[home] [course schedule] [evaluation] [links of interest] [contact us]

Hist 16E:178: The Soviet Union, 1917-45

Fall 2009

SH40 Thursdays 6:00-8:20 p.m.

Instructor	Paula Michaels	Phone	335-2287
Office	SH160	Email	paula-michaels@uiowa.edu
Office Hours	Thursdays 12:30-2:15pm and by appt	URL	http://www.uiowa.edu/~c016e178/index.htm

TA	Faye Lin Bartram	Office hours
Office		Email	faye-bartram@uiowa.edu

Dept Office

SH280 (phone 335-2299)

History Writing Center

SH 303 (phone 335-2584)

Texts:

The following books are available at the University Book Store and on reserve at the main library:

Suny, Ronald Grigor. The Soviet Experiment, 1998.

_____. The Structure of Soviet History: Essays and Documents, 2003

Kollontai, Alexandra. Love of Worker Bees. Cathy Porter, trans., 1978. (students are assigned only the novella “Vasilisa Malygina”)

Garros, Veronique. Intimacy and Terror: Soviet Diaries of the 1930s, 1995.

Merridale, Catherine. Ivan’s War: Life and Death in the Red Army, 1939-45, 2006.

In addition there are several assigned primary documents available via the internet, as well as a research assignment that involves work in the microform collection. The document names are on the syllabus and there are links available from the “course schedule” page of the course website.

Description:

The October Revolution of 1917 swept the Bolsheviks into power and ushered in an era of unprecedented social and political experimentation. For the first time in history, a political party had the opportunity to put the theories of Marx and Lenin into practice by reorganizing society along socialist lines. This course explores the vicissitudes of this political, social, economic, and cultural upheaval. Through readings, lectures, films, and discussions we will look at the way in which historical forces shaped the Soviet state and society from the collapse of Russia’s Romanov dynasty through the end of World War Two, when the Soviet Union defeated Germany and emerged as a world power.

This syllabus provides you with information about the organization, structure, and requirements of the course. You are encouraged to read it carefully and make frequent reference to it. It will also available on the web page for this course.

Goals:

· To gain an understanding of the main events in the Soviet Union’s early history

· To cultivate critical reading skills with both primary and secondary historical documents

· To develop historical research and writing skills through both short and more sustained writing assignments

Requirements:

· Attendance at discussion sections and lectures each week

· Active participation in all discussions, both in sections and lectures

· Timely completion of reading assignments

· Timely and accurate completion of all assigned written work

Accommodations for Disabilities:

A student seeking academic accommodations first must register with Student Disability Services and then meet with a SDS counselor who determines eligibility for services. A student approved for accommodations should meet privately with the course instructor to arrange particular accommodations. www.uiowa.edu/~sds/

I would like to hear from anyone who has a disability which may require seating modifications or testing accommodations or accommodations of other class requirements, so that appropriate arrangements may be made. Please contact me during my office hours.

Administrative Home
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the administrative home of this course and governs matters such as the add/drop deadlines, the second-grade-only option, and other related issues. Different colleges may have different policies. Questions may be addressed to 120 Schaeffer Hall, or see the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

Electronic Communication
University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to their University of Iowa e-mail address (@uiowa.edu). Faculty and students should use this account for correspondences. (Operations Manual, III.15.2. Scroll down to k.11.)

Accommodations for Disabilities

A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability Services and then meet privately with the course instructor to make particular arrangements. See www.uiowa.edu/~sds/ for more information.

Academic Fraud
Plagiarism and any other activities when students present work that is not their own are academic fraud. Academic fraud is a serious matter and is reported to the departmental DEO and to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum. Instructors and DEOs decide on appropriate consequences at the departmental level while the Associate Dean enforces additional consequences at the collegiate level. See the CLAS Academic Fraud section of the Student Academic Handbook.

Making a Suggestion or a Complaint
Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit the instructor, then the course supervisor, and then the departmental DEO. Complaints must be made within six months of the incident. See the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

Understanding Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community have a responsibility to uphold this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full University policy.

Reacting Safely to Severe Weather
In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the classroom if necessary. The class will continue if possible when the event is over. For more information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Public Safety web site.

[home] [course schedule] [evaluation] [links of interest] [contact us]