Dr. Neil Jumonville
Florida State University
HIS-6934r
Fall 1995

READING LIST

Merle Curti, The Growth of American Thought, 3rd edition (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1991). [ISBN 0878558799]

Dominick LaCapra, Rethinking Intellectual History (Ithica: Cornell University Press, 1983). [ISBN 0801498864]

Hayden White, Tropics of Discourse (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978).

Thomas Bender, Intellect and Public Life (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992). [ISBN 0801844339]

Warren Susman, Culture as History (New York: Pantheon, 1984). [ISBN 0394721616]

Neil Jumonville, Critical Crossings (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991). [ISBN 0520068580]

* There will be a photocopied packet of readings available to be purchased at TARGET COPY on Tennessee Street. It will contain all of the starred (*) readings in the weekly assignments.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Read these requirements closely, because they tell you all you need to know about the operation of the class and the requirements for your paper. Don't read these once and then forget them, because you'll be judged on the basis of them.

ATTENDANCE: Because each of these classes represents one week's worth of the course, it is important not to miss any of them, except under the most unavoidable circumstances. Part of your discussion grade is also a grade for attendance--which means showing up for class on time. If you're someone who makes a habit of walking in after class begins, then you'll feel the impact quite significantly in your semester grade.

READING: All students must complete the reading for the course. Weekly assignments are indicated in the syllabus. It is important for you to do the reading in time to participate in the discussions.

DISCUSSIONS: As much as possible, the discussions will be a friendly exchange of ideas, but part of your grade for the semester will be based on your active participation in the dialogues.

PAPERS: There will be one research paper due in class on WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6. It should be of the quality that you would submit to a journal in your field. You are to hand in with your paper a cover letter of one page, addressed to an editor at a journal of your choice, explaining who you are, the significance of your essay, and why it would appeal to the journal's readership. Your cover letter should be signed by you. That is, your project should appear just as if you were going to slip it into an envelope to mail to a journal, except you will hand it to me instead.

You may write your paper on any aspect of the history of American ideas. But remember Melville's advice: "To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be who have tried it."

All papers are to be exactly 20 pages of text (with normal margins) and no more than 3 pages of single-spaced endnotes (so no more than 23 pages total). Papers may not be one page more or less. This is to give you practice writing to required length, as you will need to do throughout your career. Please use endnotes rather than footnotes.

The papers will be graded on the strength of their ideas; the breadth, depth, and originality of their research; the originality, intelligence, and power of their thesis or interpretation; and the grace and clarity of their writing (their use of language, spelling, punctuation, and syntax). Naturally, any plagiarism (having someone write the paper for you, or copying it from another source) will result in an immediate failure of the entire course.

All papers must be double-spaced and either typewritten or printed by computer. No extensions on written assignments, even in the event of a nuclear war. For every day the paper is late, it will drop a full grade (for example, from a B+ to a C+).

PRESENTATIONS: At the final meeting, on Wednesday December 6, each student will give a 15 minute presentation of his or her research, summarizing the results of the semester paper, and then will lead the class in 5 minutes of discussion. Pay particular attention to your interpretation and how it relates to the content of the seminar throughout the semester. Make sure to time your presentation in advance for accuracy.

GRADES: Class discussion will count 40%. Your presentation will count 10%. The final research paper will count 50%.

OFFICE HOURS: Monday afternoons, 3 to 4 PM, in Bellamy 420.

WED, AUG 30.
WEEK 1: RESEARCH METHODS AND TOOLS

No reading. We will discuss the requirements of the course, talk about research methods, and then take a tour of research tools in the library.

WED, SEP 6.
WEEK 2: CONTEXTUALIST HISTORY

Merle Curti, The Growth of American Thought, 3rd edition. Read pages x-xviii, 75-201, and 517-638.

* Arthur Lovejoy, "Introduction: The Study of the History of Ideas," The Great Chain of Being [1933] (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1961).

WED, SEP 13.
WEEK 3: THE TEXTUALIST CHALLENGE

Dominick LaCapra, Rethinking Intellectual History. Read pages 13-83.

Hayden White, Tropics of Discourse. Read chapters 2, 3, and 5.

WED, SEP 20.
WEEK 4: INSTITUTIONAL & SOCIAL HISTORY OF INTELLECTUALS.

Thomas Bender, Intellect and Public Life. Read chapters 1-3, 6, 8, and Epilogue.

* John Higham, "Introduction," in John Higham and Paul Conkin, eds., New Directions in American Intellectual History (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979), pp. xi-xix.

* Laurence Veysey, "Intellectual History and the New Social History," in Higham and Conkin, eds., New Directions in American Intellectual History, pp. 3-26.

WED, SEP 27.
WEEK 5: THE STUDY OF POPULAR IDEAS

Warren Susman, Culture as History (New York: Pantheon, 1984). Read chapters 7-14.

Neil Jumonville, Critical Crossings (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991). Read chapter 4.

WED, OCT 4.
WEEK 6: INTELLECTUAL HISTORY AS GROUP BIOGRAPHY

Neil Jumonville, Critical Crossings (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991). Read chapters 1-3, 5-6.

WED, OCT 11.
WEEK 7: ADVICE SESSION

Roundtable advice session.

WED, NOV 1.
WEEK 10: ADVICE SESSION

Roundtable advice session. Annotated bibliography due.

WED, DEC 6.
WEEK 15: PRESENTATIONS

Papers are due today. Each student will give a 15 minute presentation of his or her research, and will lead the class in 5 minutes of discussion. Make sure to time your presentation in advance for accuracy.