Syllabus (F22)

Instructor: Dr. D’Haeseleer

  • Contact me!
  • Course website (this site): Webpage
  • Canvas course page: Canvas homepage
    • We will not use Canvas very much. I have my reasons. Ask me if you’re curious.
  • Discord Server (Dr D’s classes Fall 2022)
Table of Contents

Class meeting time

Wed and Fri 9.30-10.45AM, Ettinger 213

Tea Room opening times

Tea Room: open for YOU to meet with ME. Meet in my office, or drop by via Discord (Use voice channel “Tea Room”)

(What actually is the tea room? <– Answers to all your questions.)

  • Tue: 2PM-3PM
  • Wed: 11AM-12PM
  • Or by appointment. Check my Google Calendar to see my availability and make an appointment. (“See someone else’s calendar availability” (use my e-mail address), or check out this video tutorial)
  • Changes and cancellations to to the regular scheduled Tea Room opening times will be announced on the Discord server.

About the course

Co-constructed syllabus

Do you have comments, questions, suggestions for the syllabus? Is something here not representing what we discussed in class in the first weeks of the semester? Do you see areas where we can make improvements? Use they Hypothes.is group HST269 and share your ideas!

If you have a lot of ideas, add your thoughts to the shared Google Doc.

There is a lot of stuff that the College requires me to add to the syllabus:

This includes grading guidelines, course attendance policy, course goals, info about Academic Integrity Code, the class’s Covid-19 Policy, course unit instruction, info about the Academic Resource Center, info for students with disabilities and special needs, info for students experiencing financial hardship, incomplete grades, and a course recording statement. For some of this there is official language, which I have indicated in italics.

A note about official language, and issues which I have already decided:

The college has given us official language to use in our syllabus (indicated in italics); for other items I have made an executive decision. Here is the list:

The class’s Covid-19 Policy, course unit instruction, Academic Resource Center, info for students with disabilities and special needs, info for students experiencing financial hardship, incomplete grades, and a course recording statement.

Course Contents

This course introduces you to China’s long history, and familiarizes you with the main cultural traditions and customs that still influence China to this day. The course takes you from the earliest beginnings in prehistory to the end of the eighteenth century, and explores society, politics, economy, culture, literature and arts to give you a good understanding of the main dynamics in Chinese history.

In this course you get a chance to explore in depth aspects of China’s history that interest you most, with small independent research projects. The goal is to get thinking like a historian, using primary sources where available in translation.

Course Goals

At the end of this course you will:

  • be more familiar with the geographic and temporal framework of China’s history before 1800
  • be more familiar with the major events and people of China’s history before 1800.
  • have developed an understanding of the main debates between historians
    • as they interpret the same events differently
    • as they identify the problems and limitations of the source materials
  • know how to use primary source materials for crafting a historical argument, including documents in translation, paintings, archaeological objects
  • have developed your analytical skills as a historian and will be able to identify major trends, continuities, sudden or gradual changes in premodern China’s history, and will be able to assess their impact on the Chinese people in the past.
  • have improved your oral and written communication skills by taking part in discussions in small and large group settings, short presentations, and by writing short pieces to generate discussion as well as longer reflection pieces and essays.

Course Unit Instruction:

This class is scheduled to meet for 3 hours per week. Additional instructional activities for the course include conferences with the instructor, Writing Center, Digital Learning assistants, and librarians, and appropriate College lectures and events, distributed across the semester. These activities will add an additional 14 hours of instruction across the semester.

Recommended as useful background reading, but not required:

  • Hansen, Valerie. The Open Empire: A History of China to 1800. Second ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2015.
    • What is it? This textbook for undergraduates gives you an overview of Chinese history (broadly defined) up to 1800, and inserts where possible the history of underrepresented groups (ethnic minorities, women) and deftly weaves in new perspectives.
  • Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, and Kwang-Ching Liu. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Second ed. Cambridge Illustrated History. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
    • What is it? The two authors use a wealth of images to help you visualize Chinese history, all the way to the present. It also has great written information.

Language of instruction

The entire course is conducted in English, all materials are provided in English and all work will be submitted in English.

You may consult materials in other languages, and use those in your work, with proper referencing to these sources. We can work together on how to put in references in an English language paper to primary and secondary sources in East

All about grades

  • This class is part of a Gradeless Classroom movement; the assignments are invitations to demonstrate you are learning how to research your topic and write history, and your progress in understanding the job of a historian.
    • Your goal is to be a good team member for your classmates, and to be a good historian.
  • In a mid-term and final conference with the me, you reflect on your progress and identify your strengths and opportunities for growth. In these conferences, we will agree on a grade to be submitted for the mid-term and for the end of the semester. This will be a realistic reflection of your work, effort, and growth over the course of the semester, illustrated with ample evidence from your portfolio of work (based on progress reports, reflections, drafts, presentations, and any other work you wish to put forward for consideration). If your self-assessment is wildly off the mark (either above or below the value of the produced work and progress that can be demonstrated), I reserve the right to adjust the final grade.

Busywork: “work that keeps a person busy but has little value in itself”

(Source: The dictionary on my computer)

There is no space in this course for busywork. If a task seems pointless or you cannot see the value of it, please speak with me. I can clarify what the value is from my point of view, and if you feel it is still of no use to your development as a historian, you can suggest an alternative way to demonstrate your engagement with the course material or your peers’ research. Life is too precious to spend it doing pointless things.

Course work

Everyone uses a Bergbuilds Domain, where you will create a WordPress site to run your own website and blog. Much of your writing for the course, and all of your portfolio work you will share with the class through the blog.

At the end of the semester you have a portfolio of blog posts and/or other materials. I encourage you to add many more pieces to your portfolio than the ones I invite you to contribute for this course. Your contributions help us to build a bigger, and better annotated network of knowledge related to Chinese history.

  • Weekly progress reports “5-15 reports”, with reading journals.
  • Four “Show and Tell” projects covering the material from the previous few weeks.
  • Contributions to the Zotero group library, either adding new materials or helping to tidy up the current collection by adding notes, tags, and categorizing the items in “collections”.
  • Feedback on each other’s writing, and on course readings using a small tool called Hypothes.is for “social annotation”: this means we leave comments on each other’s websites (yes, you can comment on this site!) in our own private group (HST269), rather than open on the web.
  • Reflections on your progress (3x throughout the semester); mid-term check-in conversation and final check-in.

Grades

  • A = strong, exceeds expectations, the result of independent work beyond consistent engagement with course materials and the Learning Community
  • B = good, meets expectations, the result of consistent engagement with course materials and the Learning Community
  • C = weak, does not meet expectations in several areas, and is the result of inconsistent engagement with course materials and the Learning Community
  • D = very weak, does not meet expectations in many areas, the result of limited engagement with course materials and the Learning Community
  • F = unsatisfactory, does not meet expectations, the result of almost no or no engagement with course materials and the Learning Community

Best-Before Dates

Often called deadlines (*shudder*) or due dates, best-before dates indicate that you are invited to complete tasks before a specific time for a good reason, and to make your and my life a bit easier:

  • Weekly progress reports with reading journal
    • Every Sunday night, 11:59PM
  • Four “Show and Tell” projects:
    • Sept. 23
    • Oct. 14
    • Nov. 11
    • Dec. 9
  • Contributions to the Zotero group library:
    • throughout the semester, include in your Weekly Progress report
    • I will include regular reminders in the task list
  • Feedback on each other’s writing in Hypothes.is group (HST269)
    • TBA, I will include regular reminders in the task list
  • Reflections on your progress
    • Sept. 30
    • Nov. 4
    • Dec. 9.
  • Mid-term check-in conversation for all students: from Oct. 6 through Oct. 20 (with grade for those who need a mid-term grade);
  • Final check-in conversation: Dec. 12/13 to determine final grade.

“Best-before” dates are important for you, and for me: I space them so that you have enough time to complete the assignments and work with the feedback on earlier assignments. Due dates also help me to stay (more or less) on top of the feedback throughout the semester, so it can be prompt; and your colleagues rely on them to do their part of peer reviews and providing you with valuable feedback. Pushing best-before dates into the future means you are crowding your submissions closer together, and we (instructor and classmates) may not be able to turn around work as soon as you would like, or in a timely manner for you to apply to the next assignment.

I understand that life and personal issues can get in the way of your learning, or producing your best work. In that case, I invite you to communicate with me, so I know what to expect, and (more importantly) when, and I will create space in my schedule. You can let me know in the following ways: see me in class, e-mail me, or drop by in the Tea Room when I’m in there and propose a new Best-Before Date which fits your schedule better. I will confirm this new date in writing within 24 hours.

If you fall ill suddenly, or are otherwise unable to complete tasks by the best-before date due to circumstances beyond your control you may not be able to arrange a new best-before date in advance. In that case, let me know ASAR (as soon as reasonable). If this is part of something bigger, get in touch with the Dean of Academic Life or the Dean of Student Affairs, or the Health Center. They can help you to coordinate care to see you through a rough patch.

If you habitually and routinely miss best-before dates, I will ask you in for a virtual cup of tea and a chat, so we can address what the underlying problem is and how I/the College can help you. This does not mean you fail. It only means that I really care about your wellbeing as a human. To help you find the right balance, we need to communicate.

Incomplete Grade

Please check the College policy. Note that YOU request an incomplete grade for the course, I cannot initiate this process.

Thoughtful participation in the Learning Commons

A “Learning Commons” is a virtual and physical space that aims to optimize learning, exploring, discovering, and fosters curiosity through collaborative effort. Only if all of us do our bit, will the learning happen.

To create such a space, I request your thoughtful participation, inside the classroom, in online spaces connected to this course, and in your head. Thoughtful participation requires more than just being in the room. Here is how you can bring your best self to each class to make the Learning Commons come to life:

1. “Traditional” active participation:

As we learned over the past year, being together in the same physical space is special: it allows us to focus better on the work at hand, it’s easier to communicate, and to “read the room”. Let’s make sure we make the most of that precious time, by actually showing up, and showing up ready to learn!

Before class: Make the most of our physical time together by preparing for class: read the texts we will discuss, take notes, think of discussion questions, or make a summary or list of what you think are the most important points of the chapter(s) or text(s) for that day. You can mark passages that you don’t (quite) understand, and focus on explaining precisely what the question is (asking concise, pointed questions is a great life skill you can practice here!). Likely you are not alone with your question. Occasionally I may invite you to prepare specific tasks in advance of a class session, please prepare these.

In class: Take part in the discussions! When I ask you, “what did you think about the reading?”, you should move well beyond a simple answer such as “I like it” or “I did not like it”. After reviewing the materials, you will be able to say something meaningful about them, for instance about how you see a text fit in with the other materials. At the very least, your reading notes will give you a couple of ideas: what is interesting? What is revealing? What is strange?

I treat this course not as a lecture course, but as a seminar. This course is not about my ideas or knowledge, but about teaching you new skills, and figuring out how to unlock your potential and skills as a historian, and to do so we need your verbal participation. We want to avoid awkward silences (different from thoughtful silences, when we need time to process difficult things), or having the same two people always dominating the conversation. You can avoid this easily: Have two (or more) points prepared in advance, based on the readings, because that will make it very easy to direct or jump into the discussion. A good challenge for yourself is to make an active contribution at least once per two sessions (i.e once per week). When we shift discussion into new topics, you can jump in with for instance “This is something completely different, but I noticed [insert point here]”. I’ll even make sure to hold back the people who always jump in first, so you have plenty of space to formulate your ideas.

What is thoughtful? “Filling airtime” with contributions that wander aimlessly off-topic is not thoughtful. You may of course draw on your personal perspective and experiences, but our time in class will be more productive if your contribution remains connected to the topic of that session. If you are an extremely active contributor, I may ask you to hold back and give your fellow students a chance to join in. Please understand not everybody is as quick with their thinking, or as comfortable speaking in a larger group.

If you feel uncomfortable speaking in front of a large group, please read the document This course is hard, for a few tips and quick-win strategies that work for most courses, not just this one.

During small group activities in class, formulate ideas, questions, and interact with your fellow students; in the plenary session we usually have afterwards, you can summarize the points of your group, and of course give credit to your fellow students where due, preferably by name! (This is why we use name tents.)

2. Other ways of actively contributing to the “Learning Commons”:

Here are other ways to contribute to our Learning Commons:

  • Sharing materials: e.g. link to a news report on a recent discovery, a great video you found that helps you to understand the course material better, a useful website or podcast.
    • Write a blog post (with link to online materials if applicable) and include that in category HST269. I will “signal boost” it. Another option is adding a book or article to the Zotero group library. Include a brief comment on why you think that material is interesting for our course and/or how we can discuss this in class.
  • Extra commenting: Use hypothes.is or add comments on your fellow students work on their websites: treat these as an extension of the classroom space for further discussion. Make thoughtful contributions: be specific, concrete and kind; you can also provide links to examples or further information.
    • We have regular feedback on posts, but you can go beyond the minimum amount of blogs you are invited to comment on.
  • Respect each other: There are many different ways you can show your respect for your fellow students, but one of the best is to help create an environment that’s conducive to learning, and that minimizes disruptions. Think of arriving in timely fashion for class, being prepared, and having your materials with you, treating micro-assignments with appropriate earnest (e.g. a closing exercise, peer reviews), but also helping others, not intentionally distracting others, not just being there for the instructor, but being there for and with your classmates.

What if class is canceled?

In the event I cannot make it to class, due to illness or other circumstances beyond my control, I will cancel class, and I may reschedule it for a later, mutually convenient date and time. I will send a message via e-mail, and in the Discord channel for our course. If you commute to campus, please check your e-mail before setting off on a journey that may be wasted, or set up an alert system with your classmates to pass the message via your preferred medium (text, WhatsApp, Facebook,…).

In the event I am out of action for a few weeks: there will be a syllabus to let the course run for a couple of weeks as it currently stands (“gradeless and co-constructed”).

If I am out for the entire semester, I have a back-up syllabus along the more traditional format. This is so that a colleague who takes over can step in easily with pre-set course contents and assignments. You can, of course, discuss with that new instructor the option of running the course in our current format, but I cannot guarantee what the outcome will be. (But as we say back home: You have a no, you may get a yes.)

Covid-19 policy and course attendance

  • Masks are required in class, at all times.
  • Make sure your mask
    • fully covers your nose and mouth. No nosing!
    • fits snugly
    • filters well (at least two layers of fabric or a KN95/N95 type respirator, no valve, or a surgical mask)
    • review Dr. Bachynski’s video if in doubt.
  • If you are Covid-positive and have symptoms, don’t come to class.
    • If you are vaccinated and test positive but don’t have symptoms (“asymptomatic”), you may choose not to attend class in person and join us via Zoom instead (This is above what the CDC and College recommend, but this is what I will do if it happens to me!)
  • If you’re ill with something else that’s infectious, please don’t come to class. Germs are best kept to yourself!
  • If you are well enough to attend class but contagious with something, listen in via Discord. Use the voice channel HST269.
  • If you are not well enough to join us via Discord (or tech gremlins prevent you), I ask you write a brief (1-2 paragraph) summary and reflection of the course materials for that day. Focus on the areas that are not clear to you, and the things that intrigue you. I’ll provide feedback so we both know you are understanding the materials and making progress with what you learn, because we will build on this in later sessions. You can just email that, or send it in as a google doc.
    • Please send this in as soon as reasonable after class, and preferably before the next class. I understand that illness in particular throws your schedule out of order, so I appreciate an ETA of this brief assignment if it will be a bit late.

Useful information

Academic Integrity Code

My guess is that “cheating” is the result of students finding the need for a shortcut, or not understanding why academic integrity matters. I strive for prevention rather than a cure, so tell me what would stop you from trying to cheat (or push you to do it). Here’s what I used to tell students. Do you agree with this language?

I consider it my duty to uphold academic integrity and to teach my students how to do this. I will not hesitate to forward a case to the Dean’s office if I suspect dishonesty. In this course, this will mainly concern references (“citations”) to sources. I will always give you feedback on your work and a chance to correct any issues before doing so. If, however, you do not make the required changes, or in later assignments still do not heed the warnings, I interpret your behaviour as disrespecting the Academic Integrity Code, and will report the case to the Dean of Academic Affairs. The penalty varies on the seriousness of the offence, but you will at the least receive a 0 for that particular assignment. Muhlenberg College takes academic integrity very seriously, so please read in detail and with great attention through the College’s policy. May I in particular draw your attention to this sentence from that document: “The College puts the burden of responsibility on students for knowing what plagiarism is, and then making the effort necessary to avoid it.”

(past syllabi)

[Info for] Students with Disabilities or Special Needs

To ensure that you get the most out of this course, I welcome accommodations if you have a disability or special needs. The College strongly encourages you to make arrangements with the Office of Disability Services, which then legally entitles you to certain accommodations and levels of support. The process to get fully tested and an accommodation plan set up is lengthy, so please get in touch with the Office as soon as you arrive on campus, or even earlier. You can tell me in private what specifically I can do to help your learning process, without disclosing your disability or condition. Past examples of changes I made include adding presenter notes to slides, adding OCR to PDFs, flexibility with due dates (with mutual agreement in advance of the due date) and seating arrangements. I hope to learn from you how to create a truly inclusive/less excluding classroom.

The College’s official language: Students with disabilities requesting classroom or course accommodations must complete a multi-faceted determination process through the Office of Disability Services prior to the development and implementation of accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services. Each Accommodation Plan is individually and collaboratively developed between the student and the Office of Disability Services. If you have not already done so, please contact the Office of Disability Services to have a dialogue regarding your academic needs and the recommended accommodations, auxiliary aides, and services. I look forward to learning how I can best meet your educational needs.

[Info for] Students experiencing Financial Hardship

If you are experiencing financial hardship, have difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day or do not have a safe and stable place to live, and believe this may affect your performance in this course, I would urge you to contact our CARE Team through the Dean of Students Office for support. The webpage is: www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/deanst/careteam/. You may also discuss your concerns with me if you are comfortable doing so.

If you’re worried about where your next meal is coming from, or how to pay bills, you can’t focus on learning history. Let’s figure out how to make the worries disappear so you can be fully present in class. I am committed to help you find the resources.

Academic Resource Center

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) offers individual and small-group tutoring, course-specific workshops, peer mentoring, and professional academic coaching for all currently enrolled Muhlenberg students. Students may request to be assigned to work on a weekly basis with a tutor for the duration of the fall semester starting on Monday August 29th. A link to the online tutor request form is available on the ARC website: www.muhlenberg.edu/arc. Questions regarding the ARC or any of their services may be directed to arcstudent@muhlenberg.edu.

Remember the Writing Center also is a great place to help you develop your budding idea into a full-fledged paper and anything in between!

Class Recording Statement

Before you hit the record button on any device, think twice. There are a lot of legal implications. I want to help you learn, but there are a truckload of reasons why it’s not easy to just say “sure, go ahead”, including considerations of copyright and concerns about fellow students’ privacy. Please read the official language from the college available via the link below, and talk with me if you need to record class on your own device.

Link to Class Recording policy

Course schedule

For the weekly schedule, check this page and the tab “Course Schedule” with the drop-down menu at the top of the webpage.