http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/gh/ghsyl01.html
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We will cover these books. They have been ordered from the University Book Store.
Moses I. Finley, The World of Odysseus. Penguin PB.
Plato, The Last Days of Socrates: Euthyphro/Apology/Crito/Phaedo. Penguin PB.
Robert M. Price, Deconstructing Jesus. Prometheus Books
a. I will distribute handouts from time to time. These are also required, and you should save them in a file folder.
b. Many readings will be available on the WorldWide Web. We will make very extensive use of the Internet in this course. (See further discussion below).
Here are links to some of them. I may add more as more become available:
c. Some assignments are in "Streaming Audio" form. You will have to download a free program, and obtain a set of inexpensive earphones. See special web page on Streaming Audio (also linked from our Home Page).
d. In addition, I will photocopy large parts of the following book:
Rodney Hilton and H. Fagan, The English Peasant Revolt of 1381, and distribute them to the class.
I will have to collect between two and five dollars from each of you to defray the costs of Xeroxing. Budget cuts by Governor Whitman have forced all the State Universities, including Montclair, to drastically reduce support for photocopying, forcing them back on the students.
This course will be an introduction to Western European culture and society from the Ancient World through the Middle Ages.
Through readings and class discussion we will study certain important and fascinating aspects of these many centuries.
If you finish the course with aroused curiosity, and a desire to learn more about this period and its legacy to our own times, the course will have been a success. My goal is to strive to instil this curiosity and interest within you.
The classes will be mainly discussions of the reading rather than lectures. Participation by the whole class in discussions is a must if they are to be interesting and worthwhile. In addition, considerable class time will be spent listening to, and commenting upon and discussing, papers written by the students in the class.
A typical class might be divided this way:
Instructor's presentation (sometimes), comments, suggestions.
Group Discussions: I will divide the class into 4-6 groups for discussion purposes. I will provide suggested topics for discussion, together with passages from the books.
General class discussion of the topic, passages, and related topics and passages.
This order can be varied.
Attendance will be taken each day. Three unexcused absences will lower the final grade by one grade (e.g. "A" becomes "A-"); five unexcused absences lowers it by one letter (e.g. "A" becomes "B").
If you cannot attend class for whatever reason, I expect you to let me know by email; by phone; or in person before class. If this is impossible, leave a message the same day as the class. If you fail, or forget, to do this, your absence will be "unexcused."
You should email me at furrg@blake.montclair.edu (from any Internet Address).
If this is impossible, leave a phone message at (973) 655-7305, on the answering machine.
- SPELL YOUR NAME (the audio quality of the answering machine isn't good);
- TELL ME YOU ARE CALLING FOR 'GENERAL HUMANITIES', and
- the DATE you are calling for.
If you are late for class -- after I have taken attendance - - I will count it as an "unexcused" absence unless you remember to tell me, at the end of that same class, that you came late. If you forget to do this, your recorded absence will remain. I do this because lateness disrupts the class and group discussions.
The first three times you are late for a class, I will warn you. After that, I will count yur lateness as an "unexcused" absence.
Please do not be consistently late.
All books must be read by the date on the course schedule. I will distribute this syllabus by the second week of class. It will give the date discussion of each work will begin.
You will email your essays to me (Furr), and also to the other members of your discussion group. After the first day of class on each book, you will be able to read the papers of everyone else in the group. This will help you in discussing the book with the other members of your group -- you can compare and contrast approaches to the novels.
Completion of the biweekly written assignments. You will generally have two writing assignments every week, one for each class session.
These assignments will put on the Homework Web page shortly after, or usually before, the previous class. They'll be short assignments, typically 300 words.
In them you'll be asked to write about one or two passages in the book or assignment we are discussing, and to email your assignment both to me (Furr) and to the other members of your discussion group.
You'll be asked to do this by the previous evening before class so that you can have time the day of the class, but before the class, to access your account and read the assignments from the other members of your group.
This means every student will have both written on the passages to be discussed, AND read the responses from the other members of his/her group. This greatly enriches the discussions!
Completion of all examinations.
Participation in class. You cannot receive a passing grade for class participation if you are absent frequently, no matter what the reason is.
All writing will be done on-line.
You will use EITHER the campus computer email system, "Alpha", OR another email address, very extensively in this course. All writing assignments will be submitted on-line. This will permit you to send your assignments to everyone in your group, and for you to read their assignments. This, in turn, will make group discussions much better!
As outlined above, you will have one essay on each book. In addition, you will have two shorter writing assignments per week, which you will send me and your group. These will be assigned in advance, and will center on passages which we will discuss at the following class session.
Therefore, everyone in class will have not only read the book in its entirety by the time we come to discuss it. Every student will have reread, and written on, the specific passages under discussion at each class session. This makes class discussions far more fruitful.
Go here to find out about your Internet requirements -- how to set up your e-mail accounts, and other information. Go here to find out about Streaming Audio for this course.
COMPUTER LABSHere is the schedule of computer labs and hours.
There will be an optional mid-term exam. A final exam will be due at the time and place in the Course Schedule Booklet for this semester.
All exams will be done by email. I will email you the exam, and give you several days to do it. You must email your answers to me by a deadline.
The final grade for the course will be composed of:
It may be easiest for you to email me at my email address for this course:
NOTE: I have several email accounts. This is the one I use for this class. Please email me only at this account concerning this class.
Sometimes you just have a question or comment that can be handled without seeing me personally. If so, email me and I'll get back to you within 24 hours. I check my email at least once a day, usually twice.
But there will be times you want to see me in person.
My office hours are T 9:30-10:45, F 2-3:30, in Dickson Hall, Room 325 (DI-325).
My phone, again, is 655-7305.
Back to Home Page for General Humanities I, Spring 2001.
Go to Schedule of Readings for this course.
Go here to the Homework Page.
http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/gh/ghsyl01.html |
furrg@blake.montclair.edu | created 15 Jan 01