In theory and praxis (i.e. in the selection of course materials as well as in the actual practice of our class discussions) I’m committed to mutual respect and inclusion. I honor your preferred pronouns. Sexist, racist, homophobic or ableist rhetoric is corrosive. If you disagree with a classmate’s assertion about the reading, you are encouraged to enter into constructive dialogue by focusing upon analysis of the assigned text. It is NOT productive to shut-down or not to speak up. Since literature deals with all challenging real-world topics, sometimes with language that is offensive, graphic, or classified as hate-speech, discussions of these subjects should be directly connected to the texts. This enables everyone to be on the same footing and better enables you to find common ground with each other.
