Throughout this course we have been describing and discussing witness and testimonies constructed by subaltern others. A common theme running across the texts we’ve read has been that these others and ourselves is not what we would like to think. Rather, their presence surrounds us despite the fact that we may choose consciously or unconsciously not to recognize it.
This assignment has two parts. First, you need to identify an area/object that connects you with people you have never seen in another part of the world. You need to take a picture or otherwise represent this and bring it to class on Friday, October 10 for in-class discussion. This will represent 10% of the project grade.
Then, over spring break, you need to figure out how to represent and distribute this image effectively over social media. What does the image mean? Why is it important? Keep this meditation relatively brief within the constraints of social media. This must be pushed out by October 15, and you must email me the post/tweet where it can be accessed.
You will then write a critical reflection on the image/object and the response (if any) that you generate over social media. Some questions to think about include: how does this image/object connect you to people elsewhere whom you have indeed met, though in ways that you seldom reflect on? What are these peoples’ roles in creating said object? What are their lives like? What did you know about this object/these people before this assignment? How does this knowledge change your experience of the object/image? To what do you attribute your knowledge (or lack thereof)? Is it important to illuminate these connections? Why/why not?
A fully fleshed out rough draft (i.e. following length guidelines in the syllabus, including research with at least 2 sources) is due in class for workshop on Friday, October 24. Failure to produce a full draft to workshop will result in a deduction of one letter grade on the final draft.
The final draft will be turned in to me at the beginning of class on Friday, October 31.