Western Cultures and Civilizations: Renaissance to Present

Spring 2007

Traditions and Cultures 103

(Western Cultures and Civilizations: Renaissance to Present):

The German-Speaking World:

Culture, Conflict, and Consciousness

Potential instructors

David Chisholm

Albrecht Classen

Barbara Kosta

Thomas Kovach

Steven Martinson

Kathrin Maurer

Course description:

This course will introduce you to the history and culture of the German-speaking world from the Middle Ages to the present. You’ll be reading about the historical events and developments that have shaped this part of Europe, and some literary and other cultural texts that reflect those developments. No knowledge of German is required, and all readings, lectures, and discussions will be in English.

Evaluation:

The course grade will be based on the following formula:

Quizzes — 20%

Two 5-page papers (on topics to be approved by the instructor) — 15% each

· The first paper may be rewritten for a higher grade if students choose to do so.

· Honors students may sign a contract for Honors credit, requiring them to expand the second paper to 10 pages, and to do some research as part of the assignment. In that case, this second paper will count for 20% of the grade, and the midterm for 20% as well.

Midterm and Final exams — 25% each.

Required texts (available at ASUA Bookstore)

Hagen Schulze, Germany: A New History

Electronic Reserves (ERes)

The readings marked “ERes” are available online through the UA Library’s Electronic Reserves system. To access them, go to http://eres.library.arizona.edu/eres/courseindex.aspx?page=search , and then you can search either by instructor or by course (TRAD 103). You’ll be asked for the course password. Then you can click on the text you want to access. Please print out all readings so that you can have a copy to underline, make notes, bring to class for discussions, etc.

Policies

· Plagiarism. In any written work handed in for class (both papers and exams), it is expected that all wording and ideas be your own, unless you have explicitly credited your source. Unless you have made special arrangements, it is assumed that any work turned in for this class was composed exclusively for this class, and not recycled from an earlier assignment in another class. For more information, please consult http://w3.arizona.edu/~studpubs/policies/cacaint.htm#ProhibitedConduct and http://www.u.arizona.edu/~debraw/300_presession/plagiarism.htm.

· Special Needs. Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to participate fully in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center (http://drc.arizona.edu/) and provide the instructor with appropriate documentation in advance of exam or any other required course activity for which accommodations are being requested.

· Cell phones and pagers, classroom behavior. If you bring these to class, it is your responsibility to see to it that the ringer is turned off prior to class. Failure to do this may result in loss of attendance credit; if this happens more than once, you will be asked to leave class. Students engaging in private conversations while class is in session, or engaging in other disruptive behavior, may be asked to leave class; if this occurs, the class will be recorded as an unexcused absence for that student.

· Absences. Absences due to holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be excused for students who show affiliation with that particular religion, provided advance notice is given to the instructor. Absences due to illness will be excused provided documentation is presented to the instructor; if notice is given to the instructor by e-mail or phone prior to class, this requirement may be waived at the instructor’s discretion.

· Threatening behavior by students. You should familiarize yourselves with the policies stated on the following website: http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml