http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/gbi/gbisyl20.html
This book is in the MSU Bookstore. You should get it immediately.
You should read Chapter 1 by Thursday, January 23.
Check the Homework Page for assignments on these readings.
There will be many other required readings in this course. All will be in digital format. You will download them from the Internet or from our Canvas page.
The course description in the catalog is very general. I have chosen to interpret it in an interesting way.
4. Attendance and Class Participation.Linebaugh and Rediker's book is a study, and re-interpretation, of the history of the "Atlantic world" -- West Africa, the Caribbean, the East Coast of North America, and England, from about 1550 to about 1830. This is the period of time that is supposed to be covered in GBI2.
I will refer to The Many-Headed Hydra as "MHH" during this class.
MHH is a "history from below." It relates history from the perspective of the majority, the working masses, the poor, rather than from the perspective of the elite -- the wealthy and the rulers, the powerful. From the perspective of the exploited, rather than from that of the exploited. This is what makes MHH exciting and valuable. It has drawn both great praise and harsh criticism. Both the praise and the criticism reflect the values and perspectives of the critics, too.
Linebaugh and Rediker use many political and, especially, literary texts in their discussion. We will read some of them, as well as MHH, and in conjunction with it.
Linebaugh and Rediker also refer to many interesting secondary sources, or works of criticism and history -- of scholarship -- while discussing these texts. We will read some of them, too.
Rather than lectures, our classes will be mainly
Participation by the whole class in discussions is a must if the classes are to be interesting and worthwhile.
5. Attendance Policy.I will take attendance in class each day.
Excused and Unexcused Absences
Three unexcused absences will lower the final grade by one grade (e.g. "A" becomes "A-"); five unexcused absences lowers it by one letter (e.g. "A" becomes "B").
If you cannot attend class for whatever reason, I expect you to let me know by email; by phone; or in person before class. If this is impossible, leave a message the same day as the class. If you do this, your absence will be "excused."
If you fail, or forget, to do this, your absence will be "unexcused."
How To Inform Me of Your Absence (preferably beforehand, but no later than the same day).Email me at furrg - AT - mail.montclair.edu, with the following Subject line: Lastname GB [date of class you are absent] Absent For example: Subject: Robinson GB February 21 Absent That way I'll be able to recognize, file, and later find, your email, and so give you credit for an "excused absence." |
If you are late for class -- after I have taken attendance - - I will count it as an "unexcused" absence unless you remember to tell me, at the end of that same class, that you came late.
If you forget to do this, your recorded absence will remain. I do this because lateness disrupts the class and group discussions.
The first two times you are late for a class, I will warn you. After that, I will count your lateness as an "unexcused" absence.
Please do not be consistently late.
These assignments will be put on our web page after the end of the previous class.
They'll be shorter assignments, typically 300 or 350 words but sometimes 500 - 600 words. In them you'll be asked
- to write about one or two passages in the book we are discussing, and
- to email your assignment both to me and to the other members of your discussion group.
You'll be asked to do this by the previous evening before the class so that you can have time the day of the class, but before the class, to access your account and read the assignments from the other members of your group.
This means every student will have both written on the passages to be discussed, AND read the responses from the other members of his/her group. This greatly enriches the discussions!
You will use email very extensively in this course. All writing assignments will be submitted by email.
Be sure to "send a copy to yourself" of ALL your homework assignments!
This will permit you to send your assignments to everyone in your group, and for you to read their assignments. This, in turn, will make group discussions much better!
As outlined above, you will have one essay on each book.
In addition, you will have two shorter writing assignments per week, which you will send me and your group. These will be assigned in advance, and will center on passages which we will discuss at the following class session.
This means that everyone in class will have read the book in its entirety by the time we come to discuss it.
In addition, every student will have reread, and written on, the specific passages under discussion at each class session. This makes class discussions far more fruitful.
8. Feedback on Biweekly Assignments.
Normally I do not make comments on the biweekly assignments, since I get about 75 of them twice a week. But I will be glad to give you feedback when you specifically request it.
If you want my comments or feedback of any kind on a biweekly assignment, please type
Comment Requested
at the end of the Subject Line of your HW assignment.
A final exam will be given, in class and during regular class time, during the final week of this course.
The final grade for the course will be composed of:
It may be easiest for you to email me at my email address: furrg - AT - mail - dot - montclair - dot - edu
Remember to put your last name, the letters GB2 (no space between letters), and the date the assignment is due -- NOT the date you are sending it to me, on the Subject line of every email to me.
I will return, without grading or counting them, all messages sent to me without a proper Subject Line. See the example on our Home Page.
Sometimes you just have a question or comment that can be handled without seeing me personally. If so, email me and I'll get back to you within 24 hours. I check my email at least once a day, usually twice.
But there will be times you want to see me in person.
Back to Home Page for Great Books and Ideas II, Spring 2020.
Go here to the Homework Page.
http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/gbi/gbisyl20.html | Email me | modified 17 Jan 20