HUMI 18 - History as Mystery: Critique of Western WorldView

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Course Syllabi:

"HUMI 7 - Summer 6-week - Arts & Human Spirit - Syllabus"

"HUMI 18 - History as Mystery: Critique of Western WorldView"

"HUMI 16 - Arts, Ideas & Values"

"HUMI 7 -- Arts & Human Spirit -- Syllabus"

HUMI 18 - History as Mystery: Critique of Western WorldView - Syllabus

HUMI 18 – History as Mystery: Western Perspectives in Global Contexts

De Anza College – Spring ‘09 -- 4 units

Instructor: Lori Clinchard-Sepeda, PhD; clinchardlori@fhda.edu ; (best way to reach me) or 864-8988<o:p></o:p>

Office: F2 building (behind L-Quad) M/W/Th: 1:45–3:00

“The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them.”

-- Albert Einstein

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” –George Orwell

Course Description:

This course is an interdisciplinary analysis of the Western worldview. We will look at the history of Western thought, as it is conventionally portrayed; and we will examine it critically, using alternative points of view. We will study the historical, cultural, aesthetic, scientific, and spiritual principles of the Western worldviews in order both to understand them and also to question their fundamental assumptions. We will be challenging the idea that Western truth and knowledge is superior, objective, or comprehensive, and will question the notion of “progress.” Throughout the course, we will make connections between our analysis and contemporary issues: why does this critique matter?

Course Objectives:

The student will be able to:

Identify and analyze the fundamental cultural concepts within Western society

Identify and analyze the major scientific concepts and the aesthetic style of the visual arts within each major Western historical period;

compare the relationships between cultural, aesthetic and scientific concepts of the past and the issues of contemporary Western culture;

Identify historical and socio-cultural roots to contemporary Western ways of seeing the world; and evaluate how this analysis of the past can help us understand the present.

Describe how knowledge is an unfolding story told by narrators of the present to reinforce their views of the past.

Required Reading

1. Loewen, James. (2007). Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything

your American History textbook got wrong. Revised edition. New York: Touchstone.

2. Course Reader. (2009). – available at De Anza Bookstore

Course Requirements:

1. Participation. (100 pts) In order to receive full participation credit, you must:

a. engage fully with the class, meaning:

i. put away electronic distractions (no cell phones, “texting”, etc.);

ii. pay attention to whoever is talking & avoid side conversations;

iii. get involved with individual/pair/small group work.

b. prepare in advance to answer daily Discussion Questions, referring to:

i. the day’s reading assignments;

ii. your own personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

2. Midterm Exam. (100 pts) This exam will cover all of the reading material up to the day of the exam, plus any additional material presented in class, including films. You will need to bring a small blue book and a pen to class. Makeup exams will only be considered in cases of verifiable emergency.

3. Comparative Culture Project (100 pts)

a. Choose one aspect of a non-Western culture:

i. Explore a worldview other than the “Western” worldview;

ii. Focus on one particular aspect of this other culture;

iii. Use this focal point to analyze cultural differences.

Locate resources: Look everywhere; talk to people; rent documentaries; read novels; watch films; visit blogs; check out books or articles. Follow your true curiosity, and see where it leads you. You will need to reference from each of the following categories at least once (additional sources optional):

i. Book

ii. Academic journal article

iii. Reputable online source

iv. Human being (someone who knows about your topic)

v. Other non-traditional source (novel, film, music, etc.)

Document your search: write a 6-7 pp. paper:

vi. What did you learn about the non-Western culture?

vii. What did this help you learn about Western culture?

viii. How did the process and resources you used affect your learning?

4. Final Exam (100 pts) The first half of the Final exam will cover all material since the Midterm exam, including films; the second half will be comprehensive, addressing the broad issues of the course. You will need to bring a large blue book and a pen to class.

Grading: Total points possible = 400 pts

Midterm Exam = 100 pts.

Comparative Culture Project = 100 pts.

Final Exam = 100 pts.
Participation = 100 pts.

Absences: You may be dropped after a total of 4 absences (if you have not contacted me immediately after the 4^th absence to make arrangements). However, it is your responsibility to make sure you are dropped if you stop attending. You may otherwise receive a non-passing grade.

Lateness: Class begins and ends on time. If you have a class on the other side of campus and know that you may always be 2-3 minutes late, let me know at the beginning of the quarter. If you arrive after the roster has been passed around, you may sign in at the end of class as “late,” which will affect your participation grade.

Course Outline

Week 1 -- Introductions

M: Syllabus

T: Introduction to Ideas of the Course

W: Introduction to Students/Instructor<o:p></o:p>

Th: Introduction to Discussion questions

Week 2 -- Lies My Teacher Told Me (LMT) Ch. 1: Hero-Making