HIS 400/HIS 465 IMPERIALISM IN THE 19TH & 20TH CENTURIES
| Kenneth J. Orosz Fall 2018 Class Meetings: Classroom Bldg C302 TR 3:05-4:20 |
Office Hours: T 2:00-3:00
W 10:00-12:00 Office: Classroom Bldg C213 Telephone: 878-3203 E-mail: oroszkj@buffalostate.edu
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys modern European imperialism in Asia and Africa from1800 through decolonization. Although some attention will be paid to theories of imperialism, emphasis will be on the political and social history of European imperial expansion. This will include an exploration of the clash between European and native cultures as well as examining the effects of this conflict on the development of colonial rule.
REQUIREMENTS:
Academic misconduct (including cheating and plagiarism) will not be tolerated. Buffalo State College policies on academic misconduct, including the possible use of textual similarity detection software, are outlined on page 46 of the college catalog. Please note that the minimum penalty for cases of academic misconduct will be an F on the assignment.
Reading assignments are to be completed by the dates given. There will a midterm and a final examination. Students are required to provide their own blank examination booklets (available in the bookstore) for each exam. Please note that in order to earn more than a B on the essay portion of the exams you must make use of the relevant assigned readings and historical documents. In addition students will write two 5 page analyses of assigned texts (Kneale and Forster) and a 10-12 page paper on a topic of their choice. All topics for the research papers must be authorized by me and must conform to the geographic and temporal confines of this course. As part of this process students are required to submit their paper topics in the form of written proposals no later than October 11. Failure to submit a passing proposal means that your paper will not be accepted and you will earn an E for that portion of the course. All papers and reviews must conform to the History Style Sheet. Detailed instructions on the writing assignments, including the style sheet, can be found in Blackboard or by clicking the syllabi link at http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/oroszkj Help for Blackboard can be found at https://help.blackboard.com/en-us/Learn/Reference/Blackboard_Learn_Videos.
Please note that in order to pass this course you must make a good faith attempt to complete all components and requirements. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENT. Incompletes will be granted at the sole discretion of the instructor and require a written application outlining the rationale for granting an incomplete, a list of outstanding assignments and a timetable for their completion. This application must be signed and, if granted, will constitute a formal contract for the completion of the course.
Grades will be computed as follows:
Midterm 25% Final 25%
Kneale analysis 15% Paper 20%
Forster analysis 15%
BOOKS: The following books are required reading and are available in the Bookstore:
Robert Aldrich, Greater France **** ISBN 978-0-312-16000-5
Alice Conklin, European Imperialism **** 978-0-395-90385-8
Lawrence James, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire 978-0-312-16985-5
Zareer Masani, Indian Tales of the Raj 978-0-520-07127-8
Margaret Strobel, European Women and the Second British Empire 978-0-253-20631-2
Matthew Kneale, English Passengers 978-0-385-49744-2
E. M. Forster, A Passage to India 978-0-156-71142-5
*****Out of print. Copies available on reserve in library
RESERVE READINGS:
Supplemental readings (indicated in italics on the syllabus) can be accessed in one of 3 ways: 1) if it is a website, there will be a link to it from the electronic version of the syllabus available in Blackboard or on my web page at http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/oroszkj Please note that the “Broadcast” links will take you to a central index where you will need to click on the title to hear the file. 2) Journal articles listed below can be accessed via the library’s Academic Search Premier or JSTOR databases; 3) highlighted readings are available in Blackboard under the Content tab.
C. A. Bayly, "From Company to Crown" In: C. A. Bayly, The Raj: India and the British 1600-1947 (London: National Portrait Gallery, 1990), 130-140
Robert Bickers, “Chinese Burns: Britain in China 1842-1900" History Today 50, no.8 (August 2000): 10-17
Huw v. Bowen, “400 Years of the East India Company,” History Today 50, no. 7 (July 2000): 47-53
Chandavarkar, "Strangers in the Land" In: Bayly, The Raj, 368-379
Joseph Coohill, “Indian Voices from the 1857 Rebellion” History Today 57, no. 5 (May 2007): 48-54
Lawrence James, “White Man’s Burden?” History Today 42, 8 (August 1992): 49-51
Peter Marshal, “The Making of the Hybrid Raj” History Today 47, no. 9 (September 1997): 4-9
Francis Robinson, "The Raj and the Nationalist Movements 1911-1947" In: Bayly The Raj, 350-360
Keith Sinclair, “The Maoris in New Zealand History,” History Today 30, no. 7 (July 1980): 39-44
A. J. Stockwell, “Malayan Raj” History Today 27, no. 5 (May 1977): 306-315
David Washbrook,“After the Mutiny” History Today 47, no. 9 (Sept.1997):10-15
John C. Weaver "Beyond the Fatal Shore: Pastoral Squatting and the Occupation of Australia 1826-1840" American Historical Review 101, no. 4 (October 1996): 980-1008.
Glyndwr Williams, “English & Aborigines” History Today 38, no. 1 (January 1988): 33-39
Henry S. Wilson The Imperial Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa Since 1870 Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1977.
CLASS SCHEDULE
August 28 Old vs. “New” Imperialism
August 30 The Foundation of British India
Read: James pp. 122-138, 151-168; Bowen, “400 Years;”
Marshall, “Making Hybrid Raj;”
September 4 British Expansion on the Subcontinent
Read: James p.169-199; Indian vs European Wages;
September 6 The Indian Mutiny
Read: Bayly, “From Company to Crown;”
Coohill, “Indian Voices;” Vengeance General Neill
September 11 Botany Bay
Read: James pp. 139-150; Weaver, “Beyond the Fatal Shore;”
September 13 Australia: From Penal Colony to Gold Rush
Read: Kneale novel
September 18 The Settlement of New Zealand
Read: James pp. 307-318; Sinclair, “Maoris in NZ History;”
Williams,“English and Aborigines;” Treaty of Waitangi
September 20 The Opium Wars
Read: James pp. 235-250; Rules to Regulate Foreigners;
Chinese Perspective on Trade; Lin Tse-Hsu to Queen Victoria
September 25 The End of Imperial China
Read: Bickers, “Chinese Burns;” Self Strengthening Movement
September 27 The Japanese Exception
Read: James pp. 217-235; Stockwell, “Malayan Raj”
Kenale analysis due
October 2 Indonesia and Malaysia
Read: Masani pp. 1-22; Culture System
October 4 First Footsteps in Africa
Read: Conrad novella Ch 1-3
October 9 No Class
October 11 The New Imperialism and the Territorial Scrambles
Read: Conklin part I; European Racism;
Justification for Conquest of Egypt; White Man’s Burden
Paper Topics Due
October 16 Britain in Africa
Read: James pp. 251-306; Conklin part II; Why Whites Must Rule; Pride;
Lugard’s Views; Blank Treaty; Rhodes; Lobengula;
October 18 La France Outre-Mer
Read: Aldrich Prologue-Ch 4; Vietnamese Edict;
Ferry’s Defense of Imperialism; Colonial Phnom Penh
October 25 Other Colonial Powers
Read: Wilson, Imperial Experience; Congo Atrocities;
Casement Report; Missionary Report on Congo
October 30 Colonial Systems in Operation
Read: Conklin part III-IV; Masani pp. 23-50; Aldrich Ch 5-7
French Repression in Vietnam; Running your Empire
November 1 Colonial Culture and Society
Read: James, “White Man’s Burden;” Malcolm Darling’s First Case;
Law vs Custom; Life in Shanghai Life in the Bungalows;
Imperial Diversions; Interviews part One; part Two
November 6 Groups on the Margins I: Indigenous Peoples
Read: Masani, pp. 51-80; Forster novel;
Chandavarkar, “Strangers in the Land” Never the Twain?
November 8 Groups on the Margins II: Women and Imperialism
Read: Strobel; Civilization Through the Bed
November 13 Australia and New Zealand: Gold Rush to Dominion Status
Read: James pp. 319-333; Conklin part IV;
Robinson, “The Raj and Nationalist Movements”
November 15 The Raj at its Zenith
Read: James pp. 200-216; Washbrook, “After the Mutiny;”
November 20 The Rise of Colonial Nationalism
Read: James pp. 334-370, 386-427; Masani pp. 81-119;
General Dyer’s Testimony; Indian views of British
Kneale analysis due
November 22 No Class
November 27 The Great War and its Aftermath
Read: James pp. 428-481; Masani pp. 120-130;
November 29 Inter-war Colonialism
Read: Aldrich Ch 8; British policy in Kenya
December 4 World War II and Decolonization in Asia
Read: James pp. 482-558; Masani pp. 130-164; Brazzaville Conference;
December 6 Decolonization in Africa
Read: James pp. 573-630; Aldrich Epilog; Mau Mau Terror;
Research Papers Due
December 11 Final Exam 3:40-5:30
Guidelines for Writing Assignments
While your papers will be graded primarily on content, grammatical accuracy, style, presentation and organization will also be taken into account. All papers are required to adhere to the History Style Sheet which is available in Blackboard and on my web site under Course Materials. Failure to follow the style sheet will result in significant penalties; these consist of at least the loss of a full letter grade for each category of violation (i.e. use of contractions will cost you a letter grade, reducing an A paper to a B). This includes paper length, non-standard fonts, margins and line spacing. Please note that a short paper is not necessarily a bad paper; I am primarily interested in what you have to say, how well you say it and if you have developed your thesis and argument sufficiently.
As you write your papers feel free to paraphrase or quote suitable passages that illustrate your points. However, if you quote or paraphrase, you must cite the relevant passage. You must also cite detailed information (i.e. statistics or items that are not common knowledge). The only exception to this rule is material gleaned from my lectures; you may assume that this is public knowledge and requires no citation. Proper citation formats can be found in the History Style Sheet. Please note that in addition to enforcing Buffalo State College’s policies on academic misconduct, including the possible use of textual similarity detection software, the minimum penalty for plagiarism is an F on the assignment.1 For more information on plagiarism, how to footnote, or how to write a research paper consult the relevant sections of Benjamin’s A Student’s Guide to History. If you are still unclear about when or how to cite please come see me during my office hours. That is why I am there.
Since much of what is out on the internet is of dubious quality, the use of web pages as source material is strictly forbidden unless authorized by me in writing. The only exceptions to this rule are the individual web sites that I have assigned as required reading material. On a similar note, the use of encyclopedias is also forbidden. While they may be useful reference tools or for providing an overview of a particular topic, encyclopedias have no place in college level work. Articles in historical encyclopedias (i.e. The Encyclopedia of European Social History) may be acceptable, but must first be cleared by me in writing.
I am obviously a firm believer in written assignments since they help develop your organizational, analytical and communication skills, all of which are things you will need in the workplace. Consequently, I expect you to treat all graded assignments (in this or any other class) as preparations for your future career. Turning in business reports that are filled with grammatical errors, failures in logic, poor argumentation and lack of evidence portrays a degree of incompetence, even if it is undeserved, and will probably get you fired. Get in the habit now of proofreading your work to catch typos, misspellings and nonsensical statements. Read your papers aloud to see how they sound. Better still, have a friend or roommate read your work since they are more likely to notice any problems. Most of you will be writing your papers on wordprocessors. No matter what program you use, they all have spell checkers. It is silly and self-defeating not to make use of them.
While I do not allow rewrites once papers have been graded, I will read and comment on rough drafts if I am given enough time. Alternatively, you may want to consult either the campus writing center or some of the history tutors for help or advice. Keep your notes and copies of your paper to facilitate rewrites and to safeguard against loss, computer errors, random destruction by pets and similar catastrophes. Finally, and most importantly, if you are having any problems in this course come see me.
Book Analyses
All students will write 2 five page (1500 word) analyses of Kneale’s English Passengers and Forster’s A Passage to India. Since these are analyses and not “book reports” I am not interested in plot summaries. Similarly, I am not interested in whether you liked the book or found it interesting. Your review should analyze and critique the author’s portrayal of some of the historical events or themes covered in this course. As you critique the books use the following questions as a rough guide: How do the authors portray historical events or issues covered elsewhere in the course? How accurate are these depictions? Have they added to your understanding of the period in question?
As you will discover, 5 pages provides barely enough room to introduce a topic, let alone go into much detail. Hence, your papers should have a narrowly defined thesis and must be very selective in both their use and presentation of supporting evidence or examples. Since these papers are so short keep quotations to a minimum so that you will have more room to
develop your own thoughts and arguments. To strengthen your argument(s), however, your reviews should draw upon and cite specific examples from the novel as well as corroborating evidence. There is ample material on which to base your papers in my lectures and your textbooks; outside materials, although always welcome, are not required.
Research Paper
In addition to the book reviews, all students will write a 10-12 page (3000-3600 word) paper on a topic of their own choosing. While the actual topics for your papers are up to you, they must remain within the geographical and temporal confines of this course. In this case, that means 19th and 20th century European imperialism in Africa or Asia. The paper should analyze some facet of imperialism in detail. To that end, and to help you identify sources, all paper topics must be cleared with me first in the form of a written paper proposal due no later than October 11. Complete proposals will outline your topic, the specific issues you intend to address, and must include a bibliography. If, after you have begun researching and writing your paper, you choose to use additional sources, you must submit an amended bibliography to me in writing. Papers that use unauthorized materials will not be accepted. Similarly, papers that deviate from your research proposal will also not be accepted. This does not mean, however, that you are permanently locked in to a particular paper topic; if you change your mind and opt to pursue some other topic you must submit a new paper proposal which may or may not be accepted at my discretion.
Some possible paper topics include:
Opium and the Development of British India The New Zealand Wars
Education in the French Colonial Empire The Indian Mutiny
Decolonization and Post-colonial Problems Native Policy in Belgian Africa
1Buffalo State College, Undergraduate Catalog 2018-2019, 46.