Jeffrey McClurken
\nOffice: GW 105
\nOffice Hours: By appointment (x1475)<\/p>\n
Course Description<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n This course examines historically oriented motion pictures as both primary and secondary sources of information about the past. It starts from the premise that the content in films, as with written sources, can (and should) be critically analyzed for its perspectives, interpretive choices, biases, and reliability. The course examines the relative successes or failures that major films have had in portraying the past, and analyzes how present events, cultures and attitudes shape our view of the past. As historians we typically analyze and use traditional primary and secondary sources (e.g., historical documents and scholarly articles and monographs); it is possible and helpful to apply many of those same skills (and much of the same skepticism) to our approaches to non-traditional sources, such as these films. This course counts in the History major and the American Studies major, as well as the Honors Program.<\/p>\n Departmental Learning Objectives<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Honors Program Objectives<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n As part of the Honors Program, this course also will help students to formulate an academic argument with appropriate research documentation; articulate the value of the goals of the honors program as it relates to the liberal arts as an multidisciplinary, systematic approach to knowledge; apply specific academic solutions to broader, interdisciplinary fields of study; integrate multiple viewpoints involving different cultures and\/or perspectives.<\/p>\n Course Requirements<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Students are expected to attend all classes, read all assigned texts, watch all assigned films, and participate in class (including posting to the course wiki). They are also expected to create a digital research project and take a midterm and a final. [Projects are due at the start of class on the day they are due. Projects are considered late if posted or changed anytime<\/strong> after they are due. Late projects will be penalized one full letter grade or, after 24 hours, not accepted.]<\/p>\n Films<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Each week we will be discussing a particular movie. I have reserved HCC 328 from 6 to 10 pm on Tuesday nights if any of you would like to check the movie out from the library reserves and watch it together there. Regardless, you will have to make arrangements to see the movie somehow, including watching it on your own (borrowing my copy outside of the 6-10 Tuesday slot) or streaming it from Netflix\/Amazon\/Hulu, or some other service. However, be warned that not all of these movies (such as Matewan) are readily available elsewhere. Watching these movies is your responsibility, so don\u2019t wait until the last minute to figure out how you will watch it! Even if you have seen a movie before, you should watch it again. You will see new things about it when you are watching with a critical eye.<\/strong> [Note that there are no movies to watch outside class during weeks 1, 8, or 13.]<\/p>\n Discussions<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Students are expected to attend all Thursday discussion classes having watched the movie for that week, having read the material, and having prepared 2-3 questions, comments, or potential debate topics. These should be posted to the appropriate week in the class wiki no later than 5 AM on Thursdays (http:\/\/bit.ly\/329_2018<\/a>). The questions\/comments\/topics should be aimed at provoking class discussions on the reading and the movies. [Since the goal is to prepare you for class discussion, late questions will not be accepted.] Class participation requires actively <\/strong>participating in these discussions, watching the movies, submitting questions\/comments\/topics, and co-leading one of those Thursday discussions<\/strong>. Bonus participation points will be available if you Tweet reactions while watching the movies with the hashtag #HIST329.<\/p>\n <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Final Grades<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Final grades will be determined based on class participation, including leadership of class discussion (30%), on performance on the midterm and final exams (20% each), as well as on the online, research-based historical analysis of a film (30%). [Unsatisfactory mid-semester reports will be reported for anyone with a grade of D or below on work completed at that time.] Completion of all assignments is required to pass the class.<\/p>\n Texts<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Robert Brent Toplin, Reel History<\/em>.<\/p>\n Many other readings are available as online selections linked to from the course site.<\/p>\n Research Project Assignment<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n You must create an original online research project analyzing a particular film dealing with a United States History topic. Much as we will do in class each week, your project should analyze the portrayal of the past in the film, exploring the perspective (including biases or objectives) of the filmmakers, the historical accuracy of the portrayal (in a detailed and a broad sense), and the relative success and reliability of the film as a primary and secondary source of historical information. You should use a combination of primary and secondary sources for your evidence. You must cite all images, clips, facts, ideas, paraphrasing, and quotes, in footnotes and bibliography, using either Turabian (9th<\/sup> edition) or the Chicago Manual of Style <\/em>(17th<\/sup> edition), including the movies themselves and any reviews of them that you have used. [For more details on citations, see the history department resource guide at http:\/\/cas.umw.edu\/historyamericanstudies\/history-department-resources\/quotations-footnotes-and-endnotes\/<\/a> and the resource page created by Jack Bales<\/a>, our amazing Reference Librarian.]<\/p>\n 1) Your project must be presented online as blog pages in a WordPress site created within your Domain of One\u2019s Own<\/a> account. Let me know where it is located–in other words, what is its URL\/web address?\u2014by the start of class on Thursday,<\/strong> Sept. 6<\/strong>. [Don\u2019t have a Domain of One\u2019s Own account or need a refresher? See here<\/a>. Or the Digital Knowledge Center<\/a> can help you get started.]<\/p>\n 2) Your historical film choice and bibliographic citations of ten or more significant (non-encyclopedic) sources are due by the start of class on Thursday, September 13<\/strong> for my approval. Failure to successfully complete this assignment on time will result in a full letter grade off of your research project grade<\/strong>. [Since I will only approve one person to work on a particular movie, you should probably request approval for your movie via email before September 6<\/strong>.] There is a list of potential choices at the end of the syllabus and the list of movies already taken will be at the course blog at http:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/329\/films-for-research-project\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n 3) The research project (1,500-2,500 words, not including citations and bibliography, with at least one \u201cgreenscreened\u201d video clip with your commentary\/critique<\/em><\/strong>) is due at the start of class on Tuesday, November 6<\/strong>. [Worth 30% of overall class grade.] The Honor Pledge and your name should be clearly visable. Projects will be graded on content (including originality and the quality and use of evidence), historical analysis and quality of the video clip(s), additional multimedia features, overall site presentation, grammar, and proper formatting for historical writing (including footnotes and bibliography). [Again the DKC<\/a> can help with technical aspects of these projects, including the video clip<\/a>.]<\/p>\n 4) By Tuesday, November 20<\/strong> everyone needs to have looked at the other projects. The class will vote on the top 5-8 projects. These will join the 20+ projects picked from the 2008-2016 classes in an online US History in Film site. More on this later in the semester<\/p>\n Honor Code<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n I believe in the Honor Code as an essential, positive component of the Mary Washington experience. You should know that if you cheat or plagiarize in this class, you will fail, and I will take you to the Honor Council. So, do not do it. On the other hand, I also believe that having friends or family read and comment on your writing can be extremely helpful and falls within the bounds of the Honor Code (assuming the writing itself remains yours). If you have questions about these issues, then you should talk to me sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n Accommodations<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The Office of Disability Resources has been designated by the college as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you receive services through the Office of Disability Resources and require accommodations for this class, make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Bring your accommodation letter, along with a copy of our class syllabus with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. Title IX <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I am committed to supporting students and upholding the University\u2019s Policy on Sexual and Gender Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. Under Title IX and this Policy, discrimination based upon sex or gender is prohibited. If you experience an incident of sex or gender based discrimination, I encourage you to report it. While you may talk to me, understand that as a \u201cResponsible Employee\u201d of the University, I MUST report to UMW\u2019s Title IX Coordinator what you share. If you wish to speak to someone confidentially, please contact the below confidential resources. They can connect you with support services and help you explore your options. You may also seek assistance from UMW\u2019s Title IX Coordinator. Please visit http:\/\/diversity.umw.edu\/title-ix\/ to view UMW\u2019s Policy on Sexual and Gender Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence and to find further information on support and resources.<\/p>\n On-Campus Resources<\/strong> Myranda Thomson, Title IX Deputy for Students, Area Coordinator, 540-654-1184, mthomson@umw.edu<\/p>\n Confidential Resources <\/strong> Student Health Center, Lee Hall 112<\/p>\n Off Campus<\/strong> Recording Policy Statement<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In this class, students may not make audio or video recordings of any course activity unless the student has an approved accommodation from the Office of Disability Resources permitting the recording class meetings. In such cases, the accommodation letter must be presented to the instructor in advance of any recording being done and all students in the course will be notified whenever recording will be taking place. Students who are permitted to record classes are not permitted to redistribute audio or video recordings of statements or comments from the course to individuals who are not students in the course without the express permission of the faculty member and of any students who are recorded. Distribution without permission is a violation of educational privacy law. This policy is consistent with UMW\u2019s Policy on Recording Class and Distribution of Course Materials.<\/p>\n Food and Housi<\/b>n<\/b>g<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the Office of Student Life (x1200) for support. Furthermore, please notify me (if you are comfortable in doing so). This will enable me to help connect you to those resources.<\/p>\n Digital Knowledge Center<\/span> The Digital Knowledge Center (DKC) provides UMW students with peer tutoring on digital projects and assignments. Any student at the University can take advantage of the Center\u2019s services by scheduling an appointment to work one-one-one or in a group with a student tutor; when a tutor is available, the Center also provides walk-in assistance. Tutorials can cover a wide-range of topics related to common digital systems, technologies, new media, and tools used in courses at UMW; the Center also provides training to students interested in learning how to use the Advanced Media Production Studio (HCC 115). DKC tutors adhere to the UMW Honor Code in all tutorials; they are available to provide guidance and advice, but they cannot create, produce, or edit work on a student\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n Writing Center<\/span> The UMW Writing Center offers assistance on all types of writing projects.<\/p>\n Speaking Center<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n UMW Libraries<\/span> Help Desk<\/span> US History in Film (Honors) Fall 2018 HIST 329 9:30-10:45 TR HCC 329 Jeffrey McClurken Office: GW 105 Office Hours: By appointment (x1475) Course Description This course examines historically oriented motion pictures as both primary and secondary sources of information about the past. It starts from the premise that the content in films, as with … <\/p>\n\n
\nIf you have not made contact with the Office of Disability Resources and have reasonable accommodation needs, (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.), I will be happy to refer you. The office will require appropriate documentation of disability.<\/p>\n
\nTiffany W. Oldfield, J.D., Title IX Coordinator, Office of Title IX, Fairfax House, 540-654-5656, toldfiel@umw.edu<\/p>\n
\nTalley Center for Counselling Services, Lee Hall 106<\/p>\n
\nEmpowerhouse, 540-373-9373
\nRCASA — 540-371-1666<\/p>\n
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\nReadings and class schedule<\/a><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"