Western Civilization- Honors
Professor Tusan
Tuesday/Thursday 1:00- 2:15
CBC C118
Fall 2002
Office Location: 327 Wright Hall
Hours: Tues. 3:30-4:30, Thurs. 2:15- 4:15
Phone: 895- 4570 michelle.tusan@ccmail.Nevada.edu
Required Reading:
Western Civilizations by Coffin, Stacey, Lerner, Meacham
Perspectives from the Past by Brophy, Epstein, Nilan, Robertson, Safley
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
* Please note: all texts are available pre-packaged together in the bookstore at a discounted price. They are also all available on reserve in the library
Description:
This course traces the history of the West starting from the early modern period to the present. Themes discussed will include: the Reformation, the Enlightenment, colonial conquest, the scientific revolution, political revolution, the two world wars, nationalism, decolonization, the Cold War, and Globalization. We will discuss these topics using a wide range of primary documents written during the period. Readings will include fictional and autobiographical sources and will serve to help us analyze contemporary interpretations of the impact of major historical events on Western culture and society.
Requirements:
This course is a combination of lecture and discussion. Thus, your participation in class will be an important component of your grade (10%). Each student will complete two, 2 page analytical response papers on the readings assigned for class (20%). These papers will provide the basis for your leading of class discussion on the day that your paper is due. You will work in teams in order to help guide your fellow students through the most important concepts and ideas found in the reading. You may only turn this assignment in during the class time for which your presentation is scheduled. Response assignments cannot be made up. Please bring the assigned reading to class each day.
In addition, students will be required to write one short 3-4 page paper (20%) and take an in-class midterm (25%) and final (25%) both consisting of short answers and essays. All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade for the course. Late papers will not be accepted without prior approval from the instructor.
Make-up exams, if approved, will consist entirely of long essay questions.
COURSE SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:
Week 1: Introduction- What is Modern Western Civilization?
August 27: Studying Western Civilization: Goals, Strategies, Expectations
August 29: The Reformation
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 14; Calvin, “Draft
Ecclesiastical Ordinances,” pp. 109- 113; Luther, “Appeal to the
Christian Nobility,” and “Statement of Grievances,” pp. 114- 124.
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Week 2: Stability Comes to Europe
September 3: War, Revolution, and the Rise of the State
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 15; Bodin, “On
Sovereignty,” pp. 128- 134; Hobbes, “Leviathan,” pp. 160 –165;
Montaigne, “It is Folly,” pp. 166- 169, Scot, “Discoverie of
Witchcraft,”pp. 141- 148.
September 5: Commerce, Colonialism, and the Mercantile System
Reading: Chapter 16; Mun, “Discourse,” pp. 183- 187; Colbert,
“Memorandum,” pp. 200- 202; Turgot, “Reflections,” pp.
203- 209; Thomas Raynal, “Political History,” pp. 214- 217;
Smith, “Wealth of Nations,” pp. 217- 225; Pepys, “Coffee House,” pp. 230- 233.
Week 3: New Ways of Thinking about the State, Society and Nature
September 10: Absolutism
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 17; Louis XIV, “Edict”, pp. 235- 238; Locke, “Two Treatises,” pp. 238- 249; Bossuet,
“Politics,” pp. 249- 256; Frederick II, “Antimachiavell,”; p. 262-
265; Grotius, “Law,” pp. 266- 270.
September 12: The Scientific Revolution
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 18; Bacon, “Great
Instauration,” pp. 272- 277; Galileo, pp. 277- 281; Descartes,
“Discourse,” pp. 286- 290; Copernicus, pp. 293- 299; Wallis,
“Defense of Royal Society,” pp. 307- 310.
Week 4: Intellectual and Political Revolutions
September 17: The Enlightenment
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 19; Locke, pp. 313- 315;
Diderot, p. 316; Montesquieu, pp. 324- 330; Kant, pp. 330- 334;
Hume, pp. 334- 337; “Women’s Role, pp. 338- 341; Rousseau,
“Social Contract” and “Emile,” pp. 350 – 365; Wollstonecraft, pp.
365- 370.
September 19: French Revolution
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 20; “3 rd
Estate,” pp. 384-
386; “Oath,” pp. 390- 391; “Declaration of Man,” pp. 391- 393;
“Law of Suspects,” pp. 395- 399; “Declaration of Woman,” pp.
397- 399; “Dissolution of Clubs,” pp. 400- 403; Paine and Burke, pp. 403- 408; Al- Jabarti, “Occupation,” pp. 410- 414; “Code
Napoleon,” pp. 416- 418.
Week 5: Understanding the Industrial Revolution
September 24: Industrial Revolution
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 21; Entire, pp. 420- 453.
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September 26: Industrial Revolution
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 22; “Address by
Journeyman,” pp. 457- 458; “Yorkshire Slavery,” pp. 463- 465;
“Prostitution,” pp. 465- 470; “Condition of Working Class,” pp.
472- 474; “Ten Years,” pp. 475- 477; “People’s Charter,” pp. 477-
480, “Communist Manifesto,” pp. 481- 485; “Thrift,” pp. 487-
489; “Woman,” pp. 492- 493.
Week 6: Nationalism and the Rise of the Nation State
October 1: Reforming Europe
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 23; “Principles of
Politics,” 499- 501; “Letter,” 506- 508; “An Appeal,” pp. 510-
512; “Corn Laws,” pp. 513- 515; Mill, “On Liberty,” pp. 516- 520;
“Serfs,” pp. 520- 523; “Rerum Novarum,” pp. 525- 529.
October 3: New Nations, Old Problems
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 24; “History of
Mankind,” pp. 533- 536; “German Nation,” pp. 536- 539; “Serbs, pp. 548- 550; “Duties of Man,” pp. 550- 554; “Memoirs,” pp. 554-
556; Renan, “What is a Nation?,” pp. 556- 561; “Jewish France,” pp. 561- 564.
*Essay Topics handed out
Week 7: European Colonialism
October 8: Building Empire
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 25; “Ireland,” pp. 566-
572; “Delhi Speech,” pp. 581- 583; “Diary,” pp. 583- 587;
“Germany,” pp. 587- 588; “White Man’s Burden,” pp. 591- 593;
“Black Man’s Burden,” pp. 593- 597; “Imperialism,” 598- 601.
October 10: Imperialism Questioned
Reading: Heart of Darkness (entire)
Week 8: Europe in Transition
October 15: The Crisis of Empire
Reading: Heart of Darkness (continued); selections from documents
*Paper Due
October 17: Discontents at Home
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 26; “Ladies’ Paradise,” pp. 604- 607; “Socialism,” pp. 615- 617; “Women’s Work,” pp.
621- 624; “Violence,” pp. 624- 627; “Militant Speech,” pp. 629-
632; “Origin of Species,” pp. 637- 640; “Psychoanalysis,” pp. 644-
648.
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Week 9: World War I and its consequences
October 22: Midterm
October 24: Special Class Session: Art and Experience in Western Europe
*Meeting Place to Be Announced
Week 10: Interwar Crisis
October 29: The Great War and Europe
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 27; “The First War” selections, pp. 649- 663 (entire)
October 31: Impact of WWI
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 28; “Confessions,” pp.
664- 666; “Testament,” pp. 667- 671; “Versailles Treaty,” pp. 671-
679; “Economic Consequences,” pp. 679- 683; “Turmoil Between the Wars,” selections, pp. 684- 714; “In Place of Splendor,” pp.
720- 724.
Week 11: War Again
November 5: World War II
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 29; “Treaty,” pp. 724-
726; “Strange Defeat,” pp. 726- 730; “Wars are not Won,” pp.
730- 733; “Women and Children Last,” pp. 733- 737; “Main
Attack,” pp. 737- 741.
November 7: Movie- Night and Fog
Reading: “Jewish Resistance,” pp. 741- 744; “This Way for the
Gas,” pp. 744- 748; “Trials of War Criminals,” pp. 748- 752;
“Atomic Bomb,” pp. 752- 756.
Week 12: The Cold War and the Beginnings of Globalization
November 12: Reconstruction
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 30; “United Nations,” pp.
756- 758; “Sinews of Peace,” pp. 760- 762; “Marshall Plan,” pp.
762- 764.
November 14: A New Europe?
Reading: “Cult of Personality,” pp. 766- 770; “Treaty,” pp. 787-
789; “The Second Sex,” pp. 790- 795; “Coca-colonization” pp.
793- 795.
Week 13: Rebuilding Europe
November 19: Post-War Challenges
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 31; “Workers Protest,” pp. 770- 773; “Speech to Conservative Party,” pp. 774- 778;
“Solidarity, pp. 778- 782; “On Restructuring,” pp. 782- 787.
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November 21: Decolonization
Reading: Gandhi, “Essential Writings,” pp. 797- 800; “Wretched of the Earth,” pp. 801-805; “Islamic Gov’t,” pp. 805- 808; “New
Nicaragua,” pp. 808- 811.
Week 14: Europe in a Global Perspective
November 26: The Challenges of Globalization
Reading: Western Civilizations, Chapter 32; “Global Outlook
2000,” pp. 814- 818; “New Untouchables,” pp. 818- 821; “Desert
Capitalism,” pp. 821- 824; “Conference on Women,” pp. 824- 828.
November 28: THANKSGIVING VACATION!
Week 15: Looking Beyond the New Millennium
December 3: Challenges to Democracy
Reading: “I am Still Alive,” pp. 811- 814; “Chernobyl Poems,” pp.
828- 832; “Global Civil Society,” pp. 832- 836.
December 5: Review
FINAL: Tuesday, December 10: 1 pm
Please note: If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) for coordination in your academic accommodations. The Disability Resource Center is located in the Reynolds Student
Services Complex, room 137, #895-0866 or TDD 895- 0652.
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