Project 2 Introduction

For project 2, we’ll be examining Seattle's “International District” or I.D., an area that has historically incorporated many names and roles, reflecting changes in immigration patterns, local power and civic identity: Chinatown, Japantown, Little Saigon, the center of Seattle’s post-World War II jazz scene, and plain old “home” for many in Seattle’s Asian-American community. This time, our focus is the built environment—how it reflects the history of the people who lived and live there.

We’ll read about the geographic development of the area and its specific history, with a particular focus on how Japanese American internment during World War II affected the district. Then we’ll put this neighborhood history into national and international context, so we can understand how Seattle’s International District reflects ideas, drives and pressures far beyond its borders. During this study of the International District as a whole, you will begin individual research on a single sample of the built environment--a site such as a building or part of a building, bridge, street, monument or park in the neighborhood. Your research will culminate in two products: 1) an artifact collection of 10-15 found objects from, in, of and around the site, with captions that help us understand the objects as signs of the site in the present and an accompanying I.D. map, and 2) a 5-page essay about the site, using the objects and other sources as evidence to support a claim about what the site tells us about International District history. Our goal is to collectively build a more detailed history of the International District, one site at a time.


PROJECT 2 SCHEDULE

2.25
De-brief biography assignment and discuss summary.
Introduce project 2. Read thumbnail history of ID.
HW: Post biographical summaries on course blog.
Read Colasurdo (CR) and Kaneko (CR).

2.27
Discuss Colasurdo, journalistic objectivity and “academic argument.” Discuss Kaneko.
HW: Read Sone (CR).

2.29
Panama Hotel Café ($5).
Compare Kaneko to Sone. Tour #1 of I.D.
HW: List possible sites in ID. Read Zia (CR) and respond to study questions. I.D. map.

3.3
Discuss Zia. Share site possibilities.
HW: Using sources, add I.D. timeline events to timeline in CR. Read Choy (CR).

3.5
Discuss Choy. How do you write an argumentative history essay? Discuss schedules.
HW: Read Jackson, “The Public Landscape” (old CR).

3.7
Panama Hotel Café ($5).
Sign up for conferences.
Discuss Jackson.
Tour #2 of I.D.
HW: over break, begin your research and prepare for your conference. I.D. map.

3.10-3.14
SPRING BREAK

3.17
NO CLASS—CONFERENCES

3.19
NO CLASS—CONFERENCES

3.21
NO CLASS—RESEARCH DAY

3.24
ARTIFACT COLLECTION DUE
See guidelines above.
Share artifact stories and I.D. maps.

3.26
Essay draft for peer review.

3.28
FINAL ESSAY DUE
See guidelines above.