Baseball Diamonds

Baseball Diamonds: Integrated Syllabus*

This community examines baseball in America. It focuses on the history and contemporary meaning of baseball within the broader contexts of comparative sports and popular culture. By integrating writing, literature (ENG 101/102/105/194), and applied mathematics (MAT 142) with study in anthropology (ASB 252), ethnic studies (CCS 210), and social psychology (CCS 210), this community investigates how baseball—and sports in general —reflect the shape of American culture and contribute to a national identity. Students will consider why one writer described baseball as "the soul of American culture" and others have called it "the last thing left to believe in."

We will study the origins, politics, culture, and business of baseball as a clue to America's past and contemporary development. This process will deepen understanding of shared discourses about heroes and social identity, as well as about related social constructions like ethnicity, race, gender, and nationality. At the same time, this community will engage each participant’s sense of fun and humor.

Faculty

Cordelia Candelaria, Lead Faculty, Professor (965-7763). Email: cordelia@asu.edu
Dept of English & Dept of Chicana/o Studies (CCS), 5550 Coor Hall
Office Hours: Tue. & Wed. 10:30-12:30 a.m. & by appointment.
Hjorleifur Jonsson, Assistant Professor (965-7837). Email: hjonsson@asu.edu
SHCSC/Department of Anthropology, Anthropology 260
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 10:00-12 & by appointment.
Natalie Martinez, Teaching Assistant, (965-8134). Email:Natalie.Martinez@asu.edu
Department of English
Language and Literature 552
Office Hours: TBD
Ryan Melendez, Lecturer, (727-8523). Email: melendez@asu.edu; http://math.asu.edu/~melendez
Department of Mathematics, PSA 523
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 3:00p.m-5p.m.
Mark Scott, Reference Librarian (965-3388). Email: Mark.Scott@asu.edu
Hayden Government Documents & Maps Dept, 3rd floor Hayden Library
Office hours by appointment: Mon.—Fri. 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Robert Short, Faculty Associate (727-7443). Email: Robert.Short@asu.edu
Department of Psychology, Psychology Rm 227
Office Hours: Thurs. 1p.m-2:30 p.m. & by appointment
Julie Tharp, Head, (965-5168). Email: Julie.Tharp@asu.edu
Hayden Library Reference Services & Sports Bibliographer
Office hours by appointment: Mon.-Fri. 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Zachary Waggoner, Instructor (965-3208). Email: zcw@asu.edu
Department of English, LL 552
Office Hours: M W 9:30-11:30.

Peer Mentors

Jessica Kokal, Email: Jessica.Kokal@asu.edu, English & Political Science major. (965-0474)
Daniel Heard, Email: Daniel.Heard@asu.edu, Math major. (965-0474)
Online office hours TBD by 9/07/05.
Danielle Mella, Email: Danielle.Mella@asu.edu (965-0474)

Overall Goals

To expand the critical understanding of sports and of community attitudes toward play, work, and society.
To learn how to apply analytical skills and vocabularies from anthropology, English composition and rhetoric, ethnic studies, library science and information technology, mathematics, and social psychology.
To explore representations of baseball in print, film, and online as a threshold to advanced college-level research.
To study the metaphor of the game of life through the lens of recreation in its multiple meanings.

Attendance/Classroom Policies

The CLAS Learning Communities (LC) combine individual work with collaborative group effort. Thus, individual effort is indispensable to the advance preparation and class participation that are crucial elements to successful performance in the LC as well as in the individual classes. "Attendance" means coming to class, arriving on time, and being prepared with assigned readings and homework.

As a general rule, being fifteen (15) or more minutes tardy will be counted as an absence for that day. Be punctual. Four (4) or more absences are grounds for failing a course at Arizona State University. Be responsible: save absences for emergencies. Best college practices require students to be active and constructive participants in the learning process.

Adhering to professional etiquette also helps ensure maximum learning and achievement in the LC classrooms. All members are expected to follow these guidelines:

Turn off cell phones and other personal devices before the class begins, and keep them off throughout the class period.
Be attentive to lectures and discussions, and take copious notes. Show respect to the instructors, student discussants, and guest speakers by listening, taking notes, and voicing comments and questions as appropriate.
Do homework and other required activities outside of scheduled class time. Consult with the faculty and peer mentors regularly after class or/and during office hours.
ALSO SEE individual class syllabi for specific course requirements.

ASU Policy on Plagiarism (summary)

Use of another person's work (from print, online, video, or any other written, published, and/or digital sources) and presenting it as one’s own or without proper citation, full credit, or source documentation is considered plagiarism. Normally it is viewed as cheating. Such academic dishonesty is grounds for failing this class and for suspension from Arizona State University. Do your own work, and carefully document your research fully and properly.

For more information see the ASU Student Code of Conduct and ASU’s Writing Programs websites. Students are responsible for becoming familiar with the Student Code of Conduct and related policies.