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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS-RS 311H"
COURSE NAME: "History, Memory, and Popular Culture - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Vanda Wilcox
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30 AM 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:
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 aims to explore the relationship between history, memory, and popular culture: how is our view of the past shaped by popular culture, and how do societies collectively remember and represent the past? Students will learn to think critically about representations of the past in popular culture and the relationship between history and present day society.

Satisfies "Modern History" core course requirement for History majors.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Memories of past events live on and continue to affect the present in politics, society and culture. This seminar course introduces students to the concept of memory studies; explores the relationships between history and memory; and examines some of the ways in which societies and cultures remember and represent the past. Students will consider representations of national and international history in popular culture, such as novels, videogames, comics, film and television, as well as formal means of memorialisation such as commemorative sites (memorials, monuments and museums). We will critically examine the debates around controversial statues, monuments and heritages sites, to explore how they speak to contemporary debates over the past. We will also look at contemporary forms of public history (podcasts, social media) to see how they reinforce, subvert or modify existing collective narratives about the past.

The course is likely to be of particular interest not only to history majors but to media and communications majors. It also offers excellent interdisciplinary potential for those majoring in literature or art history.

In Fall 2025 the topics under consideration may include US slavery and the civil war, videogame depictions of the First World War and debates over the legacies of fascism in Italy.

 

The Honours section, for students with a GPA over 3.5, will include additional readings and discussion sections which address in-depth topics not covered elsewhere in the class.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, students will:
* have a greater understanding of the processes by which the past is remembered, presented and interpreted;
* be able to identify and critique public narratives about the past;
* be able to critically evaluate the ways in which various crucial nineteenth and twentieth century events have been presented.

The course will lead students to consider the relationships between the past and the present along with exploring some aspects of the way history operates as a discipline. 

Key skills used and developed by the course will be: 
      - critical reading and thinking;
      - analysis and argument; 
      - participation in and leadership of class discussions; 
      - oral and written presentation of critical reactions to key sources (texts, films, monuments); 
     - independently planning, researching and writing a specific topical study. 

Developing an individual analysis, justifying it with appropriate arguments and citations, and effectively communicating these ideas whether orally or in writing, are the central requirements of the course.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Research PaperStudents will write a 2500-word independent research paper during the semester, which will constitute a significant proportion of their final grade. This will be based on individually selected topic, in consultation with the instructor, and represent a chance for students to explore the history and memory of a specific event or topic of their choice, or to critically compare several cultural works and their roles in generating collective memory.30%
Videogames & history paperStudents will write a short (1500 word) paper on the presentation of war in video games, using Valiant Hearts and other materials assigned in class.20%
ParticipationThis includes both in-class participation in discussion of readings and screenings, and response to moodle prompts as appropriate.20%
Final Exam 20%
Research Plan / Annotated BibliographyStudents will be required to submit a detailed outline and annotated bibliography two weeks before the research paper is due, in order to receive feedback. Also included in this share of the grade is a short oral presentation of your research plan to the class.10%

-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 REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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

NB FOR A MORE COMPLETE SCHEDULE & READING ASSIGNMENTS, CONSULT THE REGULAR SECTION OF THIS CLASS, HS-RS 311

 

draft outline schedule:

Week 1: Introduction to Memory Studies; popular culture and the past

Week 2: Commemoration - an introduction to monuments and memorials

Week 3: The First World War in film and TV

Week 4: History and Videogames: can games be history?

Week 5: First World War videogames

Week 6: US Civil War memories during Reconstruction and after

Week 7: Memories of the Confederacy, Confederate Memory

Week 8: Civil War Memories from the Civil Rights Era to today's Culture Wars

Week 9: Italian fascism and its material legacies from architecture to monuments

Week 10: Memories of Italian fascism on screen

Week 11: Neo-fascism and political nostalgia

Week 12: final topic tbc

Week 13: final topic tbc

Week 14: final topic tbc