MW
1:00-2:15, CA 221
OFFICE: CA
504B
OFFICE
HOURS: MW 9:30-10:30 or by appointment
EMAIL: jaskelly@iupui.edu
This course
is a survey of Western Civilization from 1500 to the present. In the lectures,
I will introduce you to the general historical themes of state-building,
nationalism, empire, and globalization.
Of particular concern will be linking the high politics and ideologies
of the modern world to the daily experiences of the peoples of Europe and its
colonies. Each week you will read and discuss selections from texts which
reflect the main themes of the course and provide examples of various
perspectives from history.
Contrary to
what you may have learned in secondary school, history is not a mass of facts
waiting to be memorized and organized into a chronological narrative. History is a discipline that requires its
practitioners to exercise their critical and analytical skills to interpret the
past. Historians must be able to uncover
and comprehend a wide variety of historical sources whether they are textual,
visual, material, or aural. Applying
their understanding of these sources to various questions, which are themselves
often the result of specific historical circumstances, historians do their best
to approximate an objective representation of the human past.
In this
course, you are all historians.
Therefore, the assignments will encourage you to improve your ability to
communicate effectively through writing and speech, to critically think about
the course material, and to integrate and apply your knowledge in a variety of
contexts. This course will challenge you
on many levels. You will need to refine
your understanding of the methodologies of the historical profession and use
this knowledge to better understand a diverse array of societies, including
their political, social, and cultural traditions. As such, this course conforms to IUPUI’s
Principles of Undergraduate Learning.
For more information, please see http://www.iupui.edu/~history/ugmain.html.
·
Course Reader
·
Martin Luther. Selections From His Writing.
Ed. John Dillenberger.
·
René Descartes. Discourse On Method.
·
Olaudah Equiano. The Interesting Narrative in
the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Ed. Werner Sollors.
·
Karl Marx. The Portable Karl Marx. Ed.
Eugene Kamenka.
·
V.S. Naipaul. A Bend in the River.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
You are responsible for
all announcements that I make during the lectures. If there is any adjustment
to the syllabus, I will announce it in class. If for any reason you do not
attend the entire lecture, you are still responsible for any announcements that
I make. Be sure to contact a fellow student who is responsible and can relay
you the information. You may email me or come to my office hours for any
announcements you missed.
The grade breakdown is as
follows:
PAPER 1: 15%
PAPER 2: 25%
FINAL EXAM: 30%
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS AND QUIZES 15%
PARTICIPATION: 15%
Your papers
should be handed to me at the beginning of lecture on the day that they are
due. If you turn your papers in late
(once class has begun your papers are late), you will lose 5% per day. If you neglect to complete any of the above
assignments, you will fail the course.
If you desire to
dispute a grade, you may submit an explanation to me in writing. State your
points of contention and your reasons for them. I will accept a grade dispute
for two weeks from the day I return the grades. If you are not in class on the
day I give back your assignment, you must get your grade from me promptly.
After two weeks, I will not consider any changes to your grade.
This course meets twice a
week. ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!!! I expect you to be prepared to discuss the
course themes, lectures, and readings during every lecture. While I have devoted some lectures to
discussing specific texts, we will have short discussions every day. You will be excused for missing two lectures
for any reason. After that, I will begin
lowering your participation grade.
However, do not miss days devoted exclusively to discussion. Missing these discussions will severely lower
your participation grade as well as adversely affect your success on the exams
and papers. If you miss more than six
lectures, you will fail the participation component of this course.
Preparation and
participation are integral components to success in this course. Make sure you
spend time reading and analyzing the required texts before you arrive at
lecture. I expect each of you to share your thoughts throughout the semester.
Discussions with your peers are some of the most entertaining and educational
times you spend in class, so come prepared to debate. BRING YOUR READER WITH
YOU!!! If you would like to discuss readings with me, be sure to take advantage
of my office hours.
I will not tolerate
either of these. Cheating includes copying answers from another student or
bringing notes to an exam. Plagiarism is using the words or ideas of another
person in your work and presenting them as your own. I will fail you for either
of these. Additionally, I will report you to the Dean of Student Affairs. If
you have any questions as to what constitutes plagiarism or cheating, see me or
see the “Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct” online at http://www.hoosiers.iupui.edu/studcode/stucode.htm.
.