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Syllabus
Globalization and Folk Craft Production
NEW 473 Section 001
Spring 2016, Seminar
Dr. Marysia Galbraith
Prerequisites
Students must be prepared to be active seminar participants and to work on independent projects inside and outside of class. New College students should have completed a 200-level New College seminar with one of the following designations: Social Problems and Social Change or Creativity and Culture.
Course Description
This course examines the relationships between the global and the local, using world folk craft as a point of focus. We develop an understanding of political, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions of global processes, and investigate the impact of these global processes on folk craft producers and their work. The class emphasizes pottery and other works of clay, and includes a pottery lab in which students learn to make their own works of clay inspired by world folk craft. We explore the function of creativity in a changing world through a combination of reading, writing, discussion, and studio experiences.
Student Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of the course students will be able to::
- evaluate the impact of global economic, political, and cultural forces on local contexts
- understand how locally produced handcrafts shape and are shaped by globalization
- explore the functions of creativity in non-industrialized societies, in industrialized societies, and in our own lives
- write coherent, logical, and carefully edited prose that takes a clear position and defends it with effective use of evidence
- create ceramic objects inspired by folk art traditions
Required Texts
Other Course Materials
Required Books and Supplies—make sure you get the correct edition of these books
Come prepared to participate in class discussions, having read the assigned reading. Make sure you highlight key points or write notes about the readings. Bring paper or electronic copies of assigned readings on the days we discuss them.
Lechner, Frank J. and John Boli, eds. 2012. The Globalization Reader. 4th ed. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. (the 5th edition is also available and contains most of the articles we’ll read).
Steger, Manfred. 2013. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
Trimble, Stephen. 2007. Talking with the Clay. 20th Anniversary Revised Edition. Santa Fe: School for American Research.
Pottery supply kits are available at the SUPe store, in the art supply section. Required tools include cutting wire, pin tool, ribs, and sponge. You might also want to bring an apron, old shirt, and/or old towel.
Other Reading: available via Blackboard
Katsuhiko, Izumi. 1989. “Whither the Traditions of Local Pottery?” Japan Quarterly. 36:287-93.
Moeran, Brian. 1990. “Making an Exhibition of Oneself: the Anthropologist as Potter in Japan.” In Unwrapping Japan: Society and Culture in Anthropological Perspective, edited by Eyal Ben-Ari, Brian Moeran, and James Valentine, 117-39. Manchester, England: Manchester University Press.
_______ 1997. Folk Art Potters of Japan: Beyond an Anthropology of Aesthetics. Honolulu: University of Honolulu Press. 15-47; 156-80.
Nash, June. 1992a. “Introduction: Traditional Arts and Changing Markets in Middle America.
In Crafts in the World Market, edited by June Nash, 1-22. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
_______1992b. “Maya Household Production in the World Market: The Potters of Amatenango del Valle, Chiapas, Mexico.” In Crafts in the World Market, edited by June Nash, 127-53. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Peppler, Kylie and Sophia Bender. 2013. “Maker Movement Spreads Innovation One Project at a Time.” The Phi Delta Kappan 95(3):22-27.
Reina, Ruben E. 1963. “The Potter and the Farmer: The Fate of Two Innovators in a Maya Village.” Expedition 5(4):18-31.
Tannenbaum, Joshua G., Amanda M. Williams, Audrey Desjardins, and Karen Tannenbaum. 2013. “Democratizing Technology: Pleasure, Utility, and Expressiveness in DIY and Maker Practice.” Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing, Paris, France, 2603-2612.
Weil, Jim. 1995. “Changing Sources of Livelihood from the Earth and Sea in Northwestern Costa Rica.” Anthropology of Work Review 16:14-23.
Yanagi, Soetsu. 1989 (1972). The Unknown Craftsman. New York: Kodansha International. 105-12.
Emergency Contact Information
UA's primary communication tool for sending out information is through its web site at www.ua.edu. In the event of an emergency, students should consult this site for further directions. Additional course information will be posted using Blackboard Learn.
Severe Weather Guidelines
The guiding principle at The University of Alabama is to promote the personal safety of our students, faculty and staff during severe weather events. It is impossible to develop policies which anticipate every weather-related emergency. These guidelines are intended to provide additional assistance for responding to severe weather on campus.
UA is a residential campus with many students living on or near campus. In general classes will remain in session until the National Weather Service issues safety warnings for the city of Tuscaloosa. Clearly, some students and faculty commute from adjacent counties. These counties may experience weather related problems not encountered in Tuscaloosa. Individuals should follow the advice of the National Weather Service for that area taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety. Whenever the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management Agency issue a warning, people in the path of the storm (tornado or severe thunderstorm) should take immediate life saving actions.
When West Alabama is under a severe weather advisory, conditions can change rapidly. It is imperative to get to where you can receive information from the National Weather Service and to follow the instructions provided. Personal safety should dictate the actions that faculty, staff and students take.
The Office of University Relations will disseminate the latest information regarding conditions on campus in the following ways:
- Weather advisory posted on the UA homepage
- Weather advisory sent out through UA Alerts to faculty, staff and students
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA at 90.7 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over Alabama Public Radio (WUAL) at 91.5 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA-TV/WUOA-TV, and on the website at http://wvua23.com/weather.
In the case of a tornado warning (tornado has been sighted or detected by radar; sirens activated), all university activities are automatically suspended, including all classes and laboratories. If you are in a building, please move immediately to the lowest level and toward the center of the building away from windows (interior classrooms, offices, or corridors) and remain there until the tornado warning has expired. Classes in session when the tornado warning is issued can resume immediately after the warning has expired at the discretion of the instructor. Classes that have not yet begun will resume 30 minutes after the tornado warning has expired provided at least half of the class period remains.
Policy on Academic Misconduct
All students in attendance at The University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University of Alabama expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. At the beginning of each semester and on examinations and projects, the professor, department, or division may require that each student sign the following Academic Honor Pledge: “I promise or affirm that I will not at any time be involved with cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or misrepresentation while enrolled as a student at The University of Alabama. I have read the Academic Honor Code, which explains disciplinary procedure resulting from the aforementioned. I understand that violation of this code will result in penalties as severe as indefinite suspension from the University.”
See the Code of Student Conduct for more information.
Disability Statement
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary.
If you have a disability, but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call (205) 348-4285 (Voice) or (205) 348-3081 (TTY) or visit 1000 Houser Hall to register for services. Students who may need course adaptations because of a disability are welcome to make an appointment to see me during office hours. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services, 1000 Houser Hall, before receiving academic adjustments.
UAct: Ethical Community Statement
The University of Alabama is committed to an ethical, inclusive community defined by respect and civility. The UAct website (http://www.ua.edu/uact) provides a list of reporting channels that can be used to report incidences of illegal discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence, retaliation, threat assessment or fraud.
UAct: Ethical Community Statement
The University of Alabama is committed to an ethical, inclusive community defined by respect and civility. The UAct website (http://www.ua.edu/uact) provides extensive information on how to report or obtain assistance with a variety of issues, including issues related to dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, sexual violence or other Title IX violations, illegal discrimination, harassment, child abuse or neglect, hazing, threat assessment, retaliation, and ethical violations or fraud.