Nancy Kh. Bristow Office Hours:Office: 140 Wyatt Monday 2:00-3:50 Phone: X3173 Tuesday/Thursday 11:00-12:00Email: nbristow@ups.edu and by appointment

Hurricane Katrina and the History of New OrleansSeminar in Scholarly Inquiry I: 135

Fall 2016

Early in the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, then a large Category 3 storm, hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Hundreds of thousands of the region’s poorest citizens, left behind in a hasty and badly planned evacuation, faced the storm alone. Immediate news reports suggested the hurricane had done much less damage than predicted, and many Americans believed the city had dodged a catastrophe. Such reports, though, had failed to note the breaching of the levees, a disaster that began even before the worst of the hurricane hit. In the next few days, over 80 per cent of the city of New Orleans filled with

water, leading to the deaths of over 1700 people. While the term “natural disaster” is routinely applied to this event, this oversimplifies the complex history that led to the catastrophe and the multi-layered consequences it held for the individuals and communities that suffered its impact.

This course explores these causes and consequences, investigating the many ways in which this might be understood as an “unnatural disaster.” We will begin with a look at the catastrophe itself—the trauma of the hurricane and its aftermath as experienced by those living in the region. From here we will back up and use a consideration of the history of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region to understand the political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental forces—including disparities based in race and class—that contributed to the cataclysm. Finally, we will explore the aftermath of the storm, looking closely at the uneven impact of the catastrophe on different neighborhoods and lives. While much of our work will be historical, we will explore issues that will require us to look at the past from a variety of perspectives. As a result, too, we will have the opportunity to work with sources drawn from disciplines reaching well beyond history, including meteorology, economics, engineering, sociology, public policy and the law, as well as the visual, literary, theatrical, and musical arts. Thus while the course may seem narrowly focused in terms of its subject, this topical focus offers us the opportunity for deep exploration, even as the range of disciplinary lenses we will bring to the subject promises us breadth as well.

Because this course is a Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry I, we will take very seriously our consideration of the methods we use. We will talk very intentionally about how scholars go about their work, and will sharpen together our skills in asking and answering questions, in arguing and defending our answers, and in the oral and written presentation of our ideas. In turn, because this course meets the Knowledge, Identity and Power (KNOW) Graduation Requirement, we will integrate consideration of the interplay of identity, power and knowledge production in the history we will be studying.

Course Objectives:In this course you will develop a comprehensive knowledge of Hurricane Katrina and its consequences, as well as the history of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region that produced this “unnatural disaster.”

Because this is a Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry I you will also continue polishing your skills in:

reading a wide range of source types, both primary and secondary, carefully and critically.

employing questions as a means to frame inquiry. discovering, understanding and engaging the arguments and ideas of others

critically, fairly, and ethically. developing your own original ideas through the critical analysis of sources demonstrating and defending those arguments and ideas. presenting those ideas in written formats, with particular attention to working with

your reader. presenting ideas and information orally in both

informal and formal contexts. meeting the requirements of academic integrity. learning cooperatively and collaboratively with

classmates, particularly in the exploration of difficult, sometimes charged, and significant issues.

And because this course satisfies the Knowledge, Identity and Power Graduation Requirement, you will also:

build an understanding of the dynamics and consequences of power differentials, inequalities and divisions in shaping the causes and consequences of Hurricane Katrina.

explore the conceptualization, production, construction and affirmation of knowledge as it relates to the dynamics and consequences of these differentials, inequalities and divisions.

consider linkages between course themes, your own positionality, and contemporary local, national and global issues.

cultivate your ability to engage in collaborative learning, in particular your capacity to communicate meaningfully about issues of power, disparity, and diversity of experiences and identities.

This may seem like a great deal to accomplish in a single course, but the subject matter of the course is ideally suited to these purposes. You will stay busy this semester, but none of what we do is busy work. The skills you work on in this course will prove vital

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not only in your future work at Puget Sound but also in your life as an active and engaged citizen of a complex global world.

Required Texts:The following books are required for the course, and are available at the university bookstore for purchase.

Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative Project Richard Campanella, Bienville’s Dilemma: A Historical Geography of New

Orleans Dave Eggers, Zeitoun Josh Neufeld, AD: New Orleans After the Deluge Gary Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedeker, eds., Unfathomable City: A New Orleans

AtlasWe will also use:

Xeroxed Course Packet. Some of our readings will be included in a xeroxed Course Packet, also available at the bookstore. All but the Course Packet are also available on reserve at Collins Library.

Sound Writing. This is our university’s writing handbook. It is available as a pdf on our course Moodle site. Soon it will also be available online.

Scholarly Inquiry: Written AssignmentsBecause this is a course in Scholarly Inquiry, it will be important for you to write a great deal, polishing your skills in the presentation of your ideas. Some of the writing takes the shape of formal papers. For some of these assignments you will be required to complete preliminary work, participate in the peer review of classmates’ work, or present your finished work to the class. In addition to the formal papers, you will also complete several “preparatory assignments,” briefer exercises designed to prepare you for class conversations. Below are brief explanations of the writing you will be asked to complete in the course. Much fuller descriptions will be circulated and posted on Moodle as the course proceeds.

FORMAL PAPERS 1. From Passive to Active: Reading a Documentary (roughly 3 pages)In the early days of the course we will be practicing the close reading of a variety of sources. For this first assignment you will write a brief paper in which you engage in the critical analysis of a documentary, something we will first practice in class. Have you ever noticed how the narration of some documentaries seems to exude authority, encouraging the viewer to accept unquestioningly the account the film offers? Your job in this paper will be to challenge such a passive response, and to read a documentary film both actively and critically. In particular, you will need to identify the key arguments of the documentary and the methods used by the filmmaker(s) to convey them. Put another way, if you think about the film as an example of knowledge production, you will be exploring both the ideas the film conveys and the methods used to convey them. You will complete this first assignment in small groups and you will also present your findings to the class. There are five documentaries to choose from:

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Trouble the Water, Dark Water Rising, The Church on Dauphine Street, Law and Disorder and Hurricane Season: Walking on Dead Fish. Due in class on Tuesday, September 13 2. Analyzing Primary Sources: Power, Difference and Disparity in the Storm

(roughly 5 pages)With this assignment we turn our attention to primary sources, and to the historical insights they can offer us when we interrogate them for both their intended and unintended meanings. Your job will be to write an historical introduction to your source for students in a future iteration of this course. You will begin, then, by selecting a primary source to focus on. From here you will work to identify the intended meanings of the author, both stated and unstated, and his or her strategies for conveying those meanings. The next step is even more important, as you go on to explore the meaning and implications of what you have discovered for our understanding of the diverse experiences of Hurricane Katrina and the role of identity and power in creating disparate impacts of the storm. You will share your findings in this paper in an oral presentation as well.Due in class on Thursday, October 13

3. Taking on the Experts: Assessing a Secondary Source (roughly 4 pages)For your third paper you will bring your critical reading and analysis to a scholarly work. This paper will take the form of a memo to me, telling me whether I should assign this work in future iterations of our course. In the memo you will need to make judgments about both the quality of the book as a scholarly work and its appropriateness and usefulness for our course. Due in class on Tuesday, November 1

4. Integrating Sources: Remembering Katrina 10 Years Later(roughly 7 pages)This final paper assignment asks you to bring together many of the skills you have been polishing this semester. Your purpose will be to write an analysis of one recent response to Hurricane Katrina, in a sense engaging with how Americans are remembering, making sense of, and responding to the catastrophe. You will be required to use both primary and secondary sources in your explorations. You will select a primary source—a cultural response such as a poem, song, short story or art exhibit, or one of the Tenth Anniversary journalistic responses—and identify and evaluate the narrative(s) it presents in light of the scholarship and the primary sources you have studied this semester. You will complete these final papers as electronic essays on Atavist, allowing you to include visuals, audio, video and maps as part of your presentation.November 22: Three “telling details” and a working hypothesis (Prep #8)November 29: Introduction and two body paragraphs (Prep #9)December 1 or 6: Panel PresentationDecember 13: Paper due in my office by 2:00 p.m.

PREPARATORY ASSIGNMENTSThe syllabus provides guidelines for preparation for all class days. I will often ask you to write a paragraph or to complete a worksheet or some other assignment. Some of these preparatory assignments will be turned in. These assignments are described in the

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syllabus, in bold print, as part of the schedule for the class day on which each is due. There is also a complete list of the preparatory assignments that are to be turned in below. You are responsible for being aware of all assignments and for bringing them with you to class on the day they are due. These preparatory assignments are important because they offer us an opportunity for individualized communication about the principles and practices of scholarly inquiry. You will find that completing them with care will often facilitate your successful participation in class discussions or prepare you for your essays as well. Please note, too, that these assignments constitute an important component of your final grade. Though they are not formally graded, you will be credited for turning them in, or docked for their absence. I reserve the right to give only partial credit if an assignment lacks evidence of care, thoroughness, depth and precision. To reinforce the pedagogical purposes of these exercises, the preparatory assignments must be turned in in class, and on the day they are due, except in cases of illness or emergency. No late assignments accepted.

Preparatory Assignment Due Dates:#1 Thursday, September 8 Worksheet on active, critical reading#2 Thursday, September 15 Passage and paragraph for discussion#3 Tuesday, September 20 Question for Rosalind Bell #4 Tuesday, September 27 Question and passage: Zeitoun#5 Thursday, October 6 Preliminary work for Paper 2#6 Thursday, October 20 One paragraph summary#7 Thursday, November 3 Identity and the aftermath paragraph#8 Tuesday, November 22 Preliminary work for Paper 4#9 Tuesday, November 29 Introduction and 2 body paragraphs for Paper 4#10 Tuesday, December 6 Discoveries about scholarly inquiry

Scholarly Inquiry: Oral Assignments Group Presentation of Writing Assignment 1

Your first writing assignment is a team effort, and each of you will be working in a group of 3 or 4 to view a documentary, to think about its arguments and how it conveys them, and to write up a 3 page report on your analytical findings. Each group will be viewing a different documentary, so your presentation will allow you to share with the rest of the class what you discovered. Your presentation will be 12 minutes total, including both speaking by each member of the group and the showing and discussion of a clip you select to illustrate your findings. Due in class on Tuesday, September 13

Individual Presentation of Writing Assignment 2 For this presentation you will offer a brief overview of your focus and your findings for your second paper. This presentation is a chance for you to polish your skills in communicating your ideas orally. It will also allow you to practice your abilities as an active listener, and for the class as a whole to build a broad understanding of the issues we are exploring. The details for the presentation and the criteria by which you

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will be graded will be discussed in class prior to the presentation to facilitate your careful preparation. Due in class on Tuesday, October 11

Framing Questions / Leading DiscussionOn November 8, 10, and 15 each of you, as a member of a group, will have an opportunity to offer framing questions and guide the class discussion for forty minutes during one day of class. This is good practice in classroom leadership, and for working with others in the discussion and analysis of complex and charged contemporary issues. These are efforts that our first nine weeks of conversation will prepare you for. Each group will meet with me in anticipation of the class meeting to go over your plans, and during the class meeting I will be available as well to support your work in whatever way you find useful. Fuller details on this assignment will be distributed and discussed in class. Due in class on November 8, 10, or 15

Panel Presentation of Final PapersWe will conclude the course with two days of panel presentations in which each of you will present your work on your final project, even as you also draw connections between your work and that of others on your panel. We will work together to create the panels, likely dividing you according to the option you select for the paper. Your job will be to identify interesting and informative resonances between your papers when placed alongside one another. This need not be the result of shared perspectives. Differences and disagreements are similarly useful for promoting our understandings. The key is that you will collaborate, and work through complex issues together. Again, fuller details of these presentations will be distributed and discussed in class. Due in class on Thursday December 1 or Tuesday, December 6

Writing Assignments: Grading Standards

• A typical “A” paper is clearly written and well organized, but most importantly it contains a perceptive and original central argument, cogently argued and supported by a well-chosen and explained variety of specific examples. It demonstrates that the student has grappled with the issues raised in the course, has synthesized the readings and discussions, has formulated a compelling, independent argument that is fully developed in the paper, and has polished the presentation of that argument with care. An “A” paper also succeeds in suggesting the importance of its subject and of its findings.

• A typical “B” paper is a solid work containing insights that demonstrate that the student has engaged in significant thinking and has developed substantial evidence and discussion in the paper. Yet a typical “B” paper may not be as complex or creative in its ideas as an “A” paper. In other “B” papers the argument is sophisticated, but it is not presented as clearly or convincingly as in “A” papers.

• A typical “C” paper has a good grasp of the material on which it is based but may provide a less thorough defense of the student’s independent analysis, may lack sufficient analytical focus, or may suffer from more significant problems in presentation such as frequent errors, or unclear writing or organization.

• A paper that receives a grade lower than “C” typically does not respond adequately to the

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assignment, lacks coherent analysis, is insufficiently developed, is marred by frequent errors, unclear writing, poor organization, or some combination of these problems. Class Discussions:This is primarily a discussion course, so although I may include an occasional short lecture to provide context for your readings, the emphasis in class is on your thoughtful and informed participation. Use our class discussions as models of critical inquiry that you can draw on when writing your essays, as a way to test out your theories-in-progress, as a stimulating place to discuss with your peers and with me conflicting, confusing, or exciting ideas. Because this is a course that satisfies the KNOW graduation requirement, we will grant focused attention to the dynamics of our work together, and methods to facilitate the richest possible interactions. Please be aware of appropriate timing and turn-taking when speaking in class so we can create as open and democratic a space for conversation as possible. I am always happy to continue discussion with you after class, and I would encourage you to do so as well with your peers. Working together, we have the opportunity to learn from one another, to consider opinions different from our own, and to build on one another’s ideas. Keep in mind that attendance and contributions to discussions are important factors in your final grade. The following suggestions will help to make our discussions as fruitful as possible:

• Prepare for class: This includes not only reading all assignments before class, but thinking about them as well. Be sure to look over the prep questions and work through them and any exercises suggested there. It is often useful to write down a few thoughts and questions before class as well. This not only forces you to think critically about what you are reading, but will often make it easier for you to speak up during discussion. You might also recognize that if you have trouble figuring out how to analyze your readings, the prep questions are a great place to start.

• Attend class: Unless you are in class, the rest of us cannot benefit from your ideas, and you will miss the opportunity to benefit from the ideas of your classmates. Further, lectures offer you information and context to help you understand your readings, and should not be missed. Attendance is required in this course, because it is important to your learning process and to that of your classmates.

• Participate in discussions: We can only know your ideas if you express them. Eighteen minds are always going to be better than just one. For this reason, we will all benefit from this course to the degree to which each of you participates in our discussions. Each of you has a great deal to contribute to the class, and each of you should share that potential with the other class members. Recognize, too, that there are many ways to contribute

• Listen to and engage with your classmates: The best discussions are not wars of words, but are a cooperative effort to understand the issues and questions before us. Listen to one another, and build on the conversation. While we will often disagree with one another, you should always be sure to pay attention to the ongoing discussion, and to treat your classmates and their ideas with the respect they deserve. Recognize that even those ideas, indeed especially those ideas, that conflict with your own will play a very valuable role in forming and revising your thinking. Approach discussions with an open mind and you will learn a great deal from those around you.

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Class Discussion: Grading Standards

A student who receives an “A” for his or her participation typically comes to every class having worked through the preparation on the syllabus with care and sincerity. He or she will often arrive with questions and ideas about the readings already in mind. He or she engages other students and the instructor in discussion of their ideas as well as his or her own. This student is under no obligation to change their point of view, yet respects the opinions of others. This student, in other words, takes part in an exchange of ideas, and does so on a regular basis. This student also makes use of specific texts during the discussion, providing depth to their contributions. • A student who receives a “B” for his or her participation typically has completed all the reading assignments on time, and is a steady participant in discussion. This student may not initiate discussion, though, and is more likely to wait for others to raise interesting issues. Other “B” discussants are courteous and articulate but do not listen to other students, articulating their ideas without reference to the direction of the discussion. Still others may have a great deal to contribute, but participate only sporadically, or may not regularly connect their contributions to particular texts or specific examples. • A student who receives a “C” for discussion typically attends every class and listens attentively, but rarely participates in discussion, or is unable to listen effectively to what others have to say. Other “C” discussants would earn a higher grade, but are too frequently absent from class. • A student who receives a grade lower than “C” is consistently unprepared, unwilling to participate, is disrespectful of others in the class, often seems distracted from the discussion, is too frequently absent, or suffers from a combination of these issues.

A Few Resources to Know About Reference Librarian: Peggy Burge (pburge@pugetsound.edu) is the History

Department liaison librarian. She is available to meet with you in individual appointments for assistance with your research and also holds regular open hours. You will find she is a remarkably knowledgeable guide to our library and beyond.

The Center for Writing, Learning and Teaching is available to all Puget Sound students interested in developing their writing skills. Here you can meet with a writing advisor for help with every stage of the paper process. To make an appointment with a writing advisor you can stop by the center, in Howarth 109, or make an appointment by calling 879-3404 or emailing writing@ups.edu. In addition, this First-Year Seminar has a particular writing liaison assigned to our course—Katharine Etsell—who will be aware of our assignments and schedule and particularly well prepared to work with you. I will be sure that you meet her, and we will schedule some time to meet with her as a group.

I am anxious to provide whatever assistance I can during this course. I have regular office hours, and can also meet at other times by appointment. You can also reach me by email, to which I try to respond quickly. Please don’t hesitate to

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be in touch at any point if I can provide useful support to your learning efforts.

POLICIES: Accessibility and Accommodations: If you have a physical, psychological,

medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Peggy Perno, Director of the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations, 105 Howarth, 879.3395. She will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.

Bereavement Policy: We all hope this policy will not come into play, but if this should occur, the University of Puget Sound recognizes that a time of bereavement can be difficult for a student. Therefore, the university provides a Student Bereavement Policy for students facing the loss of a family member, which this course follows.Students are normally eligible for, and I would of course grant, three consecutive weekdays of excused absences, without penalty, for the death of a family member, including parent, grandparent, sibling, or persons living in the same household. If you need additional days, you should let me know, and also request additional bereavement leave from the Dean of Students or the Dean’s designee. In the event of the death of another family member or friend not explicitly included within this policy, know that you can petition for grief absence through the Dean of Students’ office for approval, and I am very open to granting it for the course as well. To request bereavement leave, a student must notify the Dean of Students’ office by email, phone, or in person about the death of the family member. If you need any help with this process, please just ask and I will supply whatever support I can.

Academic Honesty: It is assumed that all of you will conform to the rules of academic honesty. I should warn you that plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty will be dealt with severely in this course. Plagiarizing in a paper will result in an automatic F on that assignment and potentially in the course, and may lead to more substantial university-level penalties. Because academic dishonesty is such an egregious offense, the penalty is not negotiable. As a member of this academic community, your integrity and honesty are assumed and valued. Our trust in one another is an essential basis for our work together. A breach of this trust is an affront to your colleagues, to me, and to the integrity of this institution, and so will be treated harshly. Rest assured that I will make every effort to familiarize you with the rules surrounding academic honesty. If at any time you have questions about these rules, too, know that I am anxious to clarify them.

48 Hour Rule: In this course, we will operate according to my “48 hour rule.” This means that you can turn in one written assignment, except for the final research project, up to 48 hours late without penalty or explanation. Beyond this, though, late papers will be accepted only in cases of illness or emergency, or when prior arrangements have been made, and will generally be penalized except in cases of illness or emergency.

Academic Handbook: For any policy issue not covered here, I follow the rules set down in the Academic Handbook. You have a responsibility to be familiar with the handbook. It can be accessed online at:

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http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/personal-safety/student-handbook/academic-handbook/

INFORMATION ON CAMPUS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSPlease review university emergency preparedness, response procedures and a training

video posted at www.pugetsound.edu/emergency/. There is a link on the university home page. Familiarize yourself with hall exit doors and the designated gathering area for your class and laboratory buildings.

 If building evacuation becomes necessary (e.g. earthquake), meet your instructor at the

designated gathering area so she/he can account for your presence. Then wait for further instructions. Do not return to the building or classroom until advised by a university emergency response representative.

 If confronted by an act of violence, be prepared to make quick decisions to protect your

safety. Flee the area by running away from the source of danger if you can safely do so. If this is not possible, shelter in place by securing classroom or lab doors and windows, closing blinds, and turning off room lights. Lie on the floor out of sight and away from windows and doors. Place cell phones or pagers on vibrate so that you can receive messages quietly. Wait for further instructions.

Grading Scale:In assigning grades, both during the semester and at its end, I will use the following scale:

A+: 97-100 A: 93-96 A-: 90-92B+: 87-89 B: 83-86 B-: 80-82C+: 77-79 C: 73-76 C-: 70-72D+: 67-69 D: 63-66 D-: 60-62F: below 60

Final Grades:Assignment % of final grade Due DateShort Preparatory Assignments 10 % See day by day

Paper #1 5 % September 13 in class

Paper #2 10 % October 13 in class

Paper #3 12.5% November 1 in class

Paper #4 20 % December 13 by 2:00

Discussion Participation 15 % All semester!!

Group Presentation – Paper 1 5 % September 13

Individual Presentation – Paper 2 5 % October 11

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Framing Questions / Leading Discussion 7.5% November 8, 10 or 15

Final Presentation 10 % December 1 or 6

Schedule for Class Meetings, Readings, and Assignments

Unit One: Introductions* * * *

We will begin the course orienting ourselves—in the role of the First-Year Seminars and the Knowledge, Identity and Power graduation requirement, in the practice of critical reading, and in the history of Hurricane Katrina and the city and region it devastated. Think of this unit as an opportunity for introductions, for getting acquainted, for finding our way.

Week 1 (Tu) August 30 Introduction to the Course

We will spend our time in class today looking over timelines of Hurricane Katrina. This will give us a chance to introduce both the storm and the act of reading our sources critically. We will also talk about the course requirements and expectations.

(Th) September 1 Introduction to Scholarly Methods and to Hurricane KatrinaREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 2, “How to Read” (all sub-sections) on Moodle

o This is the university’s writing handbook. It is currently available as a pdf on our course Moodle site. In the next few weeks it will be available as an online document as well. Details to follow.

Josh Neufeld, AD: New Orleans After the Deluge (2010) Course Packet: pp. 1-5

o Associated Press, “Looters Take Advantage of New Orleans Mess,” (August 30, 2005)

o Nikky Finney, “Left” PREP:Using the ideas presented in Sound Writing about active reading, work through the three sources for today. Also think carefully about the learning opportunities each offers. Is one source more believable than the others? If so, why? How do we make this evaluation? In turn, what can we, and can’t we, learn from each source? Finally, are any of these “scholarly” sources? What do we mean by that term. We’ll talk in class today

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about active and critical reading, and about note-taking.

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Week 2 (Tu) September 6 Introduction to the Crescent City

READING: Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedeker, eds., Unfathomable City

o Introductiono Map 1: “A City in Time” and essay by Richard Campanellao Map 5: “Stationary Revelations” and essay by Billy Sotherno Map 7: “Of Levees and Prisons” and essay by Lydia Pelot-Hobbso Map 11: “Hot and Steamy” and essay by Evan Casper-Futtermano Map 13: “The Line Up” and essay by Eve Abramso Map 15: “Thirty-Nine Sundays” and essay by Joel Dinersteino Map 22: “Waterland” and essay by Rebecca Snedeker

PREP: Read the introduction to Unfathomable City. What kind of book is this, according to its authors? How might it prove useful to us? Next read all of the maps and accompanying essays, and then pick one to read a second time. What does it suggest about New Orleans as a city that seems important for us to know? In particular, think about the various ways power operates in creating different and disparate experiences in the city. As you do the reading, think about the difference between reading a source just once and reading it a second time. How do your strategies differ? What do you gain from the two readings?

(Th) September 8 Reading a Documentary CriticallyREADING: View any two chapters of Spike Lee’s iconic When the Levees Broke,

available on youtube. To help you select chapters, look at the Table of Contents available in the course packet, pp. 6-8.

Review: Sound Writing, Chapter 2 (2.2.2:” How to Read: Reading Critically) Sound Writing, Chapter 3: “Forming Your Argument” (3.1: “Elements of the

Argument”)PREP: Today’s class time will be focused on “reading” the documentary When the Levees Broke. Documentaries can be complicated to use. They often offer the voice of authority, and yet, like other sources, are interpretive pieces that must be read critically. We’ll practice this skill in class, preparing you for your work on the paper due on Tuesday. To get ready, think carefully about the argument Lee is making in each of the chapters you view. How do you know this is what he wants you to take away? DUE: Prep Assignment #1Worksheet on active, critical reading.

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Week 3 (Tu) September 13 Presenting our Ideas to our Peers

READING: Sound Writing, Chapter 8 (8.1 and 8.3: “The Basics” and “Chicago”) and

Chapter 9 “Speaking and Writing” DUE:

UNIT TWOLiving and Dying in Hurricane Katrina and

the Promise of Primary Sources

* * * *How do we recognize the potential problems with our sources, and how do we turn those problems into possibilities? In this unit of the course we will immerse ourselves in the critical reading of sources, especially primary sources, and use that work to build a comprehensive understanding of the diverse and disparate experiences of the hurricane and its immediate aftermath. Even as we emphasize primary source usage we will also think about the possibilities of putting multiple kinds of sources in conversation with one another.

(Th) September 15 The Catastrophe: A City Underwater READING: Gary Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, Author’s Note, Prologue and chs. 1-3 Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative

Project, pp. 11-56, 72-96, 107-116, 133-138, 204-215 Watch the video on the process by which the city flooded. Available at:

http://www.nola.com/katrina/graphics/index.ssf?flashfloodPREP:Today we will talk about oral histories as a kind of primary source. To prepare, pay special attention to what Antoine says about her source. Then, as you read the oral histories from her work, think about the particular problems, and promise, associated with this kind of source. Also begin to map the range of experiences people had before, during and immediately after the storm, and the role of identity and power in shaping them. We will begin thinking today about the individual lives each of you will track over the remainder of the semester. To help with this process, select a passage from any of the reading for today and write a paragraph suggesting why this passage is valuable to us as scholars attempting to understand Hurricane Katrina and its meaning in people’s lives. DUE: Prep Assignment #2Passage from the reading and a paragraph on its value to our understanding.

Your FIRST PAPER and PRESENTATION are due in class TODAY!!

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Week 4 (Tu) September 20 Theatre and History: The New Orleans Monologues

READING: Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, chs. 4-6 C. Rosalind Bell, The New Orleans Monologues PREP: What kind of source is a play? How can we use The New Orleans Monologues in our course? How does it resonate (or not?) with the sources you read for our last class? Finally, prepare one question to ask the author of the play, who will join us in class today. DUE: Prep Assignment # 3. Formulate one question you would like to ask the author.

(Th) September 22 Zeitoun: A Paradise Built in Hell?READING: Course Packet, pp. 54-60

o Rebecca Solnit, A Paradise Built in Hell, excerpt Map #18: “Snakes and Ladders” and essay by Rebecca Solnit in

Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina

Narrative Project, 144-145, 181-185 Dave Eggers, Zeitoun, 3-108PREP: Begin by reading the pages from Rebecca Solnit. What does she mean by “a paradise built in hell”? What forces encourage or discourage the building of such a paradise, according to Solnit? How does her essay in Unfathomable City tie in here? The map? Finally, test her ideas against Zeitoun’s experiences, and those of the two oral histories included for today. Do they confirm, challenge, or revise her ideas? How about other primary sources we have read?

Week 5 (Tu) September 27 Zeitoun: A Hell Built in Paradise?

READING: Dave Eggers, Zeitoun, 109-245PREP:Develop one question that you think the class should discuss today related to Zeitoun, and offer one passage that helps us begin to answer it. DUE: Prep Assignment #4Question and passage.

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(Th) September 29 The Other Catastrophe: Power, Identity, and Disparity READING: Dave Eggers, Zeitoun, complete Course Packet, pp. 61-83

o ACLU, “ACLU Report Details Horrors Suffered…”o Adam Nossiter, “Teenage Prisoners Detail Hurricane Horrors”o Ronnie Green, Shots on the Bridge: Police Violence and Cover-Up in

the Wake of Katrina, Prologue o Sheri Fink, “The Deadly Choices at Memorial”

Read the article at this address:http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_44f85201-e42f-50f0-983c-c9ab7ca5ba70.html

VIEWING: Frontline: Law and DisorderPREP: Using the sources for today as well as your earlier readings, think about how you would explain what happened to Abdulramah Zeitoun in the aftermath of the storm. How is his story connected to the experiences described in the articles in the course packet?

Week 6 (Tu) October 4 Media in the Moment

READING: Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from

the Katrina Narrative Project, pp. 117-121 Course Packet, pp. 1-2, 9-53

o “Looters Take Advantage of New Orleans Mess” (again)o Articles and photos from TIME, “Special Report: An American

Tragedy,” 12 September 2005 o Kathleen Tierney, Christine Bevc, and Erica Kuligowsky, “Metaphors

Matter” You should also read at least two a few articles from the New York Times. We

will talk in class about how to access them through our library website. VIEWING: Moodle: Assorted news clips—CNN, Fox News, The Daily ShowPREP: Read and watch a sampling of the assigned news pieces. Then select one print and one televised news report and read these twice more, engaging in close analysis of their stated and unstated arguments and the rhetorical strategies used to convey each. What were the stated and unstated narratives of Katrina emerging in this particular news coverage, and how was it shaped by assumptions about particular social identities? In class we will talk about some of the standard narratives that tend to emerge in the coverage of catastrophes.

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(Th) October 6 Politics, Rhetoric, and the PresidentREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 3: “Forming Your Argument”

o (3.1- 3.4 :“Elements of the Argument,” “Diversity of Argumentation Modes,” Making a Strong Argument” and “Thesis Development”)

Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, chs. 7-8 Course Packet, pp. 84-123o “Remarks by President Bush During Briefing on Hurricane Katrina,”

Sept. 2, 2005o “President George W. Bush, “We Will Do What It Takes” speech from

Jackson Square, New Orleans, September 15, 2005You can also watch President Bush deliver this speech at:http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Aftermath

o Richard T. Sylves, “President Bush and Hurricane Katrina: A Presidential Leadership Study”

PREP: How are the sources we are reading for today similar to and different from one another? Which feels most “reliable,” and in what sense? Now think about their content. What connections or contradictions do you find between the sources? This conversation will help us think about how to identify and integrate into our work primary and secondary sources, and popular and scholarly sources. Today is also a good opportunity to practice thoughtful engagement with those whose ideas and perspectives differ from our own, given the potent political issues at the center of our work. DUE: Prep Assignment # 5In anticipation of the papers due next week, you will need to decide by today the source about which you plan to write, and begin thinking about the key ideas you will want to develop in the paper. On a sheet of paper work through the process described in “Thesis Development” in Sound Writing. You will have a chance to revise your thesis in class.

Week 7 (Tu) October 11 Presentations

READING: Sound Writingo Chapter 3 “Forming Your Argument” (3.5-3.6 (“Organization of

Argument” and “Using Evidence to Support Your Argument”), o Chapter 4 “The Writing Process” (4.4-4.6 and 4.9: “Introductions,” “Topic

sentences…” “Conclusions” and “Overcoming Obstacles”)o Review Chapter 9 “Speaking and Writing”

PREP:Prepare your presentation for class today. You should plan to talk no longer than 3 minutes. After our presentations today you will have time in small groups to talk through your papers, due Thursday, and offer each other advice based on the presentations.DUE: Presentation #2

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UNIT THREEExplaining the Catastrophe: Working with

Scholarly Sources* * * *

How could something as horrific as the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe have happened? What factors contributed to the impact of the storm on the city, to the failure of the levees, to the government’s response to the desperation of its citizens? Now that we know a little about the impact of Hurricane Katrina, we want to go back to explore the catastrophe’s causes. To do this, we will need to explore not only the human history of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in creating the disparities the storm revealed, but also the role human actions played in shaping the emergency management failures and the environmental catastrophe. As we turn to these explorations, we will also begin working with secondary sources more intensely—particularly the map collection by Solnit and Snedeker, and the history by Campanella—practicing our critical reading of them, and exploring the role they can play in our own scholarly work.

(Th) October 13 The Setting /Secondary SourcesREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 4 “The Writing Process (4.8: “Revising”) and any one

of the Chapter 10 “Faculty Writing Advice” items Patrick Rael, “How to Read a Secondary Source,” available at:

http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/ Richard Campanella, Bienville’s Dilemma: A Historical Geography of New

Orleans, Introduction, Timeline (skim), and “Forming the Landscape”PREP: Think about what makes this a “scholarly” secondary source. How would a non-scholarly source differ? What, in turn, is this source about? How does the author imagine his purposes, and what might his work offer us as we begin our effort to understand the history behind Hurricane Katrina? Finally, look over the timeline. What does this suggest about his goals with the book? DUE:

Week 8 (Tu) October 18 FALL BREAK DAY

Enjoy a few well-earned days away!!(Th) October 20 The Early History of a City / Academic Integrity

Your SECOND paper is due in class TODAY!

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READING: Campanella, Bienville’s Dilemma, “Settling the Landscape” and “Urbanizing

the Landscape” Sound Writing, Chapter 8 “Citations” (8.5

“Plagiarism”) Explore the library’s guide to Academic Integrity at:

http://research.pugetsound.edu/academicintegrity Also review the information on Academic Integrity in

the student handbook at:http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/personal-safety/student-handbook/academic-handbook/academic-integrity/

PREP: Begin by reading the pages in Campanella’s book carefully, then write a one-page summary of one of the chapters. (We’ll assign these in class in advance.) Be sure to include one direct quotation. As you do so, be sure that you are avoiding plagiarizing. Think, too, about the meaning of historical context for understanding Katrina. DUE: Prep Assignment #6One page summary of a chapter from Bienville’s Dilemma.

Week 9 (Tu) October 25 Identity and Power: Living in New Orleans

READING: Review Sound Writing, Chapter 2 “How to Read” Campanella, Bienville’s Dilemma, “Populating the

Landscape” and any two chapters in “Humanizing the Landscape”

Solnit and Snedeker, Unfathomable City o Map #9: “Sugar Heaven and Sugar Hell”

and essay by Shirley Thompson in o Map #10: “!Bananas!” and essay by Joshua Jelly-Schapiroo Map #14: “Repercussions: Rhythm and Resistance across the Atlantic”

and conversation with Herreast Harrison and Donald Harrison, Jr

o Map #16: “Bass Lines” and interview with George Porter Jr. PREP: Today we will continue our work with Campanella’s book, Bienville’s Dilemma, moving from the simple but essential act of understanding the author’s purposes and arguments to reading the text closely, carefully, and critically. Begin by reading the materials from Sound Writing on careful and critical reading. Then actively read, summarize, and analyze the chapters in Bienville’s Dilemma. As you gain command over the book, begin your critical assessment of the text. Is this a book I should continue to assign? Why or why not?

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(Th) October 27 Identity and Power: Engineering KatrinaREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 6 “Writing with Awareness” 6.1-6.3 Campanella, Bienville’s Dilemma, “Manipulating the Landscape,”

“Devastating the Landscape,” and “Restoring the Landscape” Map #2: “Ebb and Flow” and accompanying essay by Monique Verdin in

Unfathomable City. Map #6: “Oil and Water” and accompanying essay by Antonia Juhasz in

Unfathomable City Patrick Rael, “Predatory Reading,” and “Some Keys to Good Reading,”

available at: http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/PREP:Today we will continue our conversations about the role of identity and power in shaping the landscape and human history of New Orleans, even as we will also turn our attention to the upcoming paper. Come to class with two strengths and two weaknesses of the text you can imagine writing about. Also be ready with a preliminary position on whether or not I should continue to use the book. We will also talk a bit about “predatory reading.” How can Rael’s suggestions help you handle large reading assignments? Finally, bring a tentative thesis statement for your paper to class, and a list of the main arguments you will use to prove it.

Week 10 (Tu) November 1 Bienville’s Dilemma

READING: Review Sound Writing, Chapter 4PREP: We will spend our time in class today debating the merits of Campanella’s text. DUE:

Your THIRD paper is due in class TODAY!

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UNIT FOURThe Catastrophe of the Aftermath:

Integrating our Sources* * * *

Knowing the pre-history of New Orleans and the Mississippi River helps us understand the catastrophe that was the storm itself—the environmental engineering that created the context for the storm’s overwhelming impact and the social, cultural and economic disparities that left some citizens behind to face it unprotected and unassisted. But the catastrophe did not end with the arrival of rescue workers. In this unit we look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the continuing problems that emerged in the months and years that followed. As we do so, we will have the chance to work with primary and secondary sources in tandem, building our capacity for developing our own understandings of the recent history of New Orleans, and each of you will have a chance to participate in leading the class discussion.

(Th) November 3 Identity and the AftermathREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 4 “The Writing Process” (4.1, 4.5: “Brainstorming,”

and review “Topic sentences, transitions…”) Gary Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, chs. 9-15 Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative Project, pp.

57-63, 127-132, 149-157, 186-192, 193-196 Course Packet, pp. 159-168

o Ron Eyerman, Is This America? Katrina as Cultural Trauma, Introduction

PREP:What narratives emerge as we read the stories of those who suffered the aftermath of Katrina? To what extent are the stories and emotions broadly shared? Did identity matter? DUE: Prep Assignment #7Write a one-paragraph response to the question “Did identity matter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?” Formulate an answer and offer one well-developed example to illustrate your idea.

Week 11 (Tu) November 8 Displacement and Disaster Capitalism

READING: Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, chs. 16-20

November 8 CONTINUED on NEXT PAGE

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NOVEMBER 8 continued Course Packet, pp. 169-190

o Vincanne Adams, Taslim Van Hattum and Diana English, “Chronic Disaster Syndrome: Displacement, Disaster Capitalism, and the Eviction of the Poor from New Orleans”

Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedeker, Unfathomable Cityo Map #17: “Where Dey At” and essay by Garnette Cadogano Map #19: “St. Claude Avenue” and essay by Maurice Carlos Ruffino Map #21: “Lead and Lies” and essay by Rebecca Solnit

PREP: The group leading discussion today will offer the prep questions.

(Th) November 10 Struggling to Rebuild in New Orleans READING: Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, 21-25 Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative

Project, 97-106, 122-126, 170-180PREP:The group leading discussion today will offer the prep questions.

Week 12 (Tu) November 15 Adults, Children and PTSD

READING: Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood, chs. 26-28 and Epilogue Rebeca Antoine, ed., Voices Rising, pp. 69-71, 139-143,

146-148, 167-169 Course Packet, pp. 124-158

o Susannah Breslin, “After Hurricane Katrina, Years of Post-Traumatic Stress”

o Katie A. McLaughlin et al, “Recovery from PTSD Following Hurricane Katrina”

o Shaila Dewan, “Using Crayons to Exorcise Katrina” o Mindy Kronenberg et al, “Katrina’s Children: Lessons Learned about

Postdisaster Symptoms and Recovery Patterns” Also visit the art gallery at the website: Katrina Through the Eyes of Children

http://www.katrinaexhibit.org/photoalbum/index.htmPREP: The group leading discussion today will offer the prep questions.

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(Th) November 17 Remembering the Storm: The Tenth AnniversaryREADING: Sound Writing, Chapter 4 “The Writing Process” (4.2-4.3: “Planning,”

“Outlining”) Locate one article or news report produced to commemorate the Tenth

Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. PREP:Read your source with care, analyzing the particular narratives about Katrina that emerge here. How is the history being constructed here? What narratives do you find emphasized? Minimized? Ignored altogether? We will talk today about your final papers.

Week 13 (Tu) November 22 Paper Workshop

READING: Sound Writing, Chapter 4 (4.7-4.8: “Research process while writing,”

“Revising”) PREP: For today you need to bring some preliminary work on the paper with you to class for the paper workshop. Read over your sources, and select three “telling details” that point you toward a thesis. Explain what each one contributes to your thinking, and then develop and polish a tentative thesis statement. DUE: Prep Assignment #8 Preliminary work for final paper.

(Th) November 24 THANKSGIVING!!Enjoy this break before the final push.

Week 14 (Tu) November 29 A Failure of Initiative?

READING: Course Packet, pp. 191-205

o Select Bipartisan Committee, “A Failure of Initiative: Final Report…”

Go online and peruse the remainder of the Select Bipartisan Committee’s Final Report at: http://katrina.house.gov. The report is over 500 pages long, so please find one section to read that speaks to your own interests in what happened.

Also review Chapter One of the film Frontline: The Storm, and then watch the remainder of the film as well, available in its entirety on the PBS website at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/storm/view/#morelink

PREP: continued on next page

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PREP for November 29If you had to write a position paper, calling for one change in policy in the United States that would help to prevent another catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina, what would you call for?DUE: Prep Assignment #9Come to class with an introduction (including a polished thesis) and two body paragraphs for the final paper.

(Th) December 1 Final Paper Panel PresentationsPREP: You will need to meet with the others on your presentation panel to design the shared parts of your presentation—the introduction to the panel, the transitions between presentations, and the closing remarks. This “connective tissue” can enhance the power of each of your presentations exponentially and is an important part of the presentation assignment.

Week 15 (Tu) December 6 Final Paper Panel Presentations PREP:

Continue polishing your final papers. Also think carefully about the most valuable things you have learned about the academic process this semester, in particular what you have learned about your own habits—both those that lead you to success, and those that interfere with it.DUE: Prep Assignment #10 Write up a bullet-pointed list of discoveries you have made this semester about your own process of scholarly inquiry.

Enjoy your Winter Break!

Your FOURTH PAPER is due in my officeduring our

FINAL EXAM time:Tuesday, December 13 by

2:00 p.m.

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