COURSE: HISTORY 100 "HISTORY OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN AMERICA"
INSTRUCTOR: JASON J. GHIBESI
OFFICE HOURS: Are made upon appointment. If you need extra help or have concerns we can schedule a one on one chat room session at your convenience.
EMAIL:
Office Hours: Monday (11-1), Tuesday (12:30-1:30), Wednesday (11-12), Thursday (11-1), Friday (12:30-1:30)
OFFICE: Instructional Building Room 318
Phone: 723-255-0400 x2220
☼“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”☼
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines the growth of values shaping American Society, with comparisons to cross-cultural case studies. It will also review the historical antecedents of modern America with special focus on the interrelationships between institutions and individuals that have shaped the idea of civil society in the United States.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The goals of this course are:
1. To examine America as an “institution” and determine the influences that has had substantial effect on its development.
2. To discuss the changes brought about by political and social upheavals at various key moments in American History.
3. To read and analyze various political and historical texts from your book and apply them to the current climate in the United States.
3. To discuss and analyze the development of law in society as a reflection of societal needs desires and mores.
4. To understand the role of the individual and the group in the dynamic of a democracy.
5. To understand the role of the “democratization” of various ethnic groups and the struggles they experienced in our society.
6. To use our history as a guidepost for predicting what America’s role will be in the 21st century and why.
7. To learn and understand the basic tenets of American Government and the theory that has influenced America today.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Civil Disobedience and Other Essays by Henry David Thoreau. Dover Thrift Editions ISBN: 9780486275635
Princeton Readings in Political Thought by Mitchell Cohen and Nicole Fermon, editors. Princeton University Press ISBN: 978-0691036892
The Civil Society Reader by Virginia Hodgkinson and Michael W. Forley, Tufts. ISBN 978-1584652786
GRADING:
Class Participation 20%
This portion of your grade will be comprised of your participation and performance in the scheduled chats and threaded discussion questions. All chats will be held in the Common Room (See calendar for dates and times). (200 Points Total)
This particular section of your grade will be divided evenly between 4 parts (the three threaded discussion topics as well as chat sessions ~ each will count for 50 points).
Chat room activity will not only be limited to attendance. I expect all students to be prepared to take an active role in the chat session. Chat topics will be selected from your readings (so make sure your readings are up to date.) If you can not attend the scheduled chats, be sure to contact me. I offer alternate chat times to ensure all students are accommodated. As far as discussion questions are concerned, be sure to pay attention to the unique set of directions which is listed for each discussion. Follow these directions exactly to ensure you earn the maximum number for your work.
Examinations 40 %
The mid-term and final examinations will consist of essay questions and will be worth 200 points each (total 400 points). All essay questions which appear on your fmid-term and final examinations will be based on the course objectives which are outlined in the syllabus as well as the file entitled “learning objectives” under Course Information. When reading the chapters all students should keep these learning objectives in mind for they will be the basis of your examination. Be sure to utilize the multimedia sources detailed in the Course Schedule as well as the PowerPoint slides which are available under Course Content. When grading essay question based examination I will utilize the following criteria.
a. Clarity: Is your answer clear and well written. Since these are essentially “take home examinations” I expect your answers to be well written using proper grammar.
b. Supported Arguments: Each idea you write should be well supported using examples and information discussed in the text. Do not use unsupported generalizations; each of these answers should be specific.
c. Attention to Directions: When writing essay questions many students make the classic mistake of not reading the directions. Be sure you answer EVERY part of the question. I can not give you complete credit if you leave parts of the question out of your answer.
Book Report 20%
Details will be made available as this assignment approaches. There will be one term-paper assigned this semester. This paper will require students to read and reflect on an approved historical/political literary work. All papers are required to use MLA format. All students will receive a detailed list of paper requirements. Be sure that your paper follows these guidelines. Papers that do not conform will be penalized.
Assignments 20%
This portion of your grade will be based on a total of 200 points and will be comprised of ten groups of questions (20 points each) which will correspond with your readings. These assignments can be found on the course calendar or under course content. Be sure to keep an eye on the course schedule to make sure all your work is on time. Late work will be penalized. Each assignment question has been carefully crafted in accordance to the course objectives. Once again, keep these objectives in mind when completing your reading assignments.
STATEMENT OF CIVILITY
Ideally a classroom is a place of learning. In an ideal setting, all opinions are heard and respected, although you may disagree. In this class we want to create a safe environment to learn. To achieve this everyone must be willing to follow guidelines established by the class. Anybody diverging from these guidelines, or disrespecting anyone in the class, will not be tolerated.
GRADING SCALE
· A (90-100)
· B+ (86-89)
· B (80-85)
· C+ (76-79)
· C (70-75)
· D (60-69)
· F (59 and below)
GENERAL CLASSROOM GUIDELINES:
a. In order to successfully complete each assignment, students will have had to complete the assigned readings which can be found under course calendar.
b. All homework assignments, essays, and the research paper should be typed, double spaced, and have one inch margins. Typed assignments should be written in Times New Roman font and must use size 12. Anyone who does not follow these guidelines will not receive full credit for the assignment. If you do not have access to a computer there are plenty available in the Library.
c. All assignments are due on the assigned due date. NO late work will be accepted and will result in a zero. (However, if you are ambitious you are more than welcome to complete assignments early.)
STATEMENT OF PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism can be defined as "the appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas or thoughts of another author, and representation of their work as one's original work" according to The Random House Dictionary of the English Language. Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another's words, ideas, or facts without crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either in whole or in part, as one's own work; or submitting work previously submitted for another course or instructor. Plagiarism on any assignment will result in failure for that assignment and may result in further disciplinary action, including but not limited to failure for the course. The student should refer to College Policy # 5180 in the Student Handbook.
CAMPUS RESOURCES
All students are encouraged to visit the Writing Center for additional support with all writing assignments. The writing center is an excellent resource for students to enhance and improve the overall quality of their writing.
DISABILITIES
If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of learning disabilities or other kinds of disabilities, please feel free to come and discuss this with me or a staff member for Disability Services.
Disclaimer
The schedule and procedures described in this syllabus are subject to change depending upon the needs of the class.
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