COURSE UNIT TITLE

: AMERICAN DRAMA AND THEATER

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
AKE 5012 AMERICAN DRAMA AND THEATER ELECTIVE 3 0 0 7

Offered By

American Culture and Literature

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EVRIM ERSÖZ KOÇ

Offered to

American Culture and Literature

Course Objective

This course introduces graduate students to a variety of literary and theoretical texts and approaches in the study of American Drama and Theater

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Students will acquire knowledge regarding core readings in the area of American theater and Drama.
2   Students will acquire skills of writing book reports.
3   Students will acquire skills in engaging in class discussions, and presentations in an advanced academic setting.
4   Students will acquire skills of critical thinking.
5   Students will acquire/add to their skills in advanced academic research.
6   Students will acquire skills in synthesizing current issues in the area of American drama and Theater along theoretical positions.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Intoduction/ History of American Theater: Early History and Contemporary survey 20th Century American Drama Lecture class discussion
2 Saddik, Introduction Experimental Innovations After the Second World War Revisiting the American Dream African-American Theatre: Voices from the Margins Aronson, Origins of the Avant-garde Lecture
3 Aronson, Theories and Foundations Stein, Gertrude. Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights Lecture class discussion presentations
4 Aronson, Off Broadway, Happenings, and the Living Theatre Saddik, Avant-Garde Theatre Groups: Revolutions in Performance The Living Theater. Paradise Now Lecture class discussion presentations
5 Aronson, The 1960s: Collectives and Rituals Saddik, Postmodern Presentations: Questioning Boundaries of Representation The Politics of Identity and Exclusion Fragmented Representations of American Identity in the Theatre of the Vietnam War Terry, Megan. Calm Down Mother and Viet Rock Lecture class discussion presentations
6 Aronson, Performance Art Saddik, The NEA Four and Performance Art: Making Visible the Invisible Hughes, Holly. World Without End Lecture class discussion presentations
7 Aronson, CThe Wooster Group, Reza Abdoh, and the End of the Avant-garde Abdoh, Reza. The Law of Remains Lecture class discussion presentations
8 Midterm
9 21st Century American Drama Saddik, Conclusion Wright, Doug. I am My own Wife Lecture class discussion presentations
10 Nottage, Lynn. Ruined Lecture class discussion presentations
11 Jacob-Jenkins, Branden. An Octoroon Lecture class discussion presentations
12 Hall, Katori. Mountaintop Lecture class discussion presentations
13 Akhtar, Ayad. Disgraced Lecture class discussion presentations
14 Presentations Discussion presentations
15 General Evaluation General Evaluation
16 Final Exam

Recomended or Required Reading

Required Reading
Selected plays
Aronson, Arnold. American Avant-garde Theatre: A History. Routledge, 2000.
Saddik, Annette J. Contemporary American Drama. Edinburgh UP, 2007.

Suggested Reading
Brockett, Oscar G. The Essential Theatre. 5th ed. Harcourt Brace, 1992.
---. History of The Theater 6th ed. Allyn and Bacon, 1991.
Carlson, Marvin. Theories of the Theater: A Historical and Critical Survey from the Greeks to the Present. 302-505.
Jacobus Lee A. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Drama. 2nd ed. St. Martin s Press, 1996.
Krasner, David, ed. Theater in Theory 1900-2000: An Anthology. Blackwell, 2008
Shank, Theodore. Beyond the Boundaries: American Alternative Theatre. U of Michigan P, 2002.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1) All selected teaching material; written and visual are to be notified prior to the semester. Syllabi maybe altered with due notice.
2) Students are expected to attend class prepared for a rigorous class discussion.
3) All assigned homework and book reports are due prior to the start of the class to the instructor.
4) Grades are to be deducted from late papers.
5) Students are expected to adhere with the academic code of ethics.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE
3 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.40 + FCG* 0.60
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.40 + RST* 0.60


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Students will be expected to prepare two book reports. There will be two in class examinations (midterm and final) in addition to which a final paper (ten pages minimum) will be due during the finals week.Midterm in class exam: will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. Prior to the submission of the final paper students will submit their proposal , and paper drafts at due times indicated in the syllabus. Book reports (: Students will be expected to elucidate upon major arguments of their assigned books; offer a critical examination of the text, and place the work within contemporary debates. Book reports will be presented in class as well as submitted in print format. Two book reports will constitute of the total grade which will add up to the in class exam counting towards the Midterm grade. Research paper : (10 pages minimum MLA style) Final paper should focus upon a major issue in American culture displaying an understanding of past, and present methodologies in the area of American Studies contributing to the process of meaning making. The topic of analysis should display thorough and proper scholarship, abiding by academic standards of research and ethics. Final in-class exam : will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. weekly book presentations and subsequent class discussion comprise of active participation to class


Assessment Criteria

1) Book reports are expected to display accurate understanding of reading assignments; and to display rigorous academic research placing the work into critical perspective.
2) Book reports are submitted in written to the class instructor prior to due class discussions/presentations
3) Paper proposals should display the aim and scope of the research to be conducted.
4) Paper proposals should be inclusive of an annotated bibliography.
5) Paper proposals are submitted in written to the class instructor at due date.
6) Paper draft assessment monitors student progress during research, and offers guidance.
7) Final paper projects are expected to display genuine synthesis of theoretical material along issues proposed.
8) Final paper projects should be inclusive of a bibliography page.
9) Final paper projects should be submitted in MLA format.
10) Final paper projects, all class assignments, and conduct should abide by academic rules of ethics

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. Class attendance is compulsory (%70)
2. Students held exempt from participation to the class, are still expected to stay updated with current year s course content.
3. All student conduct, projects, class assignments, should adhere with academic rules of ethics

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

evrim.ersoz@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

to be announced

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Tutorials 14 1 14
Preparing assignments 1 33 33
Preparing presentations 1 32 32
Preparation for final exam 21 1 21
Preparation for midterm exam 16 1 16
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 16 1 16
Final 1 3 3
Midterm 1 3 3
Quiz etc. 1 3 3
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 183

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14PO.15PO.16
LO.1555555555555555
LO.25555555555
LO.3555555555555555
LO.455555555555555
LO.5555555
LO.6555555555555555