Wabash College
HIS 497, Fall 2007
Meeting Time/Location 1:10-2:25
Dr. Rhoades
Office: 124 Baxter Hall
Phone: x6222
Office Hours (officially):
T-TH after class to about 4:30
AND by appt.
Email rhoadesm@wabash.edu
About the course:
This is an advanced history course that will ask you to think about and to discuss how historians
have conceptualized the craft of writing history. In this sense this is a theory and philosophy
course. This semester you will consider how the profession has developed and changed since the
19th century. You may not know, for example, that historians have argued amongst themselves
about the best methods and practices to use when studying the past. The have argued about the
best theoretical framework for studying the American Revolution, for example. Some have asked
if we can “tell the truth” about the past. Others have argued that we can understand cultural
mindsets by a process of “thick description.” Still others have fretted over what constitutes
important historical evidence and what does not. We can also ask if it is more important to study
individuals (known, famous, infamous) or systems (economic, gendered, cultural, political,
social)? Who decides if a topic is worthy of historical study? Are there “winners” and “losers” in
history? Can (should?) historians make such a judgment?
The readings this semester provide an introduction to modern historiography. Some types of
historical inquiry you will appreciate. The methods will make sense to you or intrigue you. Other
methods of inquiry you may find troubling or boring. This course invites you to join the debate
about what history is, how it is best conducted, and why (if?) it matters.
Structure:
There are several brief papers to write during the first part of the course and a theory test as a
midterm. In the last part of the course, you will conduct your own research culminating in a 15
page paper and an in-class research presentation.
A Special Note: as you work through the materials this semester, keep in mind that you should
keep track of your test, papers, group work, and notes on the readings. You will use selections
from these to create a History Portfolio for your oral exams during your senior year.
All of the readings in 497 will contribute to the work that you do in HIS 498, your written
comprehensive exams and your oral comprehensive exams. Taking good notes and thinking
deeply now will help a great deal next year.
Goals of the History Department:
A. CONTENT: to acquire a degree of mastery of both factual and conceptual (or thematic) knowledge in several
geographical areas, diverse cultures and different time periods in human history, with particular sensitivity to change
over time of a diverse, global society.
B. THE CRAFT OF HISTORY: to acquire the habit of the many analytical skills which historians use in recovering,
researching and writing about the past.
C. HISTORICAL THINKING: to develop habits of thinking like an historian, which means: appreciation for the
complexity of both change and continuity over time and in different ages, cultures and areas of the world; an
awareness of the inevitability of historical interpretation and of historiographical schools of thought; and an
understanding of how events and ideas from the past affect the present.
D. SELF-EXPRESSION: to become competent and confident in the oral and written skills needed to speak and
write about historical questions with facility and sensitivity.
E. SELF-DEVELOPMENT: to become an independent intellectual inquirer into the past, as well as a lifelong
learner of history; and to locate oneself and one’s family, community and cultural traditions in history.
Need some Help?
On the web:
There is substantial writing help available on the web. See
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ and www.uiowa.edu/~histwrit You should also get used
to using footnotes and following the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition.
Computer Services Help Desk: 361-6400 (for technical problems) Academic Support Services:
361-6352 (for time management and other issues) and at the Writing Center: 361-6024 (for a
second reader, editing advice, brainstorming, etc.).
All students should participate in discussion and to be civil to one another. In addition, do not
misrepresent the work of others as your own. Do not lift papers, full or in part (cut and paste),
from the web or any other location. If I find an incident of plagiarism I will fail you for the
class and report your activities to the Dean of Students. Currently, Wabash’s policy is that
if a student is reported to have plagiarized twice, he will be asked to leave the college and
will never be allowed to receive a Wabash Degree.
I always welcome a good discussion about research, reading and writing. It’s what I do for a
living, so it interests me. If you have questions about your graded work, come see me so we can
talk about your writing and the assignment. However, I do ask that you wait at least 24 hours
after receiving a graded assignment so that you can cool off (if you need to), re-read your paper,
and think about the assignment. Questions (or complaints) posed immediately upon receiving
returned papers are often poorly phrased and unhelpful for both of us. This is true for your draft
papers too. You should look over my comments before coming with questions. It’s more
productive that way.
Required Books:
Telling the Truth About History (Paperback) by Joyce Oldham Appleby, Lynn Hunt, and
Margaret Jacob Eds. (W. W. Norton & Company; New Ed edition; 1995) ISBN-10: 0393312860
Historians on History (Paperback) by John Tosh (Longman; 1 edition, 2000) ISBN-10:
0582357950
Beyond the Cultural Turn: New Directions in the Study of Society and Culture (Studies on the
History of Society and Culture , No 34) (Paperback) by Victoria E. Bonnell and Lynn Hunt
Eds. (University of California Press, 1999) ISBN-10: 0520216792
Course Requirements:
3 short papers: 15% (5% each)
Theory Test: 25%
Participation, leading discussion, attendance, presentations: 30%
(Presentations alone are worth 10%)
Final Paper and research notes: 30%
Due dates for short papers are in your syllabus. Details will be passed out later.
Final Historiography Paper: You have until the end of your exam period to turn in your final
paper. However, you can turn it in as early as the date of your presentation. In other words, it is
acceptable to give your final presentation and turn in your last paper at the same time.
In groups of 2, you will lead two separate class discussions. This is part of your participation
grade.
No Late Papers Will Be Accepted!
Week 1
Aug. 23
Introductions
Week 2
Aug 28
30
Understanding History’s History
Appleby et al., Chs. 2 & 3. Choose discussion dates in class.
Appleby et al., Chs. 4 & 5.
Week3
Sept. 4
6
Primary Sources from the 19th C./Annales
**Spickard et al., Chs. 38–40; Tosh, 20-39.
Tosh, 215-270.
Week 4
11
13
Political History and Postmodernism
Tosh, 49-107, 170-178.
Appleby, Ch. 6; Tosh, 283-305, 318-325.
Sept. 14 Paper #1 Due by 4pm. 2-3 pages.
Week 5
18
20
Postmodernism/Gender
Tosh, 39-45, 107–126, 308-325.
Tosh, 127–150, 179-195.
Week 6
25
The Cultural Turn
Beyond the Cultural Turn, pp. 5-35; **Robert Darnton, “Workers Revolt: The
Great Cat Massacre of the Rue Saint-Séverin”
Beyond the Cultural Turn, chs. 1-2 (Sewell and Biernacki)
27
Week 7
Oct 2
4
What Place Narrative and the Body?
Beyond the Cultural Turn, chs. 3, 5, 8
**Hera Cook, “Sexuality and Contraception in Modern England: Doing the
History of Reproductive Sexuality” JSH (Summer 2007); **Robert Nye,
“Locating Masculinity: Some Recent Work on Men” Signs (Spring 2005).
Oct. 5 Paper #2 Due by 4pm. 4-5 pages.
Week 8
9
Oral History and Colonial History
Beyond the Cultural Turn, Ch. 6; **White, “Telling More: Lies, Secrets and
History” History and Theory, 39 (Dec 2000); **David L. Schoenbrun, “Conjuring
the Modern in Africa: Durability and Rupture in Histories of Public Healing
between the Great Lakes of East Africa” AHR, (December 2006).
11
MIDSEMESTER BREAK
Week 9
16
Environmental History, Race, and Disability
Appleby et al., Chs 7 & 8; **Stephen Mosley, “Common Ground: Integrating
Social and Environmental History” Journal of Social History, (Spring 2000)
**Catherine J. Kudlick, “Disability History: Why we need Another ‘Other’” AHR
(June 2003); Tosh: 151–166.
18
Week 10
23
25
History making Sense in the Future?
**Daniel Wickberg, “What is the History of Sensibilities? On Cultural Histories,
Old and New” AHR, 112: 3 (2007); **Mark M. Smith, “Producing Sense,
Consuming Sense, Making Sense: Perils and Prospects for Sensory History” JSH
(Summer2007); **Christina Kotchmidova, “From Good Cheer to Drive-By
Smiling”: A Social History of Cheerfulness” JSH (Fall 2005).
**Londa Schiebinger, “Feminist History of Colonial Science” Hypatia, 19
(Winter 2000);**Roy Rosenzweig, “Scarcity or Abundance? (preserving the Past
in the Digital Era” AHR June 2003)
Oct. 26 Paper #3 Due by 5pm. 4-5 pages.
Week 11
30
31
Nov 1
Review and pick up theory test in class
Theory Test due in my office by 4pm.
Meet in Library
Week 12
6
8
Research Day
Research Day
Week 13
13
15
Meet in Library
Research Day
Week14
19-23 Thanksgiving Recess!
Week 15
27
29
Research Day
Presentations
Week 16
Dec 4
6
Presentations
Presentations
Week 17
December 10-14 Finals Week
YOUR FINAL PAPERS ARE DUE no later than 4:30, Thursday December 13, in my office.