Module 1

Module One

 

Welcome to fall and to this exploration we will call “Modern Times.” A couple of general tips and guidelines for success in this online class:

 

* Please be sure to check your NDNU email frequently so you don’t miss important communications.

 

* All assignments and course activities will be contained in weekly Modules, beginning with this one, and these will be sent to you via email and also posted on the class website, located at:

 

https://ndnuMT.blogspot.com

 

* We will not be using Moodle. 

 

* Unless otherwise stated, all Modules will be posted on or before Mondays, and assignments will be due on the following Sunday at 11pm. For this first week, for example, Module 1 is being posted on or by Monday, August 31, and Module 1 assignments are due by 11pm on Sunday, September 6. Please plan your study time accordingly so you don’t get behind.

 

1) Your first assignment for this week is to create your own blog,which is where you will post your assignments and where we will all have opportunities to interact together. Instructions for creating your own blog site are below. Yes, you must create a new blog for this class even if you already have one from a different class. 

 

 

How to Set Up Your Online Reading Journal – aka Your Blog!

 

 

1) Go to www.blogger.com.

 

2) If you already have a Google account, use it to log in. If you do not, follow the on-screen instructions to create one. Make sure you write down your Google account name and password for later use.

 

3) Once you’ve logged in to blogger.com, follow the on-screen instructions to create a “new blog.”

 

            The title of your blog can be anything you want

            The unique part of your address should be something simple like gregsworldhistoryblog

            Your full blog address will be:

                        http://__________.blogspot.com

                        example: http://gregsworldhistoryblog.blogspot.com

 

            If you are asked whether you want to register or monetize your blog, etc., just say no.

 

4) Now that your blog exists, open up your email account and email the blog’s address to me. Remember, your address begins with http:// and ends with .blogspot.com, just like the blog address of the class website. My email address is pandrews@ndnu.edu.

 

5) Log out of your blog and log back in again to make sure it all works OK. Then click on the icon to make your first post as described later in this Module.

 

6) You’re done!

 

 

2) Your second assignment for this week is to introduce yourself to each other and to me.This introduction will be your first post in your new blog. You’ll do a lot of sharing of ideas this semester as we examine the Modern world from multiple points of view. Let’s begin, then, by reflecting on yourself as an individual (a rather Modern concept)… how do you think? how do you learn? who are you?Reflect on yourself as person situated in space and time… what is the context of your life? how has your adjustment to pandemic life been? how has the person you are been conditioned by the place and time in which you experience existence? Reflect on your personal journey (also a rather Modern concept)… where is there movement in your life? where is there stasis? what are your aspirations, and do you see them playing out in a world you would describe as “modern”? You don’ have to answer all of these questions… they are just a way to get you thinking about how you might introduce yourself in the context of a class on modern times.

 

I’ll post my own introduction to the class website. I look forward to reading yours on your own blogs.

 

 

3)Finally, let’s begin to define our subject. The “modernity” we will be looking at this semester is the historical phenomenon of the modern period. You learned about this in your World History classes. The Modern period is traditionally seen as beginning with the European Renaissance. But by its very nature, that renaissance had deep roots in Europe’s Classical Greek past… we can’t understand the modern world without taking a look at its roots. 

 

With that in mind, please read this chapter from Plato’s Republic, in which a dialogue unfolds about the various kinds of governments, including democracy. (Democracy is yet another very Modern concept, and one with deep Classical roots.)

 

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.9.viii.html

 

Also read this short article about Aristotle’s thoughts on democracy.

 

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/philosophy/aristotles-thinking-on-democracy-has-more-relevance-than-ever

 

After doing these readings,write a blog post reflecting on “modernity.” What is it? Does it make sense to mark the beginning of the modern period with the European Renaissance? How would you summarize the positions of Plato and Aristotle on democracy? Why do you suppose these kinds of writings resonated for some Europeans who lived during the late Medieval period and early years of the Renaissance? Do some research online and see if you can learn which classes of Renaissance Europeans were the ones who read Classical philosophy like Plato and Aristotle… how did Europeans at the time obtain translations of these Classical Greek texts?

 

 

That’s it for this week. I wish you a good start to the semester. And please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you have questions about this class.

 

Patti Andrews

Syllabus

HST 2410-01 Modern Times (3 units)                                                   

Fall 2020 -- Online                                                                

Office hours by Zoom by arrangement

Class website: http://NDNUmt.blogspot.com                                        

Instructor: Patti Andrews

Email: pandrews@ndnu.edu

 

Course Summary

This course will be both an introduction to the idea of modernity and an attempt to understand the environment that it fostered. We will explore the emergence of the modern world and its roots in classical thought, so much of which still guides Western thinking today… or does it? We will look at some of the non-Western traditions that facilitated modern endeavors, at the embrace and critique of this turbulent period, and at the Enlightenment ideals that guided it. Can we identify some of the tensions that drove this period forward? Can we discern similar tensions moving our world today? These times we call “modern” saw a massive transformation of social, political, and cultural life; an expansion of personal freedom for many even as we developed the means to obliterate us all; the rise of a consumer society that threatened to bury ideals beneath a welter of possessions. We will consider such topics as the development of modern identities; the relationship of modernity and the West, of modernity and whiteness; democracy and totalitarianism; the rise of social ideologies such as Freudianism and Marxism; the individual in society; mass culture; consumerism; and the emergence of a world many no longer recognize as distinctively “modern.” Where does that leave us this pandemic election year? I look forward to exploring the and other questions with you all this semester.

 

Texts

Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions– any edition

All other texts will be available online and assigned in weekly Modules.

 

Learning Objectives

·      Demonstrate understanding of the idea of modernity

·      Demonstrate knowledge of the main contours of social, political, intellectual, and cultural developments of the modern period (PLO 3)*

·      Understand the historical origins of the social, intellectual, and political issues and movements that remain central to Western life (PLO 2)

·      Develop skills in analyzing and discussing a variety of primary sources – from documents to memoirs, from films to paintings (PLO 4, 5)

 

Requirements

This is a participatory class. You can participate in a number of ways – reading, thinking and engaging in online class discussions, both written and verbal. You’ll also have opportunities for creative responses to the material. Midterm and final exams will assess your retention of the material as well as your ability to apply it material to real-world scenarios. Presentation Modules will facilitate sharing of insights and experiences.

 

Evaluation

               Exams                                                        2 @ 100 points = 200           20%

               Weekly Modules                                                                     400           40%

               Term Project                                                                           200           20%

               Online Presence & Participation                                             200           20%

Students are encouraged to keep track of their performance throughout the semester.

 

 

Student Success Center  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Student Success Center (SSC) remains dedicated to supporting students’ academic success at NDNU and has transitioned its services online. The SSC continues to provide online writing and subject tutoring.  Please contact Laura Mizuha, Assistant Director of Writing at lmizuha@ndnu.edu for additional information in both areas.

 

The goal of the Student Success Center is to promote student learning and academic innovation. Professional staff members, academic advisors, and faculty members work together to promote a supportive educational environment, which now includes professional online subject and writing tutoring support.

 

Disability Resource Center

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.   Students who are experiencing conditions that are temporarily disabling (i.e. scheduled surgeries, hospitalizations, injuries, etc.) are strongly encouraged to contact the DRC.  Our desire is to assist you with managing the impact of these circumstances.    

 

Please meet with the DRC staff through a virtual meeting in order to: verify your eligibility for any classroom accommodations; and, for academic assistance related to your disability.   Accommodations are not provided retroactively.  The DRC can be reached by email at DRC@ndnu.edu.  

 

Counseling Services  Counselingservices@ndnu.edu       

The mission of Counseling Services is to promote and enhance the overall wellbeing of students so that they may reach their potential for personal growth and academic success. If you are a currently enrolled student and would like to discuss your mental health needs, please feel free to email Counselingservices@ndnu.edu to schedule an appointment. We are currently offering telemental health services only with the following hours: Monday - Wednesday 10am-6pm and Thursday from 10am-4pm.

 

Academic Honesty

NDNU’s core values include learning, integrity, and honesty, values we live out in all areas of our learning community. Academic honesty means you are able to demonstrate your own knowledge and skills and receive feedback on your learning that can help you improve. By taking responsibility for your own work and avoiding actions that could give you an unfair advantage over others, you are contributing to the NDNU learning community and developing professional skills and values that will serve you well into the future. Academic honesty is one of the most important values of a university community, and breaches of this trust have serious consequences. Please see the Student Handbook for a detailed discussion of Academic Conduct expectations.

 

Course Evaluations/Teaching Effectiveness Surveys: Term 2 and Full-Semester Courses

Teaching Effectiveness Surveys (course evaluations) will be available online through Campus Portal from December 7 - 23, 2020.   Your feedback regarding courses and faculty is very important to Notre Dame de Namur University, to your faculty, and to me as the instructor for this course.  Your feedback helps us review and improve their teaching, helps departments/programs review and improve program content, and is used by the university in making decisions about tenure, promotion, and hiring decisions for part-time faculty.

 

Directions: To access, please enable pop-ups in your browser (uncheck pop-up blocker), then in Campus Portal look for the "You have an active survey" link in the left sidebar. Click that link to open the Course Evaluation Surveys page, which has a link to a survey for each course in which you're enrolled.  Your feedback is very important!  Please complete your evaluations for all your courses promptly.  Remember: Your responses are anonymous.