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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "HS-RS 382 H"
COURSE NAME: "The Enlightenment and the World - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2018
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Gene Ogle
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 11:30-12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisites: One previous history course. Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended: Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
History Research Seminar: 300-level history courses designated by the prefix HS-RS indicate courses being offered as Research Seminars. These courses are writing-intensive and help to train students to carry out original research by guiding them through the preparation of a significant research paper. History majors are encouraged to take these before their senior year, and especially before the semester in which they prepare their thesis.
This course explores the eighteenth-century intellectual and cultural movement known as the Enlightenment in its global context. In part it does so by examining the work of major philosophes, or thinkers, of the era (e.g., Diderot, Hume, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Smith, Voltaire, etc.). It also examines the historical context in which the philosophes worked, focusing on eighteenth-century Europe's relationship with other parts of the world. Much of the course is dedicated to the relationship between the Enlightenment and its "shadows" or "others" in both Europe and abroad, including women, Native Americans, Afro-Atlantic slaves, and Polynesians. As such, it investigates how these people and peoples shaped Enlightenment thought as well as the roles the Enlightenment played in the development of modern gender, racial, and imperial ideologies.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course explores the eighteenth-century intellectual and cultural movement known as the Enlightenment in its global context. In part it does so by examining the work of major philosophes, or thinkers, of the era (e.g., Diderot, Hume, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Smith, Voltaire, etc.). It also examines the historical context in which the philosophes worked, focusing on eighteenth-century Europe's relationship with other parts of the world. Much of the course is dedicated to the relationship between the Enlightenment and its "shadows" or "others," both in Europe and abroad, including women, Native Americans, Afro-Atlantic slaves, and Polynesians. As such, it investigates how these people and peoples shaped Enlightenment thought as well as the roles the Enlightenment played in the development of modern gender, racial, and imperial ideologies.
This course will primarily be run as a seminar in which we discuss the assigned readings. As such, your active participation is absolutely necessary to making the course work well. The high percentage of your grade based on your participation reflects this fact.
Please note that this is a preliminary syllabus based on another semester in which the course was offered--readings and assignments may be subject to change.
We will determine the additional components for the Honors variant of this course during the first weeks of the semester--these make take the form of additional readings, discussions and short papers or of a more substantial research assignment.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In successfully completing this course, you should work on developing (and improving) the following competencies and skills:
- An understanding of the major intellectual and cultural developments, as well as the historical significance of the Enlightenment in its global context;
- A sense of the ways in which eighteenth-century social and global contexts shaped Enlightenment thought;
- An understanding of some of the major modes of analysis historians and other scholars have used to interpret Enlightenment thought and its relationship to its historical contexts;
- Critical analysis of primary sources, including literary and intellectual texts;
- Critical analysis of historians' and other scholarly arguments;
- Researching historical subjects (i.e., finding and evaluating primary and secondary sources);
- Developing well-reasoned, well-supported historical arguments;
- Effectively communicating information, arguments and ideas orally and in writing in accurate, polished, and persuasive English.
For the required books available for purchase, please see the syllabus for the regular section of the course.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| In Class Participation | Guidelines Weight
In Class Participation This course will primarily be run as a seminar in which we discuss the assigned readings. As such, your active participation in our discussions is absolutely necessary to making the course work well. The high percentage of your grade that will be based on your participation reflects that fact. You should bring a question based on the readings that you believe we should discuss to each class. On occasion, additional brief in class or out of class reaction papers may be assigned as components of your participation grade. Please note that behaving in ways that create distractions for other members of the class (including the professor) will lower your participation grade. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to: messaging, checking Facebook or other social networks, catching up on e-mail, watching on-line videos, playing games, reading non-class related materials, studying for other courses, shopping on-line, and generally any activity that detracts from your or any other classmate's full participation in what we are doing in the classroom. | 20% |
| Reaction Papers (3-4) | In each of the reaction papers (approximately two double-spaced pages in length, and see the course schedule for due dates), you will develop a brief but coherent and well-supported argument regarding the readings for the day on which the paper is due. In these papers, you should not summarize the reading, but rather develop a main thought of your own building on those readings. Ways of developing such arguments include, but are not limited to: critiquing some part of the argument of a secondary source, testing some part of the argument of a secondary source through the analysis of a primary source, comparing and contrasting different readings, or developing a point made by one of the authors more fully and in doing so explaining more of what it may tell us about the subject under discussion. Your grade for these reaction papers will be determined by the strength and focus of your analysis, the persuasiveness of your argument (including quality of writing), and the originality of your thought. | 20% |
| Research Paper (including draft, revision, and presentation, c. 15 pages) | For the research paper (c. 15 pages), you will explore a topic appropriate for the course chosen in consultation with me. Your paper should build on both primary and secondary sources, and in preparing it, I will guide you through the processes of preparing a first draft and revising that draft to produce a stronger final paper. You also will present this paper to the rest of the class for discussion. For these discussions, each of you will also review at least one of your colleagues’ papers, providing both a written review (for the author and for me) and an oral commentary during the discussion of her/his paper in class. The grade on this assignment will be determined by the strength of your analysis and research, the persuasiveness of your argument (including quality of writing), and the originality of your thought. | 30% |
| Final Exam | The final exam will be composed of two essay questions I will give you the week before the exam. You will answer one of those questions. The exam will be open book and open notes. Your grade on the exam will depend upon the analytical strength and persuasiveness of your arguments, your capacity to discuss the material we cover in the course as a whole, your command of the course readings, and the factual accuracy of your answers. | 30% |
-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:
See above on participation.
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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.
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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.
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SCHEDULE
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Important Course Policies
All late work will be penalized by at least one letter grade. No late work will be accepted following the final examination.
Any documented case of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result not only in a failing grade for the assignment in question but also in a failing grade for the course as a whole. If you have questions about how to cite material properly, refer to the appropriate sections of the MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style (or come talk to me during my office hours). There are copies of both in the reference section of the library downstairs. Please note that also submitting work that you have previously submitted (or plan to submit) for credit in another course is also a form of academic dishonesty, unless you obtain explicit approval from both instructors to do so. For this course, no such double submission is allowed. Please note that your papers may be submitted to turnitin.com to check their content for plagiarism.
Accessing Shared Documents on MyJCU
1. Go to the internal web site (MY JCU).
2. After you have logged in, click on the course post-it for Fall 2018, HS RS 382. Then click on shared files.
3. You should then be able to access any course handouts not accessible by clicking the links on this syllabus.
4. Be sure to check the handouts page frequently for changes and updates. Similarly, I will post messages on the MyJCU board should I need to contact you in between class meetings (e.g., in the case of an unexpected class cancellation, etc.).
Accessing J-Stor Readings
While on campus, you should be able to access these readings simply by clicking on the links on the syllabus. On the page that appears, you can find links to download the full article as a PDF file or to print it out. Off-campus you may need to go to the website for the Frohring Library, click on the link for "Databases" and "J-Stor" and then search for the article manually.
Please note that this is a preliminary syllabus based on another semester in which the course was offered--readings and assignments will change. This syllabus simply indicates a sample of possible readings.
Course Schedule (Please note that the following is subject to change--any updates will be made to the on-line syllabus, available on the University's webpage: http://www.johncabot.edu/academics/courses/course-schedules-syllabi.aspx.)
Part 1: Introductions
1. Introductions: What is the Enlightenment?
2. The Immediate Background: Old Regime Europe and the Larger World
Loyseau, A Treatise on Orders (excerpts)
TBA
3. Seventeenth-Century Precursors
"Voltaire on Newtonian Physics"
Newton, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (excerpts)
Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (excerpts)
4. The Dangers of Reading
Outram, 14-30
Darnton, "A Clandestine Bookseller in the Provinces"
Part 2: Did the Enlightenment have a Sex?
5. Salons
Goodman, The Republic of Letters (excerpts)
6. Questions of Roles, Rights, and Reason
Outram, 80-95
Rousseau, Emile (excerpts)
Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women (excerpts)
7 and 8. A Female Philosophe and the Incas--Françoise de Graffigny
Graffigny, Letters from a Peruvian Woman
Part 3: Mapping Humanity Across the Globe
9. Classifying and Ordering--The Enlightenment and Science
Outram, 47-62
Eze, Race and the Enlightenment, 10-28, 79-90, 104-108
10. Consumption, Coffee Houses, and Slavery
Melton, "Drinking in Public"
11. Africa, Africans, and the Enlightenment
Eze, 58-62, 70-78, 91-94
Voltaire, "Beauty"
12. The Problem of Slavery
Eze, 30-38, 95-103
Diderot/Raynal, "Slavery and Liberty"
Condorcet, "Dedicatory Epistle to the Negro Slaves"
Cugoano, Thoughts and Sentiments (excerpts)
13. Native Americans, European Settlers, and the Enlightenment
Brading, "History and Philosophy"
Rousseau, "A Dissertation on the Origin and Foundation of the Inequality of Mankind" (excerpts)
14. The Newest Noble Savages: Polynesians and Pacific Exploration
Cook, Journals (excerpts)
Diderot, Supplement to the Voyage of Bougainville (excerpts)
15. Further East: China, India, and the Enlightenment
Eze, 62-64
Clarke, "China Cult: The Age of Enlightenment"
Adas, "Ancient Glory, Modern Ruins"
Voltaire, "Story of a Good Brahmin"
Montesquieu, "On the Chinese Empire"
Voltaire, Essay on the Customs and Spirits of Nations (excerpts)
16 and 17. Strangers in a Strange Land: Montesquieu's Persians
Montesquieu, The Persian Letters
Part 4: A New, Global Science of Humanity
18. A New Vision of History
Voltaire, "The New Philosophical History"
Voltaire, "Annals"
Condorcet, "The Future Progress of the Human Mind"
19. A Return to Paganism? Religion and the Enlightenment
Outram, 31-46
Hume, "On Miracles"
D'Holbach, "Good Sense" and "The System of Nature"
Paine, "The Age of Reason"
Voltaire, "Adam," and "Religion"
20. A New, Global Economics
Smith, Wealth of Nations (excerpts)
21 and 22. A Science of Politics
Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (excerpts)
Rousseau, The Social Contract (excerpts)
Voltaire, "Democracy"
Part 5: Applied Enlightenment
23. Enlightened Politics, Absolutism and Otherwise
Outram, 96-113
24. Paving the War for Revolutions? Pt. 1, The Americas
Canizares-Esquerra, "Whose Enlightenment Was It Anyway?"
U.S. Declaration of Independence
25. Paving the War for Revolutions? Pt. 2, Europe
Outram, 114-127
Darnton, "The High Enlightenment and the Low-Life of Literature"
26. Enlightened Imperialism
TBA
27 and 28. A Last Trip Around the Globe
Voltaire, Candide
FINAL EXAM--Date and Time TBA
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