Ateneo - UPO

Techniques of Race Prejudice: Racial Representations in U.S. Literature, 1910-1940

This is a "hands on" course that presupposes the constant active participation of students, who, guided by tutors, will engage in a comparative digital analysis of texts concerning racial representation. After exploring different forms of racial representation in assigned readings written by both African American and white American writers, and using the methodologies of both close and distant reading, students will practice their own research with the digital methodologies taught in this class on a corpus of periodical publications in order to extract information on common rhetorical forms, recurring figures, thematic areas, and textual strategies of racial representation in the United States of the years 1910-1940. The final objective of this class is the creation of a small database for the study of the topics covered by the course. Students are required to write a 2000 words text in English on their chosen object of individual study (group of printed magazines, characters, writer, writer, literary text or event), and a short reflection in English (about 500 words) on the use of technologies for research in the humanities. Students will have to prepare individually the assigned readings, but will work in small groups on the research and design and construction of materials for the database.

Mandatory Readings:

James Weldon Johnson, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Edited by J Goldsby, New York: A Norton Critical Edition, 2015.

George Schuyler Black No More Penguin Classics (January 16, 2018), Paperback ISBN-10 0143131885; ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143131885;

John Hewlitt, "Cross on the Moon", McGrow-Hill, 1946 (pdf will be available on DIR)

Extra Readings
For further consultation and available in the library:

Bontemps, Arna, Black Thunder! Gabriel’s Revolt, Virginia 1800, Boston: Beacon Press

Stephen Ramsay On the Digital Humanities Essays and Provocations Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 2023

Learning to recognize different forms of racial and interracial representation in the early twentieth century, i.e. before World War II and the Civil Rights Movement;
Learning to recognize the stereotypes and forms of racialization.
Gaining in-depth knowledge of the literary texts planned in the syllabus and their rhetorical, morphosyntactic and cultural structures, situating them in the context of North American literary history.
Developing a basic knowledge of bibliographic research;
Acquiring a basic knowledge of digital research and representation methodologies for North American literature;
Familiarizing with the main digital methodologies for the definition, extraction and interpretation of data and for comparative analysis;
Familiarizing with the following programs on which you will be tutored during the course and for final project:
● Voyant Tools
● Manifold

Developing the skills and abilities consistent with the general frame of the degree course L11. In particular:

Learning how to interpret, analyze and critically synthesize the proposed texts with particular attention to their transnational dimension;
Learning how to reflect critically on the use of digital technologies for the purposes of humanistic research, especially in the literary field;
Learning how to communicate clearly and effectively in English through the drafting of a text of about 1000 words on an author or an assigned theme that synthesizes knowledge, information and opinions related to the topics covered, using appropriate language and terminology.

No specific pre-requisite. Interest for the subject of this class and for collaborative projects;
English B2 level.
No previous knowledge of digital tools for literary analysis and research is required.

Double modality teaching: in class (Professor) and online (Digital Humanities expert tutor).

Class will start in the week of October 2nd. Between the end of October and the beginning of November a short suspension period will allow students to work on research, and in December students will work on building the database together with the tutor. The final presentation of the students' projects and works will take place in January.

This is a "hands on" course that presupposes the constant active participation of students, who, guided by tutors, will engage in a comparative digital analysis of texts concerning racial representation. After exploring different forms of racial representation in assigned readings written by both African American and white American writers, and using the methodologies of both close and distant reading, students will practice their own research with the digital methodologies taught in this class on a corpus of periodical publications in order to extract information on common rhetorical forms, recurring figures, thematic areas, and textual strategies of racial representation in the United States of the years 1910-1940. The final objective of this class is the creation of a small database for the study of the topics covered by the course. Students are required to write a 2000 words text in English on their chosen object of individual study (group of printed magazines, characters, writer, writer, literary text or event), and a short reflection in English (about 500 words) on the use of technologies for research in the humanities. Students will have to prepare individually the assigned readings, but will work in small groups on the research and design and construction of materials for the database.

To pass the exam students must: 1. participate in the lessons and complete the weekly assignments that will lead to the creation of the database; 2. carry out research and annotations under the guidance of teachers-tutors; 3. write a text in English, about 2,000 words long, on the object of the research agreed upon with Professor and Tutor, and a brief report of about 500 words on the experience of Digital Humanities for the study of literature. The final version of the 2000-word text, delivered by e-mail, at least one week before the date set for the appeal, will contribute for 40% to the determination of the final grade and will be evaluated on the basis of: - level of depth of the content; - consistency; - synthetic efficiency – expressive correctness (spelling, grammatical and syntactic); - formal correctness (use of sources, notes, bibliography, layout). 4. Present, in class, according to the early semester calendar, a weekly reading assigned by the teachers and / or related to their research, and the various annotations to the readings indicated by the teachers. All the necessary information will be distributed at the beginning of class. Presentations and assignments contribute for 60% to the attribution of the final grade. The overall grade will be assigned on the basis of the following characteristics that correspond, respectively, to the "advanced", "intermediate", "elementary" levels:
HP (High Pass): the writings, research and presentations assigned are accurate, convincing, comprehensive, precise and written in well-articulated prose in English; demonstrate knowledge of the assigned material, awareness of the relationship between information, digital research and interpretation; analytical reading skills; ability to apply the digital research tools acquired in this class to research design; originality and critical thinking skills. (28-30L)
P (Pass): the assigned writings, researches and presentations demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the course material, an elementary acquisition of the digital tools taught in the course and a basic ability to link digital tools to literary analysis. (18-23)
F (fail): Insufficient. The assigned writings, researches and presentations do not meet any of the following criteria: accuracy, precision, reading comprehension, written expression, acquisition of basic digital research tools. (less than 18)

Critical literature and further information will be provided at the beginning of class. Registration on platform DIR is required. Please check the teacher's page on Upobook regularly. Non-attending students (i.e. those not attending more than half of the lectures) should contact the professor in order to develop a detailed program. Please read the texts before we will analyze them in class, so you will be able to better understand the explanations and to participate in the discussion

In order to achieve a basic level of knowledge, skills and abilities, the student is asked to: 1. (knowledge and understanding) demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the three novels covered by the course, through the assigned writings, annotations and presentations; 2. (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): have acquired elementary skills and a basic knowledge of the digital tools taught in the course and apply them to the assigned project; link digital tools to literary analysis at basic level; know how to carry out an elementary search on databases and digital archives; 3. (communication skills): to be able to present, with clear formulation, relevant considerations on texts, events, and problems related to the main issues of racial representation in the United States of the early twentieth century; 4. (learning skills): knowing how to use at an elementary level the methodological tools provided in class (for attending students) and make use of the materials on DIR and the essays provided in the exam bibliography (for all students), in order to identify the thematic nuclei and the fundamental objects of study.
To achieve an advanced level, the student must demonstrate: 1. (knowledge and understanding): in depth knowledge of assigned materials through solid research, writings and assigned presentations and through accurate, convincing, comprehensive, precise written texts in a well-articulated prose in English; 2. (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): a deep awareness of the relationship between racial representation and ideology and of the relation between information, digital research and interpretation; analytical reading skills; originality and capacity for critical thinking and methodological reflection; 3. (autonomy of judgment): knowledge of how to organize the research by integrating close and distant reading; knowledge of how to select the relevant information and data for the project, starting from an elementary research on databases and digital archives; knowledge of how to establish connections independently, for example through different texts, events, authors, people; 4. (communication skills): know how to present, with consistency and organicity, with clear formulation, and through a logical and argumentative sequence, original observations about the object of study, demonstrating synthetic and terminological skills and property of use.