PACS 2: Utopian Futures

Dr. Eric Sonstroem
Phone: 946-2619
Virtual Office Hours: M, W 3:30 - 5:00, and by Appointment.

Spring 2021

Section 26
MWF
12:30-1:45



To jump right to the week-by-week schedule, click here.

Overview

Science-fictional utopias are one way to imagine and define “the Good Society.”  The word “utopia” was originally coined from two Greek terms, “eutopia” which means “the good place” and “outopia” which means “nowhere.”  Authors who write utopian fictions are often caught between both meanings of this word.  They optimistically imagine “the good place”--a society with just the right economics, politics, culture and technology to ensure a good life all--while pessimistically realizing that such a perfect world may only be possible in the imagination, that it’s literally “nowhere” in the real world.  Lewis Mumford thus calls utopias “the ultimate in human folly or human hope.”


This course will explore the way both historical authors and modern-day science fiction authors have tried to imagine what’s possible for the Good Society by creating fictional futures.  We will be reading texts, as well as analyzing other media like films, TV series, and video games.  We will critically explore why utopias get written the way they do, analyzing the way individual utopias reflect the cultural context from which they emerged. Finally, you will apply this in your own research, where you will research the cultural contexts of a fictional future of your choice.

Student Learning Objectives

The primary objectives of PACS 2 are to help students:


Readings

There are 4 books required for this class, available through the campus bookstore.

Additional readings will be found within the Resources section of our Canvas page, or on the web.

Course Grade Components

Your grade in this course will be a function of the following elements:


Assignment

Percent of Grade

Two Formal Essays

15% + 15% = 30%

Group Writing Assignments 1-4

4% + 4% + 4% + 4% = 16%

Final Research Paper (including Proposal and Oral Presentation)

30%

Ongoing Discussion Board Participation

24%

TOTAL

100%


Grade Scale: A 100 – 93 ; A- 92.9 – 90 ; B+ 89.9 – 87 ; B 86.9 – 83 ; B- 82.9 – 80 ; C+ 79.9 – 77 ; C 76.9 – 73 ; C- 72.9 – 70 ; D+ 69.9 – 67 ; D 66.9 – 63 ; D- 62.9 – 60 ; F 59.9-0.


As determined by university accreditation, Pacific's general education program must conduct assessment of its program. Your work in the course might be retained for assessment and other purposes. Student names would be anonymous during assessment work and would not appear in any results. Thanks for your cooperation. If you do not want your work to be used for assessment purposes, please submit a written statement to the Director of General Education.


      Two Formal Essays

The course requires two original essays, each about 1,300 words in length (about 5 pages). Each of these essays will be in response to a prompt that I will provide.


All formal essays must be submitted through our Canvas site, where they will be scored for originality against Turnitin.com’s anti-plagiarism database.

      Group Writing Assignments

Four times throughout the semester, I will be assigning you to different small groups of classmates for bonding, discussion, and teamwork. Each of these four small group experiences will culminate in a low-stakes group writing assignment. By the end of this process you will have met, conversed, and worked together with most of the other students in the class.

      Final Research Paper

Toward the end of the semester, you will be writing a 1,500 word research and analysis paper, in which you will present your interpretation of a fictional future of your choice, backed up by your research. You will also be presenting this material in the form of a 10-minute online video presentation. A proposal for this project will be due in Week 10.

      Ongoing Discussion Board Participation

Class participation is crucial to your success and the success of this course, including how much you learn and how much fun you have with your classmates. Come to discussion activities having read and/or viewed everything assigned for that day. Be prepared to ask and answer questions about the readings, dissect the arguments, and figure out what you think about them and why you think that, and express this in informal writing on the Canvas discussion boards.


How the Discussions Tool Works:


In our course’s Canvas site, click the “Discussions” tab on the left of the screen. You’ll find there will be a separate “Discussion” for each class session. When you click on that class day's Discussion, generally you will some prompts, in the form of questions or activities to get you started discussing that day's assigned reading(s). Discussions on Canvas are “threaded.” That means that answers to a question show up under the question, and replies to those answers show up under the answers, and so on, which keeps the discussion organized. You’ve probably seen threaded discussions before if you’ve ever seen a forum comment section, like on Reddit for example. When we’re using this together for a real-time discussion, remember to hit the refresh button in your browser pretty frequently, so you can see new replies and posts as they come up! It’s pretty intuitive, but here is a video tutorial for using the Canvas Discussion boards if you need it, and you can always email me or drop into the Zoom meeting if you’re having trouble!


How We Will Use Zoom:


During each class session, while you will typically be working primarily on the discussion boards, I will also have a Zoom meeting up and running for class members. Did you have some difficulty with that day's reading, or have some questions of your own? Drop into the Zoom meeting for additional explanation or help! Are you confused about the discussion board assignment? Drop into the Zoom meeting and ask! Did you get excited by the reading, and you want to talk about it more than the discussion board allows? Come on by. Participation in the class time Zoom meetings will generally be optional, but it's a great way to get a deeper understanding of the class material (in preparation for writing about it), and to connect with students outside the discussion group you are in.


Depending on how things go, there may be days when I will require your participation on Zoom. During the first week of class, we will be exclusively on Zoom.


What I’ll be Looking For in Your Discussion Board Participation:

I’ll be looking for participation that is engaged with the material in a meaningful way, that is thoughtful and nuanced, and that is helpful to and respectful of each other. While it's totally fine to post some quick responses, for example agreeing with a point or providing a quick reference, your aim is to post substantive responses to the prompts and to each other. This involves careful reading of what you are replying to, just as much as careful writing. It means actively engaging with the material and each other in a thoughtful and respectful manner. Aim to contribute meaningfully to the discussion, but not to dominate it. Above all, I’d like to see you be helpful. You are helping your discussion group understand all the facets of the topics we are discussing, by bringing your own insights and experiences. Because we will be having almost all of our discussion activities in small groups, not the full class, it should be possible to have real conversations about the material in your groups.


A Note on Tone:

On-line discussion faces some serious challenges that don't occur in face-to-face discussion. We can't hear your tone of voice when you type something out, so it is surprisingly easy to accidentally sound angry or condescending or dismissive, even when you didn't mean it that way. Add into the mix the fact that we may be under considerably more stress than we bargained for this semester, and the fact that some of us will be under a lot more hardship than others as the health, family, economic, and social ramifications of Covid-19 continue. With this in mind, I hope that we all remember to try to be extra courteous, helpful, compassionate, and respectful when engaging in our discussions. Just like in a classroom, it's totally OK (even expected!) for you to disagree with each other and with me, but always remember to frame criticisms in ways that are respectful and constructive, and remember to provide your evidence or spell out your argument for your position.


The Details: What Should a Great Discussion Post Reply Look Like?

In a lot of ways, online discussion is better than speaking up in class, because you’ve got the time and space to really formulate your thoughts, to carefully consider and edit your replies before you post them. Since you’re typing, it’s also a great opportunity to provide a quote from that day’s reading (or another class reading) to back up what you’re saying. You’ve also got the opportunity to post links to outside information, articles, or other content. Find something online that is relevant to the text we are discussing? Give us a link in your comment, so we can check it out too, and talk about it.


Try to avoid “hit-and run” posting. That means two things. First, it means take the time to read what others have already said, asked, and responded. Flying in and posting more or less the same thing that other people are already talking about shows that you haven’t bothered to read their contributions. Second, it means hang around to answer questions or reply back to people that have replied to you. Think about what makes for polite, normal conversation: It’s a lot of listening, talking, and responding, perhaps with respectful disagreements and perhaps with consensus seeking. Be like that! Now think about what makes for really rude conversation behavior. Imagine a person that pushes into an ongoing conversation without really listening to anyone else, loudly says “Well, what I think...”, and then leaves before anyone can respond. Don’t be like that!


When You Will Be Doing This:

Three times a week, at our scheduled class time (12:30-2:15pm Pacific Time). Aim to be logged in to Canvas at that time, so your group can get to work promptly and efficiently. The optional Zoom session will also begin at 12:30, and will be available throughout the whole class time. If you have an extenuating circumstance that makes it impossible to participate in a timely fashion on a given day, let me know! I will try to make discussion activities as “soft synchronous” as possible, meaning that they will work best if everyone is participating at the same time, but it won’t be the end of the world if someone needs to participate later.


How I’ll Evaluate Your Participation:

Your participation in these discussions will be graded based on the level of your involvement with the conversation, your demonstrated mastery of the readings, your overall helpfulness, the quality of your contributions, and the originality of your posts (by “originality” I mean not repeating what others have said). Note that there is no “minimum number of posts” expectation or the like. It's all about quality, helpfulness, and the depth of your engagement.


Course Policies

      Late Papers

If an assignment is turned in late and I haven't granted an excuse, then the essay grade will be lowered one full letter grade for every calendar day that it is late. Lateness on discussion board activities can impact that portion of your grade. Keep in mind, I am always happy to grant reasonable extensions for deadlines if you have a reason to need one.

      Preferred Pronoun

Knowing and applying the names and pronouns that students wish to use is a crucial part of developing a productive learning environment that fosters safety, inclusion, personal dignity, and a sense of belonging across campus. Please let me know your preferred name and pronoun anytime throughout the semester.

      Recording Zoom Sessions

Live class presentations and discussions during this course may be recorded. As a student in this class, please note that your participation in live class discussions may therefore also be recorded. By participating in a live class discussion you are giving your consent to this recording. Access to these recordings will be limited to faculty and the students enrolled in the class and to assist enrolled students who cannot attend the live session.

      Honor Code

The Honor Code at the University of the Pacific calls upon each student to exhibit a high degree of maturity, responsibility, and personal integrity. Students are expected to:



Violations will be referred to and investigated by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. If a student is found responsible, it will be documented as part of her or his permanent academic record. A student may receive a range of penalties, including failure of an assignment, failure of the course, suspension, or dismissal from the University. The Academic Honesty Policy is located in Tiger Lore and online at http://www.pacific.edu/Campus-Life/Safety-and-Conduct/Student-Conduct/Tiger-Lore-Student-Handbook-.html

      Students with Disabilites

If you are a student with a disability who requires accommodations, please contact the Director of the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) for information on how to obtain an Accommodations Request Letter.


3-Step Accommodation Process


  1. Student meets with the SSD Director and provides documentation and completes registration forms.

  2. Student requests accommodation(s) each semester by completing the Request for Accommodations Form.

  3. Student arranges to meet with his/her professors to discuss the accommodation(s) and to sign the Accommodation Request Letter


To ensure timeliness of services, it is preferable that you obtain the accommodation letter(s) from the Office of SSD. Depending on course and session, the wait time may be as long as 1-2 weeks or as short as 1-2 days. After the instructor receives the accommodation letter, please schedule a meeting with the instructor during office hours or some other mutually convenient time to arrange the accommodation(s).


The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities is located in the McCaffrey Center, Rm. 137. Phone: 209-946-3221. Email: ssd@pacific.edu. Online: www.pacific.edu/disabilities


Writing Center

Writing can be a stressful task, but the Writing Center is here to support Pacific students in their writing endeavors.  The Writing Center assists students with any kind of writing project at any stage of the process. Our trained peer writing mentors offer personalized insights and advice during one-on-one writing consultations. Sessions are free of charge and typically last 30 to 60 minutes. We offer you a unique opportunity to talk about your writing in a friendly, no-pressure environment! Find out more about the Writing Center at PacificWritingCenter.weebly.com. To see the Writing Center schedule and book an online appointment, please visit Pacific.myWCOnline.com/ or email us at writingcenter@pacific.edu.

Course Schedule

As you can see, this schedule is still a work in progress. Student suggestions for additional readings are strongly welcomed. I have a pretty good idea of some of the places this class will end up, but I can't be completely sure until we get there. I may make changes to the reading schedule to help focus the class themes as they emerge over the course of the semester.


Week: 1 Begins: January 11 --

M

 

Introduction to the course

W

 

Swanwick, “Growing Up in the Future”; LeGuin, “Introduction to The Left Hand of Darkness; Gunn, “Science Fiction and the Future”

F

 

Gibson, “The Gernsback Continuum”

 

Week: 2 Begins: January 18 --

M

 MLK Day 

No Class

W

 

Samuel, “Can Science Fiction Predict the Future of Technology?”; Doctorow, “Science Fiction and the Unforeseeable Future”

F

 

Gunn, “How America’s Leading Science Fiction Authors are Shaping Your Future”; Klosinski, “Games and Utopia”

 

Week: 3 Begins: January 25  --

M


Zoom intro to The Time Machine

Group Writing Assignment 1

W

 

The Time Machine, Introduction and Chapters 1-4

F

 

The Time Machine, Chapters 5-8

 

Week: 4 Begins: February 1  --

M

 

The Time Machine, Chapters 9- End

W

 

from Fabian Essays in Socialism

F

 


Group Writing Assignment 2

 



Week: 5 Begins: February 8  --

M

 

Discussion of Movies: The Time Machine (1960), The Time Machine (2002)

W

 

Paper 1 draft due at class time. Peer review session in class.

Final Draft of Paper 1 due at midnight.

F

 

More, Utopia, pages 90-107

 

Week: 6 Begins: February 15  --

M

President's Day

No Class

W


More, Utopia, pages 127-160

F


Zoom intro to The Dispossessed.

The Dispossessed, Chapter 1-2 (possible contextual reading TBA)

 

Week: 7 Begins: February 22  --

M


The Dispossessed, Chapter 3-4 (possible contextual reading TBA)

W


The Dispossessed, Chapter 5-6 (possible contextual reading TBA)

F


The Dispossessed, Chapter 7-8 (possible contextual reading TBA)

 

Week: 8 Begins: March 1  --

M


The Dispossessed, Chapter 9-10 (possible contextual reading TBA)

W


The Dispossessed, Chapter 11-13 (possible contextual reading TBA)

F


Group Writing Assignment 3

 

Spring Break

 

Week: 9 Begins: March 15  --

M


Proposal brainstorming session. One-on-one meetings, RE your proposal ideas for the final assignment.

W


Proposal drafts due. In class peer feedback on proposals.

F


Final Draft of Proposals due. Additional reading TBA.

 

Week: 10 Begins: March 22  --

M


Reading Schedule this week TBA.

W



F



 

Week: 11 Begins: March 29  --

M

 

Reading Schedule this week TBA.

W

 


F

 


 

Week: 12 Begins: April 5  --

M

 

Reading Schedule this week TBA.

W

 


F

 

Group Writing Assignment 4

 

Week: 13 Begins: April 12  --

M

 

Paper 2 Draft Due at class time. Peer review session in class.

Final Draft of Paper 2 due at Midnight.

W

 

In Class: Video Presentation Workshop

F

 

Student Video Presentations begin

 

Week: 14 Begins: April 19  --

M

 

Student Presentations

W

 

Student Presentations

F

 

Student Presentations

 

Week: 15 Begins: April 26  --

M


Student Presentations

W


No Class

F


No Class



This syllabus and accompanying material copyright 2021, Eric Sonstroem.