HST 495/595 • SUMMER TERM II, 2011
EMPIRES OF KNOWLEDGE (COMPARATIVE WORLD HISTORY)
RICHARD H. BEYLER

Class meets MTuWTh 8:00-10:20
Drop-in office hours MW 10:30-11:30 • Otherwise by appt. • Cramer 441-O
Telephone: 503.725.3996 • E-mail: r.beyler@pdx.edu • Webpage: web.pdx.edu/~drrb

To claim to cover the entire history of the entire world in one term would be absurd.  Instead, as in all versions of HST 495, we will concentrate on a theme which allows comparison across several world-historical contexts.  Our theme is empires of knowledge.  Throughout history, the ways in which people have organized, transmitted, and applied knowledge have affected and been affected by the structures and development of their respective societies.  The boundaries around what constitutes “knowledge” (as opposed to ... ?) have been re-drawn in many different ways in different cultures.  Moreover, the pursuit of knowledge (why do we know this and not that?) and its application (technology, including both material and social aspects) have influenced and been influenced by the distribution of power within and between societies.

“Knowledge” here means whatever the people of a given time and place accept as correct (authoritative, reasonable, useful, moral) ideas about nature, humans, and the relationships between humans and nature.  In this course, our task is not to judge by our own standards which ways of knowing are “correct” or “incorrect.”  Instead, we are concerned with how historical actors organized, transmitted, and applied knowledge.  We will take three distinct but interrelated approaches to this overall theme:

• We will briefly survey and compare the knowledge systems of several civilizations.  This comparative survey will suggest ways in which knowledge about the natural world is in large part dependent on cultural context.  It will also illustrate ways in which applications of knowledge support particular social organizations and distributions of power.

• Given that different cultures can have different ways of understanding the world and different ways of interacting with it, we will explore examples of what happens to systems of knowledge when diverse cultures encounter each other.

• Given the reciprocal relationship between power and knowledge, we will explore several ways in which domains of science and technology have served as tools of empire-building and, conversely, ways in which economic and political power has contributed to the development of particular scientific and technological disciplines.

Objectives.  Class members should thus expect to develop or improve their ability to:

• delineate major patterns in how human societies have developed, transmitted, and applied knowledge and belief systems.

• identify changes and continuities in the social context of science and technology.

• analyze relevant information on and interpretations of these themes.

• write about and discuss these subjects in a critically informed way.

Texts for the class are available for purchase at the PSU Bookstore; they are also on reserve at PSU’s Millar Library.

Lloyd, Geoffrey, and Nathan Sivin. The Way and the Word: Science and Medicine in Early China and Greece. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007.

Mann, Charles C. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus. New York: Vintage, 2006.

McClellan III, James E., and Harold Dorn. Science and Technology in World History. 2^nd ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.

Scott, James C. Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

ASSIGNMENTS

Informally, the course requires critical reading, careful listening, and responsible participation.  Formally, there is a final exam and a choice from among several possible writing assignments.  The final course grade is then given by a combination of quantity (number of papers completed, plus the exam) and quality (average score, with the exam weighted double), thus:

Grad students (HST 595) have a different set of requirements; see the separate handout.

The final exam will take place during our last session, August 11^th.  The exam may include identification, matching, geographical (map), chronological ordering, and/or short essay questions.  Typically, you will choose questions from a list of several options.  In computing the overall grade, the exam is weighted double.  Thus, the exam counts 40% towards the final grade if you complete three papers (which each count 20%); 50% if you complete two papers (@ 25%); 67% if you complete one paper (33%).

The papers are due on the Wednesdays of weeks II, III, and IV.  Each time, there are several possible options (genres).  You can choose a different option each time, or write two or three of the same type of paper.  You can submit only one paper each week. [*]  Please note that this means that to obtain an A-range grade, you much submit a paper at each of the three deadlines.

You may revise and resubmit a paper that was previously submitted on time.  In this case, resubmit both the original, marked-up paper and the new version.  Revisions should be substantive and not simply mechanical changes in response to marginal comments:  take the opportunity to look for yourself for places to improve the paper.

There is no fixed length for the papers, but I anticipate they will each be around 3-4 pp. (around 750-1000 words).  If your paper is shorter than 2 pp. (around 500 words), you should consider whether you’ve considered all the relevant information.  If your paper is longer than 5 pp. (around 1250 words), you should try to make your argument more precise and concise.

Here are the options for the weekly papers:

1. Response essay in is a response to a question arising from lectures, discussions. or readings, set by me on the Thursdays and due on the subsequent Wednesdays.  You might think of these as a kind of take-home essay mid-term exam.

2. Survey text analysis.  McClellan and Dorn survey a wide range of material, including much that we will not cover explicitly in class.  In this paper you will analyze one of the four parts of Science and Technology in World History.  How does the material in this section illustrate or exemplify the “Guiding Themes” laid out by the authors (pp. 1-2)?  How does the material in this section illustrate or exemplify one or more of our own course themes?  (You might conclude that the material doesn’t support our course themes; if so, explain why.)  Pay particular attention to material in the textbook that we have not covered in class:  your grade for this paper will be based largely on your discussion of how McC & D handle historical examples beyond those of our syllabus.  See the schedule below for due dates for each section.

3. Focus text review essay on one of the texts by Lloyd & Sivin, Mann, or Scott (due weekly in that order).  A review essay does not simply summarize the book, but rather presents a critical (not necessarily negative) analysis of it.  Your essay should also connect the book to themes that have emerged from other course readings, lectures, or discussions.  Guiding questions will be provided; however, these are just suggestions, not prescriptions.

4. Supplementary reading review essay based on one of the books from the “Suggested Additional Reading” list (to be distributed).  As with the focus text review essay, you should not merely summarize the book, but rather present a critical analysis of its argument and connect it to our course themes (even if the connection is a contradictory one).  Admittedly this option is extra work; it provides an opportunity to explore one personal interests, connected to our course theme, that we are unable to cover in class.  You may submit this option at any of the three due dates.

GENERAL POLICIES

I evaluate written work for the class with regard to both “content” and “form.”  Papers should be well organized and free from errors in usage, grammar, and mechanics.

In writing, if you borrow (summarize, paraphrase, quote) material from other authors, you must always give credit using proper citation and documentation style.  For most of our assignments, “outside” reading is neither required nor expected, and therefore in-text parenthetical citations are OK, thus:

Scott uses the term “metis” to describe locally based, practical knowledge not derived
from formal authority or theory (7-8).

If you do cite “outside” material, please provide footnote citations.  Chicago (also known as Turabian) style is preferred, but MLA is also OK.

Papers may be turne in as “hard copy” in class (double-sided OK, no folders or binders) or by e-mail.  If submitting by e-mail, you must:

• Send the paper as an e-mail attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF format.   Please, no other file formats.  If you can’t use these formats, don’t submit electronically.
• Give your document a filename as follows:  Yourlastname X.yyy – where “X” is the number of the weekly paper (1, 2, or 3) and “yyy” is the format abbreviation.
• Include your name in the covering e-mail message, particularly if your e-mail address is not a version of your name.
• Include a sensible subject line for your e-mail message.  I receive a great deal of spam, and if it’s not immediately evident that your message relates to our class, it will go straight into the trash without my viewing it.
• Follow the same rules for format, mechanics, etc., as hard-copy versions.

Whether you turn in assignments on paper or electronically, it is always a good idea to keep a copy for yourself until after the end of the term.

Late papers are subject to a penalty of one grade division (e.g., A to A-) per day late, including weekends  I reserve the right to return late papers with no comments (just the grade).  Late papers cannot be revised and resubmitted.

There is not a formal attendance grade, but experience shows that regular attendance is crucial to success in the course.  If you must miss a class meeting, it is your responsibility to make alternative arrangements for getting and turning in assignments, doing alternative reading to make up for lectures, etc.  If you find yourself missing more than a few class sessions, you should consider withdrawing from the class.  (The deadline to withdrwa without a “W” on transcript is the end of week II; with a “W,” the end of week III.)

Per PSU policy, to  receive an incomplete, you must have completed at least some course work at a C level.  For undergraduates, incompletes turn to F’s after one year or upon graduation, whichever comes first.  Due to the “menu” system for the class, any incompletes will be completed with a maximum grade of C+.

Courses applied to the requirements for the history major or minor must be taken for a letter grade (not P/NP option).

If you are a student with academic accommodations approved through PSU’s Disability Resource Center, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss them.  If you believe you are eligible for accommodations but have not yet obtained approval, please contact DRC right away.

APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE (subject to change!)

Week I.  Reading:  McC&D, chaps. 1-8; Lloyd & Sivin.

Mon. 18 Jul.  Preliminary housekeeping.  Introduction to our topic.

PART I.  COMPARATIVE KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

Tue. 19 Jul.  From paleolithic to neolithic.  Systems of knowledge in early civilizations.

Wed. 20 Jul.  Changes and continuities in India and China.

Thu. 21 Jul.  Ancient Greek natural philosophy.  Discussion of Lloyd & Sivin

Week II.  Reading:  McC&D, chaps. 9-13; Mann.

Mon. 25 Jul.  Islamic civilization and the transformation of classical natural philosophy.

Tue. 26 Jul.  Syntheses in medieval Europe and Africa.

PART II.  TRANSFORMATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE IN CROSS-CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS

Wed. 27 Jul.  The politics and science of “exploration” in the early modern period.  Due:  RE#1; Lloyd & Sivin review essay; analysis of McC&D parts I or II.

Thu. 28 Jul. European responses to the “new world.”  Discussion of Mann.

Week III.  Reading:  McC&D, chaps. 14-15; begin Scott.

Mon. 1 Aug.  Native American responses.  Japanese encounters:  China, Europe, America. 

PART III.  KNOWLEDGE AS A TOOL OF EMPIRE-BUILDING
AND EMPIRE AS A TOOL OF KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING

Tue 2 Aug.  The second wave of exploration.  Imperial botany.

Wed. 3 Aug.  Evolutionary theory as world-historical phenomenon.  Due:  RE #2; Mann review essay; analysis of McC&D part III.

Thu. 4 Aug.  Technologies of high colonialism:  telegraphs, steam emgines, guns, drugs, clocks.

Week IV.  Reading:  McC&D, chaps. 16-20; finish Scott.

Mon. 8 Aug.  Social science and natural science in colonial contexts.  Discussion of Scott.  Deadline for research conferences.

Tue. 9 Aug.  Military/strategic applications of modern science.  Big Science and Cold War. 

Wed. 10 Aug.  Industrialized nature.  The science and politics of “sustainability.”  Retrospective and prospect.  Due: RE #3; Scott review essay; analysis of McC&D part IV.

Thu. 11 Aug.  Final exam.