighWater Press (2012) Robinson, Eden. Monkey Beach. Vintage Canada (2000) Tinsley, Sean A. and Rachel A. Qitsualik. Ajjiit: Dark Dreams of the Ancient Arctic. Inhabit Media (2011) *Additional readings will be required on a weekly basis. These will be made available online through STUDIUM. It is important that you read these in conjunction with the required novels.

REQUIREMENTS Participation in seminar discussion (10%): I expect students to come to class prepared to ask questions about the assigned texts and to participate in discussions, either in small group discussions or in discussions with the class at large In-class assignment (15%): short essay which analyses one or two of the course’s assigned texts—you will be able to choose from a list of questions/topics Reading report (15%): 2-3 page report discussing the key terms of one of the course’s assigned texts and the critical/cultural work carried out by those terms; you will present it to the class and submit a hard copy First paper (25%): 5-6 page paper which analyses one of the course’s assigned texts—its rhetorical strategies, its arguments and the ways in which those arguments have been critiqued and/or taken up by other theorists Second paper (35%): 8-10 page paper; topic chosen from, or related to, course material; students are welcome to focus on theoretical texts OR to read literary texts in their own field of interest through theoretical concepts

PREPARATION To assist classroom discussions, come to class prepared with questions, discussion points, notes, and the relevant text(s) for that class. Lack of preparation will negatively impact your grade. ATTENDANCE Prompt and regular attendance is required. You are responsible for any material you miss from class lectures and discussions. Get copies of missed notes and handouts from classmates. We do not post lectures or notes online. Frequent tardiness or absence will have a negative impact on your grade. LATE WORK, EXTENSIONS Due dates cannot be changed. Deferred grades will be given only on the basis of authenticated medical disability. If you miss an in-class writing assignment or a homework assignment you will not be able to make it up, unless you have a medical note. Extensions will only be granted for serious reasons. Late work will be penalized at the rate of 3% per day. PLAGIARISM Plagiarism – the stealing or “borrowing” of another person’s written work and passing it off as one’s own – is a very serious academic offence. Plagiarism occurs when: a) the work submitted was done, in whole or in part, by an individual other than the one submitting or presenting the work; b) an entire work (e.g., an essay), is copied from another source, or parts of the work are taken from another source without explicit reference to the author;

c) an essay copies a sentence or paragraph of another work with minor variations. Plagiarism occurs not only when direct quotations are taken from a source without explicit acknowledgement, but also when original ideas from the source are not acknowledged. A bibliography or “works cited” is insufficient to establish which portions of the student’s work are taken from external sources; formal modes of citation (i.e., page numbers and the author’s name in parenthetical references) must be used for this purpose. If you are unclear on the definition of plagiarism or you are unsure about how to avoid it, please do not hesitate to ask me. Ignorance is not a valid defense. Professors are required to report all cases of plagiarism to the Dean. The minimal disciplinary measure is an F on the assignment, essay, or exam. Further measures can include an F in the course, suspension from the Faculty, and even the requirement to withdraw from the University. COURTESY AND TECHNOLOGY Please be respectful of a productive learning environment by ensuring that your phones, laptops, and other electronics are not disruptive to the class or to the students around you. If needed for family or medical reasons, phones should be switched to vibrate. Misuse of laptops, (smart)phones, or other electronics for non-class purposes will be dealt with according to UdeM policy and devices may be banned. RESPECT Some of the issues we discuss will be provocative, controversial, or emotionally challenging. Our classroom should be as conducive as possible to an ethos of thoughtful and open inquiry that encourages everyone to share ideas in a productive way. Please be respectful of the rights of others to their own opinions and beliefs.

TENTATIVE READING SCHEDULE* *The Tentative Reading Schedule is subject to change according to students’ participation in and pace of the class. We will finalize our reading schedule during the first week of the term. September 6 – Introduction: Do Genre and Categories Really Matter? Eden Robinson, The Sasquatch at Home: Traditional Protocols & Modern Storytelling (excerpt; will be distributed in class) September 13 – The Gothic Revisited Monkey Beach Eden Robinson, “Queen of the North” September 20 – Spectral Residues Monkey Beach Warren Cariou, “Haunted Prairie: Aboriginal ‘Ghosts’ and the Spectres of Settlement” September 27 – In and Out of the Slipstream Flight Walking the Clouds, “Introduction” (1-33) Thomas King, “Forget Columbus” October 4 – Territories Above and Beyond Flight Stephen Loft, “Media Cosmology” Jason Lewis and Skawennati Tricia Fragnito. “Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace.” October 11 – Alternative Worlds and Indigenous SF Walking the Clouds (85-95; 116-120) Gerald Vizenor, “Native American Indian Literature: Critical Metaphors of the Ghost Dance” Alan R. Velie, “Gerald Vizenor’s Indian Gothic” First paper due October 18 – Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability Walking the Clouds (143-170; 205-231) Richard Van Camp, “On the Wings of This Prayer” Richard Van Camp, “Zombie 911” October 25 – NO CLASS; READING WEEK November 1 – In-class assignment In-class assignment November 8 – Revenge Narratives and (Re)Distributive Justice Rhymes for Young Ghouls Miléna Santoro, “The Rise of First Nations’ Fiction Films: Shelley Niro, Jeff Barnaby, and Yves Sioui Durand”

November 15 – Stories, Sustenance, and Reciprocity Ajjiit: Dark Dreams of the Ancient Arctic (1-78) Keavy Martin, “Northern Lights” November 22 – “These Are Not Retellings” Ajjiit: Dark Dreams of the Ancient Arctic (81-191) Rachel A. Qitsualik, “Inummarik: Self-Sovereignty in Classic Inuit Thought” November 29 – Comics and Graphic Novels 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga Michael Sheyahshe, Native Americans in Comic Books (“Introduction”) Gord Hill, 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book (“Introduction”) December 6 – CONCLUSION & WRAP-UP Second paper due