Syllabus PRDV 71424 Topics in World History, Spring, 2013 Course ...

Syllabus
Topics in World History, Fall, 2013
Course Description:
This online course aims to give you an introduction to several important themes in the history of
world civilizations. Our goal will be to regard different cultures, institutions, forms of
governance or regions as a part of an integral whole. Therefore, heavy emphasis will be placed
upon exploring the development of the world from the comparative point of view.
In addition, we will assess different schools of thought and their approaches towards world
history, and the controversial, but without question, crucial role of the West in shaping and being
shaped by the civilizations that it encountered starting from the time of conquest.
Process: The readings and lectures are designed to challenge and encourage you to rethink many
common assumptions in history and also to familiarize them with some of the major events in the
modern history of the world in a comparative perspective.
I hope that at the end of our work you will not only be familiar with major historical facts but
also able to develop your skills as critical thinkers.
Course Objectives
• To challenge you to reevaluate many common assumptions in history
• To familiarize you with major historical facts and different schools of thought
• To explore the development of the world from the comparative point of view
• To expand your skills as critical thinkers
Instructions for the Discussion Board assignments
• Your responses must be one or two double-spaced pages.
• You will be asked, as well, to reply to the comments of one or two of your colleagues.
Your reaction to the work of your colleagues is as important for your grade as your own
response.
• Heavy emphasis is placed upon your ability to analytically engage with the
sources/paintings/films utilized for the writing assignments.

• You will be asked, as well, to reply to the comments of one or two of your
colleagues. Your reaction to the work of your colleagues is as important for your
grade as your own response.
• Pay attention to details and avoid general statements which are unexplained
sufficiently or unsupported by evidence.
2. Complete the Midterm Examination
• Write at least 1-page double-spaced answers to 5 questions of your choice of the
Midterm questions available under Course Assignments
•
• Identify and explain in one (1) paragraph (or at least one double spaced page) the
significance of 10 from the terms/names available under Course Assignments.
3. Complete the Final Examination
• Write at least 2-page double-spaced answers to 5 questions of your choice of the
final questions available under Course Assignments
• Identify and explain in one (1) paragraph, three sentences, (or at least one double
spaced page) the significance of 10 of the terms/names available under Course
Assignments.
In order to do well on the midterm and final, you must use information only from the
Power Point Presentations and the Textbook. The information used from the Textbook
must be cited, for example: (p. 1). The information that you use from my lecture notes
(Power Points) available under Course Documents does not need citations. Any other
external information is not allowed.
Your 5 Essay responses for each exam count 10% of your overall exam grade (2 points
each)
Your ID’s count 1 point each of your overall exam grades.
Instructions for the Midterm and Final Examinations Assignments
In order to do well on the assignments make sure to address ALL parts of EACH Essay
question. Try to give particular examples in order to support your arguments. Avoid just retelling
a story without analyzing it.
Short Identification Questions and How to answer Them

When you answer the ID’s make sure to:
First place them within historical context (indicate the year or the period, for example
“during the Renaissance or the Enlightenment”),
Second explain their importance
Finally describe their larger significance.
Start preparing for the midterm and final exams well in advance. Timely preparation will
give you time to ask me any questions that you might have regarding the assignments. You
are required to use only materials from the book and the PowerPoint presentations. If you
use information from the book you must cite it. Very good responses must contain at least
2000 words total.
Student Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated according to five major criteria:
I) Discussion Board Assignments: 60%
II) Midterm: 20%
III) Final: 20%
1. Participation in online interactive assignments (Discussion Board Sections): 60%
−Sections1, 2, 3, and 4 count each 15 % of your final grade.
2. Midterm: 20 %
− Each Identification Question counts 1% of the overall exam grade.
--Each Exam Essay counts 2% of the overall exam grade.
3. Final: 20%
Each Identification Question counts 1% of the overall exam grade.
--Each Exam Essay counts 2% of the overall exam grade.

Students cannot pass this course if they do not at least attempt to fulfill ALL assignments
for the class, (meaning they must participate in ALL Discussion Forums and send the
Midterm and the Final Exams)
If you cannot turn in the required work on time and have legitimate reasons for it, you
need to notify the instructor as soon as possible. You are also responsible for any
rearrangements due to absence.
Required Materials:
Files:
Available under Course Documents:
− Power Point documents, -- “It is Time to Stop Apologizing for Western Civilization,” “The
Ethics of World History,” and “Said”
Film*:
Available on reserve at the FSU library and in all major video stores including
amazon.com.
Born into Brothels, Writ. Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman. Dir. Ross Kauffman. Image /
Thinkfilms, 2006 (DVD).
* Details about the films are available in the sections following the Syllabus
Textbook (Optional) - You will not be tested on the materials in the Textbook and In the Course
Documents. You will be tested on the information on the Power Point Presentations. However, if
the information on the Power Points is not sufficient for you in order to answer the exam
questions, you might consider using the Textbook, as well.
Textbook: Tignor, Robert et al, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from
the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 2 nd ed., Vol. 2 – The Mongol Empire to the Present,
W. W. Norton: New York, 2008 - 2011.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Plagiarism is the worst academic crime and consists of presenting the work of others as
your own. In this course, any act of plagiarism is grounds for the immediate failure of an
individual project and the potential failure of the student for the course as a whole.
* Do not hesitate to make use of the services offered by the various study aid units at FSU such
as CASA, among others.

Instructions
In order to do well on the assignments make sure to address ALL parts of each questions. Try to
give particular examples in order to support your arguments. Avoid just re-telling a story
without analyzing it. Make sure to start preparing for the mid-term and final exams well in
advance. This will give you time to ask me any questions that you might have regarding the
assignment.
Course Outline and Calendar
Section 1
October 7 – October 14
1. Assignments
Review Power Points
Topics
Crisis in the Late Middle Ages
The Renaissance
The Reformation
* All PowerPoint presentations are available under Course Documents
2. Discussion Section No 1:
1.Log into Forum 1: Introduce yourself. Why are you taking this class?
2.Read the Documents “It is Time to Stop Apologizing for the Western Civilization and
to Start Analyzing Why It Defines World Culture” and “The Ethics of World
History”. Compare and Contrast the two articles. With whom of the scholars’
approaches for studying World History do you agree and why?
You can find the two articles under Course Documents.
Paragraph due July 8 at 11:59PM
Section 2
October 15 – October 21
1. Assignments

Review Power Points
Topics
The Age of Discovery
The Slave Trade
Europe II
2. Discussion Section 2:
Analyze the painting by Jacques-Louis David “The Death of Marat.”
First, explain who Marat was and how did he die?
Second, what do you think about the painting? Does something unusual strike you about it?
Due Date: October 21 at 11:59PM.
You can view the painting by going to Course Documents. Please, do your own online research
about this painting, but do not forget to cite your sources.
Section 3
October 22 – October 28
Assignments
Review Power Points
Topics:
Islam
China during the 19 th Century
Industrial Revolution
Imperialism
World War One and Revolutions
Discussion Forum No 3:

Mid-Term
Read the Interview with Edward W. Said available under Course Documents. Log into
the Discussion Board, Forum 3. Answer the questions:
a) How does the narrator does feel “being between two cultures”? b) How does Said
describe the attitude of the “West” towards the Middle East? c) Why does Said think
that the relationships between the West and the Middle East are problematic and
complicated?
Due Date: October 28 at 11:59PM
E-mail to me your answers to the Mid-Term questions (available also under the section
Assignments.)
Each response requires a 1 paragraph double-spaced answer.
Due Date for the Mid-Term answers: October 28 at 11:59PM
Section 4
October 29 – November 1
1. Assignments
Review Power Points
Topics:
The Rise of Authoritarianism
World War Two
The Cold War
Decolonization
2. Discussion Section No 3:
a) Watch the film “Born into Brothels.” Briefly describe the plot.
b) Do the filmmakers believe that there is a solution for the desperate existence of the
kids and their mothers living and working in the Red District of Calcutta?
c) What are some of the major obstacles that the film crew encounters by trying to help
the children?

Due Date: November 1 at 11:59PM
3. Final Exam:
E-mail me your Final Exam responses. Due Date November 1 at 11:59PM.
You cannot pass this course if you do not at least attempt to fulfill ALL assignments for
the class, (meaning you must participate in ALL Discussion Forums and send the Midterm
and the Final Exams)
If you cannot turn in the required work on time and have legitimate reasons for it, you
need to notify the instructor as soon as possible. You are also responsible for any
rearrangements due to absence. If you do not notify the Instructor about a missing
assignment BEFORE the Due Date of the Assignment, you cannot receive credit for the
missed assignment.
Important
Every Tuesday, you must check the announcement page where I will give you additional
feedback on the requirements of the coming week.
In case you have any questions, you can e mail me directly at egarbolevsky@framingham.edu
and I will respond to you latest in 24 hours.
The Power Point presentations will provide you with the essential information that you need in
order to do well in this class.
The Readings are selected in order to expand your view and help you better understand the
material on the presentations. However, if you are confused about the material, do not hesitate
to ask.
Every time I will close the Discussion Forum, summarizing the results of our discussion.
Midterm and Final Exam papers must be e-mailed to me directly.
If you have any questions regarding how to use Blackboard make sure to contact a Help Desk
Representative well in advance at Academic Technology and Distance Education (ADTE) tel.
(508) 626-4927 or e-mail atde@frc.mass.edu.
This course website may contain copyrighted materials that are used in compliance with
U.S. Copyright Law. Under that law, materials may not be saved to your computer,
revised, copied, or distributed without permission. They are to be used in support of

instructional activity as part of this course only and shall be limited to the duration of the
course, unless otherwise specified by the instructor or owner of the material. You may only
download or print materials at the direction of your instructor, who knows which
materials, are copyrighted and which are not.