JSIS B 360 A: The United States in the World
Course Syllabus
Fall 2022
MW 2:30-4:20pm
Communications 326
Rev. December 7, 2022
Jackson School of International Studies
Professor James Lin
Pronouns: he/him
jyslin@uw.edu
Student Office Hours: Wed 1:30-2:30p in 226 Thomson or on Zoom. Please email me in advance if you would like to meet over Zoom. If you cannot make this time, please email me to arrange a different time.
Course Description:
This survey course will explore the history of the United States’ interactions with and presence in the rest of the world in the 20th Century. We will explore both traditional and critical narratives of US foreign policy, focused on wars and security, while also bringing historically marginalized perspectives from culture, race, gender, and peoples outside the borders of the United States. How has US foreign policy affected US domestic society and societies in other parts of the world, and vice versa? How has the United States shaped and been affected global flows of ideas, materials, and peoples? How has the United States emerged as a global power and an empire? Through these questions and cases of different regions and geographic areas outside the US, the course offers a broad and wide-ranging narrative of the US in the world.
Each week, readings move chronologically from 1900 to the present focusing on various themes, which include security, military, trade, political economy, immigration, religion, lived experience, popular culture, labor, gender, and race. We will explore US presence across the world, including Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific Islands, and the influence of the world on American society. Primary sources will be included as well for textual analysis and interpretation.
By the end of the course, students should be able to 1) build independent research and analysis skills, and 2) critically analyze historical events using lenses for both the local and the global to understand historical context and contingencies.
Lectures and Assigned Readings:
Bullet points indicate readings to be completed by class meeting
9/28: Course Introduction and Syllabus Review
10/3: Beginning of American Empire: Manifest Destiny and the Spanish-American War
10/5: Hidden Empire? The Philippines
10/10: Empire or Nation: Hawaii and Alaska
10/12: Primary Sources Discussion
10/17: Wilsonianism and Self Determination
10/19: Americans at Home, Americans Abroad: Immigrants and Missionaries
10/24: World Wars, Collective Security, Isolationism?
Research Exercise Part 1 Due
10/26: “Waging Peace in Vietnam: US Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War”
Guest lecture by Randy Rowland and Stephanie Atkinson, Veterans for Peace Chapter 92
Visit to Allen Library exhibit (meet in CMU 326)
Due 10/28: 300-word essay on exhibits and the role of public education on the US in the world
10/31: Origins of American Hegemony
Guest Q&A with Stephen Wertheim
11/2: The US Military in Latin America
Book lecture by Rebecca Herman
11/7: The Emerging Third World and Global Cold War
Research Exercise Part 2 Due
11/9: Remaking the World in the US Image (1): Nations and Villages
11/14: The Vietnam War and Southeast Asia
Guest lecture by Alvin Bui
Readings:
11/16: Remaking the World in the US Image (2): Earth and Water
Research Exercise Part 3 Due
11/21: Policymakers and Global Constraints
Guest lecture by Daniel Sargent
11/23: No class meeting
11/28: Research Exercise Part 4: In-class Presentations
11/30: Cultural Empire
12/5: China and Taiwan
12/7: America, Lone Superpower? Or End of an Empire?
Research Exercise Part 5 Due
12/10, 5:00 pm: Final exam prompt provided via Canvas
12/14, 5:00 pm: Final exams due via Canvas
Class Format:
This class is conducted in-person. Students are expected to participate in class to fully benefit from course activities and meet the course’s learning objectives. Students should only register for this class if they are able to attend in-person. To protect their fellow students, faculty, and staff, if you feel ill or exhibit possible COVID symptoms, please do not come to class.
When absent, please notify me in advance (or as close to the class period as possible in the case of an unexpected absence). Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some class participants will face unseen burdens, such as caretaking responsibilities, that may affect the ability to participate. Please feel free to let me know at any time if you are experiencing responsibilities or hardships outside of class that will affect in-class performance.
Assignments and Exams:
1. Reading and participation
Each week, students will be expected to have read the weekly assignments and come to class prepared to discuss the readings. Active participation in class discussion demonstrates having completed the reading assignments, and thus discussion constitutes an important portion of grading. Students will be graded upon frequency and substance of contributions to the discussion.
2. Research exercise
The five-part exercise practices research of locating a primary source document, analyzing its perspective and contribution, and discussing why it is important for our understanding of the US and the world. Below is a basic summary. Further details, including a grading rubric, will be provided in class.
In preparation for doing this exercise, we will also spend one class session exploring library resources and databases for primary and secondary sources.
Part 1:
Locate one primary source document on the US in the world in the 20th century. Analyze the context: who wrote it, when, what is its purpose, and for what audience? Why is it important to understanding a larger theme of the US in the world (i.e. empire, political economy, internationalism, etc.)?
Part 2:
Locate and summarize two (2) articles from peer reviewed academic journals (i.e. Diplomatic History). Summarize how these articles explain and provide context for the primary source document you have chosen.
Part 3:
Locate and summarize one (1) scholarly book monograph (published by a university press, e.g. University of California Press). Summarize how this book explains and provides context for the primary source document you have chosen.
Part 4:
Give a 3 minute presentation to the class on your primary source and its importance to the US in the world.
Part 5:
After receiving feedback from Parts 1 to 4, write a revised paper integrating all four parts.
Odegaard Library and JSIS operate Writing Centers to help students with written work:
2. Exhibit essay
On 10/26, we will visit the Allen Library exhibit “Waging Peace in Vietnam: US Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War.” Write a 300-word essay explaining the role of exhibits and public education on the US in the world. Further details will be provided.
3. Final exam
A final exam essay will be administered over Canvas. You will receive an essay prompt 72 hours before the exam deadline and choose one to answer. The essay will ask you to make an argument on a broad theme of the course by synthesizing and integrating a variety of readings and scholarly arguments from our discussions.
Grading:
Weekly discussions | 15% first half; 15% second half | 30% total |
Research exercise | Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4: 7% each | 50% total |
Exhibit essay | 5% | |
Final exam | 15% |
Late submissions: Once an assignment is late it will incur a penalty of 5% of the total assignment value, and a further 5% will be deducted for every subsequent 24 period until the assignment is submitted. If you have extenuating circumstances or obligations, such as, but not limited to, employment, military duties, illness, or care for a family member, please let me know in advance (if possible) for an exemption.
This course uses the following grading scheme, which converts percentage grades into 4.0 grades:
Numeric Grade | Percent |
4.00 | 98-100 |
3.90 | 96-97 |
3.80 | 94-95 |
3.70 | 92-93 |
3.60 | 91 |
3.50 | 90 |
3.40 | 89 |
3.30 | 88 |
3.20 | 87 |
3.10 | 86 |
3.00 | 85 |
2.90 | 84 |
2.80 | 83 |
2.70 | 82 |
2.60 | 81 |
2.50 | 80 |
2.40 | 79 |
2.30 | 78 |
2.20 | 77 |
2.10 | 76 |
2.00 | 75 |
1.90 | 74 |
1.80 | 73 |
1.70 | 72 |
1.60 | 71 |
1.50 | 70 |
1.40 | 69 |
1.30 | 68 |
1.20 | 67 |
1.10 | 66 |
1.00 | 65 |
0.90 | 64 |
0.80 | 62-63 |
0.70 | 60-61 |
2.7 or higher is required for graduate students to earn "S" in "S/NS" grading
2.0 or higher is required for undergraduate students to earn "S" in "S/NS" grading
Course policies:
The University takes academic integrity very seriously. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. If you’re uncertain about if something is academic misconduct, ask me. I am willing to discuss questions you might have.
Acts of academic misconduct may include but are not limited to:
Concerns about these or other behaviors prohibited by the Student Conduct Code will be referred for investigation and adjudication by (include information for specific campus office). Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct may receive a zero on the assignment (or other possible outcome).
If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course. If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and ccessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).
Our classroom is a safe space for all students regardless of race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, size, religion, or political affiliation. Please feel comfortable and welcome to approach me with any concerns you may have about these issues. If you’d prefer that I call you by a different name/pronoun than is indicated on your official records, please let me know. In all cases, students’ preferences of address will be honored. All students in the classroom are expected to treat each other with respect and tolerance.
College is a time to grow not just your intellectual capacity and resources but also your emotional resources and resilience. Cultivating relationships with your classmates, academic counselors, and instructors will help you feel anchored, seen, and heard. Additionally, take time to develop a practice that nurtures your mental wellbeing: it may be journaling, taking walks, downtime with friends and family, joining an RSO or a faith-based community. To support you, free of charge, UW has a centralized website (https://wellbeing.uw.edu) which links to three different centers:
A student should never have to make the choice between buying food or textbooks. The UW Food Pantry helps mitigate the social and academic effects of campus food insecurity. We aim to lessen the financial burden of purchasing food by providing students with access to food and hygiene products at no-cost. Students can expect to receive 4 to 5 days’ worth of supplemental food support when they visit the Pantry. For information including operating hours, location, and additional food support resources visit www.uw.edu/anyhungryhusky.
We acknowledge that the University of Washington exists on Coast Salish territory, the traditional homelands of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations, and other Natives peoples.
Readings:
All required readings for the course are available as free to access ebooks or as PDFs on Canvas. You are not required to purchase any books.
Many readings are available as ebooks or journal articles, which need to be accessed via UW Library proxy or VPN. I have embedded URLs in the syllabus for your convenience, which should route you through the library proxy automatically (you will be prompted to log in with your NetID if not logged in already). If any embedded link does not work, you will need to open the ebook through the proxy yourself. For help with this, please visit https://www.lib.washington.edu/help/connect
For readings not accessible via UW Library proxy, I will upload PDFs to the “Files” section of Canvas.
If you prefer hard copies, I have placed books where the assigned reading exceeds one chapter on reserve at Odegaard Library.
Full reading list: