Lesson Schedule Spring 2007-2008 School Year PHL-211 01 Spring 2008 - Philosophy and African-American Experience TueThu ( 02:00:pm To 03:20:pm ) Dr. Safro Kwame
Thu	1/10/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Epilogue
Tue	1/15/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	1. Philosophy and the Afro-American Experience. (Cornel West) pp. 7-27.
Thu	1/17/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	2. African-American Existential Philosophy. (Lewis R. Gordon) pp. 33-42.
Tue	1/22/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Thu	1/24/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Classwork 1: Quiz on text and classes.
Tue	1/29/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	3. African-American Philosophy: A Caribbean Perspective. (Paget Henry) pp. 48-65.
Thu	1/31/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	4. Modernisms in Black. (Frank M. Kirkland) pp. 67-84.
Tue	2/5/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	5. The Crisis of the Black Intellectual. (Hortense J. Spillers) pp. 87-103.
Thu	2/7/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Tue	2/12/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Classwork 2: Quiz on text and classes.
Thu	2/14/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	8. The Morality of Reparations II. (Bernard R. Boxill) pp. 134-146.
Tue	2/19/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	9. Afrocentricity: Critical Considerations. (Lucius T,. Outlaw, Jr.) pp. 155-166.
Thu	2/21/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Classwork 3: Quiz on text and classes.
Tue	2/26/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Thu	2/28/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Comprehensive Midterm Exam
Tue	3/4/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	12. Some Group Matters: Intersectionality, Situated Standpoints, and black Feminist Thought. (Patricia Hill Collins) pp. 205-224.
Thu	3/6/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	16. White Supremacy. (Charles W. Mills) pp. 269-278.
Tue	3/11/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Thu	3/13/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	17. Self-Respect, Fairness, and Living Morally. (Laurence M. Thomas) pp. 293-304.
Tue	3/18/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	20. Contesting the Ambivalence and Hostility to Affirmative Action within the Black Community. (Luke C. Harris) pp. 324-331.
Thu	3/20/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Tue	3/25/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Classwork 4: Quiz on text and classes.
Thu	3/27/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	27. Thanatic Pornography, Interracial Rape, and the Ku Klux Klan. (T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting) pp. 407-411.
Tue	4/1/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	29. Rap as Art and Philosophy.(Richard Shusterman) pp. 419-428.
Thu	4/3/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion
Tue	4/8/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Classwork 5: Quiz on text and classes.
Thu	4/10/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	30. Microphone Commandos: rap Music and Political Ideology. (Bill E. Lawson) pp. 429-435.
Tue	4/15/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	31. Sports, Political Philosophy, and the African American. (Gerald Early) pp. 436-449.
Thu	4/17/2008	02:00 pm - 03:20 pm	Discussion

PHL-211.01 Philosophy and the African American Experience Syllabus

1. Name of the Department: Philosophy and Religion Department.

2. Course Number and Title: PHL-211.01 Philosophy and the African American Experience. 3 Credits.

3. Semester: Spring 2008.

4. Name of the Professor: Dr. Safro Kwame.

5. Office Location/Room Number: Dickey Hall Room 217.

6. Conference Hours: Tue. and Thu. 11-1; Mon., Wed. and Fri. 3-4.

7. Office Extension: 7569. Tel: (484) 365-7569 Fax: (206) 309-0697 or (484) 365-8098.

8. E-Mail Address: kwame@lincoln.edu or kwame@mailshack.com (E-mail messages must have Philosophy in the subject line and, unless requested in other formats, attachments must be in plain text and not Microsoft Word.)

9. Course Description: This course examines a select set of issues in the philosophical thinking of African-American philosophers such as race and racism, separation and assimilation, violence, liberation, social justice, and race and gender. Course Objective: (a) To familiarize the student with philosophers and issues in the African-American tradition. (b) To foster deep and critical thinking about basic issues concerning the state, conditions and people of black America or African-America.

10. Course Pre-requisites: None.

11. Required Textbooks: Lott, T. & Pittman, J. 2006. A Companion to African-American Philosophy, Malden, MA. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. (Required). (b) Pittman, J. & Wartofsky, M. 1996. African-American Perspectives and Philosophical Traditions, NY, Routledge (Supplemental Reading: Not Required).

12. Required Materials: Textbook, notebook, pencil and pen.

13. Student/Learner Outcomes (Learning Outcome - What student should be able to do at the end of course.): Define African American philosophy; Distinguish between African, African American, and Western philosophies; Identify some of the famous African American philosophers and arguments; Apply philosophical theories and techniques to African American issues.

14. Learning Opportunities (and Course Assignments): See below for specific discussion topics and assignments.) Class presentation of readings; Class discussion of readings; Excerpts from African American texts; Identification of the arguments in the readings; Application of the readings.

15. Assessment Tools/Grading Standards, including calculations of midterm and final grades (include weights in percentages): Explain African American philosophy; Present and evaluate the arguments of African American philosophers; Identify African American philosophical issues in the news; Write a paper on African American philosophy; Take a comprehensive final examination. Course Evaluation: Mid-term grade will be determined by a mid-term exam & semester grade determined by a final exam (80%) and a typed paper presenting and evaluating the readings from 1 of the chapters on our syllabus (20%) minus absences or lack of attendance and/or poor participation -- unless stated otherwise on supplementary details. If you like the classworks and have no complaint against them, you may petition to substitute any 2 classworks for the mid-term exam and any 4 classworks for the final exam provided you attend classes until the end of the semester. Unless you officially withdraw or formally request an incomplete (in writing) and submit appropriate documentation before the end of the semester, you will receive a passing or failing grade based on performance and attendance.

Grading Scale: A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, F=59-0 or for difficult exams A=100-80%, B=70-60%, C=50-40%, D=30-20%, F=10-0%. (+/- determined by curve.)

16. Attendance Policy (as printed in University Bulletin): Lincoln University uses the method of teaching, which assumes that each student has something to contribute and something to gain by attending class. It further assumes that there is much more instruction absorbed in the classroom than can be tested on examinations. Therefore, students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled class meetings and should exhibit good faith in this regard. For the control of absences, the faculty adopted the following regulations: 1. Four absences may result in an automatic failure in the course. 2. Three tardy arrivals may be counted as one absence. 3. Absences will be counted starting with whatever day is specified by the instructor but not later than the deadline for adding or dropping courses. 4. In case of illness, death in the family, or other extenuating circumstances, the student must present documented evidence of inability to attend classes to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. However, in such cases the student is responsible for all work missed during those absences. 5. Departments offering courses with less than full-course credit will develop and submit to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management a class attendance policy in keeping with the above. 6. Students representing the University in athletic events or other University sanctioned activities will be excused from class with the responsibility of making up all work and examinations. The Registrar will issue the excused format to the faculty member in charge of the off- or on-campus activity for delivery by the student(s) to their instructors.

17. University Approved Integrity Statement: Students are responsible for proper conduct and integrity in all of their scholastic work. They must follow a professor's instructions when completing tests, homework, and laboratory reports, and must ask for clarification if the instructions are not clear. In general, students should not give or receive aid when taking exams, or exceed the time limitations specified by the professor. In seeking the truth, in learning to think critically, and in preparing for a life of constructive service, honesty is imperative. Honesty in the classroom and in the preparation of papers is therefore expected of all students. Each student has the responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own. All of this work must be done in accordance with established principles of academic integrity. 1. Acts of Academic Dishonesty (Cheating): Specific violations of this responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following: * Copying, offering and/or receiving unauthorized assistance or information in examinations, tests, quizzes; in the writing of reports, assigned papers, or special assignments, as in computer programming; and in the preparation of creative works (i.e. music, studio work, art). * The fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports. * The use of unauthorized materials and/or persons during testing. * The unauthorized possession of tests or examinations. * The physical theft, duplication, unauthorized distribution, use or sale of tests, examinations, papers, or computer programs. * Any action which destroys or alters the work of another student. * Tampering with grades, grade books or otherwise attempting to alter grades assigned by the instructor. * The multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without the prior written permission of each instructor. 2. Plagiarism: If a student represents "another person's ideas or scholarship as his/her own," that student is committing an act of plagiarism. The most common form of plagiarism among college students is the unintentional use of others' published ideas in their own work, and representing these ideas as their own by neglecting to acknowledge the sources of such materials. Plagiarism includes downloads, copies and purchase of papers and essays from the internet. Students are expected to cite all sources used in the preparation of written work, including examinations. It is each student's responsibility to find out exactly what each of his/her professors expects in terms of acknowledging sources of information on papers, exams, and assignments. It is the responsibility of each faculty person to state clearly in the syllabus for the course all expectations pertaining to academic integrity and plagiarism. 3. Sanctions: A: Warning - A written notice that repetitions of misconduct will result in more severe disciplinary action. The warning becomes part of the student's file in the Office of the Registrar and, if there is no other example of misconduct, is removed at the time of graduation. B: Failure for project (exam, paper, experiment). C: Failure of course. For serious and repeat offenses, the University reserves the right to suspend or expel. Imposition of Sanctions: First Offense - A and/or B. Second and Subsequent offenses - B or C. Students failing a course because of an instance of academic dishonesty may not drop the course. The student may appeal a charge of academic dishonesty within ten days of receiving notice of same. The appeal will be heard by an Academic Hearing Board (AHB) consisting of the chairs of each division of study (or their designees). Files on violations of this academic integrity code will be kept in the Office of the Registrar.

18. Schedule of Weekly Assignments: See below or attachment.

19. Miscellaneous Expectations: (a) Classwork consists of in-class quizzes for which there is no make-up. If your name is not printed in capital letters throughout or your cell phone rings or is used in class, half-a-point (5%) or more will be taken off your final grade or score. When graded, papers or quizzes will be distributed at the end (not the beginning) of class. You are required to save all your quizzes and papers. If your attendance and participation are excellent, you may petition to use your classworks in place of your final exam. If you leave in the middle of a quiz or exam, for whatever reason, you will have to answer a different set of questions when you return. (b) Papers: All papers should explain the main question and evaluate the arguments on all sides and be submitted in both electronic and hard copies (i.e. printed on paper and also sent as e-mail). Papers should be typed and accompanied by an abstract (summary of main points, facts and arguments) and bibliography. Use "Save As" to save you paper as plain text and attach it to your e-mail with Philosophy in the subject line. E-mail attachments (in Microsoft Word or Works or WordPerfect or compressed or zipped) which are not in plain text (i.e. txt format) are unacceptable. Late extra-credit papers won't be accepted. Late required papers will be dropped by 1 letter grade. (c) Attendance: Signing the attendance sheet for someone else or missing a class, for whatever reason, may cost you up to 5% on your final grade for each occurrence. According to University regulations, 4 absences may result in a failure and 3 tardy arrivals or departures may count as an absence. (d) Extra-Credit: Extra-credit papers, if permitted, should be on an assigned project (see website), due in class on the day of the last quiz, and count as one quiz. At best, 3 philosophy club meetings (you must participate and sign attendance) or a class-presentation (which is an oral critique of a reading/topic, not used for paper, with a written abstract), if permitted, will push 1 classwork up by 1 letter grade.

20. Class/Course Homepage: http://www.lincoln.edu/philosophy/kwame.html or http://e.1asphost.com/skwame/ or http://e.1asphost.com/skwame/ or http://kwame.topcities.com/ or http://philosophydepartment.tripod.com/ WebCT: http://webct41.lincoln.edu:8900 To check your grade on the computer or internet, go to any one of the websites listed above and follow the instructions there. Note that some of the websites may be down and not updated.