History 122:  World Civilization 2

                                                                                                                                                  Central Connecticut State University

Spring Semester 2008

Professor:         Professor G. T. Emeagwali,

                          Prof. of History/ African Studies

Office:              DiLoreto 208/027

Telephone:       832-2815

Email:               emeagwali@mail.ccsu.edu

Office Hours:  Tues. & Thurs. 4.45. p – 5.15p             

                          Wed. 4.30p – 8.30p or by appointment

Website:         www.africahistory.net

Prerequisite:    None

Course Description:  We examine various political, social and economic developments since the 18th century in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas . We also focus on  the wars of 1914 and 1939, and their impact, and, the world after 1945. In the last four weeks of the course, four  texts are discussed in full detail.  In the course of doing so, we expand on some of the topics examined in the first section of the course and encourage students to  master the subject matter and develop critical modes of assessment.

The last segment of the course will be run seminar style with a full discussion of the assigned texts.

Required 

Jerry Bentley et al. Traditions  and Encounters: A Brief Global History (NY: McGraw Hill, 2008).

Choose two of the following

A        Mark Kurlansky, 1968- The Year  That Rocked The World  (NY: Random House,  2005).

B.      Amartya Sen,  The Argumentative Indian : Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity

          (NY: Picador, 2005).

C.       James Kynge , China Shakes the World (NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2007).

D.      Edward Cleary,  Mobilizing For Human Rights in Latin America ( CT: Kumarian Press, 2007).

E.        John Cooley,    Unholy Wars, Pluto Press, latest edition.

                             Recommended Internet Resources

                           for this Course

Learning Objectives and Assessment:  A major objective of this course is the development of critical thinking.  We hope also to assist students in understanding the complexity of the contemporary world and the various forces which have contributed to its emergence.  Some reference is made to  technical change and the rise of new technologies in the 20th century.

This course will  teach students to:

1.       Understand  key events, places, and persons.1.

2.       Challenge historical assumptions.

3.       Develop critical thinking.

Course Requirements:  Grades will be based on two exams, a term paper, a presentation and class participation. Regular attendance is essential. Absences lead to negative points.  Students are also encouraged to attend relevant lectures by visiting scholars.

Method of Instruction: Lecture and Discussion

Grading:  To pass this course students must attain no less than 20 points in class participation. Absentees accumulate negative points that affect the class participation grade.

Exam Policy:  Students are expected to take exams on the dates scheduled.  Make-up exams take place at the end of the semester,   during the finals, only.  You will  lose one letter grade unless there is a documented emergency.

Attendance Policy:  Refer to the undergraduate catalog [page 33] for a detailed explanation of the University’s attendance policy. Irregular attendance may lead to failure and negative participation points.

Integrity of Scholarship:  At Central Connecticut State University we value personal integrity as fundamental to our interactions with each other.  We place special weight on academic honesty in all of our intellectual pursuits because it is a value that is fundamental to academic life and scholarly practice.  All members of the University community are obligated to uphold high standards of academic honesty in their scholarship and learning.  Therefore, we expect students to take personal responsibility for their intellectual work and to respect and acknowledge the ideas of others.  Academic honesty means doing one’s own work and giving proper credit to others whose work and thought one may draw upon.  It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with what constitutes academic dishonesty and to avoid all forms of cheating and plagiarism.

Mid-Semester Alert:  If a student is failing the course as of the Mid-term his/her name may be submitted to the Operation Alert Early Intervention Program.  See the course catalogue (page 12) for information regarding this program.

Other Information:

1. Changes in syllabus and assignment sheet may be modified as deemed appropriate.
2. Students with a disability who are requesting academic accommodations should see the instructor or set up a meeting with Dr. George Tenney, director of the Office of Special Student Services, Willard Hall, Room 100, 832-1955 or 860-832-1958.

DATE                                     LECTURE/ DISCUSSION TOPICS

Week 1                         Introduction to the course and  allocation of assignments

Jan  22
                                             

Weeks   2, 3 & 4      Transformations, socio-economic development and power in              

 Jan. 29 -  Feb. 7      Asia before the 20th Century with emphasis on the East Asian regions of

                                  Japan and   China .   South Asia will be discussed  April 15 & 16.

                                  Mapwork   10 Asian  industrial cities.

                                   Readings :  Bentley et al. pp. 449 – 453;   p.512 - 3 ( Japan )

                                  Bentley et al., pp. 438 – 449     Ming & Qing Dynasties etc. ( China ); 546- 8           

                                 http://coombs.anu.edu.au/WWWVL-AsianStudies.html

Weeks   5&6         Changes, socio-economic development and power relations    

Feb. 12 - 22           before the 20^th century in Africa ; The rise of nationalist movements

                in various regions of the continent  in response  to colonial occupation;

                The effects of the cold war, decolonization,  or/and the debt crisis;

               Development challenges in Africa ;  Africa/China Relations. 

            Mapwork:   9 major petroleum rich  African countries and

              6 major  diamond  and uranium producing countries.

                          Readings :  Handout on Background History-

                                    www.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html   Africa Update (Spring 2008);

                                    Bentley et al.  pp. 548 – 51 (Scramble);  605 – 608  (Colonialism);

                                                           pp. 663 – 668  (Regaining Independence )

                     February 28:   Runoko Rashidi-   AMISTAD  Public Lecture    

                    Video  extract: Basil Davidson- The Story of a Continent, or, Movie

                         Africa’s First Elected Female President: President Johnson- Sirleaf of Liberia

Week 7                       Europe in the 18^{th, &} 19^th centuries;

Feb. 26 -                    Industrial revolution and its effects; countdown to civil war.

March 6.                      

                                    Reading : Bentley et al. pp. 497 - 508                                                                                                                                     

Week   8                    Causes of the wars of 1914 and 1939,

 March 11 &13          effects and outcomes;  Civil wars or world wars?

                                   Mapwork : The New Unified Europe 2008

                               Readings :  Bentley  pp. 563 – 596  or /and 615 - 630

                                       Germany’s First Elected President:  Chancellor Merkel

                                          Spring Break  March 17 - 22

Weeks   9 &10             The World after 1945 with emphasis on the following:

March 25 – April 3

·         Cold War   (Origins/ Bolsheviks/Stalin/ Glasnost) Bentley

        pp.  573- 4; 589- 91; 637- 650

·         South America/Caribbean:  Background,   Bentley 608-613; US Invasions- Bay of Pigs   Bentley     pp. 641

        Kurlansky  pp. 159-170

·         Civil Rights Movement-     Bentley p. 643 ; Kurlansky 110-117

·         Vietnam War-    Bentley  p. 660; Kurlansky 150-163

                                  http:// www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/42/index.html

                                 The history of Latin America and the Caribbean

                                               Presidents Castro, Lula and Chavez

A        Mark Kurlansky, 1968- The Year  That Rocked The World  (NY: Random House,  2005). 

B.      Amartya Sen,  The Argumentative Indian : Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity

          (NY: Picador, 2005).

C.       James Kynge , China Shakes the World (NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2007).

D.      Edward Cleary,  Mobilizing For Human Rights in Latin America ( CT: Kumarian Press, 2007).

Book  Review & Presentation:  Guidelines

1.      You are encouraged to  reflect on the following during your preparation:

• The subject matter and overall content of the text, including

      the major issues raised by the author;

• The  publisher, place of origin and publication date of the text;
• The ideological orientation of the author;
• The structure and organization of the text;
• The author’s  stylistic devices and overall communication  skills;
• The types of sources used by the author;
•  Gender or racial bias  refelected in the text, if applicable;
•  Controversial issues identified in the text;
•  The  unique contribution of the author to the topic;
•  The overall reception of the text, where relevant.

2.      On the day of presentation- before starting your presentation- please give me a one-page summary of your presentation.

3.      Introduce yourself by name to your colleagues. This facilitates future discussion.

4.      Please do a spell check, or, let me have a look at your  write-up a week before your presentation, if in doubt.

5.      If you need assistance in the  pronunciation of the names of persons or places, let me assist before your presentation. The names of persons and places of countries around the world must be treated professionally and in a dignified manner.

6.      Presentations should not exceed 10 minutes. We shall do a maximum of four presentations per day. That should leave us with 30 minutes for questions. Unless there is an emergency, you must present on the date allocated.

7.      Each student in the class will be expected to ask the panel a question relevant to the presentation topic. Difficult questions can be answered by panelists on the following day of class. Consult the instructor for assistance.

8.      Feel free to bring in illustrations, maps, written summaries and so on.

9.      Criticisms of the author’s ideas are welcome, after the basic summary.

10.  This segment of the course expands on some of the issues discussed in the first half of the class. Where possible, you should show connections, and  refer to earlier class discussions where applicable.

1.  Examine US Foreign Policy  between  1979 and the

         present with reference to  either   Iran , Iraq  or Afghanistan .

2. What led to the conquest and occupation of Africa between 1885 and  1914? How did Africans react to the invasions?

3. Discuss the  changing foreign policy of Iran during the last twenty  five years.
</