Download Honors 200: The Shaping of the Modern Mind

Honors 200: The Shaping of the Modern Mind
The Imperial Idea in Modern European History
Spring Semester, 2014
Sem 015, TTh 11:00-12:15
Dr. Alan Singer
Office: Honors House 138
Phone: 229-4658
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Monday-Wednesday 1:30-3:00
Thursday 1:00-2:30
and by appointment
This course will examine imperialism in the modern era. In a relatively short period of
time, Europeans took part in a colonizing project that profoundly altered the world’s economic,
social, and political systems. We will concentrate most specifically on how people in both
expansionist countries and colonized territories perceived the imperial idea. We will address the
following important questions: How did European leaders and common people understand this
phenomenon? Why did leaders see this in terms of international competition, economic
necessity, and humanitarianism? We will also examine imperialism from the point of view of the
colonized. Did they all see this as European aggression? What forms of resistance were
practiced? Did some approve?
Required Readings
Timothy H. Parsons, The British Imperial Century, 1815-1914 ISBN 0847688259
David Cannadine, Ornamentalism: How the British Saw Their Empire ISBN 019515794x
Adam Hochschild, King Leopold’s Ghost ISBN 0618001905
*There is also a required reading packet which is available for purchase at Clark Graphics (2915
North Oakland Avenue).
*Two required short readings are accessible on the Internet. The URLs are posted in the
schedule below.
Required Viewing
The Battle of Algiers, dir. Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966
Course Requirements
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Your final grade will be based on the work you do in three areas. First, there will be three, five
page to seven page essays. In these assignments you will be asked to write on important issues
relating to the readings from the schedule below. In the second type of assignment, you will
write three, two to three page essays that answer specific questions regarding the readings or
discussions. The questions will be designed to help you focus on the material as the semester
progresses. The third area of evaluation regards class participation. Since this course is in a
seminar format, it is absolutely essential that there is positive discussion throughout the
semester. To ensure this, you are required to take part.
*A note on “positive discussion”: Ideally, in a seminar, the students do most of the talking. My
main job is to direct discussion in a manner so we stay on topic. Because the course is
essentially a semester-long conversation, sometimes concerning controversial issues, we all
have to make sure that we respect each other. We all come into the seminar room with a
variety of life experiences and backgrounds, opinions, political and religious beliefs, etc. The
seminar itself and consequentially, your grades will greatly suffer if courtesy and sensitivity
towards your fellow classmates are not observed.
D2L
We will be using D2L, the online course management program. On D2L, I will be posting
questions and key terms which you should be familiar with and consider before you come to
class each day. This will greatly help our discussions and your understanding of the reading
material. I will also occasionally post announcements about any possible changes in our
schedule and any other relevant news for the class. On occasion, I will be posting links to
relevant supplementary material that is available online.
Grade Breakdown
Paper One: 20%
Paper Two: 20%
Paper Three: 25%
Two to three page assignments: 15%
Participation (attendance, punctuality, positive discussion) 20%
A note on attendance and punctuality:
Because this course is in a seminar format, where you are expected to play an active part, you
are required to attend classes and be on time. I will be taking attendance and noting tardiness.
If you know ahead of time that you will be absent or late, be sure to email me and let me know.
As you will see in the schedule below, on two occasions we will be cancelling class to hold
private or individual meetings to discuss the first two longer paper assignments. The meetings
are required.
Evaluation Scale
You will receive a percentage grade for all of your assignments. I will be using a basic plus/minus
scale:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 88-89
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B 83-87
B- 80-82
C+ 78-79
C 73-77
C- 70-72
D 60-70
Email
Students must check their UWM email often. Along with D2L, we will use email as a primary
means of communication outside of class.
Attendance: Missing class more than two times because of unexcused absences will result in
losing 5 points from one’s final grade for each additional absence.
Tardiness: It is essential that you come to class on time. Please let me know ahead of time if you
know you will be late. Excessive tardiness (more than two times) will result in the lowering of
your final grade 5 points for each additional instance.
Late assignments: Unexcused late assignments will lose 5 points for every twenty-four hours
they are late.
Paper writing format: In this course, we will be using Chicago Manual of Style format. I will
discuss the guidelines in class but you can also consult the relevant web sites for examples of
how to do endnotes, a title page, works cited page, etc. Improper formatting will result in the
lowering of your paper grade.
Schedule of Readings and Assignments
The following schedule lists when the readings and 5-7 page essays are due. Please note that
this is only a preliminary schedule. I may have to move some dates back if we need more time to
discuss a given topic. I will be sure to give you notice if any dates change.
Tues. Jan 21 Course Introduction
Thurs. Jan. 23 Discussion on Reading and Writing History
Tues. Jan. 28 Case Study of Imperialism: The British Empire
Discuss: Timothy H. Parsons, The British Imperial Century, 1815-1914, 1-58
Thurs. Jan 30 Case Study of Imperialism: The British Empire
Discuss: Parsons, 59-90
Tues. Feb. 4 Case Study of Imperialism: The British Empire
Discuss: Parsons, 91-147
Thurs. Feb. 6 The Mission to Civilize
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Discuss: Rudyard Kipling, The White Man’s Burden
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/kipling.asp
Alice L. Conklin, “The French Civilizing Mission” (in the reading packet)
Adrian Hastings, “Christianity, Civilization, and Commerce” (reading packet)
Tues. Feb. 11 The Mission to Civilize
Discuss: Zeynep Celik, “Displaying the Orient” (reading packet)
Anne McClintock, “Advertising the Empire” (reading packet)
Thurs. Feb. 13 No Class- Individual Meetings on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Tues. Feb. 18 Empire Through European Eyes
Discuss: David Cannadine, Ornamentalism, xiii-24
Thurs. Feb. 20 Empire Through European Eyes
Discuss: Cannadine, 27-82
Paper One Due (first five to seven page paper)
Tues. Feb. 25 Empire Through European Eyes
Discuss: Cannadine, 85-135
Thurs. Feb. 27 Empire Through European Eyes
Discuss: Cannadine, 136-179
Tues. Mar. 4 Empire Through European Eyes
Discuss: Edward W. Said, Orientalism (Introduction) (reading packet)
Thurs. Mar. 6 Theories of Imperialism
Discuss: J.A. Hobson, “Imperialism” (reading packet)
Tues. Mar. 11 No Class- Individual Meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday
Thurs. Mar. 13 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Adam Hochschild, King Leopold’s Ghost, 1-46
**************************Spring Break***********************************
Tues. Mar. 25 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 47-87
Paper Two Due (second five to seven page paper)
Thurs. Mar. 27 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 88-114
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Thurs. Apr. 3 No Class
Tues. Apr. 8 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 115-149
Thurs. Apr. 10 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 150-181
Tues. Apr. 15 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 185-234
Thurs. Apr. 17 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild, 235-274
Tues. Apr. 22 Imperialism on the Ground: Belgians in the Congo
Discuss: Hochschild: 275-306
Thurs. Apr. 24 Resistance to Empire and Decolonization
Discuss: George Orwell, “Shooting an Elephant”
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/887/
Mohandas K. Gandhi, “Ahimsa or the Way of Nonviolence” (reading packet)
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, 1-31 (chapter one, On Violence)
Tues. Apr. 29 Resistance to Empire and Decolonization
Discuss: Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, 32-62 (chapter one, “On Violence”,
reading packet)
Thurs. May 1 Resistance to Empire and Decolonization
In-class film, The Battle of Algiers, pt. 1
Tues. May 6 Resistance to Empire and Decolonization
In-class film: The Battle of Algiers, pt. 2
Thurs. May 8 Final Discussion
The final paper is due on Tuesday, May 13, by noon, in my office.
Your paper must be in on time. If it is late, I will deduct half of a grade for every half hour it is
late.
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