For the Outline and Final Research Project (ALL)

Given that you all are developing your outlines and Final Research Projects (FRP), it is imperative that you all clearly know what I am looking for, for each section of your FRP. What follows is an outline that contains the particulars that I am looking for, which will ensure maximum points (but, be sure to put what follows in your own specific-words in your outlines):

Section One: Introduction to Philosophy
1. Clearly define philosophy.
2. Introduce the reader to MEAL and BWRITES.
3. Write about what does and/or does not work for you in philosophy, focused on (hopefully) how it can work for you in the future (academically and/or professionally).

Section Two: The History of Philosophy
1. Review the history of philosophy, as framed by Law (Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern and Modern).
Note: Be sure to (a) integrate the interventions of Obenga (into Ancient section) and Magee (the whole framework) into this section to develop your analysis; (b) clearly distinguish what aspects of MEAL each section and/or each thinker is focused on; and (c) make sure your voice, via criticism ("SAC" but SAC that is not restrictive but "free," what works and what does not work), is privileged throughout the text.

Section Three: The Emergence of Africana Philosophy
1. Tell the story of the Africana World (see BBC and Azevedo).
2. Tell the story of Race (PBS and BBC Webcast), and Race and Philosophy (Eze).
3. Clearly define Africana Philosophy (Harris and Outlaw and where it fits within MEAL) and the various streams (voices) in the discourse. Also, be sure that your criticism, reactions to the texts, are clear throughout your analysis. I do not just want summary!
4. Feature the praxis of one thinker, focused on their big ideas and practices and your reactions to it-- as in, your arguments demonstrating why you agree and do not agree with it.

Section Four: Your Philosophy
1. According to you what is the nature of existence (metaphysics)?
2. How do you know what exists (epistemology)?
3. What is your core value (axiology)?
4. What is your praxis (praxis)?
5. Feature a critical analysis of one key philosopher.
Note: This section presupposes that you know and are comfortable working within the framework of MEAL. If not, consult the former blogs and resources that covers the meaning of MEAL. Also, be sure that you clearly develop each section of this section in a clear and compelling fashion.

Section Five: Special Topic
1. Develop a clear and concrete research question.
2. Clearly determine and express why you value your question and/or why knowing about it matters.
3. Make sure you express your text within the framework of a well developed Critique-- Intro-Thesis, Body (with critical analysis, "SAC," etc.) and Conclusion, privileging your voice.

To do well on your FRP, keep the following interventions in mind if you want to ensure success: (1) reach out to your Learning Community members if you have any questions and responsibly edit each other's texts; (2) reach out to me if you have any questions about the FRP (in class, office hours, blog, e-mail); (3) take advantage of the learning/writing centers that are available to you to help you help yourself (on writing well, ENDNOTES!!!, etc.)

Note: (1) Naturally, one can utilize the abovementioned framework as a guide to your outlines of sections one through three that are due. However, you must fill in the blanks. In other words, rewriting the abovementioned texts in your own words will not work, unless and until you fill in the blanks with respect to how you will be developing each section. (2) Do not forget that the early critiques that we wrote this term cover sections one through two of your FRP. Just clearly structure each section of your FRP, cut, paste, edit and integrate former Critiques into your FRP and make it work.

For the Last Week of Class (All)

Note: For PGCC students "2215" (M@6), our last day of class will be May 5, 2008; and PGCC students "2205" (MWF@12) our last day of class will be May 7, 2008. Taking these matters into account, the forthcoming texts are matters that are to be incorporated into your Final Research Projects (FRP).

The work that is posted below pertains to the last week of materials that I will be posting for our classes (for all BSU students the last day of class is Monday, May 12, 2008). It is being posted below for one primary reason, to help you all develop your section three outlines of your FRP (due this coming Monday April 28, 2008). As such, preview (you are not being asked to read) the following materials so that you can (1) incorporate them into your outlines that are due this coming Monday and (2) you may want to concentrate on one of the following thinkers or texts in section three of your FRP.

Week 14

• Gathering Africana Philosophy, cont.

1. For Monday: Read bell hook’s text “Black Women Shaping Feminist Theory” (Eze).
2. For Wednesday: Read Cornel West’s “Prophetic Pragmatism” (class handout in first week of class) OR watch a webcast of him talking about his text Democracy Matters, 9-11 and Justice.
3. For your FRP: Familiarize yourselves with the the United Nations' (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and read the former Secretary General (SG) of the UN Kofi Annan’s “Executive Summary” of his text In Larger Freedom. No outlines will be due for this week, just be sure that the above-listed texts are represented in your FRP, and be ready for a 3min Learning Assessment, or two...

Optional Resources

For those that want to learn more about the work of bell hooks, the aspirations of the former SG Kofi Annan and/or want to learn more about the philosophy of cosmopolitanism (Universal Citizenship), do not hesitate to view the following resources:

• For those that want to see/hear bell hooks talk about cultural criticism, do not hesitate to watch the following webcast, by clicking here (note, this is an eight part webcast, to start from number one, click "Pt 1" on the right hand column)!
• SG Kofi Annan’s December 11, 2006 “Farewell Address” to the UN at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum.
• View the first 15 minutes of the UN webcast , on June 5, 2006, “Identity in the 21^st Century” featuring conversations between SG Kofi Annan, Nobel Laurette, economist and philosopher Amartya Sen and philosopher and cultural analyst Kwame Appiah.
  
• Read Kwame Appiah's, January 1, 2006, New York Times article on cosmopolitanism "The Case for Contamination."
  

For Week 13

*Note: For PGCC students "2215" (M, 6 - 9pm), the following assignments are posted for you all to address after our class this coming Monday (4.28.08). Essentially, you all do not have to do any new readings for this coming Monday, other than what has already been assigned. Also, everyone's WELL DEVELOPED Final Research Project (FRP) outlines of sections one (Introduction to Philosophy), two ("The" History of Philosophy) and three (The Emergence of Africana Philosophy) are due on Monday.

Week 13

Gathering Africana Philosophy, cont.

• For Monday: Read the last chapter of Kwame Nkrumah’s text (1965) “Neocolonialism, the Last State of Imperialism;" read excerpt from Frantz Fannon’s “Wretched of the Earth” (Eze). Optional! For those that would like to learn more about the Cold War, political and economic, challenges that Nkrumah faced in Ghana, do not hesitate to see the BBC webcast below, "Black Power"...

• For Wednesday: Read about what Dr. King called the “Triple Evils” plaguing humanity (War, Poverty and Racism); listen/view/read Dr. King's "infamous" (1967) address “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence;" and read about Dr. King’s axiological conception of “The Beloved Community."
• For Friday: Listen to Malcolm X’s speech (Warning! this speech may be interpreted as very offensive and provocative, due to the occasional use of sensational language, as such, listening to this audiocast is optional, but representative of a very influential stream in Africana praxis of old and new) “Message to the Grassroots” OR read the charter of his political organization the “Program of the Organization of Afro-American Unity;" and read the "10 Point Program" of the Black Panther Party (BPP). Instead of turning in an outline for this week, be ready to take a Learning Assessment on the week's texts and focus your energies on turning in an optional draft of your FRP for review and five extra credit points on Monday (May 5, 2008).
  

Optional Resources

• For those that would like to learn more about the political, economic and conceptual emergence of "Black Power," do not hesitate to either listen to (the audiocast) or read a transcription of the the grounding text by the Pan-Africanist Kwame Ture (formerly Stokely Carmichael) on "Black Power."
  
• For those that would like to learn more about the BPP, do not hesitate to view the following webcast of Bobby Seal, the co-founder of the BPP organization, speaking in 2005 about the origins, values and ideals of the BPP: