27 IAN SHANK POLITICS
Art and Craft of Writing about Politics: Truth to Power
MWF 2:30-3:20 p.m., Zoom Town, USA
Instructor: Ian Shank
Office: Zoom Town, USA
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We’ve all heard that the pen is mightier than the sword. But who uses swords anymore? Or pens? Taking a broad view of politics, we’ll explore how everything we write––from journalism, to personal essays, to literary criticism––is inescapably political, and how fully embracing the politics of our work can effect real change for others. To these ends, we’ll devote particular attention to the craft of satire, exploring how and when humor is best deployed to level a political critique, as well as the risks that come with inviting laughter about serious issues. Along the way, we’ll take our cues from some of history’s greatest political essayists, and then apply what we learn to crafting meaningful political essays of our own.
Course Delivery: Unless a vaccine is suddenly and miraculously synthesized, this class will take place over Zoom. We will learn “synchronously”––so attending class as usual, just over Zoom––unless I say otherwise.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Dip Your Toes into the World of Creative Nonfiction
Maybe you’re totally new to creative nonfiction. Maybe you’re kinda new to creative nonfiction. Maybe you are and have always been so obsessively dedicated to creative nonfiction that certain persons in your life have worried aloud about your future job prospects and/or general wellbeing. Regardless, my first priority is that everyone leaves this class with a deeper understanding of the genre. This need not translate to liking every writer and text that we encounter (though I sure hope you do) or even liking creative nonfiction (though I extra surely hope you do) but simply using this class as an opportunity to read widely, grow your knowledge, and pinpoint your literary tastes.
Expand Your Political Horizons
Let me be clear: our world is full of lots of lovely writing about the politics of elections, the politics of governance, and the politics of what most people typically recognize as politics. And I think that is just great. Now, let me be equally clear in saying that this will not be our primary focus. I say this not because I have a vendetta against Electoral Writing, but because we’ll instead be spending the semester pushing ourselves to broaden our understanding of “the political” beyond the campaign trail, particularly by exploring how different written forms––from letters, to profiles, to essays––can be deployed to make political arguments about a range of issues. In doing so, we’ll spend the semester developing our own definitions of what exactly constitutes “political writing,” as well as honing the essential craft techniques of the different written forms we study.
Be Really Funny
But, like, with a point, specifically a political point, however it is that you decide to define “the political.” Here’s the actual point: the study of satire will be a secondary objective of this class. In practice, what that means is that between most Wednesdays and Fridays (at least when we’re not workshopping each other’s writing) you’ll read one or two satirical pieces that play with the form we’ve been studying that week, and then have the chance to do the same for that week’s Mini Essay (assignment description below). That said––save for week one––you’ll always have a non-satirical writing prompt as well, so while reading satire will be required, writing satire mostly will not.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Jokes temporarily aside: for this class to succeed it is essential that we hold ourselves to the highest standards of respect. With that in mind, you are forbidden to keep yourself from asking a question because you fear it will sound stupid or obvious. It follows that I also forbid any behavior that would make anyone else in the class feel attacked or the subject of ridicule, particularly on the basis of identity. Take care to remember your classmates’ pronouns and how to pronounce their names. Do not repeat slurs or hate speech even if they appear in the texts we are discussing. Be willing, most of all, to learn from each other. In short: in this class we will treat others not as we wish to be treated, but as they wish to be treated. If at any point you feel the class is not living up to this promise––and especially if I am not living up to this promise––I would ask that you please write me directly so that we can repair the harm together.
REQUIRED TEXTS TO BE PURCHASED
There are none. Lucky you! If you catch yourself staring forlornly at your empty book bag, don’t despair: almost all of our readings this semester can be found in books (many of them physical!) which you are free to track down at Prairie Lights, the moldering ruins of a Barnes & Noble, or the ever-metastasizing empire of Jeff Bezos. Should you desire guidance in making such a purchase/quest, I am at your service.
READINGS
They are all available on ICON, generally in PDF format, occasionally scanned by my own hand. No, you are not required to print them. That said, you are still required to do the reading by the day on which we’ll discuss it, and should generally expect to do 40-80 pages of reading per week. I promise the texts are fun/good/interesting/instructive and that I spent a lot of time picking them. So, you know, do the reading. Class will be boring and pointless if you don’t. Again––I cannot stress this enough––do the reading.
WORKSHOPPING
Twice a semester (i.e. for Essay #1 & #2) your writing will be “workshopped.” We’ll talk more about what this means as the first one approaches, but the gist is this: for one half of one class period (so 20min) the entire class will discuss your work to give you a sense of what’s working well, what stands to be improved, and how you might approach a future revision. As a writer, your job is to turn your work in on time––everyone’s workshop pieces will be turned in on the same day––and come to class ready to listen to my and your peers’ feedback. As a workshop participant, your job is to read each workshop submission twice before class (we’ll do two workshops per day) and come ready to share your ideas and comments. Because these workshops will be very brief, and because this will be many of your first workshop experiences, my goal is to keep the vibe mostly in the territory of Encouraging Group Brainstorming.
LATE WORK, ABSENCES, AND EXTENSIONS
Oh buddy. Let me start by saying: if you feel sick, for the love of gosh stay home. Otherwise, you are expected to turn in your work on time, and should shoot to miss no more than two classes over the semester. Extensions can be discussed in exceptional circumstances but will usually not be granted at the last minute. Please consult the assignment descriptions on the next page for further details.
Grade Breakdown Part I: Nuts and Bolts
Participation 25%
Presentation 10%
Mini Essays 20%
Essay #1 10%
Essay #2 15%
Final Portfolio 20%
Grade Breakdown Part II: Notably Nuttier and Boltier
Participation (25%):
Allow me to preempt the question that haunts this large and mysterious chunk of your grade: if you are hoping that I am going to reveal a sophisticated algorithm that objectively quantifies your class contributions, I am sorry to report that this technology continues to elude us, or at least those of us that break out in a cold sweat at the very mention of the word “algorithm.” Here’s what I can tell you: I will take attendance every day, and if you have more than a couple unexcused absences, your participation grade will suffer. I can also tell you that I’ll be paying particularly close attention to your participation during workshops, that “participating” is any behavior that raises the level of discourse, and that I’ll give you a sense of how you’re faring about halfway through the semester. In short: if you do the readings, come to class ready to listen, learn, and share, all will be swell.
Presentation (10%)
Once during the semester, you and a partner will kick off our discussion of the day’s readings by giving a brief presentation on the author of those very readings. This need not be A Big Deal––we’re talking 10-15 minutes max, skewing hard in the direction of 10 minutes––in which you provide some of the writer’s personal bio, an overview of their major works/themes/literary influences/critical reception, a few guiding questions for our discussion, and whatever other miscellaneous information you find pertinent. Once we get the first one out of the way I promise this will all become very formulaic very fast.
Mini Essays (20%)
Five times throughout the semester, always on a Wednesday, I will assign you a quick, brief “Mini Essay” that will give you a chance to try your hand at some of the craft techniques (satirical and non-satirical) that we’ve been studying that week. By “brief,” I mean that this “essay” will be one page. By “quick,” I mean that you will have 48 hours to write it (well, more like 49.5, but who’s counting). In case you’re now in mid-cardiac arrest at the prospect of a 48/49.5-hour deadline, allow me to chew some baby aspirin on your behalf: the reason for the tight deadline (ironically) is to keep the assignment as low stakes/stress as possible. Let me spell this out even more clearly: if you hit 300 words, you get 100%. If it’s partially complete, you get 50%. Because Mini Essays will essentially be pass/fail––and also because I don’t want you spending lots of time agonizing over these––extensions will be given only under extraordinary circumstances.
Essay #1 (10%)
4-5 pages, building off one of your first three Mini Essays. Because you will all be turning in on the same day, and because I want to ensure everyone has adequate time to read and comment on submissions, it is essential that we all meet the same deadline. When the times comes, you will upload your piece to BOTH the assignment section on ICON (for me to grade) AND the designated discussion board on ICON (for your peers to read). Failure to do so will result in a penalty of a letter grade for each late day. This also applies to Essay #2.
Essay #2 (15%)
Again, 4-5 pages, building off any Mini Essay except the one expanded upon for Essay #1. OR: if you’re tired of Mini Essays, you can opt out of Mini Essays #4-5 by instead demonstrating progress towards a longer (5-7 pages) research-forward piece for Essay #2.
Final Portfolio (20%)
You Final Portfolio will have five parts: your two strongest Mini Essays (as judged by you), a revision of Essay #1 or #2, the original draft of your revised essay, and a brief letter of reflection about your revision/selection process.
Grade Breakdown PartIII: Nuttiest Nuts and Boltiest Bolts
I will determine final grades on the University’s A-F grade scale (see below) with A as the highest possible grade. Given that this is, you know, a creative writing class, your final grade will depend overwhelmingly on the creative writing you produce. That said, I will always strive to prioritize effort over ability. If I see you working hard to improve––participating in class, coming to office hours, putting in the time to revise and reflect thoughtfully––you will be fine. By contrast, if you intend to skate by on talent alone, I should hope that you are very talented indeed.
| A: 93-100% | B+: 87-89% | C+: 77-79% | D+: 67-69% | F: 59% or below |
| A-: 90-92% | B: 83-86% | C: 73-76% | D: 63-66% | |
| B-: 80-82% | C-: 70-72% | D-: 60-62% |
My more granular grading policy is as follows:
A: Excellent work that shows initiative and sophistication that goes beyond general expectations. The writing is well crafted and reflects a commitment to the creative process. The writer is capable of analyzing, reflecting and revising. The writer takes risks in service to the work.
B: Strong work. The writing is well crafted and demonstrates that the writer is engaged with the creative process in ways that are above average. The writer demonstrates attempts to reflect and analyze their writing and can make some choices about revision. Risks are taken (some may be more successful and resonant than others) but all show an attempt to serve the work.
C. Adequate work that meets the basic requirements. The writer’s work could be stronger with more engagement with the creative process. The writer has composed essays that reflect varying levels of success. There is some revision, but it’s superficial. Some risks might be taken, but they may not be in service to the work.
D. Weak work that falls below the basic requirements. The writing produced is brief or not fully developed. The writing does not show an engagement with the creative process and does not reflect the writer’s potential.
F. Unacceptable work. It exhibits fundamental problems which consistently go unaddressed or ignored. The work is frequently incomplete. Writing that does not represent the writer’s original work will get an F.
ACCESSING YOUR GRADES:
All grading will take place on ICON, which you will be able to access at any point in the semester. Please write me if you have questions about your grade in the course.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the unattributed recycling of others’ words or ideas and constitutes intellectual theft. CLAS has a uniform policy for proceeding when students plagiarize. That academic honesty code is available at http://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/academic-fraud-honor-code.
That’s technical talk. Here’s the simple way of saying it: DON’T PLAGIARIZE. Quote information correctly when you’re taking it from another source. Don’t purchase essays—it’s a waste of money, and even more embarrassing when you’re inevitably caught. Not sure if you’re plagiarizing? Just ask me to help––that’s what I’m here for.
Weekly Calendar
**Subject to Change**
Week 1: Welcome Week (8/24–8/28)
Monday August 24th
Who the heck are you people?
Wednesday August 26th
Syllabus & Signups
Friday August 28th
“On Becoming an American Writer,” Alexander Chee
“Why I Write,” George Orwell
Week 2: Intro to Prose & Parody (8/31–9/4)
Monday August 31st
“On Keeping a Notebook,” Joan Didion
“The Sentence is a Lonely Place,” Gary Lutz
“There is No Secret to Writing About People Who Do Not Look Like You,” Brandon Taylor
“How to Write Across Difference,” Rebecca Makkai
Wednesday September 2nd
“18 Reasons To Quit Your Job and Come to Australia,” Buzzfeed
“7 Reasons To Quit Your Job And Travel The World, Maybe Swinging Through Indonesia To Help Me Climb Out Of This Quarry,” Clickhole “21st Century Cooler That’s Actually Cooler,” Kickstarter
“Help Me Follow My Sister into the Land of the Dead,” Carmen Maria Machado
Friday September 4th
“The Lonely Planet Guide to My Apartment,” Jonathan Stern
Turn in Mini Essay #1: Formal Parody
Week 3: Politics of Language (9/7–9/11)
Monday September 7 LABOR DAY––NO CLASS
Wednesday September 9
“Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell
“Authority and American Usage,” David Foster Wallace
George Orwell Presentation
Friday September 11
“The Case Against Babies,” Joy Williams
“Fuck Everything, We’re Doing Five Blades,” The Onion
“It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers,” McSweeney’s
Turn in Mini Essay #2: Rants and Raves
Week 4: Politics of the Personal (9/14–9/18)
Monday September 14
“Notes of a Native Son,” “Letter to My Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation,” James Baldwin
“Between the World and Me: Letter to My Son,” Ta-Nehisi Coates
James Baldwin Presentation
Wednesday September 16
“My First Police Stop,” Hanif Abdurraqib
“My True South,” Jesmyn Ward
Friday September 18
“Between the World and Squee,” McSweeney’s
“A University President Responds to Those Who Have Suggested the School Should Dip into the Endowment,” McSweeney’s
“Higher Education,” Stephen Colbert
Turn in Mini Essay #3: It’s Personal
Week 5: Politics of the Profile (9/21–9/25)
Monday September 21
“A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof,” “If He Hollers Let Him Go,” Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah
Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah Presentation
Wednesday September 23
“The Mystery of Tucker Carlson,” Lyz Lenz
“Institution Man: Colin Powell,” George Packer
Friday September 25
Turn in Essay #1
Week 6: Workshop! (9/28–10/2)
Monday September 28
Wednesday September 30
Friday October 2
Week 7: Workshop! (10/5–10/9)
Monday October 5
Wednesday October 7
Friday October 9
Week 8: Workshop! (10/12–10/16)
Monday October 12
Wednesday October 14
Friday October 16
Week 9: Politics of Curation (10/19–10/23)
Monday October 19
“What I Heard About Iraq,” “One Summer in America,” Eliot Weinberger
Eliot Weinberger Presentation
Wednesday October 21
“Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions,” Valeria Luiselli
Valeria Luiselli Presentation
Friday October 23
“Flattening the Truth on Coronavirus,” Dave Eggers
Turn in Mini Essay #4: Bits and Pieces
Week 10: Politics of Journalism (10/26–10/30)
Monday October 26
“Letting Go,” “The Cost Conundrum,” Atul Gawande Atul Gawande Presentation
Wednesday October 28
“The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul,” “The Personal Essay Boom is Over,” Jia Tolentino
Jia Tolentino Presentation
Friday October 30
“Wealthy Teen Nearly Experiences Consequences,” The Onion
“Now Introducing Personal Protective Gear––For Him!,” Alexandra Petri
Turn in Mini Essay #5: Extra Extra
Week 11: Politics of Criticism (11/2–11/6)
Monday November 2
“Varieties of Madness,” “The Teachings of Speaker Gingrich,” Joan Didion
Joan Didion Presentation
Wednesday November 4
“Malfunctioning Sex Robot,” “Rape Joke,” Patricia Lockwood
Patricia Lockwood PresentationBy Chelsea
Friday November 6
Turn in Essay #2
Week 12: Workshop! (11/9–11/13)
Monday November 9
Wednesday November 11
Friday November 13
Week 13: Workshop! (11/16–11/20)
Monday November 16
Wednesday November 18
Friday November 20
Week 14: THANKSGIVING BREAK (NO CLASS)
Week 15: Workshop! (11/30–12/4)
Monday November 30
Wednesday December 2
Friday December 4
Week 16: Politics of Travel Writing (12/7–12/11)
Monday December 7
“You Blow My Mind. Hey, Mickey!,”
“Upon This Rock,” John Jeremiah Sullivan
Wednesday December 9
“Consider the Lobster,” David Foster Wallace
Friday December 11
Turn in Final Portfolio