HIS 397: Seminar in Comparative History
Spring 2022, MW 5-6:15 in DHC 208 or on Zoom if there is a snow day or the professor must quarantine.
Professor Jonathan Skaff
E-mail: jkskaf@ship.edu; Office Tel: 477-1907 (MOW 246 during office hours) or 477-1255 (DHC 215)
Website: http://webspace.ship.edu/jkskaf/
Office Hours in Mowrey 246: MW 3:00-4:00, T 1:00-1:50, Th 1:15-3:15, and by appointment.
Seminar in Comparative History is the capstone class for History B.A. majors. The purpose of this class is to refine the study skills and knowledge of history, historiography, and historical methods that majors have developed during their college career. Since the capstone has a seminar format, there will not be any lectures. Instead, students will learn by discussing reading assignments and their own writing with classmates and the professor. THE CLASS WILL ONLY BE AS GOOD AS THE STUDENTS. YOU MUST CAREFULLY READ ALL ASSIGNED BOOKS AND ARTICLES. YOU ALSO MUST COME TO CLASS PREPARED TO DISCUSS READINGS AND YOUR RESEARCH.
The theme of the course is the nature and feasibility of comparative and world history. To provide background, we will read theoretical and historiographical articles that discuss different approaches to the study of comparative and world history. Using this background, we will read and critique books that are practical attempts to write these kinds of histories. In class discussions and writing assignments, you will be expected to analyze and critique characteristics of these books such as the thesis, methodology, sources, and intended audience. This process will help you to understand different approaches to the practice of history. The class will be “capped off” with your own attempt to research and write a comparative history paper.
The class also will have a career development component. To prepare for your imminent entry into the real world, you will work on developing a resume, cover letter, job search and interview skills. For those planning to go to graduate school, you have the option of carrying out a graduate program search and writing a statement of purpose in place of the cover letter.
1. Complete assigned readings and participate in class discussion (15%).
2. Lead a 20 to 30-minute class discussion on one reading assignment (5%).
3. Resume, Cover Letter, and Mock Interview (5%).
4. Write a Historiographical Paper on Comparative History (10%).
5. Write 3 book reviews (30%).
6. Write a preliminary research proposal (2.5%), final research proposal (2.5%), and final paper on a comparative topic (25%). Give a formal 10-minute oral presentation on your research (5%).
1. Health and safety are of primary importance during the COVID-19 pandemic!
· All students are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the safety of the community.
· Students attending class MUST wear a face mask.
· Students on the SU COVID quarantine list will be permitted to attend remotely via Zoom during quarantine periods. To be placed on the quarantine list, students should self-report any symptoms, exposures or positive tests to the SU COVID office at covid19@ship.edu or 717-477-1007.
2. The class normally will be held in person in DHC 208. Class will be held remotely over Zoom on snow days or if the professor is quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure or infection.
3. The class participation grade will be based on attendance and contributions to discussions. You will receive a grade for each class session. Grades will be awarded according to the following standards:
90-100: Student demonstrates mastery of readings by making thoughtful and insightful comments.
80-89: Student shows that he/she has completed reading assignments.
70-79: Student participates in discussion without giving evidence of having completed the reading.
65: Student attends class without speaking.
0: Student has an unexcused absence, sleeps in class, or uses unauthorized electronic device.
4. Absences will be excused if you can document a serious illness, family emergency, varsity athletic event, military duty or religious observance. Only students with documented excuses can make up in-class assignments. Students who were sick must submit a doctor’s note. For a family emergency, I require a phone call from a parent or guardian or an obituary. Athletes should provide a memo from the head coach with the team schedule. If you have military duty, inform your dean’s office. They will send notification to all of your professors. The university’s policy on religious observances is the following: “At the beginning of each academic session (fall, spring, summer), the student will be required (in writing) to provide his/her faculty with the dates of scheduled religious observances.”
5. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. I encourage you to study together with other students, but all papers must be the original writing of students that are free of plagiarism. To prevent plagiarism, all papers must be submitted to D2L. Cases of academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to the policies in the “Academic Policies and Procedures” chapter of the Undergraduate Catalog. Students who violate university policies on academic dishonesty may receive a penalty of a grade of “F” for the course.
6. “Smartphones make you dumb in class.” All electronic devices are banned in class, except for those used to take notes or view course readings. Educational research has shown that electronic communications, including text messaging, create distractions that interfere with learning. Violations of this policy will result in attendance grade of zero for that day’s class session. Students looking at or handling electronic devices during exams will receive a grade of “F”.
7. I comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to keep your academic records confidential, and Title IX requirements to “report incidents of sexual violence shared by students.” To read the full Title IX syllabus statement, click on this link: https://www.ship.edu/EIC/title_ix_statement/
8. I welcome students with disabilities in my classroom. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) in Mowrey 252 to discuss specific needs. For more information, see the website: www.ship.edu/oar
9. I assign letter grades used in the Shippensburg University grading system to the following numerical scores:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D 60-69
F Below 60
IV. Discussion Leader Assignment (5% of final grade)
FIRST Draft of Questions Due: 8:30 p.m. on the day before you lead the discussion OR at least 24 hours earlier if you are not available to send me revisions on the evening and morning before class. Send me drafts of questions via email (jkskaf@ship.edu) in MS Word format. I will respond with suggested revisions using the MS Word “track changes” and “comment” features. Plan to revise your questions based on my feedback at least 3 or 4 times.
My FIRST Draft Deadline: Sun./Tues._______________________by 8:30 p.m.
FINAL Draft Due before class: Upload to D2L>Discussion Leader Assignment Dropbox
Develop 4 or 5 main questions with additional follow-up questions to be used only as needed. Some main questions should be factual, asking classmates to summarize main themes and arguments of the reading. At least one question should be open-ended, asking classmates to share their interpretations and opinions of the reading.
Your grade will be based on the effectiveness of your written questions and oral delivery:
Some hints on developing good questions (adapted from former professor Vera Reber):
E-Articles and Book Chapters (available at D2L>Content)
Beltran, Gray. "The Pandemic Changed Everything About Work, except the Humble Resume." New York Times, Jan. 21, 2022.
Diehl, Carl. "Hearing the Right Notes From a Job Candidate." New York Times, July 25, 2010.
Conrad, Sebastian. "Introduction." Chap. 1 and “Competing Approaches.” Chap. 3 In What Is Global History?, 1-16, 37-61. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2017.
Grew, Raymond. “The Case for Comparing Histories.” The American Historical Review 85, no. 4 (1980), 763-778.
Levine, Philippa. "Is Comparative History Possible?". History & Theory 53, no. 3 (2014): 331-47.
Pope, Loren. “Afterword.” Looking Beyond the Ivy League. New York: Penguin, 2007.
Rotter, Andrew J. "Empires of the Senses: How Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting, and Touching Shaped Imperial Encounters." Diplomatic History 35, no. 1 (2011): 2-19.
Free E-Book
Vanessa, Ogle. The Global Transformation of Time: 1870–1950. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2015. PERMALINK.
Books (On reserves at library front desk).
Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel. New York: Norton, 1999.
Hansen, Valerie. The Year 1000 : When Explorers Connected the World -- and Globalization Began. Scribner, 2020.
McNeill, John Robert. Mosquito Empires: Ecology and War in the Greater Caribbean, 1620-1914. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
V. Schedule
W 1/19: Introduction to the Capstone Seminar
M 1/24: What is Comparative History?
E-Articles: Grew, Levine
W 1/26: What is World or Global History?
E-Chapters: Conrad, pp. 1-16, 37-61
Historiographical Paper on Comparative History Assigned
M 1/31: Career Presentation on Resume Writing/Cover letter
E-Article: Beltran, Pope
W 2/2: World History: The Rise of Western Europe?
Reading: Diamond, 9-103 (Prologue, Chaps. 1-5)
M 2/7: Career Presentation on Internet Job or Grad School Search (Location to be Determined)
E-Article: Diehl
Resume and Cover Letter Assigned
W 2/9: World History: The Rise of Western Europe?
Reading: Diamond, 104-214 (Chaps. 6-11)
M 2/14: Career Presentation on Interview Strategies
Historiographical Paper on Comparative History Due
W 2/16: World History: The Rise of Western Europe?
Reading: Diamond, 215-321 (Chaps. 12-15)
M 2/21: World History: The Rise of Western Europe?
Reading: Diamond, 322-440 (Chaps. 16-19, Epilogue)
W 2/23: Presentation on Comparative Research (Library Room 134)
Laptops available, bring your own laptop if you have one.
Final Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Feedback Due
M 2/28: Comparative History of Empire
E-Article: Rotter, "Empires of the Senses”
T 3/1, 7-8:15 p.m.: Required make-up class: Dr. Andrew Rotter, "Odor and Empire: Great Britain in India, the United States in the Philippines," Zoom Webinar.
W 3/2: Comparative History of Empire: Discussion of Dr. Andrew Rotter, "Odor and Empire”
Book Review 1 Due
M 3/7-W 3/9: No class: Spring Break
M 3/14: Dawn of Globalization?
Reading: Hansen, 1-80 (Prologue, Chaps. 1-3)
W 3/16: Dawn of Globalization?
Reading: Hansen, 81-170 (Chaps. 4-6)
Preliminary Paper Proposal Due
M 3/21: Dawn of Globalization?
Reading: Hansen, 171-236 (Chaps. 7-8, Epilogue)
W 3/23: Research Workshop in Library Room 134
Laptops available, bring your own laptop if you have one.
M 3/28: Brief Oral Presentations on Paper Proposals
Final Paper Written Proposal Due
W 3/30: Comparative History: Environment, Disease & Revolutions
Reading: McNeil, xv-xvi, 1-62 (Preface, Chaps. 1-2)
M 4/4: Comparative History: Environment, Disease & Revolutions
Reading: McNeil, 63-136 (Chaps. 3-4)
Book Review 2 Due
W 4/6: Comparative History: Environment, Disease & Revolutions
Reading: McNeil, 137-234 (Chaps. 5-6)
M 4/11: Comparative History: Environment, Disease & Revolutions
Reading: McNeil, 235-314 (Chaps. 7-8)
W 4/13: Global History: Time
Reading: Ogle, 1-74 (Introduction, Chaps. 1-2)
M 4/18: Global History: Time
Reading: Ogle, 99-148, 203-213 (Chaps. 4-5, Conclusion)
W 4/20: Optional Reseearch Meetings, DHC 208
Book Review 3 Due
M 4/25: Oral Research Presentations I
W 4/27: Oral Research Presentations II
M 5/2, 3:30-5:30 pm: Final Exam Period: Oral Research Presentations III (if necessary)
W 5/4, Final Papers Due, by 5:00 pm at DHC 215