***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A DRAFT COPY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE BEFORE THE TERM STARTS*** HIST 304: Topics in Latin American History The Cuban Revolution Winter 2016 Professor Sharon Bailey Glasco Office: Pioneer 208A (I am happy to meet with students at my campus office during the term) Office Hours: At the beginning of the session, I will let students know my office hours times during the week when I will always be signed into the classroom. Office Phone: 883-2306 (x2306) Email: sglasco@linfield.edu Skype: I am also available to meet with students via Skype Faculty Availability: My policy is to respond to student emails, voicemails, etc. within 24 hours sometimes it will be sooner than that. I do encourage you to contact me as soon as possible if you are encountering problems, need help, will be absent from class, etc. Continual and open communication with Dr. Bailey Glasco can help you succeed in this class. Course Description: Utilizing the mediums of film, documentaries, and primary source accounts, this topics course examines the rise of the Cuban Revolution in Latin America after WWII, and both its successes and failures in creating a new society. Our core focus will be on the stories and experiences of those who participated in and were impacted by revolutionary movements, paying special attention to elements of class, race, and gender, and how these elements of identity shape the revolutionary experience. Finally, we will examine how the revolutionary process in Cuba developed beyond the seizure of political power to manifestations in culture, society, and the economy, as well as its future within a new era of Cuban-U.S. relations. Course Objectives: *To gain a greater understanding of both the importance of the Cuban Revolution in twentiethcentury Latin American history, as well as the legacies of these events *To comprehend why the Revolution in Cuba developed at certain points in times and in certain contexts *To understand why some elements of the Revolution succeeded, while others failed. Was revolutionary struggle the only channel for initiating change open to Cubans? *To consider the future of the Revolution as Cuban/U.S. relations undergo a period of change *To demonstrate your mastery of the central skills of historical thinking, including the ability to formulate a historical argument using primary and secondary sources as evidence *To demonstrate your ability to maintain appropriately rigorous and thoughtful discussion with your classmates on the topics of the course.
This course satisfies the Vital Past mode of inquiry in the Linfield Curriculum. Courses in this mode of inquiry explore the human past and offer an opportunity to reflect on the continuities, change, and diversity in human experience across time. They investigate social, cultural, political, and other dimensions of human historical experience. They introduce students to various methods that scholars in different disciplines have developed to study the human past. These courses also encourage students to think critically about the interconnections between past and present. Course readings, class discussions, writing assignments, and exams in this class are designed to ensure that students will meet the learning outcomes adopted by the Linfield faculty for all courses in the Vital Past mode of inquiry. In this class, students will: *learn how to identify, analyze and contextualize primary sources *learn how to identify and critique secondary, scholarly arguments about the past *learn how to develop and defend an analytical or interpretive argument about the past *recognize that differences separate people past and present, though all people share a common humanity This course also carries the Global Pluralisms designation in the Diversity Studies portion of the Linfield Curriculum. Courses with this designation focus students attention beyond their own national boundaries. The use of analytical frameworks challenges students to address and understand the social, political, ethical, cultural, and/or policy discourses of other countries from a global perspective. These courses also include a consideration of multicultural perspectives within other countries. Curricular offerings focusing on the history or culture of a given nation, group, or region may meet this requirement by including a comparative component for the course. This focus may include comparisons between or among countries, as well as comparisons of different time periods. Through the process of examining Global Pluralisms, students prepare for their participation and citizenship in an increasingly diverse world. Global Pluralisms courses are designated GP in this catalog and in each semester s registration materials. In this class, students will: *Develop a better understanding of the issues of identity, politics, culture, history, health care, and/or economics in a context of a culture other than that of the United States. *Reflect upon the relationship that two or more countries share with each other through a comparative analysis of literature, the arts, politics, and/or social movements. This course can also be used to fulfill the 300-level course requirement in the Linfield Curriculum Gaining LC credits for this class: For students who entered Linfield Fall 2010 or later, in order to earn a GP for this course, you must submit relevant exemplars of your work to TaskStream by the last day of finals week, as discussed in the Linfield College Course Catalog, pages 6-8. Course Readings: The following materials are all REQUIRED for the course and are available either at the Linfield Bookstore or on the web; please be aware that there will also be weekly
reading materials available electronically via Blackboard. Film and documentaries in the course schedule that are not listed here will be available via the class Blackboard page as well: Aviva Chomsky. A History of the Cuban Revolution. Second Edition. Wiley Blackwell, 2015. Aviva Chomsky, Barry Carr, and Pamela Maria Smorkaloff, eds. The Cuba Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Duke University Press, 2003. Lois Smith and Alfred Padula. Sex and Revolution: Women in Socialist Cuba. Oxford University Press, 1996. Films: The Motorcycle Diaries *films are to be purchased separately by students; they can be found on major online retail sites (Amazon, BN, etc.) The Motorcycle Diaries is also available via Netflix (both streaming as well as DVD). Course Requirements and Grading Policies: Class Discussion: As an advanced history course, regular presence and active participation in online class discussions will be vital if you hope to finish the session with a passing grade. We will have weekly class discussions, always connected to course readings and films/documentaries we will be viewing. For success in class discussions, it is imperative that (1) you log in having read assigned materials and viewed assigned films/documentaries, and (2) constructed thoughtful initial written responses so that you can participate in discussion a meaningful and constructive manner. Discussion Guidelines and a grading rubric for discussion participation can be found in the Introduction section of the course page. This portion of the course will account for 48% of your final grade. Midterm Exam: At the end of Week 2, you will complete a more formal exam based on the course content from Weeks 1 & 2. Instructions and guidelines for this assignment can be found in the Week 2 folder in the course content area of the classroom. This Midterm Exam is worth 20% of your final course grade. Final Project: You will complete a final project, asking you to examine a particular theme or idea connected to the general topic of the Cuban Revolution. It will involve creating a formal Power Point presentation, a 20 minute audio lecture, and an annotated bibliography of sources. Instructions and guidelines for the final project can be found in the Week 5 folder in the course content area of the classroom. The final project is worth 32% of your course grade. Engagement and Participation (48%) 240 pts Midterm Analysis Paper (20%) 100 pts Final Exam (32%) 160 pts TOTAL (100%) 500 pts
Grade Scale A 465-500 pts C+ 385-399 pts A- 450-464 pts C 365-384 pts B+ 435-449 pts C- 350-364 pts B 415-434 pts D+ 335-349 pts B- 400-414 pts D 300-334 pts F 299 pts and below Course Policies: Class Presence and Engagement It is your responsibility to be present and engaged in class discussions on a regular basis (at least 3 days per week); regular class presence is one of the most important factors in doing well in the course (and in online courses in general), and poor class engagement will be factored into a lower discussion grade. If you feel that maintaining a reliable and ongoing presence in the classroom discussions is not for you, you should consider taking a different course. IMPORTANT NOTE: As a working parent myself, I am very aware and understanding of the challenges for some of you in balancing full time work, family responsibilities, and your course work. And I understand that sometimes unexpected things come up at work, or with family (e.g. a sick child) that will demand your attention, and might take you out of the classroom for a few days. Always communicate these issues with me; we can work around unexpected delays in submitting your work, etc. if you keep the lines of communication open (see policy below). One of my most important goals is to see you all succeed in the course don t disappear from class; keep me in the loop, and we can work through just about any issue that comes your way. Missed or Late Work My policies for missed or late work are as follows: Incomplete work due to a medical, family, work, or personal emergency will be treated on a case by case basis. It is your responsibility to make up missed assignments, and routine requests to make up work due to absences are not acceptable. I do understand that for many of you, outside responsibilities, especially connected with work and family, will from time to time compromise your ability to participate in a given week. If this is the case, please just let me know (email is best); we can always work around these situations. Late policies for specific assignments in the course are as follows: Class Discussions: Discussion conferences will convert to read only status 48 hours after the end of the discussion week. Anything posted after the due dates, but before the conference is formally closed, will be assessed a one grade reduction (i.e. a B will be lowered to a C) Papers: There is no grace period for the Midterm Exam. For every 24-hour period that the Midterm Exam is submitted late, an automatic 1/2 grade deduction will be assessed. This policy does not apply to the Final Project, which must be completed by the stated due date - no exceptions.
Incompletes: An incomplete may be awarded only at the end of the semester and at the professor s discretion, and only when a major portion of the course work (60%) has been satisfactorily completed (C or better). Cheating and Plagiarism As in every class at Linfield College, cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any instance of cheating, plagiarizing, or otherwise presenting someone else s work as your own on any assignment will result in an F for that assignment, and at the professor s and Dean of Student s discretion, an F for the course. If you do not know what constitutes plagiarism, please see me for clarification. In all cases, I will adhere to the college policy on academic honesty, as published in the Linfield College Course Catalog. Disability Statement Students with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you are a student with a disability and feel you may require academic accommodations contact Cheri White, Assistant Director of Learning Support Services (LSS), within the first week of the term to request accommodations. We also recommend students communicate with their faculty about their accommodations and any special needs an instructor should be aware of. COURSE SCHEDULE WEEK 1: Defining the Social Revolution (Monday 1/4-Sunday 1/10) -Introduction and Chapter 1 from A History of the Cuban Revolution - Chapter on Neocolonialism from Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America (BB) -primary sources on the nature of US imperialism in Cuba (BB) -excerpts from Che Guevara writings (BB) -selections from The Cuba Reader on pre-revolutionary Cuba (TBA) *FILMS: The Motorcycle Diaries *DISCUSSION: 1) Historical Foundations of the Social Revolution 2) Birth of the Social Revolution/Revolutionary Topic Idea for Final Project DUE (by Sunday evening 1/10) WEEK 2: The Cuban Model The Military Phase and Early Success (Monday 1/11-Sunday 1/18) -Chapters 2, 3, and 4 from A History of the Cuban Revolution -Selections from The Cuba Reader on Revolutionary Cuba and Material Success (TBA) *DOCUMENTARIES: Three Cubans; Blacks in Latin America - The Cuban Revolution *DISCUSSIONS: 1) The Military Phase: Mobilizing the Masses 2) Material Success and Revolutionary Support Midterm Exam DUE (on Sunday evening 1/18)
WEEK 3: Gendered Experiences Tradition and Conformity (Monday 1/19-Sunday 1/24) -Chapter 6 from A History of the Cuban Revolution -Selections from Sex and Revolution (TBD) -Selections from The Cuba Reader on gender, sexuality and revolutionary norms (TBD) -Marjorie King The Second Shift *DISCUSSIONS: 1) The revolution within the Revolution: Gender Norms and Contradictions 2) Sexuality and Revolutionary Conformity Working Bibliography for Final Project DUE (on Sunday Evening 1/24) WEEK 4: The Special Period in Peacetime The Revolution After the Cold War and Beyond (Monday 1/25-Sunday 1/31) -Chapters 7 & 8 in A History of the Cuban Revolution -Selections from The Cuba Reader on the Revolution after the Cold War *DOCUMENTARY: Grandchildren of the Revolution; media clips on current issues regarding openings with the United States *DISCUSSIONS: 1) Challenges to the Revolution After the Collapse of Soviet Support 2) Future of the Revolution? WEEK 5: Finish Final Project (Monday 2/1-Thursday 2/4) *NO ASSIGNED READINGS *DISCUSSION: Course Reflections Final Project DUE (on Thursday evening 2/4)