HISTORY 341 : Making Sense of the Sixties: USA 1954-1973
Arts
2021 Semester Two (1215) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
1) The decade of the 1960s was ‘pivotal’ for the United States, a decade when some fundamental changes occurred which marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.
2) The idea of the ‘long sixties’ is used, dating from the Civil Rights Movement’s victory with the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education to the end of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam and the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon after the Watergate scandal by 1974.
3) The era was not only an important period for political liberalism and radicalism but also for conservatism.
4) The 1960s cannot be seen simply as a decade of decline, with the early ‘good’ sixties devolving into the late ‘bad’ sixties; this ‘declension narrative’ only fits some developments during the era and misses many others.
5) All of the key conflicts in American history re-emerge in the 1960s—individual v. community, state’s rights v. federal power, ideals of equality v. reality of inequalities by race, class, gender, sexuality, and age, and the U.S. as a peace-seeking v. war-mongering nation—thus making this era one of the most significant in U.S. history.
Overall, the course aims to shed light on why the 1960s were so important in the USA and on today’s polarized scholarly—and political—debates about the larger meaning and legacy of ‘the sixties’. This course is taught concurrently with History 241, and students share a lecture time. However, History 341 differs from History 241 in that students have separate tutorials and different assessment.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Gain knowledge and understanding of the history, meaning, legacy of the ‘long 1960s’ in the USA. (Capability 1.1 and 6.3)
- Further develop the skills of the historian, including thinking historically, using and distinguishing between primary and secondary sources, and develop proficiency in writing argumentative essays. (Capability 2.1 and 2.3)
- Evaluate contested historical interpretations of the USA in the 1960s, applying prior and new information to create new understandings about the past. (Capability 5.2)
- Identify , critically evaluate, and manage information through essay research, reading, and writing. (Capability 2.1)
- Hone written and oral presentation skills, as well as ability to communicate, work, and strategise collaboratively in teams. (Capability 4.2 and 4.3)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Discussions | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Practical | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay 1 | 35% | Individual Coursework |
| Essay 2 | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| 4 types | 100% |
Workload Expectations
For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation per week.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events unless emergency remote teaching and learning is implemented.
Attendance on campus is required for the exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information,
look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894,
which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.