The World in the Twentieth Century

The World in the Twentieth Century SPRING 2013 KIRSTY MONTGOMERY Office: A128A Phone: 630-907-5977 E-mail: kmontgomery@imsa.edu OFFICE HOURS: A/C DAYS: 9:30am 1:00pm; B/D DAYS: 8:30am 10am and 2:15-3:00pm; I DAYS: 9am 2pm; or by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION The intention of this semester is to examine several major thematic topics in world history during the long Twentieth Century, including modernity, imperialism, the Cold War and decolonization. Emphasis will be placed on student research and investigative work. Further, students will be pushed to think critically about the historical events and ideas and determine the causes or constructs that led to the present. Assessment will rely on class participation, papers and projects. Finally, in pursuing this path, we will be meeting the Content Standards for World Studies as developed at IMSA. ESSENTIAL CONTENT Historians know a great deal about the events of the twentieth century. In fact, any attempt even to delineate the key events, let alone cover them, is an exercise in futility. Each iteration of the course will, therefore, vary in the particulars, but will be based on the core conceptual standards as expressed in those concepts that dominate the twentieth century. The units will address the following four themes: I. The Foundations of Modern Ideology The Enlightenment Legacy The French and Industrial Revolutions Politico-Economic Systems: Capitalism, Socialism and Marxism II. III. IV. Imperialism and World War The Growth of European Empire Legacy of Colonialism Alliances, Conflict and Tragedy The Path to Armageddon A New World Order Fascism and Militarism World War II Ideology, Decolonization and Global Confrontation: The Cold War Origins of the Cold War Political and Economic Institutions The Cold War in Asia, Africa and the Middle East The Collapse of the Bipolar World One could, for example, begin by analyzing the complex relationships between Modernism, Rationalism and Liberalism especially as expressed in T.R. Malthus s Essay on Population and Charles Darwin s On the Origen of Species and its reception, in and outside of the sciences. These developments are part of what leads to the 1

expansion of Western power and the eventual dominance of the Western Weltanschauungen as the dual revolutions of capitalism and republicanism spread. These structures and ideas arguably first shaped Europe then the rest of the world and continue to do so today in the globalization of economic and cultural structures. Instructional Design and Approach In the introduction to the first edition of the Cambridge Modern History, Lord Acton admonishes his fellow historians to Study problems not eras. The history team has always taken that dictum to heart (even if not in honor of the good Lord Acton). That our curriculum is problem centered is reflected in the extensive use of primary sources and the tasks of interpreting them. That we study problems not eras is further reflected in the team s core conceptual standards, in the reading assignments and frequent in-class discussions. Everything has a history and so by its very nature this course will be integrative. This iteration of the course proceeds chronologically and thematically. Proceeding from Malthus the course will consider the origins of colonization and de-colonization, the construction of the Other and the history of genocide, the emergence and demise of totalitarian political systems, and the modern history of globalization. TEXTS AND MATERIALS Online materials and handouts (e.g. Modern History Sourcebook, ABC-Clio) J.M. Roberts, Twentieth Century: The History of the World, 1901 to 2000. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS Attendance: Attendance policy in this class is consistent with that contained in your Student Handbook. Computer Use: In-class computer use for anything other than assigned class work will result in a loss of participation points for the day. This includes viewing Facebook or other social networking sites, checking PowerSchool or e-mail, IM-ing, taking phone calls, or viewing any other material not pertinent to current classroom discussion. Students are expected to keep their screens closed unless they have permission to open them. During student presentations, students must keep their computer screens down. Show respect for your peers. Respect Accorded to Students and Faculty: Courtesy and respect to each other and to the instructor should be maintained at all times in both e-mail correspondence and in class. The right to dissent shall not be stifled, but the need to reflect and articulate intelligently is also demanded. Questions should be directed toward the instructor. Class debates should address the issue at hand and its supporting evidence, not differences in student personalities. COURSE EVALUATION Quizzes 15% Class Participation 25% Papers and Projects 30% Research Paper 30% Grading Scale: A = 100-94% B = 85-83% C = 75-73% A- = 93-90% B- = 82-80% C- = 72-70% B+ = 89-86% C+ = 79-76% D = 69% > Each quarter there will be at least four short formative assessments (e.g. reading quizzes, short paper), and two longer assessments (e.g. a paper, presentation or project). In addition there will be one longer summative semester project (e.g. a research paper). The two major papers will be an analysis of a secondary source s 2

interpretation of events or phenomena using primary sources and a research papers on a topic in part of the students choosing. PAPER-WRITING GUIDELINES Please adhere to the guidelines for all out-of-class written assignments. Points may be deducted for the following: 1. Spelling errors 2. Obvious grammatical errors. 3. Failure to use paragraphs or create introductory paragraphs and sentences. 4. Unreadable sentences, whether due to poor grammar or word usage. 5. Failure to maintain a consistency of spelling, usage, and capitalization throughout an assignment. 6. Use of any unsupported or factually incorrect statements. 7. Failure to use page numbers (paper or electronic) or, if required an unstapled paper. 8. Use of notation that is not Chicago Manual of Style. Style: On any written assignments, no matter what they are, you must use the Chicago Manual of Style. This means in matters of footnotes, citations, etc. Any of use of APA or MLA will result in having the paper returned to you to be rewritten. http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html http://www.wisc.edu/writing/handbook/docchicago.html Other Points: We are writing essays, not journalistic articles; therefore, every sentence is not a paragraph. Along the same lines, use paragraphs to organize the ideas of the essay and make it more readable. Use introductions and conclusions, as well as, a clear flow of material through the paper. Formatting: These should be set at a consistent 1-inch for ALL four borders. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, unless otherwise requested, no title is to be added and all names, dates, etc. are to be single-spaced. (Anything past these two is really just filler.) Font should be 12pt. Finally, the papers will be double-spaced, unless otherwise requested. Hints: The key to avoiding the above errors is to PROOFREAD your papers as closely as possible. This means you must write the paper early and either reread it yourself or have someone else do it (both are best). Try reading the paper out-loud from finish to start, sentence by sentence. If all else fails, please come to see me ASAP. Good writing is not something that just happens; it is something that you must practice. Think of the paper as a work in progress. This is a craft or skill that you develop through use. LATE WORK AND COLLABORATION As a simple matter of fairness to all students enduring the same time constraints as their peers and a matter of organization for the instructor, each assignment is expected to be turned in at the time specified. Except in the most unusual of circumstances and with instructor permission, late work will be penalized a half grade per day for up to four days (96 hours from the exact time of the cut off to be exact). Keep track of your due dates! Be on time and turn in assignments on time. Back up your files! There are no extensions except in the most unusual of circumstances (and with the explicit instruction of Student Life). Students who have not turned in all work by the final due dates at the end of the semester will receive an unsatisfactory grade for the course except where the instructor has received explicit directions to enter an incomplete grade. 3

If you have trouble submitting a paper you must e-mail me immediately. Your essay will not be considered complete, however, until it has been handed to me in person. This also applies to group projects. Every member of a group is responsible for collaborative assignments. This means that not only is each member responsible for knowing what the other members have found in their research but the resulting final assignment is expected to be turned in on time and with all necessary parts. Each individual grade is affected by the collective effort. PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Especially if you complete written work at the last moment, the temptation to pass off other people s work as your own is a great one. In a culture where the value of ideas is rarely in their value for their own sake, it is crucial to appreciate them at an institution that thrives on developing new ones. All of the work you turn in for this course should be your own. Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams in their book The Craft of Research, 2d ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003) explain: You plagiarize when, intentionally or not, you use someone else s words or ideas but fail to credit that person.... You plagiarize even when you do credit the source but use its exact words without using quotation marks or block indentation....you [also] plagiarize when you paraphrase a source so closely that anyone putting your work next to it would see that you could not have written what you did without the source at your elbow. Claiming as your own the work of others, in whole or in part, will result in an immediate F for the assignment and referral to Keith McInstosh for disciplinary action. See the IMSA Student Handbook for specific details and be sure to refer to the IMSA Chicago Style website for written assignments. 4

TENTATIVE SEQUENCE OF TOPICS AND READINGS: PART I -- THE FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN IDEOLOGY Week 1: (January 14-18) Introductions; the Enlightenment legacy Class I: Introductions. What is History Class II: Malthus, Darwin and the Birth of the Modern T.R. Malthus, Essay on Population (selections) Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species (selections) Robert B. Marks, The Origins of the Modern World, Empire, States and the New World, 1500-1775 (optional) Week 2: (January 21-25) A Mad, Bad and Dangerous People: The French Revolution Class I: The Ancien Regime and the French Revolution Class II: The Paradoxes of Liberalism Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes, What is the Third Estate? Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man Week 3: (January 28-February 1) The Great Divergence: The Industrial Revolution Class I: Riches and Poverty Class II: Why Europe Grew Rich and Asia Did Not Wolfgang Schivelbusch, The Railway Journey: The Industrialization of Time and Space in the 19 th Century, Panoramic Travel Robert B. Marks, The Origins of the Modern World, The Industrial Revolution and its Consequences, 1750-1850 Prasannan Parthasarathi, Why Europe Grew Rich and Asia Did Not (Introduction) Week 4: (February 4-8) Imagining the Middle Class: Capitalism, Socialism and Marxism Class I: The Political Economy of Free Trade Class II: Marxism and its Critics Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (Selections) Karl Marx, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, (Selections on the primitive accumulation of capital) Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto PART II: IMPERIALISM AND WORLD WAR Week 5: (February 11-15) Nationalism and the Growth of European Empire Class I: Nationalism Class II: Empire and Imperialism 5

J.S. Mill, Civilization J.A. Hobson, Imperialism, Nationalism and Imperialism Week 6: (February 18-21) The Scramble for Africa Class I: Joseph Conrad s Heart of Darkness Class II: Social Darwinism Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Rudyard Kipling, The White Man s Burden Herbert Spencer, The Study of Sociology, 1873 and Social Statics, 1850 J.A. Hobson, Imperialism, The Scientific Defence of Imperialism Week 7: (February 25-March 1) Late Victorian Holocausts: Alliances, Conflict and Tragedy Class I: Crisis in the Balkans Class II: Women s Suffrage Nicoletta Gullace, The Blood of Our Sons (selections) Week 8: (March 4-8) The Old World Broken: World War I Class I: All Quiet on the Western Front Class II: The Creation of the Modern Middle East The Hussein-McMahon correspondence T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom PART III: THE PATH TO ARMAGEDDON Week 9: (March 11-15) A New World Order Class I: The West: The Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations Class II: The Rest: The Soviet Union, India, and China Treaty of Versailles Charter of the League of Nations Lenin, State and Revolution Gandhi, Autobiography Mao Zedong, Get Organized Week 10: (March 18-22) Fascism, Totalitarianism and Militarism Class I: The Great Depression Class II: The Rise of Germany Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (selections) Neville Chamberlain, Speech on the Munich Crisis Benito Mussolini, The Doctrine of Fascism 6

Week 11: Spring Break Week 12: (April 1-5) Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: World War II Class I: The Blitz Class II: World War II in Asia and the Pacific Churchill s Speeches (selections) PART IV: IDEOLOGY, DECOLONIZATION AND GLOBAL CONFRONTATION: THE COLD WAR Week 13: (April 8-12) A Peace to End all Peace: the Origins of the Cold War Class I: The West Class II: The Rest George F. Kennan, The Sources of Soviet Conduct Nehru, Speech on the Granting of Indian Independence Week 14: (April 15-19) Hot and Cold Wars: Political and Economic Institutions Class I: The United Nations Class II: The Bretton Woods Institutions and theories of economic development: the IMF and the World Bank Charter of the United Nations Mark Mazower, No Enchanted Palace: The End of Empire and the Ideological Origins of the United Nations (Introduction) Week 15: (April 22-26) Apocalypse Now: The Cold War in Asia Class I: Communist Revolution in China Class II: Vietnam & Korea Judge & Langdon, The Cold War: A Global History with Documents (selections) Week 16: (April 29- May 3) In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: the Cold War in Africa Class I: Failed States the case of Zaire Class II: A Problem from Hell the Rwandan Genocide Michela Wrong, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz (selections) Samantha Power, A Problem from Hell (selections) Samuel Moyn, The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (selections) Week 17: (May 6-10) The Cold War in the Middle East Class I: First Arab-Israeli War, 1947 Class II: Arab-Israeli Wars, 1967, 1973 7

Charles D. Smith, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (selections) Week 18: (May 13-17) The Collapse of the Bipolar World Class I: Iran and Afghanistan Class II: Reagan and the Collapse of the Soviet Union Judge & Langdon, The Cold War: A Global History with Documents (selections) Week 19: (May 20-24) The End of History and the Last Man: September 11, 2001 and Beyond Class I: The Road to 9/11 Class II: Post 9/11 National Security Strategy, 2001 8