http://www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/pb/pbsyllabusV1.htm

 

WRITING POLITICAL HUMOR

POLI 311 (W,IT): Semester, Time, Place, Professor, Office, Hours, Email, Phone

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course explores the perils and possibilities involved in writing political humor.  It surveys selectively the history of political humor from Homer to Homer Simpson, from the Athenian Old Comedy of Aristophanes to contemporary political films and cartoons.  Of particular interest is the shifting relationship between humorous discourse and the viability of democratic institutions, culture, and cognitive practices.  Students will write political humor of their own in a variety of genres and ÔpublishÕ these writings on-line.

 

Prerequisite: two Politics classes; closed to first-years

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To study political humor in various historical modes and literary genres.

2. To interpret the constraints and opportunities faced by different political positions and ideological perspectives in their use of humor.

3. To cultivate and write humorous political discourse of oneÕs own.

4. To use information technologies and digital video for research and presentation purposes

 

COURSE EVALUATION COMPONENTS:

 

Introductory quiz on humor, political theory and democratic theory (5%) 

 

Writing assignments (50%) 

Web page design and maintenance (all writing assignments must be posted online) (10%) 

Class participation informed by scheduled reading (seat time is not participation) (20%)

Cumulative Final Exam (15%)

 

All components must be passed to pass the course.

Late penalties will be assigned.

If you believe that you may have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact Disability Services,

Baxter Hall, Phone: (503) 370-6471, (TT) (503) 375-5383.

Retroactive accommodation will not be possible.

 

 

COURSE TEXTS:

Aristophanes. Lysistrata. Trans. Sarah Ruden. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett (ISBN 0872206033)

Swift, Jonathan. 1996 [1729]. A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works. Dover. (ISBN: 0486287599).

Bierce, Ambrose. 1993 [1790s]. The Devil's Dictionary. Dover Publications; Reprint. (ISBN: 0486275426)  Or on-line.

Lewis, C.S. 2001 [1942]. The Screwtape Letters . SanFrancisco: Harper. (ISBN: 0060652934)

Alcaraz, Lalo. 2004. Migra Mouse: Political Cartoons on Immigration. NY: RDV Books. (ISBN: 0971920621)

Lewis, Paul. 2006, Cracking Up: American Humor in a Time of Conflict. Chicago: U of Chicago P (ISBN: 0-226-47699-5)

 

OPTIONAL:

Stewart, Jon et al. 2004. America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction. NY: Warner Books. (ISBN: 0446532681)

 

Unless otherwise indicated all books above are available at the bookstore. If you buy elsewhere please ensure that you obtain the same edition. All other secondary readings will be accessible online and/or on electronic reserve.

 

SCHEDULE

 

DATE 

SUBJECT

Tue Jan 16

 

 

Introduction
Warning Do not take this course, no really.
Political Humor Today
Examples

How to be funny

 

Thu Jan 18

 

 

 

 

 

Charles ChaplinÕs The Great Dictator (1940)

background

The Tramp and the Dictator (2001)

Chaplin Final Speech

background

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tue Jan 23

 

Due: Assignment 1: Examples (cont'd)

Theories of Humor

 

Thu Jan 25

 

Theories of Humor (cont'd)

Vocabulary, Laughter

Political Theory,

Democracy, Deliberation, Discourse,

Read:
Wikipedia on Deliberative Democracy
 
Jurgen Habermas. 1996. "Three Normative Models of Democracy," in Democracy and Difference. Ed. S Benhabib. Princeton: Princeton UP, pp.21-30

on reserve

 

 

Tue Jan 30

 

J.C. Meyer.  2000. "Humor as a double-edged sword: four functions of humor in communication." Communication Theory, 10, 3, 310-331. On reserve

 

Paul Lewis, Cracking Up, entire.

 

 

Thu Feb 1

 

Quiz

New Yorker cartoon Contest

 

 

Tue Feb 6

Writing and writing checklist

 

 

 

 

Aristophanes. 2003 [5th BCE].

Lysistrata.

 

Gender

 

Sarah Silverman

 

Bushwhacked,

 

 

Thu Feb 8

 

Tue Feb 13

 

Thu Feb 15

Comedy, Background,

Film: WU Theatre Production of Lysistrata,

Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss

Ôwhy women arenÕt funnyÕ (Paul M)

Due:  Assignment 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swift, Jonathan. 1996 [1729].

A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works.

 

Class

 

Tue Feb 20

 

Thu Feb 22

 

Tue Feb 27

 

Satire, Background,

Read and Discuss, pp.1-2, 41-51

Read and Discuss, pp.52-9,

Q on Modest Proposal

Poor workhouses

Due:  Assignment 3

 

 

 

 

Bierce, Ambrose. 1993 [1790s].

The Devil's Dictionary.

 

Words

 

Thu Mar 1

 

 

 

 

 

Tue Mar 6

Thu Mar 8

 

History and Intro
Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss

 

Due:  Assignment 4

 

Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss

 

 

 

 

Lewis, C.S. 2001 [1942].

The Screwtape Letters.

 

Religion

 

Tue Mar 13

 

 

Thu Mar 15

 

Tue Mar 20

 

Religion and Humor, 

Puritanism

cs lewis

Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss

humor not needful

Due:  Assignment 5

 

 

 

 

 

Something else

 

 

Thu Mar 22

 

 

 

Mar 26-30

Spring Vacation

 

 

Tue Apr 3

 

Thu Apr 5

 

Tue Apr 10

 


 

 

 

 

 

Alcaraz, Lalo. 2004.

Migra Mouse: Political Cartoons on Immigration. 

 

Citizenship

 

 

Thu Apr 12

 

Tue Apr 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thu Apr 19

 

 

Film: Alcaraz presentation at WU (2003)

 

Read and Discuss Alcaraz

Political Cartoon History

 

Alcaraz and Migra Mouse    

 

 

Email me your group name. members, concept, treatment etc.
Read and Discuss Alcaraz

 

Meet as groups to get approval for concept, treatment etc.

 

 

 

 

ÒFinal Group ProjectÓ



 

Tue Apr 24

 

Due: Bonus Assignment,

Political Cartoon

Meet in class as Groups

 

 

Thu Apr 26

 

Meet in class as Groups

 

 

Tue May 1

 

Due: Assignment 6:

Film Presentations & Debriefing

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 5,

Saturday 2-5 pm

 

Final Exam