English 5357: Rhetoric of Reading

Summer I, 2006

TR: 5:00 p.m.-8:50 p.m.

Preston Hall 104

 

Professor Kevin Porter

100B Carlisle Hall

Office Hours: TR 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. and by appointment

Office Phone: 817-272-3112

Email: kporter1@uta.edu

 

Course Description

 

This reading-intensive course will survey—albeit in a very compacted way—classical, medieval, modern, and (primarily) contemporary theories reading and interpretation. Our goal will be to sample the diversity of ways in which “readers,” “texts,” and their interanimations have been conceptualized and to discuss the ethical implications that follow from these hermeneutical approaches.

 

Required Texts

 

Barthes, Roland. (1975). The Pleasure of the Text. New York: Hill & Wang. (Original work published in 1973) [ISBN: 0374521603]

Bruns, Gerald L. (1995). Hermeneutics Ancient and Modern. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. (Original work published in 1992) [ISBN: 0300063032]

Hirsch, E. D., Jr. (1967). Validity in Interpretation. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. [ISBN: 0300016921]

Iser, Wolfgang. (1980). The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. (Original work published in 1976) [ISBN: 0801823714]

Smith, Frank. (2004). Understanding Reading (6th ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (Original work published in 1971) [ISBN: 080584712X]

 

Assignments

 

Assignments for the course: 8 reading cards, an oral presentation, a short paper based on the oral presentation, and a cumulative, take-home final exam. Late assignments will not be accepted.

 

Grades

 

            Reading cards                                                                10%

            Oral presentation                                                           10%

            Short paper (critical review)                                           40%

            Final examination                                                          40%

           

Not completing any of these assignments constitutes grounds for failing the course.

 

Attendance

 

Attendance is mandatory, and active participation is expected.

 

Drop Policy

 

UTA instructors cannot drop students for any reason. You may choose to drop the course with an automatic “W” by June 12th and with instructor’s permission by June 22nd.

 

Schedule of Assignments

 

I reserve the right to modify, as necessary, the readings and other assignments listed on this syllabus. All readings or other course assignments marked *** are available for download. Important: Do not try to open these files directly through your browser; instead, save the file to your computer (right click on link, then use “save target as” command to download the files). You should print out these materials as soon as possible in one of the campus computer labs, and you must bring to class a copy of the specific assigned reading for that day.

 

Note: This is a five-week course, so I do not expect us to cover as “much” material as we would be doing if this were a sixteen-week course. However, as the schedule of assignments indicates, this course will involve a lot (!) of work within a very compressed period of time. I have designed the course so that, as much as possible, heavier readings are scheduled for Tuesdays, allowing you the weekend to complete them.

 

 

T          5/30

            Introduction to course

            ***        Course assignments

            ***        The critical review

            ***        Sample critical review

 

R          6/1

            Bruns, Hermeneutics: Introduction, Chapters 1-2

            ***        Eden, Hermeneutics, Introduction, Chapters 1-2

 

T          6/6

            Bruns, Hermeneutics: Chapters 3-4

            ***        Dworkin, “Law and Interpretation”

            ***        Goldsworthy, “Legislative Intentions, Legislative Supremacy, and Legal Positivism”

            ***        Moore, “Natural Rights, Judicial Review, and Constitutional Interpretation”

           

R          6/8

            Bruns, Hermeneutics, Chapters 5-7

            ***        Eden, Hermeneutics, Chapters 3-4

            ***        Wood, Captive, Chapters 11-15

 

T          6/13

            Bruns, Hermeneutics, Chapters 8-10

            ***        Linge, “Editor’s Introduction”

            ***        Gadamer, “The Universality of the Hermeneutical Problem”

            ***        Gadamer, “On the Problem of Self-Understanding”

            ***        Gadamer, “Man and Language”

           

R          6/15

            Bruns, Hermeneutics, Chapters 11-12, Conclusion

            ***        Gadamer, “Semantics and Hermeneutics”

            ***        Ricoeur, “Structure, Word, Event”

 

T          6/20

            Hirsch, Validity in Interpretation

 

R          6/22

            Barthes, The  Pleasure of the Text

 

T          6/27

            Iser, The Act of Reading

 

R          6/29

            Smith, Understanding Reading

            Final exam prompt distributed

 

All critical reviews and final exam is due by 12:00 p.m. on Mon, July 3rd. I assume that they will be sent to me via email attachment; if this is impossible for you, please make alternative arrangements with me ASAP. No late work will be accepted.

 

Academic Dishonesty

 

It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." [Regents' Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter Vi, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22]

 

Disability Policy

 

The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112--The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act - (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodation" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty at the beginning of the semester and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels.

 

Student Assistance

 

The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the University and achieve academic success. They include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.

 

Bomb Threats

 

If anyone is tempted to call in a bomb threat, be aware that UTA will attempt to trace the phone call and prosecute all responsible parties. Every effort will be made to avoid cancellation of the presentations/tests caused by bomb threats. Unannounced alternative sites will be available for these classes. Your instructor will make you aware of alternate class sites in the event that your classroom is not available.