One of my obsessions is reading syllabi. I like to go online and find syllabi from college and university courses and read them just for the fun of it. I like to investigate all the wonderful courses that are being taught in universities around the world. I also like to imagine writing my own syllabi. I have found that I can take any syllabus from a course on difference and adapt the language to fit what I would envision as a course I'd like to take on autistic studies.
For example, in the syllabus below I have stolen an online syllabus from a course on sexual difference and literature and I have then changed some of the wording to describe an imagined course on autistic difference and literature:
“Autistic Difference and Narrative”
There is an abundant corpus of prose fiction that represents the ways in which autistic cognition diverges from the norm. This literature challenges our perceptions of consciousness and offers alternative channels in which autistic characters can express themselves and, consequently, in which readers experience the world from an autistic perspective.
Autistic memoirs and autobiographies display characters who deviate from conventional cognitive abilities and perceptions. Such literary constructs of cognitive difference provide alternative and sometimes unorthodox narrative models, literary choices involving discourse, structure, relationships between characters, and narrative strategies. The narratives that give voice to these characters often exhibit equally ‘deviant’ tactics. Some of the techniques stem from a postmodern outlook (e.g., disjointed narrative, incoherent narrative, varied narratives, etc.) and as such are not necessarily products of the cognitive particularities of these characters. However, one must wonder why the author chooses to use such a narrative. Narrative technique arises from the requirements of the fictional or authobioghraphical content. Coupling such narrative techniques with the alternative nature of the autist allows for a multifaceted analysis of structure and content, an essential cornerstone of literary analysis.
The course will investigate the literary representation and expression of autistic neurodiversity. A theoretical background that complements specific texts will be read and discussed in appropriate relation to specific texts. Theory and literary criticism will combine to produce an analysis that takes into consideration the variants offered in terms of autistic characterization and narrative strategy.....
Zzzzzzz...
Okay, I'm an oddball. My obession is quite goofy. I doubt there is anyone out there who is as obsessed with syllabi as I am. My theft and adaptation of academic syllabi to fit an envisioned program in autistic studies is kind of pathetic. My "adaptations" are probably not up to the standard that a university prof would write either. And yet it gives me pleasure to envision and try to create syllabi on imaginary courses that represent autistic culture!
If I could find the tuition money I would find a way to take come independent learning courses and use this process to write my own syllabi and design courses within some sort of postgraduate degree with an emphasis on autistic studies.
10 Aug 2006, 1:43 pm
But yes, they are interesting things 
