COURSE SYLLABUS©
We believe in respect for the individual, in personal integrity and in education as a means of improving the human condition.
LAST PREPARED/UPDATED ON:
November 5, 2015
INSTRUCTOR DETAILS
INSTRUCTOR:
e-mail:
office room:
Dr. Thomas R. Grischany
thomas.grischany@webster.ac.at
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COURSE DETAILS
TERM:
COURSE TITLE:
PREREQUISITES:
CLASS LIMIT:
LAB FEE:
TEXTBOOK /
REQUIRED READING
MATERIALS:
Spring 2016
INTL 1500/50
The World System Since 1500 (Semester, WI) (GCP: GLBL, CRI)
None
25
None
Jerry H. Bentley, Herbert F. Ziegler, Heather Streets-Salter, Traditions and
Encounters: A Brief Global History (McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2013);
Jonathan Hart, Empires and Colonies (Polity Press, 2008).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Examining the origin and evolution of the current world system, the course explores the political, cultural,
technological, social, and economic forces that have shaped world history from 1500 until the present.
This course has been designated “writing-intensive”, as part of the Writing Across the Curriculum program
at Webster University. This means that there will be more writing assignments than in other courses, and
the instructor will give you close feedback on your written work, including the quality of your arguments,
supporting evidence and how it is used, structure (both of individual paragraphs and the overall essay), use
of language and flow. The writing assignments (altogether min. 3,600 words) take up a larger than usual
proportion of the final grade, to recognize quality of writing on your part. The final paper will be sequenced,
and you are expected to improve your final version based on the feedback you received on the first draft.
Enhancing your writing skills will lead to greater academic and ultimately professional success.
Palais Wenkheim, Praterstrasse 23, 1020 Vienna, Austria - www.webster.ac.at
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COURSE OBJECTIVES / LEARNING OUTCOMES
After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
1. Give a broad description of the historical origins of the major political and economic features of
the current international system;
2. Explain the historical origins of globalization, often defined as the increasing inter-connectedness
of the world, and the ways in which globalization has fostered both cross-cultural cooperation and
conflict;
3. Describe world systems theory and the ways in which cross-cultural trade have shaped world
history;
4. Show appreciation of both the diversity and commonality to be found in different cultures and
ideologies of the world;
5. Put major international issues in historical context;
6. Analyze, interpret, and discuss primary and secondary sources;
7. Craft argumentative history essays which effectively analyze evidence to support a thesis, and
communicate their ideas in a well-organized, well expressed manner.
Other important learning outcomes should be:
Global Understanding:
Students demonstrate an understanding of cultures foreign to them, foreign languages, or forces that
draw people of the world together and forces that push them apart.
Critical Thinking:
Students demonstrate that they have developed the habit of mind characterized by the
comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an
opinion or conclusion.
GRADE BREAKDOWN
GRADING SCALE:
PARTCIPATION:
PRESENTATION:
QUIZZES:
READING RESPONSE:
MIDTERM EXAM:
FINAL EXAM:
FINAL PAPER:
A: 93-100, A-: 90-92 (Superior work),
B+: 87-89, B: 83-86, B-: 80-82 (Good work),
C+: 77-79, C: 73-76, C-: 70-72 (Satisfactory work),
D+: 67-69, D: 63-66 (Sufficient work),
F: <63 (Insufficient work)
10%
5%
15%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Palais Wenkheim, Praterstrasse 23, 1020 Vienna, Austria - www.webster.ac.at
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COURSE POLICIES / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Talk to the instructor if there is any problem! If you don’t tell me, I don’t know and can’t help you. I
will be available for questions immediately before and after every class or by individual appointment.
Communication between students and the instructor will be conducted exclusively through the
Webster Email address network.
Always come to class prepared by completing the assigned readings for each class.
Prior to every class the instructor may post reading guidelines to the course website on Canvas which
will help you manage the readings and better prepare you for class participation.
The instructor may also assign additional readings for each class that will also be posted to the course
website.
Therefore, it is vital that you regularly check the course’s website for assignments and other
announcements and updates.
The most recently updated and binding version of the syllabus is always the one that is posted on the
course website.
It is the student’s responsibility to make up any missed assignments and record all missed discussion
notes from a fellow student.
The continual disregard of punctuality (at the beginning of class, when returning from breaks, when
turning in materials) will have a negative effect on your grade.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Week 1 Tu, 01/12
Th, 01/14
Introduction
Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?”
The World around 1500
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 346-369; Hart, 19-29, 31-37, 40-47
Week 2 Tu, 01/19
Europe around 1500 (I)
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 336-338, 370-389
Europe around 1500 (II)
Th, 01/21
Week 3 Tu, 01/26
Th, 01/28
Week 4 Tu, 02/02
Th, 02/04
The Iberian Empires
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 390-407; Hart, 48-58, 79-86
Africa & Slavery
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 408-427; Hart, 29-31, 60-61, 118-120, 156163, 214-218, 283-84
East Asia
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 428-445; Hart 37-40
The Islamic Empires
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 446-461
Reading Response Essay (turn-it-in & hardcopy) due
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Week 5 Tu, 02/09
Th, 02/11
Week 6 Tu, 02/16
Th, 02/18
Week 7 Tu, 02/23
Th, 02/25
Week 8 Tu, 03/01
Th, 03/03
Religious Wars & Absolutism
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 374-382; Hart, 58-79, 86-118, 120-132, 134135, 144-146; Chua, 139-167
Hegemonic Wars of the 17C
The Enlightenment
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 466-477
The American & French Revolutions
Hart, 136-140
The Industrial Revolution
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 490-509
The Age of the “-isms”
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 478-483
Europe: The Age of Metternich
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 483-489, 504-506
Europe: The Age of Bismarck
Midterm Essay (turn-it-in & hardcopy) due
Break Week
No classes are held during this week
Week 9
19C North America
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 510-527; Hart, 146-153, 179-188, 218-220
19C Latin America
Hart, 140-143; Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 477-478, 510-527
Tu, 03/15
Th, 03/17
Week 10 Tu, 03/22
Th, 03/24
Week 11 Tu, 03/29
Th, 03/31
Week 12 Tu, 04/05
Th, 04/07
Imperialism
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 504-508, 528-551; Hart, 171-179, 188-211
The World around 1900: Europe’s Apex
World War I: Europe’s “Ur-Catastrophe”
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 556-575; Hart, 224-232
Global Repercussions
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 592-607; Hart, 248-250
The Interwar Period
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 569-547, 576-591; Hart, 232-241
Totalitarianism
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Week 13 Tu, 04/12
Th, 04/14
Week 14 Tu, 04/19
Th, 04/21
Week 15 Tu, 04/26
Th, 04/28
World War II: Europe’s Downfall
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 608-627; Hart, 241-248; 253-254
First Draft of Final Paper (turn-it-in & hardcopy) due
Cold War & Decolonization
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 628-651; Hart, 255-274
The World of Today (I)
Bentley/Ziegler/Streets-Salter, 652-669; Chua, 286-317; Hart, 286-292
The World of Today (II)
Final Discussion
Final Exam
Final Version of Final Paper (turn-it-in & hardcopy) due
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UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Students are required to inform themselves of WUV academic policies. A full list of these policies is available on the WUV website:
http://webster.ac.at/academic-policies
Academic Honesty & Cheating:
The University is committed to high standards of academic honesty. Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards.
A special Honor Code that the Vienna Student Council has developed applies to students and faculty. Any student found cheating on
any part of the course work (homework assignment, term paper, quiz, exam, etc.) will automatically be given an “F” for the course.
Any student found to be helping another student to cheat will likewise be given an “F” for the course. In each case, the student will
also be put on disciplinary probation for the remainder of her or his stay at Webster. If the student is found to have engaged in
cheating a second time, s/he will be automatically expelled from the University. Faculty members are held responsible for upholding
and enforcing the Honor Code.
Academic Work:
Students are required to save digital or hard-copy files of any and all materials they use for any assignment in any WUV course. Upon
the instructor's request they have to provide complete text documentation for any sources they have used. In every case, should the
assignment or project be shared outside the academic department, the student's name and all identifying information about that
student will be redacted from the assignment or project.
Contact Hours:
Graduate courses are only offered in an 8- week term format and meet 1-time per week for 4 hours. Graduate Mid-term and final
exams sessions are scheduled in 2-hour block sessions in addition to weekly class meeting times (36 total contact hours). Please see
the Graduate Course Schedule/Timetable on the website for specific exam dates/times: http://webster.ac.at/graduate-courseofferings-and-schedules
Undergraduate courses are offered either in term format, which meets for two 2-hour sessions per week for 8 consecutive weeks (32
contact hours), or a 15-week semester format, which meets for two 1.5 – hour sessions for 8 consecutive weeks followed by a break
week (no classes are held) and then for another 7 consecutive weeks. The total number of contact hours for undergraduate semester
courses is thus 45.
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all class sessions of this course. In the case of unavoidable absence, the student must contact the instructor
and provide written documentation. The student is subject to appropriate academic penalty for incomplete or unacceptable makeup work,
or for excessive or unexcused absences.
Excused absences—based on submitted documentation—must not exceed:
 Four class sessions when the course meets twice a week;
 Two class sessions when the course meets only once a week.
Should the number of excused absences be higher, it is the student's responsibility to withdraw from the course.
In the case of unexcused absences, amounting to:
 Four class sessions when the course meets twice a week;
 Two class sessions when the course meets only once a week;
the instructor must lower the student's grade by one letter grade and inform the student of the action.
Should the number of unexcused absences be higher, the instructor must assign the grade of F and inform the student of the action.
Note: In the case of a mixture of excused and unexcused absences, the instructor’s response must be based on the dominant category.
Student Conduct:
Since every student is entitled to full participation in class or exams without interruption, disruption of class by inconsiderate behavior
is not acceptable. Students are expected to treat the instructor and other students with dignity and respect, especially in cases where
a diversity of opinion arises. Students who engage in disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the
course. All and any use of a cell phone is strictly prohibited during class. Students using a cell phone may be sent out of the classroom,
which may result in an unexcused absence. If a calculator is needed in any class, the student must bring a calculator—and not a cell
phone. It is up to the individual instructor to rule on the use of laptops or I-pads. Instructors have the right to prohibit students’ use of
such electronic devices.
Palais Wenkheim, Praterstrasse 23, 1020 Vienna, Austria - www.webster.ac.at
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