Undoing Identity is an introduction to the construction and intersections of Identity. Readings in identity performance and creation of multi-media text-based work will result in a new awareness of how and when identity is being created?by you and for you. The course is divided into sections on individual and national identity, race, gender, sexuality and body. Readings are interdisciplinary and include performance texts and cultural criticism. Course is fully online. You?ll post reading responses and create original work on Blackboard a minimum of four days a week. Serious and Surprisingly Fun! No prerequisites. This course counts towards WGST minor. Instructor: Janice Perry www.janiceperry.com FURTHER INFO: Course Summary And Goals This intensive introductory course begins with readings in adolescent and autobiographically-based identity construction (Harold Rosen, Erik Erikson, James Marcia), everyday performance (Erving Goffman), use of art and entertainment as a means of ?homogenization? (Charlotte Canning) and white privilege (Peg MacIntosh). Students use academic discussion and text-based multi-media creative work as well as their own research to locate and reflect on the origins of their notions about ?who? they are, and the ways they present their own identities in everyday life. They then begin to extrapolate this self-awareness to an understanding of the construction of the identities of ?Others.? This first section of the course is followed by assignments of texts, videos, weblinks, etc. from 20th/21st Century US American performances by diverse artists and writers who use personal history as a basis for work that addresses race, racism, heterosexism, gender, body, class, ability, power and privilege, and the ways that these identity classifications intersect. We?ll look at work by Moms Mabley, Richard Pryor, Dave Chapelle, Daniel Beattie, Dael Orlandersmith, Dawn Akemi Saito, Luis Alfaro, Alec Mappa, Peggy Shaw, Guillermo Gomez-Pe?a, Deb Margolin, Carmelita Tropicana, and read about the interment of Japanese Americans during WWII, homogenization of US identity through the Chatauqua performances of the 1920?s and 30?s, etc. These performances and texts model techniques and creative interventions which students can use to reflect and transform social and cultural inequities. Students are required to post critical academic responses to the readings, posit questions and respond to each other?s postings and questions on the Discussion Board. Through this lively online communication in which every student is required to participate, students gain deep insight into each other?s thought processes. In addition, there are creative writing/digital media assignments to promote creative reflection/response to the readings. These readings are designed to promote students? understanding of the continuously evolving lifespan process of identity development. Students are encouraged to recognize and reflect on the influences of outside forces on their perceptions to gain understanding of how their own and others? social and personal identities intersect. The readings create a framework for academic discussion on how identity is constructed for them, how they continue or alter these constructions in their daily navigation, and how these intersecting constructions affect the way they perceive others throughout a lifelong process. REQUIRED TEXTS Readings are interdisciplinary and include readings in performance and performance theory, sociology, anthropology, gender studies and cultural criticism. You need to acquire 1 book for this course: Tara Rebele. And I?m Not Jenny: Performance Writing. NY: Slope, 2005, 88 pp., paperback, ISBN #0-9718219-5-X Be sure you have the Rebele book BEFORE the course starts. Order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or wherever you usually order books. It is not available at the UVM bookstore. It should also be in the library, but it is not always available. The remainder of course readings are posted as PDFs on BlackBoard.

Classroom/Online Environment Expectations Check the Home/Announcements Page and Assignments on the Blackboard site for the course each time you sign in. The course work moves forward rapidly and builds upon each preceding assignment. You are expected to post to discussion when you have done the reading and again to respond to others? work. Same with the blog. Check in early, and again at the end of each assignment time period, allowing yourself enough time to give thoughtful responses to the discussion questions and to other people?s postings. It does not work to try to catch up on several assignments at once?this is counter to the way the course is designed. Do not disappear for a class or three and expect that you will be able to easily rejoin. TAKE NOTES of pages and quotes while you are reading. You are expected to refer to specific pages and quotes from the readings in your postings to ?Discussion? and in your response papers. Use the critical reading guidelines to frame your responses: ? Specific references to the reading (quotes and page numbers) ? An observation ? A criticism (remember that criticism can be positive as well as negative) ? A question ? A response to another participant's question?not necessarily an ?answer.? ? Read everyone's discussion before you write your response. If you've posted early, you have a blank slate on which to work, which can be an advantage. Be sure to leave yourself enough time to send your work. ?I couldn?t upload/download? is not an acceptable reason for work not being in on time. If you have problems with your home internet connection, go to a local internet cafe or library. If you have problems uploading a photo or a link CONTACT THE HELP TECHS. Creative Work You are frequently asked to create short original text-based works in any genre (monologue, dialogue, ensemble texts, short stories, poetry, creative non-fiction, video, audio, etc.) unless a particular genre or form is specified. Multi-Media: You are strongly encouraged to create original digital media (still, video, audio) to support your work. Students wishing to use digital media will need access to and ability to operate a digital still or video camera, phone camera, and/or a scanner (for print images/photos/visual art). All video/audio pieces should not exceed 2 minutes in length. Posting You?ll be asked to post to two separate places on Blackboard: Discussion Each Discussion assignment begins with some questions for you to consider?You will post your own observations/criticisms/thoughts on the readings/performances and you will respond to each other?s postings. These questions are essay type questions?very short essays. There is no right or wrong answer. I am looking for your response to the readings, I want to know what you think. If you want to talk about a different topic having to do with the course, how to use the technology, etc, you can start a new discussion thread. All posted discussion should be directly related the course. Blog Create new work as assigned and post on the course blog. You will also respond to each other?s new work. Don?t worry, it will make sense once we start working. Response papers Two (3-5 pages) response papers will be required. Due dates will be posted in ?Assignments.? The papers should be sent to me as email attachments by emailing me at my UVM address (jlperry@uvm.edu). Please identify each response paper within the subject line of the email ?your name response #1? and make sure to put your name on and number each page. Response papers are opportunities to summarize and comment on the work you?ve done in the course. Make specific references to your reading, your Discussion postings, your new work, outside sources, and the work of the other participants. Use the critical reading guidelines as a model for the paper.

Grading Criteria See also ?How to get an `A? in this course? posted on the Blackboard site. Grades will be determined by on-time completion of assignments, how well you follow the critical reading guidelines, depth of participation in discussion, response papers, and overall level of engagement with/participation in the course Discussion Postings: 35% -- timeliness, response to assignment questions, compliance with critical reading guidelines. response to other participants? postings, New Work/ Blog: 20% -- timeliness, response to assignment, creativity in connecting assigned readings to materials from outside the course, creation of original material. Response papers: 25% -- timeliness, thoughtfulness, thoroughness, clear articulation and use of critical reading guidelines in synthesising course work (including both your own work and others?) Overall Engagement/participation: 20% -- timeliness, engagement in Discussion and Blog postings (follow up on own postings and responses to other participants), follow up on Blog postings. Basically: do the readings, follow the assignments using the critical reading guidelines, respond thoughtfully to others? work, and post on time! Attendance You will need to post a minimum of two separate times per assignment. It is essential that you post to each discussion assignment and each blog assignment before the assignment due date in order to participate fully in the course.