DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY TRENT UNIVERSITY

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1 DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY TRENT UNIVERSITY HIST 1702H: WORLD HISTORY SINCE 1800 SUMMER 2015 (S61) ONLINE Instructor: Dr. Jim Wood Office Location: Off Campus Secretary: Trisha Gayle Pearce Office Location: Lady Eaton College S101.3 Trent Telephone: (250) Office Hours: MWF, 7:00-9:00 PM. Available by phone during these times. Other times available by appointment. Telephone: ex Course Description: This online half-course provides a historical introduction to important global developments from 1800 to the present. We will evaluate imperialism and its legacies in Africa and Asia, the causes and consequences of the First World War, revolutionary movements in Russia and China, and industrialization in various regions of the globe. Students will also analyze the global impact of the Great Depression, the rise of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes in the mid-twentieth century, factors leading to the Second World War in Asia and in Europe, the Cold War, decolonization, and globalization. Throughout the course, the intent will be for students to achieve an understanding of diverse but related global events, placing them within their historical context through the use of the Three C s of World History : 1) Comparisons of events taking place in several regions at the same time; 2) an emphasis on moments of Connection, when networks of communication and exchange were drawn across cultures, such as during European colonial expansion or the recent emergence of a global economy; and 3) Change over time, both within and especially across major regions of the world. Required Texts: Students will be required to read selections from the following sources. The textbook is available in hard copy and as an e-book through the Trent bookstore: Text: Robert W. Strayer, Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, vol. 2, From 1500 to the Present. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, All other course material is accessible online via the digital databases on the Trent Library website. Recommended Sources:

2 Videos: Video chapter introductions are available from the Bedford/St. Martin s website using the login information provided with your purchase of the text. All other videos listed in the syllabus are to be considered optional viewing, accessible on the student s own initiative through library, rental, and online services. Course Format and Website: This is an online course. All course materials, including important introductions to the material covered in each module, will be posted to the class website at I will also be using the course website to send s, including graded assignments, to your Trent.ca address. If you do not intend to check this account, please make sure that you forward the mail from this account to an address that you monitor regularly. Failing to do so will lead you to miss feedback on your assignments, important announcements about the class, and the like. Please note: is also the most effective form of communicating questions and other information to the instructor. I will always try to reply quickly, however, s received after 9 pm on weekdays will likely not receive a response until the following morning. Learning Outcomes/Objectives/Goals/Expectations: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to: (1) place the major events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries into a global context; (2) identify the major shifts in global power, economics, politics, society, and culture that occurred in this period; (3) examine the ways in which the peoples of the world interacted with one another in both positive and negative ways; (4) identify a wide variety of cultures and peoples and their contribution to global development; (5) analyze historical documents; (6) learn solid research techniques and apply them to the solution of specific historical problems; (7) demonstrate the effective use of writing and critical thinking skills in online discussions and written assignments. Course Evaluation: Activity Due Date Weight Discussion Forum Participation Secondary Source Analysis Two discussion posts for each module of the course, with due dates as follows: 1. Module 1 due 17 May. 2. Module 2 due 24 May. 3. Module 3 due 31 May. 4. Module 4 due 7 June. 5. Module 5 due 14 June. 6. Module 6 due 23 June. End of Module 2 (24 May). 30% 20% Document Analysis End of Module 4 (7 June). 20% 2

3 Take- Home Exam End of Module 6 (23 June). 30% Total 100% DISCUSSION FORUM PARTICIPATION (30%) Two Posts Per Module This assignment will consist of commentaries posted in the online discussion forums. For each module of the course, the instructor will post a series of questions for you to consider as you complete the assigned readings. In most cases, these questions will be drawn from those in the text, including the questions specific to selected Documents and Visual Sources as well as those provided towards the end of each chapter in the Second Thoughts sections of the textbook. After careful consideration of the course readings and the contributions of your classmates, each student will post two discussion comments per week that draw together the concepts, interpretations, and examples covered in that module. Each of your two posts should be approximately words in length. Links to book reviews, illustrations, or other attachments are encouraged, but are not considered in the word count. Each of these discussion posts should be carefully considered and formally composed. The best discussion posts will draw connections between more than one section of the assigned and/or recommended readings for that module. For example, a good discussion post might consist of a short commentary drawing connections between the section of the textbook entitled Reversal of Fortune: China s Century of Crisis, followed by a comparison of that material with the Snapshot section on the British trade at Canton or the Portrait of Commissioner Lin Zexu. Another option is to post follow-up comments on another student s discussion posts, or to discuss your reactions the week s readings as a whole. In short, the intent of this assignment is to demonstrate thoughtful reflection on the course material and to engage constructively with the work being posted by your peers. Each student will be responsible for making at least two posts to the discussion forum for each module of the course, to be contributed no later than the due dates listed above in the assignments summary. Ideally, your comments will be posted during the week when this material is being discussed, and you can rest assured that active participation and early posting of your discussion comments will be recognized in your grades for this assignment. At the same time, habitual lateness in posting your comments, posting overly brief responses, and/or failing to contribute any comments at all will exert downward pressure on your grade for this assignment. In assessing the quality of these posts, the instructor will consider how each posting demonstrates the student s: 1) understanding of the course material, 2) ability to present ideas clearly in writing, 3) use of relevant examples to support a point of view, 4) abilities to detect strengths or weaknesses in an argument, and 5) active and constructive engagement with the work being posted by your classmates. SECONDARY SOURCE ANALYSIS (20%) Due at the End of Module 2 (24 May) The purpose of this assignment is to have you: a) Read both the article and a textbook selection critically, paying particular attention to the author s main argument(s) and approach to the subject matter. b) Provide a brief summary of the supporting evidence and arguments used to substantiate the thesis of the article. c) Reflect on the ideas and arguments raised in the selected journal article and relate them to the relevant sections of the course textbook. d) Express your ideas clearly in writing. Instructions Choose ONE of the following peer-reviewed articles from the Journal Articles section of the course readings: 3

4 Samuel P. Huntington, The West Unique, Not Universal, Foreign Affairs 75, no. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1996): Earl H. Kinmonth, Nakamura Keiu and Samuel Smiles: A Victorian Confucian and a Confucian Victorian, American Historical Review 85, no. 3 (June 1980): Rammohan Roy and the Advent of Constitutional Liberalism in India, , Modern Intellectual History 4, no. 1 (2007) Marina Carter and Crispin Bates, Empire and Locality: A Global Dimention to the 1857 Indian Uprising, Journal of Global History 5, no. 1 (March 2010): Jürgen Förster, Ludendorff and Hitler in Perspective: The Battle for the German Soldier s Mind, War in History 10, no. 3 ( 2003): James Harris, Encircled By Enemies: Stalin s Perceptions of the Capitalist World, , Journal of Strategic Studies 30, no. 3 (June 2007): Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Affairs 72, no. 3 (Summer 1993): Write an essay in which you identify the subject of the article, the author s thesis (or main argument) and the kinds of evidence used to substantiate that thesis. You will then assess the reading in two ways. First, explain whether or not you found the author s argument convincing, and why (or why not). Second, you are to relate what you learned from the article to the textbook and any other relevant materials you have read or viewed as part of your course work. Enclose any passages you cite in quotation marks (if quoted word for word) and indicate the source of the reference (author s name, title, and page number) in a footnote or endnote. You will find more information in the Chicago Style Citation Guide link on the course site. Present your 4-page essay in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the specified length. Your essay will be graded on content (your understanding of the reading/article), presentation, and writing (grammar, syntax, etc.). Important: Your essay should be submitted in a single file, in.doc,.docx, or.rtf format, sent to the instructor by on or before the due date. Please format the document title so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment number. For example: 1702Smith1.doc DOCUMENT ANALYSIS (20%) Due at the End of Module 4 (7 June) In the first assignment we had the opportunity to hone our analytical skills with respect to a secondary source. In the Document Analysis Assignment, we will go one step further, by completing an analysis of a primary historical document from the course textbook. Primary evidence is the basic building block of historical interpretation. History as we know it, can be understood as a construct built up by historians and other commentators. The shape and character of the construct will depend on the evidence from which it was derived, just as the nature of a building is a function of the materials used in its construction. It almost goes without saying, then, that historians must be expert interpreters of primary evidence. The objective of this assignment is to select and evaluate a primary source drawn from the Documents provided towards the end of each chapter in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. Important: Only the written primary sources provided in the Documents section at the end of each chapter are appropriate for this assignment. For example, in the chapter on Revolution, Socialism, and Global Conflict the article by Joseph Stalin on The Results of the First Five-Year Plan would be suitable, 4

5 but the poster art from Mao s China, the Snapshot of Mao s China, and/or the Portrait of Anna Dubova are not to be used for this particular assignment. Beyond selecting an appropriate primary source, there is no simple formula for the task of analyzing this document because evidence comes in many forms. However, students should consider the following questions when writing their Document Analysis: How primary is the primary source? In other words, how close in time to the actual event was the source created? Who created the source? Why was the source created? Is it official or personal? Was it classified or public? Can the creator be taken at face value? In other words, should we believe what it says? What is the meaning or significance of the evidence? What questions can we use this source to help answer? Or, to put it another way, what does the source tell us? What other primary or secondary sources are required to help interpret this one? (Hint: You will want to draw upon relevant secondary sources to help inform your analysis of the primary source, starting with the course textbook and scholarly journal articles.) For a more in-depth discussion of how to analyze a primary source, please refer to the section of Ways of the World entitled Working with Written Documents. As you craft your analysis, remember that evidence does not necessarily speak with a single voice. Rather, the impact of the evidence is often a function of the historian who handles it. One source can be interpreted in many different ways depending upon which questions the historian asks. This explains, in part, why no historical narrative is set in stone. It is always possible that another historian may come along and reinterpret the evidence entirely differently than his or her predecessors. Remember: do not use up valuable space with extended summary of the source s content focus instead on analysis and interpretation. While the primary sources provided for this assignment may vary in length from one page to about four or five pages, do not assume that shorter sources are easier to interpret. Sometimes the less a document says, the more difficult it can be to interpret. As much care is need with the shorter sources as with the longer ones. Once you have selected your document, write a 4-page essay that addresses the questions listed above. Whenever possible, try to relate your selected document to other materials you have read or viewed as part of your course readings. As always, enclose any passages you cite in quotation marks (if quoted word for word) and indicate the source of the reference (author s name, title, and page number) in a footnote or endnote. You will find more information in the Chicago Style Citation Guide link on the course site. Present your essay in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the specified length. Your essay will be graded on content (your understanding of the reading/article), presentation, and writing (grammar, syntax, etc.). Your essay should be submitted in a single file, in.doc,.docx, or.rtf format, sent to the instructor by on or before the due date. Please format the document title so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment number. For example: 1702Smith2.doc TAKE-HOME EXAM (30%) Due on the Course End Date (23 June) The purpose of the take-home final exam is to have you practice your writing skills and to ensure that you have a clear grasp of the course material. Questions will relate to the assigned readings from the course schedule. Material from other sources may be referred to in composing your answers, provided it is properly cited (see below regarding Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct), but you are not required to read other 5

6 sources in order to prepare for this test. Optional readings may also be used if you wish, but the questions on this exam will relate directly to the Required Readings listed below in the course schedule. In assessing the quality of your written responses to the exam questions, the instructor will consider how your responses demonstrate: 1) an understanding of the course material, 2) ability to present your ideas clearly in writing, 3) use of relevant facts from the assigned readings to support your point of view. For more details on this assignment, please refer to the document Instructions Take-Home Final Exam (available on the course website). Final Exam Marking Rubric Each response on the exam will be evaluated using the following criteria: Insightful reflection. Demonstrates a clear and /33.3 accurate understanding of the course material. Well organized responses, each including a /33.3 clear introduction, conclusion, body. Overall clarity of writing throughout the /33.3 answer. Chicago-style citations for any quoted material. /100 Present your responses in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the length of responses specified in the instructions for the exam and, as with any written assignment in this course, you are required to appropriately cite the sources of direct quotations and borrowed ideas using a properly formatted footnote. Your answers will be graded on the content, written presentation, structure, grammar, and quality of your arguments, as per the rubric provided above. Important: All answers for your completed Take-Home Exam is to be submitted in a single file, in.doc,.docx, or.rtf format, sent to the instructor by on or before the due date. Please format the document s title so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment number. For example: 1702Smith3.doc Week-by-week schedule: The following schedule provides an outline of the required textbook readings and optional film segments, primary documents, and journal articles for each week. These required and optional readings are divided into the following components: 1. Required Readings are to be completed by all students in the course. These required readings are drawn from the course textbook, Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, by Robert W. Strayer. Material from the main section of each chapter will be the focus of each module s discussion forums, but students are advised to supplement these assigned readings with the items in the Suggested Readings section (see below). In short, you should read as much or as little beyond these required readings as you wish, but keep in mind that the best contributions to the discussion forums will be those comments that draw connections between the Required and Suggested readings. As a minimum, you should read at least one of the Suggested Readings items in each week of the course. 2. Suggested Readings are found in the Reflections, Second Thoughts, Snapshot, Portrait, and Considering the Evidence sections of Ways of the World. In addition to items mentioned specifically as the Suggested Readings for each topic, students are encouraged to explore other sources in the reader and to incorporate relevant material into their discussion posts. 3. Recommended Viewing. Each module of the course is accompanied by a selection of documentaries and/or feature films that are relevant to the course content. They are not included as part of the course materials, nor are students required to view them, but they can provide an insightful and entertaining accompaniment to the readings. For students wishing to turn a weekly movie night into an opportunity for learning more about the issues we are studying in History 1702, viewing these films can easily form the basis of an outstanding contribution to the weekly Discussion Forum. 6

7 4. Journal Articles are drawn from among the multitude of scholarly journals that may be accessed in electronic format via the digital databases on the Trent Library website. These articles will be the basis of the Secondary Source Analysis assignment and may also be used as a supplement to the course text in writing your discussion comments. Reading these articles will allow you to come away from this course with an advanced understanding of the deeper issues surrounding each week s readings. Introduction, Course Administration, and the World in 1800 (6-10 May). Required Readings: Opening Activities: Course syllabus. Strayer, European Centrality and the Problem of Eurocentrism. Post your biography. Module 1 (11-17 May): Atlantic Revolutions, Global Echoes, Required Readings: Strayer, Chapter 16. Suggested Readings: Considering the Evidence Kartini, Feminism and Nationalism Recommended Viewing: Lafayette (USA, 2010) Samuel P. Huntington, The West Unique, Not Universal, Foreign Affairs 75, no. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1996): Module 2 (18-24 May): Industrialization in Global Perspective. *** ARTICLE REVIEWS DUE AT THE END OF MODULE 2 *** Required Readings: Strayer, Chapter 17, and Ch. 19 Japanese Difference. Suggested Readings: The Industrial Revolution and the Global Divide Experiencing Industrialization Ellen Johnston: Factory Worker and Poet Art and the Industrial Revolution Japanese Perceptions of the West Recommended Viewing: The Last Samurai (USA, 2003). Earl H. Kinmonth, Nakamura Keiu and Samuel Smiles: A Victorian Confucian and a Confucian Victorian, American Historical Review 85, no. 3 (June 1980): Module 3 (25-31 May): Colonial Encounters in the Long Nineteenth Century. Required Readings: Strayer, Chapters 18-19, not including the section on The Japanese Difference. Suggested Readings: Wanjiku of Kenya Indian Responses to Empire The Scramble for Africa Changing China Recommended Viewing: The Opium War (China, 1997) Zulu (UK, 1964) Khartoum (UK, 1966) C.A. Bayly, Rammohan Roy and the Advent of Constitutional Liberalism in India, , Modern Intellectual History 4, no. 1 (2007)

8 Marina Carter and Crispin Bates, Empire and Locality: A Global Dimention to the 1857 Indian Uprising, Journal of Global History 5, no. 1 (March 2010): Module 4 (1-7 June): Collapse at the Centre: The World Wars and the Rebalancing of Global Power, s. *** DOCUMENT ANALYSIS DUE AT THE END OF MODULE 4 *** Required Readings: Strayer, Since World War I: A New Period in World History, and Chapter 20. Suggested Readings: Propaganda and Critique in World War I Ideologies of the Axis Powers Recommended Viewing: Gallipoli (Australia, 1991) Ararat (Canada, 2002) Lawrence of Arabia (UK/USA, 1962) In the Name of the Emperor (USA, 1998) Jürgen Förster, Ludendorff and Hitler in Perspective: The Battle for the German Soldier s Mind, War in History 10, no. 3 ( 2003): Module 5 (8-14 June): The Rise and Fall of World Communism, 1917-Present. Required Readings: Strayer, Chapter 21. Suggested Readings: Experiencing Stalinism Poster Art in Mao s China Recommended Viewing: Sand Pebbles (USA, 1966) Shanghai Triad (China, 1995) Red Menace (USA, 1949) Hearts and Minds (USA, 1974) James Harris, Encircled By Enemies: Stalin s Perceptions of the Capitalist World, , Journal of Strategic Studies 30, no. 3 (June 2007): Module 6 (15-21 June): Capitalism and Culture: Globalization Since *** TAKE-HOME EXAMS DUE ON THE COURSE END DATE (23 June) *** Required Readings: Strayer, Chapters Suggested Readings: Contending for Islam Representing Independence Voices of Global Feminism Experiencing Globalization Recommended Viewing: Gandhi (UK/India, 1982) Asia Rising (UK/USA, 1999) Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Affairs 72, no. 3 (Summer 1993): Course Policies: 1. Late Penalties: Please hand your work in on time. Failing to do so without prior authorization from the instructor will result in a late penalty of 2% of the assignment grade per day, including weekends. Documentation is required for extensions due to serious illness or a real emergency involving yourself or a 8

9 close family member, but upon receiving such documentation I will normally waive the late penalty for overdue assignments. Please note, however, that My computer wouldn t start, or I have another assignment due the same day are not legitimate excuses. 2. Back-Up Your Work: Students must retain a copy of their written work and research notes until after their assignment has been graded and returned. These documents must be produced in paper and/or electronic format upon request by the instructor. University Policies Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty, which includes plagiarism and cheating, is an extremely serious academic offence and carries penalties varying from failure on an assignment to expulsion from the University. Definitions, penalties, and procedures for dealing with plagiarism and cheating are set out in Trent University s Academic Integrity Policy. You have a responsibility to educate yourself unfamiliarity with the policy is not an excuse. You are strongly encouraged to visit Trent s Academic Integrity website to learn more: Access to Instruction: It is Trent University's intent to create an inclusive learning environment. If a student has a disability and/or health consideration and feels that he/she may need accommodations to succeed in this course, the student should contact the Student Accessibility Services Office (SAS), (BH Suite 132, or accessibilityservices@trentu.ca). For Trent University - Durham Student Accessibility Services Office contact ext or nancyhempel@trentu.ca. Complete text can be found under Access to Instruction in the Academic Calendar. 9