Honors Western Civilization

Law and Society, Part II

Course Description and Schedule

HIST 122 Section 035 (Honors), Spring 1999
12:30-1:45 TTh, OM 213

Mr Lehmann
Office Hours: 2-3 TTh
East Hall 210, 677-5573, clehmann@usd.edu, [http://www.usd.edu/~clehmann]

This, the second of a two-part survey of Western Civilization, introduces the student to some of the leading figures, ideas, and events of the modern world. It also exposes the student to the concerns and methods of historical inquiry through the example of lectures, by analyzing and discussing selected texts, and by writing papers and preparing a group multimedia project.

The instructor expects students to read all assignments, attend every lecture, take notes, participate in discussions, and secure all handouts, which contain chronological and geographical background to the lectures and readings. In addition, each student writes three papers and attends special discussion sessions three times during the semester. Material from the lectures may be incorporated into the papers and observations during discussions, but the main purpose of the papers is for the students to treat in detail certain themes that appear only generally in the lectures, all grouped around the theme of the individual in the community. Finally, students will participate in group projects that treat the theme; these projects will appear on the Honors Web site as part of the ongoing project The House the West Built.

Evaluation

Evaluation is by written work and participation in class and discussion sessions. Students who expect to miss more than three meetings should meet with the instructor in the first week. Each student writes three papers and participates with three or four other students in a multimedia project (described below), submits regular summaries of course content by part, and creates and maintains a web page. The papers count 50 points each, divided into 30 points for content, 10 points for style, and 10 points for discussion. The multimedia project counts 50 points (each member of a group receives an equal number of these points). The summaries count an additional 50 points. From a total of 250 points possible,

250-225 = A
225-200 = B
200-175 = C
175-150 = D

Some of you may wish to consult Gerald W Schlabach's Top 10 Ways to Lower Your Grade in Humanities.

Required Books

Many of these items are on reserve at I D Weeks

Recommended Book

Summaries

At the end of each part of the course (parts 7-11), students will submit short answers based on lectures and readings in the textbook to the respective study questions. Each summary should have about one generous paragraph to answer each question. E-mail these to the instructor by the first Friday following the completion of each part of the course, unless otherwise announced.

christine.GIF (56007 bytes)Web Pages

Each student must have an internet account and a home page on the World Wide Web. Go to the page on CoyoteNet to learn how to establish a user account if you do not have one. Be sure to ask for an account on the Sun/Unix system. Students who join this course at semester break will have to create their home pages immediately. Go to "Creating a Home Page" and InTEC's guide to publishing on the Web to learn how to write a home page. The instructor highly recommends the workshops on the Internet and the World Wide Web offered by the staff of I D Weeks Library. See their schedule and sign up right away.

Discussions and Papers

The instructor has set three problems based on the books. Each student will write short papers (5-10 pp) addressing the problems, and join a small group to discuss the problem after completing each paper. Students will be assigned to one of two groups at the beginning of the term. The papers will conform to Chicago style and include title page and bibliography: see K L Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed (Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press, 1993), or The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed (Chicago: Univ of Chicago Press, 1993). The title page will indicate the appropriate discussion session. Students should begin by defining a specific historical problem relevant to the assigned texts and proceed by solving that problem, arguing closely and carefully from the texts. Those students new to this course in particular should consult closely with the instructor as they develop their topics.

Papers are due in the History office (207 East Hall) by 4:00 PM on the scheduled days; discussions follow accordingly at the Honors Lounge in Old Main. Papers submitted on time may be rewritten for a higher grade. Papers submitted after the first discussion following the due date will be penalized by ten points, and an additional ten points every twenty-four hours thereafter.

Paper 1, due Fri 5 Feb Discussions:

Paper 2, due Fri 26 Feb Discussions:
Paper 3, due Fri 23 Apr Discussions:

Paper Assignments

  1. Büchner, Danton's Death; Darnton, The Great Cat Massacre
  2. Zola, The Dreyfus Affair; Berenson, The Trial of Madame Caillaux
  3. Kafka, The Trial, trans Muir; Klima, Judge on Trial, trans Brain

Multimedia Assignment: The House the West Built

The instructor will divide the students into six to nine groups, each of which will investigate some aspect of the historical relationships between law and society. The results of each group's analysis will appear as a multimedia presentation on the World Wide Web and become part of the ongoing project, "The House the West Built." Have fun with this project; however its point is not to perform tricks but to develop a cogent and elegant analysis of the revolution you choose. Projects must be complete by 3 April and installed in designated directories in the honors directory on the web server.

Schedule of Lectures and Assignments

7 Jan Introduction: What is the Modern World?

Part 7: Absolutism and Enlightenment [Chodorow chs 19-21]

12 Jan Introduction and Chronology (bring chronology sheet)
14 Jan Absolutism in France and Germany
19 Jan The English Exception
21 Jan The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment

Part 8: The Age of Revolutions [Chodorow chs 22-24]

26 Jan Introduction and Chronology (bring chronology sheet)
28 Jan The French Revolution and Its Consequences
2 Feb The Industrial Revolution and Its Consequences
4 Feb Nineteenth Century Economics
5 Feb Paper on Problem 1 due
7 Feb Verdi, Aida (Opera Omaha; synopsis and other information by Stephen Parker at Classical Net)
9 Feb Discussions on Problem 1
11 Feb Slides: Early Modern Art and Architecture

Part 9: A Century of Ideas [Chodorow chs 25-26]

16 Feb Introduction and Chronology (bring chronology sheet)
18 Feb Liberalism and Nationalism
23 Feb Socialism and Democracy; read Communist Manifesto (Marx-Engels Reader, 331-62)
25 Feb New Directions in Thought and Science
24-28 Feb Václav Havel, Largo Desolato (Theater I)
28 Feb Pucell, Dido and Aeneas (University Choir and Chamber Orchestra: libretto and synopsis from OperaGlass)
2 Mar Imperialism
4 Mar Bismarck's Germany
5 Mar Paper on Problem 2 due
16 Mar Discussions on Problem 2

Part 10: Turn of the Century [Chodorow, chs 28-30]

18 Mar no class
23 Mar Introduction and Chronology (bring chronology sheet); World War I
25 Mar The Russian Revolution
28 Mar Mozart, Marriage of Figaro (Opera Omaha; synopsis and libretro at OperaGlass)

Part 11: The Twentieth Century [Chodorow, chs 32-34]

30 Mar Introduction and Chronology (bring chronology sheet)
1 Apr World War II
6 Apr Postwar Tensions: The Cold War
8 Apr The Third World
9 Apr Project due: The House the West Built
11 Apr Pascha
13 Apr Discussion on The House the West Built
15 Apr The Postmodern World; Slides
20 Apr Open
22 Apr No class; attend Student History Conference
23 Apr Paper on Problem 3 due
27 Apr Discussions on Problem 3
29 Apr Open