UCSB GE freshman seminar, Winter 2003, syllabus

UCSB GE 1 EW, Winter 2003
The Nazi Holocaust in History, Literature and Film
HSSB 2201, T-Th 11:00-12:15;
HSSB 4041 W 6:30-9:30 pm (Phelps 1425, Tue 6:30-9:30)
http://marcuse.faculty.history.ucsb.edu/1GE

Prof. Marcuse
HSSB 4221, 893-2635
marcuse@history.ucsb.edu
Office hours: Tues. 1-2, Wed. 11-12

GE 1 EW: The Nazi Holocaust in History, Literature and Film (final)

Course Description

In this seminar we will learn about the discipline of history by examining how the Nazi Holocaust has been represented both while it was occurring and after it ended. Our sources will include contemporary mass media reports, memoirs, films, works of fiction, scholarly books, and textbooks.
We will practice what historians do: examining primary sources, learning background information, formulating questions, conducting research, analyzing and interpreting data, and presenting our conclusions. We will tackle each of these tasks step-by-step. The course is designed for students with minimal background knowledge of the Holocaust, or of what historians do.

requirements

Attendance is essential. You should always come to class meetings with some ideas, questions and problems in mind that you wish to discuss. If an emergency situation should arise, you must e-mail me or call my office in advance and leave a message in order to be excused.

Film screenings. Four films will be shown on alternate Wednesday evenings, as noted in the schedule, from 6:30 to 8:30 (or 9:30pm depending on the length of the film), in HSSB 4041. I will provide refreshments. For the students who can’t make the Wednesday showings, the films will also be automatically projected into Phelps 1425 on each preceding Tuesday at 6:30pm. If you cannot attend either screening, you must let the professor know in advance.

Several written assignments, each a page or 2 in length, about questions that will be provided, pertaining to the research paper. In various classes students will be chosen to present their work.

An analytical paper: ca. 5 text pages (double spaced, 1½x1x1x1" margins, 12 pt. proportional space font; 1300 words guideline length).
This paper is due on Tuesday, Mar. 4. You will select a topic in consultation with the professor, prepare a short prospectus, and you will need to conduct some research.

Grading:

Exercise 1 (list of research topics): 5%
Exercise 2 (prospectus and library worksheet): 5%
Exercise 3 (10 index cards): 5%
Exercise 4 (outline, 12 book & 10 keyword cards): 10%
Timely submission of 5 pp.+outline+bibliography: 5%
Timely submission of 15 text pages: 5%
Peer review: 10%
Thesis paper and oral presentation: 5%
Final Paper: 50%

Required Books

Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (Boston: Bedford, 2001), $11 new, $8 used.
This handy little book gives advice about how one can research, organize and write a history paper. It includes examples of how to cite primary and secondary sources.

Jan Gross, Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland (New York: Penguin, 2002). A historian discusses in detail the sources that document the massacre of Jews in a small Polish village in June 1941.

Course reader, available during week 4 at Alternative Copy in IV.

Schedule

Jan. 7 Jan. 9	Introduction The Holocaust: overview 1	Purchase 2 course books Read Rampolla chaps. 1 and 2, and pp. 37-40.
Jan. 14 Jan. 16	Kristallnacht: background Kristallnacht: discussion	Read Friedländer essay (will be distributed). First writing assignment due
Jan. 21 Jan. 22 Jan. 23	Schindler’s List: background FILM: Schindler’s List Schindler’s List: discussion	Reading selection (Brecher) Reading selection (Keneally)
Jan. 28 Jan. 30	Jedwabne: discussion I Jedwabne: discussion II	Read Gross, 1-78, map p. 153, 125-151 Read Gross, 79-124
Feb. 4 Feb. 5 Feb. 6	The Holocaust in Germany: background FILM: Europa, Europa The Holocaust in Germany: discussion	Reading selection: Perel Read Rampolla, chapter 3
Feb. 11 Feb. 13	Literature of the Holocaust: Memoir Literature of the Holocaust: Fiction	Reader #2: Primo Levi; brainstormed list of topics due Rdr #3: Wilkomirski; Rampolla chap. 4; disc. of topics
Feb. 18 Feb. 19 Feb. 22	Anne Frank: background FILM(s): Anne Frank Anne Frank: discussion	Rdr #4,-6: Anne Frank’s diary; prospectus due read Rampolla chapter 5 Rdr #7: Rosenfeld on A.F.; discussion of prospectuses
Feb. 25 Feb. 27	Discussion of topics; source interpretion Holocaust denial; writing workshop	complete draft (with published book reviews) due Rdr #8: Lipstadt; discussion of drafts
Mar. 4 Mar. 5 Mar. 6	The Death Camps: background FILM: Escape from Sobibor Sobibor: discussion; oral presentations	final 5 page paper due Rdr #9, 10: Blatt, Raschke
Mar. 11 Mar. 13	Oral presentations Oral presentations