For Wednesday: The Southern Blogosphere

Remember, your proposal for a possible final project topic are due on Wednesday.

But also: I'd like you begin to review some of the interesting, bizarre, and downright offensive manifestations of southern identity I've been able to find online. I'd like you to scan each of these blogs, then select one that interests you most. Read through that blog more closely, and be ready to talk about it in class. Among the things you'll want to be able to address:

• how do you think the individual or group defines "the South"?
• who is his/her/their audience?
• does the blog offer a consistent visual style? If so, how is that style related to the type of southern identity that the blog offers?
  
• in what sorts of topics and/or debates is the blog interested?
• finally, look for fallacies and be able to identify.
  

Once you've selected a favorite site or blog, I recommend that you find out something about the organization or individual who maintains it. A quick Google search ought to be sufficient.

Here's the list:

Food

• Dixiedining's Weblog

Music

• Radio Cure: "A Music Blog From Down South"
• Southern Shelter: a music blog from Athens, GA.

Politics & Policy

• Skeptical Brotha
• Facing South
• ThinkSouth

The Politics of Southern Identity

• Edward Sebesta's Anti-Neo-Confederate blog
• "Rebellion"--the blog from DixieNet.org/the League of the South
• The Southern War Room

Humor

• Red State Update
  
  

Feel free to add any to the list. I didn' t includes sports here, because a) they are simply too many, and b) these largely cater to the particular interests of a particular fanbase. However, if you find a sports-related blog that you believe is either informed by or articulates a consistent sense of southern identity, feel free to talk about it.

Shakespeare Riots

In at least one section Friday, many of you were interested by brief reference to the so-called "Shakespeare Riots." In 1846, a violent uprising was born of an ongoing dispute between fans of the eminent British actor William Charles Macready and those of his upstart American rival, Edwin Forrest. By the end of it, the National Guard had taken to the streets of Manhattan, and 26 people were dead--"largest loss of civilian life due to military action since the American Revolution," according to this Boston Globe article.

If you're interested in all this, check this NPR story. This, of course, has no direct connection to the topics of our class, other than to point out that the pernicious and commonplace distinctions between "high" or elite culture and "low" or popular culture are not inflexible, but rather, are always shifting.

NY Times on Ole Miss as Debate Host

Worth reading....and critiquing.

Read it here.

This week's blog topic...

I apologize for submitting this so late!

As students at Georgia Tech, the preeminent institution of industrial and technological pursuit in the South, you should have responded strongly to the Twelve Southerners' Statement of Principles; as members of the human race, you should have been stirred by Dr. King's appeal for human rights and justice.

For this week's essay, I'd like you to reflect on the idea of Progress as it relates to the South generally, a southern place specifically, or southern identity. You can respond to something in the readings from King and/or the Agrarians, or you can go off on your own.

The only requirement: you must add a pin to the map, and that pin should be relevant to your posting.

Friday's Presidential Debate at Ole Miss

W. Ralph Eubanks has a great op-ed in today's Washington Post regarding the historical significance of Ole Miss's role as host to the first presidential debate between McCain & Obama. Definitely worth reading.

For Next Week

Ok everyone: on Monday, we'll discuss the essays posted under the "RESOURCES" section of T-Square: the "Statement of Principles" offered by the Twelve Southerners (1930) & Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" (1963). I'll also post links to them here

On Wednesday, we'll be back in Confederates in the Attic. The only thing: we'll be zooming through it--Chapters 6-8. That will be a longer reading that normal (62 pages, I think), so you'll want to use the weekend to get ahead.

For Friday

Read Ch 5 in Everything's an Argument.

Blog #4 Assignment

On Friday, Ms. Brown made mention of a variety of items that are all available for checkout in the library--including digital cameras, digital video cameras, and audio recorders--as well as resources like the presentation studio. For your next blog, I would like you to think about a particular problem or writing issue that you encountered in drafting, editing, and/or revising your first essay and to consider how you might have used one of these technologies to resolve it. This will require you to think in terms of WOVEN: your essay is a Written document, and so how might you have used other modes to make and support the same claim.

Here's the catch: you must use one of these technologies in your blog, and you will have to figure out how to locate in your blog WITHOUT MY HELP. A note here: you don't have to use one of the library's resources. Many of your laptops include webcams & audio recorders, and many of you have digital cameras. Heck, most of your mobile phones will do all of these things. Figure out how to record yourself, how to take a photograph or video, etc., and embed it in your blog. The library computers will have all of the software you need (most of your laptops will, too).

Note #2: "Without my help" means only help from me. Many of you will have to ask for someone to help you--Ms. Brown and the other librarians will be incredible resources. Ask your friends, your roommates, your classmates. Also: don't be afraid of the HELP function on Blogger or any other resource.

Due Friday before class.

For Monday

Submit your second drafts & read Ch. 5 in Confederates in the Attic.

Readings for Friday

You'll have peer review work to complete for Friday, but I think you'll find some readings from the EBook useful through your own revisions. I recommend:

• On revising: 1.3 Intro, a, c, d, f, and g
  
• If you are having trouble with organization, Ch. 1.2 (paragraph development) will be useful.
  

Revising from Peer Comments

Soon, you will have comments from your peers on your first drafts. If you don't know what to do with those comments or how to revise your essay, I recommend that you check out the video on the subject posted on CompClass. To find the video:

1. Sign into CompClass

2. near the top of the page, click on "COURSE MATERIALS"

3. find "WRITE ON VIDEO TUTORIALS"

4. Now click "WRITE ON VIDEO TUTORIALS: Revising with Peer Comments"

Wiki notes....

I just wanted to remind you to sign up to be a course note-taker via the Wiki on T-Square.

Slideshow: Things I've Noticed About Your Writing

For Wednesday

We'll do some peer review exercises in class. Please post your first drafts to the forum.

Also, for Monday...

Remember to post an outline via the FORUM function on T-Square.

Blog Assignment #3

Your last assignment required you to analyze an argument from Confederates in the Attic. Now, I want you to connect one or more of those arguments to your own personal experience. In your next post, you must agree or disagree with a statement or claim made by Horwitz or one of his subjects, and you must use something you have seen/heard/witnessed/experienced this semester as evidence. Don't go looking for this evidence; just rely on something that has organically occurred.

As always, I would be thrilled if you were able to supplement your writing with an artifact: a photograph, image, or video or perhaps a related link. For instance, you might take a picture of your the site of your experience--if you see a poster or billboard or building, snap a shot of it. If you hear a song on the radio, provide a link to that artist's web site; if you read a book, link to its listing on Amazon.com; if you read a relevant news article, link to that.

For Friday & Beyond

Remember: a blog post is due. See below for the topic.

For Friday, read EA Ch 6 and submit a draft of the claim that your essay will make.

The reading for Monday will be from the E-Book. We'll read sections 1.1 c, e, f, g, h, and 1.2.

Your first drafts will be due on Wednesday.

A Timely Argument

I thought the argument offered by this short film, Blood and Oil, might be worth considering this week. The title might lead you to think that its subject is conflict in the Middle East--and I think the filmmakers intend to evoke that debate. However, this is about the Louisiana coast.

Topic for Posting #2

For this assignment, I would like you to identify and explain or even evaluate an argument about the South or the Civil War offered by one of the individuals in Confederates in the Attic. Identify the claim being made, the audience being addressed, and any appeals offered in support of that claim. You should also consider the effectiveness of the argument: is it successful? Why or why not?

Due Friday before class.