Description

This course draws on research in Sociology, Folklore, Anthropology, and Gender Studies to explore several transmutations in Newfoundland culture over the centuries. We focus on the social contexts of changes, such as from fishing, logging and mining economies to oil, tourism and service-based economies. How have traditional cultures shaped contemporary Newfoundland? Is Newfoundland culture authentic or commodified? Is there a Newfoundland identity? An N factor? What happened to our Newfoundland cultural renaissance? To Newfoundland nationalism? We explore these and other questions throughout the semester.

This is a lecture-based remote course in the Spring of 2021. You will need computer access to Brightspace (formerly D2L). There will be weekly readings from book excerpts, journal articles, and other sources, as well as online docu,entaries and video. These will be available through the MUN library and D2L/ Brightspace systems. Please read ahead and bring copies of the readings to class to discuss excerpts. Lectures expand on the reading and are outlined (only) in PowerPoint. You are encouraged to attend class and take notes! I post class announcements and lecture outlines (after the topic is completed) on the Brightspace course website.

Required texts

During the semester, you will read

Michael Crummey's (2014) Sweetland. Anchor Canada

Additional journal articles and online readings are used extensively and are available through the MUN library catalogue and at the Reserve site assigned to this course.

Study directives

The course schedule and further details on the assignments will be handed out in class.

Tentative Evaluation *

* Please note that the following evaluation scheme might change before the semester starts.

Because they are written in 50 minute periods, the two midterm exams will consist primarily of multiple-choice and true-and-false questions.There may be 1 or 2 long answer questions. The final exam will be written duirng the final exam period. Each exam will cover only the material since the previous exam (i.e. they are not comprehensive) so if you miss one, you must write a deferred long answer exam. Each tests a selection from all of the relevant course materials, including the readings, lectures, and videos shown in class.

The short assignment exercises will be discussed in class.

Participation *** traditionally involves both contribution and attendance but in remote courses, the weight is on your online contributions through the weekly discussions, as well as classroom polling, etc. With the understanding that not everyone can speak up in a large class, contributions also involve group discussions, written in-class reflections, and online blogging on specific items, such as finding relevant film, book, music or material items that illustrate the topics at hand. Written submissions must show an acceptable standard of engagement with the course materials. Attendance will be taken in various ways and on varying days, according to class activities.

A pdf of the compiled statistics from the CEQs for this course is available here. Feel free to email me (Linda Cohen) with any questions you have and please include the course name or number in the subject line.