A People S History of War

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

Did Chinese tea help cause the American Revolution? Were there Asian slaves in the American South before the Civil War? How did Asian immigration lead to a militarized U.S.-Mexico border? Do Asian Americans today face a “bamboo ceiling?” These are some of the questions that will be addressed as we explore the “hidden history” of Asians in the United States, starting from the American Revolution to the present. By highlighting the role played by Asia and Asian Americans in U.S. history, this course contests the commonly held assumption that Asian American history is at the “margins” of American history. In other words, what we think we know about American history changes dramatically when we put Asians at the center of key historical moments like the Civil War and World War II. Moreover, this exercise will provide you with the tools to rethink traditional historical narratives and produce your own analyses of the past.

COURSE LEARNING GOALS

1.  Demonstrate the importance of history and historical narratives for understanding the social, political, economic, and cultural context of the present.

2.  Examine how the experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been obscured in traditional historical narratives and show how Asian American history is critical for understanding the racial, gendered, and class processes that underpin American society.

3.  Introduce the basics of analyzing a primary source.

4.  Challenge you to read and listen analytically and to think and write critically about matters of substantial personal, social, cultural, and political importance.

COURSE MEETINGS

This course meets twice a week. It is recommended that you complete readings by the first meeting, but you are required to have completed the week’s readings by second meeting as discussion that day will be based on the readings. Attendance is mandatory. I will accept excused absences for medical or family emergencies only. In such cases, please communicate with me as soon as possible about your situation.

Discussion

Discussion is a critical component of this course. It is an opportunity for you to share your ideas and help your classmates refine their ideas. More than quantity, I am looking for substantive comments that demonstrate an active engagement with the texts and your classmates. Starting in Week 4, you will be assigned to small discussion groups (4-6 people). During discussions, you will first discuss the week’s readings and themes with your group before we come together as a whole class. Each week, a discussion leader will be chosen to lead group discussion. Discussion leaders will be responsible for giving a brief, 2-3 minute presentation of the week’s readings, finding an outside primary source, and providing discussion questions for your group.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

Participation

You are expected to actively take part in class dicussions and activities. In order to do so, you are expected to come to discussion having done the readings (approx. 60-80 pages/week) and completed discussion prep assignments. Discussion prep assignments will be announced following the previous class. These assignments will include writing short answers (not graded) to precirculated questions, coming up with discussion questions, and selecting pertinent quotes to be discussed in class. Additionally, you will be asked to serve as discussion leaders for each discussion.

Response Papers (Paper 1 due by October 7th, Paper 2 by November 28th)

You are required to write two response papers (3-4 pages). Papers will be an analysis of a primary source or film. These papers should not simply be “response papers” but rather analyses of how the source relates to the larger themes discussed in lecture and in discussions. These papers is designed as practice for the final paper and opportunities to receive feedback on your writing. Sources and films that may be analyzed are indicated below in bold. You may also pick a source not included on the syllabus, but must first discuss it with me. You may submit papers at any point before due dates. The first paper is due by October 7th and the second is due by November 28th.

Exams (Mid-Term – October 7th)

Final Presentations (Presentations on Week 14-15)

You are required give a final group presentation (~15 min). The objective is to uncover a “hidden history” of Asian American. You may either present an “Asian American” narrative of a widely known historical event (e.g. American Revolution, the Civil War, etc.) or a little known event involving Asian Americans that you believe needs to be told (e.g. Chinese “paper sons,” the signing of the Korean Decalaration of Independence from Japan in Philadelphia in 1919, the role of Japanese gardeners on California’s suburburan landscapes, etc.) Drawing from the themes and frameworks explored throughout the course (as well as supplemental readings to be provided), you will explain how Asian Americans were left out of the traditional historical narrative, make an argument for (or against) their inclusion, and provide an explanation of what is gained (or lost) from retelling history through the lens of Asian American history. Further instructions will be given on October 21st, when I will assign groups, provide guidelines and outline expectations.

Final Paper and Proposal (Proposal due November 13th, Paper due December 19th )

The final paper will provide you with a more, in-depth opportunity to interpret U.S. history from the Asian American perspective. You will write a 8-10 page paper that provides an analysis of a “hidden” Asian American history. Papers will provide an analysis of an event, theme, or person that they believe should be reinterpreted or more widely known. You will be required to draw from both secondary and primary texts. You may choose to write about the same topic as your group presentation; however, you will be required to write a separate proposal and papers from your group mates. You are required to submit a proposal for their final paper (2-3 pages excluding bibliography). The proposal should outline your topic, explain the topic’s significance, and include a tentative argument, and provide a list of the relevant sources to be used.

EVALULATION

1.  Participation/Discussion Prep 25 %

2.  2 Response Papers (3-4 pgs) 20 %

3.  Midterm Exam 10 %

4.  Final Paper Proposal (2-3 pgs) 05 %

5.  Final Group Presentation 15 %

6.  Final Paper (8-10 pgs) 25 %

Total 100 %

POLICIES

General Policies

As a general rule, be courteous to your peers at all times. Our course will rely heavily on discussion, and in order to have a positive environment for the exchange of ideas it is vital for you to be respectful when listening and responding to one another. Please remember that your body language can often speak more loudly than words. To show your respect for your peers and instructors, please turn off and put away your cell phone when class is in session.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please contact me to arrange any necessary accommodations.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism will be grounds for failing a course. This not only means that you cannot copy passages directly from the work of other scholars, it also means that you cannot use others’ ideas without giving them credit. Please come talk to me if you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism and how to properly reference your sources. For further information, consult Brandeis University’ Rights and Responsiblities site.

COURSE TEXTS/RESOURCES

Readings and assignments will be announced weekly in class and will be available in electronic format on the course website on LATTE. You are not required to buy any of the books listed below. However, I will be assigning multiple chapters from Erika Lee’s The Making of Asian America and Gary Okihiro’s American History Unbound—and, both are helpful resources for further exploration of topics covered in the class and those not covered in the class.

Asian American Textbooks:

1.  Erika Lee, The Making of Asian America (2015) (on reserve at the library)

2.  Gary Okihiro, American History Unbound (2015) (on reserve at the library)

Other helpful Asian American History textbooks and sourcebooks:

·  Ronald Takaki, Strangers from a Different Shore (1989)

·  Sucheng Chan, Asian Americans: An Interpretive History (1991)

·  Franklin Odo, The Columbia Documentary History of the Asian American Experience (2002)

·  Lon Kurashige, Alice Yang Murray edt., Major Problems in Asian American History (2003)

·  Shelley Lee, A New History of Asian America (2013)

Tradtional American History Textbooks:

1.  American Yawp – An Open Source, online U.S. History Textbook with contributions by professors and graduate students (LINK)

2.  The Americans (McDougal Littel) – High School U.S. History Textbook (LINK)

3.  David Kennedy, et. al, The American Pageant, 16th edition (2015) (on reserve at the library)

COURSE SCHEDULE