interrelationship operates, imagine working backwards in European history going from the present 2004 period (oldest time, in a sense) back to the next-oldest era. We see in today's Russia, for instance, how these five factors are operating in a conflictive way. The deposit of Russia's recent (Communist) history and its leading ideas are at odds with its new, post-Communist political structure given its thin coating of new ideas of its own.
The social security blanketfree education, free medical care, lower prices for staples, et al.-- of the former socialist era is gone. The stumbling Russian economy is at the same time both old and new in distinctly inharmonious ways: combining wild capitalism with elements of bureaucratic centralism and elitism carried over from the preceding era. Tension between the immediate past and the present is thus at a critical peak. Soviet science produced complex weapons armed with thermonuclear warheads but there are signs that these weapons today are not adequately guarded or protected by the authorities against accident and theft. Thus, another disjuncture. Contemporary Russian art and music reflect all this and other types of confusion and dysfunction in post-Communist Russia. Put another way, Russia is "out of shape."
Another example: Greco-Roman civilization seemed stymied by 100 B.C. or so. People seemed to lack hope, social and economic relations stalled, the Empire was rotting from within. Was it a case of the belief/religious system failing the public? Examples of out of shape may be found worldwide, including in our own country.
COURSE GOALS
As a required course fulfilling the history portion of the liberal arts requirement for the B.F.A., HD 289 is designed to give to students some useful perspectives for understanding any society and its times, including, implicitly, present-day America. We see how societies did or did not work in the past; and at the same time how ideas and structures in their times may have helped them
develop. To achieve these insights, students:
- study the major social, political and intellectual (including science and art) theories and practices and their relationship to social conditions
- become familiar with the sequence of Euro-western history
- familiarize themselves with the major forms of Euro-western history
- acquire a global historical perspective by which they can recognize relationships not only in the SHAPE sense within a given culture and time, but also between regions and peoples worldwide at given times.
SKILLS OBJECTIVES
Students---------------->
- learn how to evaluate historical evidence and information
- gain basic knowledge of European political geography and chronology.
- improve their ability to organize their thoughts and express them clearly
and grammatically in writing
- improve reading comprehension of unfamiliar material.
RESOURCES
The Academic Resource Center, located next door to the
Writing Studio, provides sessions in time-management, note-taking,
handling stress, how to write answers to essay questions, research on the 'Net, MLA documentation and plagiarism, study, reading, memory, and test-taking.
The instructor may refer individual students to the Academic Resource Center to strengthen particular skills or for help in preparing written work for readings in this course. When referred, students must have their HI assignments reviewed by a peer writing consultant and make the necessary corrections before submitting them to me, the instructor.
ABSENCES
Students are permitted two absences for any reason,
including illness.No additional excused absences will be accepted unless they are forced under highly unusual circumstances. The Final Grade is tied to a student's attendance record. This grade is lowered one-half letter for a third absence while students with four or more absences will have their Final Grade lowered by a whole letter or more.
Absence from a test means the missed-test grade is an automatic F.
GRADES
Tests and quizzes..........................60%
Timely fulfillment of assignments,
including writing and class discussion........30%
Improved all-round performance during the Term,
including punctuality, proper decorum in class.........10%
TEXTS
Marvin Perry Western Civilization A Brief History Vol 1,
4th ed, Houghton Mifflin Co.
and Sources of the Western Tradition, Vol. 1 ,
Houghton-Mifflin Co.
NOTE: Always bring these textbooks to class!
Other required readings are handed out periodically in class.
CALENDAR OF WEEKLY READING
ASSIGNMENTS/DISCUSSION
Use handed-out
Class Syllabus--ALW
