COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines social, cultural and political developments in Europe from about 1890 to 1945. This age of anxiety was the era of Hitler and Stalin, Einstein and Freud, Picasso and Eisenstein, the "new woman" and the factory striker. In studying the history of their time, we will seek to explain the forces that led Europe to war against itself twice in the twentieth century, with such devastating effect. All the while, we will examine the swirling currents of early twentieth-century culture and ideas. Readings/viewings include early cinema, feminist statements, Russian science fiction, imperialist propaganda, World War I accounts, surrealist art and film, documents on the Holocaust, together with historical films and the work of prominent historians. Class format will combine lecture and discussion.
REQUIREMENTS
¥ Attentive reading of all assignments
¥ Engaged attendance at all classes
¥ Active participation in discussions
¥ Two map quizzes
¥ Occasional in-class quizzes
¥ Ten email responses
¥ A web assignment
¥ Two formal papers (4-5 pages)
¥ Two one hour examinations
¥ A final examination
READINGS
Recommended and required books are available for purchase at the college bookstore, the Florence O. Wilson Bookstore, located in Lowry Center. Of course, you are free to purchase them elsewhere, but be sure to get the correct editions.
Short readings will be provided as handouts or put on reserve at the library.
RECOMMENDED
¥ Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (Bedford St. Martin's, 3rd ed., 2001)
REQUIRED BOOKS
¥ Felix Gilbert with David Clay Large, The End of the European Era, 1890 to the Present (5th ed., Norton, 2002)
¥ Sigmund Freud, Five Lectures on Psychoanalysis (Norton; orig. 1909)
¥ Mikhail Bulgakov, Heart of a Dog (Grove Press, 1987; written 1925)
¥ William Sheridan Allen, The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Case of a Single German Town, 1922-1945 (Rev. ed., Franklin Watts, 1984)
¥ George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia (Harvest Books, 1987; orig. 1938)
¥ Miranda Pollard, Reign of Virtue: The Mobilization of Gender in Vichy France (University of Chicago Press, 1998)
REQUIRED FILMS
There is one required evening film; it's an integral part of the course. See me if you have a conflict.
¥ Tues, Oct. 22, in Kauke 101, 8:00 pm&emdash;"Liberty For Us!" dir. René Clair (1931, 87 mins)
THE WOOSTER FORUM AND OTHER EVENTS
The Wooster Forum is a semester-long series of events sponsored by the College. This year's forum is devoted to the arts, broadly speaking. Its title: "Beyond Boundaries: Re-Mapping the Contemporary Arts." I encourage you to attend all events in the series.
You'll find the full schedule for the Forum at http://www.wooster.edu/forum/schedule.html.
You are required to attend the following sessions:
¥ Thurs, Sept. 5, in McGaw Chapel, 7:30 pm&emdash;Art Spiegelman, "Comix 101"
¥ Mon, Oct. 21, in McGaw Chapel, 7:30 pm&emdash;Claudia Stevens, "An Evening with Madame F"
I'd also recommend:
¥ Tues, Oct. 8, in McGaw Chapel, 7:30 pm&emdash;"BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN FILM: A Wooster Faculty Panel"
The following film session is highly recommended:
¥ Wed, Oct. 9, in Mateer Auditorium, 7:30 pm&emdash;Film and Talkback, "Grand Illusion"
As you hear about films and lectures that might interest the class, please bring them to my attention before our meetings so that we can spread the word.
EMAIL RESPONSES
For a number of readings or viewings, I require that you submit to me (at gshaya@wooster.edu), the night before class discussion, a response of about one page or 300 words. To get credit, your response must be received by midnight at the latest. These will be graded acceptable or unacceptable (in the case of sketchy or half-baked comments). They will offer you a chance to develop your ideas, to start thinking, before we set out discussing the work at hand.
Your response should first address the following questions:
1) What is the main point of the reading, novel/film/memoir/article? What kind of a source is it? What point of view does it take? What point of view might it be opposed to?
Then you should go on to:
2) Choose a memorable passage that illuminates your answer to 1), and explain it briefly.
3) With reference to the textbook, lectures, or outside sources, explain in what sense this work is the product of its historical moment (that is, the year in which it was produced, published, or released).
4) Draw some comparisons between this work and something else we have encountered this semester.
When you are finished, go to the top and add your name and a meaningful title to your response.
Please send these as plain text files (not as attachments). Cite passages and quotations from the day's reading with page numbers in parentheses. If you need to cite outside sources you may do so with a parenthetical note and a full reference at the bottom of the page.
I will forward a selection of these to the class.
There are ten required responses and three optional responses listed on the schedule. You may do one or all of the optional responses for some extra credit.
GRADING
Your grade will measure your effort, the level of your thinking and writing, as well as the progress you make across the semester. The following is offered as a very rough guide (and I reserve the right to change it). It assumes a good faith effort on all assignments:
¥ 20% of your grade is based on class participation
¥ 10% on quizzes, email responses, and the web assignment
¥ 35% on the two papers
¥ 10% on the first exam
¥ 10% on the second exam
¥ 15% on the final exam