You may find the following handouts useful and are welcome to copy them:
The goal of this course is to promote the intellectual and personal development of all the participants. We do this by exploring the ways in which epidemic diseases have shaped the course of human history in the modern era, that is, since 1500. We demonstrate our progress toward the course goal orally in class and in numerous writing assignments.
This course examines the following topics: the ancient and medieval background of epidemic diseases; the scientific understanding of epidemic disease; the disease component of the Columbian exchange of plants, animals, and diseases after 1492; the American smallpox epidemic of 1775-1782; the global influenza epidemic after World War I; the recent HIV/AIDS epidemic, with particular reference to Africa; and, through student research presentations, a variety of other epidemics in modern history.
These will be discussed on the first day of class and agreed upon by all
members of the class. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor
of problems, to notify the instructor of circumstances that may interfere
with the student's completion of work, or otherwise to seek assistance in
order to finish the course successfully.
Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated and may lead to such
penalties as failure of the course.
J. N. Hays, The Burdens of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western History (1998)
Michael B.A. Oldstone, Viruses, Plagues, and History (1998)
Elizabeth A. Fenn, Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 (2001)
Students should also own and use a style manual such as Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Students are encouraged to use the University Writing Center to improve their written work in this course. The center is located in Peck Hall 325 and 326 and may be reached by phone at 904-8237 or by E-mail at uwcenter@mtsu.edu. Their web site is www.mtsu.edu/~uwcenter. They are open Monday through Saturday during various hours, including some evenings. Appointments are preferred but not mandatory. The staff of faculty and graduate assistants will work with students at any stage of the writing process on issues such as organization, unity, coherence, opening and closing paragraphs, diction, and grammar, but they will not proofread or edit student writing.
If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with Dr. Williams as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898-2783) with questions about such services.
Your course grade will be determined by how well you convince the instructor that you have developed intellectually and personally through your understanding of the course theme. The plus/minus grading system will be used, as follows: A (91-100), B+ (88-90), B (83-87), B- (80-82), C+ (78-79), C (73-77), C- (70-72), D+ (68-69), D (63-67), D- (60-62), F (below 60).
There are three categories in which you will be evaluated. Each one counts for one-third of the course grade calculation.
I. Attendance and class participation: To be eligible for an A in
this category, you may not have more than five absences. To be eligible for
a B in this category, you may not have more than eight absences. To
be eligible for a C in this category, you may not have more than twelve
absences. To be eligible for a passing score in this category, you may not have
more than fifteen absences. The instructor will record a participation score for
each student each day. That score reflects the amount and the quality of
participation. These participation scores will be totaled to determine the
grade in this category, subject to the limit imposed by the number of
absences. Example: Sandra is absent seven times during the semester, so she has
set her highest possible score at 85. Her participation scores average 80, so
she receives an 80 in this category. If she was great on the days she was in
class, earning a 90 in participation, then her grade in this category would be
an 85, the limit she set with her attendance record.
A great deal of this class revolves around discussion and group work in
class. Your attendance each day is essential.
II. Research essay (required). Everyone will complete a research paper of no more than twelve pages on a topic relevant to the course, i.e., one that examines a particular case of epidemic disease in the modern age not already covered in class and after approval from the instructor. Your grade in this category will reflect several components of the research project: having your topic approved in a timely fashion; giving an oral research report in class; participating in a draft review session with a classmate; and completing the final paper itself by the deadline.
III. Shorter essays on the three required books. To be eligible for an A in this category, you will need to complete the shorter essays on all three books. To be eligible for a B in this category, you will need to complete the shorter essays on your choice of two of the three books. If you complete only one of the three shorter essays, you will earn no higher than a C in this category. To pass the course, everyone must complete at least one of the three shorter essays.
There are no examinations in this course.
Please note: Completing the work that makes you eligible for a particular grade level does not mean that you will earn that grade. To earn an A, for instance, you need to complete the required quantity of work listed above and that work must be, on average, at the A level. Likewise, if you earn an A in every category but do not complete enough to be eligible for more than a C, then you will receive a C. The choice is yours. Everyone who earns an A will receive an A; there are no limits.
All written work must be typed, double spaced, in twelve-point font, with no smaller than one-inch margins all around. Number all pages. Do not use cover sheets or covers of any kind. Staple the pages together. Click here to see the guidelines I use to determine the differences between A, B, C, D, and F papers. Important: Your name should appear only on the back of your essays; I grade anonymously.
Mon., Aug. 19: Introduction; Some basic definitions
Wed., Aug. 21: Ancient and medieval background
--->Read Hays, through p. 36
Mon., Aug. 26: Plagues and transoceanic exchanges
--->Read Hays, chaps. 3 and 4
Wed., Aug. 28: The disease component of the Columbian exchange
--->Read Crosby, "Virgin Soil Epidemics," on electronic reserve
--->Read John D. Daniels, "The Indian Population of North America in
1492," William and Mary Quarterly 49:2 (1992): 292-320, available
through Voyager>Research Gateway>History>JSTOR database from on-campus
computers.
Mon., Sept. 2: LABOR DAY--No Class
Wed., Sept. 4: Disease, religion, and science
--->Read Hays, chaps. 5 and 6
Mon., Sept. 9: Modern slum diseases
--->Read Hays, chaps. 7 and 8
Wed., Sept. 11: Disease and imperialism
--->Read Hays, chap. 9
Mon., Sept. 16: The triumph of modern medicine? (Last day to drop without a
grade)
--->Read Hays to the end
Wed., Sept. 18: Read Fenn, through p. 43
Mon., Sept. 23: Read Fenn, chaps. 2 and 3
Wed., Sept. 25: Read Fenn, chaps. 4 and 5
Mon., Sept. 30: Read Fenn, chaps. 6 and 7
Wed., Oct. 2: Read Fenn, chap. 8 and epilogue
Essays on the Hays book are due in class
Mon., Oct. 7: A side debate--did the British infect Indians with smallpox
intentionally?
Read Fenn, "Biological Warfare in Eighteenth-Century America: Beyond Jeffery
Amherst," Journal of American History 86 (March 2000): 1552-58, on
reserve.
Mon., Oct. 14: Diseases defeated (Last day to drop with a W)
--->Read Oldstone, part 2
Essays on the Fenn book due in
class
Wed., Oct. 16: No class--work on research projects
FALL BREAK
Please note: The course schedule below is the revised version. Please note the changes from the earlier, tentative version.
Mon., Oct. 21: The influenza epidemic of 1918-1919
Wed., Oct. 23: New fevers and viruses
--->Read Oldstone, chaps. 8-11
Mon., Oct. 28: HIV--a brief look
--->Read Oldstone, chap. 12
Wed., Oct. 30: Mad cow, the flu, West Nile, and other scary prospects
--->Read Oldstone, to the end
Mon., Nov. 4: First ten article presentations
--->Summarize the main arguments of the article you chose to present. Each
person will have five minutes, followed by a few minutes for questions from the
class. We will proceed in order down the numbered list of articles.
Wed., Nov. 6: Second ten article presentations
Mon., Nov. 11: AIDS in Africa--science and public policy debates and issues
--->Film: "Questioning AIDS in South Africa"
--->Read the packet of articles about AIDS
Wed., Nov. 13: AIDS in Africa--the social and political effects
--->Film: "Patient Abuse"
Essays on the Oldstone book due in
class
Mon., Nov. 18: Essential elements of an excellent research essay
Wed., Nov. 20: Research presentations in class
Mon., Nov. 25: Research presentations in class
Wed., Nov. 27: Research presentations in class
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Mon., Dec. 2: Peer review of essays in class
Wed., Dec. 4: No class--work on final essay revisions
Mon., Dec. 9: Final research essays due by 2 p.m.