IAH 209: Art, the Visual and Culture

“Dangerous Art”
TA Syllabus
Sections 1, 2 and 3

Instr. Ariana K. Costales Del Toro

Email: costale4@msu.edu
Please keep in mind I respond to emails within 24-32 hours

Office hours: Tuesday 1:00-3:00 PM on zoom by appointment

Zoom Meeting Link:
https://msu.zoom.us/j/91840635919
Passcode: meeting

Course Description (provided by Prof. Deng)

The history of art (construed in its broadest sense to include literature, visual arts, film, music,
etc.) is nearly synonymous with a history of censorship for moral and political reasons. We often
learn much about a culture by how it responds to art and artists. In this course, we will examine
the question of what makes art morally and/or politically dangerous (or from an opposing
perspective, vital and liberating) as a form of “knowledge” and influence within a variety of
cultural contexts. As an IAH course, it will be interdisciplinary, moving between visual arts,
literature, history, and philosophy, but the primary focus will be on visual arts and literature.
Moreover, while primarily examining cultural contexts both spatially and temporally distinct from
our own, students are encouraged to consider the ways in which our own culture responds in
various ways to art and artist.

Asynchronous Recitation Overview

This semester, our weekly recitation activities offer time to further engage with the course topics
and materials, interact meaningfully with your peers, and develop critical and analytical thinking
skills. Section activities will take place on your section D2L page, under “Communication” >
“Discussion.”

Please be sure to check your section’s D2L page regularly, as well as your D2L inbox and MSU
email. Please note: course materials, including lecture videos, transcripts, and PDFs, will
be posted on the course’s main D2L page and not on your section D2L.
Assignments
● Discussion Boards
Because of the course’s asynchronous modality, recitation/section activities will consist of
thirteen weekly discussion board assignments that will compose 25% of your course grade.
Each response will answer a prompt concerning our course materials (books, films, etc.) with a
minimum of around 200 words. Be sure to consider the main topics, themes, and concepts from
Prof. Deng’s lectures to help develop your responses. Discussion entries will be due every
Saturday by 11:59 pm.

Additionally, you must reply to at least two of your classmate’s posts with well-thought-out
comments or questions (around five sentences total). Your two peer replies are due every
Sunday by 11:59 pm.

To access the discussions forum, go to your section D2L page, under “Communication” >
“Discussion.” Then access the correct discussion topic for the week. Discussion topics will be
uploaded every Tuesday. Make sure to check your section D2L every Tuesday.
● Essays
Two 4-5 page papers based on assigned paper prompts are required. The papers should
perform a close critical analysis of the text(s). In addition to the papers themselves, students will
be required to hand in “structural paragraphs” based on an essay structuring assignment, which
will be posted to D2L. More instructions on Essays will be given closer to the due date.

Essays must be turned in via your section D2L by 11:59 PM on the due date specified by
Prof. Deng. To access the assignment dropbox, go to your section D2L, then “Assessments” >
“Assignments.” Select the correct assignment dropbox and upload your essay in .doc, .docx or
PDF format.

Papers not uploaded to D2L by the specified date will not be considered turned in on time. Late
paper submissions will be penalized 0.3 points (e.g., 4.0 becomes 3.7) each day it is late.

Grading

No student will pass the course without completing the two papers and the final exam. All
grading will be done on MSU’s 4.0 pt. scale, which generally translates into the following letter
grades:

● 4.0 = A
● 3.5 = B+/A-
● 3.0 = B
● 2.5 = C+/B-
● 2.0 = C
● 1.5 = D+/C-
● 1.0 = D
 ● 0.0 = F

Grades on assignments might be in between these ranges, like a 2.7, approximately a B-.

Final grades will be determined by the following percentages:

● Recitation Participation = 25%

● Quizzes = 20%
● Paper I = 15%
● Paper II = 20%
● Final Exam = 20%

The scale for translating your weighted final average into a final grade for the course is as
follows:

● 3.6 - 4.0 = 4.0

● 3.25 - 3.6 = 3.5
● 2.75 - 3.25 = 3.0
● 2.25 - 2.75 = 2.5
● 1.75 - 2.25 = 2.0
● 1.25 - 1.75 = 1.5
● 0.75 - 1.25 = 1.0
● 0.25 - 0.75 = 0.5

If you are on the cusp of a grade range, your T.A. may move you to the higher grade based on
effort shown in the class.

Academic Integrity
in this course, you are expected to maintain a commitment to integrity in and out of the
classroom. Plagiarism is the use of another person’s words or ideas without acknowledgment.
You are required to cite all works consulted in the preparation of your work. Handing in
someone else’s paper or ideas as your own (including buying or taking papers, sections of
papers or ideas, without proper citation, from the internet or a print source) is a very serious
offense and will be punished at the maximum permissible extent according to university policy.
Plagiarism will result in automatic failure for the course and will be reported, which may
subsequently result in administrative action.

For resources on citing correctly, The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is an excellent option.

TA Message: If you have questions about how to cite correctly or if you’re not sure if you’re
committing plagiarism by accident, please reach out to me BEFORE submitting any
assignments.
Classroom Policy
In this course, we will be covering difficult and sometimes challenging materials that explore
issues of race. Some of these materials deploy problematic language, including slurs like the N-
word. We will not repeat such slurs in our essays, exams, or in recitations posts and responses,
even if they appear in the texts. If you cite a quotation that includes the N-word, please denote it
as “N” or “N*****.”

We will also deal with works that may trigger traumatic responses. If you feel you cannot
engage with certain topics/materials, I understand. Please contact me, and I will do my best,
along with Prof. Deng, to attend to the situation.

Disability, Diverse Learning Needs, and Universal Access

In the spirit of universal design, we strive to make this class accessible to all students
regardless of ability/disability. You do not need to have a diagnosed disability or illness in order
to discuss your learning and physical needs with me. Please let me know at the beginning of the
semester (or whenever a situation arises) if I can assist you in having a successful learning
experience.

Accommodations
MSU is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and
activities. If you have a VISA or VISTA and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please
contact me as soon as possible. For students who need accommodation(s), please visit the
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) to obtain a Verified Individual Services
Accommodation (VISA) form. If you experience barriers to receiving a VISA, there are additional
resources available through the RCPD.

Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct

Essays, journals, and other materials submitted for this class are generally considered
confidential pursuant to the University’s student record policies. However, students should be
aware that University employees, including instructors, may not be able to maintain
confidentiality when it conflicts with their responsibility to report certain issues based on external
legal obligations or that relate to the health and safety of MSU community members and others.
As the instructor, I must report the following information to other University offices if you share it
with me:

● Suspected child abuse/neglect, even if this maltreatment happened when you were a
child,
● Allegations of sexual assault or sexual harassment when they involve MSU students,
faculty, or staff, and
● Credible threats of harm to oneself or to others.
These reports may trigger contact from a campus official who will want to talk with you about the
incident that you have shared. In almost all cases, it will be your decision whether you wish to
speak with that individual. If you would like to talk about these events in a more confidential
setting you are encouraged to make an appointment with the MSU Counseling Center