Professor Sayegh
FO2 218, (562) 985-4612 (my office), email ssayeghc@csulb.edu
Office Hours:  Monday 11:00 – 12:30, 6:30 – 7:30 pm; Wednesday 11:00 – 12:30 and by appt.
Course webpage: http://www.csulb.edu/~ssayeghc/globalwomen.htm

Required Texts:

Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies
Domitila Barrios, Let Me Speak [optional for research]
Chen Yuan-Tsung, The Dragon's Village
Assia Djebar, Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade
J. Nozipo Maraire, Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter
MaryAnn Tétreault, ed., Women and Revolution in Africa, Asia and the New World (our 'textbook')
*and a course packet available from Copy Pro

This class examines the roles women played in political and social revolutions in the modern world.  Our discussion will center around how women have forwarded and / or challenged the goals of these revolutions, how images of women were appropriated and how revolutions become gendered.  At all points we are searching for a comparative approach so as to reformulate the notion of revolution to better suit a global history.

One of the primary goals of this class is the completion of an individual research project of 12 pages to be developed in consultation with the professor.  This paper can be either a research paper drawing on primary sources or a significant historiographical paper.  In keeping with the nature of this class, it must be comparative in its approach.

If you do not have background in world history or breadth beyond US history, you will be expected to read outside material (a recommended "Brief History" is available in the University Bookstore; more in-depth texts are available on reserve for my HIS 212 class).

GRADING POLICIES—Your grade will be assessed based on the following items:

Attendance / Class Participation:            (20% of grade)
Attendance and participation are mandatory.  There are no excused absences except in cases of documented personal or family emergencies.  Participation includes class preparation as well as thoughtful discussion.  In a seminar class, attendance without participation is insufficient and will result in no more than a "C" for this portion of your grade.  Your peer-editing assignment is part of your participation grade.

Paper Stages:                       (10% each; 40% of grade)
Each stage of this research project is worth 10% of your grade and is designed to help you focus your research efficiently.  Your preliminary proposal should be 2-3 pages and included a brief bibliography of recent works in your chosen area.  Your revised proposal should be more honed and include a preliminary thesis that will guide your paper.  You should also submit an annotated bibliography (1-2 pages) with this assignment.  The first draft should be a complete draft.  The final stage of this portion of your grade is the oral presentation, a polished discussion of your research findings.

Historical Development Paper:            (10% of grade)
In this paper (3-4 pages), you should reflect on your career as a history major, from 301 up to (and including) this course.  Some questions you might pose to yourself as you craft this paper include, but should not be limited to: what obstacles have you overcome as a history major?  How do you view the process of history?  What schools of thought have you encountered that have influenced your own writing? Again, these questions are meant to stimulate you and you should not feel constrained by them.  Another way to view this project is to imagine that it will be the opening statement in your senior portfolio or part of a statement of purpose for graduate school.

Final Paper:            (30%)
Your final draft should be at least 12 pages submitted as part of a professional-looking portfolio.  Included in this portfolio should be all the written work you have done for this class as well as any research and class notes you have taken.  This paper should conform to History Department guidelines as outlined in Benjamin, the Harcourt Brace Manual and the Assessment rubric.

NB All assignments for this course should be typed, double spaced, with 12 point font (and legible style) with one-inch margins.  They should be well written and edited (spell check, grammar, use of complete sentences, editorial corrections, etc.); there is no excuse for sloppily-written work.  If any of your work has these editorial and grammatical inconsistencies, you will be required to redo it.  For guidance about style and editing, refer to the Harcourt Brace Manual required for this class.  You may also make use of the Learning Skills Center or the Writing Resource Center. 

Assessment of your written work will be based on the History Department Rubric (provided in your course packet).  As this course is not an introductory research class, work should be of consistently high quality reflecting a thorough knowledge of research methods (as learned in HIS 301).

Course Schedule

COMPONENT I    INTRODUCTIONS

WEEK ONE:
M    8/27    Course Introduction and Goals

W    8/29    The Concept of Revolution in Modern Society: Problems and Answers
                    READING:    Eric Selbin, "Revolution in the Real World" in Theorizing Revolutions *
                                        Mary Ann Tétreault, "Women and Revolution: A Framework for Analysis" *

WEEK TWO:
M    9/3    LABOR DAY--No Class

W    9/5    The 'Model' Modern Revolution: France, 1789-1793
                  READING:    excerpts, Women in Revolutionary Paris*
                                      Joan Landes, "Representing the Body Politic" OR
                                      Mary Jacobus, "Incorruptible Milk" *

WEEK THREE:
M    9/10    Women as Object, Subject, Agent
                   READING:    Valentine M. Moghadam, "Gender and Revolutions" *
                                       Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom, "Gender and Revolution in Europe and Asia" *

W    9/12    Discussion:    Research Plans--come to class with a preliminary strategy for your project.  At the very least you should have narrowed your project geographically.

COMPONENT II    WOMAN AS 'RADICAL' REVOLUTIONARY--OVERTHROWING CORRUPT REGIMES: RUSSIA, CHINA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

WEEK FOUR:
M    9/17    The Revolutions in Context, 1918-1962
                    READING:    Elizabeth A. Wood, "Identity and Organization" in The Baba and the Comrade *
                                        Kyung Ae Park, "Women and Revolution in China" in Tétreault

W    9/19    Making Myths
                    READING:    Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies
                                        Anna Litveiko, "In 1917" *
                                        Zinaida Patrikeeva, "Cavalry Boy" *

WEEK FIVE:
M    9/24    NO CLASS:    Preliminary Research Proposal Due--Proposals are due in my office by my 6:30
                                       office hour.  NO EXCEPTIONS

W    9/26    NO CLASS:   Office Appointments and Library Time--Use regularly scheduled Class time to
                                      research your topic in the library.  Preliminary Proposals will be available for pickup
                                      during scheduled appointments

WEEK SIX:
M    10/1    Fictionalizing Experience
                 READING:    Chen Yuan-Tsung, The Dragon's Village

W    10/3    Discussion:   Historical Fiction and the "Autobiography"

COMPONENT III: NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS AND DECOLONIZATION--FIGHTING FOR TRADITION OR EMANCIPATION? ALGERIA, VIETNAM and ZIMBABWE

WEEK SEVEN:
M    10/8    Setting up the Context
                    READING:    Mary Ann Tétreault, "Women and Revolution in Vietnam" in Tétreault
                                       Sita Ranchod-Nilsson, "'This, too is a Way of Fighting'" in Tétreault
                                       Marnia Lazreg, "Nationalism, Decolonization and Gender" in The Eloquence of Silence *

W    10/10    Life Stories
                     READING:    excerpts, Mothers of the Revolution *
                                         Duong, Thi Thoa (Le Thi), "Changing My Life" Signs 23 (1998): 1017-1029 *
                                          Revised Research Proposal and Bibliography Due

WEEK EIGHT:
M    10/15    VIDEO:    FLAME

W    10/17    VIDEO:   As the Mirror Burns

WEEK NINE:
M    10/22    Discussion:    Film and History

W    10/24    Revolution, Fiction and Historical Memory
                    READING:    J. Nozipo Maraire, Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter
                    Historical Reflection Paper Due

WEEKS TEN & ELEVEN: MAKING TIME FOR PAPERS

10/29 - 11/7 NO CLASS--Use class time for last-minute research, to write up your drafts and chat with me about your progress.  I expect to see you AT LEAST once during this time (office appointments will be passed out in class).  I expect to hear from you via email at least twice.  As always, you can visit or email more than the required amount!

WEEK TWELVE:
M    11/12    Revolution, Fiction and Historical Memory, cont'd.
                   READING:    Assia Djebar, Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade

W    11/14    Discussion: Women and Nationalist Movements in Film and Fiction
                    Paper Drafts Due. Peer-editing assignment given

COMPONENT IV    SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT

WEEK THIRTEEN:
M    11/19    Women and Reactionary Politics
                   READING:    Joan Supplee, "Women and the Counter-Revolution in Chile" in Tétreault
                                      Valentine Moghadam, "Revolution, Islamist Reaction, and Women in Afghanistan" in Tétreault

W    11/21    Forgotten Revolutions? Women's Movements, 1945-2001
                   READING:    bell hooks, excerpts Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center *
                                      Christine Sylvester, "Simultaneous Revolutions and Exits: A Semi-Skeptical Comment" in Tétreault

WEEK FOURTEEN:
M    11/26    Oral Presentations

W    11/28    Oral Presentations

WEEK FIFTEEN:
M    12/3    Oral Presentations

W    12/5    Oral Presentations (?); some last-minute thoughts
                  READING:    Mary Ann Tétreault, "Women and Revolution: What Have We Learned?" in Tétreault

Final Paper Due:    Monday December 10, 5:00 pm