Weekly Schedule of Reading and Assignments

General Course Outline


Week One: Never Forget? (1/30, 2/1)

Monday: Course Introduction to 120

Wednesday Lecture: Trauma Studies (moved to next week)
From War is a Force: Ch 6 "The Cause" (142-156)
For next Monday's discussion, think about the following
concepts from Chapter 6:

What kinds of things does Hedges believe about the cause of war?
What is the role of the press?
Explain “War finds its meaning in death.” (p.144)
Explain how the “adoption of the cause means the adoption of the
language of the cause” (p.148 ?)
What is “nihilistic relativism”? Arendt (p.150)


Week Two: Collective Shadows (2/6, 2/8)

For Monday: Have Read Ch. 2 (42-61) From War is a Force...
Have Read skimmed noted paragraphs from Intro (from Class
Wednesday 2/1).

For Wednesday: Have Read "Volunteers" (short-story) and
WWI Poems (hand-out) , and WWI diary excerpt. Look at WWI poster images.

If you're inclined, visit World War I website (see link on this site)

Lecture: "Shell Shock" & The Birth of Modern Trauma


Short 1 Due 2/15: Your first "short" will be based on your
interview assignment with an older relative.




Week Three: Night (2/15)

For Wednesday: Have Read From Man's Search for Meaning
(Due to the long week, read up until pages 60-70).

Night and Fog (film)

Week Four Night (con’t) (2/21, 2/22)

Tuesday: From Man’s Search for Meaning (pgs TBA)
Essay One Due 2/27: See "Essay One Description" on this site)

Wednesday: From Man's Search for Meaning (pgs TBA)
From Night (Hand-Out)


Week Five: War Cultures (2/27, 3/1)

Lecture: Legacies of Hiroshima
From War is a Force: Ch 3 (62-82)
Focus: Art Goes to War (Picasso, etc)
From: Man’s Search for Meaning
Short 2 Due 3/6


Week Six: Beautiful Ruins (3/6, 3/8)

Lecture: My War Gone By, I Miss It So
From War is a Force: Ch 4 (82-121)
From Regarding the Pain of Others
From Apocalypse Now
“The Beauty of the Battlefield,” Stratis Myrivilis

Week Seven: Survivor (3/13, 3/15)

Lecture: Legacies of the Holocaust
From Man’s Search for Meaning
Short 3 Due 3/15



Week Eight: The Nightmare of History (3/20, 3/22)

Lecture: Legacies of Vietnam
Slaughter-House Five
Essay Two Due 3/22


Week Nine: Veterans (3/27, 3/29)

Lecture: German Memories
Slaughter-House Five


Week Ten: Remembering & Forgetting (4/3, 4/5)

Lecture: Popular Violence
Slaughter-House Five
From War is a Force: Ch 5 (122-141)
Short 4 Due 4/5


Week Eleven: Witness & Memory (4/10)

Lecture: 20th Century Genocides
From Regarding the Pain of Others
From Maus


Week Twelve: Witness & Memory (con’t) (4/24, 4/26)

Maus
Short 5 Due 4/26


Week Thirteen: Borders (5/1, 5/3)

Lecture: Global Apartheids
Waiting for the Barbarians
Essay 3 Due 5/3


Week Fourteen: Borders (con’t) (5/8, 5/10)

Lecture: Excerpts From Student Writing
Waiting for the Barbarians
From War is a Force: Ch 7 (157-185)


Week Fifteen: Finishing (5/15, 5/17)

Lecture: Excerpts From Student Writing
Short 6 Due 5/17