METAPHORS OF CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Wednesday 4-6:45 PM, Humanities 111 Spring 2006 Hum 672-01; Comm 690-01; Ling 690-01

Dr. Robert N. St. Clair Department of Communication Doctoral Program in the Humanities Interdisciplinary Program in Linguistics

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course introduces the concept of analogical thinking with a focus on metaphorical structures. Cultures differ in the social construction of reality and consequently favor different metaphors as expressions of social and national identity. Since analogical thinking is not limited to verbal forms of human expression, this course will also investigate tonal metaphors and visual metaphors. In many non-technological societies, this is the preferred form of communication. The study of visual metaphors will include the syntax of ideographic languages (Chinese, Mayan, Hieroglyphics, Futhark) and the use of visual metaphors as cultural symbols (cf. the Medicine Wheel, the Well of the Wyrd, the Quaternity, etc. The study of tonal metaphors will include a discussion of music theory, chordal structures, and Leonard Bernstein's six talks on The Unanswered Question (1973). The course will also focus on various theories of vision and how cognitive space is treated in these various models of visual metaphors. All of these topics are related to cultural metaphors and to different modes of communicating across cultures

TEXTBOOKS

VISUAL METAPHORS AND THE CONTEXTUALIZATION OF ANALOGICAL REASONING: ESSAYS ON STRUCTURAL EPISTEMOLOGY by Robert N. St. Clair and Yuxin Jia, 2006 (course pack available through Grays Bookstore COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE by Tony Schirato and Susan Yell Sage Publications 2005   AN INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL CULTURE by Nicholas Mirzoeff

 

Lecture Series on the Course Pack
Session 1	Introduction to the Seminar Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapter One - Introduction Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapter Two: The Renaissance of Metaphorical Thought - Cognitive Linguistics and Metaphorical Thought
Session 2	Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapter Three: The Anatomy of Social Metaphor Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapter Four: Metaphor as Epistemology
Session 3	Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapter Five - The Organization of Visual Space Chapter Six - Ideographic Writing and the Visual Representation of the World Chapters 7-9 Conceptual Applications The Metaphor of the Middle Earth - The Nordic Runes and their Cosmology The Metaphor of the Rising Sun - Earth Astronomy and the Visual Metaphor of Archeastronomy Metaphor of Involution and Evolution: The Cosmic Parade of Life The Metaphor of the Seven Arrows - The Medicine Wheel
Session 4	Visual Metaphors and the Contextualization of Analogical Reasoning Chapters 7-9 Conceptual Applications The Metaphor of the Middle Earth - The Nordic Runes and their Cosmology The Metaphor of the Rising Sun - Earth Astronomy and the Visual Metaphor of Archeastronomy Metaphor of Involution and Evolution: The Cosmic Parade of Life The Metaphor of the Seven Arrows - The Medicine Wheel Chapter Eleven - The Tonal Metaphor of Resonance Discusssion of Music Theory and its Structure Chapter Twelve - Kinesic or Praxiological Metaphors - Movements in Space
Seminar Series on Selected Texts
Session 5	Communication and Culture Group I
Session 6	Communication and Culture Group I
Session 7	Visual Culture Group II
Session 8	Visual Culture Group II
Session 9	Visual Culture Group II
March 15	No Class - Spring Break
Session 10	Interviews on Final Paper Project
Sesssion 11	Interviews on Final Paper Project
Session 12	Overview and Open Discussion Period
Session 13	Summation and Open Discussion Period
Final Paper	Final Paper Due - Posted on Blackboard The final paper must be around 20 pages or more and may include graphics, audio files, video files, web links, and other hyperlink technology. Appendices recommended for detailed discussions of related areas of analysis and discussion.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon completing this course, the student will be able to do the following: " They will be able to articulate the concept of how metaphors are related to analogical thinking. " The will be able to discuss the role of analogy in different modes of cognition - visual, tonal, verbal, kinetic, etc. " They will be able to comprehend the social and cultural issues associated with metaphors across cultures. " They will be able to articulate the global nature of analogical thinking " They will come know and discuss how verbal, visual, and tonal metaphors are conveyed. COURSE SCHEDULE Within Blackboard, the student will find the course materials, assignments, recent messages and notifications. Students will be assigned to one of the classroom texts and direct a discussion of those texts in accordance to a schedule established by the instructor. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Everyone in the class will read the assignments and be prepared to discuss them in class. There will be groups of students who will be responsible for leading the class discussions for their own sections of the book. The instructor is an ex-officio member of that group. Students are given credit for their group led discussions. EVALUATION Grades are determined by participating in the following class related activities: " This is a graduate seminar. Students are expected to have read the assignments and be able to discuss the ideas contained within the texts. " Classroom presentation. Each student will belong to a group that is responsible for one of the major sections of the book, Beyond Metaphor. Students are assessed for their presentation in class.. " There is a Final Paper requirement of 15 pages, single-spaced. These must be posted on blackboard. A paper that is posed before the stipulated deadline may be revised many times. The student will receive a temporary grade and will be given instructions on how to improve the paper for a higher grade. Once a paper meets the requirements for a collegiate expository essay, that paper will be given full credit towards the final grade.   GRADING SCALE 90-100 A Exceptionally well-prepared completion of assignment indicating effort, individualized style and impact expected of effective communication. 80-89 B Unusually well-prepared completion of course materials and individual imagination distinctly superior to average effort 70-79 C Satisfactory completion of assignments. This includes a thesis statement, evidence, introduction and conclusion, etc. 60-69 D Unsatisfactory completion of assignments, misperceived objectives or methods, unorganized effort or failure to follow directions Below 60 F Failure to complete assignments during the schedule time through lack of evident effort   POLICIES Students are responsible for in-class discussions and presentations. If one is late or absent, he must assume there will be no repetition of the material covered in class. The following texts will for the basis for group discussions. Students sign up for one of the following groups and present the concepts and discuss them in class as a group. Part One - Tropes as Cognition Part Two - The Play of Tropes Part Three - Metaphor and the Coherence of Culture Students assigned to these groups may use Blackboard to communicate with each other, exchange papers, and post on board questions and answers. Examinations will be posted online in the blackboard class. A deadline will be established for each Examination. The Final paper will be posted on Blackboard. Late papers will be reduced by one letter grade. There are no make up examinations. If one is found cheating on an examination or assignment or plagiarizing, the value assigned to that project will be null and void. Turn off cell phones and beepers during class. Students who require special accommodations should meet with the instructor early in the term in order to discuss and resolve the problem. If the problem is related to a disability, please meet with someone at the Disability Resource Center first to assistance and guidance.