PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICA

Office: 513C Holland Hall

Office Hours: Tuesdays 8-10, Wednesdays 10:30-11:30.

Extension: 3236

There is a web version of this syllabus with links at http://www.stolaf.edu/people/kutulas/

This is a senior-level history course that will culminate in the research and writing of a term paper on a topic of your choice.Thus, in addition to studying history, we’ll study the writing of history.This go-round, I’ve defined “contemporary America” as beginning with 1960 and concluding with the Reagan years (anything more recent is generally defined as Political Science).We’ll look at the political, social, economic, and cultural changes that occur during these years, as well as find some historical continuities.I am a student of popular culture, so I use a lot of sources off-limits or un-useable in other History courses you might have taken – music, movies, and TV.

The assigned reading load is pretty light, three books, one of them quite fluffy.I expect each of you to augment with some additional reading as background and preparation for your term paper.Discussion is at the center of this class, so you need to come to class prepared to read and discuss the readings.I’ve also scheduled in a lot of videos, mostly documentaries, because recent US history has been so effectively captured in these portraits.If it seems like we aren’t getting enough talking time, I’ll reduce the number of these or edit them so that they don’t run the class hour.I have also reserved Holland 501 most Wednesday evenings in case we decide we’d like to see some of the fine feature films the era has to offer.

If you are taking this course for Women’s Studies or Media Studies or ARMS credit, your term paper topic will need to focus on a topic appropriate to complete that program’s requirements.

Course readings are:

Maurice Isserman and Michael Kazin, America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s.

Sarah Davidson, Loose Change: Three Women of the Sixties.

Bruce J. Schulman, The Seventies: The Great Shift in American Culture, Society, and Politics.

All are available in paperback.All are in the bookstore.If there aren’t enough copies, first contact David Gonnerman at the bookstore and then let me know.

Because this is a seminar, about 1/3^rd of your grade depends on regular class attendance and regular participation.Long after you’ve forgotten the details of post-war America, you’ll need seminar-type skills like critical reading, organizing ideas, and articulating your thoughts.Participating in discussion builds these skills.Another 1/3^rd of your grade will be based on shorter papers assigned over the span of the term.The final 1/3^rd will be your term paper, including a series of steps leading up to the term paper.If no one appears to be doing the reading, then I will build in some in-class exams, including a final, to rectify this.I really hate to do this and I’m sure you’d be even less fond of it as an option, so READ!

If you need special accommodations for learning disabilities or other problems, please let me know early in the semester.If you are sick or need to be elsewhere during class hour, please let me know.Know in advance though that no matter how legitimate a host of absences are they will impact your class performance and, ultimately, your grade.

Please note: Although otherwise fairly organized, I have a mental block about syllabus scheduling and often end up scheduling classes on Saturdays or confusing assignments.If something looks unexpected or wrong on the syllabus, point it out.

Also note (in case I forget to tell you in class), I didn’t always think the material in the readings grouped logically, but I decided it was just plain easier for all of us to read it straight through then jump around and read five pages here and ten there.So, we will not always have one clear topic for each day, but it will be a little like real life, somewhat without focus and messy.

This is not carved in stone, but subject to weather and mood changes, corrections due to bad planning, and the kinds of impulses that make classes come alive sometimes.

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

2/7 – Introduction

2/10 – Isserman/Kazin, chapters 1-2.

2/12 – Isserman/Kazin, chapters 3-4

2/14 – Isserman/Kazin, chapter 5.

2/17 – Video: Civil Rights.

2/19 – Isserman/Kazin, chapter 6-7.

2/21 – Documentary: Hearts and Minds (beginning)

2/24 – continued.

2/26 – continued, unless we all feel so devastated that we have to watch a clip of Sixties TV instead just to cheer us up.

2/28 – Isserman/Kazin – chapters 8-9.

3/3 – Video: Vietnam.TERM PAPER TOPICS DUE.

3/5 – Isserman/Kazin – chapters 10-11.

3/7 – Isserman/Kazin, chapter 12.

3/10 – Video: 1968.

3/12 – Isserman/Kazin – chapter 13.

3/14 – Isserman/Kazin – chapter 14.

3/17 – Video: Malcolm X.PAPER ON SIXTIES DUE.

3/19 – Video: Black Panthers.

3/21 – No class, but SURVEY OF SECONDARY LITERATURE ON TERM PAPER TOPIC IS DUE.

3/31 – Davidson – parts 1-2.

4/2 – Documentary: Berkeley in the Sixties.

4/7 – Bibliographic instruction with Elizabeth Hutchins – meet at library, specific instructions to follow – remind me.

4/9 – Davidson – parts 3-4 and more Berkeley in the Sixties.

4/14 – Schulman – chapters 1-2.

4/16 – Video: Watergate.

4/18 – Schulman – chapters 3-4.

4/23 – Schulman – chapters 5-6.

4/25 – Popular culture day – music and TV.

4/28 – Schulman – chapter 7.

4/30 – Schulman – chapters 8-9.PAPER ON THE SEVENTIES DUE.

5/2 through 5/12 – Individual work days – no class meetings.

5/14 – Class reconvenes.

Rough drafts: Anyone who wants me to offer comments on a full or partial paper draft is welcome to submit one provided you get it to me no later than 5/7.

Term papers are due to me during the scheduled final exam time, Monday, May 19^th by 11 a.m.NO EXCEPTIONS.