HIST 459: Colonial Worlds

History Seminar

Scarboro / Fall 2014

I.  Description:

Colonialism and its resistance is the subject of this course.  We will investigate the processes (political, military, economic, cultural and ideological) that enabled the western powers to hold sway over much of the world in the modern era and the manner in which colonized people resisted, transformed and found solaces in this domination.  Special attention will be paid to the British and French colonial projects of the 19th and 20th centuries.

II. Purpose:

A. Objectives for the student:

Among the objectives for this class are that the student become familiar with and be able to analyze the mechanics of colonialism as a modern and modernizing ideology within its political, economic and cultural contexts.  Students will engage with colonialism from a wide range of genres, historiographic traditions and methodologies in order to gage colonialism’s historical roots, impact and transformations.  As a seminar course, this course is meant to build on other classes in the History Department’s curriculum in developing students skills in historical methodology and thinking.  Upon finishing this class, the student will be able to: locate, evaluate and interpret historical sources and place them in context; critically engage and evaluate primary and secondary sources; and present analyses of them in clear and persuasive writing.  The culmination of the course will be a research paper and oral presentation incorporating primary and secondary sources. 

B.  General Learning Outcomes for the Student:

In addition to the more discipline specific objectives described above, this course is also designed to foster liberal-learning goals in broad ways, focusing specifically on critical thinking, effective writing, effective oral communication and information literacy. It is expected that successful completion of this course will help you improve your ability to: manage information, which involves sorting data, ranking data for significance, synthesizing facts, concepts and principles; to understand and use organizing principles or key concepts against which miscellaneous data can be evaluated; to frame questions so as to more clearly clarify a problem topic or issue; to compare and contrast the relative merits of opposing arguments and interpretations, moving between the main points of each position; to organize your thoughts and communicate them clearly and concisely in written form.

III. General Requirements

A.     Course Readings:

Alloula, Malek, Colonial Harem, University of Minnesota Press, 1986

Colley, Linda, Captives: Britain, Empire and the World, Anchor Press, 2004

Fannon, Franz, The Wretched of the Earth, Grove Press, 2005

James, C. L. R., The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution, 2^nd ed., Random House, 1963

Kincaid, James,  A Small Place, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1st ed. 2000

Mishra, Pankaj, From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals who Remade Asia, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012

Shakespeare, William, The Tempest, Bantam Classics, 1988

Other Readings will be available on the course moodle site <<http://kings.mrooms2.net/course/view.php?id=2073>>.

B.     Course Films 

Pontecorvo, Gillo, The Battle of Algiers,1966.

C. Written Assignments:

The primary written assignment in this class is a 10-12 paper on the topic of colonialism that incorporates both primary and secondary sources.  Much of this work will be done collaboratively within a group.  On the first day of class you will chose three other people with whom you will be working closely together both in researching your paper and in preparing and presenting your final group project.  Each of your individual papers will be on the same general topic. Your individual papers will all contribute to the final project so you should be sure to closely collaborate with your peers.  Your paper will be written in several steps, much of it collaboratively:

1)  On the first day of the semester you will chose the general topic of your paper and end of semester presentation and the group with whom you will be working with closely all semester. 

2)  On September 26^th you will turn in a bibliography of secondary sources.  This will consist of a minimum of 20 sources and be the basis of your first draft of the paper your historiographical essay.

3)  The historiographical essay is due on October 17^th.  This essay (which will be incorporated into your final paper) will synthesize the historical scholarship on your topic against which you will situate your own readings of your primary sources.  This essay will need to be a minimum of 5 pages. Besides a hard copy for me turned in in class, you will need to e-mail copies to each member of your group. 

4)  On October 24^th your group will critique one another’s historiographical essays in an in-class workshop. 

5)  On November 3^rd you will turn in a bibliography of primary sources.  This will consist of a minimum of 15 sources and be the basis of the second draft of the paper.

6)  On November 17^th  you will turn in your second (synthesis) rough draft of your paper which will focus on interpreting and integrating primary sources within the framework of your historiographical understanding.  This draft should include and build on your earlier rough draft and weave in your readings of the primary sources against the historiography.  This rough draft should be between 8-10 pages.  Besides a hard copy for me turned in in class, you will need to e-mail copies to each member of your group. 

7)  On November 24^th your group will critique one another’s second drafts in an in-class workshop focusing on the synthesis of primary and secondary sources and the development of your thesis. 

8)  Your printed thesis is due in class on December 1^st.

9)  Your final paper of 10-12 pages is due the last day of class Friday, December 5^th.

Each stage and component of the paper are to be turned in both in paper form (in class) and electronically via turnitin on the course moodle site.

You will also be responsible for grading your group mates’ performance during your work together this semester which will be factored into the final grade.

D.  Class Presentations

At the end of the semester you will need to present your research to the class in an oral presentation.  This presentation should last approximately 10 minutes with a five minute question session.  The presentation should outline your thesis, demonstrate a strong understanding of the historiographical debate surrounding your topic and a synthesis of primary and secondary sources.

E. Workshops

Writing workshops are designed to give you opportunities to develop and refine your final paper throughout the semester, and provide a forum for peer review.  You will be asked to bring in some component of your final paper on each of these dates:

You will need to bring two sets of typed questions and comments for each of your group-mates’ papers for each workshop (one for me and one for your group-mate).   Your participation in each of these workshops is factored into your class participation grade.

F. Exams:

This class will also have two examinations (a midterm due on October 22^nd)and a final exam during finals week).  These examinations will be take-home and consist of several essay questions focusing on class readings, lectures and discussions. 

G.  Leading Class Discussion and Participation

As well as providing you with the methodological and analytical tools for engaging in historical thinking, this class will ask you to actively take part in a larger conversation of historical issues within the class.  I expect this class to allow us to delve deeply into the historical topics of each week’s readings.  To that end you need to make sure that you arrive to class on time ready to discuss the weekly readings, having carefully read and thought over the material.  You must take an active role in the class discussions.  Thus a portion of your grade will depend on your in-class performance and presence. 

Further, you will be responsible for leading class discussion three times during this semester.  This will entail reading the assigned text, song collection or film closely, arranging a list of topics and themes to discuss in class and preparing a series of questions to discuss during class.  You will e-mail a list of 8-10 questions to me and your classmates no later than 5:00 the evening before class so that we will have time to reflect on them and prepare responses.

As part of this class participation, prior to each class discussion you will be responsible for turning in a written description (no more than a paragraph) of the thesis of the class readings.  These will collected at the beginning of class and no late assignments will be accepted.

In a class of this nature it goes without saying that a classroom environment in which everyone feels comfortable is essential.  You should treat your fellow classmates with respect, listen carefully to their comments and respond to them in a polite manner. 

H.  Grading:

It is your responsibility to understand why you have achieved a certain grade, and what steps you can take to maintain or improve your grade.  You should consult with the instructor during office hours or by appointment before and after exams and written assignments.

For your protection, in case of errors in record keeping, you should keep copies of all exams and assignments until you have received official notice of your final grade.

Your final grade will be based on the following percentages

Your grade distribution for class assignments is as follows:

I. Academic Integrity:

The Department of History adheres to guidelines on academic integrity outlined in the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook.  Cheating and plagiarism will be penalized in accord with the penalties and procedures indicated in that source.  All students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of these infractions of academic honesty.   Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the History Department’s plagiarism policy posted below:

http://departments.kings.edu/history/honesty.html

J. Absences:

I will regularly take attendance in this class. Absences due to college activities, emergency or extended illness may be excused by the appropriate college official. You should consult with the professor about making up missed work in advance or as soon as possible after your return.  Other absences are unexcused and will lower the class participation portion of your grade. After any absence, you are responsible for requesting hand-outs and already returned assignments from me or borrowing notes from other students. If you miss an exam, contact me as possible. You may take a missed exam only at the discretion of the instructor.

K.  Dissabilities:

King’s College and I will make every effort to accommodate students with a bona-fide disability that impacts on their ability to learn the course material.  Please meet with me privately so that appropriate arrangements can be made to help in the learning process.

IV. Course Schedule