IH 3810

APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF HISTORY

WINTER 2005

History and You

Sections:981 (3cr), 982 (4cr)

Instructor: Ronald Aronson (313) 577-0828

Office: 2426 AAB 5700 Cass Ave.

Email: ac7159@wayne.edu

Reader: Karen McDevitt Email: aa6545@wayne.edu

Fax: (313) 577-8585

Class Location: 219 Prentis

Class meets every Monday, 6:00-9:40pm, Jan.10-April 25 except for January 17 (Martin Luther King Day) and March 14 (Spring break).

Office Hours: I will be at my office on campus at least one hour before every class session; please see me by appointment during that time. Contact me by phone or by email with any questions or to make an appointment.

General Education Requirement:

IH 3810 fulfills the University General Education requirements in Historical Studies (HS). HS courses provide insight into the development of human institutions, their similarities and differences, and the means by which knowledge about the past is acquired. Such studies reveal how contemporary perspectives evolve from past events, while enhancing understanding of the present. Approved courses may explore significant historical periods or themes. In keeping with this requirement, GUH 3810 does not offer a comprehensive overview of history. Rather, by focusing on major themes and then on genealogy it allows the student to situate her/himself in the historical process while fostering understanding of the purposes and methods of historical study.

Course Plan:

This upper-division course explores three intersecting questions, What is history? How is it made and understood? And how does it affect individual lives? The course examines the historical nature of our experience, the historical development of social institutions, cultural practices, and values, and how knowledge of the past is acquired. We will explore our own and our families’ historicity - the historical dimensions of our own lives and personal experience.

All students will read the texts, Davidson and Lytle’s After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection, W. E. B. Dubois’s classic, The Souls of Black Folk, and In My Mother’s House by Kim Chernin, and see several films. In addition, students will begin a family history project by bringing a document to class and doing one of the following: a family tree, a family time line, or an oral history interview.

Texts (available at Marwil Books, Cass and Warren, Detroit: 313/832-3078):

Davison and Lytle, After the Fact (5^th Edition)

W. E. B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk

Kim Chernin, In My Mother’s House

Student Responsibilities and Grading Procedures

ATTENDANCE POLICY: NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE CLASS AFTER THE THIRD WEEK. ATTENDANCE AT EVERY SCHEDULED CLASS IS REQUIRED, NOT OPTIONAL, AND WEEKLY PARTICIPATION IS VITAL TO THE COURSE. ALL REASONS FOR ABSENCE ARE OF EQUAL WEIGHT (ILLNESS, EMERGENCY, ETC.). COMING IN SIGNIFICANTLY LATE OR LEAVING SIGNIFICANTLY EARLY COUNTS AS MISSING HALF A CLASS. ANY STUDENT WHO MISSES 3 CLASSES OR APPOINTMENTS WILL HAVE THE FINAL GRADE LOWERED BY A HALF GRADE. ANY STUDENT WHO MISSES 4 CLASSES OR APPOINTMENTS WILL HAVE THE FINAL GRADE LOWERED BY ONE FULL POINT. ANY STUDENT WHO MISSES 5 CLASSES WILL BE DROPPED AUTOMATICALLY FROM THE COURSE. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BY PHONE (313-577-0828) OR E-MAIL <ac7159@wayne.edu>.

MAKEUP POLICY WHEN ABSENT: ALL MISSED HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE MADE UP, INCLUDING SEEING ANY MISSED VIDEOS. IN THE EVENT OF ABSENCE, CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR THE MAKE-UP ASSIGNMENT. AVOID COMING TO THE NEXT CLASS WITHOUT HAVING CONTACTED ME AND MADE UP THE CURRENT ASSIGNMENT. EACH MISSED CLASS WITHOUT A MAKEUP ASSIGNMENT LOWERS YOUR GRADE BY 1/3 GRADE.

Assigned papers include:

(1) Short papers and quizzes on assignments                                   (10%)

(2) A paper on the theme of the Veil in The Souls of Black Folk    (15%)

(3) A longer paper on After the Fact                                                   (15%)

(4) Family tree, time line, or oral history interview                              (10%)

(5) A final paper, based on your reading of In My Mother’s House and your viewing of Professional Revolutionary. This will be an in-depth discussion of the relationship of the personal and the historical, in After the Fact, DuBois, In My Mother’s House, and your own genealogical work                                                                                                       (20%)

(6) In-class final exam on May 2                                                          (5%)

Late assignments will be marked-down ½ grade every day past the due date. Always keep a copy of your submitted work.

The Contract:

As students you have a right to expect that your instructor will come to class prepared, treat you with respect, and conduct class in a scholarly manner. Being learners and not consumers, students’ growth and development entail a corresponding commitment: coming to class prepared, treating the instructor and fellow students with respect, and taking all aspects of class participation seriously. Students are required to be punctual and to attend every class session in full. Participation entails active involvement in class discussion and all activities, scholarly demeanor, and respect for the classroom process and the opinions of others.

The purpose of this course is to help students develop their capacity to think. As a course focusing on ideas, its lifeblood is class discussion. This is a collective process, requiring tolerance, openness, and careful listening. Each participant has a right to expect this of the others.

Grades on papers:

A = Excellent (A is equivalent to 4.00 HPA; A- equivalent to 3.67). Well-written and well-argued with a clear thesis statement, sustained focus on the thesis, plenty of well-developed examples, and use of relevant readings from the text. May contain original ideas or insights.

B = Good (B+ 3.33 HPA; B 3.00; B- 2.67). A strong presentation but may not adequately develop one or more of the above areas.

C = Average (C+ 2.33 HPA; C 2.00; C- l.67). Shows understanding of the issues and readings, but a thin presentation, weak in key areas or does not touch upon key points. May also have writing problems.

D = Poor but still passing (D+ 1.33 HPA; D 1.00; D- 0.67). A cursory presentation lacking in examples and support from the text, and or serious writing problems. May show inadequate reading or reflection.

E = not acceptable (E or F = 0.00 HPA). Inadequate effort.

R = Returned for revision. Automatic for D and E papers until the final week.

Final Grades:

In order to receive a passing grade for the course, you must complete all three outside essays and the family history assignment. Where insufficient work has been done to assign a grade and at the instructor’s discretion, a student may be given an “X.”

A student who is unable to complete the final assignment but has completed most of the course work and has notified the instructor of his or her intention to complete the remaining work by a given date may, at the instructor’s discretion, be granted an “I” until the work is made up and a final letter grade assigned. At the end of one year, the University regards the “I” as a “W” and the course must be retaken. Extensions are difficult to obtain.

Plagiarism, Citation and Rough-Draft Policies:

PLAGIARISM IS NOT TOLERATED AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY; STUDENTS WHO PASS OFF THE WORK OF OTHERS AS THEIR OWN WILL RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE. THIS IS AUTOMATIC AND CANNOT BE APPEALED. WHETHER QUOTING, SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, OR ALLUDING, YOU MUST PROVIDE PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCES following Trimmer's Guide to MLA Documentation (4th edition) or the MLA Handbook (fifth edition). Or look online at: <http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml>. For IS plagiarism policy see: <http://www.is.wayne.edu/Policies/Plagiarism.htm>. I encourage rough drafts and ongoing discussion of papers by E-mail.

SCHEDULE

Week 1 (Jan. 10): “What is history?” Introduction to the course

Film: Professional Revolutionary

In-class writing response to film: What is the purpose of the film and to what extent does it succeed?

Assignment for Week 2: ATF, “Serving Time in Virginia” and “The Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem”

Essay on the reading: “Serving Time in Virginia” focuses on the nature of historical evidence. What are the main questions asked in the chapter and how are they answered?

JANUARY 17 NO CLASS: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY 

Week 2 (Jan. 24): 1) Two Ways of Entering the New Land; 2) America”s Witch Hunts

Quiz on “The Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem”

Assignment for Week 3: ATF, "Declaring Independence”

Bring a document to class

Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk, “Forethought,” Chapter I

Week 3 (Jan. 31): "How to Read a Document"

Film: Ancestors, Episode 1: “Getting Started”

Discussion of Genealogy

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Assignment for Week 4: ATF, “The Invisible Pioneers”

Prepare a summary to be presented in class

Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk, Chapters 2 and 4

Week 4 (February 7): “Going West: Myth and Reality”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Film: Ancestors, Episode 3: “Gathering Family Stories”

Assignment for Week 5: ATF, Six: “The Madness of John Brown”Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk, Chapters 7 and 8

Week 5 (February 14): “Individual Motivation and Great Causes”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Ancestors, Episodes 4 and 5, “The Paper Trail,” and “Libraries and Archives”

Assignment for week 6: ATF, Seven: “The View from the Bottom Rail”

Dubois; The Souls of Black Folk, Chapters 9, 11 and 13

Week 6 (February 21): “African American Stories”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Ancestors, Episodes 6 and 7, “Military and Census Records,” “African American Families”

          Film: Detroit Public Television (WTVS): Slavery and the Making of America, I

Assignment for week 7: ATF, Eight, “The Mirror with the Memory” (178-99)

Paper: What does Dubois mean by the “Veil” and how does it help you to understand relations between African Americans and whites today? (3 pages, 750 words; section 981 students 2 pages, 500 words)

Week 7 (February 28): ”The Lives of Immigrants: I”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Ancestors, Episodes 8 and 9, “Your Medical Heritage” and “High-Tech Help”

Film: Detroit Public Television (WTVS): Slavery and the Making of America, II

Assignment for week 8: ATF , “USDA Government Inspected,” “Sacco and Vanzetti”

Week 8 (March 7): “The Lives of Immigrants: II”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Ancestors, Episode 10, “Leaving a Legacy”

NO CLASS MARCH 14: SPRING BREAK

Assignment for week 9: ATF: “From Rosie to Lucy: The Mass Media and Images of Women in the 1950s,” “Contemporary Body Image and Gender”

Paper on After the Fact: What is the book’s purpose and how is it demonstrated? Write a 3-4 page paper (750-1000 words); (3-credit students 2-3 pages - 500-750 words).

Prepare for quiz or in-class essay on the reading (students who include the reading in their paper will be exempt from the quiz/essay)

Week 9 (March 21): “From Rosie to Lucy: The Mass Media and Images of Women in the 1950s,” “Contemporary Body Image and Gender”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading for students who do not include the reading in their paper

Assignment for week 10: ATF: “Dust Bowl Odyssey,” “The Decision to Drop the Bomb”

Week 10 (March 28): Family History, I, “Dust Bowl Odyssey,” “The Decision to Drop the Bomb”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Assignment for week 11:

Chernin, In My Mother’s House, Part One

Week 11 (April 4): Family History, II, Rose Chernin’s Story

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Assignment for week 12:

Chernin, In My Mother’s House, Part Two

Week 12 (April 11): Your Family’s Story, Kim and Rose Chernin’s Story

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Assignment for week 13: Chernin, Part Three

Hand in family tree, time line, or oral history interview

Week 13 (April 18): The 1960s; Saul Wellman’s Story Again

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Assignment for week 14: ATF, “Where Trouble Comes,” 356-386, Frank Wu, “Difficult Decisions During Wartime”

Week 14 (April 25): “World War II and Vietnam: Myths and Realities”

Quiz or in-class essay on the reading

Film: SDS: Rebels with a Cause

Final Assignment: How is the historical personal and the personal historical? Write a 6-page paper (1500 words) based on appropriate readings in ATF, The Souls of Black Folk, In My Mother’s House, “Difficult Decisions During Wartime,” and your own genealogical research (3-credit students 4 pages, 1000 words). Consider how historical events and processes shape individual lives, values, and even personalities, and how individuals contribute to historical events and processes.

Final Exam Day: May 2: Papers handed in and final exam/evaluation/discussion.

ISP 3540

DIRECTED STUDY: FAMILY HISTORY

WINTER 2005

Instructor: Ronald Aronson (313) 577-0828

ac7159@wayne edu

Fax: (313) 577-8585

In this Directed Study course, which is designed to complement Humanities 3810, students will have the opportunity to undertake their own in-depth study of their family history.

Students will:

1) analyze a document

2) prepare a family tree

3) conduct an oral history interview

4) spend time at a major genealogy website such as that of the Latter Day Saints, http://byubroadcasting.org/ancestors/ or AncestryPlus at Galenet, accessible through the WSU library’s website: http://elibrary.wayne.edu/record=b1996221a

(You must first be on line using the WSU server to access this.).

5) prepare a family history time-line

6) Read and use the materials on the website for Ancestors, http://www.pbs.org/kbyu/ancestors/

7) obtain and analyze a major record, such as a census report or visit a genealogical library or collection such as the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library

8) write a family history paper of at least 10 pages (6 pages for students enrolled for 2 credits)

 - or create a family history web site

THESE ARE DUE ON APRIL 18

and 9) present their findings to the class on April 25

The Directed Study schedule is printed in boxes at appropriate weeks on the 3810 schedule. 

The film Ancestors will be shown in class from week 3 through week 8.

There will be Directed Study meetings on the following dates:

January 10

January 24

February 28

March 28

Directed Study presentations and due dates are as follows:

March 7: Oral history, time line, or family tree

April 18 - Paper due incorporating 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 above

April 25 - Presentation to class

Grades on papers:

A = Excellent (A is equivalent to 4.00 HPA; A- equivalent to 3.67). Well-written and well-argued with a clear thesis statement, sustained focus on the thesis, plenty of well-developed examples, and use of relevant readings from the text. May contain original ideas or insights.

B = Good (B+ 3.33 HPA; B 3.00; B- 2.67). A strong presentation but may not adequately develop one or more of the above areas.

C = Average (C+ 2.33 HPA; C 2.00; C- l.67). Shows understanding of the issues and readings, but a thin presentation, weak in key areas or does not touch upon key points. May also have writing problems.

D = Poor but still passing (D+ 1.33 HPA; D 1.00; D- 0.67). A cursory presentation lacking in examples and support from the text, and or serious writing problems. May show inadequate reading or reflection.

E = not acceptable (E or F = 0.00 HPA). Inadequate effort.

R = Returned for revision. Automatic for D and E papers until the final week.

Final Grades:

ALL course requirements must be fulfilled to receive a final grade in the A to C minus range. Students who do not complete all course requirements will receive a grade in the D to E range. Where insufficient work has been done to assign a grade and at the instructor’s discretion, a student may be given an “X.”

A student who is unable to complete the final assignment but has completed most of the course work and has notified the instructor of his or her intention to complete the remaining work by a given date may, at the instructor’s discretion, be granted an “I” until the work is made up and a final letter grade assigned. At the end of one year, the University regards the “I” as a “W” and the course must be retaken. Extensions are difficult to obtain.

Plagiarism, Citation and Rough-Draft Policies:

PLAGIARISM IS NOT TOLERATED AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY; STUDENTS WHO PASS OFF THE WORK OF OTHERS AS THEIR OWN WILL RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE. THIS IS AUTOMATIC AND CANNOT BE APPEALED. WHETHER QUOTING, SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, OR ALLUDING, YOU MUST PROVIDE PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCES following Trimmer's Guide to MLA Documentation (4th edition) or the MLA Handbook (fifth edition). Or look online at: <http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml>. For IS plagiarism policy see: <http://www.is.wayne.edu/Policies/Plagiarism.htm>. I encourage rough drafts and ongoing discussion of papers by E-mail.