Comments on: Random history course generator

By: And the envelopes, please… : Historiann : History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:20:34 +0000

[...] Eduardo, “1536-1915: From Henry VIII to Zeppelins: The Destruction of English Churches from the Reformation to World War One” [...]

By: Judith

Judith — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:27:24 +0000

I see that you’ve put a limit on this, and all the while I was planning out readings and such! Well I’m a little late, but I’ll go ahead and give you the course titles at least:

You Say You Want a Revolution: Trends in Social History That Made the Late Sixties Possible, 1824-1964

This first semester course would include units on social revolutions, underground social movements, evolving political consciousness (especially in student movements), the rise of feminism, and changes in sexuality. The big challenge for this one is getting it to start right at 1824.

Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?: An Explosion of Peace, Love, and Equality (Or At Least That Was the Plan), 1964-1970

The second semester would tie the rising movements in semester one to the relatively speedy changes in this shorter period including the women’s movement, the sudden acceleration of the gay movement, the sort of sexual revolution, the tie between political movements and social change, and the role of culture. Both courses would probably use a wee bit of literature and/or art as well as the typical historical sources, and would be organized thematically rather than by year, but would fall within the given dates.

I’m having a ball playing with this: because I’m a total nerd and I want to go to graduate school (as opposed to law school) or even teach but am afraid that I’d never be able to do *exactly* what I want, I’ve been working on developing my own curricula and then doing the reading myself. Judith University. It’s really a great, focused way to learn, and I love doing it. Once I do plan out this curriculum I will post it on my blog and give you a link.

Now, off to take a national security law exam! (And kick that creativity back where it belongs, ha.)

By: Profane

Profane — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:53:02 +0000

Course #3:

Gilgamesh to Georgia

By: Historiann

Historiann — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:38:52 +0000

These are all great–I’ll keep the submissions open until midnight Mountain time, and post my favorites this weekend!

Thanks for your participation in random History curriculum building! I don’t think our curriculum is half bad, and it’s only slightly less balanced and sane than the ones we’re laboring within, right?

By: Fratguy

Fratguy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:32:10 +0000

1964-1970 : Gestation of Gen X (The Counter Boomeration)

By: JJO

JJO — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:37:12 +0000

1964-1970: The Beatles

By: Dr. Crazy

Dr. Crazy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:25:11 +0000

The Wasteland is 1922 – Prufrock is 1915

(I now return you to your Imaginary Historical Survey Courses)

By: nicolec

nicolec — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:22:59 +0000

Oops- roadblock

By: nicolec

nicolec — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:20:30 +0000

I’d like to hear what a Women’s history courses might look like with these dates!
The best I’ve come up with so far:

1536-1915- From Ann Boleyn to Carrie Chapman Catt- Women, Power and the “Public Eye” in Western Civilization

I don’t have an official course description, but I thought it would be interesting to analyze how the “public eye” has served as both a tool and a road block for women in various ways.

By: K.N.

K.N. — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:55:50 +0000

I have removed the dates from just about every course on our catalog (at least the ones I control) precisely because of this struggle over “coverage.” The confluence of issues is often sacrificed in the name of such “organization.” That said, my two cents (minus the descriptions and syllabus, because I don’t have anything left in that particular intellectual tank at the moment):

1536-1915: People as Things: From African Slavery through Child Labor

788-1786: The Age of Monarchy (Sorry, Dutchmen)

OK, one more:
1964-1970: The Origins (and laughable flaws) of Neoconservatism