W400 Seminar in World History:
Peace and Non-Violence in the Twentieth Century

Fall 2002
Professor Phyllis Martin
Office: Ballantine Hall 725
Mail: History Department, BH 742
Class Webpage; Class Time and Place: 9.30-11.30am, BH 335

Office Hours: T. 4.00-5.00pm
W. 2.00-3.15pm and by app't

The twentieth century was the most violent in human history with two world wars and numerous smaller conflicts which caused the deaths of tens of millions of combatants and civilians. Yet, many also mobilized around peace ideals that were inspired by religious and secular beliefs and had inspirations around the world. Some joined leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jane Addams, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, and Apeace churches@ (e.g. Mennonites, Brethren, Quakers) in embracing non-violent principles; some opposed all wars and others opposed certain wars but supported what they perceived as Ajust wars.@ Peace movements and individual activists worked quietly or staged demonstrations to promote conditions that they believed made war less likely (e.g. disarmament, more equitable distribution of resources, environmental conservation); some mobilized around the concerns of specific population groups such as the destitute, women, and children. International agencies, of which the most important was the United Nations, promoted peace-making and peace-keeping. By the second half of the century, many non-governmental organizations worked to remove conditions that brought conflict while they also promoted reconciliation and conflict resolution. In this world history course, we will review through case studies the ideas, goals, and activities of peace activists, peace movements, and peace organizations in the twentieth century. The focus will be on efforts to promote peace in the international arena although these were often closely connected to peace movements within specific countries. We will keep in mind present-day world conditions and consider what we can learn from history.

Requirements:

Regular class attendance and participation (15% of grade)
Weekly report of readings (10% of grade)
Three 4-5 page papers (15% + 15% + 15% of grade)
One 10-12 page paper (30%)
Readings

The following books are available at the bookstores. Copies are also on Reserve at the Undergraduate Library. Some weeks there are also some reading assignments on Electronic Reserve or on the Internet.

Peter Ackerman and Jack Duvall, A Force More Powerful (New York: Palgrave, 2000)
Rachel W. Goossen, Women against the Good War (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1997)
Michael J. Hogan (ed.), Hiroshima in History and Memory (Cambridge: CUP, 1996)
The Power of Non-Violence (Boston: Beacon Press, 2002)
If you need to review your general knowledge of important 20th century events and developments so as to have a context for this class, there are many surveys of 20th century history in the Undergraduate and Main Library. You can find the books on Reserve in the Media/Reserve section for H101 and H102 (The World in the Twentieth Century) or do a keyword or subject search in IUCAT.

Class discussions, readings, weekly summaries, related current events, papers

The discussions in class are based on the readings and for this reason it is essential that you do the readings before the class. Each week, as indicated on the schedule of classes, you should bring to class a 1-2 page report (single-spaced) on the readings (total of 10 for 10% of the grade) including a summary of the main problems raised and your response to the issues and perspectives you found most powerful/striking/surprising/problematic. There will be a class list over e-mail so that we can be in communication as necessary during the week. Class members will take it in turn to lead the discussion. By Sunday, midnight, each week the discussion leader(s), should send some questions for discussion on Tuesday. You should also look out for news items or movies or other events or Web sites that are relevant to the work of the class and share these with other class members. We shall also be looking at videos, etc. that are relevant to the history of peace and non-violence in the twentieth century. Although the focus of the course is on the twentieth century, we will also compare past experience with current events.

September - November will be given over to readings and discussion on the topics listed. Since this class carries Intensive Writing Credit in the College of Arts and Sciences, we will pay particular attention to improving and polishing writing skills. Everyone will write three 4-5 page papers (double-spaced) on the same topic (instructions will be handed out in advance). I will be pleased to go over drafts of papers and to make suggestions for improvements. Also, you should take advantage of the Writing Tutorial Services which has its office in Ballantine 206 (Tel: 855-6738). Efforts to improve writing skills will be recognized in the grading of papers. The short papers are due: September 30 (Paper One), October 21 (Paper Two), and November 18 (Paper Three).

The last two days of class meetings will be given over to short presentations by class members on their 10-12 page paper, which should be chosen according to individual interests. The topic and bibliography should be discussed with Professor Martin during the week of November 4. Paper Four is due by December 12.

All assignments must be handed in on the date specified. Late assignments will be penalized although documented excuses for family emergencies, illness, and religious holidays, will be considered. Plagiarism is, of course, a serious offence. Class policy will be based on the guidelines in the Student Code of Ethics.

Schedule of classes and readings:

(Please bring the Readings for each week to the class in case we want to refer to them)

September 2 Introduction to the class

I. THE BASIS FOR BELIEVING IN PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE
September 9 Beliefs and Statements on Peace and Non-Violence
Readings: Power of Non Violence , vii-x, 3-46
Search Internet for the meaning/history of a "just war"

II. PEACE MOVEMENTS BEFORE 1945
September 16 Peace Movements before 1939
Readings: Ackermann and Duvall, 1-111, 177-206

September 23 War Resisters during the Second World War
Readings: Goossen, 1-93
Ackermann and Duvall, 207-240
Power of Non Violence, 47-56

September 30 Peace as a Women's Issue?
Readings: Goossen, 94-135
*** PAPER ONE DUE ***

III. PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE IN THE NUCLEAR AGE AND THE COLD WAR
October 7 Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and After
Readings: Hogan, 1-79, 116-142
Weale, "Eye-Witness Hiroshima: On the Ground" on Electronic Reserve

October 14 Memorializing War and Peace
Readings: Hogan 143-186, 200-232
Search Internet for sites and information on the Hiroshima or Nagasaki Peace Memorials, and the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC.

October 21 Non-violence in the Civil Rights Struggle and Vietnam War Era
Readings: Power of Non Violence, 83-138
Ackerman and Duvall, 305-333
Chatfield, "Vietnam and the anti-war movement, 1965-1975" on Electronic Reserve
*** PAPER TWO DUE ***

IV. CAMPAIGNS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR PEACE, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE LATER CENTURY
October 28 The Continuing Struggle for Human Rights
Readings: Ackerman and Duvall, 241-302, 335-454 (choose and read four chapters from these pages)

November 4 Individual discussions with Professor Martin about topic and bibliography for Paper Four
Readings: Do some preliminary research on a paper topic and bibliography so you have some ideas about possible topics for your paper

November 11 The United Nations and NGOs: Human Rights and Social Justice
Readings: "Can the U.N. Stretch to Fit its Future?" on Electronic Reserve
"Irrelevant, illegitimate or indispensable?" on Electronic Reserve
"The Charter and collective security" on Electronic Reserve
"The UN system" on Electronic reserve
"The International Committee of the Red Cross as Neutral Intermediary" on Electronic Reserve

Visit the Website of a UN agency or an NGO and bring information to class on its goals and activities. How do they promote human rights and conflict resolution?

November 18 Non Violent Action at Century's end; what can we learn from the 20th century?
Power of Non Violence, 141-200
Ackerman and Duvall, 457-505
***. PAPER THREE DUE ***

November 25 Work on Papers

November 27 Thanksgiving Holiday

VI. SHARING RESULTS OF INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH
December 2 Presentation of Papers

December 9 Presentation of papers

December 12 *** PAPER FOUR DUE ***

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