There's still time to join us for MALAS's incoming Fall 2021 cohort of new interdisciplinary studies graduate...
Posted by MALAS, the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences at SDSU on Saturday, February 27, 2021
Sunday, February 28, 2021
The Priority Application for MALAS, the most Flexible Interdisciplinary Studies MA Program on the West Coast, is Almost Here! Apply Today! Join us for Fall 2021!!!!!
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
MALAS Cultural Studies Lecture Series Event! Featuring Dr. Pam Fox-Kuhlken Speaking on Marcel Proust's IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME, David Lynch's BLUE VELVET, and Fanny Daubigny's PROUST IN BLACK
Tomorrow at 11am pacific! Be there with @sdsumalas, an @AglspC member program!
— William Nericcio (@eyegiene) February 25, 2021
You are invited! Register for the lecture free here: https://t.co/mDTDqo0VJp
See the ad bigger here: https://t.co/2DIUAGywei pic.twitter.com/0IGgpsX1nV
Monday, February 8, 2021
AGLSP is the International Mothership for MALAS and Dozens of Other Progressive Cultural and Interdisciplinary Studies Programs Across the Planet ... #aglsp
Interested in interdisc. studies, cult. studies, or a fan of the liberal arts and humanities? Follow @AglspC!
— William Nericcio (@eyegiene) February 8, 2021
What is AGLSP? The Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Program--I am a proud card-carrying member of its board of directors. Join us here: https://t.co/tgOjxucQmr https://t.co/wxb7Ew4E8H
Thursday, January 21, 2021
How to be a Successful MALAS Graduate Student and MAYBE Have a Shot at a TAship!!!!
Let me tell you about the path I chose to take…
Almost every incoming freshman is required to take a developmental writing course at SDSU. That typically is RWS 100 one semester, followed by RWS 200 the next. Many of these classes are taught by graduate student Teaching Assistants (TAs). The TAs are limited to a class size of 25. When you consider the amount of incoming freshmen at SDSU in any given year (approximately 3,700), you’ll understand why there is a need for so many TAs to teach these required classes. Each TA is assigned a class of no more than 25 students.
So, how do you become a TA? There is an application process! But before we get to that…
There is also a required class, RWS 609, Theory and Practice of Teaching Composition, in which you must enroll before you will be offered TA contract. You can enroll in this class during the same timeframe that you intend to apply for a TA position (for the next semester). That is to say, you don’t have to take the class and wait until the following semester to apply – which would result in you waiting for nearly a whole year (although if that’s what you want to do, you can). To clarify what I am saying, let me share the application deadlines from this year:
Here’s the catch: taking the class does not necessarily guarantee that you will be brought on as a TA, so it is a gamble in that you will have potentially “wasted” 3 units, and the money to pay for those 3 units. Bear that in mind, but do not let it discourage you.
- · An application form
- · Transcripts
- · Three current letters of recommendation that will be sent directly to the DRWS office.
- · A statement of purpose
- · A writing sample of about five pages of expository prose
If you do have any questions at all, or would like some assistance in preparing your application, I will happily make myself available to you. Just get in touch with me via ozzie.monge@gmail.com and we’ll go from there. Good luck!
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
New MALAS Seminar, Spring 2021 || --> MALAS 600B.01 & WMNST 582: Feminist Science and Activism with Dr. Amanda Beardsley
Spring 2021 | MALAS 600B/WMNST 582
Feminist Science and Activism
COURSE INFORMATION
Time: Mondays 7pm-9:40pm PST
Class Location: Online
Professor: Dr. Amanda Beardsley
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Sunday, January 17, 2021
New MALAS Seminar, Spring 2021: MALAS 600 C / Pol S 565 Nations and Nationalism with Professor Latha Varadarajan
MALAS 600 C / Pol S 565
Nations and Nationalism
Spring 2021, Tuesday – 4:00-6:40
Zoom Link: https://SDSU.zoom.us/j/84465175676
Professor Latha Varadarajan
e-mail: lvaradar@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hours – Tuesday, Thursday: 12:30 – 1:30
https://SDSU.zoom.us/j/84066599474
Purpose of the course: The history of the modern world can be framed – and indeed, has been framed by nationalist movements across borders – in terms of the political struggles embarked upon by nations as they have sought to take their place in global politics. In that sense, the events of the post-Cold War decades, far from being an anomaly, are seen as a natural progression of politics. If any anything, these events – be it, the creation of new nation-states that changed the political map of the world (post-Soviet States, former Yugoslavia, South Sudan), the emergence of new secessionist movements in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas (East Timor, Sudan, Bolivia), the intensification of older tensions (Quebec, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Scotland) – it is argued stand as testament to the enduring strength of nationalism as a defining factor in today’s world. This is after all, a world that is now seeing an upsurge of nationalism movements, even in states where the question has been treated as settled long ago – whether in Western Europe or North America.
To what extent is this rendering of global politics an accurate one? It is true that these movements, while very different in many ways, are held together by the fact that the demands (for greater political rights, for independence) have generally been couched in the language of nationalism, of representing the interests of a single, well-defined national community. But, does that in and of itself lend credence to claims about the natural-ness of nationalism? What is it that has enabled certain groups to claim that they are a separate nation? Given the political fallout of such movements, should nationalism be treated as the root of political instability or the solution to it? How different is the contemporary wave of nationalism from ones that preceded it in the past two centuries? To answer these questions, what we need is a broader, historically contextualized understanding of the nature and politics of nationalism. This course is an attempt to fulfill such a need.
Nationalism, it is generally accepted, emerged as an organizing political force at a specific historical moment, and under specific conditions. What these conditions were, how the idea of nationalism spread, and how we should it understand its various manifestations are all issues that have been the subject of intense debate among scholars as well as those actively involved in political struggles. While it is impossible to cover every aspect of these deliberations in one short semester, this course will serve as an introduction to some of the classic texts, while providing an opportunity to engage closely with the development of nationalism in specific contexts.
The course is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the question of the origins and nature of nationalism by engaging with some of the most important theoretical debates about the subject. The readings include some of the classic treatises on the subject by both scholars of nationalism (such as Elie Kedourie, Ernest Gellner, and Benedict Anderson) and important historical figures who inspired and were engaged in actual political struggles (Mazzini, Herzl, Lenin, Luxemburg). Having addressed the theoretical debates, in the second section, we turn to the question of the development of nationalism in particular times and places. We will begin with analyses of nationalism in “Old” Europe (Britain and France), follow it up with anti-colonial nationalism (India) and conclude with a closer look at the “new” nationalisms of Europe (Yugoslavia). The purpose of this segment is three-fold: first, to engage seriously with the historical peculiarities of nationalist movements; second, to compare the nature and political consequences of nationalism as an idea through the modern era; and third, to use this broader view to weigh seriously on the question of the relevance and implications of nationalism for contemporary politics.
A note on the times we live in:
In these very surreal times, this class – normally designed to be an experience in a physical space, where we interact and engage with each other – will “meet” on Zoom. Given the world we are living in, choosing any other option would be extraordinarily irresponsible. However, it is important to note that this class, while using an online modality is not meant to a typical online class.
In a rational world, online teaching would be a boon, with technology being used in a constructive way to make education accessible to the broadest possible group. Unfortunately, we are not yet in that world. As currently construed, much of online education seems to be neither about accessibility nor about education. Rather, the principal goal of the project appears to be “revenue generation,” albeit cloaked in the language of measurable “student learning outcomes” and “degree completion goals.” What gets lost in this drive is the importance of interactions based on close engagement with the readings, of dialogue over a period of time that creates both a sense of trust and respect amongst participants, which in turn leads to a development of critical faculties.
During the course of this semester, our goal will be to recreate some of those elements to the best of our abilities given the online constraints. To begin with, all the lectures for the class will be live on Zoom. Please note that the lectures will not be recorded, and none of the participants are allowed to record the sessions in any way. You are expected to attend the class sessions, like you would have done in the old days. I understand that it is hard to remain attentive while on Zoom for over an hour. I would encourage you to keep your video on for this period, even just as way to keep your focus. During the course of the class session, you will have opportunities to meet your classmates in breakout rooms. While this is not the same as meeting them in a physical space, the idea is to get you to a point where you can feel comfortable expressing your opinions in the presence of a group of people who will not remain strangers.
Robust, respectful classroom discussion will be the best antidote to “zoom-itis,” while ensuring that you comprehend the material being covered in class and are positioned to do well in the various assignments. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to bring them to me.
Required readings: A significant part of the course will focus on specific books. It is strongly recommended that you purchase the following books (a couple of them – Hockenos and Weber are available as e-books through the library)
- Elie Kedourie, Nationalism (Wiley-Blackwell, Fourth edn., 1993)
- Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (Revised edn., London: Verso, 1991)
- Ernest Gellner, Nations and Nationalism (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1983)
- Eugen Weber, Peasants into Frenchmen, 1870-1914 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1976)
- Paul Hockenos, Homeland Calling: Exile Patriotism and the Balkan Wars (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2003)
Latha Varadarajan
Office: NH 124
Phone: (619) 594-3255
E-mail: lvaradar@sdsu.edu
Latha Varadarajan joined the SDSU faculty after receiving a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota in January 2005. Her research is located at the intersection of international relations theory, international political economy, and international security. More specifically, her published work has focused on the politics of transnationalism (specifically state-diaspora relations); the connections between neoliberal economic restructuring and national security policies; the meaning and relevance of postcolonial struggles; and the debates surrounding the contemporary manifestations of imperialism. She is currently working on a book project that brings together her background in international law and international relations to discuss the contemporary development of a legal-humanitarian world order.
Varadarajan teaches courses on International Relations, International Political Economy, National Security and Nationalism both at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Thursday, December 31, 2020
New Spring 2021 MALAS Seminar Course Description --> HUM 580 / MALAS 600a: Open Worlds: Exploring the Unknown in Antiquity with Dr. David A. Wallace-Hare
HUM 580 / MALAS 600a:
Open Worlds: Exploring the Unknown in Antiquity
Monday, November 16, 2020
Friday, October 30, 2020
Folks Ask Us All the Time--What Can I Do with My MALAS Degree? Here's One Response: Teach Killer Classes at Humboldt State University
Thursday, September 24, 2020
The International Mothership for MALAS, the Association for Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, is Holding its Fall 2020 Conference ... And You're Invited!
Our 2020 @aglsp Conference is on the Horizon! Register NOW and don't miss out! This year’s conference will be held in a virtual format.
— AGLSP (@AglspC) September 25, 2020
conference schedule https://t.co/DhZNiTK0wp
Register: https://t.co/i5fMw0mVv4https://t.co/F6xZSbOG4m#aglsp2020 pic.twitter.com/J7bqcQcuQ7
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Friday, April 17, 2020
Thursday, April 16, 2020
A Public Lecture by the Director of the MALAS Program at SDSU, The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Professor William Nericcio (with Professor Roy Whitaker, Religious Studies, SDSU)
"Things We Do Not Talk About When Thinking About Daniel Olivas's THINGS WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT: Latinx Spirituality in the Age of Hate." A public lecture on April 14, 2020 at SDSU with Professors Roy Whitaker and Bill Nericcio. You can consult high resolution versions of the Zoom graphic slides here: https://bit.ly/nericcio-on-olivas