HST 401: History
Capstone
Seminar
Winter 2011 (102)
Core 113
MWF
12-12:50pm
Instructor: Dr. Ilicia Sprey
E-mail: ilicias@saintjoe.edu
Office: Core 258
Office Phone 219-866-6387
Office Hours: MWF: 11-11:50 and
2-2:50 and by appointment; Saint Elizabeth’s School of Nursing TR 5-6pm
and
after class as needed
Homepage: http://www.saintjoe.edu/~ilicias/
Books:
Course Description:
This is
the capstone seminar for junior and senior History majors and is
deliberately
designed to be a course in which
students intensively apply the skills they have developed in their
earlier
History classes – use of primary sources, analytical thinking, clarity
of
thought, writing of persuasive papers based on use of evidence and
analysis,
thinking across time periods and geographical borders and political
boundaries
to identify patterns, etc. – in a focused setting.
The format for this course is
that of a
seminar which by definition means that it is a group of students led by
a
professor in an in depth discussion, exchanging thoughtful ideas and
analyzing
materials, resulting in and sharing original reports and research. As such, each student is responsible to the
group to be prepared, having done their assignments in advance and
having
thought about the ideas contained in the readings.
Also, students will be regularly leading
discussion on the material being considered over the course of the
semester.
The specific topic of this
seminar is “Law
and Society” and covers a time period from circa 2000 B.C.E. to the
present era
and geographically examines the interaction of legal thought and
action,
political intent, and societal values, mores, concerns, and ideals of
diverse
populations on five continents. This
will allow students who have taken courses in American, European,
Middle
Eastern, African, and Asian history previously to call upon that
knowledge,
while also requiring students to expand their knowledge base and
comfort zone by
examining the experience of various peoples whose history they have not
yet
studied in detail.
While shorter papers will be
due through
throughout the semester, each student will do original research on a
topic chosen
by the student and approved by the professor in advance which is
related to the
topic of the seminar. Periodic
presentation
on these research projects will be made by the students over the course
of the
semester. Because this is the History Department’s capstone class, the
final
research paper will be evaluated by Dr. White, Prof. Chattin, and Dr.
Sprey
with the final grade for the research paper being an average of the
grades
assigned by these three.
What you can expect from me: You can expect that I:
What I expect from you: The following paragraphs explain what I
expect of you
in terms of work and behavior.
Evaluation and Requirements:
Attendance: Because this is a seminar it is vital that
students
attend class on a regular basis in order to fully participate in
discussions
and to get the most out of the course. If you are unable to
attend class
due to a health issue or emergency and need to reach me leave a message
on
either my e-mail or voice mail if I am out of the office. Failure
to come
to class will affect your grade. Coming to class and texting or not
participating will negatively impact your final course grade.
It is the responsibility of
student
athletes to inform the instructor of any class absences due to
competitions. In accordance with College policy athletes will be
excused
a reasonable number of absences due to competitions and reasonable
accommodations made, but student athletes will not be excused absences
due to
practices. Any
missed work, quizzes, exams, or papers must still be handed in on time.
Students
who have between 3 and 6 unexcused absences
will lose one full letter grade from their final class grade. Students who have between 6 and 9 unexcused
absences will have their grade dropped two letter grades, and those who
miss
more than 9 classes will automatically fail the course.
Appropriate classroom behavior is
required
and expected of all students at all times.
Assignments:
Any assignments not handed in on
time will
have 5 points deducted for each weekday they are late, not for each
class
session. For example, a paper due on Monday but handed in on
Wednesday
will have 10 points deducted from the original grade it would have
received
otherwise. All papers are to be
typed or produced on a computer. No
late
work will be accepted after the last class for the semester.
Students who decide to drop this
course
ARE RESPONSIBLE for obtaining the correct forms and getting them to the
professor prior to the College's announced deadline for withdrawing
from
classes.
Academic Honesty: Neither
cheating nor plagiarism will be tolerated in this or any other
class. The
purpose of this course is to have you do your best work not to submit
someone
else's efforts, therefore anyone found cheating or plagiarizing the
work of
another will receive an automatic F for the course and the case will be
referred to the appropriate academic officer in accordance with the
College’s
policy (see College Catalog).
Grading in this course is based on a combination of
presentations,
leadership in discussion of topics, written work, a research paper, and
a final
exam. Quantity, but particularly quality
of participation is important.
Papers: Students will
write a series of two-page typed papers analyzing and reflecting on the
readings,
as well as the research paper.
Final Grades will be based on
the
following formula.
|
Presentations |
200 pts |
|
Final exam |
150pts |
|
2-page papers |
400 pts |
|
Research paper |
250 pts |
|
Total |
1000 pts |
|
Grade
Points |
Grade
Points |
|
A 930-1000 |
C+ 780-799 |
|
A- 900-929 |
C 730-779 |
|
B+ 880-899 |
C- 700-729 |
|
B 830-879 |
D+ 680-699 |
|
B- 800-829 |
D 600-679 |
|
|
F 599 or
below |
|
Date |
Assignment |
|
Week
1: January 10-14 |
Discussion on Law and its Role, Society and
its expectations |
|
Week
2: January 17-21 |
The Ancient World: ·
Reading: Code of Hammurabi - http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM ·
General overview of ancient Egyptian law - http://history-world.org/egyptian_law.htm
and http://www.duhaime.org/LawMuseum/lawarticle-609/ancient-egyptian-law.aspx
http://history-world.org/egyptian_law.htm
(an overview) ·
|
|
Week
3: January 24-28 |
Classical World: ·
Reading: ·
Constitution of Athens (Greece) – read Part 1 and selecte one
other Part to read - ·
Law of the Twelve Tables (Roman) - http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/twelve_tables.asp ·
Thesis statement for research paper due Friday |
|
Week
4: January 31- February 4 |
Asian and South Asian Concepts of Law: Paper no. 1 due Friday |
|
Week
5: February 7-11 |
Medieval Law: Secular |
|
Week 6: February 14-18 |
Medieval Law: Canon
(Church) |
|
Week
7: February 21-25 |
Islamic Law and Customs:
Paper no. 2 due Friday |
|
Week
8: February 28-March 4 |
Enlightenment Era ideas |
|
Week 9: March 7-11 |
Spring Break – no classes |
|
Week 10:
March 14-18 |
Saddler Commission, Child Labor, and Labor
Law in Britain Working bibliography for research paper due |
|
Week
11: March 21-25 |
Scopes Trial
|
|
Week
12: March 28 – April 1 |
Plessy v. Paper no. 3 due Friday |
|
Week
13: April 4-8 |
Civil Rights in the United
States
|
|
Week
14: April 11-15 |
Nuremburg Trials – Development of
International Law on Human Rights Research paper due on April 11 |
|
Week
15: April 18-22 |
|
|
Week
16: April 25-29 |
Modern Human Rights Paper no. 4 due Friday |
The Final Exam Monday, May 4, 1-2:50pm
Last updated 1/10/11
