Focus Groups in the Comparative History of Ideas

 

Click to skip to "What Are Focus Groups?".

 

Click to skip to:

• Autumn 2008

• Spring 2008

• Autumn 2007

• Spring 2007

• Winter 2007

• Autumn 2006

• Summer 2006

• Spring 2006

• Winter 2006

---

 

Spring 2007 Focus Group Descriptions

CHID 496A: Intergenerational Connections
Facilitator: Beth Scholler beth2 [at] u.washington.edu

The overall objective of this course is to offer UW students the opportunity to connect with senior citizens in the local community, so that they can share their wisdom and personal stories about life and living that we view as history. The course will help to bring our senior citizens back as a central part of our society. This course will help younger generations connect to the history that has shaped their culture and ultimately their lives. This class meets [at] the Pike Place Senior Center

CHID 496C: Time, Fantasy & Mythology: Exploring the Many Worlds in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter
Facilitator: Anagha Gadgil (avgadgil [at] u.washington.edu)

Come discuss a wide range of issues in our beloved British literature series, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Discussion topics may include (but not limited to) the following: adolescent and moral development, love relationships, time travel, book banning, literary/historical contexts of antislavery and world wars, construction of authority and bureaucracy, comparisons to fantasy literature, exploring ethnicity, class and socioeconomic identity, classic mythology and creatures, tarot decks, British schools, and whether Harry Potter actually ought to remain in the Children’s Literature section! This focus group serves as a discussion seminar for a diverse range of topics already existing in the Potter canon and will therefore have little to do as possible with speculations/rumors for the final book.

Suggested Recommended Reading:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

CHID 496D: The Gatewood GONZO Kid Newspaper + WKID TV
Facilitator: Brian Enriquez, gtw_americorp5[at]seattleschools.org

There are infinity Big People newspapers. But for kids, there is only one!

The GONZO Creative Media Network is an uncanny creative literacy initiative designed to publish the brilliant expression of disadvantaged elementary youth. The goal for students is to Journey for, Discover, Temper, and Amplify original Voice. The mission of You, the SuperTutor, the Cavalry and Hot-Day Kool-Aid, is to help them get there. GONZONews and its little-sister-getting-bigger WKID (or WICKED TV) are published quarterly and are impossible without passionate, patient and truly courageous individuals bent on braving the temperamental, but eventually treasuresome waters of Kid World.

Be GONZO—where the unpredictable and extraordinary are par.

As bonafide GONZO SuperTutors you will sport a PRESS badge and take part in producing an 11x17 pulpy newsprint, entirely kid-written paper, while sharing totally bizarre dialogue with a little creature whose capacity and possibilities are truly, truly endless and remarkable. This year the GONZO’s hours have moved IN SCHOOL due to the demand by the students and teachers. We now serve 120 students and will publish both in print and on the internet.

Double Knot Your Tennies and Prepare for What’s Possible

 CHID 496E: Inquiry into Childbirth Culture and Community in Contemporary American Society
Facilitators: Jane Bush & Jane Silver [janebush [at] gmail.com & jane.silver [at] vmmc.org]

In the United States, childbirth takes place primarily in the hospital, outside of our daily cultural view. Most Americans, therefore, have little knowledge about birth until they find themselves expectant parents and have a short nine months to educate themselves about this universal life event. This course seeks to demystify childbirth culture in America by examining and discussing evolving trends, models of care and consumer choices. The dominant medical model, the re-emergence of the midwifery model, and a feminist perspective of birth choices will frame this investigation of pregnancy, birth and postpartum issues. Childbirth professionals such as doctors, midwives, doulas, and childbirth educators, as well as academics and mothers will be guest speakers throughout the quarter. The readings for this course will span from anthropology and sociology texts to popular consumer literature about birth. The underlying assumption of the course is that birth culture affects everyone in a community, because everyone is born.

Students are expected to lead discussion of readings for one week of the quarter

CHID 496F: The societal impact of the past present and future of aviation
Facilitator: Ryan Evans Rte2 [at] u.washington.edu

Flight has been a fascination of mankind for centuries. This focus group will focus on the topic of aviation and its developments and effects on society. The class will explore the many realms of aviation from travel and transportation of people and cargo to its multiple uses in the military. The course will be run through discussion and response on short articles and movie clips. We will explore how accurately planes are depicted in cinema such as movies like Top Gun, Pearl Harbor, and Flight of The Intruder. The class will start off discussing the attitudes and use of early aviation through World War 2. From there it will discuss the use of planes during the jet age and the modern era. It will conclude in talking about the future of aviation with space tourism and robotic unmanned war planes (UAV'S).

CHID 496G: Religion and Conflict in Battlestar Galactica
Facilitator: Charles Richter richter [at] u.washington.edu

This focus group will explore the many complicated relations between religion and conflict in modern times and throughout history, using the current television program "Battlestar Galactica" as an entry point. The contrasting theologies of the humans and Cylons, their mutually exclusive destinies, and the many moral and ethical issues raised provide us with an accessible point from which to delve into real problems. Some of the topics include: religion in government, monotheism vs. polytheism, and medical dilemmas.

We will view a selected episode every week and discuss the themes presented in accompanying readings. No prior knowledge of "Battlestar Galactica" is required, but we will be watching episodes from various points in the series. Watching the miniseries premiere before the quarter starts would be a good idea in order to get some of the basic premises.

CHID 496H: Dialogue Project
*Volunteer opportunities
Contact byama[at]u.washington.edu for more information

 CHID 496I: Youth Literacy Project Tutoring Program
Facilitator: Lily Wilson-Codega, lwilson-codega [at] wslc.org

Interested in early education, social justice or youth outreach? Earn credit and make a huge difference in the life of a child! Children who have been exposed to domestic abuse face many serious and unique challenges. Earn 2 credits working with the Youth Literacy Project for 2 hours once a week as a mentor at a local women's shelter. Tutors will have the opportunity to work with under-served youth and gain experience working in Seattle's non-profit community. Interested students will also have the opportunity to take on leadership roles in the extracurricular "active learning" program, plan field trips and develop relationships with progressive community organizations.
Contact Lily for details on times and locations of meetings

CHID 496J: The Art of Doing It Yourself--Popular Sovereignty and Practical Anarchy
Facilitators: David Giles other[at]u.washington.edu and Ryan Burt rburt[at]u.washington.edu

 In this focus group we’ll discuss the social, communal and political relevance of a variety of theories and practices that exceed, elude, upset or overturn the hierarchies, hegemonies and coercions of the modern world. That articulate a new, libertory model of sovereignty. That are, in a word, anarchic. To this end, we are interested in looking at some “classical” theoreticians of anarchist practice, like Peter Kroptokin and Emma Goldman, as well as more contemporary thinkers who seem invested in thinking through such anarchic models of political and social organization, such as David Graeber, Hardt and Negri, and Deleuze and Guattari, and their interlocutors. At the same time, the theory isn’t much use without application, so we’d like to consider contemporary examples functioning in the spirit of anarchic organizing, such as the Industrial Workers of the World, Critical Mass, Food Not Bombs, etc. To this end we’d include sources produced by some of these movements and take the odd school field trip to see how it’s done! Moreover, in the name of application, the class itself will be run in as libertory, democratic, and not coercive way as possible. Which is to say it’ll be fun and we’ll learn something!

CHID 496L 'Stickin It To The Man'
Facilitator: Chadd Berry chaddb[at]u.washington.edu

 The well-known economic benefit of completing a higher education program has been growing immensely. To help accommodate the growing number of students wanting to attend college, more colleges have sprung up including expanded--non-profits, for-profits, technical schools, art institutes ...etc. The concept of higher education has been a growing business driven by market forces which have increasingly tended to leave the traditional concept of a liberal arts education behind. This discussion-based Focus Group will talk about the purposes of college in America's higher education system. We will use UW as a local and personal example in effort to seek a solution for the lack of education that takes place.

My goal is to expose student perspectives on the American higher education system (based through UW), learn from them and expand knowledge on the education that has become a business. Through critiquing the personal conflicts you may have experienced, we will 'bash' on some areas of the education that YOU pay for. Ever wanted to complain about College structure? This is the place.
Topics include: Types of Colleges, Undergraduate/Graduate Education, Money issues, building Prestige, Sports, ...etc.

CHID 496M: College, the Marketplace of Ideas
Facilitator: Jon La France - jonlaf[at]u.washington.edu

A place where professors teach their curriculum as fact, and the students buy it. Once they've attained tenure their curriculum solidifies and the influx of ideas suffers from a most vile stagnation. Yet you must agree that a market cannot function without the influx of goods. We trade in ideas you and I. This is a class for the sellers. Tell me your idea. Hear what your peers have to say about it. Do you want to form a new political party? Do you propose a complete social upheaval? Do you perceive a connection between multiple ideas that you want to explore in a discussion setting? You might find somebody who shares your idea(s) or you might find somebody who thinks quite the opposite. Anything could happen. Find out how your idea(s) interact with others, the most important thing is that you engage in the exchange. Sell.

CHID 496N 'Embodied Presence: Art, Science and Perception
Facilitator: Steven J. Oscherwitz Sjosch[at]u.washington.edu

In this discussion group- keeping with a key component of Chid, we will explore and examine some of the major –key texts of the development of Western Science and Technology.

While reading certain passages from these specified texts we will begin to investigate some of the philosophical underpinnings and types of consciousness that they propound.

We will then attempt to intertwine some of these knowledge schemata’s into our own individual research projects. As we sharpen our own methodologies and comparative analogies, I will point out (by referencing) the historians A.C. Crombie and E.J. Dijksterhuis: That philosophies and sciences last subject appears to be her/his own body and awareness.

Throughout history-From observing the most distant objects of nature as in the stars and sun (Astronomy) to our own Body’s (Anatomy and Optics) we slowly turn inward (Kant and Descartes) until our own awareness is put in suspension for investigation with Husserl.

We will end, contrasting Thomas Hooks Masterpiece on Microscopic Life: His Micrographia with some contemporary imagery from nano-molecular biology and the epistemologies and ontology’s these different representations propound.

CHID 496O:  Mapping Our Worlds through Literature
Facilitator: Gillia Barrows gillia.barrows[at]gmail.com

This focus group will examine cultural worlds as they are framed, explored, redrawn and exemplified through literature and other popular and academic media.  Taking a journey from the earliest maps through Homer, Milton, and present day popular fiction such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the group will use fiction and other media as ethnographic sources for experiencing the cultural universes of their creators, and to look at how projections of the "outside world" reflect the cultural structures of their creators.

CHID 496P :‘Tutoring in the King County Jail’

Facilitator: Stacy Lenny stacy.lenny[at]metrokc.gov

Get beyond good and evil, expand your ideas of justice and incarceration, empower students who haven't had much success in school, and earn credits toward your own degree by tutoring at the King County Correctional Facility.  This focus group offers readings about incarceration while providing the opportunity to work with inmate students toward attaining a wide range of educational goals.  You must be 21 years old in order to enroll in this focus group.  A mandatory orientation is required as well as an application for clearance to the jail. 

CHID 496Q: Sexuality in CHID
Facilitator: Greg Huff huffg[at]u.washington.edu

Description: This discussion group is open to anyone who has an interest in seeing sexuality as a topic increased in CHID and UW curriculum. Sexuality is seen here as distinct from, though related to, gender and includes all aspects of sexuality from heterosexuality to homosexuality and everywhere queer in between. This is the second quarter of the group, however attendance during the first quarter is not required. During the first quarter students put together a week by week plan for teaching a sexuality course in CHID. For spring quarter we will focus on putting together a reader to accompany the pedagogical plan. Students should be prepared to bring readings already read, or plan on doing at least some research. There will be no papers or required assignments other than active participation and attendance. We are hopeful CHID will teach the class, but if they don't the contributions of the group will be useful for CHID faculty to make decisions on increasing a focus on sexuality in the future. Ultimately, the goal of the discussion group is for members to have a safe and open space to discuss sexuality and the relationship the study of sexuality has to the UW Campus and CHID.

CHID 496R: 'Awakening and Action-Experiental Project involving ki-energy
exercizes and Tao'
Facilitator: Robert Stowell uwphoenix[at]gmail.com or stower[at]u.washington.edu

Description: Engage in transformational education occuring through powerful yoga, tai-chi, and meditation exercizes, study of Tao and peace principles, and community service.  Maximize the potential of our bodies to find the energy to create the world we seek.  Weekly meetings will often include holistic ki-energy exercize (fun, healthy and easy for everyone), brief readings on peace, enlightenment, healing, principles of the universe, etc. and group discussions.  Two of the weekly meetings will take place at Heritage House assisted living (Pike Place) where we will participate in real community change; helping teach yoga or enjoy time with residents. Options for additional trainings or outreach.  Discover how awakening oneself through holistic self-development can empower a deeper sense of self leadership and action for the community and earth

CHID 496S: Ninth Trybe Studies
Facilitator: ASHER UNDERWOOD ninthtrybe[at]hotmail.com

The purpose of this focus group will be to explore questions of Ninth Trybe Studies from a varying array of perspectives and topic discussions.  A Ninth Trybe Studies reader will provide all of the immediate reading material necessary, as well as bibliography and ‘suggested reading’ links for those who would like to explore a particular subject in further detail.  The spirit of a Ninth Trybe Studies focus group will be conducted in the manner and spirit of which Ninth Trybe Studies exist, meaning that it will be spontaneous, improvisational, and cater to the energetic majority group interest.  At the same time, whose who find tangents and anomalies within the curriculum that they would like to explore further are invited to do so in an effort to provide the most opportunities available.

Three of Ninth Trybe Studies UW’s co-facilitators will be traveling with the South African Cape Town Study Abroad trip, therefore, the inspiration and movement of our sessions will be in acknowledgement and solidarity with the Cape Town trip.  Our meetings and extracurricular lessons may consist on reading email updates and currents events from our fellow students who will be communications via internet while in Cape Town, and vice-versa.  In the wake and present vibe of Georgia Roberts bringing the realness of Hip Hop scholasticism to the UW, as well as the legacy of Tupac Shakur, we will maintain a certain rhythm, beat, rhyme, and reason throughout the duration of the quarter

Winter 2007 Focus Group Descriptions

CHID 496A: Reading Comics
Facilitators: Jennifer K. Stuller--jkstuller[at]ink-stainedamazon.com and Sean Day

Want to know more about the history of comics?
Itching to discuss theories of visual narrative?
Curious about how sequential art has influenced other media?

Then join CHID Alums Sean Day and Jen Stuller as they explore the American comic book phenomenon. This course will include a survey of comics history--with attention given to issues of diversity--and will address ways of looking at the medium, including mechanical theory and cultural production. A course reader with selections that include varied styles within the form, and relevant critical pieces will be required, while trade paperbacks and single issues will be recommended. This participatory class has something for comics writers and readers, both seasoned and novice. Guest speakers will likely include a comics writer, a retailer, and a scholar. 

The instructors are willing to provide additional support to thesis students enrolled in Reading Comics outside of class time. 

Required Texts: Course Reader
Recommended Texts: TBD 

CHID 496 B: New Major Focus Group
Facilitator: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

This course is strongly recommended for all new CHID majors. The goals of this course are:

1)       to provide you with a cohort of CHID majors and to help situate you within the CHID community.

2)       to familiarize you with the unique educational opportunities CHID has to offer.

3)       to ensure that you understand the CHID requirements for graduation.

4)       to help you to approach your undergraduate strategically - so you get the most out of your undergraduate education

Assignments will include an essay assessing your educational values, a "program of study" outline, and an informal presentation.

CHID 496C: World News Publication, “From the Beat to the Sheets… and Web-Pages”
Facilitator: Jacob Sommer--jbs1228[at]gmail.com

This focus group will give students the opportunity to write and publish their own bi-monthly newspaper in hard copy and digital form. Students will work together to develop their ideas for newspaper articles on anything from world events to the arts, sports, travel, science, cuisine or anything else that falls into the news category (contemporary non-fiction). The goal of our efforts will be to produce a newspaper designed by CHID students and reflecting the diverse views and interests of the CHID dept. community.

Students will work together to develop their topics at a weekly class session and then email their stories to the editor every other week. Students will conduct interviews with contacts around the world using the Skype internet phone program and are encouraged to conduct interviews in a foreign language in order to gain a unique perspective (a comparative history of an idea lets say).

CHID 496D: Queer Images in Film
Facilitator: Jason Patterson, M Ed.—patterj[at]u.washington.edu
T-Th 5:30-7:30. Tuesdays will be the night the movies are shown; Thursday would be the discussion section.

Queer Images in Film will explore the relation between perception, stereotypes, and society through the use of the cinema. Utilizing a variety of lenses we will explore the context of the film, its relation to identity and in some cases the misappropriation of such ideas and themes to other causes. Tues will be assigned to watching the movie, Thursday to discussion and exploration. This class has a optional writing credit.

CHID 496E: Youth Literacy Project Tutoring Program
Facilitator: Lily Wilson-Codega, lmwc [at] u.washington.edu
Interested in early education, social justice or youth outreach? Earn credit and make a huge difference in the life of a child! Children who have been exposed to domestic abuse face many serious and unique challenges. Earn 2 credits working with the Youth Literacy Project for 2 hours once a week as a mentor at a local women's shelter. Tutors will have the opportunity to work with under-served youth and gain experience working in Seattle's non-profit community. Interested students will also have the opportunity to take on leadership roles in the extracurricular "active learning" program, plan field trips and develop relationships with progressive community organizations.
Contact Lily for details on times and locations of meetings

CHID 496 F: Ninth Trybe Studies
Facilitator: ASHER UNDERWOOD ninthtrybe[at]hotmail.com

The purpose of this focus group will be to explore questions of Ninth Trybe Studies from a varying array of perspectives and topic discussions.  A Ninth Trybe Studies reader will provide all of the immediate reading material necessary, as well as bibliography and ‘suggested reading’ links for those who would like to explore a particular subject in further detail.  The spirit of a Ninth Trybe Studies focus group will be conducted in the manner and spirit of which Ninth Trybe Studies exist, meaning that it will be spontaneous, improvisational, and cater to the energetic majority group interest.  At the same time, whose who find tangents and anomalies within the curriculum that they would like to explore further are invited to do so in an effort to provide the most opportunities available.

Three of Ninth Trybe Studies UW’s co-facilitators will be traveling with the South African Cape Town Study Abroad trip, therefore, the inspiration and movement of our sessions will be in acknowledgement and solidarity with the Cape Town trip.  Our meetings and extracurricular lessons may consist on reading email updates and currents events from our fellow students who will be communications via internet while in Cape Town, and vice-versa.  In the wake and present vibe of Georgia Roberts bringing the realness of Hip Hop scholasticism to the UW, as well as the legacy of Tupac Shakur, we will maintain a certain rhythm, beat, rhyme, and reason throughout the duration of the quarter.

CHID 496G: Exploring Independent Trends in South Asian Film
Facilitator: Farah Nousheen—nousheen[at]u.washington.edu

South Asia boasts the biggest commercial film industry of the world – Bollywood, along with its many regional adaptations such as Tollywood, Kollywood, and Lollywood! 

However, as a counter to this gigantic commercial industry, there have been independent film trends happening alongside since the beginning.  These trends include art films, political and often banned documentaries, and experimental films.  Moreover, as South Asians began migrating throughout the world – Europe, Africa, Australia, North American -  they began to create diasporic film about specific issues relating to the diaspora such as identity, cross-cultural relationships, and videos to fusion music.

The focus group will watch various types of films in entirety or in clips.  Some examples include classic independent films such as those by Satyajit Ray; films from the 60s/70s by directors Ismail Merchant, Aparna Sen, Shyam Benegal, and others; films from the recent digital revolution in Pakistan and Nepal; and contemporary films the diaspora.  Besides watching film, there will be discussion about the context of the film and how/if it relates to trend in history. 

This focus group is lead by the founder and director Farah Nousheen of Tasveer, a grassroots organization which brings independent South Asian film to the Pacific Northwest.  The course will culminate in Tasveer’s annual film festival Aaina (“mirror”) which focuses South Asian women during the International Women’s Month.  Class participants will participate in the organizing of Aaina as a way to further comprehend the power of independent film.

CHID 496H: From 1984 to Today: Dystopias and Modern Society
Facilitator: Charles Richter, Comp Religion/Slavic Literature—richter[at]u.washington.edu

The dystopia, or negative utopia, is a popular feature of literature and film of the last hundred years. In these fictional societies, our worst fears are realized, but do dystopias reflect our current fears or prophesy of future nightmares?  Are they predictive or descriptive? What purpose do dystopias serve, and how do they intersect with the real world today?

Readings will include We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, and V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, among others, as well as a variety of articles and short stories. We will also explore dystopias in films such as Gattaca and Brazil.

Recommended preparation:  Please read George Orwell's 1984 prior to when the quarter starts. It is not necessary to have read it recently, but it will be important to know the basics of the story.

CHID 496I: Discuss Hunter Thompson (SLN#19132)
Facilitator: Justin Vice, vicester [at] u.washington.edu

"Thanks to Bob Dylan for Mr. Tamborine man and thanks to Hunter for the fear"

The American dream is hell and you can do no more than try to get to heaven

What is a life if it's not lived, you need a call to action, existentialism is nothing, who simply exists and can say they had a life. Everything is a mess and that's all good, embrace it and take charge of your mess. Don't ground yourself in the net of shit safety provided for you. Don't spend your life trying to get money because you're afraid. I know you're afraid, and fuck you for not grabbing life by the balls. Don't just hold on to your hopes, take, take, take all you need and you'll be alive, your writing your own book don't let anyone edit it because that bastard wasn't there. Quote Lincoln, break all the rules; otherwise you'll be the man you hated as a child, never break from dreams it's all right for you to grab. The world is yours, Horatio Alger's Ragged Dick is who you are and don't let anyone, especially me, tell you any different. Jack White's safe and warm is hell, run and grab heaven, you ugly bastard nobody can make you worse than you already are. Don't act deaf, you know you can hear me and you know you. The safety of money is blinding you and this is the saddest human tragedy, the loss of life you're experiencing right now, open your eyes.

The objectives: to blur fiction and journalism to the point that it's all true and live without fear.
recommended readings, anything you feel would be even remotely pertinent.
I will provide readings during the course of the quarter. no required texts.

CHID 496J: Sexuality and CHID (SLN # 19133)
Facilitator: Greg Huff, CHID senior, huffg [at] u.washington.edu

Discussion Group Focus: To produce a group project that is a recommendation for increasing sexuality as a topical focus within CHID. Sexuality is defined as all sexuality--hetero, homo, queer, etc. The group will decide what the end-product will be, but the opening discussion point is creating a reading list and/or pedagogical plan for teaching a specific CHID class on sexuality (CHID 269?). How to take the project beyond the quarter will also be discussed: How do we get CHID to teach it?

Recommended Reading: Passion for the subject is all that is required. However, having read Michel Foucault's "History of Sexuality Volume I" and assorted queer theorists would be helpful.

CHID 496K: The Gatewood GONZO Kid Newspaper + WKID TV
Facilitator: Brian Enriquez, gtw_americorp5[at]seattleschools.org

There are infinity Big People newspapers. But for kids, there is only one!

The GONZO Creative Media Network is an uncanny creative literacy initiative designed to publish the brilliant expression of disadvantaged elementary youth. The goal for students is to Journey for, Discover, Temper, and Amplify original Voice. The mission of You, the SuperTutor, the Cavalry and Hot-Day Kool-Aid, is to help them get there. GONZONews and its little-sister-getting-bigger WKID (or WICKED TV) are published quarterly and are impossible without passionate, patient and truly courageous individuals bent on braving the temperamental, but eventually treasuresome waters of Kid World.

Be GONZO—where the unpredictable and extraordinary are par.

As bonafide GONZO SuperTutors you will sport a PRESS badge and take part in producing an 11x17 pulpy newsprint, entirely kid-written paper, while sharing totally bizarre dialogue with a little creature whose capacity and possibilities are truly, truly endless and remarkable. This year the GONZO’s hours have moved IN SCHOOL due to the demand by the students and teachers. We now serve 120 students and will publish both in print and on the internet.

Double Knot Your Tennies and Prepare for What’s Possible.

 

CHID 496L: The purpose of the University: the changes and risks for higher education (SLN #19134)
Facilitator: Chadd Berry, chaddb [at] u.washington.edu

The well-known benefit of higher education has been growing immensely. To help accommodate the growing number of students needing a college, more have sprung up and some have expanded--non-profits, for-profits, technical schools, art institutes ...etc. The concept of education has been a growing business driven by market forces which have increasingly tended to leave the traditional concept of education behind. This discussion-based Focus Group will talk about the rising issues in America's higher education system. We will use UW as a local and personal example in effort to seek a solution for the lack of education that takes place.

 

Autumn 2006 Focus Group Descriptions

 

CHID 496A: Recasting the 'Other': Building Communities of Difference

Peer Facilitator: Laura Temple

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

For this focus group we will come together to tell stories and create dialogue about our experiences as multiracial people, and/or people who have lived immersed in another culture.  I am a strong believer in the benefits of group learning. Our goal by the end of the quarter will be to find a fun and creative way to share our experiences, such as a play, a collection of stories, a comic book, cook book etc; whatever we decide as a group to do to challenge more “traditional” ideas of academic structure.

There will be readings, film, music, and at least one guest speaker provided by me, but each member of the group will be responsible for contributing some sort of material to the group discussion. I am a strong believer that food can be a strong reflection of culture and self (and I like to eat), so I hope to incorporate consumables into every meeting.

CHID 496B: New Major Seminar

Instructor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

This course is strongly recommended for all new CHID majors. The goals of this course are:
1) to provide you with a cohort of CHID majors and to help situate you within the CHID community.
2) to familiarize you with the unique educational opportunities CHID has to offer.
3) to ensure that you understand the CHID requirements for graduation.
4) to help you to approach your undergraduate strategically - so you get the most out of your undergraduate education
Assignments will include an essay assessing your educational values, a "program of study" outline, and an informal presentation.

 

CHID 496C: Why Do We Eat Fast Food?

Peer Facilitator: Charlene Cuhaciyan, ccuhaciyanre@yahoo.com

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

Eric Schlosser’s new book titled Chew on This:  Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast Food, and another of his books titled Fast Food Nation will be exciting send-offs into the world of E. coli, and what is really in those chicken nuggets.  I always wonder why so many of us keep eating this food, which is almost always (obviously) disgusting and harmful.

 

Students will write response papers each week and facilitate discussion once or twice in the quarter.  Goals of the course are to gain an understanding of healthfulness, food, and the politics of food.

 

CHID 496D: World Music and Culture Tour

Peer Facilitator: Amie Cuhaciyan

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

 

Students will choose a country to present on and write a proposal for a presentation on the music a particular culture.  Each student will then present the music of a nation and a brief history of that music's impact on that nation and if it has global connections.  After each presentation, class will be spent discussing the significance of those impacts, if they transformed into a new genre, or are related to a specific social movement.

 

CHID 496E: Controversies in Young Adult Literature Today

Peer Facilitator: Rachele Cathey, rnc4@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

 

What is Children's Literature? What is--or, better yet, should be-included in Children's Lit? Who determines these issues?
In this class, we will lock at modern children's literature, specifically of the "young adult" range. We will read 4 or 5 children's literature novels, and a critical essay on the subject of children's literature. The goals of the class will be to examine what children's literature is, what the goals of the genre include, the limits of the genre (if any), both idealized and actual, and the idea of children's lit at the academic level. As well, the specific positioning of "young adult" literature as a liminal space, between young children's literature and adult literature will be examined. This class will also be a way for those of us interested in children's lit to read some of the books that we may not have in years.

 

CHID 496F: Taking Back the Economy: Alternative Visions for a Fair Economic Future

Peer Facilitators: Amalia Davalos

Supervisor: Rebecca Burnett

In this focus group we will examine alternative forms of economics challenging status quo economic theories that emphasize profit and capital and ignore social and environmental impacts. We seek to undermine the legitimacy of capitalist hegemony while offering alternative visions as presented in feminist, Marxist, post colonial and environmental theory. We seek to challenge neoliberal globalization, privatization, and value systems. By studying transnational grassroots movements we hope to better our understanding of the efficacy of collective action on the global and local scale. Above all, we would like to actively engage in positive social change through responsible consumption and community building.
• To take back economics from the “experts”, politicians, and academics and expose the “invisible hand” of the market.
• To humanize and personalize economics, reclaiming economic theory, language, and practice.
• To bring home seemingly insurmountable global issues in the hope of creating a framework for the implementation of holistic, inclusive, and participatory economic visions.
• To question and build upon our own ideas and contributions in an open, egalitarian, and respectful environment.
• To create an engaging and ongoing dialogue around issues of alternative economics in order to build and maintain an informed activist community.
Course Structure/Readings: Our focus group will meet once a week for two hours and will be discussion based. Most class periods will be divided into two parts. One hour we will spend discussing materials offered by the focus group leaders that are relevant to the topic for the week. In the other hour we will discuss materials suggested by class members. We also plan to bring in speakers from the community to help facilitate discussions. We encourage class participants to actively contribute to the curriculum. We are open to changing the structure of the class as the members see fit.

 

CHID 496G: Latin Music in Cultural Context, Historical and Contemporary

Peer Facilitators: Chaim Eliyah

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson

This focus group will analyze various types of Latin American music over the course of the quarter and, through listening, try to derive some sense of historical and current social trends in Latin America. This course will be structured as a normal CHID focus group with two requirements, the first of which would be to lead a group discussion and the other of which would be to write a short research paper based on the student’s observations of Latin American culture by way of examining their music over the quarter.

Music to be deconstructed will include: ranchera, salsa, tejana, rumba, bossa nova, nueva canción, tropicalia, reggae, reggaeton, hip-hop, lucha rock, bachata, merengue, and any of the new hybrid varieties of music that have arisen from these roots. Such music would be examined for content, context, social importance, and if the students so desired we could break it apart musically to determine how modern Latin music varies from other world types in terms of meter and harmony.

CHID 496H: Queer Performance Poetry

Peer Facilitator: Sara Giba, sgiba@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

 

The goal of this focus group is to introduce students to the genre of verse called Performance Poetry. Specifically, this focus group will deal with queer subculture and its relation to, and creation of, queer oriented performance poetry. The power and directness of this genre extends out of the queer community and into the queer allied community as well. Through examples, mimicry, creation and performance, students will learn the importance of the genre and how to create and perform their own performance pieces. The quarter will end with a performance on campus including the students’ best accomplishments in the performance poetry arena.
 

CHID 496I: Experiential Study of Religion

Peer Facilitator: Chas Williams, chasw@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

The purpose of this focus group will be to collectively break down barriers between religious institutions. We will be attending a wide array of religious services around the community, meeting to discuss our experiences, and synthesizing a collective and distributed understanding of what it means to be religious at this time and place in history. The framework and activities of the course will include a series of short (1-2 pages) self-reflective papers as responses to group excursions. Near the end of the quarter, we will draw on our experiences and brainstorm methods to improve understanding and communication between religious groups in our community.

 

CHID 496J

Peer Facilitators: TBA

Supervisor: TBA

 

TBA

 

 

CHID 496K: The Gatewood GONZO Kid Newspaper + Radio Project

Facilitator: Brian Enriquez, gtw_americorp5@seattleschools.org

The GONZO is a creative literacy initiative and after school program designed to publish the brilliant expression of disadvantaged elementary youth. The goal for students is to Journey for, Discover, Temper, and Amplify original Voice. The mission of You, the SuperTutor, the Cavalry and Hot-Day Kool-Aid, is to help them get there. GONZONews and its little-sister-getting-bigger GONZORadio are published/ON-THE-AIR quarterly and are impossible without passionate, patient and truly courageous individuals bent on braving the temperamental, but eventually treasuresome waters of Kid World.

As bonafide GONZO Field Agents you will sport a PRESS badge and have a chance to run ridiculously around the gym in tube socks and throwback sneakers, reacquaint yourself with the requisite stratagem of Guess Who, take part in producing an 11x17 pulpy newsprint, entirely kid-written paper, while sharing totally bizarre dialogue with a little creature whose capacity and possibilities are truly, truly endless and remarkable.

Join us in our mission to revolutionize tutoring. And remember, there are infinity Big People newspapers. But for kids, there is only one!
 

CHID 496L: Youth Literacy Project Tutoring Program (SLN 19177)

Facilitator: Lily Wilson-Codega, lmwc@u.washington.edu

Interested in early education, social justice or youth outreach? Earn credit and make a huge difference in the life of a child! Children who have been exposed to domestic abuse face many serious and unique challenges. Earn 2 credits working with the Youth Literacy Project for 2 hours once a week as a mentor at a local women's shelter. Tutors will have the opportunity to work with under-served youth and gain experience working in Seattle's non-profit community. Interested students will also have the opportunity to take on leadership roles in the extracurricular "active learning" program, plan field trips and develop relationships with progressive community organizations.
Contact Lily for details on times and locations of meetings.

 

CHID 496M: The "What If" of Science Fiction

Facilitator: Sarah O'Hara sarah.ohara@gmail.com
Supervisor: Cynthia Anderson chid@u.washington.edu

Science Fiction is potent because it gives us literary space to explore the big "What If" questions about ourselves and how we should live. This focus group will use mixed media pieces of Utopia/Dystopia fiction to examine our different conceptions of society, human behavior and visions of the future. we will question what these cautionary tales of police states and failed ideals can teach us today. The group will also look to its context in order to understand how it was a product of a time and place.

 

---

Summer 2006 Focus Group Descriptions

 

CHID 496A: Martial Arts Culture: Tradition and Transition

(Students should sign up for 2 credits.)

Peer Facilitator: John Pangelinan, fclubber@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson/Cynthia Anderson, chid@u.washington.edu

 

This group would focus on cultures that migrate to the United States and how they are maintained in standards of tradition. The main subject in focus is martial arts, the growing trend of martial practice within the United States, and the use of the word “traditional”. The course would also examine the view of martial arts as a popular culture in areas such as the entertainment industry (action/adventure films and as a film genre) and the consequences of exposing martial culture in this medium and in other ways.  Curriculum would include viewing clips from Beautiful Boxer, Napoleon Dynamite, The Matrix, and Kung Fu Hustle (tentative). Class would engage in discussion based on clips and corresponding readings (to be arranged). Groups of students would be responsible for initiating a topic relative to themes about tradition and transmissions of culture (perspectives on traditions, inheriting tradition, etc.).
 

 

---

Spring 2006 Focus Group Descriptions

(click here to skip to "Winter 2006 Focus Group Descriptions")

(click here to skip to "What are Focus Groups?")

 

Please see the time schedule for information on credits, grading, meeting times/locations, and SLNs.  Add codes available by emailing chid@u.washington.edu.

 

CHID 496B: New Major Focus Group

Instructor: Kanna Hudson, chid@u.washington.edu

This course is strongly recommended for all new CHID majors. The goals of this course are:
1) to provide you with a cohort of CHID majors and to help situate you within the CHID community.
2) to familiarize you with the unique educational opportunities CHID has to offer.
3) to ensure that you understand the CHID requirements for graduation.
4) to help you to approach your undergraduate strategically - so you get the most out of your undergraduate education
Assignments will include an essay assessing your educational values, a "program of study" outline, and an informal presentation.

CHID 496C: Advanced CHID Thesis Workshop

Peer Facilitator: Sunshine Eversull, she2@u.washington.edu

This workshop-based focus group works in conjunction with CHID 492/493 concurrent enrollment. It was created for self motivated students who are seeking a structured but warm and safe environment to have a forum of ideas among peers. Encouragement and other emotional supports to be provided by the group for each individual are anticipated in addition to reading and commenting on peers’ projects. Weekly assignments, either self designed or taken from the syllabus, will be expected from each participant. To adequately continue their senior thesis journey, full participation in the workshop is required to receive credit for this focus group, due to its coordination with CHID 492/493.

If you have any further questions, please contact Sunshine Eversull: she2@u.washington.edu.

CHID 496D: Innovative Leadership
Peer Facilitators: Kelly Schilperoort, kellyjs@u.washington.edu, and Brett Arrington

What is innovative and effective leadership? This course will seek to answer this question by deconstructing perceptions and ideas of leadership (i.e. what it is, involves, and represents) through class discussion, as well as consider what the face of leadership will look like in the future.

The first weeks of the course will be spent discussing leadership ethics, responsibilities, characteristics, and the leadership response to current affairs. Specific issues to be explored include the role of leadership in the collapse of the Enron Corporation, the national response of hurricane Katrina and the reconstruction of New Orleans, maintaining global health in light of the bird-flu epidemic, among others.

After gaining a better understanding of these current issues, the class will work to develop innovative and well-informed questions to be employed during roundtable Q&A sessions with strategically selected local leaders. The leaders scheduled to visit the class include Matt Kelley, President and founder of the Mavin Foundation, Senator Maria Cantwell, Senate candidate Mike McGavick, CEO Steve Brown of Evergreen Health Care, UW President Mark Emmert, Jeff Brotmann CEO of Cosco, and several others TBD.

Attendance, a strong personal initiative, and active participation are mandatory for students wanting to be an agent of innovation and leadership. All required readings as well as an e-post will be on the class website.


CHID 496E: DIALOGUE Project

Adviser: Sylvia Kurinsky, sbk@u.washington.edu

While preparing for their study program and upon their return from the international study site, UW students are encouraged to participate in the DIALOGUE (Developing International Alliances with Local Organizations for Global Understanding and Education) Project. The Project serves to facilitate greater international and intercultural dialogue within our own community centered around topics germane to participating student’s own educational goals. Although students are associated with organizations across the spectrum of our society, many work directly to develop and help coordinate international clubs in high schools across the state. All of these efforts work collaboratively with numerous organizations both within and outside of the University of Washington.

CHID 496F: Writing in Public

Instructors: Claire Dederer and Bruce Barcott

(Contact: Kanna Hudson, chid@u.washington.edu)

Many CHID students would like to publish their writing. This seminar will explore and explain the pragmatics of turning ideas into published articles. Whether you're an up-and-coming academic looking to publish in the popular press, or you'd like to find work as a critic, we can help you conceptualize, write, and place your writing.

Most newspapers and magazine writing follows certain formats and meets certain editorial expectations. We'll analyze various forms of book and film reviewing (short, 1,000-word, and essay-length), the 750-word Op-Ed piece, the long-form feature article, and books and book proposals. First, we'll examine the internal architecture and narrative strategies common to each form, which will give students the tools to turn their ideas into publishable pieces. Then we'll explore the nuts and bolts of the literary trade, from identifying outlets to reaching editors to sending query letters to working with edits to starting and maintaining long-term relationships and ultimately careers. Class emphasis will be partly determined by the students; if everyone wants to focus on book reviews or Op-Ed pieces, we'll spend more time in those areas.

Instructors: CHID graduate Claire Dederer regularly contributes book reviews to the New York Times Book Review and Newsday, and writes longer literary essays for The Nation. Her work has also appeared in Salon and the Washington Post Book World. Bruce Barcott is a contributing editor at Outside magazine, and has written for the New York Times Magazine, the New York Times Book Review, Harper's, Mother Jones, and Sports Illustrated. His book The Measure of a Mountain won the Washington State Governor's Award, and he is currently writing a new non-fiction book to be published by Random House next year.
 

CHID 496G: The Gatewood GONZO Kid Newspaper + Radio Project

Facilitator: Brian Enriquez, gtw_americorp5@seattleschools.org

The GONZO is a creative literacy initiative and after school program designed to publish the brilliant expression of disadvantaged elementary youth. The goal for students is to Journey for, Discover, Temper, and Amplify original Voice. The mission of You, the SuperTutor, the Cavalry and Hot-Day Kool-Aid, is to help them get there. GONZONews and its little-sister-getting-bigger GONZORadio are published/ON-THE-AIR quarterly and are impossible without passionate, patient and truly courageous individuals bent on braving the temperamental, but eventually treasuresome waters of Kid World.

As bonafide GONZO Field Agents you will sport a PRESS badge and have a chance to run ridiculously around the gym in tube socks and throwback sneakers, reacquaint yourself with the requisite stratagem of Guess Who, take part in producing an 11x17 pulpy newsprint, entirely kid-written paper, while sharing totally bizarre dialogue with a little creature whose capacity and possibilities are truly, truly endless and remarkable.

Join us in our mission to revolutionize tutoring. And remember, there are infinity Big People newspapers. But for kids, there is only one!

CHID 496H: Anti-Oppressive Organizing and Activism

Peer Facilitator: Kate Sawatzki, Maureen Jones, Anna Hackman, Rebecca McCoy, Leoule Goshu, leoule@u.washington.edu

The focus of this class will be collaboration of other organizations and student groups that share an interest in raising campus awareness of oppression and anti-oppression. We will plan events and engage the community. We will work around two anti-oppression themes that will be determined by the students in the beginning of the quarter. Attendance, journal entries, participation (in class and online) and a final event are required to receive credit. We welcome students of all ideologies and backgrounds to be a part of this focus group.

CHID 496I: Christianity in Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamosovs

Instructor: Irene McManman, irenem@u.washington.edu

Focus group "Christianity in Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamasovs" is an attempt to analyze and discuss one of the most contradictory and influential works of Dostoevsky. Brothers Karamasovs is a work of fiction with the most profound theological and psychological insights; is difficult to overestimate it's role for the history of the 20-th century thought. The focus group gives the opportunity to look at the Christian values and human beliefs through the prism of that masterpiece.

 

CHID 496J: Public Rhetoric and Permanent War

Instructors: Keith Feldman, feldmank@u.washington.edu, Anoop Mirpuri, and Georgia Roberts

 

TBA

 

CHID 496K: Conversating Across Differences

Kirnjeev Chana, Duong Nguyen, and Truc Nguyen, tn4@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Jennifer Self

 

This class will focus on our different social positions such as race, gender,
sexual orientation, religion, ability, and class. Only through our own
self-examination and reflection can we understand its effect on our daily lives
and deepen our commitment for social justice. The purpose of this class is to
transcend our differences and empower ourselves so that we may all be heard.
Only through understanding our social positions can we be effective agents of
change.

The course is designed to be seminar intensive. There are limited writing
requirements, but all participants are expected to be engaged in and contribute
to discussion. Some relevant reading materials may be required to stimulate
dialogue. Since this course is peer facilitated, it will be a mutual learning
experience for both participants and facilitators.
 

 

CHID 496L: Disability Images in Film

Peer Facilitator: Marisa Hackett, mlh4@u.washington.edu

Supervisor: Dennis Lang

 

A discussion based class designed to examine the images of people with disabilities in modern film. Participation, some small readings, film viewing a small final project (in class) will be required.

 

CHID 496M: Taoism

Peer Facilitator: Michael Martinez, micham3@u.washington.edu

 

Examines the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism in both historical and philosophical contexts. Focus will be on primary texts from key figures in the Taoist tradition.

 

CHID 496O: Existentialism

Facilitator: Dave Giles, other@u.washington.edu

 

TBA

 

CHID 496P: Conflict & Peace Reading Group

Peer Facilitator: Ruth Marshall, ruthm@u.washington.edu

Adviser: Theron Stevenson, theron@u.washington.edu

 

TBA

 

CHID 496Q: (Re)Thinking Diversity Lecture Film Reviews

Peer Facilitator: Linda Crane, crane@u.washington.edu

 

TBA

 

 

CHID 496R: youhearditnow.org

Peer Facilitator: Yared Ayele, yareda@u.washington.edu

 

Background
I am currently taking CHID 270a (Re) Thinking Diversity with Jeanette Bushnell. For the final project, I created a website that will feature some of the student projects. Part of the initial idea was to interview individuals involved with the development of CHID 270a. So far we have interviewed Jeanette and we are working on our next interview and a video project about “white privilege”. There will be a photo project coming soon as well. The group is composed of four committees (Video, Audio, Photos and website). We have a total of ten or so individuals and a few interested in continuing next quarter.

The website address is http://www.youhearditnow.org. The website will showcase faculty, students and staff that are active with teaching and advocating diversity awareness on campus. All audio and video files will be available for free as a podcast, or as a download from the website. In addition, visitors can comment on the interviews. I also see a potential to expand this feature to a more interactive environment.

Objective
The primary objective of this project is to continue the dialog started by CHID 270a. Instead of having an entire class and inviting speakers, however, we will be interviewing various individuals at their convenient location and time. The idea is to create a space for a continuing and constructive dialog about diversity and contemporary issues related to diversity, including but not limited to oppression, racism, cultures and global perspectives, etc. Some of the interviews could be in the form of routable discussion with members of student organizations, ASUW, the Daily, etc.

In addition, I would be interested in interviewing students that are returning from studying abroad about their experience. This will not only promote global perspectives and cultural exchanges, it will also be an opportunity for returning students to reflect and share their experience with the UW campus. There is a potential for this to be a way to continue their interactions with students abroad as well since all you need is access to the internet to listen to the podcasts.

I have a greater vision how this could grow and expand. I think there are endless possibilities. I am also clear on what this is not going to be; I have no interest and intent on making this yet another platform for accusation of UW administration or faculty. My goal is to create a positive, respectful and valuable conversation about diversity related issues.

Focus Group
Students in the focus group will be involved in identifying potential guests, coming up with questions, interviewing them, editing the audio/video files and posting them online. I am interested in working with students that can be fully engaged with the project and have a genuine interest promoting positive and respective dialog about diversity on campus. Student with journalism and broadcasting interest and background will be able to contribute greatly but any student with passion is equally valuable. There is a potential to learn how to utilize many resources on campus, such as the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) in OUGL, use STF equipment, etc.
 

The time commitment would involve a weekly meeting and times for conducting the interviews, etc.
 

CHID 496S: Game Design Lab

Peer Facilitator: Peter-Michael Santos Osera, psosera@cs.washington.edu

The digital game as we know it today is a multi-disciplinary beast, spanning computer science, the digital arts, new media studies,
psychology and sociology, and so forth. However, one of these areas, arguably the core of the digital game, has largely been overlooked as
a legitimate field of study.

Game design is the field that explains how the underlying mechanics of a game (be it digital, board, or card), separate from other
production values such as programming or art, make it fun. In this focus group, we'll discuss the emerging frameworks that attempt to
explain game design and apply these ideas to different game designs throughout the quarter.

Reading:
* Salen and Zimmerman, Rules of Play : Game Design Fundamentals (bought, 50$, or photocopied, haven't decided yet).
* Other cool and relevant articles that I've come across (photocopied).

Requirements:
As this is a CHID focus group, discussion is absolutely required to facilitate a learning environment Hence participation and attendance
is required.

I will also be assigning weekly/bi-weekly (depending on the number of people in the class) game design tasks relevant to the week's reading.
_There is no programming or art experience necessary to design these games_. The whole point is to focus on the underlying mechanics of
the game, rather than the surrounding production values. These designs will be presented to the group for discussion
 

 

---

Winter 2006 Focus Group Descriptions

(click here to skip to "What are Focus Groups?")

 

CHID 496B: New Major Focus Group

Facilitator: Kanna Hudson, CHID Academic Counselor

This course is strongly recommended for all new CHID majors.  The goals of this course are:

• to provide you with a cohort of CHID majors and to help situate you within the CHID community.

• to familiarize you with the unique educational opportunities CHID has to offer.

• to ensure that you understand the CHID requirements for graduation.

• to help you to approach your undergraduate strategically - so you get the most out of your undergraduate education

Assignments will include an essay assessing your educational values, a "program of study" outline, and an informal presentation.

CHID 496C: Radical Education and Social Change

Peer Facilitators: Lisa Chekerylla, Marc Maupoux, Sam Hatzenbeler

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson, CHID

Critical Pedagogy has been described as “a teaching approach which attempts to help students question and challenge domination, and the beliefs and practices that dominate." In other words, it is a theory and practice of helping students achieve critical consciousness. In this tradition the teacher works to lead students to question ideologies and practices considered oppressive (including those at school), and encourage liberatory collective and individual responses to the actual conditions of their own lives.”

"Radical Education and Social Change" will be a class planned and run entirely by students with the objective of collectively discovering how to practice education as liberation. The course will meet once a week for two hours to discuss our readings, ideas and experiences. Our course will be an experiment in determining our values in an anti-authoritarian context. We will be learning the theories and literature behind radical education, and putting radical educational traditions into practice while creating new ones.

Our course will include not only theory, non-fiction, and literature, but also projects based on students' creative expression. The work will be large-group discussion based at times. We will also break into small groups for writing and discussion exercises. In addition to our class-based learning, we would like to incorporate fieldtrips outside of the academy to help us better relate our discussions to pedagogies as they function outside of the classroom. Requirements for credit will be determined by the students.

We have suggested work, but our reading schedule, as well as all written work, will be decided by the class itself. Our coursework and schedule will remain as flexible as possible in order to incorporate students’ perspectives, goals and intentions.

We are considering reading the following work:

- writings by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who writes about engaged living,

- Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator who practiced non- hierarchal education,
- Teaching to Transgress, by bell hooks, “writer, teacher and black intellectual who writes about education as the practice of freedom,”
- The Long Haul, by Myles Horton, a white Southern labor and anti-racist organizer who formed the Highlander Folk School in 1932 as well as
- We Make The Road By Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change, by Myles Horton and Paulo Freire

Some ideas we would like to explore in the class are:

-What is radical pedagogy and what does it mean for us? What does it look like? Why is it useful?
-What are the theories behind radical pedagogies/education; looking at different forms, such as feminist pedagogies for example.
-How can we apply radical education traditions both within classroom settings and outside of academia?
-How do we connect our discussions with our overall life experiences?
-Let’s produce our own bodies of critical knowledge, developing theories on the possibilities of “education”.

CHID 496D: The DIALOGUE Project

Peer Facilitator: TBA

Supervisor: Theron Stevenson, CHID International Programs Coordinator and Sylvia Kurinsky, CHID Program Assistant

While preparing for their study program and upon their return from the international study site, UW students are encouraged to participate in the DIALOGUE (Developing International Alliances with Local Organizations for Global Understanding and Education) Project. The Project serves to facilitate greater international and intercultural dialogue within our own community centered around topics germane to participating student’s own educational goals. Although students are associated with organizations across the spectrum of our society, many work directly to develop and help coordinate international clubs in high schools across the state. All of these efforts work collaboratively with numerous organizations both within and outside of the University of Washington.

CHID 496E: The Videoconferencing Project

Peer Facilitator: Coma Te

Supervisor: TBA

The Videoconferencing Project, a student driven initiative, has transitioned into a 2-credit course to encourage and involve students with diverse backgrounds to participate in the project's development.

Students will concentrate on the technical and ideological implementation and evolution of videoconferencing at the University of Washington.

History: The project began in 2003-2004 when the Jackson School Student Association, with the support of the DIALOGUE project, obtained a Student Technology Fee (STF) grant to purchase the videoconferencing equipment. The grant request was driven by the need for UW students to easily connect with students from as close as Redmond, Washington to as far away as Tokyo, Japan.

Goal: The main purpose of this focus group is to encourage students to maintain the student driven mission through creative thought about the use of such technology in global education outside of the classroom. This will include discussing, creating and implementing ideas surrounding the use of the equipment, coming up with innovative ways to publicize the equipments existence and making the equipment more accessible to students at the University of Washington.

Experience that would be gained: Participants would be required to learn how to operate and troubleshoot the videoconferencing equipment and would assist students and the Classroom Support Services staff in scheduling videoconferencing sessions. The scheduling of the videoconferencing sessions will be partially based on individual members of the Videoconferencing Project Focus Group, as the members are required to oversee its usage.

For more information contact Coma Te at comate@u.washington.edu

CHID 496F: Advanced CHID Thesis Workshop

Peer Facilitator: Sunshine Eversull

Supervisor: Christina Wygant, Department of English

This workshop-based focus group works in conjunction with CHID 492/493 concurrent enrollment. It was created for self motivated students who are seeking a structured but warm and safe environment to have a forum of ideas among peers. Encouragement and other emotional supports to be provided by the group for each individual are anticipated in addition to reading and commenting on peers’ projects. Weekly assignments, either self designed or taken from the syllabus, will be expected from each participant. To adequately continue their senior thesis journey, full participation in the workshop is required to receive credit for this focus group, due to its coordination with CHID 492/493.

If you have any further questions, please contact Sunshine Eversull: she2@u.washington.edu .

CHID 496G: Stepping Through the Stargate: Applied Ethics with a Kwoosh

Peer Facilitator: Kelly Hills

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson, CHID

Science fiction offers a fertile ground for the exploration and study of ethical issues, but is often set in dystopian or utopian cultures very different from our own. This coure intends to utilize the near-present science fiction television series Stargate:SG1 to explore issues of applied ethics as they relate to our contemporary society. Set only a week or two ahead of our own time, this show offers an ideal framework to explore a broad variety of culturally relevent ethical issues.

A variety of applied ethical topics will be discussed, including (but not limited to) human torture, just war theory, bioethics, environmental ethics and population control. We will read from a variety of classical and contemporary sources, including Thomas Hobbes, Jeremy Bentham, Daniel Dennett, and Brian Massumi, and discuss the readings in relation to individual issues of the episode, which will be viewed at the beginning of class each week.

Students will be expected to write a final 3-5 page paper and participate in weekly class discussions in order to receive credit for this course. Knowledge of Stargate:SG1 is not required. Some philosophy or critical theory background is encouraged, but also not required.

This course will meet once a week in the CHID lounge.

 

For more information, contact Kelly Hills at saxmak@u.washington.edu.

CHID 496H: An Experiential Study of Religion

Peer Facilitator: Chas Williams

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson, CHID

The purpose of this focus group will be to collectively break down barriers between religious institutions. We will be attending a wide array of religious services around the community, meeting to discuss our experiences, and synthesizing a collective and distributed understanding of what it means to be religious at this time and place in history. The framework and activities of the course will be developed by its participants, but there will definitely be a series of short (1-2 pages) self-reflective papers as responses to group excursions. Near the end of the quarter, we will draw on our experiences and brainstorm methods to legitimatize a radical search for truth in our community.

 

For more information, contact Chas Williams at chasw@u.washington.edu.

CHID 496I: Taoism: History and Philosophy

Peer Facilitator: Michael Martinez

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson, CHID

Examines the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism in both historical and philosophical contexts. Focus will be on primary texts from key figures in the Taoist tradition.

 

For more information, contact Michael Martinez at micham3@u.washington.edu.

CHID 496J: The Effects and Design of Video Games

Peer Facilitator: Peter-Michael Osera

Supervisor: Kanna Hudson, CHID

In the last two decades, video games have grown from a basement hobby to
a multi-million dollar industry, a media-force to be reckoned with. It
is clear that video games have had a profound effect on society: recent
debates over video game violence alone show us that video games can be
something other than simple entertainment. But what does this new media
bring to the table? How have video games impacted our culture? What
are the strengths and limitations of video games as a new media? Is it
worthwhile to study video games in the same way that we study books,
movies, and other "traditional" forms of media?

In this focus group, we will explore these questions via readings from a
wide variety of disciplines (as video games are inherently
multi-disciplinary creatures), hands-on experience with a wide variety
of games, and the translation of our own game ideas into designs. The
answers to these questions will require us to dive into the core of
video games --- what makes a video game fun? --- and as such, we will
focus on their design to better articulate and understand their effects
on culture.

Requirements:

Students taking the focus group for credit, in addition to attending
meetings, must present the readings for a week. They must also take
part in a small game design project that will be presented at the end of
the quarter, specifics to be determined by the number of students
attending the focus group.

 

For more information, contact Peter-Michael Osera at psosera@u.washington.edu.

CHID 496K: Queer Images in Film

Peer Facilitators: Marisa Hackett, Gregor Stoddard, Leoule Goshu, Erica Sekins, Ashley Mog, Patrick Lennon

Supervisor: Jennifer Self, Q Center

A discussion style class focusing on the analysis of Queer/ LGBTQ representation in film. The class will be taught from an anti-oppressive standpoint and will encourage critical analysis of the intersections of queerness with race, class, gender, ability and age.

The class will meet two days/four hours per week with Tuesdays focusing on movie viewing, and Thursday focusing on discussion. The Tuesday time slot is not required if students want to watch the movies on their own time, however, it is required that all movies be viewed. Thursdays will be divided up into two sections, the first hour will be spent in small group discussion, and the second hour in large group discussion. Each group will be assigned a Peer Facilitator and will focus on specific analyses/ questions about the film. These ideas will be presented to the larger class, with the format of the presentation flexible to the needs of the group. Speaking in front of a large group will be optional, but participation is required. There will be minimal outside work for this course, but in class time will be Energetic and Engaged. If a student misses a class, there will be out of class work as an option to make up that day (Thursdays only) in the form of a paper, artwork, video, song, dance, presentation, etc. on that individual’s group discussion questions.

 

For more information, contact Marisa Hackett at mlh4@u.washington.edu.

 

What are Focus Groups?

 

Focus Groups serve an important function in CHID. Following are answers to some frequently asked questions about focus groups:

1. How do focus groups form, and what do they focus on?

Focus Groups often begin when a couple of students want to do reading on a particular topic, and discuss ideas with others who share this interest. Past Focus Groups have included a broad range of topics such as Critical Theory, Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, Reading Judith Butler, Narrative Theory, American Studies, Disability Studies, Human Rights and Terror, and the WTO protests.

2. Who leads focus groups?

Students typically organize and lead focus groups under the supervision of a graduate student or faculty member affiliated with CHID.

3. What would I need to do to lead a focus group?

1. Decide on a topic that can be dealt with in one quarter. Talk to others to see if there is a "critical mass" (usually more than three) of students interested in this topic.

2. Write a brief (one paragraph) summary of your focus group topic proposal, and meet with the CHID adviser to talk it over. Get the approval from a CHID staff or faculty member to go forward with the group.

3. After receiving supervisory approval, your group will be assigned a course number (CHID 496 A, B, C, D, etc.). Decide on a meeting day and time. Please talk with the adviser in CHID when you are ready to have your course number set up, and also to arrange a meeting place and any further details that may need to be addressed.

4. Make sure to give a copy of the focus group course description to the advisor as soon as possible, so we can advertise the class. The newsletter, word-of-mouth, and CHID student email list mailings are the best vehicles for advertising your group to other students.

5. Create a syllabus for the group. This should include a list of texts, reading assignments, and requirements.

4. How many credits can I receive for a focus group (CHID 496)?

Students typically register for two credits of CHID 496 (C/NC) for each focus group, and 4 credits total of focus group can apply towards your degree.

5. How are grades assigned?

Grades for focus groups are frequently based on participation, completing reading assignments, and written work. Students receive "credit" or "no credit" for the final grade. The faculty, CHID adviser, or TA supervisor for each focus group oversees the assignment of grades.

6. How can focus groups enhance my CHID educational experience?

Focus groups provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to design and lead a class. Focus groups allow students with common interests - which may not be covered elsewhere in the UW undergraduate curricula - to collaborate.

HOME | PROGRAM INFORMATION | FOR STUDENTS | INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS | CHID PUBLICATIONS | CLOWES CENTER | CHID ALUMNI | SITE MAP