Freedom in the Modern World

2

HISTORY 4701

Freedom in the Modern World

(Special Topics in History)

Fall/Winter 2016

Graham Reynolds

CE 250;

Ext. 1145

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Texts:

1.  Barbara Tuchman, The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 (New York: Random House, 1994).

2.  Eric Fromm, Escape from Freedom (New York: Holt Paperbacks, 1994.

3.  Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (New York: Beacon Press, 2006).

Course Description and Main Learning Outcomes:

This course explores some of the major developments during the twentieth century that helped give rise to new ideas of human freedom. The course focuses, in particular, on the ideas of freedom in relation to new expressions of self, society and authority within the European and North American historical contexts. Students will gain an understanding of the historical origins of ideas of freedom and how they have helped shape the main political movements of the twentieth century such as anarchism, communism and fascism as well as the post WWII human rights movements in Europe and North America.

Assignments:

There is one major research project, a book review and several in-class assignments in this course. The research project will focus on one of the many expressions of freedom in the modern world (including recent or contemporary expressions of freedom). Students may chose to focus on a particular movement or a single influential leader and their research should illustrate how the movement or individual gave expression to the idea of freedom. Their research findings will be presented in class and in a short (2000-3000 word) essay (due: November 29th). There is no final exam in this course; however, students are expected to report each week in class on course readings and other assignments. Further details regarding all course assignments will be provided in class.

Evaluation:

Major research project…………………………………………………………….50%

(Includes: proposal=10%; class presentation=20%; short research essay=20%)

Book Review……………………………………………………………………...20%

In-class assignments………………………………………………………………20%

Class participation………………………………………………………………...10%

Schedule of Classes:

Sept. 13th. Introduction to the course.

Sept. 20th. Introduction to the course continued: The world after 9/11

Citizen Four (Edward Snowden Documentary film) and discussion.

Sept. 27th. The undercurrents of change: Cubism, Surrealism and Freud.

Reading: Barbara Tuchman, The Proud Tower, pp.3-126. V.I. Lenin

“The Revolutionary-Democratic Dictatorship of the Proletariat….”

https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1905/apr/12b.htm

Oct. 4th. The Urban Industrial Transformation: The American experience.

Reading: Tuchman pp. 129-322.

Oct. 11th. Film: Modern Times and class discussion

Oct 18th. Patterns of change: France, Germany and England

Readings: assigned chapters from Tuchman will be discussed in class.

Oct. 25th. The limits to freedom and the origins of Fascism.

Reading: Eric Fromm, Escape from Freedom.

Nov.1-8th. The meaning of freedom after the Holocaust.

Readings: Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning; Jean-Paul

“Existentialism is a Humanism” (1946).

https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/works/exist/sartre.htm

Nov. 15th. The sixties and beyond: self vs. society.

Reading: Philip Slater, “The Freedom Fix” from The Pursuit of

Loneliness: America Culture at the Breaking Point

Nov. 22nd. The rise of right-wing populism

Reading: Evan Osnos “The Fearful and the Frustrated” The New Yorker

(August 31, 2015).

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/08/31/the-fearful-and-the-frustrated

Nov. 29th. Class presentations.

Suggested Research Topics and Resources:

1.  Anarchism: Peter Kropotkin, Mutual Aid

2. Anarchism and Women’s Rights: Emma Goldman, Living My Life

2.  Communism: V.I. Lenin, “The Revolutionary-Dictatorship of the Proletariat….”

3.  Nazi Propaganda: Leni Riefenstahl, Triumph of the Will

4.  The Sixties: Abbe Hoffman, Revolution for the Hell of It

5.  American Individualism: Ayn Rand, Objectivism

6.  The Free Speech Movement: Mario Savio, The Free Speech Movement and the Negro Revolution

7.  Power to the People: Russell Brand, Revolution

8.  Freedom in Popular Culture: Paul Cantor, The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture: Liberty vs. Authority in American Film and TV.

9.  The perils of populism: Ruth Wodak, Right-Wing Populism in Europe