Tuesday 4:00 - 6:30 in Rm. 501B in the Nursing building

Professor Ellen Riggle
Office: 1635 Patterson Office Tower
Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: 257-7036
Email: e.riggle@uky.edu You must write "GWS LGBT " in the subject line.
Website: www.uky.edu/~pol164

All students enrolled in this course are responsible for reading and understanding all course rules contained in this syllabus. This course will be conducted as a seminar. This course may be used to fulfill a requirement for a GWS graduate certificate. This course may also fulfill requirements for other students, depending upon the major and course of study.

Course Description: LGBT studies is a rapidly growing, multidisciplinary field. The study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals and communities includes their histories and cultures, as well as the study of sexuality and its role in the creation of cultural and social power. Sexuality and gender are viewed as cultural constructions that are central to the institutionalization and normalization of certain practices and discourses that organize social relations and hierarchies. This course is designed to introduce students to the study of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender identities and politics primarily in the United States with some cross-cultural comparisons.

This course will focus on the socio-political and cultural determinants of public and private identity. LGBT identity is seen as a dynamic, interactive and political process. We will consider how the "public" world of social institutions such as family, religion, work, media, and public policy and politics interacts with individuals' notion of "who they are" and what they may become. Variations by gender, class, race, ethnicity, age and abilities will be considered.

Expectations: This is a seminar course; I will not be lecturing. It is required of students to complete all readings and assignments prior to class time, come to class prepared to fully participate, and to lead class discussions as assigned.

Attendance Policy: The student is expected to attend all scheduled class meetings and to engage actively in class discussions and group activities. Students are expected to arrive no later than the beginning of classtime and to stay the entire class period. Any late arrival or early departure will be considered an unexcused absence for the class.

Students will notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester in writing of any anticipated absences for the purposes of observing major religious holidays.

Students who anticipate missing a class period for travel to a professional conference will notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester in writing.

Each unexcused absence will result in a 10% deduction from the final course grade.

Students must request an excused absence in writing via email no later than the end of classtime of the period they will miss. Because this is a seminar (and not a lecture class where a student can "get the notes" if they miss class), and a student's active learning depends on their presence for learning activities and class discussion, after 2 excused absences I will request that a student withdraw from the course. If a student does not withdraw, there will a 10% deduction from the final course grade for the 3rd excused absence and an additional 10% deduction for each additional excused absence. Warning: I will not be finding most excuses "reasonable" (mostly in cases of emergencies with appropriate documentation).

Excused Absences: S.R. 5.2.4.2 defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused absences:
1) serious illness;
2) illness or death of family member;
3) University-related trips;
4) major religious holidays;
5) other circumstances found to be "reasonable cause for nonattendance."

The student is responsible for getting notes for missed classes from other students. I will not provide notes. Students must turn off all cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices before entering the classroom. Students should arrive for class on time, remain seated during the class, and not plan to leave prior to the end of class. Any disruption of class from the above may result in a 10% deduction from the final course grade.

Students may not use a laptop in class.

Weather Cancellation: If weather forces the cancellation of the class, students will be notified via email through Blackboard no later than 1:00 p.m. of the day of the class.

Accommodations: Any student in need of special accommodations in order to meet the requirements of the course should inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester. Any student with a special educational need who is taking this course and needs classroom or exam accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center, 257-2754, room 2 Alumni Gym, jkarnes@uky.edu.

Grades:
1. Participation in the seminar (30% of final grade): The course is a seminar, which means that class time will be spent discussing the readings and projects.

There will be no lecture. Students are expected to discuss topics in a reasoned, critical and respectful manner, and each student is expected to make a meaningful contribution during each class.

Each graduate student will be responsible for leading assigned class discussions during the course of the semester. The discussion leaders are responsible for reading assignments, including modifications of the syllabus, assigning questions for the weekly paper, and leading the class discussion.

2. Assignments (30% of final grade): Each student will be responsible for completing all assignments and responding to the discussion questions for readings.

All discussion question assignments for each week will be due no later than the Tuesday morning of the class date at 8:00 a.m. unless otherwise instructed. Late papers will not be accepted or graded. You must submit these papers via email to the instructor (and the discussion leader) in the body of the email message. Do not submit attachments. Label your email subject line with the course and assignment number.

Papers and assignments will vary in format, but typically will summarize, integrate, and critique the readings in response to discussion questions posted on the website.

3. Research paper (40% of final grade): Students are required to write a completed research paper on an approved topic. Papers are due at the beginning of class on December 6th. Papers will be submitted in hard copy in class. Papers will not be graded and will receive a zero if they are submitted late. You must proofread your papers. I will stop grading at the 5th error in spelling or grammar that I find in the paper and your paper grade will be based only on the material in the paper prior to the point of the 5th error.

Paper topics will be negotiated with the professor. Graduate student papers will be expected to include a theoretical perspective and integration of research/prior literature coming to a focus on the questions to be explored. Those questions will then be addressed. The final paper is expected to be of "near-publishable" quality.

Students may only submit papers on topics that they are also doing for other classes with the permission of the instructor and a clear indication of what is different from the work being done for the other course. If permission is not requested and granted, a paper done concurrently for another course will receive a grade of zero in this course.

Research projects may be collaborative but the student's role will have to be clearly demonstrated.

Students will be assigned tasks during the semester related to their papers and must show progress on their papers throughout the semester. These progress assignments will be part of the final paper grade.

Final Grades: Students will accumulate credit throughout the semester. Your final grade will be based on this accumulation (minus any deductions for absences). Completing all assignments is necessary in order to pass the course.

A grade of "A" means outstanding work which demonstrates extra effort, intellectual engagement, and reflection at a very high level. For graduate students this also means the demonstration of theoretical understanding and extensions of the material and scholarly integration.

A grade of "B" is for very good work that is above average in insight, effort, and synthesis. For graduate students this also means demonstrating some ability to integrate the literature and understand theoretical connections.

A "C" means average work that is completing an assignment with minimal efforts. For graduate students this also means that the work shows only minimal understanding of the materials.

"E" means the work is unacceptable, well below average in demonstrating understanding or competence, or not completed.

Graduate students are only eligible for A, B, C or E grades (C is considered a failing grade).

The scale is 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, below 70 E.

There will be no I's (incompletes) for the course except in case of extreme documented emergency. All assignments must be completed by the due dates. No late papers will be accepted or graded.

Writing Skills: Helping promote scholarship is more than simply teaching the subject matter -- all students need to improve and refine their skills in verbal and written expression. Regardless of discipline, instructors have the right -and the obligation- to expect that students use English properly in all aspects of the course. (S.R. 5.2.4.3). Writing style one of the considerations in grading. http://www.uky.edu/USC/New/SenateRulesMain.htm

Academic Integrity, Cheating and Plagiarism: Students shall not engage in cheating (an representation of the work of others as being the student's original work) or plagiarism (presenting the work of others without proper quotation or citation). The minimum penalty for cheating or plagiarism is an E for the course. http://www.uky.edu/USC/New/SenateRulesMain.htm

On written assignments, students shall not plagiarize or cheat. Students shall use professional, non-discriminatory language in written assignments as well as in classroom discussions. CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM: Cheating and plagiarism continue to be significant problems on campus (and nationally), and honest students are becoming more vocal about the degree to which they perceive academic infractions occurring on campus. In most cases, students who cheat are either unaware of the potential consequences, or they choose to ignore them and take their chances. You are reminded that the minimum penalty for either of these offenses is an "E" in the course, with suspension and dismissal also possibilities. Plagiarism or cheating on any assignment or exam will result in an "E" for the course. The following is from the Omsbud office: Instances of student plagiarism have increased in recent years.  A link to a paper “Plagiarism: What is it?” may be found at the Ombud web site http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/Plagiarism.pdf.  The Ombud web site also includes a link to a Prentice Hall Companion Website “Understanding Plagiarism” http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_understand_plagiarism_1/0,6622,427064-,00.html.  This site includes brief quizzes on related topics.  Students are responsible for reading the documents explaining plagarism on the University Omsbud's website: http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ : What is Plagarism? and How to Avoid Plagarism. Ignorance will not be a defense to this charge.

Classroom Behavior, Decorum and Civility: In addition to cheating and plagiarism, classroom demeanor is an increasingly significant problem on campus (and nationally). Students are expected to maintain high standards of classroom civility and decorum. Students shall respect the dignity of all others and positively value differences among members of our academic community. Open discussion and debate aid academic discovery and students have the right to respectfully disagree. Students clearly have the right to take reasoned exception and to voice opinions contrary to those offered by the instructor and/or other students (S.R. 6.1.2). Equally, faculty has the right -- and the responsibility -- to ensure that all academic discourse occurs in a context characterized by respect and civility. Students shall not interrupt others during discussion, shall not engage in attacks of a personal nature or make statements denigrating another on the basis of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, national/regional origin or other irrelevant factors.
http://www.uky.edu/USC/New/SenateRulesMain.htm

Students will turn OFF all electronic devices during class. Do not put devices on a silent or vibrating mode.

Please, no peanuts in the classroom.

Professional Preparation: Instructors in professional preparation programs have a special responsibility to assist students learn what constitutes professionalism, ethical and professional behavior and conversely, what actions and forms of behavior would be deemed unprofessional, unethical or otherwise unacceptable within the profession for which they are preparing.
http://www.uky.edu/USC/New/SenateRulesMain.htm

Required Readings:

Readings will be modified throughout the semester to respond to the interests of students. Graduate students will be picking topics and readings to assign. It is the student's responsibility to check the website for modifications.

Required book: Sullivan, Nikki. 2003. A critical introduction to queer theory. [note: this book has not been ordered by the UK bookstore; students are responsible for ordering a copy online]

Schedule

See Blackboard