On Being Human: An Analytical Manifesto Writing Assignments

On Being Human: An Analytical Manifesto Prompt for Writing Assignments #2 - #4

Fall 2017 This quarter you will write an original 8-10 page analytical essay (in the genre of a manifesto) on what it means to live fully human in the modern world. You will draw from global, historical traditions of the pre-modern world and make a case for their significance in your own growth and development (or that of humans like you) as a human being in the modern world. You will use this assignment to explore how you can pursue a course of action or make a positive change to live more fully human. A manifesto is a public declaration of the purpose, principles or plan of action of a group or individual. It declares one’s intentions, goals, ideals, and motives, and it is a call to action; it can challenge assumptions, foster commitment, and provoke change. In other words, it identifies a problem, offers a solution, declares an intention, goal, or ideal and gives explicit directions for carrying out an action plan to solve the problem. What it means to live fully human. For the purpose of this assignment, you can think about “living more fully human,” in several different ways: as being self-actualized, living out your full potential as a human, or living a more meaningful, authentic, purposeful, satisfying, ideal, good and/or ______ (fill in the blank) life. Assignment: Reflecting on class-assigned sources and integrating current scholarship, write a manifesto for living more fully and ideally human in the modern world. For this assignment you will:

1. Identify three class-assigned sources, from three different traditions, that have enriched or expanded your understanding of what it means to live fully and ideally human in the modern world?

2. Identify a problem or concern that directly interferes with your or humans’ ability to live more fully human.

3. Make a persuasive declaration that addresses the concern you identified and/or provide a solution or action plan for positive change/transformation based on your selected sources.

4. Build a case (make an argument) to support your declaration and your suggested methods for achieving this transformation using the three class-assigned primary source readings and at least two outside scholarly secondary sources (as evidence of the problem or to support your suggested action plan). What actions will you take or encourage all like you to take?

5. Address alternative approaches or counter-arguments that are relevant to making your argument; include evidence in your treatment of these approaches.

6. Explain the significance/implications of this manifesto: how do steps toward self- or interpersonal transformation help one become more fully human, and how might this influence positive change in one’s community (interpersonal relationships, classroom, campus, local, regional, nation, or global)?

Academic Rigor and Building your Case: The manifesto will be structured as an analytical essay; you will be making a declaration (assertion/thesis) and an argument about how it and your action plan address a problem that you have identified. Your declaration must include all of the components of an analytical essay and that you worked with in the CRA assignments. You will identify a problem/issue, advance a thesis (your declaration and action plan), support it with evidence (from in-class sources and outside scholarly sources), address alternative approaches (counter-arguments), and discuss significance/implications in your (or your peers’) personal and/or academic life.

Assignment Breakdown

1%* Required Library Research Strategies Workshop – Throughout Week 5, UCSD instructional librarians will offer research strategy workshops with the goal of helping you identify sources for your research-based Academic Manifesto. Attend one of the workshops listed below. All Workshops are held at Geisel Library, in Geisel Classroom 2 on the first-floor near the Information Desk and computers. Workshops seat only 32 students so get there early and go early in the week to make sure that you can be admitted to a workshop. First-come, first-served; no reservations.

*Attendance at this workshop will be included in your section grade.

Monday, October 30 10:00-10:50 11:00-11:50 12:00-12:50 1:00-1:50 Tuesday, October 31 11:00-11:50 12:00-12:50 1:00-1:50 Wednesday, November 1 10:00-10:50 11:00-11:50 12:00-12:50 1:00-1:50

Thursday, November 2 11:00-11:50 12:00-12:50 1:00-1:50 2:00-2:50 3:00-3:50 Friday, November 3 10:00-10:50 11:00-11:50 12:00-12:50

10% Paper #2 – Manifesto Preparation Draft

Length: 4-5 pages minimum (can be longer up to 10 page maximum) Due date: Lecture Week 8. Submit to TritonEd for TA comments, and print 3 hard copies to bring to section. Late penalties will apply (see Guidelines for Writing MMW Papers). Even with late penalties, the draft will not be accepted after section of Week 9, will be considered “not completed,” and will result in a grade of F for the course. Any exception to this deadline must be approved with specific and legitimate documentation in advance by your TA. Write a draft of your manifesto using the Guidelines for Preparing Your Manifesto handout (posted in TritonEd). As you prepare your draft, think about the following questions and answer those that are relevant to your manifesto (not necessarily in this order).

 What inspires you? o What course readings from the pre-modern period have enriched or expanded

your thinking about what it means to be fully human or to live more ideally human?

o How can these ideas impact your (or others’) personal and/or academic life?

 Identify a problem. o Reflecting on yourself and your life after reading these sources, are you living

your best life (or, are your peers?) What is limiting you? (or, what limits others?) o Identify a current problem in your life (or among your peers?)

 Declare your intentions and propose an action plan o What might your manifesto declare (for yourself or others)? o What goals or intentions might you set for yourself after encountering some of

the course readings/topics from the pre-modern world? What might you change or do? (or, what might others change or do?)

o What plan of action will you take to reach those goals or enact those intentions? (or, what plan of action do you suggest for others ?)

o How will the three course readings you selected above support your declaration and/or action plan?

 Implications o What alternative approaches or counter-arguments must you address to make

your declaration and action plan stronger? o What positive contributions can you make to your own transformation or to the

world around you?

o What do you intend to change? Identify a current problem and imagine it changed through your manifesto.

 Outside, scholarly sources o How can outside scholarly sources contribute to your description of the problem,

consideration of alternative viewpoints/counter-arguments, and/or action plan? How can they strengthen your declaration of solutions or action plans? What outside sources will you include and how?

5% Paper #3 - Peer Review Workshop of Manifesto Rough Draft Due date: Week 8 –Print and bring 3 copies to section. Receive and comment on group mates’

drafts Week 9 – in-section peer review workshops

Week 10 – Scan and submit in TritonEd your group mates’ corrections on your draft.. (After this time, late penalties will apply.

With the guidance of a rubric and peer review instructions, classmates will provide written feedback on your Manifesto draft. They will comment on the strength of your declaration (thesis) and action plan, your analytical use of primary and secondary source material to support these, and the strength of your discussion or implications/significance, among other variables. You, in turn, will comment on classmates’ drafts.

15% Paper #4 - To Be Human: An Analytical Manifesto (final paper)

Length: 8-10 pages Due date: Week 10 (no later than the Final Exam in order to pass the course).

Submission Instructions for each assignment above will be posted separately on TritonEd. 10.16.17 hkl