Academic Honesty and Collaboration



HNRS 240: Reading the PastFall 2018Instructor: Peter N. StearnsPhone:703-993-4150E-mail:pstearns@gmu.eduClass Info:Posted to your Blackboard accountOffice Hours: Robinson B, Room 344. Office hours: Mondays 10:30-11:30 am, or by appointment (email to schedule).Class Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12:00-1:15 PM, Krug Hall 19.Assigned ReadingSusan Matt and Peter Stearns, Doing Emotions History (U. of Illinois)Peter Stearns, Revolutions in Sorrow (Paradigm)Joanna Bourke, Fear, a Cultural History (Virago)Online Readings: Many articles are from the Journal of Social History: you can access them online at Objectives and Goals This course focuses on the history of emotions, a rapidly growing field that seeks to contribute both to an understanding of the past and to interdisciplinary analysis of emotion itself. Key methodological and analytical issues in the field will be addressed, along with work (both existing and potential) on emotions such as love, shame, fear, and nostalgia. Coverage will focus on American patterns but with opportunities for comparison with other societies. Student participation will be emphasized, including recurrent discussion of why history seems to have undertaken an “emotional” turn and whether this is a desirable direction.Academic Honesty and CollaborationThe integrity of the University Community is affected by the individual choices made by each of us. GMU has an Honor Code with clear guidelines regarding academic integrity. Three fundamental and rather simple practices to follow at all times are that: 1) all work submitted be your own; 2) when using the work or ideas of others, including fellow students, give full credit through accurate citations; and 3) if you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification. No grade is important enough to justify academic misconduct.AssignmentsGrades will be based on five components:Class participation 20 % (including reaction papers)First paper on modernization 5%Second paper on loneliness 5%Paper on the group project (due no later than 3 days after group report) 10%Optional mid-term grade by request, based on class participation, first two papers (Sept 6 and 18) and group project/paper)Term paper 30%A take-home final exam 20%Note: Paper topic for September 18 session: Evaluate the Alberti argument on the origins of modern loneliness – what are they strengths and weaknesses? Is there a link to contemporary issues of loneliness?ScheduleDateTopicAssignmentsTue, Aug 28Week 1: Introduction and EmotionIntroduction; conduct of course; forming team topic groupsWhat is historical thinking? The idea of periodizationThur, Aug 30Key issues – What is emotion? Why is it hard to define? Why is it a hot topic?Reading: Matt and Stearns, IntroductionGroups meet to organizeBring an example of historical thinkingTue, Sept 4Week 2: Historical change and debateWhat’s emotion history all about? What causes emotion change? An analytical model?Reading: Matt and Stearns, ch. 3 and 9Thur, Sept 6The pros and cons of modernizationWestern modernization vs. other regions; “post-modernization” periodsReading: Matt and Stearns, ch. 2; Edward Shorter article, JSH 1986, v. 19 pp. 549-822 page paper: Why is it risky to discuss modernization of emotions? OR Why is it helpful to discuss the modernization of emotions?Tue, Sept 11Modernization and the Family: New emotional issues; comparative problemsReading: Stearns, Industrialization in World History 94-102 (on Blackboard)Thur, Sept 13Weeks 3-8: Individual emotionsLove in the 19th century and sinceReading: Blauvelt article, JSH v. 35; Matt and Stearns, ch. 6Paper topic dueTue, Sept 18Contemporary issues; history of jealousy, history of lonelinessAlberti paper on loneliness (online)2 page paper critically assessing Alberti’s argument or sketching a modern history of lonelinessThur, Sept 20Week 4: GriefThe key transitions of griefReading: Stearns, Revolutions in Sorrow, ch. 1-6Tue, Sept 25Contemporary patterns and the role of historyReadings: Stearns, Revolutions in Sorrow, remainderThur, Sept 27Group 1 reportGrief, Guilt, and DeathThe issue: are we “handling” death well in modern society?Tue, Oct 1Week 6: AngerAmerican anger historySusan Matt, “Chapter 6: Anger Rising,” unpublished manuscript. Thur, Oct 4Issues in contemporary angerGroup 2 reportAnger in the USThe issue: are Americans not controlling anger well? Should we have more anger outlets?Tue, Oct 9NO CLASSThur, Oct 11Week 7: Shame and guiltWhat are the issues of shame in modern history?Reading: Stearns, Shame article (on Blackboard)Tue, Oct 16Is shame rising, and why?Group 3 reportThe issue: are we overusing shame?Thur, Oct 18Week 8: FearKey issues in the modern history of fearReading: Bourke, Fear, 165-92, 195-229Reaction paper due on BourkeTue, Oct 23Can we do fear better?Group 4 report: fear and manipulationThe issue: have Americans become too fearful?Thur, Oct 25 & Tue, Oct 30Presentation of Student Paper HypothesesHypothesis statements dueThur, Nov 1Weeks 10-14: Larger themesWhat is modern consumerism all about?What connections to emotion?Reading: Matt, “Children’s Envy,” JSH 2002 (36): 283-302Tue, Nov 6Is current consumerism emotionally useful?Thur, Nov 8Week 11: InformalizationWhat is informalization all about?Reading: Cas Wouters articles in JSH: “Status competition,” 1991 (24), 699-717; “Etiquette Books,” 2 parts, 1995 (29) 107-24 and 325-39Tue, Nov 13Critiquing the thesis, comparing recent change to the changes of “modernization”Reaction paper due on WoutersThur, Nov 15Week 12: Happiness and sadnessGood cheer. Why do Americans smile so much?Reading: Kotchemidova, “From Good Cheer,” JSH 2005 (39), 3-37Tue, Nov 20What would a fuller history of joy look like? What would a history of sadness look like?Reading: Matt and Stearns, ch. 5Nov 21-25HAPPY THANKSGIVINGTue, Nov 27Week 13: Emotions and politics: where does passion fit?Emotion and earlier American history Emotion and politics todayReading: Matt and Stearns, ch. 8Thur, Nov 29Are we in a new period in emotions history? What are the main causes and symptoms?Tue, Dec 4Week 14: Where to go next?Comparative issuesPAPER DUEReading: Matt and Stearns, ch. 3-4Thur, Dec 6Revisiting emotions and parentingMoving forward: What to expect next Dec (TBD)FINAL EXAM due ................
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