The 1960s and ‘70s
May Term 2007
Mark Rubinfeld
Foster 308
Office phone:
832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
E-mail: mrubinfeld@westminstercollege.edu
Website: http://people.westminstercollege.edu/faculty/mrubinfeld
Office Hours: Tuesdays
Course
Description:
Focusing
on the news events, social movements, technological innovations, fashions,
arts, films, and music of the 1960s and ‘70s, this course examine what really
went on in the 1960s and ‘70s in terms of social change and how much of that
social change, two generations later, still resonates.
Required
Articles:
Bailey, Beth. “She ‘Can Bring Home the Bacon,”.
Braunstein, Peter. “Adults Only.”
Farber, David. “The Torch Had Fallen.”
Friedan, Betty. “The Feminine Mystique.”
Gilmore, Mikal. “Beatles Then, Beatles Now.”
Gilmore, Mikal. “The Death of the Most Dangerous
Gilmore, Mikal and Mick Jagger. “The Rolling Stones: Journey Into Fear.”
Gitlin, Todd. “The Sixties.”
Harrington, Michael. “The Other
Johnson, Lyndon. “To Fulfill These Rights.”
Leary, Timothy. “The Politics of Ecstasy.”
Moy, Timothy. “Culture, Technology, and the Cult of the 1970s.”
Schulman, Bruce J. “
Schulman Bruce J. “E. Pluribus Plures.”
Schulman Bruce J. “The Sixties and the Postwar Legacy.”
Steinem, Gloria. “A New Egalitarian Life Style.”
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. “Black Power.”
Truscott, Lucian. “Gay Power Comes to
Unger, Irwin and Debi Unger. “The Times Were a Changin’.”
Walker,
Course
Objectives:
Utilizing a variety
of learning tools including readings, discussions, lectures, and DVD’s, this
class will enable students to:
·
To
appreciate the cultural, historical, political, and social implications of the
1960s and ‘70s.
·
To learn
about the values (and value contradictions) that the 1960s and ‘70s embraced,
embodied, and encompassed.
·
To
appreciate the race, class, gender, and sexual dynamics that fueled the era’s
major social movements.
·
To
improve critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills.
Assignments and Grading:
Final grades will be
based on a ten-to-twelve page (double spaced) journal that, in an on-going
fashion, critically reflects on the class readings, discussions, lectures, and
videos in relation to the issues outlined in the Course Objectives. Active
participation in classroom discussions will serve as a positive factor in
borderline grading situations.
Class Participation and
Attendance:
Classroom
discussions are important; they help to clarify various issues that arise from
the readings and add diversity to the learning experience. I expect that all
students will participate in classroom discussions and exercises. This is
especially critical in a May Term course where the classes are long (three
hours) and the term is short (eight meetings). As such, in addition to active
participation, students are expected to attend all eight classes and are
required to make it to seven of these classes to get full credit for the
course. Any student who misses two classes will not be able to get a grade
higher than a B- for the class; any student who misses more than two classes
will not pass the class.
Student-Student and
Student-Faculty Relationship:
All students must be
respectful of other students. This means no talking while other students are
talking or trying to listen. It also means showing up to class on time so as
not to disrupt the class with late arrivals. Once class begins, no chatting, no
reading outside materials, and no sleeping in class. If you must eat, make sure
it is a “quiet” food. Also, turn off your cell phones. In other words, act
appropriately for a college class—if your actions create a distraction, you
will be asked to leave. In accordance with college policies, any acts of
cheating or plagiarism will be penalized to the severest extent. My office
hours are listed at the beginning of this syllabus. At any time, feel free to
meet with me to discuss any matters relevant to this course. It is especially
important to see me early in the semester if you are having difficulties. Do
not wait till the end of the semester when there is little, if anything, I can
do to help. Finally, feel free to meet with me if you would like to learn more
about sociology, including pursuing it as a major or minor, or incorporating
its application into papers and assignments from your other classes.
|
Week |
Topic |
Assignments |
|
1 |
Introduction to the
Course – and – Introduction to the
1960s – and – The 1960s: The Civil Rights
Movement, The Kennedy Assassination, The War on Poverty, The Vietnam War, The
New Left, The Student Movement, The Youth Movement, The Counterculture (Sex,
Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll), Black Power and the Rise of the Black Panthers,
The Women’s Movement, The Gay Rights Movement, Kent State and the “End of an
Era.” |
Tuesday
May 8 No
assignments Thursday May 10 “The Times Were a Changing,” Irwin Unger and
Debi Unger (and) “The
Sixties,” Todd Gitlin (and) “The
Other (and) “To
Fulfill These Rights,” Lyndon Johnson (and) “Black
Power,” Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (and) “The
Civil Rights Movement: What Good Was It?” Alice Walker |
|
2 |
The 1960s (Continued): The
Civil Rights Movement, The Kennedy Assassination, The War on Poverty, The
Vietnam War, The New Left, The Student Movement, The Youth Movement, The
Counterculture (Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll), Black Power and the Rise of
the Black Panthers, The Women’s Movement, The Gay Rights Movement, Kent State
and the “End of an Era.” |
Tuesday
May 15 “The
Feminine Mystique,” Betty Friedan (and) “A
New Egalitarian Lifestyle,” Gloria Steinem (and) “Gay
Power Comes to (and) “The
Politics of Ecstasy,” Timothy Leary Thursday May 17 “Beatles
Then, Beatles Now,” Mikal Gilmore (and) “Rolling
Stones: Journey into Fear,” Mikal Gilmore and Mick Jagger (and) “The
Death of the Most Dangerous Man,” Mikal Gilmore |
|
3 |
Introduction to the 1970s
– and – The 1970s: Appreciating the
Earth, The Nixon Presidency, Backlash to the Counterculture, The Splintering
and Institutionalization of the Women’s Movement, Watergate, The Economic
Downturn, Ford and Carter, America after Vietnam, The Rise of the New Right,
The New Environmentalism, The First Techno-Nerds, Waiting for Reagan, What
Remains and Lessons Learned |
Tuesday May 22 “The Sixties and the Postwar Legacy,” Bruce
J. Schulman (and) “The
Torch Had Fallen,” David Farber (and) “E.
Pluribus Plures,” Bruce J. Schulman Thursday May 24 “She
‘Can Bring Home the Bacon’”, Beth Bailey (and) “ (and) “Adults
Only,” Peter Braunstein |
|
4 |
The 1970s (Continued):
Appreciating the Earth, The Nixon Presidency, Backlash to the Counterculture,
The Splintering and Institutionalization of the Women’s Movement, Watergate,
The Economic Downturn, Ford and Carter, America after Vietnam, The Rise of
the New Right, The New Environmentalism, The First Techno-Nerds, Waiting for
Reagan, What Remains and Lessons Learned |
Due: Tuesday May 29 “Culture, Technology, and
the Cult of Tech in the 1970s,” Timothy Moy Thursday May 31 Lessons Learned: Students
Choice ( |