Course Syllabus
Quest for Utopia
General Education; Human Behavior
0824, Section 1, CRN 56936
Fall 2025
Instructor: Sonja Crafts
Syllabus PDF
The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.
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Basic Course Information
General Education*
This course fulfills the General Education area of Human Behavior.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Quest for Utopia! We’ll be spending the semester together exploring the foundational theory of Utopianism, analyzing novels depicting fictional dystopias and utopias, and learning about real-world attempts at creating utopian communities, including their successes and shortcomings, in an effort to understand how examining the pursuit of an ideal society can help us better our own flawed one.
Meeting Time and Location
Tuesdays/Thursdays, 12:30-1:50 PM; Mazur Room 24
Emergency Meetings
In the event that we are unable to meet in person, such as due to bad weather, expect a Canvas announcement providing guidance on how to complete in-class work remotely.
Students are to register for the TUAlert System to be made aware of University closures due to weather or other emergency situations and follow all additional university-wide emergency instructions. Students can register for this system on the Campus Safety Services website.
Instructor Information
My Name:
Sonja Crafts, MFA
Associate Adjunct Professor, English
My pronouns are she/her.
Instructor Biography
I studied English and Philosophy as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh and Creative Writing as a graduate student at Temple. I currently live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I look forward to being your instructor!
My Contact Information
Please reach out to me at any time for assistance with the course or just to chat about the field or navigating university life. The best way to reach me is to send me a message through the Canvas inbox or email me at sonja.crafts@temple.edu. I will generally respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. Please do not send a follow-up email before 24 hours have passed.]
My Office
Mazur Room 927
Student Drop-In Hours
Seeking out individual assistance from the instructor is a normal part of the learning process. I set aside Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30-12:30 for you to come to my office with no appointment necessary. We can discuss the course content, your progress on the assessments, your future in the field, or anything else you need to talk about. If my regular Drop-In Hours don’t fit your schedule, please email me to make an appointment. I want to help you succeed!]
Purpose of the Course
Overall Purpose
This General Education Human Behavior course expands the breadth of your knowledge and skills, adding to the depth acquired in your major. This course supports the development of key academic skills essential for college success. These include critical thinking, the ability to evaluate ideas and arguments logically; contextualized learning and reflective learning, understanding concepts within broader historical, cultural, or social frameworks through personal and analytical writing; and interdisciplinary thinking—drawing connections across fields of study. Throughout the course, students will also strengthen their communication skills, apply scientific and quantitative reasoning when interpreting evidence or models, and further develop information literacy skills. Finally, the course also promotes civic engagement by examining the role of individuals and communities in social systems.
Overview of the Course
The concept of utopia—a better or more just society—has existed for centuries, but utopia has never been achieved. In fact, both imaginary and historical utopias often devolve into dystopia—a worse or unjust society. This course examines utopia and dystopia in literature, philosophy, and history, focusing on the complex relationships between individual and community.
NOTE: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) GenEd requirement. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed English 0924.
3 Credit Hours
Learning Goals
Upon successful completion of this General Education course, you will be able to…
- Apply philosophical concepts and analyses to their own experiences and to the experiences of others to better understand the complexity of what it means to be human.
- Research and analyze the relationship between individual and community in various utopian schemes, both imaginary and historical.
- Recognize the close relationship between utopia and dystopia, especially where dystopias critique utopian ideals.
- Understand the central role of fiction in articulating both utopian ideals and dystopian warnings.
- Combine research, analysis, and knowledge of utopian/dystopian fiction in academic writing.
The Learning Environment
How Class Will Be Conducted
Most class sessions will combine a brief lecture and one or more learning activities based upon the assigned reading for the day. At the beginning of most classes there will be an open-notes mini-graded essay (quiz) or annotation check. You are expected to complete the preparatory reading, video, or podcast assignment AND take notes in a separate notebook before coming to class in order to ensure that we can all engage in an informed dialogue.
Classroom Civility
It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse.
Treat your classmates and instructor with respect in all communication, class activities, and meetings. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea, but you are not to attack an individual. Please consider that sarcasm, humor, and slang can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Profanity should be avoided as should the use of all capital letters when composing responses in discussion threads, which can be construed as “shouting” online. Remember to be careful with your own and others' privacy. In general, have your behavior mirror how you would like to be treated by others.
For more information, please visit the IDEAL website.
Materials
Required course materials are available from the Follett Bookstore at Temple University, but may be purchased, rented, or borrowed independently, as you see fit.
For this course, the cost range, including all books, online access fees, expenses, and other materials, is approximately $25-$50.
Required Materials
This is an analog-based class. Physical copies of all listed books are required. You may use any suitable edition. If a reading in a book is due that day, bring that book to class. If a reading is posted on Canvas, you only need to bring your notes (though you are welcome to print readings!).
Required Books
- Plato, The Republic
- Thomas More, Utopia
- Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward
- Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed
In addition to the above required books, you’ll need:
- A notebook or binder with lined paper
- Writing instruments
- A device (laptop, tablet, etc.) to access Canvas and posted materials outside of class (No devices will be needed or allowed in class without an accommodation letter)
Links to other required readings, videos, etc., will be supplied electronically in Canvas in the appropriate module. These items will be provided to you at no additional cost.
Accessibility
It is important to me that every student has the opportunity to succeed in this course. Please reach out to me if any obstacle is in the way of your success.
Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) located in the Howard Gittis Student Center South, 4th Floor at drs@temple.edu or 215-204-1280 to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential. Students can learn more about the accommodation process and pre-register on the DRS website. Students may register at any time during the semester, but accommodations are not active until you register, so I recommend doing so as early in the semester as possible.
Information regarding accessibility for additional technologies is provided below:
Resources and Support
Sometimes the biggest factors impacting student success are things happening beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Temple provides a wide array of resources both to help you overcome academic challenges and those not directly related to the educational challenges of the course. Please reach out to me if you need help deciding which resources might be right for you.
Undergraduate Research Support
Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry is in operation, as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.
Library Resources
Temple University Libraries provide resources to assist Temple students with their class projects and research needs. Visit the Libraries’ website to find millions of articles, books, video, and other resources, both in print and online.
This library guide developed for our course will be used for the following assignments:
The site also provides tutorials to help you start your research, as well as subject and course research guides to help you identify resources that may be particularly useful for this class.
Contact the library at any stage of the research process. You can chat with a librarian 24/7 or make an appointment with your subject librarian, who can help you explore a topic, craft a research question, and identify and cite sources.
Course Schedule
Schedule of Assignments is subject to change. Please see Canvas for updates.
Unit I — The “Ideal Place”
Foundational Utopian Theory
Week 1
- Tues, Aug 26: Course Introduction
- Thurs, Aug 28: Utopia Intro Readings & Videos (on Canvas)
Week 2
- Tues, Sept 2: Plato, Republic Book II
- Thurs, Sept 4: Republic Book IV
Week 3
- Tues, Sept 9: Republic Book V
- Thurs, Sept 11: Republic Book VII
Week 4
- Tues, Sept 16: More’s Utopia, front matter (including map)
- Thurs, Sept 18: Utopia Book I
Week 5
- Tues, Sept 23: Utopia Book II, Part 1 (stop at “Slaves”)
- Thurs, Sept 25: Utopia Book II, Part 2 (to end)
Week 6
- Tues, Sept 30: Selected Utopian Theory Readings (Canvas)
- Thurs, Oct 2: Midterm Essay Exam (In class)
Unit II — Utopias and Dystopias
Literary Interpretations
Week 7
- Tues, Oct 7: Bellamy, Looking Backward – Front Matter–Ch. 7
- Thurs, Oct 9: Looking Backward Ch. 8–12
Week 8
- Tues, Oct 14: Looking Backward Ch. 13–22
- Thurs, Oct 16: Looking Backward Ch. 23–end
Week 9
- Tues, Oct 21: Le Guin, The Dispossessed Ch. 1–3
- Thurs, Oct 23: The Dispossessed Ch. 4–5
Week 10
- Tues, Oct 28: The Dispossessed Ch. 6–7
- Thurs, Oct 30: The Dispossessed Ch. 8–9
Week 11
- Tues, Nov 4: The Dispossessed Ch. 10–end
- Thurs, Nov 6: Final Project Proposal Due + Group presentation selection (in class)
Unit III — Intentional Communities and Micro-Utopias
Studying “Utopia” in Practice
Week 12
- Tues, Nov 11: Group Project Prep + Living Utopia (Film Screening)
- Thurs, Nov 13: Group Project Prep + Living Utopia (Film Screening)
Week 13 — Utopian Community Group Presentations
- Tues, Nov 18: Presentations
- Thurs, Nov 20: Presentations
Week 14 — Thanksgiving Break
- Tues, Nov 25: No class
- Thurs, Nov 27: No class
Week 15
- Tues, Dec 2: Peer Review “Draft” due, Final Project Workshop
- Thurs, Dec 4: Final Wrap-Up + Course Reflection
Finals Week: Final Project Due TBD
Grading & Assessment Guidelines
Grading Scale
|
Percentage |
Letter Grade |
|---|---|
|
94-100 |
A |
|
90-93 |
A- |
|
87-89 |
B+ |
|
84-86 |
B |
|
80-83 |
B- |
|
77-79 |
C+ |
|
74-76 |
C |
|
70-73 |
C- |
|
67-69 |
D+ |
|
64-66 |
D |
|
61-63 |
D- |
|
0-60 |
F |
Course Minimum Grade*
A grade of “C-” or better is required in all GenEd courses for you to satisfy a General Education requirement.
I will do my best to warn you if you are in danger of not meeting this minimum, but you should reach out to me if you become worried about not achieving the minimum needed grade.
Assessment Summary
The assessments in this course have been created for two reasons: (1) For you to demonstrate your progress towards the learning goals for the course and receive useful feedback. (2) For you to practice skills and develop ways of thinking that will be of use to you in the future.
|
Grading Item |
Due Date |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
|
Unit 1 (Mid-term) In-class Essay |
October 2 |
15% |
|
Utopian Community Group Presentation |
Week 13 |
15% |
|
Final Project Peer Review "Draft" |
Dec 2 |
10% |
|
Final Project |
Finals Week |
30% |
|
Reading Checks |
Ongoing |
20% |
|
Participation and Reflection Activities |
Ongoing |
10% |
More information on each assessment will be provided approximately three weeks before their due date.
When planning your semester, I recommend adding all due dates to your calendar. For the more extensive assessments, I recommend scheduling at least two separate hour-long work/study sessions per week for the two weeks before the due date. The final project will require more time. You should schedule time beginning just after the midterm.
Late Submissions/Missed Exams & Quizzes
Reading Checks are done in class and cannot be made up unless you have a valid, documented excuse. However, your two lowest Reading Check scores will automatically be dropped.
Your final project should be submitted by the due date, at the beginning of class, for full credit. Late projects will be docked 10% per day starting from the minute after assignments are collected. Extensions can only be granted in the case of extenuating circumstances that can be documented.
Any other work due throughout the semester will not be accepted late, unless you have a valid extenuating circumstance.
Class Attendance & Participation
Your attendance and participation are expected at all our class meetings. You may miss up to two class sessions with no explanation needed. After that, additional absences will require a valid, written, and verifiable excuse (e.g., doctor’s note). Use your two free absences wisely—save them for when you really need them.
The classroom is an inherently social environment where we are all mutually responsible for each other’s learning. I encourage you to make friends so that, in the event that you must miss class, you can borrow someone’s notes for the session. Furthermore, if you miss class, we lose your perspective in classroom discussions and learning activities. If unforeseen circumstances cause you to miss multiple sessions, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the situation.
School-Life Conflict
Many unpredictable things can happen over the course of a semester. If you find yourself struggling to balance your education and your other commitments, please reach out to me immediately so that we can work together to build a plan for your success. Some of the resources in the next section may also be of use to you.
Attendance and Your Health
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is your responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you can, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.
Religious Holidays
It is your right to observe religious holidays without impacting your opportunity to learn and succeed in this course. Please reach out to me at the start of the semester so that deadlines can be reviewed in advance of your religious observations. You will still be held responsible for course content and any assignments, but you will not lose points for attendance and participation on days important to your faith.
Caregiver Responsibilities
I have great respect for students who are pursuing their education while responsible for the care of children or other family members. Please contact me if you encounter challenges that require you to miss a class session or if your caregiving responsibilities are interfering with your success in the course. Together, we may be able to find some flexibility to support your learning.
Withdrawal
If you are considering withdrawing from the course after the add/drop date, please don’t make that decision alone! Withdrawing from the course without talking to me first eliminates the possibility of finding a path to success for you. Furthermore, it is extremely important that you consult your academic advisor before withdrawing. They will be able to walk you through how the withdrawal would impact your progress towards your degree and your graduation date.
Please check the academic calendar for the last day to withdraw from a course.
Incomplete
A student will be eligible for a grade of “Incomplete” only if the student: 1) has completed at least 51% of the work at a passing level, 2) is unable to complete the work for a serious reason beyond their control, and 3) files a signed agreement with the instructor outlining the work to be completed and the time frame in which that work will be completed. The student is responsible for initiating this process, and all incomplete forms must be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of study days in that semester.
Please refer to the following for further details: Temple University’s Incomplete Policy. (Policy #02.10.13).
Technology Guidelines
Technology Requirements
We won't utilize technology much. However, to participate in this course, you will still need the equipment, software, and internet access necessary to reliably use Canvas, as well as “productivity tools” like word processors and slide show creators.
Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi access, should submit a Student Technology Assistance Application located in TUPortal and linked from the Dean of Students Support and Resources. The University will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.
Note that there are technology resources available for students, including on-campus computers available for student use, the Tech Center computer labs and free laptop and battery borrowing at Charles Library, software that is available for free download and other specialty software that may be available for remote access through ITS.
Technical Support
For a listing of technical support services available to Temple University students, see the Tech Support page.
Live Chat or Request Help: help.temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-8000
Email: help@temple.edu
Website: its.temple.edu
Location: The TECH Center, Room 106
Technology Usage
Except in the case of emergency circumstances, you will never need a cell phone in class. Put it away for the duration of the class to avoid being marked absent--no exceptions.
Laptops and other devices will be rarely used. You may bring one to class, but unless asked, please keep them stored during the entire class period. Do not use devices to take notes for credit or in class--there will be no need for this. All notes should be taken by hand in a notebook.
Privacy and Data Protection
Please see the links below to become familiar with the privacy policies for each of the following:
AI Policies
The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot, etc.) are not permitted in this class; therefore, any use of AI tools for work in this class may be considered a violation of Temple University’s Academic Honesty policy and Student Conduct Code, since the work is not your own. If I suspect that you utilize AI tools to do classwork that is meant to allow me to assess your learning, I will—at my sole discretion—have you repeat that work during my office hours in my presence for partial credit or give you a zero on the assignment. If the use of AI is found to be significant or widespread throughout your assignments, you will fail the course.
Why is this so important? The purpose of college is to learn, and in most cases, AI inhibits learning processes, including the development of critical thinking and communication skills and the commitment of knowledge to permanent memory. It does this because its main purpose is to create shortcuts. Learning takes time, repetition, and can, in fact, be tedious; AI may make completing work faster, but it can’t learn for you.
This class is specifically designed to facilitate learning and the development of critical thinking skills, not for you to simply complete tasks for grades.
Academic Guidelines
Academic Freedom
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. I have the freedom and responsibility to design and facilitate our learning environment to best achieve the promise of the course as outlined in its official description. You have the responsibility to engage with the course in good faith and freedom from mistreatment when your opinion differs from mine. Note that it is not an abuse of this freedom for me to require that you support relevant opinions with clear argumentation and solid evidence. For more on academic freedom, consult the official Temple policy on the matter.
Academic Integrity
Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. All work you submit for assessment should be your own efforts. For more on this topic, consult the relevant portions of Temple Bulletin and the Student Conduct Code.