History 506:364

Colonialism to Globalization

Fall 2005

Monday & Wednesday

7:40-9:00 p.m.

 

Gail D. Triner

VanDyck Hall 002C

932-6696

triner@ix.netcom.com

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~triner

Office Hours:

Mon., 4:30-5:30

Wed., 3:00-4:00

Other times, by appointment

 

 

At least since the 17th century the European world has categorized it global relations with a fundamental divide between “us” and “them.”  The names have changed for this categorization; some of them are: Empire and Colony; First, Second and Third Worlds; North and South; Industrialized and Emerging.  This course will look at these ways of categorizing international relations, and the people they involve, from the non-European perspective – from the perspective of the colonies, the Third World, the South… 

We will address three broad themes through the semester: (1) defining these concepts, and their differences and commonalities; (2) national identity; and (3) the impact of these abstract concepts on the lives of individuals.  We will consider both theoretical issues and look at specific examples, using the experiences of Brazil, Peru, Nigeria, and occasionally other countries.  Throughout we will focus both on the relationship of “the South” to “the North” and the perspectives which have arisen from within “the South.”

Class sessions will include lectures, discussions, and visual materials.  The readings and lectures for this course draw upon a very wide diversity of sources.  Because the topic of the course covers a very long time period and large geography we will investigate selective themes in a variety of settings.

            A day or two before each class session, I will post a highly summarized outline of the issues that I expect each class to cover on the web page for this class. (You can get to this site by going through the links on my home page, see address above.) I intend for these very broad outlines to help you begin thinking about the issues that we will cover in class. (Or, if you miss class, give you some indication of what you miss.) You should not rely on these outlines as exhaustive descriptions for classes. And you should, especially, not rely on them as a substitute for class attendance. Depending on how any class session actually progresses, we may not cover the issues in the order that they appear; and we may use different words and phrases to cover the concepts.

I am available for any questions or discussion during office hours, by appointment, or at any time by e-mail.  If you are not doing as well as you would like in the class, or have any concerns, your best course of action is to see me as early in the semester as possible.


Course Requirements

The requirements for the course (with their respective proportion of the final grade) are:

%grade           

30

Take-home mid-term essay.

40

Take-home final essay. 

30

Class participation.  I take class participation seriously; and it can affect your grade. I evaluate class participation on the bases of the quantity and quality of your contributions to class discussions and short, unannounced writing assignments in class, based on assigned readings and films, during the semester.

You will receive a grade for the quantity and quality of your participation in class sessions.

The short, unannounced writing in-class assignments will occur at the beginning of class sessions. You will need to be in class in order to complete them, and there will be no “make-ups” for individual assignments. Your completion of these assignments indicates both your preparation for class session and your attendance. Missing more than one of every consecutive five assignments will lower your grade for the participation portion of the course by one-half letter-grade.

Extra credit

Occasionally, opportunities to earn extra credit may appear on my web site. When these opportunities arise, I announce the amount of credit, specific nature of the assignment and due dates.

 

Readings

(I promise you the reading load is not as heavy as the list makes it look!)

 

Books (available at Rutgers Bookstore and on reserve at Alexander Library)

 

Hopkins (ed.); Globalization in World History

Achebe; No Longer at Ease (novel)

Kane; Savages

On-line – linked from on-line version of syllabus

Holton; Globalization and the Nation-State; Ch. 1; pp 1-20

 Concolorcorvo Engages the Postal Inspector about Indian Affairs,” in K. Mills & W. Taylor (eds.), Colonial Spanish America: A Documentary History; pp. 282-87.

Morley; Colonial Postscript: Diary of a District Officer, 1935-56, Chs. 2& 3; pp. 21-67.

Walker, C. “The Patriotic Society: Discussions and Omissions about Indians in the Peruvian War of Independence;” in The Americas, 55:2; pp. 275-98.

Johnson “Grass Roots Organizing: Women in Anticolonial Activities in Southwestern Nigeria,” in African Studies Review, vol. 25, nos. 2&3; pp. 137-57.

Falola, The History of Nigeria, Chapter 6; pp.81-93.

Gootenberg, “Imagining Development” Ch. 1; pp. 1-21. this reading has been changed

Hunefeldt, A Brief History of Peru, Chapter 8 “The Age of Guano” pp. 121-143 new reading

Dean, The Industrialization of São Paulo: 1880-1945; Ch. 1; pp.3-15

Falola, The History of Nigeria, Chapter 8; pp. 115-36.

Amadi, Sunset in Biafra: A Civil War Diary.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part5

Smith, Tony, “Third World Nationalism and the Great Powers” in Kennedy and Hitchcock (eds.) From War to Peace: Altered Strategic Landscapes in the Twentieth Century pp, 140-155.

Aluko, “Nigeria and the Superpowers,” Millennium-Journal of International Studies vol. 5, no. 2; pp. 127-41.

Selections from Peru Reader; Starn, Degregori & Kirk (eds.), Section VI, “The Shining Path.;” pp. 305-35.

Fatal Attraction: Peru’s Shining PathNACLA Report on the Americas; vol. 24, no. 4:   Degregori, “A Dwarf Star” and Andreas, “Women at War;” pp9-15, 20-27.

Keohane & Nye; “Globalization: What’s New? What’s not? (And So What?)” in Foreign Policy #118 (Spring 2000); pp. 104-19.

Castañeda, “Latin America and the End of the Cold War” in Lowenthal & Treverton (eds.) Latin America in a New World; pp. 28-52.

Jaguaribe, “A View from the Southern Cone” in Lowenthal & Treverton (eds.) Latin America in a New World pp. 53-64.

Van de WalleAfrica and the World Economy: Continued Marginalization or Re-engagement?;Harbeson & Rothchild (eds.) Africa in World Politics; pp. 263-285.

Ojo-Ade; Ken Saro-Wiwa (a bio-critical study), Ch. IX, “The Ogoni Tragedy and Saro-Wiwa’s Commitment;” pp. 259-80.

Note: Available at the Alexander Library Undergraduate Reserve Reading Desk:

Hopkins, Globalization in World History;

Achebe, No Longer at Ease; Amadi

Sunset in Biafra

Kane, Savages


NOTE:

As you read, keep in mind the questions for each section that are on the syllabus (as below.) They can help you to identify the major issues that you should consider. Class sessions will be combinations of lectures and group discussions. Use the questions on the syllabus as a guide for issues you should look for and think about as you do the readings.

Introduction

7 Sept.

Introduction

12 Sept.

Setting: Early global interactions

Film: How Tasty My Little Frenchman

 

Question:

One of the main themes that we will develop through the semester is the way in which global interactions of peoples, for purposes of enrichment, has led to both conflict and blending of cultures. How is this theme represented in How Tasty My Little Frenchman? 

14 Sept.

Defining and studying “globalization”

 

Read

Hopkins; Globalization in World History; Chapters 1 & 2

Holton; Globalization and the Nation-State; Ch. 1.

See also this brief definition of Third World

 

Questions

What do these authors mean by “Third World” and “globalization”? Can you suggest alternative terms? Why does it matter how we refer to these ideas and countries?

19, 21 Sept.

Empire & Colony

 

Read

Concolorcorvo Engages the Postal Inspector about Indian Affairs,”

Morley; Colonial Postscript: Diary of a District Officer, 1935-56, Chs. 2& 3

 

Question:

These readings record the reactions of two colonial officials – very different individuals, one in Spanish America during the 17th century, the other in Nigeria during the 20th century. Can you identify similarities in their attitudes and reactions to their circumstances?

 

Discussion Groups (21 Sept.)

Personal Reality

Come to last class of this section prepared to explore in small discussion groups questions raised by these readings. (Questions will be distributed in class)


 

26 Sept.-3 Oct.

 Independence

 

Read

26Sept.:

Walker, C. “The Patriotic Society: Discussions and Omissions about Indians in the Peruvian War of Independence;”

28 Sept.:

Falola, The History of Nigeria, Chapter 6.

Johnson “Grass Roots Organizing: Women in Anticolonial Activities in Southwestern Nigeria,”

3 Oct.:

Gootenberg, “Imagining Development” Ch. 1; pp. 1-21. this reading has been changed

Hunefeldt, A Brief History of Peru, Chapter 8 “The Age of Guano” pp. 121-143 new reading

Dean, The Industrialization of São Paulo: 1880-1945; Ch. 1; pp.3-15

 

Questions:

In Peru, who benefited from independence, and who was left out? Why?

How were women important for Nigerian independence?

How did guano and coffee contribute to the economic independence of Peru and Brazil, respectively? Can you identify ways in which their contributions differed?

 

Independence – Personal reality

5 Oct.

Read

Achebe; No Longer at Ease

You may be interested in reading this interview with Chinua Achebe, the author of No Longer at Ease

 

Discussion Groups

Come to class prepared to explore in small discussion groups questions raised by these readings. (Questions will be distributed in class.)

 

Nation Formation, where nations had not been

10-12 Oct.

Read

10 Oct.

Canudos

Photos of Canudos (look at photos - text is in Portuguese)

Mid-term essay choices will be distributed at end of class on 12 Oct.

12 Oct.:

Falola, The History of Nigeria, Chapter 8; pp. 115-36.

Amadi, Sunset in Biafra: A Civil War Diary.

Part 1; Part 2; Part 3

Part 4; Part5

Additional personal experiences with, and background on, the Biafran Civil War:

Women’s accounts

Through the Lens of History: Biafra, Nigeria, the West and the World

 

Question:

Contrast the ideas and ideals that underpinned the Nigerian post-independence civil war with the experience of living through the war. How did the years leading up to independence affect the issues involved in the civil war?

17 Oct.

 

Class does not meet.


 

19 Oct.

Mid-term essay review and questions

24-26 Oct.

The Cold War and the Third World

Mid-term essay is due 24 Oct.

 

Read

Smith, Tony, “Third World Nationalism and the Great Powers” in Kennedy and Hitchcock (eds.) From War to Peace: Altered Strategic Landscapes in the Twentieth Century pp, 140-155.

Aluko, “Nigeria and the Superpowers,” Millennium-Journal of International Studies vol. 5, no. 2; pp. 127-41.

 

Questions

Why and how was the Cold War important for the emergence of a cohesive “Third World” after World War II?

In what ways did the Cold War matter for Nigeria? Were some Nigerians able to use the Cold War to their advantage. If so, how?

 

 

 

 

Personal realities in the 3rd World-Dictatorship and rebellion

31 Oct.-7 Nov.

Film

Capital Sins

Discussion

 

Read

Selections from Peru Reader; Starn, Degregori & Kirk (eds.), Section VI, “The Shining Path.;” pp. 305-35.

Fatal Attraction: Peru’s Shining PathNACLA Report on the Americas; vol. 24, no. 4:   Degregori, “A Dwarf Star” and Andreas, “Women at War;” pp9-15, 20-27.

Index of Shining Path sources that you may be interested in browsing.

Shining Path and drug trafficking

 

Question:

The readings on the Shining Path reveal much about the thinking actions of its members, sympathizers and resisters. What were the motivations of individuals associated with the Shining Path? (Think about the roles of race and gender, both male and female, in this social revolution.) How were the actions and motivations of the Shining Path both “local” and “global”?

 

Globalization, as we experience it

9,14 Nov.

Read

Keohane & Nye; “Globalization: What’s New? What’s not? (And So What?)” in Foreign Policy #118 (Spring 2000); pp. 104-19.

Castañeda, “Latin America and the End of the Cold War” in Lowenthal & Treverton (eds.) Latin America in a New World; pp. 28-52.

Jaguaribe, “A View from the Southern Cone” in Lowenthal & Treverton (eds.) Latin America in a New World pp. 53-64.

Van de WalleAfrica and the World Economy: Continued Marginalization or Re-engagement?;Harbeson & Rothchild (eds.) Africa in World Politics; pp. 263-285.

Gen. Babaguinda, Ethnic Nationalities & Nigeria, Dec., 2002 (Interesting recent reading on Nigeria)

 

Questions:

What is globalization, “as we experience it”? What are its historical roots?


 

16 Nov.

American Globalism?

 

Read

Hopkins, (ed.) Globalization in World History; Ch 11, by D. Reynolds, “American Globalism

 

Questions

How does Reynolds represent “globalist” practices of the United States as a continuation of deep-seated trends of US history?

21Nov.

Personal Realities of Globalization – working

 

Discussion group

23 Nov.

Happy Thanksgiving!

28 Nov-5 Dec.

Personal Realities of Globalization: Oil, Local vs Global

 

Read

Ojo-Ade; Ken Saro-Wiwa (a bio-critical study), Ch. IX, “The Ogoni Tragedy and Saro-Wiwa’s Commitment;” pp. 259-80.

For contrasting “stories” on oil, oil companies, environmental and local disputes follow these links to Shell-Nigeria and local communities’ websites. These links will provide more on Ken Saro-Wiwa (& PBS link.)

 

Question

What is the controversy that led to the “Ogoni Tragedy”? – What are its historic roots and its global implications?

 

Read

Kane; Savages

 

Questions

How has “globalization” affected the indigenous peoples in Savages? Do you find commonalities in the ways in which peoples from the “developed world” perceive indigenous peoples and the perceptions we studied at the beginning of the semester?

What are the similarities and differences in the cases of the Ogoni and the Huaorani?

7 Dec

Global? Third World?

Questions for second essay will be distributed at the end of class on 7 Dec.

12 Dec.

Conclusion and review session for second essay