History 327                                                                                                                Dr. Dennis
Section 215                                                                                                                Fall 1994
MWF 10:30-11:20                                                                                                     LT 912

CONTEMPORARY EUROPE
1945 TO THE PRESENT

COURSE DESCRIPTION: After introductory discussions of political and social developments such as the Second World War, the Holocaust, the division of Europe, the “economic miracle,” feminism, youth rebellion, “destalinization” and the “velvet revolution,” this course will carefully consider responses to these issues made by major intellectual and cultural leaders of the modern age.

SOURCES:

J. Robert Wegs, Europe since 1945: A Concise History

Primo Levi, The Drowned and the Saved

Jean-Paul Sartre, The Wall (Intimacy) and Other Stories

Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

Roland Barthes, Mythologies

Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex

Günter Grass, Local Anaesthetic

Gale Stokes, From Stalinism to Pluralism: A Documentary History of Eastern Europe Since 1945

Further reading assignments may be added in the form of handouts.

CLASS DISCUSSION: This course consists of tri-weekly discussions of readings and other sources. For each meeting, one or more students will be asked to introduce the day’s material and raise questions for further discussion. After these short presentations, all students are expected to contribute to the sessions. Each is required to have studied the whole assignment. Grades will be based largely on the quantity and quality of participation in class discussion. Attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. Records will be maintained and incorporated into your class participation grade.

EXAMINATIONS: The examinations will consist of identifications and essays. There will be a two-part Mid-Term — Wednesday, October 19, and Friday, October 21, in class — and a Final Examination — Wednesday, December 14, 8:30-10:30am.

COURSE PROJECT: You will write a ten-page typed, double-spaced paper with foot- or end-notes interpreting some aspect of one of the themes covered in our discussions. Your paper must be based on the complete version of one primary source (either written or non-written, i.e. an example of painting, sculpture, architecture, film or music), at least two major scholarly books from the library, and the assigned reading for that section of the course. Your paper should use these sources to describe and analyze a particular issue of significance to our period, and the response to it made by the author or creator of your primary source.

You are to finish this project in four stages:

1. By class time Friday, October 7, you must select your topic and primary source in consultation with me. Because no two students may use the same primary source, you are advised to select your favorite as soon as possible.

2. On Friday, October 28, you will turn in a three-page statement of purpose (typed). It should summarize of the subject matter of your work, review the primary source you are studying and announce the general aims of your study. It should be supplemented with a one-page bibliography. This must list the most relevant and recent scholarly sources for your topic.

3. On Friday, November 11, you will turn in a five- to six-page thematic outline (typed) for your paper. This must be more than a “topical” outline. It should include a fully developed thesis statement and subsequent entries should be in the form of full sentences.

4. The finished paper is due without fail in class on Monday, December 5.

The grade for the term project will be based largely on the final product. However, the quality of the preliminary assignments will also be taken into consideration.

If you have questions about form, see style guides by Kate Turabian on sale at the bookstore.

Keep in mind that these essays will qualify for the Mellon Essay Contest in History. If you are interested in this contest, please speak to me.

GRADES: Final grades will be determined according to the following scheme.

25%: Class Participation (including oral presentations and contribution to discussions)
25%: Mid-Term Exam
25%: Term Project (including preliminary assignments)
25%: Final Exam

Substantial penalties will accrue on late selections, descriptions, outlines and papers, as well as lack of class participation.

OFFICE HOURS:

I will be available at my Water Tower Campus office, Lewis Tower 915, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30am to 12:30pm and Monday evenings from 5:00 to 5:30. My telephone number there is 915-6527.

If none of these hours are suitable, speak to me to arrange an appointment. If necessary, please leave a message with the Department of History at 915-6522.

reading and discussion schedule

WEEK 1:

8/29: Introduction to the Course
Wegs: 315-337^[L1]

8/31: Film: Triumph of the Will

9/2: Background of the Second World War

WEEK 2:

9/5: NO CLASS LABOR DAY

9/7: Film: Night and Fog

9/9: Background of the Holocaust

WEEK 3 (9/12-16): The Impact of the Holocaust

Levi, The Drowned and the Saved: (all)

WEEK 4 (9/19-23): The Division of Europe

Wegs: 1-28, 29-48^[L2]

Stokes: 3-78

WEEK 5 (9/26-30): "Western" Europe: “Zero Hour”

Wegs: 49-69^[L3]

Sartre, The Wall (Intimacy) and Other Stories: (all)

WEEK 6 (10/3-7): “Western” Europe: Renewed Hope

Wegs: 70-87^[L4]

Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays: (all)

[PAPER TOPICS MUST BE SELECTED, Friday, October 7]

WEEK 7 (10/10-14): “Western” Europe: The “Economic Miracle”

Wegs: 88-108, 190-209^[L5]

Barthes, Mythologies: (all)

WEEK 8 (10/19-21):

10/17: NO CLASS: SEMESTER BREAK

10/19: MID-TERM EXAM: Identifications

10/21: MID-TERM EXAM: Essay

WEEK 9 (10/24-28): “Western” Europe: “Others”

Wegs: 109-130, 168-189^[L6]

de Beauvoir, The Second Sex: (Introduction, Book Two)

[STATEMENT OF PURPOSE DUE, Friday, October 28]

WEEK 10 (10/31-11/4): “Western” Europe: “Sophisticated Rebellion”

Wegs: 234-250^[L7]

Grass, Local Anaesthetic: (all)

WEEK 11 (11/7-11): “Western” Europe: “Post-Modernism”

Wegs: 278-314^[L8]

Handout: Levi-Strauss, Foucault, Derrida

[PAPER OUTLINES DUE, Friday, November 11]

WEEK 12 (11/14-18): “Eastern” Europe: “Destalinization” to 1989

Wegs: 131-149, 210-234^[L9]

Stokes: 79-180

WEEK 13 (11/21-23): “Eastern” Europe: The “Velvet Revolution”

Wegs: 251-277^[L10]

Stokes: 181-267

11/25: NO CLASS THANKSGIVING

WEEK 14 (11/28-12/2): “Reunited” Europe: Developments since 1989

Wegs: 150-167, 338-345^[L11]

Other to be determined.^[L12]

WEEK 15 (12-5): Review for Final Exam

[PAPER DUE, Monday, December 5]

FINAL EXAMINATION: Wednesday, December 14, 8:30-10:30am