International History I

Semester 1

Course Information

Course Duration: 15 weeks

Credit Hours: 4 Credits. This course will have 3 contact hours per week in the form of class
lectures and a minimum of 1 contact hour per week as office hours.
Course Level: B.A
Location: T-4, F-97
Class timings: 09:00–12:00 hrs. (Monday)

Instructor Information

Instructor: Dr. Raghav Sharma

Email: [email protected]
Office: Faculty Offices, Sixth Floor, Room 10 A
Office Hours: T.B.D /By email appointment (Email: [email protected] )
Homepage: http://jgu.edu.in/JSIA/faculty/dr-raghav-sharma

1. Course Description
This is an introductory survey course on key events in International History which will
explore with students key developments around the world from the mid–eighteenth up to the mid
twentieth century that have shaped the contours of contemporary International Affairs. The
course will discuss key historical watersheds thereafter: French Revolution; American
Revolution; Russian Revolution; collapse of old empires and rise of modern nation states in
Europe; rise of colonial empires in Asia and Africa; the outbreak of the First and Second world
wars that have decisively shaped International Affairs. This course will facilitate student
engagement with some of the fundamental developments in international history which will be
seminal in their attempts to contextualize and engage with developments in the contemporary
world. The course is organized in a lecture-seminar format, which would involve active
participation in class discussions. Hence it is imperative that you complete assigned readings
for the class prior to the seminar.

2. Course Intended Learning Objectives (Aim)

Course Intended Learning Outcomes

Throughout the semester you should acquire an understanding of key developments in the field of
International History
Understand how key landmarks in International history have shaped contemporary world affairs.
Develop a sense of critical thinking and analysis that will allow students to understand how historians
have interpreted the past and learn to use historical facts to build a sound line of argumentation.
Develop strong written and oral skills that enables students to present an arguments that are able to draw
on evidence to challenge commonly held truths about events.
Acquire skills of presentation and working as part of a larger team

3. Evaluation Breakup

Class Participation (10%): The class is a combination of lecture-seminar format.

Normally I will present a short lecture and then open the class to discussion. During the
discussion you are expected to actively contribute to the discussion.

Mid Term Exam (20%): There will be an in class, closed book midterm exam which
will account for 20 per cent of your grade. You will be expected to answer two
questions. One question will be of fifteen marks, while the second question will be a
short note of five marks. Both should be answered in an essay format only. The word
length for the first answer would be approximately 800-1,000 words and 300-400 words
for the second answer. The duration of the exam will be for ninety minutes. Answers
will be assessed on the basis of:
 Content
 Structure of the answer
 Clarity and academic soundness of arguments put forth
  Language, grammar, and syntax
 Ability to respond to the question posed.

Debate (20%): You would be allocated into groups of approximately 4 persons where
you would be expected to conduct group work. Each group will be provided with a
prompt prior to class. Each group member is expected to type out one page of arguments
(pitched at Times New Roman ’12, single spaced) with half a page arguing in favor of the
prompt and half against the prompt. Make sure you bring two copies of your typed
arguments to class. In class each group will be randomly divided into two teams (for and
against)
Format
Round 1
• For side presents its argument (5-7 minutes) • The against side presents its argument (5-7
minutes) 5-minute break to prepare questions
Round 2
• Questions from debaters and audience 5-minute break to prepare closing statements
Round 3
• Closing statements by against and for sides, in that order (3 minutes each)
At the start of class, we will randomly divide you into two teams. Each team will have five
minutes to prepare arguments, and to decide which team member will prepare opening and
closing arguments. Everyone is expected to participate equally in the Q&A segment. Each
student will be graded individually on the quality of their written preparation and their in-class
debate performance.

Your debate participation will be graded on the following parameters:

 Quality and relevance of the content;

 Quality and clarity of delivery;
 Ability to engage with the audience;
 Ability to demonstrate a sound understanding and engagement with the literature
on the topic;
 Responses to the questions posed by the instructor and your peers in class;
Adherence to timeline.

End Term Exam (50%): The end term examination will be in the form of an in class,
closed book examination. The paper will be divided into two parts. In part I you would
 be expected to answer two questions in an essay format. Each question will carry 20
marks. The approximate word length for each answer is expected to be between 1,000–
1,200 words each. In Part II you will be expected to write one short note of
approximately 400 words. The short note will carry 10 marks. Answers will be graded
on the following parameters:
 Content
 Structure of the answer
 Clarity and academic soundness of arguments put forth
 Language, grammar, and syntax

Grade Definition
COURSE LETTER GRADES AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

Letter Grade Percentage of Marks Grade Points

Outstanding: Exceptional knowledge of the
subject matter, thorough understanding of issues;
O 80 and above 8 ability to synthesize ideas,
rules and principles and extraordinary
critical and analytical ability.
Excellent: Sound knowledge of the subject
matter, thorough understanding of issues; ability
A+ 75 - 79 7.5
to synthesize ideas, rules and principles and
critical and analytical ability.
Very Good: Sound knowledge of the subject
matter, excellent organizational capacity, ability
A 70 - 74 7 to synthesize ideas, rules and principles, critically
analyse existing material and originality in
thinking and presentation.
Good: Good understanding of the subject matter,
ability to identify issues and provide balanced
A- 65 -69 6
solutions to problems and good critical and
analytical skills.
Fair: Average understanding of the subject
matter, limited ability to identify issues and
B+ 60 - 64 5
provide solutions to problems and reasonable
critical and analytical skills.
Acceptable: Adequate knowledge of the subject
B 55 - 59 4 matter to go to the next level of the study and
reasonable critical and analytical skills.
 Marginal: Limited knowledge of the subject
B- 50 - 54 3 matter and irrelevant use of materials, and
poor critical and analytical skills.
Pass 1: Pass with Basic understanding of the
P1 45 - 49 2
subject matter .
Pass 2: Pass with Rudimentary understanding of
P2 40 - 44 1
the subject matter.
Fail: Poor comprehension of the subject matter;
poor critical and analytical skills and
F Below 40 0
marginal use of the relevant materials. Will
require repeating the course.

4. Academic Integrity et al
Note Bene A: If you miss more than two classes consecutively you would be required to
furnish a doctor’s certificate from the University’s medical center. Failure to do so would
automatically result in loss of credits for this seminar. In case of an emergency please inform me
via email or phone. You must submit your medical certificates to Ms. Swarnima Singh at the
JSIA executive office within one week of joining university. Students having attendance of
less than 75% will be debarred from taking the end term exam and will receive a FAIL
grade for this seminar. Failure to actively participate in the class discussions will be duly
noted and will negatively affect your grade for class participation.

Note Bene (B): If you are more than 10 minutes late for the class, attendance for that seminar
will NOT be granted.

Note Bene (C): Plagiarism and/ or use of unfair means will result in a FAIL Grade. If you are
not sure what constitutes plagiarism please consult your academic writing instructor, your course
instructor and/ or read the university’s handbook.

Note Bene (D): Deadlines are non-negotiable. Failure to submit assignments on time will result
in negative marking (Move down by one grade for every 30 minutes of delay). Submissions
more than 2 hours late will automatically result in a FAIL grade.

Note Bene (E): The course instructor reserves the right to change the course content at any time
during the semester, depending on the needs of specific students taking the course. Please check
 your university email id’s REGULARLY for course related announcements and for course
readings.

Note Bene (F): Use of mobile phones, tablets and laptops in class is strictly prohibited.

5. Recommended Readings

Chakrabarti, Ranjan- A History of the Modern World: An Outline, Primus Books, New
Delhi, 2012
Duiker, William J.- World History, Volume I: To 1800, Seventh Edition
Duiker, William J- Contemporary World History, Fifth Edition
Gordon, Martel ed.- A Companion to International History 1900-2001, Blackwell
Companion to World History
Grenville, J.A.S- A History of the World: From the 20 th to the 21st Century, Routledge,
2005
Thompson, David– Europe Since Napoleon, Penguin Books, 1966
Burleigh, Michael– The Third Reich: A New History, Pan MacMillan, 2001, UK
Bayly, Christopher– The Birth of the Modern World, 1780-1914. Global Connections
and Comparisons (Oxford University Press, 2004)
Koliopoulos, Constantinos– ‘International Relations and the study of history’ in
International Relations Oxford Research Encyclopedias, December 2017
(https://oxfordre.com/internationalstudies/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.001.00
01/acrefore-9780190846626-e-242

6. Session Plan

Session (with General Topic Readings Approach/Pedagogy

Date)
Session 01 Introduction  All sessions would be in
N.A the form of a lecture-
(05.08.2024) seminar format. In class
lectures students would be
American Revolution Chakrabarti, Ranjan- Page 16-
Session 02 31 introduced to key
Duiker and Jackson- Page 520- historical developments
(12.08.2024) 22
from a broad perspective
which will allow them to
engage with inter–
Recommended: relatedness of the global
Goodwin, A.– New Cambridge phenomenon’s.
Modern History: The American
 The lectures would
and French Revolutions, 1763–
introduce students to
1793, Cambridge University causes, consequences and
Press, 2008, UK pp.397–420; processes underpinning
448–479 major events discussed as
part of this course.

French Revolution  Students will be

Session 03 familiarized with social,
Mandatory Readings: economic and political
19.08.2024 dimensions of major
events discussed as part of
Duiker and Jackson- Page 525- the syllabus for this
533 course.
Chakrabarti, Ranjan- Page 32-
 Both formative and
64
summative assessment
Recommended Readings: techniques would be
Rude, George– The Crowd in
employed to assess the
the French Revolution, Oxford students throughout the
University Press, 1959 semester. Please refer to a
detailed breakdown and
Lefebvre, George –The French explanation of the
Revolution: From its Origins
to 1793, Routledge, 1962,
assessment schema
London provided for in the course
manual.
Furet, Francois–The French
Revolution: 1770–1814,
Blackwell, 1992, UK
 Duiker and Jackson- Page 557-
Rise of Nationalism 566
Session 4 in Europe:
Unification of Italy
and Germany
Chakrabarti, Ranjan- Page

(26.08.2024) 136-160

Session 05
In class midterm
exam.

(09.09.2024)
Session 06
Colonialism in Asia Duiker, William J.-
and Africa Contemporary World History,
Fifth Edition, Page 26-46
(16.09.2024)

Session 07 The Changing Grevillle, J.L.S- A History of

Balance of Power: the World from the 20th to the
21st Century, Routledge, 2005,
Rise of Japan and Page 63-72 and 80-85
USA
Recommended Readings:
(23.09.2024)
Duus, Peter– The Rise of
Modern Japan, Houghton
Mifflin Company, Boston,
1976, USA

Jenkins, Philip– A History of

the United States, Macmillan,
1997, UK, p.43–89

Session 08 The First World War

665-678
(30.09.2024) Recommended Reading:
 Howard, Michael– The First
World War: A Very Short
Introduction, Oxford
University Press 2002
Session 09 After the War: Quest
for Peace and Duiker, William J.- Page 84-86
Stability Grevillle, J.L.S- Page 114-126

(07.10.2024)

Mandatory Readings:
Session 10 The Russian Chakrabarti, Ranjan- Page
Revolution 237-266

(14.10.2024)
Duiker and Jackson-Page 678-
682
Recommended Readings:

Fitzpatrick, Shiela– The

Russian Revolution: 1917–
1932, Oxford University
Press, 1984, Oxford

Smith, S.A– The Russian

Revolution: A Very Short
Introduction, Oxford
University Press

Session 11 In class Debate:

Russian Revolution

(21.10.2024)

From One Crisis to

Session 12 the Next: Great Grevillle, J.L.S- Page 153-167
Depression; failure of and Page 181-193
Democracy and Rise
of Authoritarianism
 (28.10.2024)

Path to the Second Duiker, William J. – Page 121-

Session 13 World War 129

28.10.2024

Session 14 Reserve Session

(04.11.2024)

Session 15 Conclusion and

Revision for End
Term Examination
(11.11.2024)