HISTORY 226: THE HISTORY OF MODERN RUSSIA

· Professor: Dr. George Reklaitis (“Dr. George”) · Office: MAN 117e (in Social Science Division) · Email: greklaitis@brookdalecc.edu · Office Phone: 732.224.2940 · Office Hours: M 11-2, W 9-11 · ANGEL: http://brookdale.angellearning.com · Facebook: http://facebook.com/DocG.Courses

Required Materials:

Required Readings: Available for purchase at the College Bookstore.

1) Peter Kenez, A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End.

2) Lydia Chukovskaya, Sofia Petrovna.

3) Fyodor Vasilievich Gladkov, Cement.

4) Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines Russia in the Twentieth Century with particular focus on the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, 1917-1991. With an initial examination of the late Imperial Period to provide context for the revolutionary events of 1905 and 1917, the principal topics to be addressed will include the Bolshevik Revolution, the Russian Civil War, the rise of Stalin and his impact on pre-World War II Russia, the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union as a Cold War Super Power, and the slow decline that culminates in the collapse of the communist system by 1991. This course satisfies the General Education, Global and Cultural Awareness Requirement as well as requirements for the Option in International Studies in the A.A. degree in Humanities.

Intended Course Learning Outcomes/Course Goals (Core Competencies):

The objectives of this course are twofold: First, to develop a solid knowledge of not just the facts for the period we study, but an understanding of the interactions and exchanges between the different people that comprised the Soviet Union and the way in which they influenced one another, the USSR as a whole, and the world around them. Second, to develop critical reading, thinking, and writing skills in analyzing historical material and sources, and producing first-rate historical work based on such analysis. (Communication, Critical Thinking, Creative Expression, Information Literacy, Technological Literacy, Historical/Societal Analysis)

Unit Topics

See Course Schedule

Grading Standard:

Students will be required to fulfill NINE (9) requirements:

· Online Quizzes: During the course of the semester you will take 11 (eleven) quizzes via ANGEL worth 5 points each. Quizzes will cover material from the readings and will be in multiple-choice, identification, and short-answer format. Lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Quizzes must be taken before class to receive credit.

· Online Discussion Posts: During the semester you will be asked to post to an online discussion forum on ANGEL 13 (thirteen) times. Your posts will be in response to questions posted on ANGEL, and each will be worth 5 points. Posts are to be completed before class to receive credit. Lowest post grade will be dropped. (Please view online discussion guidelines on the ANGEL web site for more details).

· Reading papers: You will write brief, 3-4 page papers summarizing the three books we are reading for the course. The papers will be part summary and part analysis. Specific questions and guidelines will be distributed in advance. Each reading and film paper is worth 40 points, one reading-only paper is worth 30 points.

· Research Paper: The goal of the project is to give you experience as a researcher, writer, and presenter of your work and ideas.

v You will be required to pick a research topic from one of the four historical eras covered in the reading and film papers. 1) The Soviet Union in the 1920s; 2) The Great Purges; 3) The Soviet Union during WWII; and 4) The GULAG. You will submit a brief bibliography worth 20 points, designed as the first step in your research.

v Toward the end of the semester you will also be required to hand in an annotated bibliography, worth 20 points.

v Part of your participation grade, worth 50 points, will involve occasional in-class updates of your progress on your research and paper, as well as getting involved in daily class discussions.

v The project will culminate in a 6-8 page research paper utilizing both primary and secondary sources. The research paper will be worth 100 points. NOTE: YOU CANNOT PASS THE COURSE IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT A FINAL PAPER.

10 Quizzes x 5 = 50

12 Posts x 5 = 60

Brief Bib x 10 = 10

Annotated Bib x 20 = 20

1 Reading Papers x 30 = 30

2 Reading/Film Paper x 40 = 80

Participation x 50 = 50

Research Paper x 100 = 100

Total: = 400

A = 450, B+ = 435, B = 400, C+ =385 , C = 350, D = 335

Department Policies:

Readings:

History is a discipline that depends on reading. As an excellent historian once put it: You should think of class attendance and class reading as two wings of a bird and remember that a bird needs both wings to fly. The most common reason students do poorly in a history course is that they attempt to fly with one wing, that is, they try to get by without doing the assigned reading. Not everything in the readings will be discussed in lecture, nor will everything in lecture be in the readings. Keep those wings flapping.

Because the course is topical, you must prepare for class by reading the assignments BEFORE you come to class, otherwise, the lectures and discussions will often be bewildering. This is why I will be giving reading quizzes – to help you keep up on the readings, not because I love to grade.

ANGEL Course Management System

Students in this course will be required to use the ANGEL course management system to access readings, take quizzes, and post to discussion forums. This is a web-enhanced class and utilizing this feature is essential to your success in the course. Brookdale’s Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is available in-person and online (http://brookdalecc.edu/pages/200.asp) to help you utilize the system. I am willing to offer my aid as well.

Plagiarism, Late Papers, Turnitin.com, and Extra Credit.

Plagiarism** is cheating. Anytime you directly quote or use the words of another author you must cite the source. Please do your own work. Any evidence of plagiarism will result in failure on that assignment AND I reserve the right to fail you for the course. Papers handed in late will be docked 10% for every calendar day past the deadline. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER A WEEK PAST THE DUE DATE! All papers for this course will be submitted online via http://turnitin.com. Extra credit opportunities will only be extended to those students who have complete 75% of the course work at that point during the semester.

Statement on Classroom Behavior:

Please respect the classroom. This means: Turning off all cell phones, pagers, and personal audio equipment. Coming to class on time. Leaving the classroom only during breaks or at the end of class. Refraining from discussion when the instructor or another classmate is speaking. Those who repeatedly violate these classroom policies will find themselves subject to penalties, most likely in the form of Participation Grade deduction.

Attendance and Participation Policy

I do take attendance every day. As a college student the assumption is you are a responsible adult, and hence you need to be responsible and get here every time. Your attendance / participation grade will be determined by me at the end of the semester. Were you consistently absent? Did you add to the class discussion? Did you cause distractions such as talking during class, leaving the room during class, constantly coming in late? Since we only meet once a week, missing one class means missing a lot. If you know a head of time that you will be unable to make it, please let me know. A student cannot miss more than 2 classes and still pass the course.

<span style=’font-size:14.0pt’>Methods for Success</span>

1. Attend class regularly and complete all reading assignments on time.

2. Start your projects well in advance of the due date in order to account for any possible delays or snags you may encounter. (i.e. If your dog eats your paper you should have time to print up a new copy.)

3. Ask questions often.  If a point in lecture or in the reading is unclear by all means ask the instructor. If you do not feel comfortable doing so in class, feel free to contact me after class, during office hours, or we can arrange a time more convenient for both of us.  I am at your disposal.

4. Learn to think and read critically.  Do not take everything you read or hear in class as universal truth.  Challenge the historical arguments of the authors and your instructor.  Remember the historians you will be learning from this semester (including yours truly) are by no means the last word in historical study.  We collect facts and interpret them just like you do.

5. Communicate with your instructor:  If you have special needs that I need to be aware of or if you have questions or ideas about how to make the class more comfortable or enjoyable for you let me know.

6. Enjoy! The Study of History is not just about reciting names and dates. It involves learning about the past and from the past.  In this course we will be studying an extraordinary time in which people, much like you and me, did extraordinary things.  During the course of the semester try and place yourself in their positions and try to understand what they faced and what they did, and think about what you would have done under similar circumstances.

College Policies:

For information regarding:

¨ Brookdale’s Academic Integrity Code

¨ Student Conduct Code

¨ Student Grade Appeal Process

Please refer to the Student Handbook and BCC Catalog.

Notification for Students with Disabilities:

Brookdale Community College offers reasonable accommodations and/or services to persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who wish to self-identify, must contact the Disabilities Services Office at 732-224-2730 or 732-842-4211 (TTY), provide appropriate documentation of the disability, and request specific accommodations or services. If a student qualifies, reasonable accommodations and/or services, which are appropriate for the college level and are recommended in the documentation, can be approved.

Additional Support/Labs:

Instructor, Dr. George Reklaitis. Dr. Reklaitis has been a full-time faculty member at Brookdale since 2004, specializing in Soviet, Cold War, World War II, Holocaust, and Modern World History. Email: greklaitis@brookdalecc.edu.

Karen Sieben, History Learning Assistant. Karen works with faculty to provide special assistance to students, both individually and in small groups, in World and American history courses. Karen's office phone number is 224-2533, and her desk is located in the Social Sciences Learning Area in MAN 127. You can also contact Karen via email, ksieben@brookdalecc.edu.

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Course Schedule

9/12 - Introduction to the Course (Why study Russian history?)

· Reading: None

· Assignment: Login to ANGEL, post introduction.

I. From Imperial Russia to the Soviet State:

9/19 - Imperial Russia

· Reading:

o Imperial Russia Documents (ANGEL)

· Assignment:

o Take online quiz 1 and post to discussion forum 1.

9/26 – Revolution

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 1-33

o “The St. Petersburg Workmen’s Petition.” (ANGEL)

o It is strongly recommended that you being reading Cement.

· Assignment: Take online quiz 2 and post to discussion forum 2.

10/3 - Soviet Society in the 1920s

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 33-70

o Cement

· Assignment: Take online quiz 3 and post to discussion forum 3 (which will feature questions on the novel too.)

10/10 - FILM: Commissar

· Reading:

o Cement

· Assignment: Post to discussion forum 4 on Cement before class, and on Commissar, after class.

II. From the Rise of Stalin to the Great Patriotic War:

10/17 - Rise of Stalin

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 80-102

o Begin reading Sofia Petrovna

· Assignment: Take online quiz 4 and post to discussion forum 5.

· Paper I Due via Turnitin.com

10/24 - The Great Purges

· Reading: Kenez, pp. 103-131

o Sofia Petrovna

· Assignment: Take online quiz 5 and post to discussion forum 6.

10/31 - The Origins of World War II

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 132-144

· Assignment: Take online quiz 6 and post to discussion forum 7.

· Paper II Due via Turnitin.com

11/7 - The Russo-German War and Aftermath

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 144-59

o “Corporal Hitler, General Winter, and the Russian Peasant.” (ANGEL)

o Begin reading One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

· Assignment: Take online quiz 7 and post to discussion forum 8.

11/14 - FILM: Come & See

· Reading:

o One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

· Assignment: Post to discussion forum 9 on Ivan Denisovich before class, and on Come & See, after class.

III. From the End of Stalinism to the End of the USSR

11/21 – Break

· Reading:

o Finish reading One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

· Assignment: Begin preparations of Turkey or other Roast Beast.

11/28 – End of Stalinism and Nikita Khrushchev

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 160-194

o Document: “Stalin’s Last Years.” (ANGEL)

o Document: “Secret Speech.” (ANGEL)

· Assignment: Take online quiz 8 and post to discussion forum 10.

· Paper III Due via Turnitin.com

12/5 – Decline: From Khrushchev to Brezhnev

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 194-242

o Document: “Brezhnev Doctrine.” (ANGEL)

· Assignment: Take online quiz 9 and post to discussion forum 11.

· Research Paper Bibliography Due

12/12 – The Soviet Union in Crisis (Gorbachev)

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 243-277

o Document: “Lenin’s Tomb.” (ANGEL)

· Assignment: Take online quiz 10 and post to discussion forum 12.

· Research Paper Annotated Bibliography Due

12/19 – The End of the USSR and after

· Reading:

o Kenez, pp. 278-304

· Assignment: Take online quiz 11 and post to discussion forum 13.

· Finish Research Paper for December 21 deadline.

*** Schedule subject to change. ***

**** All course work due December 21. ****