Ten Images of Hell in the Twentieth Century: Fall 2013

Syllabus

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

NOTE: Read this page closely, print it, and put it with all of the other printed material for our seminar.

READINGS

This is a reading-intensive course. However, I do not ask you to purchase a huge number of books or other materials. Books, articles, and other hard-copy media simply cost too much these days and thus represent an inordinate burden on students (and their parents). Happily, there are other, less expensive ways to acquire information in the 21st century.

I expect you to treat your books and articles as objects of quasi-religious devotion. You should read them, as well as any other class readings, as carefully and as closely as possible.

Books

  • Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front
  • George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia
  • Eli Wiesel, Night
  • Alex Kotlowitz, There are No Children Here
  • Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

In addition to these books, we will also read excerpts from the works of other great writers, such as Dante Alighieri, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Hannah Arendt, Milovan Djilas, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

No Course Reader!

I no longer use a course reader in this course. Most of the readings are now on our Web Syllabus, and there are lots of them. Occasionally, I will provide you with hand-outs.

Our class discussions will only work well if you have these readings physically in front of you. Therefore, you are required to do two things:

1) Copy and print all of the readings on this site that are marked PRINT (otherwise, you do not need to copy them);
2) Bring each required reading to class on the day we are to discuss it. To make your life easier, I strongly recommend that you print all of the required readings immediately and put them into some kind of orderly binder.

Other Media

We will watch films by great directors, such as Luis Buñuel, Leni Riefenstahl, and Rsyzard Bugajski. Other types of media are available on the Course Syllabus.

GRADING

It is a special privilege to take a seminar. You should treat our seminar accordingly. Seminars are small and they allow for intimate and lively discussions. They also provide me with the pleasant opportunity to work closely with each of you as individuals.

My aspirations are modest. I merely want to teach you to speak, read, write, think critically, and persuade. If I accomplish these tasks, I will be pleased. These objectives are reflected in the breakdown of my grading standard.

  • Participation (30%)
  • Sakai Discussions and Short Assignments (10%)
  • Two Reflective Essays (15% each)
  • Semester Essay (30%)

Paper assignments will be docked 1/3 of a letter grade for each day they are late.
To receive a passing grade in this class, you must visit me during office hours at least one time this semester. Please do not make me sweat over this requirement.

ATTENDANCE

Class attendance is MANDATORY. Unless you are ill, you must consult with me beforehand if you know you will miss a class. If you are ill, please send me an email so that I do not worry about you. Of course, university-approved absences are fine, but please remind me beforehand if you will be gone.

OFFICE HOURS

I enjoy meeting with all of my students, and I hope to see each of you on a regular basis. You do not need to have specific questions about the class. I view your education holistically, and I am interested in learning about you personally.

I hold my office hours at the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, 211 Brownson Hall. This building is behind the Main Building. Go through the black, wrought iron gate at the north end of Brownson and make an immediate right up the stairs.

My office hours are:

  • Tuesday 10:50 – 11:50
  • Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00
  • And by appointment

Please do not use any form of electronic or cosmic technology during class time. Bad Karma.

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