HIST 087 0386: Fall 2015
World Civilizations II
Los Angeles City College, Dept. of Social Sciences
Instructor: Christina Heisser, Ph.D.
Meeting time: T/TH 10:35 AM-12:00 PM; Meeting place: Franklin Hall 212
Instructor information:
Prof. Christina Heisser (Please call me Professor Heisser or Dr. Heisser)
Email: christinaheisser@gmail.com
Websites: http://lacchistory87.wordpress.com/ and Etudes: http://myetudes.org
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lacchist87fall2015/
Office: Franklin Hall 219-D; Office Hours: M 3:15-5:15 pm; Th 12:15-2:15 pm, or by
appt.
Please get in touch with any questions you may have. I am happy to help!
What is this class about?
The WORLD: In academic lingo, “world” means we’re not just going to study our
own country or only the history of Europe. We’re going to discuss Africa, Asia, and
the Americas as well. We won’t talk about the whole world in this class, but we’ll be
criss-crossing different parts of the globe to learn about relationships between
people and places in what diverse peoples thought of as “the whole world” at
different points in time. The exciting and sometimes terrifying story we’ll be tracing
this semester is that of increasing global connectedness.
CIVILIZATIONS: This is actually a bit tricky. We’ll think of civilizations as human
communities in this class, and we’ll work to define and question the idea of
“civilization.” “Civilization” has been a dangerous word in human history, because it
has been used as a weapon to justify violence. (As in: “I’m civilized, you’re barbaric.
That means I can cheat/enslave/kill you.”) We use it carefully and critically.
II: “II” means this is the second half of the World Civ sequence, but World Civ I is not
a prerequisite. II just tells you about our time period, which will be roughly from
1500 to the present.
What will you learn?
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
Explain key developments in world history from the sixteenth century to the
present. (Assessed through exams, reading responses, and final project)
Compare and contrast the political, economic, and cultural traditions of major world
civilizations. (Assessed through class discussions, reading responses, and exams)
Read primary and secondary sources in history to understand main arguments,
identify point of view/bias, and place in context of broader developments.
(Assessed through short reading responses, essay, and final project)
Make written and oral arguments about world history using appropriately cited
evidence. (Assessed through participation in class discussion and final project)
Why should you care?
World history is a story of the world we live in and how it came to be. The battles,
the love affairs, even the academic writings of five hundred years ago and more
continue to affect our world today. When we study history, we can begin to piece
together explanations of why the world is how it is. As we study world history this
semester, we will better understand some of the smallest questions - like what
brought you or me to live in L.A. - and the biggest ideas - like how technology
changes the way the world works. Knowledge is power, and being informed about
the world we live in gives you power: by preparing you to sound smart in
conversation with a potential boss or allowing you to disregard racist, sexist, or
classist ideas dressed up as fact or history.
In addition to the content you learn in this class, the skills that you will practice are
essential for any informed citizen or professional career. In this class, you will ask
questions to identify bias and find meaning in confusing texts or in strange pictures.
This practice will help you to better read between the lines for office politics in an
email from your boss, decipher political rhetoric, and maybe even comprehend Ikea
manuals. You will compose an essay, teach a lesson, and build a web resource using
evidence - a skill that will help you advocate for proposals at work and win debates
at the dinner table. If you already know how to do all these things, this class will
give you an opportunity to continue to perfect your skills.
What will you do?
Read.
There is no textbook for this course. Instead, we’ll be reading history books that will
help us to see connections among people and economies around the world. Course
lectures will talk about the big picture, and readings will help us to understand what
the big picture meant for individuals. There may be additional online readings
assigned as well.
Vermeer’s Hat: The Seventeenth Century and the Dawn of the Global World by
Timothy Brook. ISBN-10: 1596915994; ISBN-13: 978-1596915992
The Slave Ship: A Human History by Marcus Rediker. ISBN-10: 0143114255; ISBN13: 978-0143114253.
Think. Ask. Discuss.
At least a third of the class time in this course will be dedicated to discussion. We’re
going to be spending a lot of time talking about the reading that you’ve done. Your
voice will also be important in the lecture portions of the class, as we review
together, analyze historical images, and try to make connections between old and
new knowledge.
Along with sharing your ideas about what you have read and understood, it is your
job to ask questions in this class. A historian asks questions about objects - like the
art pictured in this syllabus - and, more often, texts. I hope you will ask relentless
questions in this class - of me, of your classmates, of the things we read and look at
together. Don’t be afraid to be curious (though we may not always find the answer)
and don’t be afraid to look silly - chances are someone else has the same question.
Write.
We will do a lot of writing in this class. Writing will take a couple of forms. In the
first half of the class, there will be regular writing assignments related to the course
reading for the day. In the second half of the course, there will be much fewer
reading responses as you begin the work of putting together your final project.
Writing is one of the primary ways that you will be evaluated in this course. English
28 is recommended for the course, and if you have taken English, it will make your
life easier. That said, more than a third of your grade is determined by
satisfactory/unsatisfactory marks rather than by a grade on your writing
proficiency. If you do the work, according to the directions, on time, you will get full
credit. There is a lot of room to make mistakes in this class and still be successful you just need to commit to doing the work.
Why so much writing? Because universities tell us they want students to be able to
write when they transfer. Because employers look for people with proficient
writing skills. Because even though it’s a cliché, practice does make perfect, and
your writing will improve this semester.
Teach.
The final project in this class will be a teaching project. You and a small group of
your peers will become experts on a world history topic that you’ve selected in
consultation with me, and you will spend 15-20 minutes teaching your classmates
about it. You’ll also prepare and share a web resource on that topic. Why? Because
world history is huge, and this gives you the power as a class to choose some of the
topics we talk about. Because the point of research is to contribute to a
community’s knowledge and understanding. And because in an internet world,
processing, prioritizing, and communicating information is just as important as
finding it.
I am always happy to answer any of your questions. Send me an email, post a
comment to the course blog, message me on Facebook, or stop by my office during
office hours. I’m also happy to look at your drafts of assignments in advance of the
due date and give you feedback and advice. I want you to do well, and I am glad
when I can help that happen.
Assignments and Deadlines
Exams: Midterm: October 23; Final: December 15. Both will include short answer
and essay questions.
Source evaluation paper: 3-4 pages. Due November 3. You’ll read 3 different source
types, including one academic journal article, and prepare an abstract and review
@250 words each. We’ll go over the format together in class.
Class project: This will be a group research project with two main components in
the final product: an 15-20-minute, in-class lesson; and a web-based study resource.
This project will be developed almost entirely after the midterm. Tentative
deadlines for the stages in the process are as follows:
Group role sheet/contract: October 27
Topic proposal/pitch meeting: October 29
Source evaluation paper: November 3
Lesson plan/consultation: 1 week before lesson date
Group lesson dates: by topic and signup, week 12-14.
Lesson resources posted: by start of class on lesson date
Revision of lesson resources: December 9
Reading responses: Short (100 words) responses to the reading, submitted via
Etudes. This will be the primary accountability measure for the first half of the
class: complete 10 of 12 for 200 of 200 points, and get 5 points extra credit for each
extra response. Reading responses are due before class starts, and there are no late
responses accepted. There may be additional assigned responses to accompany
student projects in the second half of the class.
Additional short writing and in-class writing: There may be short assignments you’ll
do instead of reading responses. Short in-class writing will get turned in at the
beginning of many class sessions on a pass/fail basis, for a total of 40 points. No
makeups will be given for these assignments. Points will be given as follows: %
completed times 40.
Extra Credit
You can earn up to 15 points extra credit throughout the semester, the equivalent of
one letter grade on your final exam, in the following ways:
Post weird words you came across in your reading for the week and their
definitions on the “comments” section of the course website:
http://lacchistory87.wordpress.com/weird-word-wall/. Follow the link for full
details. @1 point per entry, capped at 1 point per week.
Go to a museum related to the course, such as the Getty or LACMA. Email me a
ticket stub and a 100-word response telling me about a piece that had a particular
impact on you, and the connections you drew between it and our class. @5 points.
Go to a lecture or a talk on campus or elsewhere in the city about something related
to our course themes. If you’re not sure if something works, you can check with me
first. Email me a 100-word response to the event. @ 5 points.
Perfect attendance: Attend class every day. Arrive on time, stay the whole class
period. Remind me at the end of the semester. @10 points.
Put together a 1-2 minute advertisement for a world history experience somewhere
in the city. This one requires prior consultation with me, and I’ll lay out exactly
what you need then. If you want to do this, we’ll need to put together a plan by
October 29. @15 points.
Grading
Midterm Exam: 100 points (10%)
Final Exam: 150 points (15%)
Source evaluation paper: 100 points (10%)
Project grade: 200 points (20%)
Group score: 100 points (10%)
Individual score: 100 points (10%)
Homework (Credit/no-credit scoring): 350 points (35%)
Reading responses: 200 points (20%)
Additional homework, if required by groups: 40 points (4%)
Group role sheet and contract: 10 pts.
Proposal/Consultation: 30 pts.
Peer evaluations: 25 pts.
Lesson plan/consultation: 35 pts.
Participation (&in-class writing): 100 points (10%)
Total points = 1000**
Grade A: 900-1000 pts. An “A” student does assigned reading and homework, asks
questions, participates in course discussions and contributes particularly insightful
and interesting work on exams, papers, and projects.
Grade B: 800-895 pts. A “B” student, like an “A” student asks questions, and
participates in discussion. A “B” student may be missing a few homework
assignments or have one low score on a major assignment or exam, but overall they
submit homework, do above average work on exams and papers. Their work shows
they are able to make plausible arguments using evidence. Grade C: 700-795 pts.
This student does most homework, asks some questions, and participates
sometimes in discussion. Student completes essays, projects, and exams, and their
scores are average. This student is able to identify historical events but fails to
interpret meanings.
Grade D&F: D: 600-695 pts.; F: less than 600 pts. This student does not read course
material or participate in class, and they may have several absences. The student
completes less than half of homework assignments, fails to contribute to the final
project, or plagiarizes major assignments. Exam scores may also be low. This
student is unable to identify historical events and fails to interpret meanings.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the ultimate sin in academic life – it is passing someone else’s work off
as your own. The penalty for plagiarism is a zero on the assignment. This means
that one bad choice can seriously affect your grade.
To avoid plagiarism:
1. Use quotation marks if you are borrowing someone else’s words.
2. Cite any source from which you get words or ideas. To cite is to make it clear in
your writing that an idea came from a book or website that you read. We’ll discuss
in class how to cite your sources, and there are various online guides you can
consult as well.
If you have questions about whether something is plagiarism, ASK before you turn
in the assignment. I am happy to help with your questions!
Week-by-week: A tentative program
Week 1: September 1/3
Introductions; First Contacts
Short primary document readings (online)
Week 2: September 8/10
Ecological Revolutions of the 16th-17th C
Personal essay, Vermeer’s Hat
Week 3: September 15/17
Mental Revolutions in the 16th-17th C, Vermeer’s Hat
Week 4: September 22/24
States and Societies: Political and Social Change in the 16th-17th C, Vermeer’s Hat
Week 5: September 29/October 1
Driven by Growth: The Global Economy in the 18th C, Vermeer’s Hat
Week 6: October 6/8
The Age of Global Interaction: Expansion and Intersection of 18th-C Empires, Slave
Ship
Week 7: October 13/15
The Exchange of Enlightenments: 18th-C Thought, Slave Ship
Week 8: October 20/22
Midterm Review, Midterm Exam
Week 9: October 27/29
Society and Economy in the 19th C
Topic proposal due: pitch meetings
Week 10: November 3/5
The Westward Shift of Power in the 19th C
Source reviews/abstracts due
Week 11: November 10/12
Politics in the 19th C
Homework TBA: Student Projects
Week 12: November 17/19
Politics in the 20th C
Homework TBA: Student Projects
Week 13: November 24 (No class 11/26)
Homework TBA: Student Projects
Week 14: December 1/3
Civil Society in the 20th C
Homework TBA: Student Projects
Week 15: December 8/10
Wrap-up, Final Exam Review
Revisions of class resources due 12/8
This outline does not include homework details. Dates and deadlines are subject to
change. See Etudes or the course calendar on the class website for full assignment
details.
Attendance: Attendance is vital to the successful completion of this course. Exams
and papers will build off lectures and in-class discussion, and your participation is
essential for your learning and for the learning of your classmates.
You are considered absent if you are late or leave class early (NO EXCEPTIONS). All
students are permitted two free absences. Beginning with the third absence,
absences will reduce your final grade. Students with more than four absences
(unexcused and excused included) may be dropped from the course.
Disruptive behavior or lack of preparation can result in the expulsion of the student
from class. Consult the current calendar for information concerning holidays, drop
dates, registration, etc. It is the student’s responsibility to follow those dates.
If you miss class, you will need to get any necessary information from your
classmates. It is a good idea to exchange contact info with someone in the class.
Tardiness: Tardiness or coming in late to class is disruptive to the class and to the
instructor. If you are not here when your name is called during roll, you will be
marked absent for the day. No student will be admitted more than 5 minutes after
the scheduled start of class.
Important dates:
Last day to drop without a W: September 13
Last day to drop with a W: November 22
Campus closed: September 7, November 11; November 26-29
Final Exam: Tuesday, December 15, 9:30-11:30 AM
Rules, Regulations, and other Fine Print
Dropping the Class: It is the student’s responsibility to officially drop the class
whenever he or she determines that he/she can no longer attend the class. Failure
to drop a class officially may result in a failing grade and/or a financial obligation to
the college.
Important! Drop Date Information
The deadline to drop without a “W” is the last day of Week 2 (of the semester),
which is Sunday, September 13 for Fall 2015. If you must drop a course, drop before
the specified deadline for dropping a class without a grade of "W." Dropping after
Week 2 will result in a “W” on your transcript. Effective since July 1, 2012 students
now have just 3 attempts to pass a class. If a student gets a "W" or grade of "D", "F",
“I”, or "NP" in a class, that will count as an attempt. A student’s past record of course
attempts district wide will also be considered. Therefore, before the end of Week 2
you should carefully consider if you can reasonably manage this course with the
other factors in your life (e.g. work, family, course load). If you think you will not be
able to complete this course with a C or better, drop by Sunday, September 13. If
you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to talk to me. You may also see a
counselor in the Counseling Center in AD 108.
Short-term classes: Drop dates for short-term classes are not the same as full
semester classes. For specific deadline dates, please contact the Admissions Office.
If you need help paying for books and other college expenses,
call the Financial Aid Office at
(323) 953-4000 extension 2010,
or see them at Student Services Village room 117
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/stusvcs/finaid/
Disability Information: Students with a verified disability who may need authorized
accommodation(s) for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and the
Office of Special Services (SSV 100, 323-953-4000, ext. 2270) as soon as possible, at
least two weeks before any exam or quiz. All information will remain confidential.
Cell Phone/Computer/Electronic Device Policy: Students may not use cell phones to
accept or make calls while in class. They must be turned to silent mode. Computers
or tablets are permitted solely for note-taking or research, and no inappropriate
uses during class. Students who do not adhere to this policy will be asked to leave
class. If there is a second occurrence, the student will be referred to the VP of
Student Services, and will return to class after the VP has cleared her or him to
return.
Academic Dishonesty/Cheating – Board Rule 9803.28: Violations of Academic
Integrity include, but are not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an exam,
plagiarism, working together on an assignment, paper or project when the
instructor has specifically stated students should not do so, submitting the same
term paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another individual to assume
one’s identity for the purpose of enhancing one’s grade.
Class Conduct: Please treat all class members with respect. Please familiarize
yourself with the Student LACC Code of Conduct for guidelines on acceptable and
unacceptable conduct.
Disputing Grades: If you choose to dispute your grade for the course you must
submit a type-written, double-spaced letter explaining why you believe your grade
was not appropriate to the work you have completed. You must attach all
supporting papers, exams, homework assignments and all applicable materials to
support your case. I will review your information and make a determination if a
grade change is warranted. As a reminder, as I review your information, your grade
may be lowered due to my error in giving you a higher grade than you actually
earned. You are responsible for your own performance and grade.
Note: This syllabus is tentative and subject to change. I may amend, add, and/or
delete any of the items. You will be notified of any changes.