The History of the Caribbean
50-516-380
T-Th 1:30 – 2:50
Fine Arts 221
Professor Lorrin Thomas
317 Armitage
856-225-2656
office hours: Tuesdays 3-4; Thursdays 12-1:30; or by appt.
In this course, we will explore the history of the Caribbean region from the time of Columbus’s arrival in 1492 through the end of the twentieth century. Covering political, economic, social, and cultural themes, we will examine the major developments in the Caribbean past: discovery and conquest; colonialism and revolution; slavery and emancipation; imperialism and cold war politics; and migration and transnationalism. You will develop a clear understanding not only of the events and issues that have shaped the history of the Caribbean, but also of why and how the history of this region has unfolded in its particular ways.
This advanced history course is reading-intensive (with up to 150 pages of reading assigned per week) and there are three major writing assignments plus a weekly journal requirement to record your observations about the readings and semi-weekly films. Class participation is an important part of your final grade.
Required Books
Eric Williams, From Columbus to Castro
Moira Ferguson, The History of Mary Prince
Rebecca Scott, Degrees of Freedom
Ayala and Bernabe, Puerto Rico in the American Century
Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
OTHER REQUIRED READINGS: There are a number of additional required readings that you must download from the online course reserves through the Robeson Library homepage (click on “find reserves,” then follow prompts). These readings are marked with a “[Res]” notation on the syllabus.
Course Requirements
Attendance and participation: 15%
This course is designed to rely substantially on the participation of each class member. Studuents will be penalized for each absence, with 2 points per absence deducted from the final grade. Lateness will be counted as absence at the instructor’s discretion.
Reading and film journal, weekly: 25%
Each student is required to answer questions and record observations about major points of each week’s readings and of the roughly bi-weekly films on a reading/film journal handout, to be submitted each week. I will give some feedback on the journals at several points during the semester, and will assign the journal an “interim” grade. I will then assign a final grade to the complete journal at the end of the course.
Document analysis paper, 3 pages: 15%
A short essay providing a detailed analysis of a historical document (primary source). I will distribute the document and instructions on Thurs. Sept. 17.
Due in my history dept. mailbox on Friday, Sept. 25.
Book review, 6 pages: 20%
A thorough, analytical review of the book Degrees of Freedom by the historian Rebecca Scott. I will distribute a memo on “How to Write a Book Review”; also, see note below on plagiarism.
Due in my history dept. mailbox on Monday, Oct. 12.
Final paper, historical analysis of The Brief Wondrous Life, 8 pages: 25%
An essay analyzing a) how historical context shapes the meanings and themes of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and b) what the novel can teach historians about its major themes and time period. I will distribute complete instructions on Thurs. Dec. 10.
Due in my history dept. mailbox on Friday, Dec. 18.
Course Policies
Phones and computers: Use of a laptop for note-taking must be cleared with me first. Your phone must remain silent and out of sight during class time. This includes texting under your desk, of course. If I see you using a phone during class more than one time, you will receive a failing grade (F) for class participation. It is also unacceptable to leave the classroom to use your phone. Plan to use the bathroom before class so that you do not disrupt class by leaving in the middle.
Absences and lateness: Attendance is required at every class meeting; lateness will be counted as absence at my discretion. Each absence will result in a 2-point deduction in the final average for the course.
Plagiarism: You are required to familiarize yourself with the university’s policies on proper use and citation of sources, and on academic integrity in general. Any use of another person’s work in your own writing must be properly cited. Failure to conform to academic integrity guidelines will result in referral of the case to the Dean’s office; the usual penalties in such instances range from a failing grade in the course to suspension (or even expulsion) from the university.
http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/RUCAM/info/Academic-Integrity-Policy.html
Class and Reading Schedule
Week 1:
Sept. 1 Introduction: Region and Identity in the Caribbean
UNIT I: Exporation, “Discovery,” and Conquest
Sept. 3 Exploration and “Discovery”
READING:
Williams, ch. 1-2, 12-22
Week 2:
Sept. 8 NO CLASS (Monday classes only)
Sept. 10 “Discovery” and Conquest
READING:
Williams, ch. 3-4, 23-45
Columbus letters [Res]
Week 3:
Sept. 15 Conquest
Sept. 17 The Question of Genocide in the Caribbean
READING:
Las Casas, “Thirty Propositions” [Res]
Henige, “On the Contact Population of Hispaniola” [Res]
Zambardino, “Critique of David Henige’s ‘On the Contact Population…’” [Res]
UNIT II: Slavery, Revolution, and Emancipation
Week 4:
Sept. 22 & 24 The Plantation System and Slavery
READING:
Williams, ch. 6, 58-68 and ch. 9, 111-135
Mintz, “Power,” 151-186 [Res]
Begin reading Scott, Degrees of Freedom
Week 5:
Sept. 29 Slavery and Marronage
READING:
Moitt, “Sugar, Slavery and Marronage in the French Caribbean” [Res]
Ferguson, Mary Prince
Keep reading Scott, Degrees of Freedom
Oct. 1 The Haitian Revolution
READING:
Williams, ch. 13, 201-216 and ch. 15, 237-254
Ferrer, “Speaking of Haiti” [Res]
Keep reading Scott, Degrees of Freedom
Week 6:
Oct. 6 Emancipation and the Problem of Inclusion
Oct. 8 NO CLASS! WORK ON BOOK REVIEW
READING:
Scott, Degrees of Freedom
Book review due on Mon. Oct. 12
UNIT III: Independence, Nationalism, and 20th c. Imperialisms
Week 7:
Oct. 13 & 15 Manifest Destiny and other imperialisms in the Caribbean
READING:
Williams, ch. 23 and 24, 408-427;
The Dominican People documents, 134-140 [Res]
Ayala and Bernabe Intro and ch. 1 and 2, 1-51
Week 8:
Oct. 20 & 22 US imperialism and Puerto Rico, part I
READING:
Ayala and Bernabe ch. 3 (52-73), ch. 5 (95-116) and ch. 7-9, (136-199)
Week 9:
Oct. 27 & 29 20th Century Nationalisms and the Cuban Revolution
READING:
Blanco and Benjamin, Cuba: Talking about Revolution, excerpts [Res]
C. Wright Mills, Listen, Yankee! excerpts [Res]
Week 10:
Nov. 3 Independence and Nationalism in the Caribbean
Nov. 5 US imperialism and Puerto Rico, Part II
READING:
Ayala and Bernabe ch. 10-12, 201-266
Begin reading Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
UNIT IV: Sovereignty, Poverty, and Migration
Week 11:
Nov. 10 & 12 The Problem of Sovereignty
READING:
Williams, ch. 27, 463-478 and ch. 29, 498-515
Fanon, “The Negro and Language,” in Black Skin, White Masks [Res]
Week 12:
Nov. 17 The Problem of Haiti in the 20th Century
READING:
Farmer, The Uses of Haiti, excerpts [Res]
Wilentz, The Rainy Season, excerpts [Res]
Week 13:
Nov. 24 & 26 20th Century Dictators and their Refugees
READING:
Portes and Stepick, City on the Edge, excerpt [Res]
Keep reading Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Week 14:
Dec. 1 & 3 Transnationalism and History, part I: Student Radicals
READING:
Hoffnung-Garskof, A Tale of Two Cities, excerpts [Res]
additional reading TBA [Res]
Week 15:
Dec. 8 & 10 Transnationalism and History, part II: Symbolic Politics
READING:
Derby, “Gringo Chickens with Worms” [Res]
additional reading TBA [Res]