Spring 2006 Tues. & Thur. 11:00-12:15 p.m.
WEstern
civilization II (H114)
Instructor: Matt Stanard
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30-3:45 and by appointment
Office: CA 509D
Phone: 278-2242
Email: mstanard@indiana.edu
Course objectives:
The
primary goal of this course is to increase your understanding of the history of
Western civilization since around 1650.
We will examine and seek explanations for key political developments
over this period, from the age of revolutions from 1776 to 1848, to World Wars
I and II, to the conclusion of the Cold War at the end of 20th century. We will examine industrialization in
Europe and the
Course requirements and grading:
Midterm examination 15%
Final examination (cumulative) 30%
5 reading quizzes (5, drop one) 20%
Two short papers (15% each) 30%
Attendance and Participation 5%
Total: 100%
You
are paying a great deal of money to attend IUPUI and your grades play a
significant role in your future. As
the instructor of this course, I see my role as a messenger: When a student does an assignment
carefully and extremely well, I deliver an “A” on that assignment,
and if a student sustains such exceptional work throughout the course, I mark
an “A” on the grade sheet at the end of the semester. When students choose to do less than
outstanding work, or do mediocre or no work, I deliver the appropriate
grade. With this approach, of
course, I do not curve grades either on assignments or at the end of the
course. It is possible that every
student will sustain exceptional work over the course of the semester and
consequently earn an “A” grade. I have had classes where quite a number
of students made the choice to do so.
I have also had classes where many students selected much lower
grades.
Course policies:
· Late assignments will not be accepted.
· Exams are to be taken on the dates indicated on the syllabus. If you believe you must miss an exam you must see the instructor in advance regarding a makeup exam. Makeup exams will only be allowed under extreme circumstances and with evidence of the reason the exam was missed (for example, a health center receipt).
· Failure to attend and participate will detract from your grade. It is now a general policy at IUPUI that attendance is required for all classes. Only reading the textbook and other reading assignments will not be enough to achieve the goals for this course.
· Cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated. We will be doing some collective in-class work, but each student is required to work on his or her own to complete the paper assignments and examinations. All students are reminded of his or her responsibilities according to the IUPUI Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. The full text of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct is available for viewing or download at http://dsa.indiana.edu/Code/index.html.
· The instructor reserves the right to make minor adjustments to the syllabus as necessary.
Required reading:
Candide, Voltaire
The Communist
Manifesto, Friedrich Engels and
Karl Marx
All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
Survival in
Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment, Vol. II, Noble, Strauss, et al.
Course Calendar:
January 10 Introduction to the course
January 12 The early modern world of the Peace of Westphalia
January 17 The era of Absolutism
January 19 The scientific “revolution”
January 24 The Enlightenment
January 26 The Ancien Régime
January 31 The American Revolution
February 2 The
“Great Revolution” in
First paper due in class February 2
February 7 Napoleon Bonaparte’s Empire
February 9 Industrialization
February 14 Restoration and reaction
February 16 Political ideologies in the 19th century
February 21 1848-1871: Making and remaking nations
February 23 Midterm examination
February 28 Second Industrial Revolution, demographic growth, and urbanization
March 2 Nationalism, faith in progress and science, and a new wave of imperialism
March 7 Rising tensions
March 9 World War I
March 21 The experience of war 1914-1918
March 23 Peacemaking
March 28 Post-war society and politics
March 30 The Great Depression
Second paper due in class March 30
April 4 Ideological competition: liberalism, communism, fascism
April 6 World War II
April 11 The experience of total war
April 13 The Holocaust
April 18 History and memory
April 20 The Cold War
April 25 The end of European hegemony and a brief history of European integration
April 27 Explaining the revolutions of 1989
final examination: tuesday, may 2, 1:00-3:00 p.m., in Ca 221