Black Atlantic Altars Reflection

GOALS

By completing this assignment you will:

  • Articulate in writing your understanding of one or more the basic concepts discussed in this class so far: African diaspora religions, syncretism/hybridity/creolization, and altars.
  • Apply the concept(s) to a specific example, the Oṣun-Oṣogbo Festival as depicted in the film “Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler: Oṣun-Oṣogbo”
  • Work on the following FWIL goals:
    • Critical Reading
    • Rhetorical Discernment
    • Substantial Revision

TASKS

To complete this assignment you will do the following:

STEP ONE: FIRST DRAFT

View the film Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler: Oṣun-Oṣogbo and write a short (500 word) reflection that addresses one of the following questions by making specific references to both the film and to at least one of the class readings (see prompt for more details about this stage of the assignment): DUE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15

  1. In what way is Oṣun-Oṣogbo festival an example of an African diaspora religion? What specific people, events, or objects make you think that?
  2. How do terms of religious mixture (such as syncretism or hybridity) help to make sense of the Oṣun-Oṣogbo festival as depicted in the film? What examples of mixture can you identify (if any)?
  3. How does the Oṣun-Oṣogbo Festival fit into Thompson’s discussion of “the altar concept”?Think about how Thompson’s claims about Afro-Atlantic altars—his emphasis on divine focus, elevation, and the overcoming of time/space distinctions through religious ritual—are evident in the Oṣun-Oṣogbo festival. Pay careful attention to the spaces where the festival takes place, the varying levels of participation for different people who attend the festival engage in, and the actions that those participants engage in as part of the festival.

STEP TWO: WRITING ANALYSIS

Review your reflection and answer the following questions about your writing, with an eye towards revising your essay. Download the Worksheet ( reflection1.writing_worksheet ) and submit your responses to Professor Brennan via email. DUE THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21 by 9AM!

AUDIENCE: The intended audience for your reflection should be a member of the general public (not a member of our class) who has not competed the readings nor seen the film. Review your reflection and determine if your writing is accessible and speaks clearly to a nonspecialist public reader. Identify places to improve your writing (i.e. by providing clarification of an idea or including more background information on what is at stake in understanding a concept or example) so that it is clear and accessible to your intended audience. List THREE specific tasks you can complete to help your writing meet the expectations of your intended audience.

ARGUMENT: In answering one of the questions listed above, your reflection should take a stance towards that question. This can involve either responding directly to the question, exploring possible answers to the question, or even using your understanding of the readings and/or film to interrogate the premises of the question itself (note: this last stance is the most challenging). After reviewing your reflection, complete the following:

  • Write a one-sentence summary of the problem (in your own words) that your reflection addresses.
  • Write a one-sentence thesis statement that summarizes your stances in response to the question.
  • Brainstorm a title for your reflection that clearly and compellingly captures your stance towards the problem (you can include more than one possible title here if it helps).

EVIDENCE: Your reflection should use specific examples from the film and at least one direct quote from the readings in order to articulate your stance. After reviewing your reflection do the following:

  • List the specific examples and references to the text(s).
  • For each example/reference explain how it connects to your problem/thesis.

STEP FOUR: PEER REVIEW.

In class on Thursday we will conduct a peer-review workshop. You will receive detailed feedback from another member of the class that will help you to improve your reflection.

STEP FIVE: FINAL DRAFT.

You will revise your original reflection using the notes you made for yourself in step two of this assignment, as well as incorporating the feedback you received during the Peer Review workshop. You will post your final reflection to the blog by 11:59PM on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22.

Note: You may request an extension for this assignment. Extensions must be requested a MINIMUM of 24 hours before the paper deadline and should include a proposed new deadline.