Ryerson University, Department of History
HIS 400: Writing and Using History
Course Outline - Fall Session 2013
Meets: Mon. 08:10-10:00 KHE 225 and Wed. 14:10-15:00 KHS 369
Dr. Arne Kislenko
Office:
JOR 510
Phone:
416-979-5000 extension 6206
E-mail:
akislenk@ryerson.ca or arne.kislenko@utoronto.ca
Website:
www.kislenko.com
Office Hours:
Monday
10:10 – 12:00
Wednesday 15:10 – 17:00
or by appointment
Please note: Please do not use email for in depth discussions, such as essay advice.
Although office hours are usually busy, and you may have to wait, they are the best
means to get direction and help. If it is possible, I will often stay in office hours beyond
those posted. It is very difficult to respond to detailed questions by email. This outline
will be available on my website (above) and on Ryerson´s Blackboard.
Teaching Assistants: to be announced
Course Description:
History can be helpful in making sense of the present, but it can also be dangerous. It is
often misunderstood, distorted, or even entirely fabricated. The abuse of history is
sometimes dramatic and violent. Some have created false histories to justify the
exclusion and even extermination of others. Less obvious are the ways we use particular
interpretations of history to explain and respond to events. In fact many people invoke
“history” without fully understanding what that history is, let alone how easy it is to
take from it almost any “lesson” one wants. This course looks at the development of
written history, the idea of the “archive,” and the use of written history in the service of
ideology, politics, and governance by nation states, empires, social reformers/activists,
and corporations. We also look at how history is used to understand ourselves, our
families, and societies within the context of the complicated, constantly changing world
in which we live. By examining the often precarious nature of history, we can see how it
has – and is – used or abused to shape collective memory, identity, and perspective. We
will make extensive use of “case studies” to detail the usually contentious complexities
of events, and demonstrate how various interpretations of history affect the
contemporary world.
1
Teaching Method:
This course will be taught through both lectures and seminars with assigned readings.
While some lecturing material will be fairly general, some topics will be dealt with in
more depth. Any schedule is difficult to adhere to with precision, but I have listed below
some of the major thematic topics we will cover and, where appropriate, the
accompanying readings. Specific events, issues, people, and places will be discussed
within these parameters. Students will be responsible for leading seminar presentations
based on assigned readings with the guidance of a teaching assistant or Dr. Kislenko.
Textbook and Sources:
There is one textbook required for this course, available at the Ryerson bookstore:
John Tosh, The Pursuit of History (5th edition) (London: Longmans, 2010) (ISBN:
978-0-582-89412-9)
Below is a general topic guide with required readings from the Tosh text. Adhering to a
precise lecturing schedule is impossible, so please understand that the timeline and
coverage listed below is only basic. It’s designed to give you some structure. It is NOT a
substitute for skipping lectures or seminars!! Much of the material discussed in class will
come from other sources and perspectives, so beware of being overly-dependent on the
textbook. Aside from those readings assigned for the seminars, you are encouraged to
read the textbook at your own pace, keeping up with the course of lectures. Please note
that given the nature of this course and the material covered, the textbook is also not
exhaustive. It covers the more definitional and theoretical dimensions of history that
will dominate the first half of the course. The “case studies” presented in the second
part of the term will be better covered through lectures and seminar readings.
Preparation for the seminars is discussed below.
Lecturing Topics and Assigned Readings:












Week 1 (Sep. 4) introductions
Week 2 (Sep. 9 and 11) What is History? (Tosh, chapter 1 and 3)
Week 3 (Sep. 16 and 18) The Historian’s Tools (Tosh, chapter 4 and 5)
Week 4 (Sep. 23 and 25) Historians and Their Facts (Tosh, chapter 6)
Week 5 (Sep. 30 and Oct. 2) Knowledge and Objectivity (Tosh, chapter 7)
Week 6 (Oct. 7 and 9) The Wonderful World of Theory (Tosh, chapter 8)
Week 7 (Oct. 14 and 16) READING WEEK – no classes
Week 8 (Oct. 21 and 23) “New Traditions” (Tosh, chapter 9 and 10)
Week 9 (Oct. 28 and 30) Collective Memory (Tosh, chapter 11)
Week 10 (Nov. 4 and 6) The Use of History (Tosh, chapter 2)
Week 11 (Nov. 11 and 13) The Abuse of History
Week 12 (Nov. 18 and 20) History as a Grab-Bag, part 1
2


Week 13 (Nov. 25 and 27) History as a Grab-Bag, part 2
Week 14 (Dec. 2) In Defence of History
Additional Readings:
There are numerous and excellent sources dealing with various aspects of
historiography, historical methods, and the philosophy of history. Please feel free to
come see me about recommendations.
A Note About the Logic of the Course:
Relatively few professional historians are experts on the “history of history.” While
some do indeed deal with theory, methodology, and the historian’s craft as a principal
field, most teaching historians are first and foremost experts on countries, themes,
major events, ideas, or chronological periods. With that in mind, this course was
designed with the intention of being taught by any of our faculty at any time: rather
than being the domain of just one “expert.” The main goal is to address some of the
foundational issues students need to master with respect to research, writing, theory,
and the “use” of history. Many of the relevant examples used in the course, as well as
assignments and seminars, will reflect my particular expertise and bias as an
international relations historian, but in meeting the objectives of the course (listed
below) students will develop skills that will assist them in the study of any history.
Course Objectives and/or Learning Outcomes:
1. To understand how historians study, research, and write about history.
2. To broach some of the basic philosophical and theoretical approaches to the
study of history.
3. To address the question of objectivity in history and the pursuit of “truths”.
4. To understand how history can be used and/or abused in understanding the
present or as an allegedly “predictive” tool with respect to the future.
5. To understand how individuals and societies are positively and negatively shaped
or influenced by their historical understandings.
6. To explore how and why history is “owned”, commemorated, changed, and
forgotten over time.
7. To better understand the nature of history with the hope of facilitating
engagement with the world in which we live.
8. To develop strong research, analytical, and critical thinking skills by engaging the
material and completing the various assignments of the course.
9. To engage your colleagues in scholarly fashion about various issues relating to
course material, particularly in seminar discussions.
10. To have a basis for future exploration of the historian’s craft and the numerous
issues, ideas, and theories that shape our discipline.
3
Course Websites:
I do not post lectures on line. However, the terms that I use and show in lectures are
available on my website (www.kislenko.com). Also posted there is the course outline,
maps and photographs, some tips on research and writing essays, details about the TAs,
and information about special events/groups/issues that you might find interesting. I
also use the website for regular updates relevant to the course, so checking on it
occasionally is highly recommended. Keep in mind that signing up for seminars is also
done through this website. User and passwords for the website will be given in class.
Blackboard will be used for major announcements and to post seminar readings.
Marking Scheme:
There will be ONE short written assignment (document/article analysis) ONE major
essay, ONE final examination, and FOUR seminars. See below for the details on each
component. The grade breakdown will be as follows:




Document/article analysis
Essay
Seminar participation
Final Exam
10%
30%
30%
30%
Assignments:
Document or Article analysis
Your first assignment is to produce EITHER a 1500 word analysis of the paired articles from
list 1 below OR write a 1500 word analysis of one of the primary documents from list 2
below. The assignment is worth 10% and is due on Wednesday, October 9 in class.
List 1:
Read and analyze ONE set of the scholarly articles/chapters paired below. Compare and
contrast the views held by each scholar, paying particular attention to differences in
argumentation, the use of sources/evidence cited by each, and/or the methodologies
employed. Your evaluation of the articles is welcome, but be sure to remain as scholarly,
detached, and objective as possible in doing so.
1) Robert Jervis, "International History and International Politics: Why Are They
Studied Differently?" (chapter 15)
and
Paul W. Schroeder, "International History: Why Historians Do It Differently Than
Political Scientists" (chapter 16)
4
both in Colin Elman and Miriam Fendius Elman (eds.), Bridges and Boundaries:
Historians, Political Scientists, and the Study of International Relations
(Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001). on reserve at the Graham Library, U of T,
Kislenko file
2) Samuel Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?” article from Foreign Affairs
(summer 1993)
and
Roy Mottahedeh, ‘The Clash of Civilizations: An Islamicist’s Critique’ in Emran
Qureshi and Michael A. Sells, eds., The New Crusades: Constructing the Muslim
Enemy (New York: Columbia University Press, 2003). on reserve at the Ryerson
Library
3) Jutta Brunnee, “The Use of Force against Iraq: A Legal Assessment”
and
David Wingfield, “Why the Invasion of Iraq Was Lawful”
both in Mark Charlton (ed.), Crosscurrents: International Relations, 5th Edition
(Toronto: Nelson Educational, 2010). on reserve at the Ryerson Library
4) R. Charli Carpenter, “Gender Theory in World Politics: Contributions of a
Nonfeminist Standpoint.”
and
Terrel Carver, “Gender/Feminism/IR.”
both in Mark Charlton (ed.), Crosscurrents: International Relations, 5th Edition
(Toronto: Nelson Educational, 2010). on reserve at the Ryerson Library
5) Fredrik Logevall, Choosing War: The Lost Chance for Peace and the Escalation of
War in Vietnam (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2001), chap. 12. on
reserve at Ryerson Library
and
Arne Kislenko, "‘Perhaps Vietnam’: John F. Kennedy and Thailand", in Manfred
Berg and Andreas Etges (eds.), John F. Kennedy and the Thousand Days
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003). on reserve at Ryerson Library
List 2:
Carefully examine one of the primary documents offered below. Please note that some
documents are actually paired as one. Briefly explain the circumstances under which the
original was created and what it might tell us about the context in which it was written.
Additional research is permissible and necessary, but the primary task at hand is to situate
the document itself in the “grander sweep” of history and thus to better understand the
5
craft of the historian in critically examining documents. You should discuss if
interpretations of the document have changed over time, how and why it is/has been read
or interpreted differently – perhaps even incorrectly - and what the impact or importance
of the document is in terms of our historical understanding of related events/issues.
Remember to focus on the primary document rather than secondary research.
Importantly, please note that some of the documents below are very controversial and/or
are linked here to controversial websites. Do not take this in any way as an endorsement!
Rather, you must be even more careful, critical, and methodical in your research and
examination of the material.
















The Donation of Constantine (c. 750). Available at:
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/donatconst.asp
The Magna Carta (1215). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/magframe.asp
Text of the Treaty of Munster (1648). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/westphal.asp
George Washington’s Farewell Address (1796). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp
Text of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/rightsof.asp
The Communist Manifesto (1848). Available at:
http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/emancipa.asp
The Protocols of Zion (1897-1898). Available at:
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/przion1.htm
The Eyre Crowe Memorandum (1907). Available at:
http://tmh.floonet.net/pdf/eyre_crowe_memo.pdf
Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/wilson14.asp
The Balfour Declaration (1917). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/balfour.asp AND
The Palestinian Mandate (1922). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/palmanda.asp
The Covenant of the League of Nations (1919). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/parti.asp
The Hossbach Memorandum (1937). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/hossbach.asp
Secret Texts of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact (1939). Available at:
http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/110994
The Atlantic Charter (1941). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/atlantic.asp
Minutes from the Wannsee Conference (1942). Available at:
6
















http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/Wannsee/wanseeminutes.
html
The Potsdam Declaration (1945). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/decade17.asp
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/mpmenu.asp
The Charter of the United Nations (1945). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/unchart.asp
testimony of Walter Schellenberg at the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials (1946).
Available at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/01-04-46.asp
George Kennan, “The Long Telegram” (1947). Available at:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/documents/episode-1/kennan.htm
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/unrights.asp
Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference on Indochina (1954). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/inch005.asp
NIkita Khrushchev’s “secret speech” (1956). Available at:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1956khrushchev-secret1.html
The Final Statement of Adolf Eichmann (1961). Available at:
http://www.remember.org/eichmann/ownwords.htm
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/tonkin-g.asp
The United States Civil Rights Act (1964). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/civil_rights_1964.asp
The Camp David Accords (1978). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/campdav.asp
Memorandum of Conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and the East German
Politburo (1989). Available at:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/archive/files/gorbachev-gdr-10-0789_6010b50584.pdf
The Dayton Peace Accords (1995). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/daymenu.asp
The Good Friday Agreement (1998). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/good_friday.asp
select comments by President Bush on the 911 attacks (2001). Available at:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/sept_11.asp (come see me for clarity)
Essay
There are two aspects of this essay:

Prior to writing your essay, you may find it helpful to submit two copies of a one
page outline that clearly defines your approach and lists some of your research. I
7
will return it to you with comments and suggestions. This is not mandatory, but is
suggested. If you wish to do this, please submit by email only no later than
Wednesday, October 16. Please note that after this date, I cannot accept written
outlines for commentary, but you are always welcome to drop by office hours to
discuss your essay.

Write an essay of 3,000 words on a topic chosen from the list below. Please refer to
additional information regarding the submission of essays in this outline. This is due
Wednesday, November 13th in class or by 17:00 hours in my office or the essay
drop box on the 5th floor of Jorgenson Hall. It is worth 30% of your final grade.
Please refer to additional information regarding essay submission in this outline.
Essay Topics
1. Detail and discuss the influence of ONE of the following scholars in shaping the
study of history. Be sure to examine some of their major published works as well
as secondary sources about them or their ideas. These are NOT designed to be
biographies, but rather examinations of their impact on the philosophy and
conceptualization of history.



Michel Foucault
E.H. Carr
Eric Hobsbawm
2. Investigate the “use and abuse” of history by way of examining ONE of the
following issues. Be sure to address major scholarly arguments about causation
and the interpretation of evidence in addition to summarizing the debates over
the event/issue itself. Remember: these essays are about historiographical
interpretations, not simple narratives about the events themselves!



Holocaust denial
the Japanese refusal to address war crimes from the Second World War
the origins of the Cold War
3. Discuss the major historiographical debates about ONE of the following
crises/events.



the outbreak of the First World War
the Vietnam War
the War in Iraq (2003-2011)
8
4. Detail and discuss how ONE of the following theories, intellectual movements,
or sub-fields addresses the study of history and the craft of the historian.



cultural relativism
post-modernism
gender history
5. Discuss the role of propaganda and national myths in understanding the history
of ONE of the following countries today.




Russia
The United States
Canada
The People’s Republic of China
Other Topics:
If there is a topic you would like to write about that is not listed here, I encourage you to
discuss it with me. Written approval from me must be given and attached to your essay.
Please note that essays off the topic list that have not received approval will be given a
zero, without re-submission!
Essay Sources:
Please feel free to come see me for advice and direction on finding sources for essay.
There are simply too many possible sources to list here with any efficiency. Please note
that it will be exceedingly difficult to discuss essays with you via email. You should make
the effort to come to office hours and I will happy to help. As an international relations
historian, I maintain large, current lists of scholarship on many topics in modern
diplomatic and political history in particular, and I will be happy to help recommend
some to you or help you find sources in other fields of interest. However, finding
reputable, factual sources on your own is part of the exercise, and it will greatly
enhance your work. Be exhaustive and be critical. Each topic has specialized research
which you should come and see me and/or a librarian about. You are certainly
encouraged to use your facility in any language while doing research, provided that you
indicate any translations (including by you) and use them with the same rules regarding
academic honesty discussed below. For further information on this, and for some advice
on foreign language sources, please see me. Please also note that you will hopefully gain
access to the University of Toronto library system through me. It is the best in Canada,
close by, and easy to use. More information about access to U of T will be given in class.
9
Finding Material:
1. Consult the bibliography in the textbook.
2. Look for a recent work on your topic and consult its bibliography.
4. Use the Library On Line Catalogue to search by subject.
5. Follow directions on the Library Home Page to search databases for articles or books.
6. Search the Internet WARNING: web sources are not generally scholarly: be careful.
7. Search other library catalogues (i.e. university libraries, public libraries, Metropolitan
Toronto Reference Library). Remember that both the Ryerson and public libraries can
order books for you through inter-library loan.
8. Ask me, a TA, or a librarian for advice.
9. Attend the essay lectures discussed below.
10. Take advantage of access I will get you to the University of Toronto library system.
Writing an Essay:
Students are expected to tackle their chosen topic by critically examining various
perspectives on the subject matter. With this in mind, rather than turning in a straightforward narrative, students must incorporate a historiographical discussion into their
essays, demonstrating their command of the material and better exemplifying the craft
of the historian. Depending on your topic, you might think about how perspectives on it
have changed over time, or how the use of some sources effects interpretations. For
some topics, students might also think how the historical record has been “used or
abused” to shape collective memory and identity. No matter what topic you pick,
students should ask themselves the following questions in dealing with their chosen
subjects. Of what does the event or policy being described consist? What caused it?
What happened? What was its significance at the time and in history? You may find that
there are differing interpretations of issues and events, and a good essay will show
awareness of these. You may argue whatever you position you like, as long as you can
back your arguments with reasonable and credible evidence. Please note that the key to
good research is to be as exhaustive and critical as possible. Selecting a few random
sources off the shelf will not be productive. Good research requires skill. It will take time
and effort to locate and read the best research possible. Again, it is highly
recommended that you come see me or a TA for help, as well as attend the essay
lectures offered in term.
Submission of Essays:
Essays must be printed in hard copy. If this is a problem, please speak to me. Students
should hand essays in directly to an instructor OR put them in the essay drop box on the
5th floor of Jorgenson Hall, by the Administrative Assistant’s office. Do not put them in
my personal mail box OR slide essays under my office door. They need to be stamped on
the date received, and this is done by the Administrative Assistant. Students are
responsible for ensuring that their essays have been received. Please keep copies of
10
your work. Please note that I cannot accept email essays and that any late penalties
apply until I receive a hard copy.
Deadlines and Penalties:
Late work will be penalized 3% per day, each day, including weekends. Extensions may
be granted on medical or compassionate grounds. Students requesting an extension
must speak with me before the deadline. If this is not possible, students should provide
appropriate documentation relating to the extension request (i.e. doctor’s note). No late
work will be accepted after the last day of classes in the term.
Footnote or Endnote Citations:
Essays MUST contain proper references, either in the form of footnotes or end notes,
which include in the first citation the author, place, and date of publication of the
work cited, as well as the correct page number. EVERY CITATION MUST GIVE SPECIFIC
PAGE NUMBERS IN THE END/FOOT NOTE, NOT JUST IN A LIST OF SOURCES OR
BIBLIOGRAPHY!!! As a general rule, references should be given for direct quotations,
summaries or paraphrases of other people's work or points of view, and for material
that is not widely known or accepted. When in doubt, it is better to provide a
reference. Please take careful note to distinguish between direct and indirect
citations/quotes. You should consult see the Ryerson Writing Centre, read a writer’s
manual, attend Dr. Kislenko’s essay research/writing lectures, and come see him in
office hours if you have any doubts about referencing. Confusion on the matter often
leads to academic integrity violations, and ignorance of the rules is absolutely no
defence! There are several acceptable citation formats, but please make sure you follow
one! For example, here is an acceptable citation format:
Jane Doe, The ABC's of History (Toronto: 123 Publishers, 1997), pp. 20-23.
Bibliographies:
Essays MUST provide bibliographies of all works consulted, whether or not they have
been quoted directly. An inadequate bibliography (for assignments as long as those
above) is one which contains less than six books or articles related to the topic, or books
which are entirely general work or texts. Dictionaries, atlases and/or encyclopaedias DO
NOT count towards this minimum number of sources, and their inclusion should NOT be
considered as constituting research. Using all your sources from one or two authors is
also unadvisable. You want a range of opinions. Above all, you want to be critical and
scholarly in choosing your sources. Dr. Kislenko is happy to help if you come see him in
office hours or attend his essay research and writing lectures.
An example of a bibliographic citation is as follows: Smith, John. History Rules (Toronto:
123 Publishers, 1997).
11
Deduction of Marks:
The evaluation of your research, content, and argumentation is of primary concern in
marking. Equally important is the syntax or structure of your work. Marks will be
deducted from work containing excessive grammar/spelling mistakes, which is
excessively long or inadequately short, or which fails to provide proper
footnoting/bibliography. Please see grounds for failure below. Be sure to edit and check
your work carefully. Do not rely just on your computer’s spelling/grammar check.
Grounds for Failure:
Essays on topics that are not listed on the course outline and have not received my
permission prior to submission will be failed. Essays which do not supply proper and
adequate references and bibliographies will be failed. Essays relying heavily on poor
quality research (i.e. encyclopaedias, websites, works published decades ago, general
histories, works all by the same author(s) etc.) will be failed. If you have any doubts or
questions as to research you should come see me. Essays that contain no citations or
citations without precise page numbers will receive a grade of zero. Any written work
that quotes directly from other material without attribution, or which paraphrases
extensive tracts from the works of others, is plagiarised. It will receive a grade of zero,
without chance to resubmit. Further disciplinary action will be taken in keeping with
the Faculty of Arts and University policies on plagiarism. Please consult the Ryerson
academic calendar for further information on plagiarism. If you have any questions or
doubts about how to cite material, please contact me or a TA.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a form of intellectual dishonesty in which someone attempts to claim the
work of others as their own. Work which has been researched and/or written by others,
such as an essay-writing agency, internet service, friend, or family member is NOT
acceptable. The submission of such work is one form of plagiarism, and it will be dealt
with accordingly as academic misconduct. Quoting directly or indirectly from research
sources without proper attribution is also plagiarism, and it will also constitute an
academic misconduct. The Faculty of Arts policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced in
this course; resulting in a grade of zero for the assignment, a report to the Registrar and
the programme department of the student, and possibly other academic penalties
including suspension or expulsion as prescribed in the Code of Academic Conduct. See
http://www.ryerson.ca/ai/students/studentplagiarism.html
To combat this problem, I reserve the right to request research notes and/or to conduct
a brief oral examination on the topic matter in order to ensure that submitted work is
legitimate. Students may also be required to submit an electronic version of their work
for verification purposes. I will give lectures on essay writing during the term in which
plagiarism will be further discussed. If you have any questions or concerns about
plagiarism, please feel free to speak me or the teaching assistants. I would much rather
12
spend time helping you understand what to do than dealing with any problems that may
arise from you being unclear.
Academic Integrity
For additional help, Ryerson offers the Academic Integrity Website at
http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/index.html This offers students a variety of
resources to assist in their research, writing, and presentation of all kinds of
assignments. It also details all dimensions of Academic Misconduct and how to avoid it.
Special Assistance and Essay Lectures
If you have other questions about correct procedure and style for writing an essay,
please feel free to contact me or the teaching assistants. There are several good guides
to essay writing, such as Making Sense (available at the Ryerson bookstore). Students
may also take advantage of help offered by the Writing Centre. Please note that in
October I will be holding special lectures on essay writing that you are strongly
encouraged to attend. However, with so much material to cover in a short time, and to
coordinate with my other classes, these sessions will be held outside your scheduled
hours for this course. Specific times and locations will be given in class. If you cannot
attend, I would still be happy to go over things with you by way of special appointment
or office hours. I would much rather have you come and ask questions about anything
to do with essays than do poorly: essays are not easy - and you should be prepared to
put in the time and effort for solid research, good writing, and an effective presentation
of your arguments. We’re here to help, but don’t leave it to the last moment.
Accommodations:
Students need to inform faculty of any situation which arises during the semester which
may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance. Students must request
any necessary considerations (e.g. medical or compassionate), or accommodations [e.g.
religious observance, disability (which should be registered with the Access Centre),
etc.] according to policies and well in advance. Failure to do so will jeopardize any
academic appeals. Except in cases of accommodations for disabilities, whose
documentation is handled directly by the Access Centre, all students registered in fulltime and part-time degree programs must submit their documentation for academic
consideration for all courses (both day courses and those taken at the Chang School) to
their own program office.
Medical Certificates: In the case of absence from class or an inability to meet a required
deadline for an assignment/test/exam due to medical reasons, official certificates
completed by an authorized, attending physician must be submitted. Ryerson policy
guidelines require that you do so within 3 working days of a missed assignment, test or
exam, although there may be extenuating circumstances where that is not possible. You
13
should discuss this with your program director. In extraordinary circumstances,
exceptions to the 3-day requirement to provide documentation can be granted at the
discretion of the instructor, as long as the student provides a letter stating why their
documentation was not submitted within the required time frame. Please see the
following forms for further information:
 www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf
 www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/forms/academic_consideration_documen
t_submission.pdf)
Religious Observance: If a student needs accommodation because of religious
observance, he/she must submit a formal request to the instructor within the first two
weeks of the class or for a final examination within 5 working days of the posting of the
examination schedule. For further information, please see:
http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/forms/academic_consideration_document
_submission.pdf)
Students with disabilities: The facilitation of academic success and access of students
with disabilities is handled by the Access Centre. For further information, see:
http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/accesscentre/index.html. Before the first
graded work is due, students should also inform their instructor through an
“Accommodation Form for Professors” that they are registered with the Access Centre
and what accommodations are required.
Seminars:
At the beginning of the term you will be asked to sign up into small groups which will
meet four times during the course to discuss major topics. Signing up will be on-line at
www.kislenko.com Please do not attempt to sign up until given specific instructions to
do so, otherwise you may be erased from the system. Seminars will be one hour each,
held during certain weeks in your two hour class block. Please only sign up for section
times in which you are registered. The groups will discuss some of the problems and
issues covered in the course and specific questions and readings will be assigned for
each meeting. Everyone will be expected to attend and participate in all four one-hour
meetings of his or her group. There are no formal presentations involved, but seminars
are participatory. Attendance alone will not constitute a passing grade. If you have
difficulty speaking in front of others, please consult with the teaching assistants or me
as soon as possible. Seminars constitute 30% of the final grade, so you should consider
them compulsory. Please come at the time for which you have signed up. Changes can
only be accepted if you speak with me beforehand. Please note that on seminar days
(i.e. the four Mondays listed below) there will be a lecture too in the hour preceding or
following your one-hour seminar slot. You will be expected to go to your one hour
seminar AND a one hour lecture on those Mondays unless otherwise instructed. Further
information will be given in class.
14
Seminar Marks:
Please note that your overall mark in seminars will not be available until shortly after
your last seminar class. However, you can get a general idea of how you are doing and
how to improve at any time by asking your TA. Their emails will be given in seminars and
will be posted on my website.
Preparing for Seminars:
Seminars in this course have been designed to meet academic objectives, while trying to
maximise student interest and participation. They have also been designed to minimise
the student costs involved in securing additional texts or readers. In order to achieve
these objectives, the seminars have been constructed around the use of on-line
scholarly articles and Internet sources. Readings for each seminar will be made available
via Blackboard. For each of the four seminars you are assigned a specific topic or issue.
Your task is to research the topic or issue using suggested sources, and any other
material you can come up with. Readings from the course text are for background. The
minimum preparation for seminars would involve examining any mandatory assigned
readings, and it will be assumed that you have done so. However, students are highly
encouraged to search for information/readings beyond this minimum. No formal
presentations or submissions are required for the seminars, but you should come
prepared for fairly detailed and hopefully intense debate. The better prepared you are,
the better your participation will be. Remember that as historians, we research and read
with a focus on critical thinking and objective, scholarly analysis. Thus part of your
preparation for the seminars should involve a critical examination of the readings, its
author(s), and the argumentation. We want you to bring to each seminar your own
opinions and observations, in addition to information you draw from research and
preparation. Issues related to or stemming from topics may also be addressed.
How to Access On-Line Articles:
All of the mandatory articles are available on Ryerson Library databases. Links are listed
after each article. Simply click on the link and then enter your Ryerson ID. Should you
have any problem you can track the article down through the Ryerson Library interface
at http://library.ryerson.ca/guides All of the articles are also linked on Blackboard.
The Inside Scoop:
Participation in seminars will be marked, but it is sincerely hoped that you will actually
get something out of it beyond grades. You should care about these issues, historical or
contemporary, as they seriously affect the world in which you live. The overall objective
of this course is to have everyone apply critical, reasoned analysis to the study of
history. However, engaging in scholarly discourse need not be terribly intimidating,
boring, or formal. Your humour, passion, experiences, and opinions are essential
15
ingredients in this course. As long as everyone and their perspectives are treated with
respect, and a relative decorum is maintained, you are strongly encouraged to voice
your interpretations. In this environment everyone will gain greater intellectual selfconfidence, as well as better knowledge of historical events and the study of history. In
addition, drawing connections to current events is not only welcome it may in fact be
useful in better understanding other topics in the course. Just be prepared to think
things through.
Seminar Topics and Schedule:
1) First Seminar: Monday, September 23
“What the Hell Are We Doing Here? The Trials and Tribulations of Being an
Historian”
This seminar is designed to introduce students to some of the definitional,
philosophical, and practical issues confronting historians. As well, it examines the
basic idea of what an historian is, and what the craft of an historian should be.
READ:
 Tosh textbook, chapters 1,3,4,5
 Margaret MacMillan, “Who Owns the Past?” in Margaret MacMillan, The Uses
and Abuses of History (Toronto: Penguin, 2008): 35-53.
 Richard J. Evans, “The History of History” in Richard J. Evans, In Defence of
History (London: Granta Books, 1997): 15-44.
 John Lewis Gaddis, “The Landscape of History” in John Lewis Gaddis, The
Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past (New York: Oxford University
Press, 2002): 1-16.
2) Second Seminar: Monday, October 21
“Theory, Theory Everywhere and Not a Fact in Sight: Can’t We Just “Do” History?”
Theory is important, even if you don’t agree with it. This seminar broaches some of
the theoretical concepts that shape the discipline. Come prepared to attack or
defend!
READ:
 Tosh textbook, chapters 7,8,9
 Joyce Appelby et al, “Scientific History and the Idea of Modernity” in Joyce
Appelby, Lynn Hunt, and Margaret Jacob, Telling the Truth About History (New
York: WW Norton, 1994): 52-90.
 John Harvey, “History and the Social Science” in Stefan Berger, Heiko Feldner,
16



and Kevin Passmore (eds.), Writing History: Theory and Practice (New York:
Bloomsburg Academic, 2003): 81-107.
Keith Windschuttle, “History as a Social Science” in Keith Windschuttle, The
Killing of History: How a Discipline is Being Murdered by Literary Critics and Social
Theorists (Paddington, Australia: Macleay, 1996): 185-226.
Peter Lambert and Phillip Schofield (eds.), “Social Movements and Theory into
History” in Peter Lambert and Phillip Schofield (eds.), Making History: An
Introduction to the History and Practices of a Discipline (New York: Routledge,
2004): 175-179.
Phillip Schofield, “History and Marxism” in Peter Lambert and Phillip Schofield
(eds.), Making History: An Introduction to the History and Practices of a Discipline
(New York: Routledge, 2004): 180-191.
3) Third Seminar: Monday, November 11
“Using or Abusing History? Part 1: Identity, Nationalism, and the Historian”
Nationalism may very well be the most important intellectual and political force of
modern history. It is usually ill-defined, but that doesn’t stop most people from using
the term as if everyone knows what it is and agrees to a definition. Particularly in the
19th century, historians played a critical role in “interpreting” nationalisms, often
giving life to radical nationalist ideas and myths. In the drive to create and sustain
nations, some even abused history. In this seminar we look both at nationalism itself
and the role that intellectuals played in fostering it. Beyond the readings, think
about specific examples in which groups or nations have co-opted particular
histories, and historians, to create their identities.


READ:
 Tosh textbook, chapter 2
 Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origins and
Spread of Nationalism (revised edition) (New York: Verso, 2003): 9-46.
Daniel Woolf, “The Broken Mirror: Nationalism, Romanticism, and
Professionalization in the 19th Century” in Daniel Woolf, A Global History of History
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011): 344-397.
Margaret MacMillan, “History and Nationalism” in Margaret MacMillan, The Uses
and Abuses of History (Toronto: Penguin, 2008): 87-99.
4) Fourth Seminar: Monday, November 25
“Using and Abusing History? Part 2: The Atomic Bomb and the Historical Divide”
It is safe to say that the dropping of the atomic bomb in 1945 ushered in a new era
in global history. However, historians remain sharply divided about many aspects of
17
the event. How was the decision made and why? Was it militarily necessary to end
the war? What role did race and revenge play in shaping the American perspective?
Investigate how historical interpretations about the bomb have changed over time,
and wrestle with questions of causation, context, and moral retrospective.
READ:
 Barton Bernstein, “The Atomic Bombings Reconsidered”, Foreign Affairs 74/1
(January-February 1995): 135-152. Available through Ryerson Library at
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/stable/20047025
 J. Samuel Walker, “Historiographical Essay: Recent Literature on Truman’s
Atomic Bomb Decision: The Search for Middle Ground”, Diplomatic History, 29/2
(April 2005): 311-334. Available through Ryerson Library at
http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/detailssfx.xqy?uri=/01452096/v29i0002/311_rlotabdasfmg.xml
 Chapter by Gar Alperovitz (to be listed later)
 John Dower, “The Bombed” in Michael J. Hogan (ed.), Hiroshima in History and
Memory (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996): 116-142.
 Robert James Maddox, “Introduction” and “GarAlperovitz” in Robert James
Maddox (ed.), Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism (Columbia, Mo.:
University of Missouri Press, 2007): 1-23.
 Sadao Asada, “The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender
– A Reconsideration” in Robert James Maddox (ed.), Hiroshima in History: The
Myths of Revisionism (Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri Press, 2007): 24-58.
Course Evaluations
You will be given an opportunity to evaluate this course in the second or third week of
November. Specific dates will be established by the university. Your participation in the
anonymous survey is strongly encouraged. The process should take no more than 15
minutes.
Final Exam
The final exam will be held during the exam period in December. It will be THREE
HOURS (3 hours) in length. The precise format of the exam will be discussed in class
later in term. The exam will draw on material covered during the whole course. It should
be noted now that emphasis will definitely be on lectures and assigned readings. It will
be almost impossible to pass the exam unless you have regularly attended lectures.
Key Dates To Keep in Mind
Wednesday, Sep. 4
week of Sep. 9
: classes start
: seminar sign-up
18
Monday, September 23
sometime in October
Wednesday, October 9
week of October 14
Wednesday, October 16
Monday, October 21
Monday, November 11
Wednesday, November 13
Monday, November 25
Monday, December 2
sometime in December
: seminar 1
: essay writing seminar
: document/article analysis due
: READING WEEK – NO CLASSES
: essay outline due (OPTIONAL)
: seminar 2
: seminar 3
: essay due
: seminar 4
: last class and discussion of final exam
: final examination
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about this course, please feel free to
talk to me about them at any time.
19