Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS 211-2"
COURSE NAME: "Twentieth-Century Europe and the World"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2015

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Vanda Wilcox
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: T/Th by appointment only

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This period witnessed an extraordinary transition in the fabric of European life in every sphere: political, social, economic and cultural. Revolutions, wars and civil wars dramatically reshaped Europe and the political systems of the continent, as well as the relationships between Europe and the rest of the world.

The course will focus not only on these political changes but on their ideological, cultural and social underpinnings. Rapid social change, particularly with regard to the rights of women, was accompanied by dramatic developments in the world of culture and the arts. Students will learn about this crucial period of history, enhance their understanding of modern Europe, and develop critical thinking abilities.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Major themes and topics of the course include: nationalism and the modern nation state; imperialism and the relationships between Europe and the wider world; the causes and events of the two world wars, both within Europe and around the globe; the rise of new political ideologies and the failure of democracy across much of Europe in the interwar period and during the Cold War; the history of Soviet Russia; decolonization; the birth of the European Union.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, students should have a good general understanding of the key events and themes of the period. They will be encouraged to make comparisons across the period and between different states and societies. They will be asked to critically analyze differing interpretations and to reach their own conclusions, in order to build on their critical thinking abilities.

Students will gain experience in analyzing a selection of written or visual primary sources. They will develop and improve their skills in researching and writing, in order to produce effective research papers, as well as expressing their ideas orally.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century	M. Mazower	Penguin	9780679757047

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Assigned topic paper	1800-word paper on a selected aspect of the Soviet Union, 1917-1953, due Wednesday 25 February.	15%
Independent Research paper	2200-word paper on a topic of the students’ own choice, agreed with the instructor. Due Wednesday 15 April.	20%
Reading response and discussion	Written and oral discussion of assigned readings. Students must contribute every week to discussion on moodle, answering questions and offering reactions.	15%
Mid-term	In-class exam on all material covered up until that point, including reading assignments. 4 March.	20%
Final Exam	Cumulative final exam, date to be determined.	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 displays originality of thought. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course, leading to written work of an excellent quality which fully achieves or even exceeds the criteria set by the assignment. This is an exceptional grade only achieved by a minority of students.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions. Written work shows a good level of research and reading beyond the required material and successfully achieves the criteria set by the assignment. This is a good grade reflecting hard work and ability.
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 only. Written work shows a minimum level of research with no real further reading around the topic. It is generally competent but offers little originality, or it may have confused elements. It fulfills the basic requirements of the assignment.
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. Written work shows little evidence of research, lacks citations or cites unacceptable sources (e.g. websites not specifically authorised by the instructor for use).
Fhis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant or fails to fulfill the assignment criteria.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance at class is mandatory. More than 3 unauthorised absences will cause your final overall grade to be reduced by one level per excessive absence (ie. A- to B+, B+ to B etc). An excused absence requires a doctor's note or official evidence that you have had an illness, family emergency or legal obligation which prevents you from attending class. Please bring or email this notification directly to me unless there is a good reason not to, otherwise please go to the Faculty Support Office in the Guarini Campus.

Travel plans, or mistakes in travel plans, are not an acceptable reason for missing class.

Students must sign in on the class attendance sheet at the start of each class. Students arriving more than 10 minutes after the start of class will be recorded as absent. Please be punctual. Attendance records are based on the sign-in sheet so it is your responsibility to make sure you sign it every class.

GRADING POLICY

-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Assigned topic paper	1800-word paper on a selected aspect of the Soviet Union, 1917-1953, due Wednesday 25 February.	15%
Independent Research paper	2200-word paper on a topic of the students’ own choice, agreed with the instructor. Due Wednesday 15 April.	20%
Reading response and moodle discussion	Written and oral discussion of assigned readings. Students must contribute every week to discussion on moodle, answering questions and offering reactions.	15%
Mid-term	In-class exam on all material covered up until that point, including reading assignments.	20%
Final Exam	Cumulative final exam.	30%

B This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions. Written work shows a good level of research and reading beyond the required material and successfully achieves the criteria set by the assignment. This is a good grade reflecting hard work and ability.

C This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings only. Written work shows a minimum level of research with no real further reading around the topic. It is generally competent but offers little originality, or it may have confused elements. It fulfills the basic requirements of the assignment.
D This 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. Written work shows little evidence of research, lacks citations or cites unacceptable sources (e.g. websites not specifically authorised by the instructor for use).

F This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant or fails to fulfill the assignment criteria.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance at class is mandatory. More than 3 unauthorised absences will cause your final overall grade to be reduced by one level per excessive absence (ie. A- to B+, B+ to B etc). An excused absence requires a doctor's note or official evidence that you have had an illness, family emergency or legal obligation which prevents you from attending class. Please bring or email this notification directly to me unless there is a good reason not to, otherwise please go to the Faculty Support Office in the Guarini Campus.

CLASS POLICIES

In addition to the attendance policy which you should read carefully, please note:

It is not possible to arrange make-ups for mid-term or final exams. See catalogue for further details.
Please notify me via email if you are going to miss class, in advance where possible.
Computers may not be used in class. Exceptions may be granted to individuals who present compelling reasons. If I find that you are using your computer for non-class related purposes I will mark you down as absent for that session since you have been mentally absent from the classroom.
Try to minimize all forms of disruption to the class: this includes arriving late, constantly leaving to go to the bathroom, eating, using your phone etc. This behavior is disrespectful and above all distracting to your classmates, and it prevents us from creating a productive working environment.
It is your responsibility to check the class Moodle site for messages, schedule changes, class readings etc regularly.
Be aware that all work will be checked for academic dishonesty.
Late work will not be accepted after the final examination date.

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

19 Jan	1. Europe in 1900
21 Jan	2. International rivalries and colonialism
26 Jan	3. The First World War as a global conflict
28 Jan	4. Legacies of the First World War: nationalism and anti-colonialism in India and the Middle East
2 Feb	5. Legacies of the First World War: Pacifism, disarmament and appeasement in the 20s & 30s
4 Feb	6. The Soviet Union, 1917-41
9 Feb	7. Fascism and Nazism
11 Feb	8. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe: Italy, Spain and Germany
16 Feb	9. European democracies between the wars
18 Feb	10. Japanese imperialism and the Second World War
23 Feb	11.The Second World War in Europe
25 Feb	12. Anti-Semitism from the 1880s to the Holocaust
2 Mar	13. European empires during and after the Second World War
4 Mar	14. MID-TERM EXAM
9 Mar	15. Post-war settlements: between punishment and regeneration
11 Mar	16. Post-war settlements: the occupation of Europe and birth of the Cold War
16 Mar	17. Post-war settlements: International organisations – the EEC, NATO and the UN
18 Mar	18. De-colonization in the 1950s and 1960s
23 Mar	19. The Cold War in Europe and proxy conflicts around the world
25 Mar	20. The Soviet Union, 1953-85
30 Mar	21. Anti-Soviet movements in Eastern Europe: Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia
1 Apr	22. Western European democracies and the welfare state
13 Apr	23. Gender and family life in Europe since 1945
15 Apr	24. Protest and political violence in the 1960s and 70s
20 Apr	25. The fall of the USSR and the Soviet bloc
22 Apr	26. Ethnic nationalism and the Balkan wars
27 Apr	27. From the European Economic Community to the European Union
29 Apr	28. Europe in 2000