History 598:The 1960s

Winter Quarter 2003Professor J. Wu

Thursdays:10:30-12:18Office:261 Dulles

Journalism 291Phone:292-9331

Office Hours:T 11:30-12:15, Th 9:15-10:15, & by appt.Email:wu.287@osu.edu

Course Description

The 1960s was a time of experimentation and turmoil as America witnessed the rise of an array of social movements.As various groups challenged long-standing beliefs and practices related to race relations, gender roles, sexuality, and foreign policy, others defended the status quo.This class explores various ways to understand the 1960s by reading the works of scholars who study this era as well as the life narratives of individuals who lived through this time.

Enrollment

All students must be officially enrolled in the course by the end of the second full week of the quarter.No requests to add the course will be approved by the department chair after that time.Enrolling officially and on time is solely the responsibility of each student.

No additions to Approved Schedules will be permitted after the third Friday of the Quarter.Exceptions can be granted by the student's enrollment unit on the basis of clearly documented clerical error or unusual and extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control.

Readings

All the books are available at SBX and are on reserve at the Main Library.

Terry H. Anderson, The Movement and the Sixties:Protest in America from Greensboro to Wounded Knee

Chana Kai Lee, For Freedom's Sake:The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer

Susan Brownmiller, In Our Time:Memoir of a Revolution

Martin Duberman, Stonewall

Wilma Mankiller and Michael Wallis, Mankiller:A Chief and Her People

Ernesto Chavez, "Mi Raza Primero!":(My People First)Nationalism, Identity, and Insurgency in the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, 1966-1978

Lisa McGirr, Suburban Warriors:The Origins of the New American Right

Course Assignments

As a senior colloquium, the success of this course depends upon your active participation.All reading and writing assignments must be completed by the appointed date and time.Incomplete assignments and lack of participation will not only adversely affect your grade but also will lessen the overall learning experience for everyone else in the course.

1.Six weekly reading responses (30% of overall grade) and class participation (15%).These 1-2 page responses are graded +/check/-.This is your opportunity to reflect upon the main themes for the weekly reading assignments and to suggest discussion questions for the class.I recommend writing one paragraph summarizing the main argument or arguments from the readings and an additional one or two paragraphs offering your critiques of the readings.These responses are due by 9 a.m. in my office, 261 Dulles, the day of class.You do not need to submit a response for the week that you co-lead a discussion and for the week in which you do a presentation.

2.Each student is required to co-lead a class discussion (10%).You should meet with your co-facilitators to generate a list of questions.You also might experiment with more creative forms of discussion, such as debates, role-playing, etc.If you have any questions, feel free to meet with me beforehand.

3.Each student is responsible for doing a presentation on a primary source related to one week's worth of reading (10%).A minimum of two and a maximum of three students may present per week.You are responsible for locating the document, which may consist of a newspaper, a manifesto, a movement flyer, a speech, a song, artwork, etc.Your presentation (which should last approximately 10-15 minutes) should cover the following topics:

a.summarize the content of the source

b.identify the author (individual or organization)

c.explain the purpose of the document

d.explicate the context in which it was created

e.discuss its historical significance

f.relate the document to the reading for that week

4.A 10-page final paper (35%).You have one of three options:

a.Compare and contrast at least two of the life narratives assigned for this class.You might consider the following questions in formulating your thesis:What were the intended purposes of the life histories?Are the life narratives structured in different ways?If so, why?What were the most significant events in the subjects' lives and why?Did they view similar events from different perspectives?How does reading about these lives change or confirm your views of the 1960s?

b.Compare and contrast at least two of the secondary works on social movements of the 1960s.You might consider the following questions in formulating your thesis:How do the authors define social movements?What were the origins, evolution, and end results of these movements?How did they influence one another?

c.A research topic of your choice on the 1960s.Feel free to analyze a subject matter not covered in this class or to do additional reading on one of the topics in the course.You should read the equivalent of at least two books, preferably ones that offer different points of view from one another.

Absences:If you will be unable to attend class, you should inform me beforehand.If an emergency arises and you are unable to reach me before the class, contact me as soon as possible to explain your absence.If you miss more than two classes, you will not be able to pass the course.

Late Assignments:No late assignment will be accepted.

Plagiarism:All work presented in class or turned in must be a student's own. Plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct will be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the University's Committee on Academic Misconduct and will seriously affect a student's grade.

Class Schedule

9 January:Introduction

16 January:From Civil Rights to the Tet Offensive

Terry H. Anderson, The Movement and the Sixties, Introduction and Part I

Library Orientation with David Lincove

23 January:The Second Wave

Terry H. Anderson, The Movement and the Sixties, Part II and Legacies

30 JanuaryCivil Rights to Anti-Poverty

Chana Kai Lee, For Freedom's Sake:The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer

6 February:Women's Rights to Women's Liberation

Susan Brownmiller, In Our Time:Memoir of a Revolution

13 February:Sexual Liberation

Martin Duberman, Stonewall

20 February:American Indian Movement

Wilma Mankiller and Michael Wallis, Mankiller:A Chief and Her People

27 FebruaryFrom Oriental to Asian American

View:The Fall of the I-Hotel and Readings:TBA

6 March:La Raza

Ernesto Chavez, "Mi Raza Primero!":(My People First)Nationalism, Identity, and Insurgency in the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, 1966-1978

11 MarchPaper for graduating seniors due by noon in 261 Dulles.

13 March:The Counter-Revolution

Lisa McGirr, Suburban Warriors:The Origins of the New American Right

18 March:Paper Due for Non-Graduating Students by noon in 261 Dulles

Enrollment

Recommended:

Course Assignments