HISTORY 716 : Topics in the History of War and Peace

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An exploration of the history and historiography of war, peace and state violence from a variety of perspectives, focusing on the modern period. Topics could include the course, conduct and consequences of inter-state, civil, revolutionary and imperial warfare as well as of peace-making, internationalism, humanitarianism and the regulation of warfare in international law. Integrates a range of approaches to the study of the past, including international, military, economic, cultural, legal and social histories.

Course Overview

Beginning with the premise that we can study the period 1815-1914 as a century with unique characteristics, this course analyses the central roles played by warfare, peace-making and state violence in the nineteenth-century age of industrial globalization. It uses the many wars fought across the world during the ‘long 1860s’ (1857-1871) as a case study for these ideas. Students engage with topics relating to the diplomacy, economic and politics of war and peace; the military and economic conduct and impact of warfare on communities; the regulation of war in international law; the role played by neutrality and war avoidance, and the ideologies surrounding war, peace, internationalism and humanitarianism. The course also investigates the history of different kinds of warfare and state violence including inter-state warfare, civil wars, imperial wars, massacres and genocide.

Course Requirements

Restriction: HISTORY 715

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of historical events, concepts, theories, methodologies and historiography relating to the history of war and peace with specific reference to the period 1859-1871 (Capability 1, 3 and 4)
  2. Improve and develop skills in critical reading, historical analysis and historical communication both verbally and in a variety of forms of writing (Capability 4 and 6)
  3. Work collaboratively with peers on designing course content and developing weekly discussions (Capability 5, 6 and 7)
  4. Plan, research and construct a historiographical essay focussed on a particular historical question, debate or controversy regarding the history of warfare in the period 1815-1914 (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Weekly Reading Responses 40% Individual Coursework
Reading Preparation Assignment 15% Individual Coursework
Historiography Essay 45% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

Students are expected to do at least 10 hours work on this course per week, including in-class discussion, preparatory reading and work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at all seminars.

Learning 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.

Weekly readings are available via CANVAS. Students are expected to undertake their own independent research in the University library.

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.

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Other Information

HISTORY 716 is taught concurrently with HISTORY 715, a 30-point version of the course that also analyses the history of the First World War. Students in HISTORY 716 will undertake the same in-course activities as HISTORY 715 students, but your assessments will be weighted differently.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

feedback from the class was overwhelmingly positive

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 course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, 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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 18/10/2023 02:52 p.m.