JAMES SABATA

James A. Sabata

Curriculum Vitae

Education:

English, Creative Writing, MA  - University of South Dakota - August, 2007

English, Literature, BS  - University of South Dakota - August, 2006

Professional Teaching Experience:

University of South Dakota

Published Material:

A Distant Rumor – The thesis for my MA English degree at the University of South Dakota, it is a collection of six short stories concerning death.

Unpublished Research Completed or In Progress:

Making a Man of Miles – A new historicist / Freudian look at Henry James’ classic The Turn of the Screw questioning if Miles truly dies at the end of the book.  It offers the possibility that there is a far greater monster than any ghost wandering the halls of Bly.

A Slave to Perspective - Offers that Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is actually the story of Jim and the many masks he must wear in order to survive in the South.  It demonstrates many incidents in the book where Jim is shown to change his personality and displayed intellect level based on where he is and who is around him.  This fact is not brought to the forefront, as the book is written through the eyes of Huck Finn, who does not see this transformation in Jim, even though he unknowingly reports it when it occurs.

A Sense of Humours: The Four Humours in I Henry IV – Examines the way in which Shakespeare employed the four humours to instill characterization in I Henry IV.  Each of the four main characters displays an imbalance of the four humours, providing an explanation of each of their motives on a level more consistent with the perspective of an Elizabethan audience.

Head Case: Coming to Grips with the Medical Phallicy of America – Demonstrates how American drug companies market erectile dysfunction drugs to millions of individuals who do not need them and the role that the Myth of Masculinity plays in their ability to do so.

Yellows and Reds: The Portrayal of Native Americans in “The Simpsons” - Examines the use of racial and cultural stereotypes throughout The Simpsons, showing that although all races are satirically represented, most are shown in a positive light or allowed to disprove stereotypes at times throughout the series.  This is not true for Native Americans, who do not even have a reoccurring character to represent them to disprove stereotypes.  The Simpsons instead reinforces Native American stereotypes when there is every opportunity to help displace them from society.

Unpublished Works Completed or in Progress:

Kehoe – A creative nonfiction account of the last few years of Andrew Kehoe’s life. 

Hallowed Grounds: Haunted Churches and Cemeteries of the Midwest – A non-fiction look at supposedly haunted churches and cemeteries in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota, based on extensive interviews with clergy, caretakers, and parishioners of these churches.

Channeling Change:  M*A*S*H and the social movements of the 1970s – Examines the historical social changes or the 1970s, particularly women’s rights, civil rights, and homosexual rights, and how M*A*S*H reported and influenced these changes on the weekly program.

N.U.C.S. - Never Underestimate Complete Stupidity – A graphic novel interpretation of the history of nuclear weapons.

Plagiarizing Self – A novel.

(More in-depth synopses of these works may be available upon request.)

Professional Activities

Memberships:

Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society – Member since 2006

Committees:

Interdisciplinary Education and Action Program Committee (July 2007 – May 2008)

Faculty, Instructors, and Administration met monthly to discuss any changes necessary to the Interdisciplinary Education program at the University of South Dakota.

Conference Presentations:

Student History Conference – April 22, 2008

The University of South Dakota

Graphic History – A presentation on the use of graphic novels to recount historical events, using Art Spiegelman’s Maus I & II, Marjane Satrapi’s Perspepolis I & II, and Joe Kubert’s Fax From Sarajevo.

Consulting Activities:

English Tutoring, University of South Dakota – August, 2005 – May, 2008

FactVersesFiction.Com Summer Short Story Contest Judge - July, 2004

South Dakota Writers Association Short Story Contest Judge – March, 2007 and March 2008.

Personal Activities:

Special Olympics Coach (2001 – Current)

Coaching softball, basketball, track, and bowling for persons with developmental disabilities.

Award: Coach of the Year – Softball, 2005, Yankton, SD

Relay For Life (2001 – 2008)

Volunteer Performer

FactVersesFiction.Com (2000 – 2009)

Conceived of and implemented FactVersesFiction, an online source for writers who could post essays, poetry, and short stories and receive feedback from other writers.  Also offered a tutoring service for assisting undergrads with writing more effectively.

Previous Employment:

January, 2010 – July, 2010

MORGAN AUTISM CENTER

2280 Kenwood Avenue San Jose, CA 95128

Title: Instructional Aide

January, 2009 – Sept, 2009

LINCOLN REGIONAL CENTER

2705 S Folsom St Lincoln, NE 68522

Title: Security Specialist II

May, 2008 – December, 2008

FULL TIME STUDENT - University of South Dakota

Working on finishing my MA History Thesis.

July, 2007 – May 2008

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

414 East Clark, Vermillion SD  57069

Title:  Instructor – Interdisciplinary Education and Action Program

August, 2007 – May, 2008

THE VOLANTE – UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

414 East Clark, Vermillion SD  57069

Title:  Online Technician / Editor

July, 2007 – July, 2008

FULL TIME STUDENT - University of South Dakota.

Working on finishing my MA English Thesis.

October, 2001 – July, 2007

YANKTON AREA ADJUSTMENT TRAINING CENTER

600 East 10^th, Yankton, SD  57078

Title:  Direct Support Professional

May, 2004 – August, 2004

SESDAC

1314 E. Cherry Street, Vermillion, SD 57069

Title:  Job Coach

January, 2001 – October, 2001

COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES OF NEBRASKA

210 Eastridge, Lincoln, NE  68505

Title:  Direct Support Professional

March, 1997 – January, 2001

NECO ALARM SYSTEMS

121 South 13th St, Lincoln, NE 68508

Title:  Overnight Supervisor, Central Station Operator

March, 1994 – October, 2001

J&P CZECH RECORDS

1301 West S St, Lincoln, NE 68528

Title:  Assistant Manager

References, both personal and professional, are available upon request.