RALPH BAUER
Visiting Associate Professor
Department of Spanish and Portuguese
New York University,
New York, New York 10003-4556
13 University Place, 4th floor
New York, New York 10003-4556
Phone: 212.998.8780
E-Mail: rb137@nyu.edu
website: "http://homepages.nyu.edu/~rb137/"
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Literature, Science, and Empire across the Eighteenth-Century Americas

  1. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

    In this course, we will approach the long eighteenth century from a circum-Atlantic and comparative point of view by focusing on trans-national scientific debates and networks across the imperial boundaries of the Spanish, French, and British empires in the Americas. The issues to which we will pay special attention include the role that empire and the New World played in the conceptualization of some of the basic ideas of the Enlightenment; the rationalization of colonial difference in debates about creolization and “race;” and the epistemological underpinnings of eighteenth-century literary-generic formations and transformations. For this purpose, we will read primary texts originally written in English, as well as Spanish and French. Reading knowledge of Spanish and French is beneficial but not essential. Texts not originally written in English will be made available in translation. Students from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese will be expected to read Spanish language texts in the original and to write their papers in Spanish. Assignments will include one in-class presentation, one book review on a recent historical or critical work, as well as one 25-30 page seminar paper that shows promise for further development and eventual publication. Primary readings include texts by Joseph-Marie Dégerando, Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa, Alonso Carrió de la Vandera, William Byrd, Thomas Jefferson, and Olaudah Equiano, and Juan Francisco Manzano.

  2. TEXTS

    1. On order at the NYU Bookstore
      • Thomas Jefferson, The Portable Thomas Jefferson
      • J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer and Sketches of Eighteenth-Century America
      • Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative
      • Juan Francisco Manzano, Autobiography of a Slave
      • William Byrd, Histories of the Dividing Line
      • Carrió de la Vandera, El lazarillo de ciegos caminantes
      • Phyllis Wheatley, Complete Writings
      • Wendy Martin, ed., Colonial American Travel Narratives
      • Additional readings will be made available electronically via the on-line syllabus.

  3. REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

    1. Presentation (20%)

    Once during the semester, you will be in charge of initiating the discussion on one of the secondary readings assigned for that day. Your presentation may be the foundation of your book review (see below), You should be prepared to talk for about 10-15 minutes and offer some questions for discussion.

    2. Seminar Paper (40%)

    One 25 (+) page seminar paper on a primary text dealing with some topical, historical, or theoretical aspect of this course. I will be happy to discuss your ideas with you individually and read/critique early drafts that you might want to produce.

    3. Book Review (20%)

    One 5-7 page book review. Your review should contain two parts: (a) a book review following the conventions of this academic genre in the humanities; and (b) an application part, pointing out possible and hypothetical implications of this book to one of the primary texts we are reading in this class. This paper will be due no later than one week after you have presented on the book you are reviewing. Ideally, this review paper should assist you in generating ideas, providing perspectives, etc. for your seminar paper.

    4. Participation (20%)

    On days when you are not presenting or leading discussions, you will be expected to participate.