SIS 200 | Autumn 2005 | Course Assignments

These books are available for purchase at the University Bookstore and are on reserve at the Odegaard Undergraduate Library. All the readings that are assigned for this class are considered to be outstanding analyses of the modern world system. Worlds Together Worlds Apart is written as a textbook and contains information about some of the key events and developments in world history between the thirteenth and the twentieth centuries. The other four books present different arguments about why certain major changes took place and what their implications and consequences were. As you will realize, not all of these scholars agree with each other, and I will be disagreeing with some of the arguments raised in their books. You are expected to acquire a general knowledge of world history and understand, compare, and evaluate the arguments and analyses presented by these authors and in my lectures.

Weekly Papers

Each student must write six weekly essays of no more than one and a half double-spaced typewritten pages each (12 pt type, one-inch margins). These papers will be based on the weekly reading assignments that come from, Before European Hegemony, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation, or Ecological Imperialism. Please note that you may not write reports on Worlds Together, Worlds Apart.

You may choose the six weeks in which you will write assignments, but you must make sure you complete all six. On top of each weekly paper you turn in, in addition to your name and section, indicate the readings on which the report is based and provide the date on which you are turning in the assignment.

The weekly papers should elaborate the author’s argument by considering the following questions:

What is the author trying to explain?
What is the explanation s/he offers?
What kinds of evidence does the author use to persuade the readers of her/his explanations?
Is he/she persuasive?

When there are multiple authors, you must choose a common theme all the authors address and compare the explanations advanced and evidence used by the authors and assess their relative merits. Whenever relevant, papers should refer to the arguments and methods of authors from previous weeks.

The weekly essays are to be handed in at the beginning of the section meetings on Thursdays. No papers may be turned in during the first week (Sep 29); you will be receiving instructions from your TAs on those days. No late papers will be accepted and no papers will be accepted from students who do not attend the full section.

Term Papers

Each student will write a research paper of about 7-8 pages. In this paper you will choose a geographical area (not necessarily a country), identify a puzzle or an anomaly that is related to this region’s interaction with the broader world sometime between 1250 and 1914. In most cases, the puzzle or anomaly will have an economic, political, or social dimension and should be stated in terms of a “why” question. You then will address the following points.

Develop a possible explanation (hypothesis) of your puzzle or anomaly by reading about your period, region, and problem.
Collect and present data and information to support your hypothesis.
Show how your data supports your hypothesis and, together, they provide an explanation for the puzzle you are trying to solve in the paper.

Please note: You will write and be evaluated on two drafts of this research paper. The due dates and requirements for these drafts are listed below. Late drafts will not be accepted without a valid excuse.

Paper Topics

The selection of the geographical area, time interval, and the problem to be explained are very important for this assignment. Keep in mind that some of the countries that exist today did not exist in earlier times, and some that existed earlier have changed or disappeared since then. In the spirit of the course, your paper should go beyond a simple description of events and explain things. The topic of your paper should be narrowly conceived and well-focused. Big topics such as the American and French Revolutions, the U.S. Civil War, Opium War, Meiji Restoration, causes and consequences of World War One are not appropriate for this assignment. On October 18, you will turn in a paragraph to your TA describing the topic of your paper. You will need to get his/her approval before researching and writing your paper.

Drafts

First draft will be about 4-6 pages. It should include an introduction where you state your analytical (“why”) question (your puzzle), the thesis you are planning to use (your tentative answer to your “why” question), the beginnings of an argument where you provide evidence in support of your argument, and a preliminary bibliography of sources you plan to use. You will post the first draft of your paper electronically for the review and comments of the members of your study group. The due date for posting of these papers is Nov. 14. The members of your study group will read your draft and enter their comments and suggestions by Nov. 18.

You will not be graded on paper topic proposal or the first draft, but submitting them by the due date and reading and commenting on your friends’ drafts are mandatory. After receiving comments from your study group, you should also consult with your TA about ways to improve your draft and complete the assignment.

Second draft (approximately 7-8 pages) will have been revised on the basis of the suggestions and criticisms of your Study Group and your TA as well as additional research. This draft is due in class on Dec 2. You will submit this in hard copy clearly marked “second draft,” along with your paper topic statement that includes your TA’s approval, a printed copy of the “first draft” and the comments by your Study Group. Your paper will be considered incomplete without these attachments.

Please note that your term paper will be based on library research. In writing this paper you will be expected to use at least four sources which you will locate in the library. These sources should be a combination of scholarly books and articles. Websites, newspapers and magazines can be used as sources but only in addition to the four main sources.

Hand-written drafts or papers will not be accepted. Everything you turn in should be typed (double-spaced, 12 pt type, with one-inch margins). Please keep extra copies of all the written assignments you turn in for grading. In case of loss or other similar problems, it is your responsibility to provide us with additional copies of your work. In terms of format and presentation your paper should comply with academic conventions as described in Strunk and White's Elements of Style, which is on the website for this course. You also may consult Kate Turabian’s Manual for Writers or another similar guide available from the University Libraries’ web site. If you have any doubts about these, your TA, the JSIS Writing Center (Smith 220B), reference librarians at Odegaard Undergraduate Library, or I can help you.

Final Examination

The final examination is scheduled for Wed. December 14, 2:30-4:20 p.m. The exam will cover the entire course material (including the films) and will be a combination of essay, short-answer, and map questions. You should use the study questions that will be posted on the course web page as guides in keeping up with your reading and preparing for the exam.

Films

We will show several short documentaries in class. These are indicated in the schedule below. In addition, we will discuss the following feature-length films during the quarter:

Elizabeth should be viewed by October 20
Amistad should be viewed by October 27
A Passage to India should be viewed by November 18.

Each required film will also be shown on campus once in advance of the scheduled discussion dates (viewing times TBA). You can also view these films on your own time, preferably with members of your Study Group. Films can be rented at local video stores for private viewing.



[an error occurred while processing this directive] Home Assignments Schedule Expectations Resources Policies Course Materials Discussion Board Film Schedule	SIS 200, Autumn 2005 States & Capitalism Grading Your final grade in this course will be based on an evaluation of the following components: Six weekly papers: 30% Second draft of term paper: 30% Final exam: 30% Participation: 10% Please note that the participation component includes peer review, participation, pop quizzes, among other modes and methods. Readings Readings are assigned from the following books: R. Tignor, et.al., Worlds Together, Worlds Apart Janet Abu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony David Landes, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations John Hobson, The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation Alfred Crosby, Ecological Imperialism Please refer to the course schedule for reading assignments and due dates. These books are available for purchase at the University Bookstore and are on reserve at the Odegaard Undergraduate Library. All the readings that are assigned for this class are considered to be outstanding analyses of the modern world system. Worlds Together Worlds Apart is written as a textbook and contains information about some of the key events and developments in world history between the thirteenth and the twentieth centuries. The other four books present different arguments about why certain major changes took place and what their implications and consequences were. As you will realize, not all of these scholars agree with each other, and I will be disagreeing with some of the arguments raised in their books. You are expected to acquire a general knowledge of world history and understand, compare, and evaluate the arguments and analyses presented by these authors and in my lectures. Weekly Papers Each student must write six weekly essays of no more than one and a half double-spaced typewritten pages each (12 pt type, one-inch margins). These papers will be based on the weekly reading assignments that come from, Before European Hegemony, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation, or Ecological Imperialism. Please note that you may not write reports on Worlds Together, Worlds Apart. You may choose the six weeks in which you will write assignments, but you must make sure you complete all six. On top of each weekly paper you turn in, in addition to your name and section, indicate the readings on which the report is based and provide the date on which you are turning in the assignment. The weekly papers should elaborate the author’s argument by considering the following questions: What is the author trying to explain? What is the explanation s/he offers? What kinds of evidence does the author use to persuade the readers of her/his explanations? Is he/she persuasive? When there are multiple authors, you must choose a common theme all the authors address and compare the explanations advanced and evidence used by the authors and assess their relative merits. Whenever relevant, papers should refer to the arguments and methods of authors from previous weeks. The weekly essays are to be handed in at the beginning of the section meetings on Thursdays. No papers may be turned in during the first week (Sep 29); you will be receiving instructions from your TAs on those days. No late papers will be accepted and no papers will be accepted from students who do not attend the full section. Term Papers Each student will write a research paper of about 7-8 pages. In this paper you will choose a geographical area (not necessarily a country), identify a puzzle or an anomaly that is related to this region’s interaction with the broader world sometime between 1250 and 1914. In most cases, the puzzle or anomaly will have an economic, political, or social dimension and should be stated in terms of a “why” question. You then will address the following points. Develop a possible explanation (hypothesis) of your puzzle or anomaly by reading about your period, region, and problem. Collect and present data and information to support your hypothesis. Show how your data supports your hypothesis and, together, they provide an explanation for the puzzle you are trying to solve in the paper. Please note: You will write and be evaluated on two drafts of this research paper. The due dates and requirements for these drafts are listed below. Late drafts will not be accepted without a valid excuse. Paper Topics The selection of the geographical area, time interval, and the problem to be explained are very important for this assignment. Keep in mind that some of the countries that exist today did not exist in earlier times, and some that existed earlier have changed or disappeared since then. In the spirit of the course, your paper should go beyond a simple description of events and *explain* things. The topic of your paper should be narrowly conceived and well-focused. Big topics such as the American and French Revolutions, the U.S. Civil War, Opium War, Meiji Restoration, causes and consequences of World War One are not appropriate for this assignment. On October 18, you will turn in a paragraph to your TA describing the topic of your paper. You will need to get his/her approval before researching and writing your paper. Drafts First draft will be about 4-6 pages. It should include an introduction where you state your analytical (“why”) question (your puzzle), the thesis you are planning to use (your tentative answer to your “why” question), the beginnings of an argument where you provide evidence in support of your argument, and a preliminary bibliography of sources you plan to use. You will post the first draft of your paper electronically for the review and comments of the members of your study group. The due date for posting of these papers is Nov. 14. The members of your study group will read your draft and enter their comments and suggestions by Nov. 18. You will not be graded on paper topic proposal or the first draft, but submitting them by the due date and reading and commenting on your friends’ drafts are mandatory. After receiving comments from your study group, you should also consult with your TA about ways to improve your draft and complete the assignment. Second draft (approximately 7-8 pages) will have been revised on the basis of the suggestions and criticisms of your Study Group and your TA as well as additional research. This draft is due in class on Dec 2. You will submit this in hard copy clearly marked “second draft,” along with your paper topic statement that includes your TA’s approval, a printed copy of the “first draft” and the comments by your Study Group. Your paper will be considered incomplete without these attachments. Please note that your term paper will be based on library research. In writing this paper you will be expected to use at least four sources which you will locate in the library. These sources should be a combination of scholarly books and articles. Websites, newspapers and magazines can be used as sources but only in addition to the four main sources. Hand-written drafts or papers will not be accepted. Everything you turn in should be typed (double-spaced, 12 pt type, with one-inch margins). Please keep extra copies of all the written assignments you turn in for grading. In case of loss or other similar problems, it is your responsibility to provide us with additional copies of your work. In terms of format and presentation your paper should comply with academic conventions as described in Strunk and White's Elements of Style, which is on the website for this course. You also may consult Kate Turabian’s Manual for Writers or another similar guide available from the University Libraries’ web site. If you have any doubts about these, your TA, the JSIS Writing Center (Smith 220B), reference librarians at Odegaard Undergraduate Library, or I can help you. Final Examination The final examination is scheduled for Wed. December 14, 2:30-4:20 p.m. The exam will cover the entire course material (including the films) and will be a combination of essay, short-answer, and map questions. You should use the study questions that will be posted on the course web page as guides in keeping up with your reading and preparing for the exam. Films We will show several short documentaries in class. These are indicated in the schedule below. In addition, we will discuss the following feature-length films during the quarter: Elizabeth should be viewed by October 20 Amistad should be viewed by October 27 A Passage to India should be viewed by November 18. Each required film will also be shown on campus once in advance of the scheduled discussion dates (viewing times TBA). You can also view these films on your own time, preferably with members of your Study Group. Films can be rented at local video stores for private viewing.
Send mail to: apandey@u.washington.edu Last modified: 10/02/2005 5:22 PM