Writing, as we have discussed it thus far, exists as a conversation between authors, often separated by time and/or space. We, in the process of writing, find ideas that resonate with us, for better or ill, and come to terms with our understanding of them. And during this process, we begin to engage in the procedures that Harris describes as “Forwarding” and “Countering.”
For WA#3, your task is to either Forward or Counter a claim made by one of the essays we’ve read thus far–including the work of Min zhan-Lu, Gloria Andzaldua, or June Jordan–and utilizing the frame of Mary Louise Pratt’s contact zones. Your essay should leave a reader clear as to the contact zone this author used, as well as how you are forwarding or countering the proposition raised by your selected author.
However, I do want to be very clear about one matter. If you choose to counter a proposition outlined by one of these authors, the goal should still be to showcase something useful or illuminating about the work. We are not looking to denigrate the work of these authors, especially on account of how personal many of the topics discussed are for each respectively. If you wish to counter, I will expect you to discuss your plans with me first, in order to make sure we are moving forward in a productive manner.
