Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

Global History III examines major issues and themes in global history from 1914 to 1991. It draws together the main regions of the world into the history of the “short” twentieth century, exploring the zenith and the decline of European empires across the first half of the twentieth century; the emergence and the consolidation of new forms of imperial power; and the making of the modern world until the early 1990s.

The course also explores themes that cut across the entire 1914–91 period. It analyses processes that have linked distant regions of the world more closely than ever before. These developments include intellectual, social, and cultural changes, as well as the flow of people, ideas, and resources across borders. The course brings to the fore the connectedness of the twentieth century, but also the far-ranging tensions of globalisation — tensions whose repercussions are felt to this day.

Associated skills

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course can be found in the degree’s Memòria (see R.A. 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.6; 1.7; 2.1; 2.2; 2.3; 2.5; 6.3; 8.1; 8.2; and 8.3).

Sustainable Development Goals

Though lectures, seminaris, and readings, the course provides a historical perspective on the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• 1: No poverty
• 4: Quality education
• 5: Gender equality
• 8: Decent work and economic growth
• 10: Reduced inequalities
• 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Contents

1. A global crisis, c. 1900‒1930: Europe and the Middle East
2. A global crisis, c. 1900‒1930: Africa and Asia
3. Authoritarianism and dictatorship, c. 1900‒1950
4. Peripheral conflicts and the end of old regimes, c. 1945‒1955
5. US hegemony and the end of colonialism, c. 1955‒1980
6. World politics and the shock of the “long 1980s”
7. Postcolonial politics: India from Nehru to Modi
8. Race as an imperial legacy
9. Gender under colonialism
10. The self and society
11. Arts, literature and entertainment
12. A century of killing

Note: This is a sample of the key themes covered in the course. Some may change due to organisational and academic reasons.  

Teaching Methods

The course consists of lectures and seminars. In the lectures, we will explore each session’s themes — concentrating on their theoretical and interpretative dimensions — and discuss the required readings.

In the seminars, we will explore a single theme in depth: the Cold War. We will do so through discussions of the required readings for each seminar, as well as through the development of an individual research project on an aspect of the history of the Cold War.

All slides used in lectures and seminars will be made available after each session on Aula Global, in PDF format.

Evaluation

1. GRADING FORMULA

• Seminar participation (20%)
• Group presentation (30%)
• Final exam (50%)

1.1. Seminar participation (20%)

Oral and written participation in the four seminars will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Do you demonstrate you have read and understood the required readings for each session, both in your oral remarks (in the seminars) and in your written remarks (in the four seminar assignments)?
• If so, 1) are your oral and written remarks well informed? 2) do they contextualise the readings by referring to other readings and sessions? 3) what level of analytical sophistication do they demonstrate?

Participation in each of the four seminars is worth 5% of your final grade. Oral and written participation will be considered holistically, so you will receive an overall grade for each seminar that considers both your comments in the session and the assignment you have submitted.  

Each assignment is due the day before the seminar (as per your assigned seminar group) by 23:59, on the assigned Turnitin task on Aula Global. No submissions will be accepted after each deadline and no other form of submission will be accepted. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit— technical or other difficulties are not an excuse for late work. It is your responsibility to verify that assignments are submitted successfully — please download all submitted files and verify that they are the files you intended to submit.

1.2. Group presentation (30%)

You will undertake a group presentation, to be delivered in class in the dates established in the course schedule.

• Each presentation must address the general topic and the specific question established in the “Group presentations” file on Aula Global, preferably with some (or all) of the suggested sources. You may consult additional sources.
• Your choice of topic must be communicated through the sign-up sheet — a Google Docs file that will be made available on Aula Global. Once you sign up for a topic, you commit yourself to delivering the presentation on the established date. The sign-up sheet will have a limited number of available slots per topic.  
• Each group will appoint one single spokesperson. The spokesperson will be responsible for all communication regarding the group presentation. You must identify who the spokesperson is on the sign-up sheet.
• Each group presentation will be 20 minutes in length. It is important that you rehearse and time yourselves to ensure your group does not go over the 20-minute time limit.
• You may use slides for your presentation. 
• Each group member must participate equally in the delivery of the presentation on the established date.
• The same grade will be awarded to all group members.

1.3. Final exam (50%)

You will write one final exam at the time established by the Faculty of Humanities for the course’s final exam. It will have one single question, but you will be able to choose between two different options. In your essay-style answer, you will synthesise and critically examine the material presented over the term. You must demonstrate that you have attended the lectures, seminars and group presentation sessions, that you have understood the readings, and that you comprehend how all these components fit together.

In your answer you may make use of any material you deem relevant (information from lectures and seminars, group presentations, required readings, recommended bibliography, etc.). While you are very strongly encouraged to examine arguments from the required readings, you are not expected to do any additional reading specifically for the essay. Essays must be no longer than 2 sheets of paper (4 sides).   

2.  GRADING CRITERIA FOR GROUP PRESENTATIONS AND FINAL EXAM

• Thesis (4 points): You must combine information from different sources, arrange it in an unfamiliar pattern, and draw conclusions that may be new to you. In short, you will be constructing an argument. State your thesis clearly in your introduction and make sure it answers the question. In addition, your thesis should not be a simplistic argument (“Refugees faced many difficulties in the twentieth century”), but a specific one that requires you to think about the material in complex ways.
• Structure (3 points): How well is the discourse organized? Support your argument with evidence, arranged in a logical order. Is the organization appropriate to the question? Is a chronological or thematic approach best suited to the question? Is it clear to the audience/reader why the presentation/essay moves from one idea/paragraph to the other?
• Examples (2 points): To demonstrate mastery of the material, you must think both broadly and narrowly — broadly about your theme, and narrowly about the specific information that illustrates your theme. Have you selected relevant material to illustrate your points? Have you made specific references to examples in the readings? All general claims must be backed by specific evidence.
• Style (1 point): Are ideas/paragraphs well-constructed, with sentences that reflect the “mini-thesis” of each paragraph? Are sentences well-constructed, with grammar, syntax and spelling/delivery that does not impede comprehension?

3. GRADE RECOVERY
Should you fail the course, there are two elements in the course’s evaluation you can recover.

• The first one is the recovery exam, which you may sit at the date and time established by the Faculty of Humanities. It will have the same structure, characteristics, and grading rubric as the final exam.
• The second one are the written seminar assignments, which you may resubmit by the date and time established by the Faculty of Humanities for the course’s recovery exam. You must submit them through the Turnitin task that will be activated for these recovery assignments.

If you sit the recovery exam and/or submit the written seminar assignments you can only receive a maximum final grade of 5.0. Please note that you may not recover either of these elements if you have a passing grade.

4. NOTES ON EVALUATION

• It is essential that you come to the seminars prepared to discuss the required readings for each session.
• Participation in lectures (by asking and answering questions, etc.) will be taken into account if you obtain a marginal final grade (for instance, a 4.9 might be rounded up to a 5 and an 8.9 might be rounded up to a 9). This is the only circumstance in which grades will be rounded up.
• It is essential that you maintain a regular attendance record. Missed classes often result in lower grades due to lower engagement with the materials. 
• The course is entirely in English: contributions in languages other than English will not be assessed.
• There is no extra credit available.

5. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Plagiarism entails deliberately or unintentionally taking credit for someone else’s work, as well as self-plagiarism (submitting work done for another course or degree). Following the Faculty of Humanities’ plagiarism policy, any student found plagiarising in any part of the course will receive a 0 and will be reported to the academic dean (cap d’estudis) at the Faculty of Humanities, as well as to the coordinator of the BA in Global Studies.

Bibliography and information resources

The specific readings for lectures and seminars will be available on Aula Global on the first day of class. Students are also encouraged to consult the following sources.

1. Burbank, Jane, and Frederick Cooper, Empires in world history: Power and the politics of difference (2011)
2. Crossley, Pamela, Lynn Hollen Lees and John W. Servos, Global society: The world since 1900 (2012)
3. Hobsbawm, Eric J., The age of extremes: The short twentieth century, 1914–1991 (1994)
4. Kalinovsky, Artemy M., and Craig Daigle (eds), The Routledge Handbook of the Cold War (2014)
5. Lake, Marilyn, and Henry Reynolds, Drawing the global colour line: White men’s countries and the question of racial equality (2008)
6. MacMillan, Margaret, Paris 1919: Six months that changed the world (2007)
7. Reynolds, David, One world divisible: A global history of the world since 1945 (2000)
8. Shipway, Martin, Decolonization and its impact: A comparative approach to the end of the colonial empires (2008)
9. Sluga, Glenda, Internationalism in the age of nationalism (2013)
10. Smith, Bonnie G., Women in World History (2020)

Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

Global History III examines major issues and themes in global history from 1914 to 1991. It draws together the main regions of the world into the history of the “short” twentieth century, exploring the zenith and the decline of European empires across the first half of the twentieth century; the emergence and the consolidation of new forms of imperial power; and the making of the modern world until the early 1990s.

The course also explores themes that cut across the entire 1914–91 period. It analyses processes that have linked distant regions of the world more closely than ever before. These developments include intellectual, social, and cultural changes, as well as the flow of people, ideas, and resources across borders. The course brings to the fore the connectedness of the twentieth century, but also the far-ranging tensions of globalisation — tensions whose repercussions are felt to this day.

Associated skills

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course can be found in the degree’s Memòria (see R.A. 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.6; 1.7; 2.1; 2.2; 2.3; 2.5; 6.3; 8.1; 8.2; and 8.3).

Sustainable Development Goals

Though lectures, seminaris, and readings, the course provides a historical perspective on the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• 1: No poverty
• 4: Quality education
• 5: Gender equality
• 8: Decent work and economic growth
• 10: Reduced inequalities
• 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Contents

1. A global crisis, c. 1900‒1930: Europe and the Middle East
2. A global crisis, c. 1900‒1930: Africa and Asia
3. Authoritarianism and dictatorship, c. 1900‒1950
4. Peripheral conflicts and the end of old regimes, c. 1945‒1955
5. US hegemony and the end of colonialism, c. 1955‒1980
6. World politics and the shock of the “long 1980s”
7. Postcolonial politics: India from Nehru to Modi
8. Race as an imperial legacy
9. Gender under colonialism
10. The self and society
11. Arts, literature and entertainment
12. A century of killing

Note: This is a sample of the key themes covered in the course. Some may change due to organisational and academic reasons.  

Teaching Methods

The course consists of lectures and seminars. In the lectures, we will explore each session’s themes — concentrating on their theoretical and interpretative dimensions — and discuss the required readings.

In the seminars, we will explore a single theme in depth: the Cold War. We will do so through discussions of the required readings for each seminar, as well as through the development of an individual research project on an aspect of the history of the Cold War.

All slides used in lectures and seminars will be made available after each session on Aula Global, in PDF format.

Evaluation

1. GRADING FORMULA

• Seminar participation (20%)
• Group presentation (30%)
• Final exam (50%)

1.1. Seminar participation (20%)

Oral and written participation in the four seminars will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Do you demonstrate you have read and understood the required readings for each session, both in your oral remarks (in the seminars) and in your written remarks (in the four seminar assignments)?
• If so, 1) are your oral and written remarks well informed? 2) do they contextualise the readings by referring to other readings and sessions? 3) what level of analytical sophistication do they demonstrate?

Participation in each of the four seminars is worth 5% of your final grade. Oral and written participation will be considered holistically, so you will receive an overall grade for each seminar that considers both your comments in the session and the assignment you have submitted.  

Each assignment is due the day before the seminar (as per your assigned seminar group) by 23:59, on the assigned Turnitin task on Aula Global. No submissions will be accepted after each deadline and no other form of submission will be accepted. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit— technical or other difficulties are not an excuse for late work. It is your responsibility to verify that assignments are submitted successfully — please download all submitted files and verify that they are the files you intended to submit.

1.2. Group presentation (30%)

You will undertake a group presentation, to be delivered in class in the dates established in the course schedule.

• Each presentation must address the general topic and the specific question established in the “Group presentations” file on Aula Global, preferably with some (or all) of the suggested sources. You may consult additional sources.
• Your choice of topic must be communicated through the sign-up sheet — a Google Docs file that will be made available on Aula Global. Once you sign up for a topic, you commit yourself to delivering the presentation on the established date. The sign-up sheet will have a limited number of available slots per topic.  
• Each group will appoint one single spokesperson. The spokesperson will be responsible for all communication regarding the group presentation. You must identify who the spokesperson is on the sign-up sheet.
• Each group presentation will be 20 minutes in length. It is important that you rehearse and time yourselves to ensure your group does not go over the 20-minute time limit.
• You may use slides for your presentation. 
• Each group member must participate equally in the delivery of the presentation on the established date.
• The same grade will be awarded to all group members.

1.3. Final exam (50%)

You will write one final exam at the time established by the Faculty of Humanities for the course’s final exam. It will have one single question, but you will be able to choose between two different options. In your essay-style answer, you will synthesise and critically examine the material presented over the term. You must demonstrate that you have attended the lectures, seminars and group presentation sessions, that you have understood the readings, and that you comprehend how all these components fit together.

In your answer you may make use of any material you deem relevant (information from lectures and seminars, group presentations, required readings, recommended bibliography, etc.). While you are very strongly encouraged to examine arguments from the required readings, you are not expected to do any additional reading specifically for the essay. Essays must be no longer than 2 sheets of paper (4 sides).   

2.  GRADING CRITERIA FOR GROUP PRESENTATIONS AND FINAL EXAM

• Thesis (4 points): You must combine information from different sources, arrange it in an unfamiliar pattern, and draw conclusions that may be new to you. In short, you will be constructing an argument. State your thesis clearly in your introduction and make sure it answers the question. In addition, your thesis should not be a simplistic argument (“Refugees faced many difficulties in the twentieth century”), but a specific one that requires you to think about the material in complex ways.
• Structure (3 points): How well is the discourse organized? Support your argument with evidence, arranged in a logical order. Is the organization appropriate to the question? Is a chronological or thematic approach best suited to the question? Is it clear to the audience/reader why the presentation/essay moves from one idea/paragraph to the other?
• Examples (2 points): To demonstrate mastery of the material, you must think both broadly and narrowly — broadly about your theme, and narrowly about the specific information that illustrates your theme. Have you selected relevant material to illustrate your points? Have you made specific references to examples in the readings? All general claims must be backed by specific evidence.
• Style (1 point): Are ideas/paragraphs well-constructed, with sentences that reflect the “mini-thesis” of each paragraph? Are sentences well-constructed, with grammar, syntax and spelling/delivery that does not impede comprehension?

3. GRADE RECOVERY
Should you fail the course, there are two elements in the course’s evaluation you can recover.

• The first one is the recovery exam, which you may sit at the date and time established by the Faculty of Humanities. It will have the same structure, characteristics, and grading rubric as the final exam.
• The second one are the written seminar assignments, which you may resubmit by the date and time established by the Faculty of Humanities for the course’s recovery exam. You must submit them through the Turnitin task that will be activated for these recovery assignments.

If you sit the recovery exam and/or submit the written seminar assignments you can only receive a maximum final grade of 5.0. Please note that you may not recover either of these elements if you have a passing grade.

4. NOTES ON EVALUATION

• It is essential that you come to the seminars prepared to discuss the required readings for each session.
• Participation in lectures (by asking and answering questions, etc.) will be taken into account if you obtain a marginal final grade (for instance, a 4.9 might be rounded up to a 5 and an 8.9 might be rounded up to a 9). This is the only circumstance in which grades will be rounded up.
• It is essential that you maintain a regular attendance record. Missed classes often result in lower grades due to lower engagement with the materials. 
• The course is entirely in English: contributions in languages other than English will not be assessed.
• There is no extra credit available.

5. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Plagiarism entails deliberately or unintentionally taking credit for someone else’s work, as well as self-plagiarism (submitting work done for another course or degree). Following the Faculty of Humanities’ plagiarism policy, any student found plagiarising in any part of the course will receive a 0 and will be reported to the academic dean (cap d’estudis) at the Faculty of Humanities, as well as to the coordinator of the BA in Global Studies.

Bibliography and information resources

The specific readings for lectures and seminars will be available on Aula Global on the first day of class. Students are also encouraged to consult the following sources.

1. Burbank, Jane, and Frederick Cooper, Empires in world history: Power and the politics of difference (2011)
2. Crossley, Pamela, Lynn Hollen Lees and John W. Servos, Global society: The world since 1900 (2012)
3. Hobsbawm, Eric J., The age of extremes: The short twentieth century, 1914–1991 (1994)
4. Kalinovsky, Artemy M., and Craig Daigle (eds), The Routledge Handbook of the Cold War (2014)
5. Lake, Marilyn, and Henry Reynolds, Drawing the global colour line: White men’s countries and the question of racial equality (2008)
6. MacMillan, Margaret, Paris 1919: Six months that changed the world (2007)
7. Reynolds, David, One world divisible: A global history of the world since 1945 (2000)
8. Shipway, Martin, Decolonization and its impact: A comparative approach to the end of the colonial empires (2008)
9. Sluga, Glenda, Internationalism in the age of nationalism (2013)
10. Smith, Bonnie G., Women in World History (2020)