HIST 460/560 Winter 2007 CRN 22334/22353 |
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AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY: THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
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Brief DescriptionDo you believe that people control their own destinies or do you believe we are "born that way"? Whatever your answer, you are a participant in the nature-nurture debate, a historical conversation that has endured tenaciously in the west in spite of frequent declarations that it is over. Scientists, philosophers, theologians, and parents are still trying to figure out whether the sources of personhood are in our blood and bones, our kin and communities, or our cultural and temporal surroundings. What exactly is the nature of human nature? This course will consider “nature” and “nurture” as keywords in intellectual history and explore how they have infused a wide range of debates about the meanings of personhood, equality, merit, and democracy. The first few weeks will be devoted to exploring how major religious, philosophical, and scientific traditions have shaped the debate over time. During the rest of the term, we will ask how nature and nurture have shaped twentieth-century American thought, policies, and social institutions in several consequential arenas of "real life": reproduction and eugenics; intelligence and education; sex, gender, and the body. |
Writing RequirementsThere are two major writing assignments: an 8-10 page essay and a take-home final exam. The essay will take the form of a book review. Students are required to read and write about one book on the subject of nature and nurture other than those required for the course. Students may choose from a list of recommended readings, or select a title on their own. (Students who choose the second option must obtain the instructor's approval in person or by email.) The deadline for making this choice is February 6, 2007 and students are required to turn in a brief statement (approximately one paragraph) about the book they have chosen on that day. The essay itself is due on February 22, 2007. The final week of the course will be devoted to brief student presentations about these essays. Students may find it helpful to read the following guidelines for Writing Book Reviews. In addition, students are expected to turn in weekly logs consisting of at least one paragraph and several questions about the reading for the week. The logs may be turned in at any time during the week they are due. They will not be accepted, or given credit, after that. The final exam will consist of essay questions that integrate major themes from the course as a whole. It will be handed out in class on Thursday, March 15, 2007 and will be due at noon on Monday, March 19, 2007 in 321 McKenzie Hall. Graduate students enrolled in HIST 560 will negotiate additional written work in consultation with the instructor. Please note that most of the written work required in this course is due near or at the end of the term. Please plan your time accordingly. |
Reading RequirementsThe following books are available for purchase at the UO Bookstore. They have also been placed on reserve in Knight Library. Many article-length readings are available online and are linked to the course calendar. Others are posted on the Blackboard website for this course, as indicated. Michael D’Antonio, The State Boys Rebellion: The Inspiring True Story of American Eugenics and the Men Who Overcame It (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004). Joanne Meyerowitz, How Sex Changed: A History of Transsexuality in the United States (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002). Leslie Stevenson, ed. The Study of Human Nature: A Reader, 2nd rev. ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002). Leslie Stevenson and David L. Haberman, Ten Theories of Human Nature, 4th ed (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004). |
RulesAcademic Honesty Lateness Policy Accommodations |
Gradesattendance and participation: 10% |