ARTS 140 In class Writing Assignments F2023
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ARTS 140 Section 001/ Fall 2023
Blueprints for Progress
MW 1:00-2:20 PM / SJ1, Room 2011
Instructor:
David Seljak / Office: SH 2028/ Phone: 888-4567, ext. 28232
Email:
dseljak@uwaterloo.ca
(put course number Arts 140 in subject line)
Office Hours:
Thursdays 10-11:30 am
Online
; informally after class; or by appointment (in-person or
online).
In the designated class, you will answer a question based on the required readings in a booklet I will
provide at the beginning of term. The goal of the writing assignments is to experiment with different
levels of academic thinking: summary, analysis, and critique. There are 11 in-class writing assignments
below. You need to do ten of them. If you do more, I will eliminate your lowest grade. They are worth
two marks each, for a total of 20 marks.
You will have 15 minutes to hand write your response. No notes or aids (laptops, phones or devices).
Since each assignment is worth two percent, don’t worry about the mark on any one answer. I will be
assigning each response a letter grade. For any one answer, the difference between a perfect score
(100%) and a near-fail (50%) is one percent of your final grade! Focus instead on the process of writing:
addressing the assigned question, using examples from the text effectively, structuring your argument,
writing clear and correct sentences, forming coherent paragraphs, using expressive language and
effective metaphors, etc. Your work will be graded on both content and style.
"
Content
" includes such elements as originality and pertinence of the topic and examples
chosen, coherence of argument, judgment, use of the assigned reading and classroom material,
etc.
"
Style
" includes clarity of expression, organization of the argument, grammar, syntax, and
spelling.
Monday, September 11
Heywood, Chapter 1: Understanding Political Ideologies
1. Briefly discuss many of the challenges that Andrew Heywood identifies in defining the term,
“ideology.” Give your own definition of ideology. Defend it against criticism.
2. What are the main differences between “classical” and “new” ideologies? Use examples from the text
and your own studies to illustrate your point.
Wednesday, September 13
Heywood, Chapter 2: Liberalism
1. Andrew Heywood discusses the varieties of liberal thought, especially “classical liberalism,” “modern
liberalism,” and “liberal democracy.” What core values and ideas unite these various forms of liberalism?
How are they different?
1
2. Andrew Heywood outlines tensions between “classical Liberalism” and “modern Liberalism.” What are
their similarities and differences? How have supporters of modern liberalism sought to address what
they see as the shortcomings of classical liberalism? How have supporters of the classical tradition
sought to address what they see as the shortcomings of modern liberalism.
Wednesday, September 27
Robert Heilbroner and Lester Thurow, “Capitalism: Where Do We Come From?”
Economics
Explained: Everything you need to know about how the economy works and where it is going.
[e-
Reserves]
1. According to Robert Heilbroner and Lester Thurow’s history of the emergence of capitalism, what are
the main differences between pre-capitalist societies and capitalist societies? How were traditional ideas
and attitudes about labour, land, and money transformed under the Market Society introduced by
capitalism?
2. According to Robert Heilbroner and Lester Thurow, one of the most radical transformations
introduced by the emergence of capitalism and the Market Society was the change in the relationship
between technology and society. How and why did capitalism promote technological change? What
impact did technological change have on society and individuals?
Wednesday, October 4
Heywood, Chapter 3 Conservatism
1. What are the central themes of conservatism? How do they represent a rejection of liberalism? How
can they be reconciled to certain forms of liberalism? What parts of conservatism do you like? What
parts do you reject?
2. Andrew Heywood outlines four kinds of conservatism: libertarian conservatism, authoritarian
conservatism, paternalistic conservatism, and Christian democracy. What ideas and values do they
share? What separates them from one another? If you had to live under a regime defined by one of
these forms of conservatism, which one would you choose? Why?
Monday, October 16
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, “Bourgeois and Proletarians”,
The Communist Manifesto
.
Heywood, Chapter 4 Socialism
1. What are the core themes of socialism? How do they represent a critique of liberalism? What does
socialism share with liberalism?
2. While Canada defines itself as a liberal democracy supporting a capitalist economy, socialism—
especially the social democratic tradition–has had an impact on its history. How has socialism shaped
Canadian society?
3. What do Marx and Engels say about capitalism (the bourgeoisie) in
The Communist Manifesto
? Setting
aside their socio-political agenda and visions of a workers’ revolution, are any of their observations
about the bourgeoisie valid? Did you find anything worthwhile in their analysis of or predictions about
the power of the bourgeoisie or capitalism?
2
Wednesday, October 18
(Not an in-class writing assignment, but come to class prepared to discuss)
Robert J. Miller,
The Doctrine of Discovery
Bob Joseph,
21 Things You May Not Have Known about the Indian Act
.
1. What surprised you about
21 Things
? Why is it significant? Why didn’t you know about it?
Wednesday, October 25
Heywood, Chapter 6 Nationalism
1. Some people condemn nationalism as inherently chauvinistic, exclusionary, and violent. Others value
it because it promotes a sense of identity, community, solidarity, and social cohesion. Still others see it as
morally ambiguous. What do you think and why?
2. Nationalist movements usually marry the nationalist project to other ideological projects (liberalism,
socialism, conservatism, etc.). Give examples of at least two nationalist projects that carry very different
ideological programs. What are their similarities and differences?
Monday November 6
Heywood, Chapter 8 Populism
1. Some people condemn nationalism as inherently chauvinistic, exclusionary, and violent. Others value
it because it promotes a sense of identity, community, solidarity, and social cohesion. Still others see it as
morally ambiguous. What do you think and why?
2. Nationalist movements usually marry the nationalist project to other ideological projects (liberalism,
socialism, conservatism, etc.). Give examples of at least two nationalist projects that carry very different
ideological programs. What are their similarities and differences?
Wednesday November 8
Heywood, Chapter 9 Feminism
1. Heywood notes that traditional feminist theories were expressed in liberal, socialist, and radical forms.
Is feminism actually an ideology in the way that we have defined the term this semester? Or is it a theory
and practice that transcends ideology?
2. What do first, second, and third wave feminism share? How are they different? What are the strengths
and weaknesses of each form of feminism? Do you support any form over the others? If so, which one
and why? If not, why not?
Monday November 13
Mark Juergensmeyer “
Religious Nationalism in a Global World
”,
Religions.
Heywood, Chapter 12
Ayatollah Khomeini, "
We Shall Confront the World with Our Ideology
,"
MERIP Reports.
1. Andrew Heywood notes that all religious traditions can turn towards what he calls “fundamentalism.”
What does fundamentalism share with conservatism? With nationalism?
3
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2. Andrew Heywood notes that all religious traditions can turn towards what he calls “fundamentalism.”
According to Mark Juergensmeyer, what conditions are promoting the rise of religious nationalism across
the globe?
Wednesday November 15
Heywood, Chapter 10 Green Ideology
1. Ecologism is an ideology or a project adopted by people of various ideological commitments. Choose
two of the following and compare the form of ecologism they promote. How are the differences
between them connected to the non-ecological ideological commitments of their adherents? Which of
the two forms do you prefer, and why?
reformist ecologism
eco-socialism
eco-anarchism
eco-feminism
deep ecology
2. In a brief statement discuss the concept of the “intersectionality” of ideologies by focusing on one
type of intersection (e.g., feminism and ecology, liberalism and colonialism, religion and nationalism,
capitalism and conservatism, or anticolonialism and communism). Using examples from any of the
assigned readings, give a specific example (historical or current) that illustrates this intersection(s) of
ideologies (e.g., nationalism and neo-Islamism in Iran, liberalism and colonialism in Canada, anti-
colonialism and feminism in India, etc.). What impact does intersectionality have on any given ideological
commitment?
Monday December 4
Heywood, Chapter 13 Why Political Ideologies Matter
1.
Throughout the term, we have discussed the moral ambiguity of ideology and modernity. Using
specific examples you have encountered in this course, discuss the moral ambiguity of ideology
and modernity.
2.
Has your thinking about ideology and modernity changed over the course of the semester? If so,
how? What has surprised you?
4