Education in Society: Universities as Agents of Change, Ivory Towers, or Knowledge Factories
HIST 116
Fall 2007
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01
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Universities are among the greatest yet among the most contested human achievements. From their founding to the present, they have raised questions about the role of free speech, the relationship of science to religion, and the role of universities in the application of new knowledge to law, government policies, medical practices, and military uses, to name just a few. Through discussions of readings, presentations by members of the university community, and other sources, this seminar will explore the multiple and changing roles that universities play in society, how they are structured, the ways they reflect and alter the cultures around them, and the reasons why they often become the battlegrounds for new ideas about the purposes of education, the uses of knowledge, and the future directions of society. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Speaking, Writing
Speaking: All students are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Students will work in pairs to help lead discussion at each class meeting. They will also make brief presentations about the longer paper, covering such issues as what is the significance of the topic chosen, what questions they intend to pose, what relevant sources they hope to consult, and what tentative conclusions they think they may reach.
Writing: students will write several short papers and one 7-9 page paper. They will work in groups to comment on their writing in the short papers. They will also meet with the instructor to discuss a short paper and to prepare for the longer paper.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYI |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
John Baldwin, THE SCHOLASTIC CULTURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES, 1000-1300
Michael McPherson and Morton Schapiro, eds., COLLEGE ACCESS: OPPORTUNITY OR PRIVILEGE?
William G. Bowen and Derek Bok, THE SHAPE OF THE RIVER: LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF CONSIDERING RACE IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS
Lawrence W. Levine, THE OPENING OF THE AMERICAN MIND
James Shulman and William Bowen, THE GAME OF LIFE: COLLEGE SPORTS AND EDUCATIONAL VALUES
Derek Bok, UNIVERSITIES IN THE MARKETPLACE: THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Students will also read excerpts from the works of Thorstein Veblen, Alfred North Whitehead, M. Carey Thomas, and others.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Several short papers and a 7-9 page paper. An oral presentation in class. Active participation in all class discussions based on weekly readings. |
| Instructor(s): Brown,Judith C. Times: ..T.R.. 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK305; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 3 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 19 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 1 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 1 |
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