Student Rebellion in the 1960s United States. Reasons, developments, global context, consequences 4219-SD078
The classes will discuss the sources of the university crisis and provide an answer to the question of why youth protests became one of the central forms of protest in the 1960s. During the classes, the reasons for the protest, their growth, development, achievements and causes of decline, as well as the goals and intentions of rebuilding US society will be presented. Protests They will also be shown in a broader European context - such as Poland, Germany, Italy, France, where the inspiration from the American movement was particularly visible. The international thread will be supplemented by events in Japan, Mexico and China. The classes will also compare previous and subsequent decades in terms of student activity in search of similarities, differences and causes of this state of affairs. Attention will also be paid to manifestations of terrorism associated with student radicals such as the RAF (Rote Armee Fraktion), Weather Underground and political reactions, such as the emergence of the New Right.
Topics
1. Organisational classes. Organisation and overview of the course.
2. The USA in the 1960s - the main socio-political problems of the decade.
3. Student Politics and Higher Education in the United States.
4. Roots and soil of Student Activism.
5. Students and Politics. Student Activism in the United States before the 1960s
6. Patterns of Activism at American Universities in th 1960s. Freedom Riders, Civil Rights Movement.
7. The emergence of the New Left and the Port Huron Statement. Students for a Democratic Society
8. The Berkeley strike - its dimensions and significance.
9. Escalation of Protest, 1964–1967. Development of Protest and Urban Protests.
10. Explosion of Protest, 1968–1970. University Strikes and Their Significance.
11. Who Protested? Characteristics of Protesters?
12. Main Reasons for Protest – Vietnam, Draft, Recruitment, ROTC, Political Engagement of Colleges.
13. Case Study – The 1968 Columbia Strike
14. Student Protests in Europe – Germany and France.
15. Written Assessment.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
in the field of knowledge:
1. will have knowledge about the period discussed
2. will be able to explain the relationships between the socio-economic and political phenomena of the period discussed
3. will notice the international conditions of the phenomena and changes taking place in the USA
4. will know the directions of development and evolution of the United States in the national and international dimension.
in the area of skills:
1. will be able to explain the causes and dynamics of phenomena occurring in the United States
2. analyze cultural processes and phenomena occurring in the United States correctly using normative systems
3. identify, describe social phenomena and manifestations of social culture in the United States using basic theoretical and methodological tools from the field of sociological sciences,
as well as formulate and solve research problems in this area
4. communicate on American studies topics related to the United States using specialized terminology in English and using advanced information and communication techniques
in the area of competences:
1. use acquired, interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of American studies on the United States to formulate their own opinions, and recognize its importance in solving cognitive and
practical problems
2. critically receive content about the United States transmitted by the media and other environments
3. will be aware of the role of events from the period discussed for the contemporary United States.
Assessment criteria
The following elements will make your final grade
1. Participation - 35%
2. Paper 1 - 25 %
3. Paper 2 - 25 %
4. Presentation 15 %
Your grade will depend upon the above.
Letter grade equivalencies:
5= 95-100;
A- = 90 - 94;
4+ =85- 89;
4 = 88- 83;
4- = 72 - 78
3+= 77 - 73;
3 = 72 - 68;
3- = 67 - 63;
Fail = below 62.
Your papers are due in mid-Novemeber and mid-December. The exact dates will be specified later. Please do not be late. I am willing to discuss your paper grade if necessary.
Paper:
1. Your paper must be related to the class. It should cover various aspects of American social history of the 19th century. Topics will be assigned.
2. The paper should be structured. Please include the title of your paper. This will help you in writing and giving it a proper structure and it will help me in better evaluating and grading
your paper.
3. The paper should contain an opening paragraph with clearly stated point (thesis) that you present and „defend”. It should also contain a clear conclusion.
4. The simplest structure of the paper is below:
a. opening paragraph with your main point
b. The body of the paper - this part should contain your arguments for your main point.
Preferably three or four arguments should be included. Each argument should be in the form of paragraphs. Paragraphs should be documented (supported with notes).
c. Conclusion should support your main point.
This structure represents a typical descriptive paper.
If you would like to write a more advanced paper, discussing the problem, it is advised to add counterarguments to your arguments. In this situation your paper may look like this:
a. opening paragraph with your main point
b. the body - arguments supporting your point and arguments against. Each argument is in the form of paragraphs, but in this case the paragraphs should contain points for and against a given point.
EXAMPLE:
title: Street photography as a form of artistic expression
Your point: street photography is one of the most interesting form of artistic
expression because it is built on the observation of the everyday and requires a strong sense of observation.
Structure:
1. argument:
paragraph 1 - you just go to the streets, observe situations and take pictures. It is so easy, everyone can do that.
Paragraph 2 - Oh, not really. You must be observant, pay attention and find something really interesting even if it looks boring.
2. argument
paragraph 1 - street photo has nothing to do with art, it is just taking pictures of anything
paragraph 2 - on the contrary, you have to pay attention to the light, colours, coincidences, you must be observant
3. argument
paragraph 1 - the everyday is boring. How one can document such a meaningless thing?
paragraph 2 - The everyday is more interesting than you think. This art shows a recognition of ordinary dignity or a meditation on what happens when nothing happens. It requires more skills than one can imagine.
4. Conclusion (closing paragraph) - For the above reasons I think that street photography is great.
Bibliography
Literature (will be provided by the instructor in the pdf format; link to the folder on my Google drive will be provided during the class)
G. DeGroot, Student Protest. The Sixties and After, Chapters:
2, Student activism in the US before 1960s – An Overview
3, The Location of of Student Protest. Patters of Activism at American Universities in the 1960s
4, The Eyes of the Marcher. Paris, May 1968 – Theory and Consequences
8, The Struggle Continues – Rudi Dutchke’s Long March
9. Two Responses th Student Protest – Rionald Reagan and Robert Kennedy
Student Politics, ed. by Seymour Martin Lipset, Chapters:
2, Roots and Soil of Student Activism
3. Students and Politics
7, Student Politics and Higher Education in the United States
K. J. Heineman, Put Your Bodies Upon the Wheels. Student Revolt in the 1960s
Chapters:
2. Civil Rights or Wrongs
3, Who protested?
5, The Escalation
6. The Explosion
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: