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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS 200"
COURSE NAME: "Doing History"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2018
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Vanda Wilcox
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30-12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Co-requisites: EN 110
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students to the practice of history, that is, how professional historians investigate, reconstruct, and interpret the past. Students will examine a variety of methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives that historians have employed in studying a particular historical problem (the topic varies from semester to semester). Students will also engage directly in practicing history by analyzing a variety of primary and secondary sources and carrying out a significant research project related to the topic of the semester.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course uses the early twentieth century and the First World War to explore a range of approaches to history, which will include encountering different disciplinary approaches (diplomatic, military, economic, social, cultural) and methods (comparative, transnational, microhistory). We will consider the importance of multiple categories of analysis (gender, race, class) and how these inform historians' approach to the past. Students will explore different types of primary source (text, photographs, material culture, film, oral testimony) and develop a clear understanding of how they might be used for historical research, as well as experiment with methods of creating historical knowledge including the use of digital methods such as interactive maps or n-grams.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the course, students will:
* be confident in identifying and working with different approaches to history
* understand how historians analyse primary sources and how historical debates over interpretation operate
* have experience of working with a wide range of primary sources
* have developed a range of research techniques
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
The Great War in History: Debates and Controversies, 1914 to the PresentJay Winter and Antoine ProstCambridge University press978-0521616331     
A War of Peoples 1914-1919Adrian GregoryOUP9780199542581     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Reading response and discussionYou are expected to actively participate in class discussion of the assigned readings and to submit occasional short written responses20%
Research Plan and annotated bibliographyYou will submit both a plan for your research and a short annotated bibliography15%
Presentation of research project to the class 10%
Final research projectYou will produce a 2500-3000 word paper consisting of original research, using primary sources and showing awareness of differing historical approaches.30%
Final ExamYou will analyse primary and secondary sources, using the methods and ideas learned during the course.25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory, with up to three unexcused absences permitted.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

 

 

Class Topic

Assignment

3 Sep

1.

Introduction

5 Sep

2.

Objectivity, subjectivity and moral judgement

EH Carr extract; Mary Fulbrook extract

10 Sep

3.

Introduction to different schools of historical thought

John H. Arnold, History: a very short introduction, Ch. 6

12 Sep

4. 

Historiography of the First World War I: up to the 1970s

Winters & Prost,  pp.6-24

17 Sep

5.

Historiography of the First World War II: the 1980s to present

Winters & Prost, pp. 24-33; Gregory pp. 183-199

19 Sep

6.

Primary sources I

Gregory pp 1-16; Howell & Prevenier pp.17-27

24 Sep

7.

Varieties of historical practice

26 Sep

8.

Developing a research topic

1 Oct

9.

Military and Diplomatic histories of the war

Winters & Prost, Chapter 2

3 Oct

10.

Library Induction Session

8 Oct

11.

The War in History Schlieffen Plan debate

Terence Zuber, “The  Schlieffen  Plan  Reconsidered” War  in  History, 6 (1999);  Robert  T.  Foley,  “The  Real  Schlieffen  Plan”,  War  in  History, 13 (2006) 

10 Oct 

12.

Domestic politics in wartime

Winters & Prost, Chapter 3

15 Oct

13.

History from below: soldiers at war

Winters & Prost, Chapter 4

17 Oct

14.

Experiences, narratives, memories and emotions

V. Wilcox, “’Weeping Tears of Blood’: Exploring Italian soldiers’ emotions in the First World War”, Modern Italy 17:2 (2012)

 22 Oct

15.

Qualitative data and human experience – statistics and ngrams

 24 Oct

16.

Alternate ‘forms of history’: Memory and Memorialisation

Winters & Prost, Chapter 8

 29 Oct

17.

Visual sources (photographs, posters, art) and the war

Mark Connelly, “Visualization of Violence” and James Aulich, “Graphic Arts and Advertising as War Propaganda” in 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al. (Berlin, 2014)

 31 Oct

18.

Material culture and conflict archaeology

Nicholas J. Saunders, “Traces of Being: Interdisciplinary perspectives on First World War Landscapes”, in Landscapes of the First World War, ed. S. Daly, M. Salvante & V. Wilcox, (Palgrave, 2018) pp. 209-224.

 5 Nov

19.

Social history: civilians at war

Winters & Prost, Chapter 7

 7 Nov

20.

Gender and history

Joan Wallach Scott, “Gender: a useful category of historical analysis”, AHR, 91:5 (1986)

 12 Nov

21.

NO CLASS – MAKE-UP ON 23 NOV

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 14 Nov

22.

NO CLASS – make up with individual meetings (to be arranged)

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 19 Nov

23.

Women at war

Susan R. Grayzel, “Mothers, Marraines, and Prostitutes: Morale and Morality in First World War France”, The International History Review, 19: 1 (1997), 66-82

 21 Nov

24.

Men at war

Jason Crouthamel, “Cross-Dressing for the Fatherland”, First World War Studies, 2:2 (2011)

23 Nov

MAKE-UP: Race and Empire in the First World War

D. Omissi, “Europe through Indian Eyes: Indian soldiers encounter England and France, 1914-1918”, EHR CXXII:496 (2007)

 26 Nov

25.

Globalising the history of the Great War

Extract from A. Kramer, “Recent Historiography of the First World War” (2014)

 28 Nov

26.

Student Presentations

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 3 Dec

27.

Student Presentations

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5 Dec

28.

Student Presentations

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