http://www

http://www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/polixxx/311s07out.htm

WRITING POLITICAL HUMOR

POLI 311 (W,IT):
Spring 2007

TTh 12:50-2:20
SML 216

Professor Sammy Basu,

Office: Smullin 322

Hours: TTH 9:30-11:30

Email: sbasu@willamette.edu

Phone: x6264

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 ‘publish’ these writings on-line.

Prerequisite: two Politics classes; closed to first-years

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

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

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

To cultivate and write humorous political discourse of one’s own.

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

COURSE EVALUATION COMPONENTS:

(5%)

(50%)

(10%)

(20%)

(15%)

Introductory quiz on humor, political theory and democratic theory

Writing assignments

Web page design and maintenance

(all writing assignments must be posted online)

Class participation informed by scheduled reading

(seat time is not participation)

Cumulative Final Exam

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)		Lewis, C.S. 2001 [1942]. *The Screwtape Letters* . SanFrancisco: Harper. (ISBN: 0060652934)
Swift, Jonathan. 1996 [1729]. *A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works*. Dover. (ISBN: 0486287599).		Alcaraz, Lalo. 2004. *Migra Mouse: Political Cartoons on Immigration.* NY: RDV Books. (ISBN: 0971920621)
Bierce, Ambrose. 1993 [1790s]. *The Devil's Dictionary.* Dover Publications; Reprint. (ISBN: 0486275426) Or on-line.		Lewis, Paul. 2006, *Cracking Up: American Humor in a Time of Conflict.* Chicago: U of Chicago P (ISBN: 0-226-47699-5)

Unless otherwise indicated all books above are available at the WU 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.

OPTIONAL:

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

General Re-Sources:

http://politicalhumor.about.com/

http://www.public.asu.edu/~dnilsen/

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 Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940)

background

The Tramp and the Dictator (2001)

Chaplin Final Speech

background

Tue Jan 23

Due: Assignment 1: Examples, 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

http://www.newyorker.com/captioncontest/

Tue Feb 6

Webpages, Cheryl Cramer
Instructional Design and Development, WITS

Writing and writing checklist

Eaton 424

Created by AccuSoft Corp.

Aristophanes. 2003 [5^th BCE].

Lysistrata.

Gender

Sarah Silverman

Bushwhacked,

aristophanes

Thu Feb 8

Tue Feb 13

Thu Feb 15

Comedy, Background,

Film: WU Theatre Production of Lysistrata,

Read and Discuss

‘why women aren’t funny’ (Paul M)

Due: Assignment 2

Swift, Jonathan. 1996 [1729].

A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works.

Class

swift

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

Teach-in Program

‘Political Correctness and Freedom of Speech’:

Panel will address the relationship between political correctness and the freedom of speech, offering some historical perspective on the meaning of 'political correctness' before then sketching the ways in which different theories of language use, power and identity affect how one thinks.

Eaton 209

History and Intro
Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss

Due: Assignment 4