Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Hsu-Ming Teo
Contact via hsuming.teo@mq.edu.au
W6A 403
Monday 2-4pm, Tuesday 11-12pm or make an appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp or (6cp in HIST or MHIS or POL units at 200 level including 3cp in HIST or MHIS)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Beginning with the First World War, this unit offers a political, social, cultural and economic overview of Europe's relations with the wider world. It traces the obsession with race and empire in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and considers the post-colonial view that the twentieth century European civil wars were a result of European practices of colonialism turned inward. Was Europe indeed the 'dark continent' suggested by historian Mark Mazower? The crisis of European liberalism in the face of the Great Depression, Russian communism, the Spanish Civil War, fascism and Nazism, two world wars and the Holocaust support such a view, but the second half the century presents a more complicated picture. We look at the Cold War; the Americanisation of Europe and the fall of communism; the effects of decolonisation and post-colonial immigration on European societies; the breakdown of the postwar consensus and the rise of Islamist terrorism in the late twentieth century Europe.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Assignment submission
Double-spaced type and pages with wide margins (for comments) are preferred. Footnotes and bibliography are mandatory except for the final exam essay. Without these references, your essay will be failed or returned unmarked.
All assignments (except for the exam) must be submitted as Word documents via Turnitin on the MHIS321 iLearn site:
Detailed instructions on how to use Turnitin with can be found at:
http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm#submit_turnitin
Feedback will be provided via Grademark. Go to the following URL for instructions on how to view your feedback:
http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm#results
Extensions and penalties
If you anticipate any difficulty in meeting essay or exam deadlines, please contact me as early as possible. In exceptional circumstances, an extension may be granted, but you will require appropriate documentation such as a medical certificate. Otherwise, the penalty rate is 2% per day with a maximum penalty of 20%.
5% of credit will be deducted for assignments that exceed the word length by 10% or more. Assignments handed in early will not be marked and returned before the due date. Always keep a copy of your assessment tasks in case they get lost in the system.
Returning assignments
Assignments will be returned online via the MHIS321 iLearn site. For more information on how to view your marked assignments, see: http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm#results
Assignments will be marked and returned within three weeks of receipt.
Other information
Disruption to Studies
No work will be accepted for marking after Monday, 14 November unless you have submitted a request for Disruption to Studies with adequate and appropriate supporting evidence.
Please note that requests for disruption to studies are not granted automatically, and are reserved for unforeseen and serious circumstances such as prolonged illness, hospitalisation or bereavement in your immediate family. If you believe that you qualify for special consideration, please contact Dr Teo as soon as possible.
Attendance
Attendance at seminars is compulsory. Failure to meet these requirements may result in failure of the unit. All students are expected to make adequate preparation for each seminar, which includes completing the recommended readings before their tutorial. Attendance and participation in seminar discussions are worth 20% of the total mark for this unit. Failure to attend or participate in at least 70% of the seminars will result in a Fail grade for the entire course. Failure to complete a report for at least 70% of the weekly readings will result in a Fail grade for the entire course.
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Seminar participation | 10% | Weekly |
Report on readings | 10% | Weekly |
Class presentation of research | 10% | Week 5 |
Research proposal | 15% | 9am Monday, 5 September |
Research essay | 35% | Friday, 14 October, midnight |
1 hour in-class exam | 20% | Week 13, in class |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
Pass rate: students must attend at least 70% of seminar to pass this course.
Students are expected to participate in and lead seminar discussions throughout the semester. They should come to seminars prepared to share their ideas about the readings and questions that these may have raised, as well as resources relating to the readings that they have discovered.
The aim of this task is to assess your oral and written communication skills and your ability to work with others.
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
Pass rate: students must complete at least 70% of reading reports to pass this course.
Students are expected to keep workbook containing brief reports of each week’s readings. The report on each reading should not be more than 200-300 words long (i.e. usually one page in total for each tutorial). Each report should explain:
1. What is the reading about?
2. What is the argument presented about this topic? (i.e. How does the historian explain the cause, effects or consequences, or significance of the topic? What evidence and reasoning support this argument?)
Reports on the readings will be checked weekly by me or your group leader for that week. All students must submit their entire workbook for assessment by Week 13.
The aim of this task is to ensure that students have done the weekly readings and come to seminars adequately prepared to participate in class discussions. It will also enable me to check that students have understood the readings and the topics.
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 10%
This constitutes Part 1 of the Research Proposal.
Timing: 3 minutes maximum
Explain to the class your research project (see Part 2 for details):
Marking process: 5 marks will come from peer assessment, 5 marks from tutor
Due: 9am Monday, 5 September
Weighting: 15%
This constitutes Part 2 of the Research Proposal
Word length: 1500 words max, excluding bibliography
Students may choose either Option 1 (Primary Source) or Option 2 (Historiography). See MHIS321 iLearn site for marking rubrics.
Option 1: Primary source-based essay
Design a research essay question based on a primary source related to any topic in this course. You may choose from the list of sources suggested on the MHIS321 iLearn site under the Assessments tab, or you may find your own primary source. You can also see me to discuss suitable primary sources.
Submit a research project proposal including the following information:
1. The essay question you have designed. NB This must be a specific question, not a vague topic, because your essay will be marked according to the question you have designed.
2. One page (double spaced with adequate margins for marking) providing short answers to the following questions:
What is my topic about?
What primary source(s) will I need to find out more about my topic? Describe your primary sources’ contents, usefulness (and perhaps limitations).
What kind of historical background do I need to find out about so I can understand my primary sources and my topic?
What are the main secondary sources will I need to find out more about the historical background/context of my topic? (NB naming or discussing a few sources would be helpful.)
Are there other themes or issues I need to understand in order to explore this topic properly? E.g. do I need to find out more about changing gender roles? How propaganda works? What fascism or communism actually means and how these terms have changed over time or according to different countries?
3. A bibliography of secondary sources (not counted in word length) that includes:
Books: show evidence that you have located books about subjects relevant to your topic
Journal articles: show evidence that you have been able to use the library's Multisearch function or journal databases to locate journal articles relevant to your topic.
4. A self-assessment sheet for this project, found under the Turnitin assignment link on the iLearn website.
If you have not handled different kinds of primary sources before, the following website offers useful guides to different kinds of media even though it is focused on American history: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/browse/makesense/
The aim of this assignment is to assess your ability to design a creative and significant research project, identify the best way to achieve its objectives, identify some of the most important research materials to use, and shown good judgement in the kinds of historical sources required for 300-level university history essay.
Primary source material may include: letters, diaries, memoirs, newspaper reports, novels, films, documentaries (NB these often have historiographical components because they present a particular type of historical argument), artwork, or propaganda posters. The number of primary sources you should use will depend on how substantial they are; e.g. a memoir or novel is more substantial than a few propaganda posters or letters.
Option 2: Historiography
Option 2: Design a research essay question focusing on the historiographical controversy surrounding any of the following topics:
Whether Germany was to blame for the First World War
Whether a ‘gender war’ broke out before and during the First World War
Causes of the Russian Revolution
The extent of the Stalinist ‘Great Terror’
The debate over resistance and collaboration in Vichy France
Causes of the ‘Final Solution’: intentionalism, functionalism, eliminationist anti-Semitism, etc.
Whether the Holocaust is unique
Who was most responsible for starting the Cold War
Why communism fell in Eastern Europe and/or Russia
Whether Islamist terrorism is unique in Europe
Or you can pick a topic related to this course and explore the historiography of the subject.
NB Option 2 is generally more difficult because it requires you to read a lot of history, identify who are the main historians or what are the main issues of debate in this controversy, and then identifying and understanding different historians’ varying arguments about the subject.
Submit a research project proposal including the following information:
1. The essay question you have designed. NB This must be a specific question, not a vague topic, because your essay will be marked according to the question you have designed.
2. One page (double spaced with adequate margins for marking) providing short answers to the following questions:
What is my topic about?
Who are the most important historians in this field? Or what are the most important ‘schools’ of historical interpretation for this topic?
What questions or issues do they raise? What questions or issues of historical interpretation will you focus on?
What other kinds of sources in addition to the historiographical works can help you understand the historical background/context of this topic?
Are there other themes or issues I need to understand in order to explore this topic properly? E.g. do I need to find out more about changing gender roles? How propaganda works?
3. A bibliography of secondary sources (not counted in word length) which includes:
Books: show evidence that you have located books about subjects relevant to your topic
Journal articles: show evidence that you have been able to use the library's Multisearch function or journal databases to locate journal articles relevant to your topic.
4. A self-assessment sheet for this project, found under the Turnitin assignment link on the iLearn website.
This is a historiographical task which assesses whether students have understood the history of the topic; shown good judgement in the kinds of historical sources required for 300-level university history essay; and understood how and why different historians have different approaches to or interpretations of historical events.
Tips on getting started
Think about what topic you would like to explore and how you could do this using primary sources complemented by secondary research. For example, if you are interested in daily life in Nazi Germany, are there memoirs that you can use? You might try doing a database search in the library's catalogue, JSTOR, or Google Scholar for the keywords: Nazi Germany + autobiography or memoir. You might find the memoirs of Victor Klemperer or Albert Speer. Once you have located your primary source, think about how you can best analyse this and ask the following questions:
Who is my subject? When did they live, what did they do, what is their autobiography or memoir about, when did they write it, and how was it received? If the author is not well-known, how can you find out more about his/her background? Are there other secondary works dealing with a similar topic?
What do I need to know about the general history of Nazi Germany, or the history of everyday life under the Nazis, to make sense of this text, and to work out whether the author’s experience was exceptional or representative of others in a similar situation? E.g. If the memoir was about childhood, you might want to research "youth" and Nazi youth organizations to see how typical the author's childhood was, i.e. to contextualize the author's experiences. If the author was Jewish, naturally you'd want to research the experiences of Jews in the Third Reich as well. In other words, you now have several different types of searches to do for this topic.
Whatever source you choose, your emphasis should be on analysing the source within the context of wider secondary reading.
FAQ: Will I have to write my research essay based exactly on my research proposal?
Answer: Not necessarily. If the essay question is problematic or poorly worded, an alternative question will be provided when I mark your project proposal.
If your interest has changed by the time you start work on your research essay and you want to write about a different topic, you may do so. HOWEVER, be aware that you may be disadvantaging yourself in comparison to other students since you will not have the feedback provided after the project proposal. If you need help, get in contact with me!
Due: Friday, 14 October, midnight
Weighting: 35%
Word length: 3000 words max.
Essay question: self-designed from Assignment 1 - your research project proposal. See MHIS321 iLearn site for marking rubrics.
The aim of this task is to assess your research, analytical and synthesis skills as well as your understanding and interpretation of the historiography of one particular topic. It also assesses your ability to organize and communicate this information effectively in the formal of a formal, grammatically-correct, jargon-free, properly-referenced history essay.
Due: Week 13, in class
Weighting: 20%
Students are required to sit for a one-hour, open-book exam during the last seminar in Week 13. There will be one synoptic essay question along the lines of the following examples:
The aim of this task is to test your your ability to:
· understand important events and the overall significance of European history during the twentieth century
· organize and communicate this analysis of historiography in the formal of a formal, grammatically-correct, jargon-free, history essay.
No individual feedback will be given on the exam, but results and general feedback will be posted on the MHIS321 iLearn site.
iLearn: The MHIS321 website is accessed by logging in via https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/
Recordings of lectures will be uploaded to the MHIS321 iLearn site by the start of semester. Lecture notes can be accessed under the subheading ‘Lecture materials’ for each week.Students are expected to listen to the relevant lectures before attending seminars. Quizzes may be held on the content of lectures at the start of seminars.
Lecture times and locations
Internal day classes: students must attend ONE two-hour seminar at any of the following times.
Activity |
Day |
Time |
Room |
Seminar 1 |
Monday |
9-11am |
E4B 314 |
Seminar 2 |
Tuesday |
9-11am |
W6B 282 |
For current updates, lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetables website: http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/timetables
Required and recommended resources
All seminar readings have been uploaded as pdfs onto the MHIS321 website under each week’s seminar topic. No unit reader will be provided because of the new Faculty of Arts policy.
The library’s E-reserve (course code: MHIS321) holds many useful articles which will assist in the preparation of your essays. Most of the journal articles listed in this unit outline are available via the ‘Journal Finder’ link on the library’s main catalogue page: http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/
Week |
Beginning |
Seminar topic |
Related lectures (pre-recorded and available online) |
Assessment |
1 |
1 Aug |
Introduction |
Europe in the age of ‘high imperialism’ |
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2 |
8 Aug |
The First World War |
The First World War
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3 |
15 Aug |
Communism in Russia |
The Russian Revolution Stalin’s Russia |
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4 |
22 Aug |
Mussolini’s Italy |
Fascism in Italy
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5 |
29 Aug |
Class presentations of research project |
No lectures |
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6 |
5 Sep |
The Spanish Civil War |
Spain from republic to Civil War The Spanish Civil War |
Research proposal due Monday 5 Sep |
7 |
12 Sep |
Weimar and Nazi Germany |
The Weimar Republic The Nazis in power Nazism, race and gender |
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Mid-session break 19 Sep to 3 Oct |
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8 |
4 Oct |
Reading Week – no seminars |
No lectures
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9 |
10 Oct |
Occupied France |
The Coming of War The Second World War
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Research essay due Friday 14 Oct |
10 |
17 Oct |
The Holocaust and its aftermath |
The Holocaust Europe in the aftermath of war |
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11 |
24 Oct |
The failure and collapse of communism |
The Cold War The fall of communism |
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12 |
31 Oct |
Decolonization and migration |
Democracy and European integration Decolonisation, migration & race relations |
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13 |
7 Nov |
Terrorism in postwar Europe |
The breakdown of the postwar consensus Islam and Europe |
One hour in-class exam held this week |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Seminars start in Week 1.
The first seminar is an introductory seminar explaining the structure of the course and the nature of the assignments. Details for each seminar topic can be found on the MHIS321 iLearn site. Log in at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/
Lectures related to seminar topics are pre-recorded and available online. Students should listen to related lectures before attending seminars as there may be lecture-related quizzes at the start of each seminar.
Week 1: Introduction
No essential readings. We will discuss the assessments and other requirements for this unit.
Week 2: The First World War
Week 3: Communism in Russia
Week 4: Mussolini’s Italy
Week 5: Class presentation of research projects. Remember: The first assignment is due on Monday 5 September
Week 6: The Spanish Civil War.
Week 7: Weimar and Nazi Germany
Mary Fulbrook, History of Germany, 1918-2000: The Divided Nation, 2nd ed., ch. 3 ‘The Collapse of Democracy and the Rise of Hitler’, pp.37-54.
Either:
Or:
Mid-semester break: 19 September to 3 October
Week 8: Reading week - no lectures, readings or seminars
Week 9: Occupied France
Week 10: The Holocaust and its aftermath
Week 11: The failure & collapse of communism
Week 12: Decolonization and Migration
Week 13: Terrorism in Postwar Europe
Write a short summary of your chosen reading to present to your discussion group. Explain the following questions: