HIS 8295-001 Seminar European Historiography

CRN 35207 M 7:30-9:30 pm Dr. Johnson

The course is designed to introduce students to several major themes and approaches in European historiography, focusing mainly but not exclusively on modern Europe. We will read and discuss some of the most significant classic examples of European historical writing as well as more recent innovative works which are currently shaping the discipline. Each student will be expected to contribute actively to class discussions as well as to prepare an oral report analyzing in detail the ideological assumptions and methodology of a specific historical work.

The course is also intended to help students develop their analytic writing skills. Accordingly, each student will be expected to write two short review papers, one of which will be based on the same book discussed in the oral report, as well as a longer critical bibliographical essay of approximately 15-20 pages. The latter, which will be presented in draft form and then revised, will discuss the development of a particular school of historiography or compare several different approaches to a particular historical issue.

There is no examination in the course; the grade will be based on class participation (10%), oral report (10%), short papers (20% each), and bibliographical essay (first draft -- 10%; final revision -- 30%). The papers will be evaluated according to criteria which we will discuss in class.

Works to be discussed include but are not limited to the following:

Alexis de Tocqueville, The Old Regime and the French Revolution

Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

Alfred Crosby, The Columbian Exchange

Erik Erikson, Young Man Luther

Natalie Zemon Davis, The Return of Martin Guerre

Joan Scott & Louise Tilly, Women, Work & Family

William Sheridan Allen, The Nazi Seizure of Power