Seminar in Advanced Historical Study

HIST 401-8361 Professor Catherine Lavender
Spring 1997 Office: 2N 203, 718-982-2869
Monday, Wednesday 4:40-6:20 Office hours: M 11:00-12:00, W 2:30-4:30, and by appointment
Room 2N 114

Purpose of the Course:
This seminar is an advanced course in the reading of influential approaches to history, and research on an individual student project. Students will gain familiarity with important trends in American historiography, examine historical method, and undertake work on an historical project of their own choosing, in consultation with the professor. The course also aims to familiarize the student with the construction of historical arguments (thesis, methodology, historiography, evidence, sources, research, and narrative), as well as identifying areas for further research.

Course Requirements:
All students are required to attend lectures and take part in discussions. Exams will require students to synthesize lecture materials as well as readings. Students must also read and assimilate required readings, and be prepared to discuss readings on the schedule given below. Students will submit all assignments on time; late papers will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the professor. Further, no student with more than four unexcused absences will receive a passing grade for the course.

Contacting the Professor:
My office is in 2N 203, and my office phone is 718-982-2869; I have office hours Mondays from 11:00 to 12:00, Wednesdays 2:30 to 4:30, and by appointment; I am usually in my office on Tuesdays. You may also reach me via email at lavender@postbox.csi.cuny.edu.

Assignments:
Class Journal (weekly writings) (25% of course grade)
Class Attendance/Participation (25% of course grade)
Review Essay on Binder & Reimers (25% of course grade)
Final Research Paper (25% of course grade)

Required Texts:
Norman Maclean, Young Men and Fire (1992)

Frederick Binder and David Reimers, All the Nations Under Heaven: An Ethnic and Racial History of New York City (1995)

Packet of Essays:
Mary Clearman Blew, "The Sow in the River," from All But the Waltz (1991)
William Cronon, "Kennecott Journey: The Paths out of Town" from Under an Open Sky (1992)
Simon Schama, "The Many Deaths of General Wolfe" from Dead Certainties (1991)
James Clifford, "Identity in Mashpee," from The Predicament of Culture (1988)
Hazel V. Carby, "'It Jus Be's Dat Way Sometime': The Sexual Politics of Women's Blues," from Unequal Sisters (1990)
Peggy Pascoe, "Miscegenation Law, Court Cases, and Ideologies of 'Race' in Twentieth-Century America," Journal of American History (June 1996)
Additional materials for this course are available via the WWW at http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/history/dept/lavender/401extra.html

Course Schedule:

Week One: Introduction
Wednesday, January 29 Introduction to History and Historiography, Outline of the Course
Readings: Begin reading Maclean, Young Men and Fire
 
Where to Start?
Monday, February 3 Starting Places (intro to computer lab and library)
Readings: Blew, "The Sow in the River," Cronon, "Kennecott Journey"; continue reading Maclean, Young Men and Fire
Wednesday, February 5 Introduction to The Archive: Meet at Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences
Readings: Schama, "The Many Deaths of General Wolfe," continue reading Maclean, Young Men and Fire
 
Week Three: Finding Your Story
Monday, February 10 Discuss Blew, "The Sow in the River," Cronon, "Kennecott Journey," and Schama, "The Many Deaths of General Wolfe"
Readings: continue reading Maclean, Young Men and Fire
Wednesday, February 12 CUNY CLOSED--No Classes
 
Week Four: Finding Your Community
Monday, February 17 CUNY CLOSED--No Classes
Wednesday, February 19 Discuss Maclean, Young Men and Fire
Readings: Clifford, "Identity in Mashpee," and Carby, "'It Jus Be's Dat Way Sometime'"
Thursday, February 20 Discuss Clifford, "Identity in Mashpee," and Carby, "'It Jus Be's Dat Way Sometime'"
Readings: Pascoe, "Miscegenation Law, Court Cases, and Ideologies of 'Race'"
 
Week Five: Finding Your Sources
Monday, February 24 Discuss Pascoe, Final Projects
Wednesday, February 26 Field Trip to Library
Readings: Begin Reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
 
Week Six: Telling Your Story
Monday, March 3 Watch Glory in Class
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
Wednesday, March 5 Discuss storytelling and history in Glory
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
 
Week Seven: Putting it All Together
Monday, March 10 Presentations on Final Projects
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
Wednesday, March 12 Individual Meetings with Professor (to be scheduled during course meeting in 2N203)
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
 
Week Eight: Historiography
Monday, March 17 Meeting in Library
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
Wednesday, March 19 Presentations on Historiography of Research Topics
Readings: Continue reading Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
 
Week Nine: All The Nations Under Heaven
Monday, March 24 Review of Binder & Reimers due in class; discuss Binder & Reimers, All The Nations Under Heaven
Wednesday, March 26 Class interview with Frederick Binder, History Department Chair, CSI, and co-author of All The Nations Under Heaven
 
Week Ten: Final Projects Under Construction
Monday, March 31 Presentations on Thesis, Sources
Wednesday, April 2 Individual Meetings with Professor (to be scheduled during course meeting in 2N203)
 
Week Eleven: Final Projects Under Construction
Monday, April 7 Presentations on Method, Argument
Wednesday, April 9 Individual Meetings with Professor (to be scheduled during course meeting in 2N203)
 
Week Twelve: Final Projects Under Construction
Monday, April 14 Presentations on Bias
Wednesday, April 16 Individual Meetings with Professor (to be scheduled during course meeting in 2N203)
 
Week of April 21-26--Spring Break, CSI Closed
 
Week Thirteen: Final Projects Under Construction
Monday, April 28 Draft of Final Project Essay Due; Presentations on Narrative
Wednesday, April 30 Individual Meetings with Professor (to be scheduled during course meeting in 2N203)
 
Week Fourteen: Final Paper Presentations
Monday, May 5 Group One
Wednesday, May 7 Group Two
 
Week Fifteen: Final Paper Presentations
Monday, May 12 Group Three
Wednesday, May 14 Group Four
 
Final Paper Due: 4:00pm, Wednesday, 21 May 1997
 
Last updated: Monday, 14 April 1997