Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans
Exploring Humanity Through Literature // ENGL102x
Course Description
Can you be confident that the person sitting next to you on the bus is really a human rather than some remarkable replica conjured up by a mad scientist or, perhaps, an alien from another planet? What evidence is needed to conclude that the person casually looking at her mobile device is human? What, after all, distinguishes us humans from unhumans? Is there something unique about our brains, our external features, our consciousness, or our imaginations? How have we constructed the conceptual boundary between what we qualify as human and what we categorize as robotic, animal, android, or alien? What, in the end, makes the human “human”?
Join me as we dive into these and related questions in a distinctive way through the gamified structure of this course. Using simple tools, you’ll create your own avatar and begin a virtual journey led by a humanoid and professor through various imaginative realms.
Your travels will be brought to virtual life by literature and made visible on the course map. Your assignments and readings will be quests that concentrate on integral parts of a story, and themes that run throughout the duration of the course. These quests challenge you to do things such as produce visualizations (graphs, word clouds, network diagrams, etc.) utilizing easy-to-use online tools, capture interpretations through art, and engage in battles with characters from the readings.
Before you choose to accept this mission, ask yourself if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions:
- Do you love reading literature whose plot, characters, or themes challenge you to empathize with formerly unknown or unimagined beings or feelings?
- Do you find reading literature a great way to think deeply about important ideas and want a fun, unusual way of doing so?
- Are you a gamer who loves fiction?
- Are you looking for a course that will put you in touch with some cutting-edge pedagogical learning strategies?
- Are you looking for a course that covers time-tested literary themes taught in a radically new way?
- Have you been looking for a way to indulge your love of literature while also dipping your toes into online gaming?
Step into the realm of fiction and fantasy and join us in examining what exactly it means to be human.
Learning Objectives
- Conceive of difficulties that arise when trying to define and distinguish between humans and unhuman monsters.
- Identify problems that grow out of the effort to apply definitive and universal moral judgments to actions, thoughts, social structures, and/or living beings.
- Explore challenges that grow out of the effort to define what constitutes the categories of “nature” and “natural.”
- Consider multiple interpretations of literary works by leveraging alternative tools like computer-generated visualizations.
- Present your insights in an engaging, coherent, organized, and focused form through the use of literary analysis.
- Produce creative responses to literature that engage and challenge the themes and express new viewpoints into the conversation.
Texts (Provided in the Course)
- Samuel R. Delany, “Aye, and Gomorrah”
- John Varley, “Air Raid”
- Ambrose Bierce, “Moxon’s Master”
- Octavia Butler, “Speech Sounds”**
- H. P. Lovecraft, “The Colour Out of Space”
- Edgar Allan Poe, “Ligeia”
- Margaret Atwood, “Lusus Naturae”
- Michael Jackson, "Thriller"
**All texts are provided within the course for free except this text, "Speech Sounds". If you choose to travel to the realm in which this text is located (Pandemica - Week 1) you will need to obtain access to the short story. The story can be found in the collection Bloodchild and Other Stories which is available on Amazon. If you do not have the chance to obtain the short story or you prefer a different path, there is another option located in an alternate realm (Robotica - Week 1) which contains a different short story available for free.
Interacting with Your Course Team
Prerequisites
None
Time Commitment/Effort
2-3 hours per week for 3 weeks
Schedule
The course begins January 30, 2018 at 9:00 UTC and concludes on February 26, 2018 at 21:00 UTC. View the course for specific deadlines and due dates.
Accessing the Course
Because of the interactive nature of many elements in the course, it is best experienced using a browser on either a computer or mobile device. The edX app can be used as another supplemental point of access, but not all elements may function to their full capacity or be accessible on the app.
Overview of the Journey
Village de Embarke (Orientation)
Meet Leila and the Professor
Review Traveler's Guide & Travel Logistics
Create Your Avatar
Share Where You are in the World
Course Entry Survey
Mini-Quest
Week 1: Future World
Dystopia Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Samuel R. Delany, “Aye, and Gomorrah” and John Varley, “Air Raid”
Quest: Turing Test
Then a choice of traveling to either:
Robotica Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Ambrose Bierce, “Moxon’s Master” and William Gibson “Winter Market” (optional)
Quest: Scavenger Hunt
Pandemica Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Octavia Butler, "Speech Sounds" (not available in course please obtain from Amazon or other source)
Quest: Scavenger Hunt
Campfire
Future World: The Big Question
Portal to 'Other World'
Week 2: Other World
Bestiary Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Images of Unhumans
Quest: Find Images
Unearthly Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: H.P. Lovecraft, “The Colour Out of Space”
Quests: Imitation & Boss Battle (10 Questions)
Campfire
Other World: The Big Question
Portal to 'Gothic World'
*Limited Time* Visit Leila's Planet "IO"
The stars have aligned and for a limited time visit Leila's Plant IO and read her story
Week 3: Gothic World
Reanima Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Edgar Allan Poe, “Ligeia”
Quest: Visualization
Undead Wastes Realm
Backpack
Professor Transmission
Readings: Margaret Atwood, “Lusus Naturae” plus Michael Jackson, "Thriller" & Edvard Munch, Vampire (1893)
Quests: Google Autodraw/Sketchnoting & Boss Battle (10 Questions)
Campfire
Gothic World: The Big Question
Course Wrap Up
What's Next?
Post-Course Survey
Assessment and Grading
Grading Scheme
Quests (8 total at 10% each) = 80%
Campfire: Big Questions = 20%
Verified Certificate Information:
To receive a Verified Certificate, you must receive a passing score of 70% and submit all coursework by 21:00 UTC on the last day of the course.
You may upgrade to a Verified Certificate at any time before 23:59 UTC on the last day of the second week of the course. Certificates will be issued by edX under the name BrownX.
Anyone who upgrades to a Verified Certificate will also be able to:
- Particpate in a live virtual discussion (at the start of the third week of the course) with Professor Jim Egan and other members of the teaching team.
- Receive a remarkable work of art by the course's amazing graphic artist, Matt Rockman, that represents the course in the form of a movie poster.
To succeed in Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans: Exploring Humanity Through Literature you are expected to:
- Contribute to the BrownX learning community by examining the important problems that grow out of the effort to apply definitive and universal moral judgments to actions, thoughts, social structures, and/or living beings.
- Participate in the course activities as a means of exploring the conceptual difficulties that arise when trying to define and distinguish between humans and monsters.
- Participate in a global conversation and create creative projects that engage and analyze works of art across media and genres.
Academic and Community Guidelines
Academic Policies
As stated in the Principles of the Brown University Community, Brown strives for "a sense of community in which the individual growth of all members is advanced through the cultivation of mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding. Brown University values and encourages individuality while also affirming the community dimensions of academic life. A socially responsible community provides a structure within which individual freedoms may flourish without threatening the privileges or freedoms of other individuals or groups.
"The University is committed to honest, open, and equitable engagement with racial, religious, gender, ethnic, sexual orientation and other differences. The University seeks to promote an environment that in its diversity is integral to the academic, educational and community purposes of the institution."
Community of Learners
We wish to provide a learning environment that supports a diversity of thoughts, perspectives and experiences while honoring all identities (including race, gender, class, sexuality, religion, ability, etc.). We ask each of you to be sensitive to this as well and to engage one another with respect and a spirit of genuine curiosity.
We expect all BrownX learners to follow the edX guidelines around Online Conduct. If you have concerns or any ideas for improving the course experience, we'd love to hear them. You will have opportunities throughout the course to submit your feedback via anonymous surveys.
Getting Help
If you have questions about the course materials, resources, activities, or discussions, please post your questions in the Course Q&A discussion thread. For technical questions for edX, click Help on the top right to contact edX or access the edX Learner Guide.
Accessibility
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