FRS 001O - Sec. 001 - (1 unit) - CRN 83058 - W 11:00-11:50 AM - 25 Wellman
Campus Community Book Project Seminar: A Study Abroad Perspective on “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down”

Instructor: Peter Schiffman, Department of Geology, College of Letters and Science

Description: Anne Fadiman’s book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” has been chosen as the subject of this year’s Campus Community Book Project. There will undoubtedly be a number of freshman seminars devoted to analyzing and discussing this book from many perspectives. As Faculty Director of the Education Abroad Center, I propose to approach my seminar from the point of view of a group composed of UC Davis freshman who are interested in studying abroad during their sophomore to senior years. I also would invite a group of appropriate international students to join our seminar discussion during the quarter to provide their unique perspective on the general topic of culture “clash.” We also will make use of the forthcoming videotape of Anne Fadiman’s lecture and a related panel discussion to be recorded in December at the Mondavi Center.

Format: The seminar will meet for one hour each week for nine weeks. The tenth week I will host an informal reception for the class at my home. Students and instructor will discuss assigned portions of the text each week. Students will also write one short paper (400-500 words) on an approved topic related to the text. Grading: Students will be given a letter grade based on the quality of their participation -- their ability to discuss the book and the substance of their comments (50%) and the quality of their short paper (50%).

About the Instructor: I am a Professor of Geology who has done field research in a wide variety of international settings including Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Oman, Iceland, Australia, and New Zealand. I am currently the Faculty Director of the Education Abroad Center (EAC) at U.C. Davis, and in that capacity I teach the International Education Seminar (EAP 90x/190x) fall and spring quarters. I hope to use both the EAC and this fall's EAP 90/190 seminar to recruit a cohort of students for the proposed freshman seminar, as well as to assemble a panel of international students (or UCD undergraduates who are recent immigrants) to meet with the class in Week 9.