Dr. Lanlan Kuang
Philosophy Department
University of Central Florida
Tentative Syllabus:
All Contents and Dates Subject to Change with Notice
HUM 2230 Humanistic Traditions II
3 credit hours
(Updated Jan 18, 2016)
Spring 2016
Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 -2:45 pm
Place: ENG1 0427
E-mail: lanlan.kuang@ucf.edu (please e-mail me via Webcourses2 unless I am out of the country)
Phone: (407) 823-2195
Office: PHI 242 (It’s on the second floor of the Psychology Building.)
Office Hours: Tuesday 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Other times by appointment. Email is a good way to
communicate with me.
Course Objective and Description:
This course explores the ideas and art forms of the Post- Renaissance and Baroque worlds from the mid17th century to the present. Special attention will be given to western and non-western cultures, including
the interrelated elements of art, literature, architecture, music, philosophy, religion, and politics. Each of
the cultural elements will be examined for evidence of primary themes, values, and ideas present in the
selected societies. We will also look at the presence or potential application of historical value systems in
the modern world.
This is a Gordon Rule course, as mandated by the State of Florida. This means that each student must
write a minimum of 6000 words to meet the class and Gordon Rule requirements. This course provides
reinforcement in the following college level academic skills:
a) Literal and critical reading comprehension;
b) Essay skills (e.g., selecting a subject, formulating a thesis, providing supporting details, revising
for clarity and conformity);
c) Writing skills (e.g., sentence structure and punctuation).
Failure to submit a major writing assignment will prevent Gordon Rule credit from being awarded.
Students must earn a C in the course for the Gordon Rule to apply.
Required Texts (please obtain all required text by the end of the first week):
The Humanistic Tradition by Gloria Fiero, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2010:
Book 4 Faith, Reason, and Power in the Early modern World
ISBN-10: 0077346254; ISBN-13: 978-0077346256
Book 5 Romanticism, Realism, and the Nineteenth-Century World
ISBN-10: 007734622X; ISBN-13: 978-0077346225
Book 6 Modernism, Postmodernism, and the Global Perspective
ISBN-10: 0077346254; ISBN-13: 978-0077346256
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PDF files will be distributed by the instructor via the UCF WebCourse2 throughout the semester. Please
make sure you check your WebCourse2 regularly for updated materials and announcements.
MLA Format and Citation Guidelines may be obtained from the Webcourse2’s Content Section.
Note: For course and teaching related matters, please e-mail me via Webcourses2. For office hour
appointments, doctor’s notes, and/or any other non-teaching related matters, please e-mail me via your
Knightsmail to my UCF e-mail account. Please check your e-mail frequently for notifications and
additional reading materials. As of 2009, Knightsmail is the only official student email at UCF. Class
rosters list Knightsmail addresses rather than external email addresses, and all official class
communications will be sent only to the Knightsmail addresses and via Webcourses2. Students are
responsible for checking their Knightsmail accounts and Webcourses2 regularly. See
www.knightsemail.ucf.edu for further information.
Important dates to remember:
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
March 7-12, 2016
Thursday, March 23, 2016
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Monday, April 26, 2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Friday, May 9, 2016
Drop/Swap Deadline/Last Day for Full Refund
Add Deadline
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Spring Break
Grade Forgiveness Deadline/Withdrawal Deadline
Tentative Block-Out Dates
I might have to attend 2016 International Symposium on ‘Reclaiming Identity
and (Re)Materialising Pasts: Approaches to Heritage Conservation in China
from April 6-8, 2016
Last Class Meeting prior Final Exam Day
Classes End
Final Examination
1:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
Grades due
Grading Criteria:
20 points Attendance, Participation, Reading Questions (10+5+5; see details below)
5 points 2 Short In-class Quiz (designed to fulfill the federal and university policy on financial aids)
45 points 3 In-Class + Take-home Exams, 15 points each
15 points Research Paper (see details below)
15 points Final Exam (see details below)
+2 points
Extra credits (see details below)
100 points + 2 points extra credit
Assignments and Details:
(All written assignments must follow the MLA Format and Citation Guidelines on Webcourses2)
1.
Attendance, Participation, & Reading Questions
(20 points = 10+5+5; see details below)
Attendance: 10 points
Class Participation: 5 points
Reading Questions/Discussion Topics: 5 points
Attendance: You lose 1 point on your overall grade every time you miss a class—unless you have a medical excuse
supported with a doctor’s note, signed and dated. Job-related absences are not excused even with a formal letter
signed by your manager/director. You are responsible for prioritizing your schedule. Absence due to major family
events (such as wedding/funeral) may be excused only with a signed letter with a reachable phone number from
your legal guidance.
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Please note that if you come to class a) just to sign-in and leave before the end of the class or b) arriving 10 minutes
late, you will loss the attendance point of the day.
You are granted ONE “no-questions asked absent pass” each semester. Use it wisely. ;)
Class Participation: You may earn 5 points with active participation in class discussions.
The Participation grading scale is as follow:
Free participation credits will be granted to the first week of class (2 lectures) and to the one “no question asked” absent-pass
lecture (0.75/5). You will have at least 22 more lectures to earn the participation credits. Each time you actively participate in
class/group discussion you will earn 0.25 points. 
You may come over to my office during office hour to check on the marks if you think the calculation is questionable.
Reading Questions: You are asked to PREPARE, PRINT, and SUBMIT 3 questions/topics based on your readingassignments before each lecture. I WILL NOT ACCEPT HAND-WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS.
The Reading Questions grading scale is as follow:
For every "so-so" (meaning, you read the material and ask relevant questions) assignment, you receive 0.15 points.
For every "good" (meaning, you know the material and ask intelligent questions) assignment, you receive 0.25 points.
For every "very good" (meaning, you know the material, think about it, and ask excellent questions) assignment, 0.35 points 
You may come over to my office during office hour to check on the copies you submit if you think the calculation is
questionable.
2.
2 Quizzes (5 point = 2 x 2.5 points each, open book)
These short “know-your-basics” quizzes are designed to fulfill the federal and university policy regarding financial
aids (you will see the notice on your Webcourse2). They will be given during the first two weeks. Each quiz has 515 multiple choices and/or short answer questions. Each quiz is worth 2.5 points of your overall grade.
3.
Three Take-home Exams (45 points = 15 x 3 points each, with Essay Questions)
Each exam will include a multiple-choice portion, which will be given in class and an essay portion, which will be
completed as take-home assignment. You will have at least one week to complete each of the three take-home essay
exams. Each exam is worth 15 points (5 for multiple-choice portion + 10 for essay portion). These short essay
questions require you to reflect on the readings and class discussions while comparing and contrasting varying
viewpoints, including your own. You should be able to define, describe, and discuss some of the new terms and
ideas we learn in class. You MUST reflect carefully, and specifically, on the readings to get a good grade. Your
answer must be well written, follows the MLA Format and Citation Guidelines, which may be obtained from your
Webcourses2’s Content Section.
THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP EXAMS. NO HARD COPY ON THE EXAM DUE DATE, NO GRADE.
THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP EXAMS.
I ONLY GRADE HARD COPIES OF YOUR EXAMS. HOWEVER,
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ELECTRONIC COPY TO ME AS BACKUP REFERENCE.
4.
Course Project (15 points = 2 peer-review proposal + 5 presentation + 8 paper)
Further details will be distributed in a separate handout. Each of you must prepare a one-page research paper
proposal for peer review (bring 6 hard copies to class). You will receive feedbacks from your
Peers and from the Professor. Please note that the peer review process is worth 2 points.
EACH OF YOU WILL GIVE A 10 MINUTES PRESENTATION OF YOUR RESEARCH PAPER.
NO MAKE UP PROJECT, NO LATE PRESENTATION, and NO LATE PAPER.
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5.
Final Exam (15 points, see details below)
Final Exam will include a multiple-choice portion and an essay portion, just like the 3 exams. However, the Final
Exam will be based on materials from Chapter 20-38 and the multiple-choice portion will include audio-visual
questions.
6.
Extra credits (+2 points, see details below)
You may earn up to 2 points as extra credits. Specific requirements for earning extra credit will be distributed later
in a separate file.
NOTES:
1. Incomplete in this course is not an option unless it is absolutely unavoidable. You must have a legitimate reason.
2. Please keep a copy of all papers you turn in to me.
3. I only accept hard copies of your paper that are present to me no later than its due day, UNLESS OTHERWISE
SPECIFIED. Electronic copies of your issue paper will NOT be graded.
4. I would like to see students in this class on an individual basis from time to time so that I can help you with
problem areas. Since this class deals with many difficult issues, one can easily feel conflicted and uncomfortable.
You should feel free to express these feelings.
5. No class assignments (excluding Final Exam Essay and Research Paper) will be accepted after April 21, 2016.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
Please do not approach me after the final due date and ask for permission to submit your assignments late. Thanks.
6. Please remember the course FINAL EXAM DATE AND TIME.
7. Late papers are not advisable. Each assignment will be graded on a point system, depending on the percentage of
your grade. (For example, if a paper is worth 20% of your grade, you will get somewhere between 0 and 20 points.)
Five points will be taken off your grade each day a paper is turned in late. Please do not put late papers under my
office door. Instead, take them to the office staff in Philosophy and ask someone who works in the office to date
and initial the paper. If this is not done, I will count the paper late based on the day that I receive it.
8. Attendance is important. Please try not to miss classes, especially the guest lectures.
9. Plagiarism is a very serious matter and will be dealt with accordingly.
Grading is done on a point system in order to precise with the plus and minus system: A=95-100 points; A- =90-94
points; B+ =87-89; B= 83-86; B-=80-82; C+=77-79; C=73-76; C-=70-72; D+=67-69; D=63-66; D-=60-62, and
anything lower than 60 is an F. Grades will reflect the plus and minus system.
Letter of Recommendation: I will be more than happy to write Letter of Recommendation for you given that you are
making a good progress in my class and have provided me with the following materials AT LEAST two weeks prior
the deadline of submission: a) scholarship information; b) your letter of statement; and c) your resume.
Scholarships:
McNair Scholars Program: https://www.aap.ucf.edu/application
Fulbright US Student Program: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/
Tentative Class Schedule (will be updated throughout the semester):
You should be prepared to discuss your reading assignments in class. You are expected to know the contents and
think critically. You will be called upon randomly at least once during the semester. Please go to the Content
Section on your Webcourse2 for a sample of the types of questions/topics you should prepare for each lecture.
Note: You must check your Webcourse2 on a regular basis for updated materials and announcements.
Jan 12, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Introduction
Syllabus, MLA Format, and Citation Guideline
PDF files:
“Cultural Identity and Diaspora” by Stuart Hall
Chapter in Identity: Community, Culture, Difference. Edited by Jonathan Rutherford.
London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1990. (15 pages)
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Jan 14, 2016
Quiz 1:
Read:
PDF files:
Thursday
Discuss Silk Road and Hall
Quiz on Syllabus, MLA Format, and Citation Guideline (open book  don’t panic)
Chapter 20
“Tradition” by Henry Glassie
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 108, No. 430, Common Ground: Keywords for the Study
of Expressive Culture (Autumn, 1995), pp. 395-412 (17 pages)
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/541653
Jan 19, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 20
Jan 21, 2016
Quiz 2:
Read:
Thursday
Discuss CH 20 Part II
Quiz on the Hall and Glassie articles (open book)
Chapter 22
Discuss CH20 and Glassie
Please note that we will be spending more time on some of these chapters. You should finish the chapters as
they are assigned but remain flexible to class discussion. Presentation dates will be finalized after Spring
Break due to possible enrollment changes.
Jan 26, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 22
Discuss Chapters 22 Part I
Jan 28, 2016
Read:
Thursday
Chapter 21
Discuss Chapters 22 Part II
Feb 2, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 23
Discuss Chapter 21
Feb 4, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 24
Discuss Chapter 23
Feb 9, 2016
Read:
Thursday
Chapter 25
Discuss Chapter 24
Feb 11, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 26
Discuss Chapter 25
Feb 16, 2016
Thursday
Discuss Chapter 26
Read:
Review CH 20-26
Exam 1 Essay Questions will be handed out to you (Chapters 20-26)
Feb 18, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Film in Class
Chapter 27
Review CH20-26
Feb 23, 2016
Thursday
Discuss Chapter 27
Read:
Chapter 28
Exam 1 Multiple Choice Portion in Class
Exam 1 Essay Due in Class
Research Paper Handout
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Feb 25, 2016
Read:
Tuesday
Chapter 29
Discuss Chapter 28
Mar 1, 2016
Reading:
Thursday
Chapter 30
Discuss Chapter 29
Mar 3, 2016
Tuesday
Peer-Review and Review in Class
Reading:
Chapter 31
Research Paper Peer Review Due in Class
March 7-12 Spring Break
(You should use the break to finish your research project, especially the presentation part)
Mar 15, 2016
Tuesday
Discuss Chapter 30 and 31
Reading:
Review CH 27-31
Exam 2 Essay Questions will be handed out to you (CH 27-31)
Mar 17, 2016
Reading:
Thursday
Chapter 32
Review CH 27-31
Mar 22, 2016
Tuesday
Discuss Chapter 32
Reading:
Chapter 33
Exam 2 Multiple Choice Portions will be given in class
Exam 2 Essay Due in Class
Mar 24, 2016
Thursday
Reading:
Chapter 34
Presentation Date Sign-Up
Discuss Chapter 33
Mar 29, 2016
Tuesday
Reading:
Chapter 35
Presentation Date Finalized
Discuss Chapter 34
Mar 31, 2016
Reading:
Thursday
Chapter 36
Discuss Chapter 35
Apr 5, 2016
Reading:
Tuesday
Chapter 37
Discuss Chapter 36
Apr 7, 2016
Thursday
Chapter 37
Reading:
Chapter 38
Exam 3 Essay Questions will be handed out to you (Chapters 32-38)
Apr 12, 2016
Reading:
Tuesday
Chapter 38
Review CH 32-38
Apr 14, 2016
Thursday
Review CH 32-38
Exam 3 Essay Due in Class
Exam 3 Multiple Choice Portion in Class
Apr 19, 2016
Tuesday
Review for Final Exam Visual and Audio
Presentation Group (6 x 10-15 min = 60-75 min + discussion)
Final Exam Essay Questions Handout
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Apr 21, 2016
Thursday (Last Class Meeting before Final Exam)
Presentation Group (6 x 10-15 min = 60-75 min + discussion)
Exam 3 Essay Due in Class
All Extra Credit Paper Due in Class
May 3, 2016 Tuesday
Final Examination Date (1:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.)
Presentation Group VI (10 x 10-15 min = 100-150 min + discussion)
Final Exam Multiple Choice Portion in Class (Including Visual and Audio)
Final Exam Essay Due in Class
Research Paper Due in Class
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