History of Modern Mexico (HIS391H)                      Fall 2006
Course Overview                                                 [HIS391 Main page]

Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-5        North Building 140
Prof. Derek Williams                    derek.williams@utoronto.ca
Office hours:                                        NB 239, Tuesday 11:30-12:30 and Thursday 2-3, or by appt.

scope and objectives
This course examines Mexico's history from its independence from Spain in the early nineteenth century through the Mexican Revolution (1910-17) to contemporary Mexican society. The course combines lectures and films with discussion sessions and research and writing. It emphasizes active individual learning (thorough self-directed library and internet research) and collaboration with peers (through the use of wiki software)

readings
all course readings are available online through the course website http://ccnet.utoronto.ca/20069/his391h5f/ Some readings are password protected. You will receive the password once you have registered on CCNetFor students who have no or little background in Latin American history, I recommend that you also read John Chasteen's Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America (1st or 2nd edition). There are a number of copies in the University library system

attendance
students will receive credit for each class period that they attend. Students may miss one class period, no questions asked. Additional absences will result in a grade reduction. Only absences for legitimate, documented reasons will be excused. 

wikis|
This course makes use of a course wiki. A wiki is a web application that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. You will use the wiki to compile your annotated bibliography, prospectus and paper. You will also use the wiki to comment on your fellow students' work and create collaborative session summaries

test
a short chronology test will be held on September 28. A term test on 7 December will be an identification-and-significance test based on the lectures, films and assigned readings.

office hours
this semester my regular office hours are Tuesdays (11:30-12:30) and Thursdays (2:15-3;15). I am often available at other times, but you should email me to make an appointment. You should drop by my office if you are perplexed or provoked by something that you have read or heard in class. Or come if you are excited by something you have heard or read and would like to know more about it. Drop by also if you need some direction with a course assignment. And come by if you have ideas about how to improve the course.

email policy
>> all students should register on CCNet and provide an email address
>> please note that some servers (such as hotmail) can be unreliable in both sending and receiving messages. I encourage you to send me mail using a university email account (see www.utorid.utoronto.ca). You can easily forward mail received at your UTORmail account to the email account that you use regularly.
>> I will endeavour to reply to email inquiries from students within 48 hours. If you do not receive a reply within this period, please resubmit your question(s).
>> each email message should include in the Subject line the course identifier and a concise and clear statement of purpose [e.g., HIS390H: I cannot access this week's readings online]. Please sign your full name to each email message.
>> please make sure you consult the course outline/syllabus, other handouts, and the course website BEFORE submitting inquiries by email.”
>> email should NOT be seen as an alternative to meeting with the instructor during office hours. Nor should email be used as a mechanism to receive private tutorials (especially prior to tests) or to explain material that was covered in lectures you missed.

evaluation

• Chronology Quiz: 10 minute test on key dates in modern Mexican history (3 October ) (5%)
  
• Research Paper : Students will plan, research and write an 10-page paper that assesses a major aspect of Mexican history (19th and 20th centuries). A list of possible topics will be distributed toward the end of September. We will dedicate one class session in late October to discuss research techniques and strategies. Students:
  
  >> will submit eight annotated bibliographic entries (two per week for four weeks Oct 1- Oct 19) (10%)
  >> will submit a 400-word prospectus (with statement of topic, research questions, methodology) on 26 October (5%)
  >> will submit the completed essay on 30 November.  (20%)

• Prospectus Commentary: each student will provide comment and constructive critique on the essay prospectus of two other students in the class (due 3 November) (10%)
  
• Participation: About a quarter of our meetings are designated as discussion sessions. Students should come prepared to participate actively (and to be called upon for their viewpoint) during these classes.  (Attendance and participation 20%)
  
• Reaction Papers and Collaborative Session Summaries: In addition, for one of the discussion sessions (to be decided during the first weeks of the semester), students will either submit a 500- to 750-word “reaction papers,” reflecting on the assigned readings (submitted by e-mail to the instructor by 6 p.m. the day prior to the class) or contribute to a collaborative session summary (1000 words). You will have an opportunity to sign up for these assignments during the second week of classes (10%)
  
• Test: There will be a one -hour identification-and-significance test on 7 December  (20%)
  

[photo: Pancho Villa, Mexico, c. 1913]