Summary:
For this assignment, you will write a response to the filmed talk The environmental costs of tar sand development: Building Mordor and consider the following in formulating your response to the film:
2) How does Starhawk see systems of power operating? What are the consequences of the current balance of power and what would the consequences be if the systems of power were to shift?
3) Does colonization figure prominently? Explain how it manifests itself and what the consequences are.
4) Whose voices are most prominent in the discussion of tar sand development? How might applying a feminist theory of gender impact whose voice you hear most consistently?
5) What are the impacts of all of these in the ‘real world’? How might tar sands development affect women differently than men, and the colonizer than the colonized?
6) Has Starhawk’s talk changed how you understand the environment? Explain.
Your paper will be 8-10 pages in length. You may write in the first person, however, you must adhere to the standards of an academic paper; you must properly cite sources, and spelling, grammar, etc. will all impact your grade. You do not have to answer each question formally, however, they are meant to guide your analysis of the film so they will be important to consider as you formulate your response.
Format
Include the title of your critique, your name, class, and date
Body of paper
Notes
References or sources cited in the paper
Objective(s) of the paper)
You should open with a thesis statement wherein you make clear the intentions of the paper. Included in the introduction is a statement of the structure of your paper or how you plan on carrying out your thesis statement. Finally you should include an indication of the kinds of sources you will engage. The thesis statement should not exceed one to two pages. Your statement is one you will have to argue to support and cannot assume is self-evident or obvious.
Argumentative Content
The next part of your paper will be an engagement of your thesis statement. It should be well organized and supported with citations from the sources you use. Do not give extensive quotes from your sources. Rather, you should paraphrase ideas your sources and cite your source with page numbers, e.g., (Harding 1989, 2). This will be the bulk of your paper.
Summary Statement
The final part of your critique will be a summary that restates your argument. You will not simply repeat the thesis statement, but will demonstrate how you have answered the thesis question. This should amount to at least one page of your text.
Citations
Please use a style manual and include it in your references.
Citing the Web
- Source documents that are found in on-line journals, academic websites and including material found on the course website are acceptable. You must, however, provide the URL where you found the material, and indicate the date of retrieval.
- Statistical information pertinent to specific organizations or to their areas of expertise provided that the information comes from the web page of the organization itself. Thus for instance if the Amnesty International web page provides information about persecution of women in United States, you may use that information. If, however, someone’s personal web page claims to provide such information, you may not use it, at least not without finding external verification.
Language
Inclusive language is increasingly the norm in academic writing in English. When you are referring to human beings in general, therefore, attempt to do so in such a way that both genders are grammatically indicated. “They” is increasingly an acceptable singular neuter pronoun; “s/he” is acceptable as well. Do not use “Man” or “Mankind” to denote the human race unless of course you are critically engaging the term. On the other hand, when the reality to which you are referring is exclusive, by all means reflect that in your language. Thus, e.g., references to Roman Catholic priests can quite appropriately take the masculine pronoun or the general noun “men,” because, in fact, all Catholic priests are men.
