Course syllabus

Canvas information is currently for enrolment purposes. The full syllabus, containing the course schedule and lists of readings, may be downloaded here


HISTORY 103/G: Global History

SEMESTER 1, 2018

15 points

 
Course Convenor: 

Professor Jonathan Scott -  jonathan.scott@auckland.ac.nz

Lecturers:

Associate Professor Malcolm Campbell - m.campbell@auckland.ac.nz

Dr Joseph Zizek -  j.zizek@auckland.ac.nz

 Tutors:

Ella Arbury earb003@aucklanduni.ac.nz; Kieran Sinclair ksin682@aucklanduni.ac.nz; Jake Bransgrove jbra467@aucklanduni.ac.nz

 

Class Times

History 103/103G has two one-hour lectures per week:

  • Wednesdays at 4.00 pm and Thursdays at 3.00 pm

plus

  • A one-hour tutorial each week, commencing Week 2 of semester.

Please confirm all rooms and times on Student Services Online

 

Course Objectives and Content:              

At Stage I we introduce students to some of the basic aspects of the study of history. This course focuses on the period from the late 15th century, when the global integration of communities began to take shape. It considers developments which increasingly bound the fates of all peoples together, including the emergence of world trade networks, the growth of world religions, the formation of world empires, and the migrations of peoples across the continents. Through the thematic and chronological study of global history it is anticipated that students will gain a deeper understanding of the issues that affect their daily lives.

You will obtain an overview of key developments in global history since the fifteenth century. You will also learn that history is not merely concerned with finding out what happened but also with trying to explain how and why things happened. You will, therefore, be introduced to some of the varying interpretations of historians who have written on the subject which you are studying. Where appropriate, you will also be introduced to some primary materials to show the kinds of evidence on which historians base their interpretations and explanations.

Skill outcomes:

An important element of Stage I courses is to impart skills that a historian needs and that can also be used in other fields which require the assimilation, assessment and presentation of information. These skills include:

  • The effective use of the library and information technology and the opportunity to develop and use information literacy competencies in learning contexts and assessments
  • The ability to take notes from lectures and secondary sources
  • The ability to reference work in accurate footnotes/endnotes and bibliographies
  • The ability to present a reasoned argument, written in standard English and based upon evidence

Course Objectives:

  • To present students with an historical overview of the sequence of commercial, cultural, environmental and political events that have brought the peoples of the world together since the fifteenth century
  • To examine the nature of the encounters between peoples of different cultures over time
  • To familiarise students with some of the principal concepts which determined the course of modern history such as imperialism, industrialisation, nationalism, democracy, communism, indigenous rights and globalisation
  • To develop students' ability to discuss their ideas in a range of both written and oral forms
  • To improve students ability to write an academically accredited piece of work

 

Coursework Requirements

Assessment will consist of weekly tutorial tests, an essay, and an end-of-semester examination. Marks are distributed as follows:

20% = Tutorial Quizzes: 10 weekly quizzes @ 2% each     

30% = Essay (1,500 words), due 27 April 

50% = Examination (2 hours, essay-type), held during University Examination Period       

 

Lecture Schedule (provisional):

 

Week 1:

Wednesday 28 February   Introduction (Jonathan Scott)

Thursday 1 March            A World in Motion (Joe Zizek)

Week 2:

Wednesday 7 March      Empires of Islam, 1500-1800 (Jonathan Scott)

Thursday 8 March          China (Jonathan Scott w/ video by Melissa Inouye)

Week 3:

Wednesday 14 March      Iberian Colonisation of the Americas (Jonathan Scott)

Thursday 15 March          Empires of Commerce (Joe Zizek)

Week 4:

Wednesday 21 March      Cultural change in Europe (Jonathan Scott)

Thursday 22 March         Empires of culture (Joe Zizek)

Week 5:

Wednesday 28 March      Second Stage Empire (Jonathan Scott)      

Thursday 29 March         Atlantic Revolutions (Jonathan Scott)

Mid Semester Break

Week 6 

Wednesday 18 April      Revolutionary Dominoes (Joe Zizek)

Thursday 19 April         Industrialisation (Jonathan Scott)

Week 7:

Wednesday 25 April     NO LECTURE: ANZAC DAY

Thursday 26 April         Pacific Environments (Jonathan Scott)    

 

                              ***Essay Due 4pm Friday 27 April***

Week 8: 

Wednesday 2 May       Technologies of Empire (Joe Zizek)

Thursday 3 May          Restoration and Revolution in Meiji Japan (Ellen Nakamura)

Week 9:

Wednesday 9 May         Global Migrations (Malcolm Campbell)

Thursday 10 May         Global Cities (Joe Zizek)

Week 10:

Wednesday 16 May       Global War (Malcolm Campbell)  

Thursday 17 May         Twentieth Century Revolutions (Joe Zizek)

Week 11:

Wednesday 23 May       Decolonisation (Malcolm Campbell)

Thursday 24 May       Genocide (Jonathan Scott)

Week 12:

Wednesday 30 May       Global Humanity or Broken World? (Joe Zizek)

Thursday 31st May       Overview and Exam Information (Jonathan Scott)

 

 

Course Textbook (available from UBS)

R. McNeill and William H. McNeill, The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World History, W. W. Norton and Co., New York, 2003.

 

Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.

Course summary:

Date Details Due