HISTORY 114: HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, 1648-PRESENT (3881)

 

MW 11:00-12:15, CA 221

INSTRUCTOR: JASON M. KELLY

OFFICE: CA 504B

OFFICE HOURS: R 3:00-5:00 or by appointment

OFFICE PHONE: 317.274.1689

EMAIL: jaskelly@iupui.edu

WEBSITE: http://oncourse.iu.edu

 

SPREADSHEET

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course is a survey of Western Civilization from 1648 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.

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

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.

 


 

 

REQUIRED READINGS

·          Course Reader (available through Oncourse)

·          Noble, Strauss, Osheim, et al., Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment, 4th ed. (Houghton-Mifflin)

·          Locke, Berkeley, Hume, The Empiricists (Anchor)

·          Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (Grove Press)

·          Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto: With Related Documents (Bedford St. Martins)

 

 

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.

 

 

GRADING

 

The grade breakdown is as follows:

 

PARTICIPATION:                                                                      10%

ONLINE DISCUSSIONS:                                                          10%

IN-CLASS QUIZ:                                                                        15%

PAPER 1:                                                                                    15%

PAPER 2:                                                                                    25%

FINAL EXAM:                                                                            25%

 

Scale: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=0-59

 

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 10 points per day.  If you neglect to complete any of the above assignments, you will fail the course. If you cannot take the exam on the assigned date, you should contact me in advance so we can set up an alternate time.  If you miss an exam or presentation due to extraordinary circumstances, it is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible to discuss scheduling a make-up.

 

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.  Upon review of your assignment, I reserve the right to raise, lower, or keep your grade the same.  If you are not in class on the day I give back your assignment, you must get your grade from me promptly.

 

Your quiz and exam are in-class essay and short answer examinations.  They cover the readings and lecture material.  I will provide you with a blue book.  I expect you to write in blue or black ink.  The lecture before each exam, I will provide you with a list of ids and essay questions from which I will choose to test you.

 

LECTURES

 

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.

Your attendance will determine half of your participation grade.  I will grade your contributions to classroom discussions as the other half of your participation grade.  I will factor your participation grade on the 10th, 20th, and 30th lectures of the semester and post the grade on Oncourse.  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 adversely affect your success on the exams and papers.  If you miss more than five 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.

 

At IUPUI, Adaptive Educational Services (AES) works to make campus life and learning accessible for students with disabilities. AES assists students in achieving their educational goals through such services as note taking, interpreting, and test proctoring.  Visit the AES webpage at: http://life.iupui.edu/aes/ or call them at 317.274.3241.

 

 

PLAGIARISM/CHEATING

 

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.

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