CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO
History 594: Comparative Revolutions
SB-212, T&Th, 2:00-3:50 pm
Fall, 2015
[History Dept: SB-327, 537-5524]
Robert Blackey
Office Hrs.: T&Th, noon-1:50 pm & by
appointment
Office & Phone: FOB-224, 537-5550
e-mail: rblackey@csusb.edu
Class web page: http://history.csusb.edu/facultyStaff/blackey.htm
Web page includes:
• syllabus
• Research Paper Checklist
• Instructions for Citing Web Sources
• Note on Responsible Use of Sources
• Hints for Successful JSTOR Searching
• Study Guide for “Battle of Algiers”
• Study Guide for The Wretched of the
Earth
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a research and writing seminar wherein students
will be expected to use both primary and secondary sources to write an original research
paper that examines aspects of either two revolutionary ideals or two revolutionary
activists/theorists from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and/or Latin America—as per
one of the two approaches listed below under the heading “Research Paper Assignment.”
We will read about and discuss the origins of the modern idea of revolution and a few leading
theorists and theories along with some analyses of the causes and ideals of revolutions from
around the globe; this will provide the background and broader context for the paper students
will research and write. There will also be analysis of documents, student leading of class
discussions, and peer editing. As this is a seminar, there will be no formal lecturing, and
class participation and group work will be graded. It is expected that all students will attend
every class session; attendance will be taken and count toward the course grade.
GENERAL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be able to: (1.1) demonstrate knowledge of relevant historical facts & context;
(1.2) demonstrate the ability to frame historical questions; (1.3) demonstrate awareness of
historical interpretative differences; (2.1) demonstrate the ability to thoroughly use a broad
range of historical sources; (2.2) demonstrate the ability to evaluate & analyze primary
historical sources; (2.3) demonstrate the ability to develop an historical interpretation based
on evidence; (3.1) demonstrate the ability to write clearly; (3.2) demonstrate the ability to
speak clearly.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES SPECIFIC TO OUR COURSE:
A.
B.
C.
To develop an appreciation for the interdisciplinary subject of revolutions.
To become familiar with aspects of many of the major revolutions in the history of
Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
To develop an understanding of the diverse causes, nature, and theories of
1
D.
E.
F.
G.
revolutions, including through comparative analysis.
To develop an understanding of the relationship between revolutionary theory and
practice.
To improve your ability to think historically, and to express that ability in class
discussions and in writing, culminating in a significant research paper that is based
upon both primary and secondary sources. Also, to be aware that thinking historically
includes an understanding of different—and sometimes competing and changing—
interpretations.
To learn how to edit and contribute to the work of other students and thus gain an
understanding of the writing process as practiced by historians.
To present a short version of your paper in a conference-style format before fellow
students.
REQUIRED READING:
M.L. Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 8th ed (2015)
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth
Most of the articles and chapter for the weekly assignments (below) are from:
R. Blackey & C. Paynton, Revolution and the Revolutionary Idea (1976)
C. Paynton & R. Blackey, Why Revolution: Theories and Analyses (1971)
All the articles/chapters (but not the Fanon or Rampolla books) are on Blackboard.
Bibliographical Resource (On Reserve in the Pfau Library):
R. Blackey, Revolutions and Revolutionists: A Comprehensive Guide to the
Literature (1982)
AVOID PROCRASTINATION LIKE THE PLAGUE
ASSIGNMENTS:
1st Week, Thurs
(Sept 24)
Introduction and syllabus review
1st Week, Tues
(Sept 29)
Aristotle, “Man and Revolution”
K. Griewank, “Emergence of the Concept of Revolution”
H. Lubasz, “What is Revolution?”
all in Paynton & Blackey, Why Revolution?
R. Blackey & C. Paynton, Revolutionary Ideal, ch. 1
C.B. Kroeber, “Theory and History of Revolution”
William Kelleher Storey, Writing History, pp. 1-24
2nd Week, Thurs
(Oct 1)
Class meets at Pfau Library for presentation
L. Gottschalk, “Causes of Revolution”
C. Johnson, “Revolution and the Social System”
both in Why Revolution?
Revolutionary Ideal, pp. 75-78, ch. 2
2
2nd Week, Tues
(Oct 6)
P. Amman, “Revolution: A Redefinition”
J.C. Davies, “Toward a Theory of Revolution”
both in Why Revolution?
Revolutionary Ideal, pp. 143-47, chs. 13, 14, 20
M. Kishlansky, “How to Read a Document”
3rd Week, Thurs
(Oct 8)
Individual meetings with professor to discuss research proposals
(including working thesis & possible questions you will ask)
3rd Week, Tues
(Oct 13)
One-page research proposal due (plus working bibliography)
Revolutionary Ideal, chs. 9, 10, 11
R. Tucker, “The Marxian Revolutionary Ideal” in Why Revolution?
4th Week, Thurs
(Oct 15)
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth
Meet in PL-045 for demonstration on effective use of Word
4th Week, Tues
(Oct 20)
R. Blackey, “Fanon and Cabral: A Contrast in Theories of
Revolution for Africa”
Film: “Battle of Algiers”
5th Week, Thurs
(Oct 22)
G. LeBon, “The Psychology of Revolution”
C. Ellwood, “A Psychological Theory of Revolutions”
both in Why Revolution?
Oriana Fallaci, “Interview with Khomeini”
5th Week, Tues
(Oct 27)
First draft of papers due; peer editing
(bring 2 copies to class, 1 each for instructor, 1 for peer editor)
6th Week, Thurs
(Oct 29)
Revolutionary Ideal, chs. 15, 16, 17
6th Week, Tues
(Nov 3)
Revolutionary Ideal, chs. 5, 22
7th Week, Th & T
(Nov 5 & 10)
Individual research & consultation with professor
8th Week, Th & T
(Nov 12 & 17)
Individual research & consultation with professor
9th & 10th Weeks, Th,T,&T Individual research presentations (each about 15 minutes)
(Nov 19, 24, & Dec 1)
10th Week, Thurs
(Dec 3)
Final drafts of papers due
Finals week class
(Th, Dec 10)
Return papers (in FOB-224)
3
You can only really figure out what you think if you first put it on paper and then develop some
distance from it. It has to be a part of yourself, but a part that you are willing to release from
yourself. Most problems in writing come from the anxiety caused by the unconscious realization
that what you write is you and has to be held out for others to see….Writing is not the transcription
of thoughts already consciously present in [your] mind. Writing is a magical and mysterious
process that makes it possible to think differently.
Lynn Hunt, historian, UCLA
Perspectives on History (February 2010)
RESEARCH PAPER ASSIGNMENT: Each student will choose to do either A or B.
A.
Choose any two (2) major revolutionary leaders or revolutionary theorists (i.e.,
sometimes the leaders are also the theorists, sometimes not). Discuss and analyze the
similarities and differences in their roles in and/or ideas on revolution.
B.
Choose any two (2) major revolutions and discuss and analyze the similarities and
differences in the revolutionary ideal behind them (e.g., Marxian and/or Leninist ideals for the
Russian Revolution).
Choosing a Topic: By the 5th class session (Oct 8) you will need to have a pretty
good idea of your topic, based on one of the two broad categories (A or B) listed immediately
above; it is vital that you start thinking about a topic and begin searching for potential sources
during the first week of the quarter so as to be ready to clear your choice with the professor.
Prepare a working thesis and formulate one or more questions that your paper will answer
and that will help you in organizing your paper. For this purpose, and to guide you, you
should read pp. 1-24 in William Kelleher Storey’s Writing History (on Blackboard; see Sept
29).
PROCRASTINATE AND YOU ARE DOOMED!
Research Proposal: Due at the 6th class session (Oct 13) is your research proposal
which should include a clear description of your topic, a thesis, the questions your paper will
answer, a brief outline of how you see the paper being organized, and a tentative annotated
bibliography of both several primary and secondary sources. Mary Lynn Rampolla’s Pocket
Guide, chapters 2, 3, 4 & 5 will be helpful in guiding you to find appropriate sources.
First Draft & Peer Editing: The first drafts of papers are due at the start of the 10th
class session (Oct 27); two copies will be needed, one for the professor, the other for the
person with whom you will be paired for peer editing. Writing is a process that includes
feedback from peers before final drafts are submitted. You will be paired with another
student in order to edit each other’s work. Before this class session you should have read
chapters 6 & 7 in Rampolla’s Pocket Guide. No late drafts will be accepted; failure to hand in
your first draft will result in an automatic failure for the course.
Oral Paper Presentations: The 17th, 18th, and 19th class sessions (Nov 19, 24, Dec
1) will be devoted to oral presentations of papers directed at your fellow students. In an order
to be assigned by the instructor, each student will have 15 minutes to identify his/her thesis
and supporting argument along with a statement attesting to the importance of this research.
4
Include your objective in writing the paper and the sources used; identify questions you’ve
answered and perhaps were unable to answer. This is a last chance to get feedback from
your peers before fine-tuning your paper; the feedback portion of the paper will be allotted 5
minutes (for a total of 20 minutes per student), with the audience providing a critique, offering
suggestions, commenting on the overall quality of the work.
Final Drafts of Papers: The final drafts of papers are due on the last regular class
session (Dec 3). In addition to the effectiveness of the overall paper as per the assignment,
the grade will be affected by each student’s involvement in the process and the extent to
which suggested revisions and recommendations—based on drafts, peer editing, and oral
presentation critiques—have been considered and incorporated. Late papers will not be
accepted and will result in a grade of F.
Turnitin.com: For final drafts only; information will be supplied later.
Paper Format: Each research paper is expected to be between 20 and 25 typed
pages, not including the bibliography (standard double space, font size 12, and a font such as
Arial [which is what you’re seeing in this syllabus] or Palatino, with one-inch margins all
around); pages should be numbered at the bottom of each page, with page 1 being the first
page of the narrative (i.e., don’t number the title page or table of contents). Include a title
page, but please do not use plastic covers of any kind. Citations should be in footnotes (not
endnotes; an average of 3 per page is typical) and they must follow the Chicago Manual of
Style (which is what historians use), not the style of the MLA, APA, or any other; if you follow
any style other than Chicago, your paper will be judged unacceptable.
Print & Internet Sources: You should complete a sufficient amount of research (at
least 15 to 20 sources, both books and journal articles, is average; do not include textbooks,
encyclopedias, or web sources—specifically, avoid using “.com” web sites). It is expected
that your research will include primary source/documentary material. (When citing collections
or books of documents in footnotes, be sure to include the name of the document along with
other relevant information about the book in which the document appears. Do the same for
any web sites you use, but also include a copy of the documents cited with your final draft.
See class web page for “Instructions for Citing Web Sources.”) In addition, use of the
Internet should be limited to finding document/primary sources, and although these should be
added to your bibliography, they will not be counted as part of the 15 to 20 sources you will
be using. To find articles in academic journals for your research, use the JSTOR database
that is available through the University Library from any computer on campus or from your
home via the Library’s home page (see “Hints for Successful JSTOR Searching” on our
course web page or ask the Reference Librarian for assistance). The bibliography in the final
draft of your paper must be annotated (i.e., a sentence or two explaining what use the source
was to you).
Thesis, Posed Questions, Conclusion: The introduction to your paper must have a
clearly articulated thesis (i.e., a point of view relative to what you are comparing and
analyzing and which the paper will prove or support). The introduction should also include
two or three questions that the body of your paper will answer. Both the thesis and questions
will help to give your paper focus and direction. Don't forget to include a conclusion as well
(i.e., not merely a summary, a conclusion addresses issues of significance, of short-term and
long-term consequences, and it ties in to the thesis statement as well).
5
On Written English: Your paper will not be downgraded because of a few relatively
unimportant errors or lapses in grammar or a misspelled word or two. Your work will be
graded essentially on the quality of your ideas and how effectively they are presented (but
that includes written English). This weighs heavily in my judging your work, so please give it
sufficient attention. For free writing help from a tutor, go to The Writing Center, University
Hall 387 and/or to the CSBS Writing Lab in SB-354 (for anything from the basics of grammar
to abstracts to research papers).
STUDENT PARTICIPATION: Throughout the quarter you will be responsible for explaining
your understanding of the reading, presenting aspects of your research, and providing
feedback on other students’ work. All this is designed to fine-tune your critical reading and
thinking skills, to train you in the historical process, and encourage collective learning. You
must successfully complete all written and oral assignments in order to pass the course, and
that includes receiving a passing grade on the final draft of your paper.
Each student will be assigned to lead the discussion of one or two of the assigned readings.
As you read your assigned article(s)/chapter(s) and prepare questions to pose to the class,
keep in mind the following questions: What is the author’s main argument or thesis? How
and to what extent does the author persuade you of the validity of his/her argument or thesis?
What contribution does the article/chapter make to our understanding of revolutions? Are
there any ways the argument or thesis could have been strengthened?
ON PLAGIARISM & CHEATING: As per the University catalog: “Plagiarism is the
presentation as one’s own, the ideas and writing of another. Plagiarism is academically
dishonest and subjects the offending student to penalties up to and including expulsion.
Students must make appropriate acknowledgments of the original source where material
written or compiled by another is used.” I take this seriously; you should too, both because of
reasons relating to being honest and true to yourself and because I want you to improve and
grow. To help you to avoid plagiarizing, consult “Note on Responsible Use of Sources” on
the class web page and chapter 6 in Rampolla’s Pocket Guide.
ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is critical to success in this course. Students who miss
more than one class session without a valid, documented excuse will automatically forfeit
10% of their final grade. Missing more than three classes without a valid, documented
excuse will result in an F for the course. (Validity to be determined by the instructor.)
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you are in need of an accommodation for a disability in
order to participate in this class, please let me know ASAP and also contact Services to
Students with Disabilities at UH-183, (909) 537-5238.
LAPTOPS & CELL PHONES IN CLASS: May be used only for note taking, not for game
playing, checking e-mail, instant messaging, texting, tweeting, or searching the Internet.
PAGERS, BEEPERS, CELL PHONES, I-PODS: Please turn them off before class begins.
DROPPING OR WITHDRAWING: Before you decide to drop or withdraw from any course,
see University regulations and procedures in this quarter’s printed Class Schedule.
6
EXPECTATIONS:
A. My expectations of you: (1) While I do not expect this class to occupy all your time,
I do expect you to give it serious and regular attention (i.e., several hours and most days
each week). (2) If you have difficulty with any aspect of the course, please inform me
immediately either in class or during my office hours; in fact, talk to me before a problem
becomes serious (i.e., talking to me afterwards will inevitably make resolution more difficult).
(3) In order to produce an acceptable paper for this course you will need begin work on your
paper immediately. It takes time to decide upon a topic, to formulate a thesis, and to find
sources; for example, many of you will have to find some sources via Inter-Library Loan,
which can take up to two weeks to receive and which can be checked out for only a limited
period of time. Thus you must focus on what you will need to get accomplished each week
and then maintain your intensity throughout the entire quarter. Procrastination will be your
worst enemy.
B. Your expectations of me: You can expect me (1) to do my best to challenge you
intellectually and to make this course interesting, informative, and educationally profitable; (2)
to evaluate your work fairly and objectively; (3) to be available to you during my office hours
and at other times I agree to; (4) to help you to improve your thinking, analytical, and writing
skills and to add to your appreciation of the importance of history; (5) to be demanding and
fair.
FINAL GRADE:
Participation/discussion, leading one discussion
Research proposal (summary, thesis, outline, sources)
First draft & peer editing
Oral paper presentation
Final draft of paper
10%
10%
15%
15%
50%
Reminder: A passing grade on the final draft is the necessary minimum in order to
pass the course.
It will not be possible to do any other work for “extra credit.”
PROCRASTINATION IS THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD TO FAILURE
7