HIST  330

POSITION PAPER THROUGH

A COMPARATIVE BOOK REVIEW

Michael Markowski -- Fall Term 2005 -- HIST 330 Home

      What is it? The paper here is a Comparative Book Review done through a Sic & Non Position Paper. In other words, by reviewing two (or more) good books that differ about a single Middle East topic, you state and defend your position for one book and against the other.

      For example, you might choose a good, historical biography of Saddam Hussein that you agree with. Let's say that it presents the case for a strong leader of the emerging Iraqi republic, tinged with Ba'athist principles, as a possible unifier of the Middle East and that the U.S. ousted Saddam because of the fear of Middle East unification (rather than fear of Saddam), and the threat which that unification could present to the U.S. politically and/or economically. Then choose another book that you disagree with that presents a good case in opposition. For example, if G.W. Bush ever wrote a book on this topic, his interpretation is very likely to disagree with the above.

      The point is to analyze an opposing book fairly, to think through what we hold to and what we resist (and why we do), and to present both sides in an attempt at reasoning outside our usual spheres of comfort and tradition.