History 202 Course Overview and Themes

Instructor Information

• Instructor: John Marman
• Class Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30 - 11:20 AM
• Office Hours: Mondays, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM in Branford College, K13
• Contact: Email preferred

Course Structure

• Major themes will be discussed to complement the reading material.
• Lectures will focus on specific topics that illustrate the broader themes.
• There are fewer books compared to past syllabi for more focused reading.

Main Reading List

• History of Modern Europe (Second Edition) by John Marman
• Excerpts from Persian Letters
• Germinal by Émile Zola
• The Butcher's Tale by Helmut Walser Smith
• Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
• Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

Course Components

• Lectures: Attendance important; will cover topics in depth.
• Sections: Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday nights and Thursday afternoons.
• Papers: A 7-8 page paper on a topic of your choosing related to the course material. Examples include impressionist art, literary analysis, diplomatic history, etc.
• Midterm and Final Exams: Midterm worth 25%, Paper 25%, Section participation 10%, Final exam fills remaining percentage.

Themes Overview

Imperialism and the Boy Scouts

• Analysis of European imperialism from 1880s to 1945.
• Connection between imperialism and youth organizations like the Boy Scouts.

World War I

• Focus on trench warfare and films like Paths of Glory.
• Significant impact of World War I on modern history.

State-Making and National Identities

• Transition from 1500 territorial units in 1500 to 30 by 1890.
• Growth of state power and changing identities in Europe.

Economic Changes

• Rise of capitalism and industrialization.
• Effects on everyday lives, women's work, and rural production.

themes that tie together the course content:

• State-building from the late Middle Ages to modern national states.
• Economic changes, including the rise of capitalism and its effects.
• The impact of wars, particularly World War I and II, as dynamics of change.
• Exploration of cultural and social transformations like the Enlightenment and French Revolution.

Select Readings and Movies

• Paths of Glory - Kubrick's film on trench warfare
• Triumph of the Will - Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda film for Hitler
• Goodbye Children - French film on resistance and collaboration during WWII

Assignment Ideas

• Analyze works of Impressionist painters like Pissarro and Renoir.
• Study literature from World War I such as works by Sassoon or All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Evaluate historical figures or events from the Enlightenment, French Revolution, etc.

Course Philosophy

• History is interconnected; events are not isolated but are part of broader trends.
• Importance of understanding the transformation of identities and states.
• Economic and social history are key components in the study of modern Europe.

Final Thoughts

• Course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of Western civilization trends and themes.
• Encouragement to engage with the lectures, readings, and discussions actively.