OBJECTIVES
This course uses a detailed study of the Cuban Missile Crisis to improve students’ ability to formulate and present written arguments (in English) to academic and policy-oriented audiences.
REQUIREMENTS
To pass the class, I expect everyone to complete each of the requirements below with a "good faith effort."
1. Attendance: Attendance is required. No unexcused absences. If circumstances arise that force you to miss a class, please inform me. If you expect to miss two full days in a four-day class, please consider withdrawing.
2. One paragraph summarizing Monday's lecture on the context of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Rough draft will be written in class on Monday, and revised version is due on Tuesday, March 17 at the beginning of class.
3. One paragraph explaining either Khrushchev's decision to place missiles in Cuba (Naftali and Fursenko, ch. 9) or Kennedy's decision to construct a blockade around Cuba . (Naftali and Fursenko, ch. 12). Again, a rough draft will written during class, and a revised version is due on Wednesday, March 18 at the beginning of class.
4. A rough draft of a final paper of six-eight pages (1500-2000 words) on a question of your choice is due Friday, March 20 at the beginning of class. The guidelines for the paper as well as some questions can be found on the syllabus below (beginning March 1).
5. A final revised paper should be delivered to the appropriate homework vault by Monday, April 6 at 17:00 Brno time. I will be happy to help revise the draft over email--or possibly even skype-- in the period between March 20 and April 6.
Schedule:
MONDAY, March 16:
Introductions
Course Objectives and Requirements
The Crisis: Cold War
ContextRough
Writing: Reading
Efficiently
Audience, Argument and Voice
TUESDAY, March 17
Paragraph on the context of the crisis due
The Crisis:
Decision-making Before the Blockade
Writing: Constructing
an Argument
Organization
WEDNESDAY, March 18
Paragraph on decisionmaking due
The Crisis: Crisis
Negotiations and Resolution
Writing: Constructing
a Paragraph
Evidence and Precision
FRIDAY, March 21
Rough draft due
The Crisis: Lessons
and Aftermath
Writing: Editing
FINAL PAPER GUIDELINES AND POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
Please find attached the guidelines for the final paper and possible questions. These are reliable, though incomplete. I will refine the guidelines and add more possible questions as we get closer to the beginning of class. Also, you can write about a question of your own as well, as long as you talk to me about it first.